Sapphire Universe (5 page)

“Sounds like you were a rebel.” Connor says either not caring about our looks or not noticing.  I glance back at him and open my mouth to say something witty to get us laughing and change the subject.

“Actually she was the perfect little angel.”  Lola cuts me off.  “It was me who convinced her that if she just went out and got the job on her own they would see how serious she was about it and let her go.  I was right, like usual.”

“I’m going to take a shower.” I say glaring at my best friend who looks a little sheepish.  I start to get up and walk away but Connor grabs my arm.

“I wanted to take you to lunch today, if you don’t have plans.”  Connor says still holding my wrist.  I look down at the hand that is causing so much havoc in my body and back into his beautiful blue eyes.  I can’t do this.  I won’t go there again and somehow, I know that if I go there with Connor, it will be so much worse when it ends.

“She doesn’t have any plans.  And she really loves this Chinese place downtown.”
Lo interrupts my refusal once again. 
Traitor!

“I don’t know if I’m up for lunch today Connor.”  I say as a last ditch effort to save myself from spending the day being charmed by Mr. Wright.

“Please Nina. I just got into town a couple weeks ago and I don’t know anyone here anymore except my family.  Please. You would be doing me a huge favor. I’m so bored at my dad’s.”  He pleads with me and even though I’m sure he is just trying to guilt trip me into going, I can see a small fleck of truth in his eyes.  Connor may be charming and beautiful and probably would have no problem meeting someone to spend time with, but a part of him is lonely.  Unfortunately that is feeling I know all too well.

“Fine, just give me 30 minutes to get ready.”

“Take your time it’s still early so maybe we can go drive around or go see a movie.  I hear there is one out that was a book or something.  My cousin was all excited about it.”

“Oooo that’s right Nins!”  The traitor cuts in.  “You loved that book!”

“Whatever, I’ll be out in a half hour.”  I set my plate and mug in the sink and head to my bedroom.

I grab a clean bra and panty set out of my dresser.  Though no one ever sees me in them, having nice, matching underwear is a must for me.  Lola says it’s my way of feeling sexy since I’m not getting any, but I just like them because they are pretty.  I grab some skinn
y jeans, a white v neck sweater and a brown lacy tank top to go underneath it and head to the bathroom. 

As I’m washing all the grime from yesterday’s excitement from my body
, I can’t help but smile at what I’m sure is taking place in the living room right at this moment.  If Connor thought I was bad, he’ll be wearing a cup to protect his boys around Lo from now on for sure.  Lo may have thrown me under the bus out there, but she’s also very protective of me.  She was there both times I had my heart shattered to help pick up the pieces and I know for a fact she would do anything to keep that from happening again.  And although I know better, she sees Connor as my sort of love interest.

I step out of the shower and dry off.
  Wrapping the towel around myself, I slather on some lotion, which is an absolute must in this climate.  After blow drying my hair I quickly get dressed, put some concealer under my eyes and mascara on my lashes.  I spritz on my favorite perfume and run a brush through my hair.  My signature gold hoops and my calf high brown leather boots complete the look. 

I stand in front of the mirror and appraise myself.  I have long dark chocolate hair, peaches and cream skin and green eyes.  There is a dimple on my right cheek
, which I hate because it’s part of the reason I still get carded everywhere, but Lo says it makes me look adorable.  I’m about five foot five and average weight, thin and lean but definitely not supermodel status.  I know I’m pretty, but not in any extraordinary way.  The fact that the most attractive man I have ever seen is sitting in my living room waiting to take me to a movie and lunch is something I just can’t wrap my head around.  There are lots of prettier girls here.  The one in my living room with him is proof of that.  Maybe he’ll realize it and leave me alone.  That thought should make me feel relieved.  It doesn’t.  I don’t want to think about that too much so I just open the door to face the music.

“Okay let’s do this.”

