Fallen (Chronicles Of The Fallen) (8 page)

“I’ll try the moussaka and ice water for me, as well. Oh, extra tzatziki sauce for my friend here, too, please.” Alex winks at Lisa and she smiles, flattered he remembered.

“You bet. Anything else?” She looks between Alex and Lisa, then back to Alex for a moment longer.

Lisa clears her throat and Alex looks at her, then back at Myrina. “No, thank-you, we’re good.” Myrina nods her head and turns, walking back towards the kitchen.

“I can’t take you anywhere, I swear!” Lisa laughs softly as Alex reaches across the table for her hand. His thumb traces it lightly.

“I have no idea what you mean,” he says innocently, winking at her.

She smiles and rolls her eyes. “Sure you don’t.”

The music playing through the restaurant turns off, and a loud drum starts beating. The people inside the restaurant begin to clap, and Lisa turns to watch the dancers perform the
Kalamatiano
. She hears Alex chuckle as the dancers, including the hostess, begin coming from the back of the restaurant. The drum is joined by a
bouzouki
, tambourine, and a bass guitar. The dancers form a circle and begin a traditional Greek dance, moving from left to right, then changing direction. Occasionally, someone would yell “OPAH!” and the crowd cheers.

While they’re watching the show, their food’s delivered. The smell fills Lisa’s senses, and her eyes close. She leans towards her food, inhaling the scent. “Wow, this smells so good!”

Alex nods. “Would you like to try a bite?” He holds up a forkful of moussaka and offers it to her. Smiling, she takes his fork, tasting his food. The flavor explodes in her mouth as she chews.

“That
is
great!” Swallowing, she stabs some of her lamb, tzatziki sauce, and lettuce, then offers it to Alex. “Here, try mine.”

Chewing, he nods a few times. “Wow, that’s good.” He swallows. “Want to trade?” He chuckles.

“Nope, I’m good!”

Watching the dancers, Lisa finishes off about half of her gyro, and Alex is almost done with his moussaka. Occasionally, the waitress stops by to refill their water, then brings a to-go box for Lisa. She plans to enjoy this food again tonight. As they wipe their hands on their napkins, one of the male dancers approaches their table and offers his hand to Lisa. He’s young, probably seventeen or so, with dark brown hair, tan skin, and light brown eyes. She can imagine the effect he has on the girls his age. He’s a good-looking boy. Her brows shoot up and she smiles. “Really? Oh, I don’t know how!”

“I teach, you dance.” His accent is strong, and he waves her out towards the floor. Looking over at Alex, she sees him smile and motion for her to go. “Go for it. I’ll be right here.”

“No, you don’t. Dance with me!” A young girl, maybe sixteen, approaches and pulls Alex to his feet. Lisa laughs at the stunned look on his face. Standing, he joins the young girl and they walk out to the dance floor.

The young man walks Lisa through a few of the basic dance moves, then they begin. She laughs as they kick a few times, then he spins her around. Looking over at Alex, she sees that he’s a natural. He’s spinning around with the young girl and his hands move up into the air, clapping above his head. He even yells “OPAH!” Lisa shakes her head, laughing, as she turns back to her partner. He moves her across the floor and she tries her best to follow.

“Don’t think; just dance, just feel,” he tells her.

She tries to let go but, never having danced this style before, she feels a little stiff. Her partner yells out “OPAH!” The men let go of their females and turn to the ladies next to them. Lisa suddenly finds herself in Alex’s arms. Laughing, she shakes her head. “I had no idea you knew how to do this!”

He chuckles. “It’s all in the hips.” He twirls her once, then brings her back to him. Their bodies mold against each other as his arms hold her close. Looking down into her eyes, his body moves against hers. Lisa moves naturally with him.

“OPAH!” Lisa looks over as her former partner cheers her on.

She laughs and looks back up at Alex. His smile reaching his eyes, he leans in to whisper in her ear, “You’re doing great.” He kisses her cheek softly.

Remaining close, Lisa turns her head towards him. Their lips close, she feels his breath fan across her skin. Parting her lips, her nose glides gently against his and her hands move up his chest. The music comes to a stop and the crowd cheers. Alex and Lisa have stopped dancing, but don’t move. Standing still, her heart beats hard against her chest. She wants him to kiss her. She wants to feel him hold her close, to feel his hands move across her body.

