Stalker by Lena Little

8

Sophia

The next evening

I don’t see Steven at all the following day, and by the time I show up to my night class at college, I’m fully missing him. I’ve thought about him more than I care to admit all day, and staying focused for a class that runs from seven to ten p.m. is going to be beyond challenging, especially with my neighbor who’s been Johnny on the Spot more than once, fully on my mind.

As I approach the class, I reach for the door handle and pull it. It rattles but doesn’t budge. It’s strange that it’s not open in the first place, but when I catch sight of the sign on the door it makes sense.

No Electricity. Class Canceled.

I shrug and at that same second my phone chirps.

Dinner plans for tonight?

I look at the number and it doesn’t show an attached name, although I think I know who it is.

It’s me. Steven. When I downloaded the security camera app I saw your number when the app sent the verification text.

I pause, looking at the message again as if he’s reading my mind. I look over my shoulder and see a few more students shuffling up to the door only to pump their fists when they see the class is canceled for tonight. Taking a step back and away I try and process what I think about Steven messaging me without me technically giving him my number. Then again his mind is like a steel trap so if he saw the number and didn’t forget it, well…that’s just who he is. Attentive and obviously considerate to invite me out to eat.

Across town at college.

Pick you up after?

Class canceled.

How about now then?

I tap my foot and look off into the distance, letting out a breath. Sounds good.

Pick you up by the clock tower.

I’ll come back to the complex to drop off my car. Then we can go from there.

Deal.

If he seemed a bit pushy or intrusive with reaching out he’s anything but when I tell him I want to go home first, not to mention I wasn’t prepared for a dinner date. Heck, I’ve never even been on a dinner date before.

Rushing back to my car I drive home safely but quickly, only to find Steven leaning against the front door of the complex when I arrive.

“You’re ready,” I observe.

“Excited you said yes.”

I smile. “Give me just a sec.”

I run up to my place and approve my appearance as quickly as possible before I’m back down in a flash.

“Where we off to?” I inquire.

“It’s a surprise.”

“Am I dressed for it?”

“The question is never are you up to speed for the places I want to take you. The question is are any of the places we go worthy of your presence.”

My heart does a backflip as he takes my hand, leading me to the Range Rover and lifting me up and in, buckling me in like last time.

“No Louis tonight?”

“She’s too busy chewing up pillows and shoes to enjoy real food.”

I laugh and Steven walks around to the driver’s side, stepping in and his big hand takes hold of the stick shift and guides it into place, reversing out of his spot and then pulling forward with extreme precision as we glide down the road. To where, I have no clue, but all that matters is I’m with him.

I just wonder if it will matter to him if I voice the things I wrote in my diary last night sometime tonight…or if I should keep it a secret for a while. I don’t want to come across as too aggressive, especially considering I have absolutely zero experience other than what the two of us did at the dog park. I’m not really ready to ask to spice it up when I don’t even know the basics yet.

Maybe this older man will take the lead like always and when he does I can guide him in the direction I want.

“What you thinking about?”

“Just how lucky I am that class was canceled tonight,” I say.

“School gets all those tax dollars and can’t even pay the electric bill.”

My body freezes, and I wiggle toward the door in my seat. How did he know that?

He looks over at me. “What?”

“How’d you know the electricity was out?” I ask.

There’s a tick in his cheek and then quickly he says, “It’s trending on Twitter.”

“Is that why you contacted me?”

“I contacted you before I knew. I wanted dinner with you regardless of the time tonight.”

“You have Twitter?”

“Just for some work stuff.”

“I never asked you what you do.”

“Electrical engineer.”

“Oh.” I swallow my pride realizing of course Steven would know this information. Why am I being so paranoid? Why don’t I trust him fully? Why am I looking for something that isn’t there?

The conversation turns light again, Steven asking me about my studies and what I want to be ‘when I grow up.’ Something about the way he phrases it has me thinking back to my diary entry, imagining he’s a supportive father nurturing his little girl. But I don’t push it further, nor does he.

