Midnight Cove

Chapter Three: Midnight Cove

At first, I didn't see him. I didn't see anything but blossoms and stars. From the corner of my eye I caught a sliver of light and there in the garden did he appear. Through the pale moonlight stood a man too beautiful to exist, but impossible to ignore.

His presence set off no alarms, no warning bells in my brain. His countenance was warm and powerful. By any logic, I should have screamed and run at the sight of a strange man in the garden, but in all honesty, I was too overwhelmed by his good looks. He was the most devastatingly handsome man I had ever seen. His dark brown hair hung about his face in soft waving curls and the two most perfect looking lips turned up, with a half smirk revealing his dimpled cheeks. He had the resemblance of a Botticelli angel; he looked more god than man.

"Uh," came my witty response.

What was I supposed to say? I couldn't remember my name anymore. I was either having serious brain trauma after hitting my head for the second time today, or there was something very peculiar about this guy.

"Here, let me help you," he said and offered me his hand. Gladly, I took it.

"That's very kind of you," I said. I could still manage to be semi-polite, so maybe my brain wasn't too traumatized.

Standing, I was better able to take in his form. His perfect body looked as if he had been chiseled from stone. Exquisitely defined, his muscles bulged from beneath his skin. His beautifully shaped mouth and full lips slowly morphed into the most radiant smile, flashing all of his perfect, bone white teeth. His chocolate brown eyes glistened with a brightness too warm and loving to be possessed by any human I have ever met. I gravitated toward him, there was a pull on my heart and I began to struggle with all my might to look away and found that I could not. I was locked into my stance like a doe in the headlights.

"You are quite welcome," he said.

He spoke slowly, not like he was speaking to a child, but eloquently and in a profound way. Each word weighed, as though they had deep meaning. It was so out of place for such a young looking man.

A minute more passed before either of us said anything. I just stood in silence and stared at the marvelous face before me. I knew then, he was different from any person I had ever met before. I was clairvoyant about most things, especially people, and it kept me out of trouble often. I had a very funny feeling about this guy, but it wasn't anything familiar, the feeling was foreign. I was drawn to him.

He exuded power. Everything about him screamed pride and influence, he was obviously a very intimidating man. Rather than threatened, I felt a fire light up inside. A surge of heat rose up from between my legs and rushed over me. In an instant, I felt my whole face flush.

I couldn't stop the smile that crept over my lips. The embarrassment welled up inside again, allowing me respite from the awkward moment. I turned my head away and hid my shame. I felt his eyes on me, studying my reactions. He was probably wondering if I was insane, or idiotic. I had just fallen down in front of him, could manage to say no more than a few words, and then just stood there and gawked at him. He was the stranger, but I was the one that looked strange at the moment.

"Why are you here?" I said.

It was all I could manage to ask. I was eager to keep him there. He was such a curious stranger. The way I was acting had me recall that morning and the overly eager boy I had met on the bus. I hoped I hadn't come across that way, but I knew I probably had.

"Because I saw you fall." A soft smile played across his face.

"No," I said, hoping to clarify, "I mean, why are you in Terry's garden?"