Connor stands up and grabs his coat off of the back of the recliner and turns to face me while shrugging it on.  When he is finally facing me, he stops putting on his coat midway and his sapphire eyes move to my feet.  They slowly make their way up my body to my face, lingering on every detail.  My boots are rooted to the carpet.  I literally can’t move while he drinks me in. When his eyes reach my mine, he releases his breath and I swear my face is every shade of red. 
He was holding his breath!
  He smiles and shakes his head as he finishes putting on his coat.

“You look great Nina.
Lola left a few minutes ago but she said to tell you to “come back with your shield or on it.”  She said you would get it.  It’s some sort of movie quote right?”

“Something like that.”  I reply.  Leave it to Lo to make a joke when I’m about to have a nervous breakdown.  “Let me grab my coat and my phone.”  I shrug on my coat, pocket my phone and house keys and head for the door.

Once we’re seated in the theatre dead center, because I insisted on it, my stomach starts swimming from being so close to Connor.  I can smell the spicy scent of his cologne and it takes all my willpower not to lean into him to get a better whiff.  I take a drink of my Mountain Dew to cool my treacherous body down.  It doesn’t work.  I am sitting as far away from him as the seats will allow me, but of course, Connor is having none of that.  He leans in so that our arms and legs in between us are pressed together and whispers right in my ear.

“What is this movie about anyway?  You read the book right?”  He pulls back a little to give me room to answer
, but I can still feel his breath on my skin.

“It’s a romance, about this girl and this guy who are in college.” I whisper back while glancing at him out of the corner of my eye.

“That’s it?” Connor gives me this disbelieving look.  “What’s so great about that?”

“Just watch it.  It’s hard to explain.  It’s a really good book.”  To be honest
, I’m little nervous how the movie adaptation turned out.  I really love the book.

“Okay.  Can I have some of your soda?  I didn’t think I was thirsty, but this popcorn has a ton of salt on it.” Connor whispers in my ear again.

“Sure.”  I say and hand him my cup. 

I try to force myself to look away but his eyes hold mine while his lips close around the straw and he takes a drink.  I just can’t make my body move.  It’s like he’s trapped me somehow. 
Jeez intense much!
  He hands the cup back and murmurs a thank you.  By the way his eyes are smoldering when his hands brush mine I know he is thinking along the same lines.  I finally break away as the beginning credits start.  I take a sip of my drink and try not to think about the fact that just a few seconds ago his lips were where mine now are.

The movie is
better than I could have hoped and I almost forget Connor is there taking up so much of my personal space, but not quite.  He keeps glancing at me and I’m sure it’s to gauge my reactions.  During one particularly romantic moment where the boy is standing outside the girls’ dorm professing his love after taking her for a late night motorcycle ride, I get a little teary eyed.  I may not be romantically involved and don’t plan to be, but I am of the female variety.  So when I catch Connor looking at me like he just solved another piece of the puzzle, I’m a little perturbed.

At the end of the movie I stand up and turn to lead the way out of our aisle when strong hands grab my hips from behind. Connor tilts his body a little so he can look down at my face. 

“Thanks for that Nina.  It wasn’t bad for a chick flick.  I learned a lot.” 

Then he leans down and kisses me on the top of my head and releases me.  I shake off whatever the hell has my chest tightening and my stomach flipping and walk towards the exit.  When we get to Connor’s truck
, I give him directions to the Chinese place downtown.  I am suddenly starving and remember that other than the doughnut, I haven’t eaten since yesterday morning.  That’s probably why I’m feeling so dizzy.

At
the restaurant, I order some sesame chicken, lo mien and another Mountain Dew and take a seat in a booth.  Connor gets some kung pao chicken, sweet and sour soup with fried rice and a Pepsi.  I notice how the woman at the register smiles a little wider and tugs at her shirt to show some more cleavage when Connor orders.  For some reason this annoys me so I can’t help the frown I’m wearing when he slides in across from me. 

“Do you need a pen?” I ask him.

