She smiled and crossed her legs beneath her long denim skirt. "You're head of security for Tyson King, you thrive off of strategy. You're always several steps ahead of me and everyone else. I would be extremely surprised if you didn't know how to play chess."
He still didn't touch the board, but he did finally ask, "If I win, do we get to finish this date and go home to bed?"
"Nope!" she said cheerfully.
"Do I at least get a blowjob later when we do get home?" he asked, sounding hopeful.
Her jaw dropped. It was pretty much the first time he'd sounded like a typical non-damaged guy. She laughed, "We'll see how the rest of the date goes. I reserve the right to make that a ‘no’ later on."
"You suck at negotiating," he grumbled.
"That's because I'm not a security expert, I'm a musician. Now start playing!" she demanded.
Daniel proceeded to slaughter Addison over the course of several games. She felt like she came close to winning once, but she had an idea that it was his strategy to lull her into a sense of near victory before capturing her queen and king in quick succession. He made it clear to her that no matter which way she moved he would stalk and trap her on the board, giving her nowhere to move her pieces.
As she put the pieces back in the bag, she could feel his eyes on her face. She wondered what she looked like to him and fought the urge to drop her eyes. It happened less and less in his presence. Only when she thought about it. She knew her brown eyes were weird and wild looking because her parents had told her so. Her eyes refused to focus on anything. She also knew she had long, wavy chestnut hair and soft feminine features. But what did they really look like? She couldn't picture them because she had no basis of comparison.
"What are you thinking?" Daniel asked quietly.
Addison dropped her eyes and busied herself putting the paper bag back in her purse, which she'd slung over the back of the bench. She forced a laugh. "I was just thinking that you deserve a better chess partner, someone that can actually give you a challenge."
She heard Daniel stand and come around the bench. He dropped onto the seat next to hers and, without touching her, said, "You were fine. I haven't enjoyed myself like that... in a long time. Thank you."
She smiled up at him, flashing him her teeth. He brushed him thumb across her cheek and then said, "Now tell me what you were really thinking. Why did you look sad? What’s going on behind those eyes?"
Daniel always knew. She couldn't hide from him. "I wondered what you see when you look at me. I don't even know what I look like, Daniel. Why did you choose me?"
His stilled a little and she wondered if she crossed a boundary. She opened her mouth to assure him she wasn't fishing for a compliment like a girlfriend might, but he stopped her.
"Tell me something that’s good to you," he said touching her hair. "Something amazing, that touches all of your senses at once and brings them alive."
Addison thought about it for a moment, tilting her head. "In the morning, when I'm in bed, I wake up and open my eyes and I can see the light coming in the window. It touches my face and it's warm and welcoming. It's so beautiful and it feels so good. Then the coffee pot starts, because I've set it the night before and I can smell the fresh aroma of my favourite coffee. That’s as close to perfect as I can imagine."
"That's what I feel when I look at you."
"Coffee and morning sun?" she asked skeptically.
"Perfection," he said, pulling her into the warmth of his body.
Addison melted into him, lifting her face to his for a kiss. He indulged her, taking her lips in a leisurely exploration. She knew he wouldn't let their passion grow out of hand in a public park. He was too aware of the potential risks involved. After a moment, he broke away and leaned back. He brushed a curl out of her face and adjusted her wool hat so it covered her ears better.
"Can we go back to my place now, I'm craving a little more privacy," he growled down at her.
"No!" she wailed, grabbed her purse and felt along the table until she was standing. "Come on, Zeke's expecting us at Strings and Bows."
Daniel sighed heavily and stood, reluctantly escorting Addison back to the truck. At their next stop, Daniel watched vigilantly with strained patience as Addison spent nearly an hour going through sheet music with Zeke. The eccentric music hobbyist described it to her and she decided which ones she wanted transcribed into music Braille. Like a kid in a candy store, she explored and touched everything until she settled on a new bow, several new strings and looked at a new cello that Zeke had on display. She decided against the purchase since she couldn't play more than one instrument at the same time.
"Sorry to bore you," she said, in a breathless rush as they got back in the truck. "I always get carried away in there!"
He took her package from her, set it in the back seat and said gently, "You don't bore me. But next time, he better keep his fingers to himself or he’ll lose them.”
She smirked and shook her head. “You’re impossible,” she said, reaching over to latch her seat belt.
"Where to next?" he asked.
"Food?"
"Good plan," he agreed. "You have a preference or can I choose something?"
