Page 6 of The Ripper

“Afraid someone may be messing with the drinks?” I asked in a low, rather raspy voice.

I noticed how her body went rigid for a brief moment, her hand tightening the hold on the plastic cup, before she turned her head to look at me over her shoulder, those eyes piercing into mine.

They were green. Such a raw, powerful shade that it sent tingles down my spine.

~ What do you know? He feels things now.

For that brief moment in time, when her eyes dug into mine like daggers into flesh, the monster inside me took a step back, as if her gaze subdued him without any effort. And so, the voice in my head zipped its mouth shut for the first time in years.

“You can never be too careful,” she replied, offering me one of those beautiful smiles I longed for, the hint of a dare lingering in her tone.

Just like that, giving that smile away to a total stranger.

And her voice, fuck me, soft as a damn rose petal, and my brain automatically imagined said voice moaning my name, chanting it, fucking screaming it.

“I suppose you’re right,” I nodded without moving my eyes away from her face, stepping to the side and leaning against the table. “So, do you come here often?” I rolled my eyes internally, and she laughed, loudly.

Unapologetically.

So fucking real.

“Does that line actually work for you?” She leaned against the table next to me and the skirt of her dress touched the long robe I was wearing.

“Not really, but I figured it would be a good conversation starter,” I tilted to the side, lightly bumping my shoulder into hers, and she giggled.

“Ok, I’ll bite.” She turned towards me, taking a sip of her drink before speaking. “I don’t get out much.”

I knew that.

“Why not?”

She shrugged. “I don’t see the appeal of these things. I suppose I prefer solitude over shallow conversations with people I might never see again.”

I watched her for a long time, probably way too long because she started fidgeting at some point, averting her eyes and shifting her weight from one foot to the other.

“You think I’m weird, don’t you?” she asked when I didn’t say anything.

“No. I don’t get out much either, but only because people either irritate me or bore me to tears.”

“What made you come out this time?”

I froze for a second.

~ Now what, genius?

“I’m indulging a curiosity,” I said dryly. “Let’s call it a social experiment.”

“How’s it going?” she laughed, relaxing again in my presence.

God, this was infuriating.

“Great, now that I found you,” I winked.

I fucking winked.

What the hell was wrong with me?

~ I’ve been asking myself that question for a long time. Call me when you have an answer.

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