He looks a little confused at first but says “No, why.”  I look back at the woman and she is still staring at Connor and has caked her lips with gloss.

“Oh I just figured she asked you to autograph her tits or something.”

Connor’s eyes widen for a second and then he bursts out laughing.  I can’t help but giggle a little too.  In that moment with both of us just laughing, sitting casually together without any drama, I can see it.  I can see something more happening between us.  How easy it would be.  That thought scares the shit out of me.  Connor notices my change of mood and stops laughing.  He reaches across the table and takes my hand in his. 

“Hey, she didn’t say anything to me.
  Even if she did I’m not interested.”  He says looking me right in the eye and it feels as though he is trying to push the words into me.

Even though that wasn’t why I was upset
, I can’t help but see the irony of that statement.  Men aren’t wired to be monogamous.  It’s part of why I don’t date, but that’s not the point at the moment so I pull my hand back and set it in my lap. 

“No worries,” I say brightly “I don’t care about that, I was just joking around.  Besides, it’s not like we’re together or anything.”  I smile at him and he frowns back.  He leans forward and opens his mouth to say something, but the glossed up groupie chooses then to show up with our pizza.

“Is there anything else I can get you?” she asks, not looking at me.

“No thanks,” Connor says his eyes still locked with mine.  “We’re good here.”  The woman looks over at me and back at Connor for a second, then whips her hair around and walks off with an exaggerated sway to her hips. 
I smirk at her attempt to gain the attention, but it slides right back into a frown when I see that not only hasn’t Connor even glanced at the waitress, he is looking at me wistfully.  My mother would have called it mooning.  “You can’t keep this up forever Nina.  I like spending time with you and just now, we were having a good time.”  Connor says and I’m forced to look directly into his eyes.  I just can’t not look at him, no matter how hard I try.  “I know you like me too.”  He adds in a low voice. 
This is it
.  I sigh and smile, just a normal smile this time.

“I do like you Connor
and we are having fun.  We can hang out whenever you want.  I would like to be friends with you because, I honestly think you’re a good guy, but that’s all it can ever be.  I don’t date.  At all, I just can’t.  This isn’t something I will give on.  It’s just how it is.  And let’s face it, we‘ve only known each other a day.” 

Connor’s eyes soften and turn liquid for a moment while he processes my speech.  Finally, he
nods slowly.  “I get that there’s something you’re not telling me, but I’m a patient guy.  We’ll do this your way Nina, for now.  Your pageant girl smile and fuck off attitude may have worked with other guys, but I see right through it.  If all I can have right now is your friendship, then I’ll take it, but stop pushing me away and let me be your friend.  We may have just met yesterday, but it was one hell of a day.  Sometimes you just know someone better, faster and easier than others.” 

My throat closes up, robing me of my words, not that I have any
.  No one had ever laid it all out like that.  Guys have made passes at me and had even gone so far as to say they wanted to just be friends, but not like that.  Connor just watches me as I gather my thoughts, proving that he is indeed patient.  Eventually, I just nod at him.  Mimicking his gesture from earlier, but I don’t say anything else.  My mind is whirling and I’m afraid to open my mouth.  God forbid any of my thoughts come spilling out of my mouth right now.  I know I am taking a huge risk agreeing to be his friend when he had plainly stated that he is interested in more.  If it had happened any other way I would have ran for the hills, but I don’t believe in coincidences.  Everything happens for a reason and it seems that for now, my life has crossed with Connor’s.  At his questioning eyebrow raise, I giggle.  He can be so intense sometimes.

“Eat your food Connor, it’s getting cold.”

  He shakes his head and does as I say. 
Friends with Connor Wright
.  I can do this.  No problem.  After I finish my sesame chicken and noodles I crack open my fortune cookie feeling pretty optimistic for the first time in two days.  When I pull the piece of paper from the cookie and read the words, my hands shake.  It’s a message from the Universe. 
“The best relationships begin as friendships.”