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Alex Mujulizi took pleasure in seeing me struggle not to fall for him. I made this discovery when he walked around the front of his car to greet me on Tuesday afternoon. How did he get more handsome each time I saw him? How was I supposed to resist the Alex effect when he looked magazine cover ready in a simple white tee and grey sweats outfit made stylish with a thick diamond chain, a watch and fancy sneakers?
As I continued to stare, I noticed him take his own moment to look at my dashiki-style dress, paired with platform sandals. Alex had told me to dress down for the art class, but I was aware that we'd have a late lunch together before then, so I still put on jewellery, styled my hair and put on mascara and lip gloss to look presentable for lunch.
"Nice dress." he said as he stood sexily against the front of his car, his hands slipping casually into his pockets.
"Thanks. It has pockets!" I beamed, shoving my hands into my pockets and swaying my hips a little to show them off.
Alex laughed and opened the passenger door for me. Once he settled into his seat and secured his seatbelt, he asked me what the female craze for dresses with pockets was all about.
"I don't know how to explain it." I giggled. "Pockets just elevate a dress."
"I'll never be able to relate." he said with a shrug as he plugged in his aux, which immediately started playing a song from an animated Barbie movie I once loved.
Alex quickly switched to a hip hop playlist and sheepishly said, "Sorry about that. I just dropped Rufaro off at her aunt's place. She recently discovered Barbie."
"No problem," I reassured through a giggle. "Speaking of Rufaro, I hope you're not getting yourself in trouble by taking me out instead of being with your daughter."
"There will be no trouble." Alex assured. "This art class is actually part of a workshop that Tendai suggested I attend. The classes commenced last week and each day, they cover different art forms. It requires a lot of attention to detail, so it's helpful for my dexterity."
"Oh. So you're attending it for work?"
"Not really. Today, I'm definitely not." he said with a quick glance in my direction, a lopsided grin forming at the corner of his mouth. "But the last three days I attended have been a way for me to relax, even if I'm also using it as a way to remind my hands how to work in the OR."
My eyes landed on his manly right hand gripping the steering wheel, the defined lines of his veins eluding to the strength in those hands. Warmth rushed to my cheeks as I suddenly remembered how warm and gentle, yet firm and anchoring, his grip had been when he held my hand at the cinema. I was pretty sure there was something that could be said about a man who used his hands to heal and restore when they were obviously capable of causing serious damage if he ever chose violence.
Alex pulled me from my thorough analysis of his hands, saying, "I hope you like this place I'm taking you to. They have a vegetarian menu, so I know it will accommodate your lifestyle, I just don't know if your taste buds will be satisfied."
