Seven
Stana
After Jerick dropped me off at work, I kept my head down and focused on the items I needed to finish before I got off work. The paperwork it daunting and as much as I rather spend all my time thinking about the mysteriousness of Jerick, I keep my focus on the tasks at hand.
All day long, I do data entry for a company that sells computer software. I don’t know a whole lot about what they do because the stuff I enter is mainly just customer information. When I see my boss walk by, I notice his stare. He doesn’t seem all that happy with me if I’m judging by the look he just gave.
I don’t speak to really anyone but Max. He is one level higher than me on the food chain here. His job is to make sure that the customers are up and running and provide support if they ever should have any questions or concerns. I don’t envy his job. Sometimes I hear the way people talk to him, and I can’t imagine having to deal with that on a daily basis.
He’s a really nice guy. Cute in a nerdy sort of way too – not that I check him out or anything. That would be a tad bit weird since we work together and all. Plus, he’s the only person I talk to here, and it would be awkward if things didn’t work out and stuff.
My boss, on the other hand, doesn’t speak to anyone unless it’s necessary. It’s kind of odd in a way, but I don’t mind the quiet. It helps the day go by faster when I can just put my headphones in and get to typing instead of having someone hover over me all day every day. Especially, after the night that I was attacked, and Jerick saved me.
I was a mess. When I would come into work, I would rush to my cubicle and cry. Nothing would stop the tears. One day Max saw me crying and asked what was wrong. I couldn’t get the words out, and I didn’t want him thinking differently about me either. I tried to just act like it didn’t happen, but my mind trapped me into this box-like room where I had to watch the scene play over and over again. Each time my mind would change the outcome of the incident. Some days it would get further, and other days Jerick would have been there sooner to save me.
The darkness that I’ve known for a while now never left. Instead, it felt like I was being suffocated by the memories, seeing his face every time I close my eyes. When I start to panic, I grab the phone out of my bag and send Jerick a text message. He said to text him if I ever needed him and right now, I think I do.
Me: Every time I close my eyes, I see his face.
His response isn’t automatic like yesterday. I sit at my desk and stare at the wall for a good twenty minutes before I get a response from him. My mind is spinning, and I can’t focus on anything but the sound of the phone beeping.
Jerick: Don’t focus on him, love. Focus on this morning instead.
This time when I close my eyes, I think about the way I felt waking up in Jerick’s arms. For the first time in I don’t know how long, I felt safe. It felt like whatever I had to go through today would be worth it just because I had a chance to be in his arms. The darkness that typically suffocates me every morning was gone, and in its place, I felt happy.
Jerick: Only think about the way it felt when I put my hands on your body.
I feel my cheeks heat with a bit of embarrassment for thinking about that at work. I never do this sort of thing, yet he’s bringing out this side of me that I don’t even know.
Me: If I think about that, I may need to change.
Jerick: Wet panties at work sounds like my kind of girl. I can stop by at lunch and take you out.
I feel my body heat just by reading his words. He would come and take me out to lunch just because I was starting to panic. That isn’t something I’m used to. No one has ever made the extra effort for me like that.
Me: I’d like that. Lunch that is…
I can only imagine the sexy smirk that he probably has on his face right now while reading my text. I set the phone down on the desk and look at the pile of papers in front of me. I still have a lot to enter before I can even think about lunch.
Once I get to entering, I don’t stop until I’m at least halfway through the pile. I’ve entered three new customers, as well as updated six existing customers’ databases with new employees. When I finally look at the clock, it’s after one. Shit. I forgot to send Jerick a text about lunch. Before I can type out a text, I look up to see him standing in front of me.
“Aye, love. Ye forgot to take a lunch break. I’m here to take ye out.” He has a grin on his face, and part of me is stunned that he is actually here, standing in front of me right now. How did he even get back to my cubicle?
“How did you get back here?” I ask. I don’t know why I ask, but I can’t help it. I need to know the facts if possible to keep myself from overreacting. It helps keep the darkness at bay when I am in public.
“The lass up front brought me back here. She said that ye typically zone out and probably wouldn’t hear us. She was right.” He comes closer, and I just stare at him. How does he looks so incredibly handsome every time I see him. It’s like he never has an off day. His hair is always perfectly done, and his clothes look like they were freshly ironed.
“Come on. Let’s get ye some food. I don’t want ye to be starving tonight when I take ye to bed.” I blush at that. When I woke up this morning, I didn’t know what to expect from him. At first, I thought that he would be like any other man. A one night stand that I thought I would never see again, but he keeps coming back. Showing up just to make me feel better and safe, something I’ve never had before.
