Darien

He stood there observing her. She had been crying and the way her heart was racing now was not in a manner of excitement. She had felt hurt and he had inflicted that. He reached out and brushed the side of her cheek. “You have been crying,” he whispered softly.

She turned her head away. “I am sorry for misleading you. That was not my intent.”

“Where did you go?” she finally asked timidly.

“I saw you there and your eyes were closed, so I took off for an appointment I had,” he lied, and it wasn’t a very good one.

“You could have done that and still have said something. You don’t just blow a woman’s mind and then disappear.”

He smiled at her mischievously. “I blew your mind, huh?” he asked, coming dangerously close to her again. He brushed a wisp of her hair that rested against her temple and curled it behind her ear.  He then let his finger slide down her neck and then allowed the others to flatten against the back of her neck. He pulled her to him in this fashion and planted his lips on hers. He loved how she felt in the cool air of the morning and as he drank her in, he started to become woozy. He let go before he could become overwhelmed by it.

“W-what’s wrong?” she asked, even though she was embarrassed that she was enjoying the moment that much.

He turned his back to her. “You have no idea how long it has been since my fancies have been so taken by a woman.” He turned to face her now. “All I think about is you, and have been from the moment that I first saw you. You were right all along. I have been following you, but that is because I have had this pull to you that even I could not explain. I had to see you whenever I could, if even to stare at you as you ran by.”

Rose was blown away by what Darien was saying to her. She had thought at first that Ethan had put someone up to this, to spy on her, but by the way this man was speaking now, he seemed in love with her. She looked up into his green eyes, only just noticing the color as she put her arms around him. “Don’t be afraid. I am struggling with the same problem. I am drawn to you in ways I don’t understand. I made love to you without even knowing your name, and I cried myself to sleep over a stranger who I allowed to take control of my mind and body. We are no different, you and I.”

“Does that mean you give me permission to see you again?” he asked.

“Certainly,” she smiled. “Would you like to jog with me? I have to get going.”

He looked to the orange hue now beginning to shape the eastern sky. “I have an early appointment. I only came here to see you,” he said. “I will be seeing you.” He leaned over and inhaled her scent before laying a gentle kiss upon her cheek. She blushed at his action and turned around to continue jogging before her emotions could betray her. When she looked back, he was no longer there. His stealthy way of moving caused her to raise her eyebrows constantly. How had he left her house without her knowing? She hadn’t even heard the door open? She wondered at this mysterious man she had let saturate her soul and hoped she was not getting in over her head.