We arrive at the restaurant, and to my surprise, it’s actually a super fancy hotel with a rooftop restaurant inside. “I’m underdressed.” It’s the understatement of the year considering all the clothes in my apartment wouldn’t be worth a single garment that most of the women entering seem to be wearing.

“You’re fine. You look beautiful and cute at the same time.”

“Cute?”

He brushes my question off and hands the keys to the valet. Not two minutes later and we’re being whisked inside the restaurant and given a seat by the window, overlooking the city as we take in the nightscape view. When a helicopter flies by I almost choke on my drink.

“Just some tourists,” he says, tracing the length of my wrist with the rough tip of his index finger. His digit continues into my palm, moving in a circle that causes my palm to sweat and the spot between my legs to respond with moisture in kind. All of this from just one simple touch? What’s it going to be like when he actually puts his hands on my body, my flesh?

I sit there kind of dumbfounded, realizing my lack of experience has me paralyzed. I have no clue what to do, but luckily Steven takes charge, weaving our fingers together as he moves his chair closer to mine, signaling to the rest of the restaurant we’re clearly a couple. And we are…and does it ever feel right.

The waiter comes with our menus and I take my hand back as Steven uses the break to shove his long fingers through his hair. I catch myself staring at him, patting my hands on my thighs as I try to keep from sweating up a storm.

“I just want to tell you how nice it’s been getting to know you,” I blurt out, unsure why. “I had an incident a few nights ago that rattled me a bit. A couple of guys tried to attack me after I got off the bus but someone stopped them. I wasn’t sure if it was targeted or not, but I was worried they might try and come at me again. Having you near makes me feel so much safer. It allows me to not worry or look over my shoulder all the time. I just wanted to thank you for that, but in the same breath I want you to know I would have been just as happy to be with you had that bad thing not happened. You’re perfect in any weather.”

His eyes narrow and he slowly nods. “I’m sorry to hear about what happened. It won’t happen again. I won’t allow it.” Without letting another moment pass he unfolds the menu in front of me and points out some items he recommends. I appreciate his no-nonsense reply to the words I shared, and more importantly to the fact that he just left it at that, changing the subject back to the good time we’re having together. It’s almost as if his guarantee of my safety is so iron-clad that it doesn’t need to be discussed further.

I like the way he’s so reassuring, his tall muscle-built body the physical proof that you don’t want to cross him or anyone who’s important to him. He continues guiding me through the menu, pronouncing things I have no idea about until finally, we stumble onto the back page.

“Steven, I really appreciate all these fancy dishes but I can’t lie. I’d probably be happiest with the spaghetti.”

“From the kid’s meals?” he confirms, looking down at the menu but not judging.

I nod, and he takes my chin in-between two calloused fingers, brushing the tip of my chin with his thumb. “If that’s what you want then that’s exactly what you’re going to get.”

My panties dampen as he continues stroking my face, my skin growing hot and more sensitive to his touch as a crooked knuckle drags across my cheek. Beneath hooded eyelids his dark orbs admire me, their intense look causing my head to pull back a few inches. I’m embarrassed by his extreme admiration and my eyes look down and away, but they quickly catch sight of the crotch of his pants, which is protruding at an angle. A low sound leaves his throat and I look back up at him just in time to see his jaw slacken before he pulls himself back together.

The waiter arrives in the nick of time to take our order, deflating the tension like letting the air out of a valve. Steven orders a steak and then the spaghetti for me, saving me the embarrassment.

The next couple of hours fly by. We eat, we laugh, we tease each other. Steven even feeds me the best dessert I’ve ever tasted in my life, putting those boxed brownies and ice creams you can get in the grocery store to shame.

Eventually, it comes to an end, and when I come out of the restroom the bill has already been taken care of and Steven’s offering me his hand and guiding me toward the elevator.

But instead of hitting the button for the lobby, he selects the floor a single level down.

“What’s on this level?” I ask as the doors open up.

“Us.”