Unlikely Places

Chapter 24 First Date

I checked my watch for the umpteenth time. It read only a few minutes later than my last check. I glanced again in the small mirror in my living room. I didn't know why, though. I continued to get the same image as every other time I had checked.

I tried to look at myself objectively.

I still hadn't gotten my haircut so it had that wavy couldn't care less look going on that some people took hours trying to project but that I got naturally. It was thick and there was a healthy shine to the very average brown color.

My eyes looked over bright tonight. It lightened the flat brown of my irises, giving them a honey warmth, I had never noticed before. The almond shape added to the unique color, making them pop. For the first time they didn't seem quite so average.

My skin was clear, my nose still straight, my lips a darker shade of rose than usual as I had spent the past hour chewing at them in my nervousness. The darkened color flattered them in a way that made them look fuller. A little sensual.

The overall image I saw reflected back at me was different than the one I usually saw. It was still me, but it wasn't. I looked excited. I looked more alive.

I felt it, too. Inside my chest, my heart felt strong, its beat invigorated with an anticipation I had never allowed it. My mind felt open to possibilities it usually shied away from.

I couldn't deny I was somewhat anxious, too. My palms were a bit sweaty. My stomach felt funny. Not like I was sick but like someone was flipping pancakes repeatedly inside my tummy. It was an odd sensation. It made me antsy and I fidgeted again with the top button on my red polo.

I swiped my palms down the sides of my khakis and pat Cissero's head as he paced beside me. He was picking up on my nervous agitation and kept shooting me looks of concern from his liquid brown eyes.

The sound of a text received dinged from my back pocket. I pulled it out to see it was from Pierce. We had agreed on Tuesday, Pierce was to text me he had arrived and I would go out and meet him to avoid my dog's favorite game of doorbell.

[I'm here.]

I felt an extra-large flip in the region of my belly as I read his message. A small thrill zinged along my spine. Anticipation warred with nervousness. I knew which one I favored to win.

With determination to fix the fight that waged within, I leaned down and placed my forehead against Cissero's, lying it there for a calming second before standing back up straight. One step at a time, breathing in and out, I calmly made my way to the man waiting on the other side of the door.

For our first date.

I wish I could say the first thing I saw was Pierce, but I couldn't. It wasn't very romantic of me, but I first zeroed in on the very large man flanking his right before they shifted a degree to land on the even larger man flanking his left. It was the same two bodyguards from the first night I had met Pierce.

My steps faltered as I walked towards Pierce. He seemed to flinch before he smoothed his expression out and stepped forward to greet me.

"You look... different," he commented his eyes sweeping over my face and swiftly down my body before coming back up to meet my eyes again. "Good!" he laughed seeming to realize his first comment could be interpreted either way. "You always look good," he added in a mumbling growl and I blushed.

"You look nice, too," I answered and of course I meant it.

I didn't think Pierce could look bad if he tried. He was dressed as casually as I was and looked relaxed. If it weren't for the two men standing a few feet away from us I would have felt very excited to start the night.