Page 53 of Morning's Light

“I’m not nervous.”

“Prove it. Loosen up.” He shook her arm again.

She made herself go limp in his arms to prove a point. “How’s this?”

He held her loosely. “Better.”

In the foyer, they turned left and walked toward the front door. On the far side of his lawn was an area to park, directly adjacent to a busy ethnic restaurant. Curry and other exotic spices filled her lungs and she breathed in deep.

The night had always been a time of excitement, of infinite possibilities when anticipation hung in the air and anything could happen. Now she dreaded the evening, watching the sun begin its descent with mounting anxiety and shuddered as those first swirls of navy and blue appeared.

The night was when she appeared. The One Who Walks in Darkness. And when she wanted you, then you did everything you could to stay in the light.

Elon ran his hands up and down her arms. “I should have given you a coat, too.”

“Better you put one on.” Aisanna took a deliberate step in retreat. The chill air teased his nipples into points. She stared at them through his thin t-shirt, had to force her gaze back up to his face.

“I’m hardier than I look. I’m used to harsh Midwestern winters.”

There were long, lean muscles in his arms, she noted. She’d already admired them while he was fully dressed. Now she felt like a diabetic in front of a candy store. She knew she shouldn’t want what she saw. It was bad for her.

“Come on back inside,” he said.

“I should go home.”

“In a little bit. I thought you wanted more soup? And I’m sure you could use something to drink.”

“No beer.” She pointed at him, hoping he would get the joke.

He did. “Never again in this decade. I’m afraid of what I might see this time.” He scratched his head and let the wooden door swing shut behind them.

Aisanna stood in the foyer and took a good look around for the first time. A small entryway led down a hall and opened onto a living and dining area. A galley kitchen overlooking a back patio was to the left of the space.

Wealthy by no means, Elon did the best he could with the place, a unique combination of both bachelor pad and family home. Nothing she would have expected from a twenty-five-year-old single male.

“You know, you still have to explain why you flipped out on me earlier. Here, come on into the kitchen.”

The counters were raw wood, stained and sealed, with wonderful white cabinets and leaded-glass fronts to offset the darker tones. For a garden-variety apartment, he’d done his fair share to make it custom, make it his own. Even when the window over the sink only offered a view of the neighbor’s house, fitted interior wooden shutters camouflaged the deficit.

They talked for a while, flirted even though she was out of practice. Aisanna was more of a go-getter, taking what she wanted and asking questions later. She found she rather enjoyed the slow back and forth, both parties fully aware of what they were doing.

Yes, he was attractive. Dark hair, handsome face, deep-set blue eyes, Roman nose, and artist’s lips. A slight layer of stubble on his jaw lent a desirable rugged quality to his features. Neither too tall not too short, Elon stood at the perfect height for her frame.

Her mouth went dry at the muscles in his chest when he moved, visible even under the thin t-shirt, how they continued down to a trim waist that nipped in with a classic male V, and on down to where flannel pajama pants covered narrow hips. How had she not noticed before?

“You have a lot of thoughts going on inside your head.” Elon grabbed a pitcher from the fridge and poured a glass of apple juice, held it out to her. “Care to share with me?”

“I was thinking about what a nice place you have here. Very homey.”

“My mother would die if she saw the mess I left on the dining table. I don’t even use it to eat. No, don’t look! I mostly use it for storage. Needless to say, things are a lot more presentable when I’m expecting company.”

“I’m a firm believer in keeping a good distance between family and my personal life. Anything I can do to have my apartment to myself, I do it.” She looked away, and still she saw Elon’s face in her mind’s eye. He had a nice face. “I appreciate what you’ve done for me. I’ve been so wrapped up in my own problems, I hardly take the time to think about anything anymore. My health, how what I do affects the people around me… I’ve been playing it by ear. I’m not sure what to do.”

“You’ll figure it out. You’re too driven not to.”

“Too driven is just a nice way to say boring and dull.”

“Trust me, Aisanna, you’re anything but dull. Although I do think, with all your stress, you could do with a bit of recreation.”

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