“Kiss her!” Their moment is broken, and Alex smiles. He pulls away as chants of “KISS HER! KISS HER!” erupt all around them. Lisa blushes and looks down, pulling out of Alex’s arms. Feeling his fingers tilt her chin up, her eyes catch his, he leans in, and brushes his lips softly across hers. She gasps when he kisses her, moving her hands to his waist. The kiss is soft and gentle, but the intensity behind it speaks volumes. They both want more. Then, as the crowd cheers them, Alex pulls away.

Lisa opens her eyes to see a crease in Alex’s brow. “Are you okay?” she asks, concerned.

He nods, then looks at her and smiles.
“Absolutely.” He winks at her. The moment has passed again. Lisa wants to ask him why he seems to be in pain every time they kiss, but feels it’s a conversation left for another time.

They walk back to their table and pick up her to-go bag, then head back towards the front to pay their tab. He pulls out forty dollars, then tells the cashier to leave a tip for their waitress and the dancers.

Lisa hasn’t talked to Jill since the red carpet event, which was very successful. The movie was promoted, the actors were in the spotlight, and Lisa made out with her boss. Shaking her head, she pulls out her phone and calls Jill. As the phone rings, she wonders what ever became of Tad.

“Hey, Lisa!” Jill seldom answers “hello” unless she’s in a meeting or somewhere a little more formal.

“Hey, girl. What’re you doing?” Taking a seat on her couch, Lisa crosses her ankles on her coffee table.

“Not too much, about to go get my nails done. Want to join me?”

“Sorry, I can’t today.” Lisa holds out her fingers, examining her nail beds. “I’ll catch you next time for that. So, dish. What happened with Tad?”

Jill sighs happily into the phone. “He’s great, actually. We’re meeting later for dinner. OH! He’s got a single friend! You totally should join us!”

Lisa could hear the wheels turning in Jill’s head. “No, that won’t be necessary.” She pauses for a moment and the corners of her lips pull in a smile. “Jill, I met someone.” Lisa prepares herself by holding the phone away from her ear.

“LISA! Why didn’t you tell me sooner! Who is he? What does he do? Is he hot? Where does he live? Has he kissed you yet?”

Pulling the phone back once the squealing dies down some, Lisa replies, “I haven’t been able to tell you yet because, well, I’ve been busy with work and, umm...him.” She smiles and looks down at her lap.

“Busy with him? Oh, really?! What are you two doing?” Jill laughs into the phone.

Lisa continues, “Not that! Jill, please!” She grins into the phone, since that’s
exactly
what she wants to do with him. She wants to see him without his shirt on, feel her hands on his chest, feel his body moving against hers.

Clearing her throat, she continues, “His name is Alex. I’m not really sure what he does for work yet and, yes, he’s freaking hot! He lives in my building. We met in the mailroom the other day and, yes, he’s kissed me.” Lisa thinks of the kisses they’ve shared and her brows pull together with concern. Each time they kiss, he tends to be in pain. Curious as to what that’s all about, she makes a mental note to talk with him about it later.

“Whoa, you realize that’s, like, the beginning of a porno?” She giggles into the phone.

“Oh, my god, you really went there?” Lisa rolls her eyes and tries not to give into the laughter threatening to bubble over.

“Yeah, I did! Lisa, I’m so happy for you! Do you want to bring him along? I’d like to meet him, you know, as your best friend and all.”

“Sure, I’ll find out and let you know. So, tell me, what’s been going on with Tad? He seems nice.” The last time Lisa saw Tad was at the club where she ended up outside, having no recollection on how she ended up out there. Volunteering to take Jill home was a nice gesture, but not one Lisa had been that happy with. If she hadn’t been so shaken up over the events of that evening, she would have insisted on driving her home. She has serious doubts as to her best friend’s status.

Jill goes into how Tad has taken her on a few dates, visiting the MOSI museum and planning a trip to the beach. Lisa interrupts her. “Jill?”

“Umm, yeah?”

“I’m sorry for leaving you at the club that night. I shouldn’t have.”

She can hear Jill’s hesitation before she speaks. “You’ve nothing to be sorry about, Lisa. I’m a big girl and I’m fine, but thank-you.”

