Love Lines

20: Lil' Red Ridding Hood

Chapter Twenty

I told my father good night and headed up to my room. Andrzej had closed my door in case my father wandered upstairs before I did and I found him sitting at my desk, flipping through a planner someone gave me a few years back but I never got around to using.

"I like your room." He flipped a page. "Did I mention that last time I was here?"

I pursed my lips and closed my door quietly. "No. Then again you were more interested in getting me out of the room than telling me how you felt about it."

He smirked down at the planner. "True." He flipped it closed and stood up. "Ready?"

I shook my head. "My father's still awake. He usually checks on me before he goes to bed."

Andrzej ran his fingers across the pink capize shell mobile my mother bought me when I was younger. It hung by the window and the shells were completely round, not making a sound unless a breeze came through the window when it was open. He seemed memorized by it though, the feral look in his eyes dimming down a little so he looked more human.

I cocked my head to the side and studied him for what felt like the hundredth time that day. He was slim, the tight vest and shirt combo not leaving much to the imagination. He had strong shoulders that indicated he had some sort of muscle mass. His fingers were long and thin, making his magic tricks seem effortless when he preformed them.

"You're studying me," he said softly. "You've been doing it all afternoon."

"Is there something wrong with that?"

He shrugged, still unable to take his eyes off the mobile. "Without knowing it, you're learning how I move. It'll make this pairing easier when the time comes. I've done it to you even though you didn't notice." His fingertips lingered on the last shell and finally his eyes ticked over to me. "How much longer do you think your father's going to take?"

I shrugged and walked over to my dresser, trying to get the unease out of my body. I wasn't used to boys being in my room and over the past couple of days it felt like an assortment had been in and out, testing my comfort level.

"Depends on how long he plans on worrying about those plans."

"Plans for what?"

"A building. Dad wants to stick to the old and the client wants to move onto the new." I shrugged and pull out a t-shirt. "Is there a dress code?"

"Dress code? For?"

"Where ever you're dragging me off to?"

He grinned at that. "No. No dress code but I would suggest you wear pants. Maybe some long sleeves..." His face took on a puzzled look even though he was still smiling. "Maybe even a winter coat."

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see."

My father came to check on me about an hour later. I filled the time by taking a shower and then starting on my homework. Andrzej was surprisingly understanding and from what I could tell he spent most of the time I was in the shower staring up at the mobile. I didn't know what it was about that thing but it had him absolutely beguiled. He was in the middle of helping with my History when my father knocked on the door. He ducked on the other side of the bed just as the door opened and stayed quiet as my father told me not to stay up too late, to go to bed at a descent hour.

After the door closed, Andrzej popped up and peered up at me, resting his arm on the edge of the bed like he was about to push himself up. The excited gleam in his eyes made him look so much like a puppy it wasn't even funny and it got even worse as he rested his chin on his arm and peered up at me.