Page 16 of Rainstorm

Dazzling.

“What are you doing here?” Another guy came up behind me.

So their tactic was to work as a team, to corner me.

Those boys needed a lesson.

“As I just said, none of your business, kid.” At my words, the younger one standing in front of me puffed out his chest and stood a little taller.

It was amusing to see, like two Chihuahuas barking in front of a lion. Ready to defend their territory.

No worries, kids, I’m not the enemy here, I was tempted to say, but why spoil the fun?

“This is private property,” said the one who appeared to be the elder brother. “You know that?”

“I’m an invited guest.” They both stared at the flowers in my hand. The ones I had picked out earlier in the flower store, feeling like a fish out of water in such unfamiliar territory. A sailor without a compass, lost in a fragrant sea of those colorful soft petals. Luckily the assistant had filled me in on the meaning of the flowers I liked as she’d arranged them, securing them with twine before finishing off with a pretty, intricate knot.

Ironic, huh? I was in knots and so were the flowers.

“We didn’t invite you here.” The kid had balls, I’d give him that.

“Good, because neither of you are my type.”

As I tried to walk past, forcing him to the side of the stairs, the kid moved to block me, on the offensive, ready to fight.

But I was ready too, although for a different kind of battle. The battle of the sexes with his sister.

The younger boy shoved me, making me lose my balance momentarily, almost crushing the guy in front of me as well as the flowers, his hands ready to grab the fabric of my button-down shirt.

Oh no, kid, wrong move. I’d been prepared to humor him, but he was not going to make me late for my date with his sister.

Just as I was about to forget that these boys were her brothers, the door of the apartment suddenly opened and there she stood, my raven haired goddess, with angry rays and lightning bolts shooting from her sun-colored eyes.

“Neil, Paul! What the hell are you doing here?” Roselynn’s angry yelling seemed to catch her brothers by surprise.

“Oh... Err...” mumbled the younger of the two. “Dad sent us to see if you were okay.”

“Why would I not be okay?” she yelled back. She certainly had a good set of lungs.

“We heard you were going out on a date tonight, so we wanted to check this guy out.” The older one finally manned up and opened his mouth.

“You’re not required to check anyone out, so get the hell out of here, otherwise I have two frying pans with your names on them,” she said as she made to go back inside, I assumed to look for said pans.

“Good luck, man,” one of her brothers said as he raised his hands in surrender and made his escape. “You’re sure as hell gonna need it.”

They didn’t hang about as they hurried back to the safety of their parents’ house. Amused, I watched them go, but Rose was clearly still upset, tapping her foot while she fumed, steam virtually coming from her ears.

So fucking gorgeous.

“Hey, beautiful.” I smiled. She did indeed look beautiful. She was wearing a short blue dress that made my mouth water and my dick instantly swell inside my tailored charcoal trousers.

She opened the door wider, inviting me to follow her into the apartment. My eyes tagged along with every swing of her slim hips wrapped in that thin fabric.

“Sorry about my brothers, but I did warn you,” she said as she frowned in annoyance.

“No worries. Nothing I couldn’t handle. These are for you.” I handed her the flowers and was rewarded with a thousand megawatt smile.

She was so fucking pretty it hurt, like watching the sun for hours. And I couldn’t focus on anything else. The rest of the universe blurred, fading until it disappeared.

---