The Dark Stranger

Fragments of a puzzle

"The Dark Stranger"
© VeGirl 2014

A couple of days later, I decide to go for a quick shopping streak after work, before heading home. One of our shopping centers, the smaller one is open even though the hour is late, and I stroll in there with an hour before closing time. The sun is about to set, but inside there is no sight of the beautiful feature of the sunset. Inside this mini mall, time is standing still, even if the humans are hurrying past me.

I find a new dress, a short green one in organza that catches my eyes on the rack. When I try it on in the tiny dressing cubicle, I am pleasantly surprised. I notice how the green color makes my eyes stand out in a way I have never noticed before. With a smile on my face I pay for it and walk straight to the shoe store to find something extraordinary to match this dress. Standing there with one high heel in my hand, a familiar shill along my spine makes me exhale sharply.

"Those would make your legs look fantastic, especially in that green dress," a familiar dark, husky voice says close to my ear.

Instantly I am breathless and I think of our kiss the other night. After a moment to gain my balance I turn and look at these beautiful features of his. "Vincent, are you spying on me?" I do my best to feign bravery with a cocky tone.

A crooked smile appears on his face. "Spying is such an ugly word."

"How does stalking sound?" I can't help but to tease and then return his smile. "Or what would you call this?"

He chuckles and every inch of my body react with that magical current between us. "I just wanted to see you again, don't make this into something ugly," he tease me and I don't know what to say to distract me from those silvery blue eyes and those alluringly inviting lips.

The tantalizing scent that surrounds him makes my head spin. I try to make my breathing less shaky, straighten my back and say something when he beats me to it.

"I can't wait to see how that dress looks on my bedroom floor," he whispers in my ear, let his lips touch my neck lightly in a kiss and then he just leaves me there, a trembling mess. I bend forward with hands in my knees, focusing hard to remember how to breathe.

"How did you land that hunk?"

I almost jump from surprise and turn around to find Eddie standing there with her mouth hanging open.

At first I do a fairly good impression of a goldfish before I regain my ability to speak. "Do you question my attraction to the opposite sex?" is all that springs to mind in my affected state.

Eddie glares at me and then rolls her eyes. "I mean he is absolutely gorgeous."

I draw in a ragged breath and then smile. "That, he certainly is."

    * * *

Over the next few days my eyes flicker to the greyish, shanty house across the street as soon as I walk past any of my windows, but the occupant is nowhere to be seen. Has he gone away? Why does he only appear after sunset? Why is there no lights on in that ragged old house? Surely he can't sit in there in the dark?

This man is starting to be an obsession of mine and every single time I try to relax my mind, it flutters to him. I can't stop thinking about his silvery blue eyes and how they sparkle with mischief, how his lips curl into that crooked smile, how he rakes a hand through his tousled hair and how he always seems to say stuff that makes me totally perplex. It is as if my brain melts in his presence and I have never experienced anything like this in my life.

On my way to work, I sit still in my car, the lights has just turned red and distracted I look around in this minor intersection on the other cars when an explosion of headache makes me press my hands to my head and groan in pain. Surprised I experience fragments of things flashing by; an old house, winds blowing through the trees and Vincent smiling to me.