“Where are we going?” I ask. I don’t know why all of a sudden I’m hesitant, but I am. I still barely know this man, and here I am going off with him. But then again he didn’t hurt me last night when he had plenty of time to murder me in my sleep.
Grabbing my bag from the ground next to my desk, I get up from my chair and let him lead me out of the office and right to his expensive looking car. I mean, it’s a beautiful car. I just don’t know how he could afford it. He looks way too young to have that type of money.
He opens my door for me and helps me in before shutting it and making his way around to the driver’s side. I take this time to check him out. His slacks are snug, fitting his ass perfectly. The black button up shirt that he is wearing today pretty much fits him like a glove. I watch the way his muscles move with every movement he makes, and I get a tad bit distracted.
When he gets in the car, he stares at me for a second, but I don’t even notice. “Ye done drooling, love?” He grins, and I snap myself out of the haze I was just in.
“Yeah, sorry,” I mutter, looking through the windshield. I swear I make myself seem like a forty-year-old virgin with the way I drool over him.
“Don’t be embarrassed. I like that ye can’t seem to get enough of me.” When I look over at him, I see the sincerity in his expression. I don’t know why he would want to have me drooling over him. It’s strange, but then again so is the way we met.
When I don’t say anything to him, he changes the subject. “What do ye want to eat, love?” The more I listen to him talk, the easier it is to understand him.
“I don’t care. I’m not picky,” I say quietly. He starts the car, and takes off into the mid-day traffic. I watch as cars and people go by, but I don’t pay attention to where we are going. The silence is kind of nice and comfortable. He doesn’t force me to talk when I don’t know what to say, and it makes me a little wary.
“I hope ye like sandwiches,” he states when we come to a stop at a traffic light. I turn my head to look at him and see something in his expression that makes me want to lean over and kiss him. I don’t know why, but my body is pulling me in weird directions around him. I shouldn’t want him as much as I do. I shouldn’t want him at all.
“Yes, I do.”
I sound lame, I know, but he makes me nervous. A kind of worried that scares me. If anything, I need to be careful. I can’t revolve my whole life around someone else again. I can’t take that leap of faith. That’s it, I’m officially crazy. We just met. Nothing is going on more than that.
I shut my mind off and try to focus on the stuff that is going on right now. I can’t keep thinking about long-term things with him. I don’t know what will happen tomorrow or the day after. I just have to live day by day like I have for the last year.
We pull into a parking lot, and I don’t recognize the place at all. I take my seatbelt off and scan the area around us, nothing looking familiar. I don’t move as he gets out of the car and makes his way to my side. Part of me is afraid that something terrible will happen here and the other part of me is scared that he’s going to just leave me here to fend for myself.
Yup, that’s it. I’m officially crazy.
He opens my door and reaches in for my hand like a complete gentleman. Once he shuts the door behind me, he intertwines our fingers together and leads me towards a run-down building. The moment we make it through the door, I can smell the delicious smell of fresh bread being baked.
“This is a well-kept secret,” he murmurs in my ear as he pulls me closer to his side. “I come here a lot. They know me order by heart already. Take yer time and let me know when yer ready to order.” I nod my head, not taking my eyes off the extensive menu board that is above my head. I scan over all the items and finally decide on something.
“I think I’m ready.”
He grins and walks with me closer to the counter.
“Ah! Jerick! It’s so good to see you.” The man says from behind the counter. I look up at Jerick and see a huge grin on his face.
“Good to see ye as well, Michell.” I look up at the man and see the friendly look on his face.
“So you want your usual?” He asks before looking down at me. “And what can I get for you, beautiful?” I feel my face heat at the use of beautiful.
“Can I get a Bacon Mac?” I ask, twisting my fingers together. I don’t know why I’m nervous. I shouldn’t be. Maybe it’s because this is the first time I’ve been out on a date in four years. It’s not a date, who am I kidding.
Jerick hands the man over some money, and he tells us it will be ready in a few minutes. Jerick leads me over to one of the small tables and pulls my chair out. I take a seat and continue to scan the room. Everything in this place is cute and somewhat cluttered. Pictures are covering one of the walls to the right of the area, and I can’t help but grin when I see a photo of the man behind the counter and Jerick standing together smiling.
When his eyes meet the photo on the wall, I turn my attention back to him. “That’s a great photo of you both.”
“Thank ye. It was taken a few months ago at their daughter’s wedding.” I don’t say anything to that, but then again I don’t know what to say. Some would say I’m awkward during conversations and I have to admit that it’s true. I never know the right things to say.