Presque Vu

Chapter 3

Raina warred with herself the entire drive back to the city. The whole thing seemed ludicrous to her. She couldn't understand what she had possibly done to capture the handsome musician's attention. Sure, she was pretty enough, she had never really had a difficult time finding lovers, but Jared was clearly way out of her league. She had spent the entire time she had been unloading and re-inventorying equipment playing a game of angel/devil in her head....

"You're a grown up not some horny teenage groupie." "I'm a grown up not dead"
"I bet he does this all the time." "Good, he should know what he's doing by now."
"He probably won't even know your name tomorrow." "Do I need him to?"
"He seems really slutty. I bet he's slutty." "Again, good. Sounds like fun."
"Do you really want to deal with a guy that sure you'll drop your panties for him just because he bats his eyes at you a few times?" "Because, gee, I've never tried that tactic..."
"This is how people catch things that need 2 a.m. pharmaceutical commercials, Raina." "And that's why condoms were invented."

... by the time Jared picked her up at the studio she was completely looking forward to seeing the charming man again. And charming he was. He had shown up at the studio with an enormous white rose in hand, opened every door, helped her on and off with her sweater, pulled out her chair, guided her around with his hand gently against the small of her back. She felt positively squired. Though she was sure it was all very practiced, Raina enjoyed being treated like a princess for an evening. When he spoke to her about his music, projects he had going, the last vacation he had taken, she pretended not to notice he never told her anything personal. There was no sense in trying to make this something it wasn't, she thought. Surely he couldn't be interested in more than a fling anyways. Men like Jared did not fall for 30 something photography assistants in the middle of a life do-over. Might as well enjoy it for what it was. It wasn't as if he wasn't gracious. It wasn't as if he weren't pure sin and sugar to look at. It wasn't as if she had been any more forthcoming.

"Still with me Raina?" Jared was smiling at her across the table. She realized she had become silent as her doubts had consumed her. That seemed to be happening a lot these days.

"I'm sorry. I live in my head too much sometimes."

Jared brushed his long hair out of his eyes with a graceful move that made Raina's stomach flip. Damn, he was ridiculously hot. "I've noticed. Where do you go?"

She wanted to answer him. He really wasn't much more than a stranger at this point and Raina wasn't exactly an open book, yet she had to fight an urge to tell him everything – the losses, the betrayals, the darkness she had fought back. She didn't want him to see her as broken. Tonight she just wanted to be the pretty assistant who had improbably caught his eye. One evening of being pursued. One night of escape pressed against his stunning body. Was that really so wrong? "I just have a lot on my mind with school and work." she ultimately deflected. It was clear from the look he gave her he didn't buy it, but he didn't push either.

"Well, I know how your work day went. How is school?"

"Mostly good. Tough sometimes. I'm working on my MFA. It's an old dream of mine I decided to come chase." There. That was kind of personal right?

"That's great. I'm a big believer in chasing your dreams. What made you give it up, to begin with?" Jared had finished his desert and was now leaning back in his chair, giving Raina his undivided attention. He had a way of making her feel like she was being terribly interesting, even when she knew she wasn't.

"I didn't exactly. I just went with a different dream. This is sort of a backup dream. I guess I just wanted a little more."

"You know I went to art school myself. I was going to be a painter."

"Really?"

Jared laughed. "Don't sound so surprised. I have layers you know. I'm not all winning smiles and great hair."

"Oh, you think you have great hair do you?" Raina laughed
.
"Oh please, I have fabulous hair. You're just jealous." He wiggled his head arched his eyebrows. "Maybe if you're a good girl I'll let you touch it."

"Yeah, I'm sure that's what you want me to touch."

"Well if you're offering..."

Raina rolled her eyes and chuckled. "I guess we'll just have to see."

"I think it's time for the check."

In minutes Jared was shepherding her into the passenger side of his truck. He quickly tucked her into the passenger seat before making his way around to climb into the driver's side himself "It's not too late. Do you want to go for a drive or something? Or maybe we could..."

This time it was Raina who moved first, leaning across the console to meet his lips with hers, lingering for a moment before parting her lips slightly in further invitation. To her delight, Jared knotted his hand into her hair and deepened the kiss, his tongue exploring her with a surprising ferocity. Raina wanted to press herself into him, feel that solid chest pressed against her, his hands on more than her hair but the front seat of his SUV in a restaurant parking lot was not the place. "... or maybe we could go back to my place." she offered. "It's only about ten minutes from here." Jared just smiled and started the car.

"Tell me where to go."