Little Red's Café

FIVE

Half expecting him to walk around and down the stairs like a normal person, I let out a yelp when he launches himself over the banister and lands to his feet in front of me. "Gladly." He says so close I can feel the warmth of his breath, which oddly enough smelt like Jolly Ranchers. "There are stairs you know." I laugh softly. He was a whole foot taller than me so he towered over me. I didn't notice until his face was inches from mine his blue eyes had a hint of green in them. They reminded me of the underbelly of a wave. The green reaching from his pupils into the blue. My eyes moved from his to his full lips. Suddenly his grin falters for a moment as he licks his lips pulling his bottom lip in as he gently bites it.
"Shall we?" He gestures in the direction that I was walking from.
I blink quickly, startled by how much his closeness affected me. "Uh, yes." I swallow the saliva that had built up in my mouth. Was I literally drooling over this man.
"It's not too far." I reassure. From my house to the end of the beach it's about a fifteen minute walk. Our walks usually take about thirty due to the fact we stop every now and then so Trixxie could play.
Trixxie must still be on edge because she doesn't leave my side as we turn and start walking towards my house. I reach down and pat her head as if to reassure her.

The walk started off silent, with only the white noise of nature in the back ground. Oddly enough I took comfort in his silent company. Lately conversations with most people start with "How are you holding up?" and end with "I'm so sorry for your loss". I glance over to my right where he was walking. He was watching me, his eyes tracing every part of my body as if it was the last time he would see me. When his eyes finally meet mine he looks awake quickly. His left hand rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly. I couldn't help but smile at the blush returning to his cheek.
"So," I start, looking down at my feet. "Are you from around here?" I was use to many faces that frequented Crows Bay, but this was the first I'd seen of his and his sisters. Then again, I haven't really left the house since mom passed.
"No, my oldest sister Sasha got a job at the local hospital as a nurse." He says beams. Looking exactly like the proud brother he is.
"That's great!" My enthusiasm made him smile again. "Are you and Emily just visiting for the Summer?" I ask, suddenly feeling like I'm prodding too far.
"Uh," his face falls a notch. He glances at me and forces a smile. "No actually, the three of us moved here together. Emily is a senior in high school and I work in construction." He pauses. "Emily is eighteen, my family moved around a lot growing up so she started school extremely late. My parents, uh..." he frowns. I nod to signal I understood, so I changed the subject.
Nudging him with my elbow to lighten the mood I say, "So, what was that Emily was saying about me being pretty." I winked.
His groan causes me to burst into laughter. "She really doesn't have a filter." He says rolling his eyes, trying not to look the least bit amused.
When I don't respond he gapes and throws his hands in the air as if he is surrendering. "Okay, okay!" He rubs the back of his neck. "We moved in almost a month ago." He states, "Every afternoon around the same time I'd watch you and your dog take the same path down the beach." He pauses to look at my face, assessing it. "I thought to myself, 'this is the most beautiful woman I've ever seen, yet she looks troubled.'"
I turn my face to look at the water so he can't see the frown. "So why speak to me today?" When he doesn't respond I look up at him. His square jaw pinched and he was looking back in the direction of his house. I nod once.
"Ah, you felt it too." I said thinking back to the way I felt with every foot step that man took behind me. As if he was still there the hair on the back of my neck stand on end again. As if to calm them down I rub my neck with my hand.
"Yea." He says the muscles in his squared jaw clenching and unclenching.
"I wanted to," he pauses for a smile. "Ya, know. Talk to you before today, but you were so beautiful I just couldn't muster the courage." He grins, rubbing his cheek as if to brush away the blush.
"Hm." I smile, blushing myself, feeling flattered that he even noticed me.
He chuckles, "Ah man, that was dorky as hell wasn't it?"
I laugh and kick sand at him playfully. "Not at all, I was just thinking how flattering it is that you even noticed me."
He tilts his head back laughing, "Are you kidding? You were all I talked about for weeks! Emily insisted we go to your Café, just so I would shut up."
I raise an eyebrow, "ohhhh so you were stalking me too." I bump his arm with my shoulder.
"Wah!" He exclaims, "Wait a minute!" His laughter is contagious and before I know it we are both laughing together.