Not feeling satisfied with her apology, Lisa wants to make it up to her. Looking down at her watch, she says, “What time’s your manicure again?”

~~~~~~~~~~~

Leaving the nail salon, Lisa waves bye as they take off in different directions. Assuming Jill’s heading home to get ready for her date, Lisa pulls out her phone and calls Alex. Clearing her throat, she listens to his phone ring. “Hello?” His voice is deep when he answers. The sound floods through her mind and she smiles.

“Hey, it’s Lisa. Are you busy?”

“Not in the least.” She can hear a smile in his voice. “Are you home? You could have come over instead of calling, you know.”

Lisa smiles. “I’m not home, and that’s why I called you. Do you have plans this afternoon?” Suddenly, she’s curious about what she and Alex are to each other. They’ve been spending almost every day together. He’s
kissed her a few times, but not a kiss like she’s wanted from him. More than anything, Lisa wants to make out with him on her bed. Hell, her couch would be a great option, too.

“I don’t have anything at the moment, but it sounds like something’s in the works. What’s going on?”

She smiles, pulling the phone away and letting out a soft squeal. She clears her throat. “I just met with my friend, Jill, who I’d like you to meet, if that’s okay. She wants to do a double date.” There, she’s put it on the table. They’ll have another date and, this time, he’ll meet her best friend.

“Sure, I’m cool with that. What time should I pick you up?” He chuckles at what has become their inside joke.

Feeling excitement run through her, she says, “How about six o’clock?”

“You got it. I’ll see you at six then.” He pauses for a moment, then continues, “Who’s her date? Anyone
you know?”

“Oh, right. Lisa’s seeing a guy that she met at a club we went to the other night.” At that moment, images of Samuel flood her mind as she recalls the red carpet event…his hands on her arms, the way he touched her face, the kisses she shared with him.

Bringing her from her thoughts, Alex replies, “Okay, cool. If you like him, then I’m sure I’ll be okay with him. I think I need to make an impression on the best friend first, right?”

“On Jill?” Lisa laughs, and finds this sweet and charming. “I think you’ll have her convinced you’re a good guy.” Lisa tries pushing the thoughts of Samuel out of her mind, but she remembers how his chest felt under her hands, the way he breathed against her ears, the way his lips felt on her neck.
Stop it
, she tells herself.

“I’ll take your word for it,” he tells her.

“Okay, ‘bye, Alex. See you later.”

“See you later.” Alex hangs up and Lisa presses the END button, then sets her phone down.

Parking at her condo complex, Lisa walks towards the elevator in the garage. Lifting her hand, she examines her freshly manicured nails. Pressing the button, she waits for the elevator to arrive. As the doors open, she steps inside the empty elevator and presses her floor button. As the doors close, she looks down, the mirrored doors reflecting her image. Lisa pulls out her phone and scrolls for Jill’s name. She doesn’t see the reflection of the hooded man standing behind her. His red eyes glow under the shadow of his hood. His lips form a sneer, as Lisa’s fingers swipe across her screen. The elevator comes to a stop and his hands reach out for her. The doors begin to open and Lisa looks up…but the image is gone.

Making her way down the hallway, she stops at her door, unlocks it, and walks inside. Locking the door behind her, she sets her purse down on the entryway
table, then places her keys in the crystal bowl. Slipping her shoes off, she carries them into her bedroom, putting them away. Looking through her closet, she spies a cocktail dress. Shaking her head, she pulls out a dark green halter dress. Tilting her head, she looks it over, imagining it on her body while talking to Alex.

With the hanger still on it, she pulls it over her head and lets the dress rest against her body. Walking to her full-length mirror, she looks herself over, then pulls her hair up with her fingers. “This will do.” She pulls the dress off of her neck and hangs it on a dress hook.

Turning towards the bathtub, she turns the shower on and removes her clothes. Glancing over at the mirror, she remembers the man she saw in the reflection and hesitates to take a shower. Memories of the movie
Psycho
come to mind, the man stabbing the woman through the shower curtain. “Stupid movie,” she mumbles to herself. “I’m not twelve.” She steps into the shower and closes the curtain. Closing her eyes, the water streams down her face and body, and she begins to wash her hair. Every sound causes Lisa to jump. She finishes up, turns off the faucet, opens her curtain, and grabs her towel. Wrapping it around her body, she feels the need to prove to herself that she’s overreacting. Looking over at the mirror, she’s half expecting to see something written in the steam…REDRUM or something. Seeing nothing, she lets out a long breath. Bringing the towel around her hair, she wrings the extra water out, then hangs it up.

