Unlikely Places

Chapter 15 Far From Average

***Just a little picture of Momma and one of her babies. 🙂***

No one was perfect and I knew that better than anyone. I was who I was and I never tried to hide it. I had never had a reason to. But now, at this moment, I didn't want to broadcast it either.

Tell me anyone in the initial 'getting to know you' stages who wanted to do so by laying all of the negative things about themselves out on the table. I knew the answer had to be pretty much no one. And I was one of those no ones.

The beginning should be lighter and more fun with focus on the attraction and the silly stuff like what is your favorite color, favorite movie, favorite food. It shouldn't be about what causes your anxiety attacks and what makes you uncomfortable. Those questions could wait for the fourth or fifth date at least.

I stumbled mentally to a stop.

Date?

I floundered at the direction of my thoughts. Why I was suddenly thinking of this luncheon as a date? When had my mind crossed the boundary from work to personal? Was it even what I wanted?

"You look unusually pale, Jackson," Pierce commented, squatting down beside me.

I jumped, startled by his voice so close. I took a quick sip of the cold water, trying to buy myself a few seconds before answering. I couldn't very well answer honestly, but I wasn't a good liar either. I chewed at my bottom lip indecisively.

"Granted," Pierce started talking again, his hand rising up, his finger barely grazing across my cheekbone. "You already have a uniquely pale complexion, so it could just be the lighting."

I stayed still as his warm soft skin lightly stroked across my face. His soft touch combined with his proximity and strangely flattering words revived the impulsive prickly sensation that only he could draw forth.

I sipped again at the water trying to hide any tell-tale movements of my body that would reveal the effect he had on me.

At least now I understood what the electric shiver was and what it was caused by. I may not necessarily like it or even understand it clearly and I definitely had my doubts about what to do about it, but I could at least recognize it for what it was. I was absolutely attracted to Pierce. If I had any doubts before, his touch now proved it.

Thankfully, Pierce withdrew his hand and stood to his feet. He stepped around the glass table and sat down across from me, watching. His eyes roamed my face and I swear I felt his visual touch as much as I had his fingertip moments before.

"Your entire appearance is unique, I think," Pierce admitted conversationally.

I swallowed. Though he talked as if it were about the weather, his eyes revealed his greater interest. The sudden dawning understanding that Pierce was just as attracted to me as I was to him hit me out of the blue.

The realization was both flattering and surprising. In comparison to Pierce, I was as average as they came. I couldn't help but feel curious as to his thoughts.

I watched him as he continued to talk, his eyes still drifting occasionally from my eyes to flitter over my face as he spoke.

"Which parent is Korean?" he asked, surprising me.

"My father," I answered.

I quickly realized I shouldn't be so surprised at his knowing. First off, it was clear I wasn't completely Caucasian and of course it was my eyes that gave me away. I was very surprised though that he had guessed correctly about which nationality.