Life Match

Day Five

Day Five
David on the side

I wake up on the love seat, a crook in my neck from the awkward position in which I slept. I walk over to where Riah is on the bed and lie next to him, observing how the light hits him. It would make most people glow, but with Riah it just makes all his shadows that much more profound. He thick eyebrows, angular chin, deep set eyes that make him look tired, even right now when he's asleep. I reach up to touch his face and it's scratchy, indicating he must shave. I kind of wish he'd stop so that I could kiss a man with a beard.

But that would mean I like kissing Riah and would willingly do it. I shake the thought from my mind.

He reaches a hand up and covers mine, causing me to jump.

"Sorry," I try to take my hand back, but he covers it and kisses my palm, sending shivers through me.

"I'm going to be nice from now on," He promises.

"Show me, don't tell me," I reply. He nods and leaves, without saying a word, only to quickly return with a sleeveless white shirt and jeans with the same sandals from yesterday.

"We're going out today," He says, "You can wait downstairs."

This sounds more like an order than request, so as soon as I'm dressed I wait by the steps for Riah. I keep thinking about when I was kissing Jericho. He didn't give me the same good something in my stomach. It was fun, but not really... I don't know.

I mean, I've only kissed two men in my life.

Riah comes down the stairs, pulling a v-neck on has he goes. It's blue. I catch a glimpse of his chest and get that weird thing I had last time. He shakes the remaining water from his hair and finger combs it out of his face, "Ready?"

I nod and follow his to the car, a yellow sports convertible. He holds out his hand for me and I take. If for some insane reason Riah and I are suppose to be together (gag) then I should at least try to not hate him right?

We drive back into town and stop at a small diner I've never heard of for breakfast. I order an omelet and it's delicious. Everything is super delicious. Riah stares at me as I tear through my food and I slow down.

"Can you stop staring at me when I eat? It's so creepy," I say, wiping my mouth, "It makes me feel like I'm doing something wrong."

"Sorry," he laughs, "But if you saw a lioness tearing through her dinner, wouldn't you want to watch."

I growl at him and he laughs again. It's a loud and sudden laugh, but it's honest. Probably the only honest thing about him. It's nice, seeing him at ease. He's natural smile is more a loped sided grin than the fake one he offers to strangers. He also has dimples when he laughs.

"How did you find this place," I say.

"Well when your father is single handedly running a country, you start to find smaller mom n pop places to spend your time," He sighs.

"Hiding in plain sight, eh?" A voice sounds from behind us. Riah's face changes dramatically and I turn to see a man, looking a lot like Riah, but older and in a suit. He has the same eyebrows, narrow nose, and jawline, but his hair is buzz short and he's taller, or maybe just stands like he is. He's also much better built.

"Brother," Riah stands to greet him with a handshake. It's suddenly very tense, the relaxed look gone from Riah's face.

"It is nice to see you, too, A," The man says, looking past him at me, "Is this her?"

Riah looks at me and grips my arm, harshly pulling me to my feet, "Sage, this is my brother David. David, this is my match Sage. We were just leaving."