After putting on her makeup, she sets her hair in a loose twist, leaving the ends hanging down to her neckline. Pulling on the fitted dress, she zips it up, the hemline touching just to her knees. Walking back into her closet, she pulls out a pair of black wedge heels, black lace across the outer side, accented with a green stone. She examines herself in the mirror.

Shifting a few pieces of hair around, she smiles to herself. Pulling out a necklace she bought especially to go with this dress, she places it around her neck and sets the clasp. The gold chain, with four princess cut emeralds set in a straight line with gold lining on either side, adds a classy touch. Placing diamond studs in her ears, she looks over to her clock and sees that it’s 5:45 PM.

She applies some gloss to her lips, then tucks it safely in her clutch. Making her way into her living room, she hears a knock on her front door. “Early, not bad.” Walking to her door, she looks out the peephole. Alex is wearing a button down white shirt with gray slacks and sports jacket, holding a bouquet of red and yellow tulips. She smiles, opening the door.

Alex’s eyes widen slightly when he sees her. “Wow, you look…wow.” His eyes move down Lisa’s body, then back up. When he reaches her eyes, she has a touch of deja vu, remembering when she did the same thing to him the day they met.

Looking him over, she smiles and steps aside so he could enter. “You look great yourself.” Looking down at the flowers, he hands them over to her, then leans in and brushes his lips across her cheek. “They’re beautiful.”

“No, you’re beautiful.” He looks into her eyes, and her knees feel weak at the intensity of his gaze.

“Let me get these in some water.” Taking the tulips, she breaks eye contact and heads towards the kitchen. Reaching into a cabinet, she pulls out a light pink glass vase.

Turning on the faucet, she fills the vase, unwraps the flowers, and sets them inside. She looks at Alex as he joins her in the kitchen. “You didn’t have any trouble finding the place, did you?” she teases him playfully.

“No, the directions were right on. No problems finding your home at all.” He winks at her and leans against the cabinet bar. She replaced the kitchen countertop last year with a light brown marble finish.
The walls are painted in a light tan with modern pictures as accents.

“Can I get you a drink, or shall we go?”

Alex shakes his head. “No, I’m good. Let’s go ahead and head on out. I’ll drive if you like.”

“Okay, let’s go.” Setting the pink vase on the countertop, she starts to walk past Alex. He reaches out and takes her arm gently, then pulls her back to him. Looking up at him, her hands slide up his arms, up to his shoulders. She smiles softly as his fingers move over her cheek. Leaning in, he brushes his lips softly against hers.

After he pulls back, she notes the pained look on his face. “Is everything okay?” Tilting her head slightly, she says, “When you kiss me, it looks like it hurts you.”

He shakes his head. “No, I’m fine. I promise. My lips are just…sensitive.”

Lisa raises her brows. “Really?” She gives him a sly smile. “Out of curiosity, what else is sensitive, just so I’ll know?”

“Umm.” He appears baffled, not expecting this response from her. “Maybe…maybe one day you’ll find out.”

Lisa laughs and takes both of his hands in hers. “Come on, let’s go.” He nods. She notices his sigh of relief as the subject is dropped. She makes a mental note to bring it up again at some point.

Once they’re in the car, he reaches over and takes her hand, intertwining their fingers. She looks down at their hands, then looks over at him. “Alex, I don’t think I’ve ever asked you what type of work you do.”

He looks over at her with raised brows. “You could say that I help people invest in their future.”

“Like a financial advisor?”

“No, more like investment opportunities. If I see something or someone that has a promising future, someone that’s struggling, someone that I think could be better, or that my Boss sees someone or something that could benefit from investing, I’m sent to see it through.”

“Oh, okay. In a way, that’s almost like what I do. Maybe I can call on you sometime when someone is in need of investing.”

“You bet, Lisa.” He winks at her.

Looking out the window, Lisa watches as they travel past the many buildings. Coming into the downtown area of Soho, Alex pulls to a stop in front of the restaurant. The place is light gray brick with a dark blue awning, the name
Sweet Tang
written in large, cursive letters across the front. The double doors are propped open and the hostess sits behind a stand, writing down names. Friends and colleagues of Lisa’s have told her stories of their dining and dancing experiences here.