“That’s very gentlemanly of you,” she says, looking up at me.
She has the cutest button nose and curly lashes that give her eyes an enchanting allure.
“Is that a good or a bad thing?” I ask, just wanting to be sure. There’s just something about her that makes me nervous. A first.
A soft smile tugs at the corners of her lips. “Always good.”
Good. I smile back at her, and she hikes her thumb toward a building, crammed between two others at the end of the pavement. “This way.”
We walk side by side, sharing secretive glances and teasing smiles. My phone pings, but I ignore it as I follow this girl who captivates me.
There is this strange familiarity I can’t make sense of.
After stepping inside the apartment building, we climb the stairs to the first floor. She opens the door and turns on the lights, revealing a small apartment. I don’t know what I expected, but there’s no trace of her vivacity in this place. Some furniture is scattered around and a small couch lies in front of a TV—nothing truly homey, just practical.
Inside the small kitchen, I place the bag on the table. While she unloads the bag, she puts each item in a basket, separating them. I watch transfixed as she explains her process to me. “Fruits ripen sooner if you mix the acidic with the sweet ones.”
She bites her lip, fidgeting with her fingers. “Do you want something to drink?”
“Yes, thank you.” I swallow. My thirst has more to do with her presence than a biological need.
She opens the mostly empty fridge. “Or I could make you something.”
“If it’s not too much.” I gesture toward the counter. “You seem passionate about this.”
“I have this crazy idea for a juice bar start-up. But… maybe I should become a financial planner, do something with the degree I’m getting.”
She sighs and I sweep my index and middle fingers under her chin and tip her face up. “Or you could do what you truly want to do. If that’s your dream, what you burn for, take the risk.”
“Are you a risk taker?” she rasps, the air shifting, charging with electricity.
“I am,” I gulp, trapped in her gravitational orbit.
“But what if you fail?”
I lower my face, my breath fanning her neck, and goose bumps pepper her sensitive skin. I whisper in her ear, “What if I don’t?”
She turns to the counter, chest rising and falling in rapid movement. Affecting her pumps my insides with satisfaction. She feels this pull too.
After peeling and slicing an apple and an orange into small pieces, she cuts a few slices of ginger and feeds everything through the juicer. She adds a bit of organic honey and pours the mixture into two small glasses. The sweet, spicy combination hits my taste buds, reinvigorating me.
“This stuff is incredible. Damn,” I say, licking my lips.
She claps her hands together, excitement shining in her green eyes. “I guess I found my first customer.”
“You certainly did.”
My phone vibrates again. I pluck it out of my pocket and type a quick reply.
“You must have other plans. I don’t wantto?—”
I cut her off. “You aren’t. I am exactly where I want to be.”
She eyes me from the side, hiding her smile. My eyes stick to her full lips. I want to trace my tongue along it, kiss her senseless, but I rein myself in.
“I’m Lilliana, but everyone calls me Lilly.”
“Ian.”
