SV5 - One Shots

Those Damned Eyes

A/N: please, please let me know what you think. Was thinking of making this one a 2 or maybe 3 parter, but only if the interest is there. So please comment or like. It only takes seconds and it really does mean so much.

I first saw him on a chilly February morning. There had been a slight frost the night before and the grass was crunching under my feet.  Any sensible person would have stayed in their warm bed instead of going out at the crack of dawn, but not me.  No one could ever accuse me of being sensible.

I could have let Toby out into the back garden to do his business but no.  A walk around the lake had seemed like a good idea at the time.  I regretted it after about five minutes of chasing the stupid mutt around the surrounding undergrowth. 

I'd just caught him and put him on his lead when I spotted the man.  He was slowly jogging in my direction.  He was wearing a black tracksuit and a green beanie hat. No coat.  Wasn't he cold?   I was fucking freezing. I moved off of the path to make room for him to pass.  I felt a little nervous to be honest.  I'd been down here early a few times and had never seen anyone else, not even another dog walker.  That was part of the reason I avoided busier times.  I liked the peace and solitude.  I'm not really a people person.   Give me a dog any day.  Even a stupid one like Toby. 

Anyway, the man.  I could see his breath on the cold air as he drew level with me.  It was hard to tell for sure under his tracksuit,  but he looked like he had quite an athletic body. Not that I was interested.  I'd sworn off men a while ago. 

He glanced at me as he passed.  He had the most beautiful blue eyes I'd ever seen in my life.  The kind of eyes I could lose myself in if I hadn't sworn off of men.

It was at that moment that Toby saw the duck.  He shot off like lightning.   Now if he'd been a Jack Russell or something of equal size I'd have held onto him ok.  But Toby is not a Jack Russell. Toby is a German Shepherd.   He caught me off balance and the next thing I knew I was lying flat on the ground, my head sprouting a big lump where I'd hit it on impact.  

"Are you ok?" I heard a voice say.  I opened my eyes and saw the jogger staring down at me with those damned eyes.  I blinked rapidly, my vision was slightly blurred. 

"I think so," I  finally managed to say, gingerly touching my head. 

"You're not, your head!"

I gave a small laugh.  "It's fine."   I tried to stand up and somehow stumbled, falling into him.   His strong arms caught me.

"You need to sit down for a while," he said.  I realised he wasn't from these neck of the woods.  His accent was similar to that of my old German teacher, Herr Fischer. 

He led me to a nearby bench. "Toby!" I said, suddenly remembering the villain in this story.   I could throttle the stupid creature. 

"Your dog?  Stay there.  I'll go and find him."

It was quite amusing actually,  watching him trying to apprehend Toby.  Toby was having none of it.   He kept dodging out of the man's reach. 

For ten minutes I sat and watched the man's Herculean efforts.  Then I decided to put him out of his misery.  I put my fingers to my mouth and gave a sharp whistle.  "Tobes!" I called. 

The daft bugger stopped in his tracks and then came loping back to me.   I picked his lead up and began scratching him behind his ears.  He sat down, his tongue hanging out of his mouth, and looking like he was grinning.

The man sank down on the bench next to me.  He was panting slightly.   "You couldn't have done that like ten minutes ago?" he accused, but with a hint of amusement in his voice. 

"And miss out watching you being bossed around by Toby?  Nah.  That's made my day.   Seriously though, thank you."

"My pleasure.  How's your head feeling?"

"Hurts like a bitch but I'm sure there's no damage done.  Some might argue that there's nothing in there to damage."   He burst out laughing. 

He held his hand out.  "I'm Sebastian."

I shook his hand.  At least the dope was wearing gloves if not a coat.  "Isabella, but you can call
me Izzy."

"Nice to meet you Izzy.  And you Toby," he said, patting the mutt on the head. 

"I've not seen you here before," I blurted out. 

"I've just moved to the area. I've only been here a couple of times. I take it you're a local?"

"Born and bred.   I did escape for a while but here I am. Couldn't stay away."

"It seems nice."

"Appearances can be deceiving."

"Are you trying to put me off of living here?" he laughed.

He really was very attractive up close. He had the cutest nose, the perfect amount of designer stubble, full kissable lips...and those damned eyes.

"Well, are you?"

"Am I what?" I stammered, totally distracted by my wandering eyes.

"Trying to put me off living here."

"No, no, of course not. Don't pay any attention to me. I just see the place different having spent the majority of twenty six years here."

He grinned at me, showing me his oh so white and oh so perfect teeth. Was there anything not perfect about this man?

"So you're twenty six?"

"Yeah, twenty seven next Tuesday. I know, I don't look it."

"I thought you were about twenty one!"

"I'll be grateful for my youthful looks one day but it's a pain in the arse getting id'd everytime I want to buy a beer."

"I'm glad you're twenty six," he said cheekily.

"Why?"

"Because I'm thirty four and it would feel weird asking a twenty one year old out for dinner."

I blushed so hard. "So what do you say Izzy? Fancy dinner with this old man?"

I started at him in surprise. I hadn't been expecting that. Those dammed eyes were twinkling at me. I opened my mouth to answer...then that bloody dog took off again after another bloody duck.

I jumped up and ran after him. "Toby!! Get here now you stupid mutt!"

He turned and ran back towards me. I realised too late what he was going to do. He jumped up at me, pushing me backwards with his front paws. I lost my balance and landed flat on my back in the biggest puddle of mud going. "Toby!!!"

I groaned and closed my eyes. Maybe I would sink into the mud and not have to face my embarrassment.

I heard a polite cough. I opened one eye a crack. He was stood looking down at me, trying so hard to conceal his amusement.

"Are you always this clumsy?"

"It's not me. It's that bloody dog!"

He held his hand out, laughing his far too handsome head off. Who did he think he was, laughing at the misfortune of others? He needed teaching a lesson. I took his hand and I pulled hard.

He fell forwards and landed face first in the mud next to me. I burst out laughing as he raised his head and I saw his mud plastered face.

"You...you...you..." he spluttered.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't resist," I laughed. He joined in. If anyone could have seen us at that time of morning, sat there in the mud laughing like loonies.

Eventually we both fell quiet. We sat staring at each other whilst Toby lay down, his mischief making complete.

"So how about dinner?" he asked. I wanted to say no. I said no to every man that asked me that.

"Yes." It was all down to those damned eyes.

To be continued....???