Page 2 of Fall Into Me

This man with eyes a blue so light they looked violet, even in the dim yellow light of the bar that was filled way past what I was sure was the legal limit for patrons.

I could imagine dipping a brush into his laughter and painting my life with it. I didn’t remember ever wanting to do something so badly, maybe ever.

I’d been content in my bubble of imaginary invisibility, where I could stare openly at this other human being with no concerns at all about being caught. It didn’t even really register when his eyes met mine, and he held them. Like we were forged. Tethered together, and something made complete and total sense in that split second that our eyes met.

Then he stood up from his table and started walking toward us, and my whole world screeched to a halt.

“Oh my god.”

“What?” my roommate Angelika said, looking literally everywhere except at the giant, very firm-looking man walking directly at us.

“Jelly, talk to me. So it looks like we’re speaking.” I reached for her leg under the table and squeezed.

She swatted me away immediately. “Ow.What is wrong with you? How can I speak to you when you’re not even looking at me?”

We had a…complicated relationship. I think I liked her maybe forty percent of the time. She liked me much,muchless than that, and I was sure it was because I had the audacity to ask her (very politely and with no direct eye contact) to stop having sex so loudly in our shared dorm room after I’d been woken up for the third time.

“Ineed—”My words cut off as Violet Eyes stopped right in front of our table.

“Holy smokes. You’re a whole lotta man.” Jelly let out a low whistle, and I reached out and gripped her thigh again.

“Would you like to dance?” Oh,oh.His voice.

“Cali.” A forceful shove was delivered to my shoulder.

“I…thank you.”I thank you?

“She thanks you.” Jelly’s beaming, incredibly entertained smile was audible even as I sunk my nails into her leg. “Fuck me, Calista. You’re going to hit an artery,” she gritted out between her teeth, finally managing to unlatch my nails from her thigh.

I was still staring at thewhole lotta man.

“You know,” Jelly said, hopping off her stool. “I think I saw someone I’d like to meet outside.”

“It’s raining,” I said, my eyes not at all on her.

“I guess we’ll test your theory and see if I melt!”

And then she was gone.

Then there were two.

“Calista,” he said. Pronouncing every letter of my name with intent, like every syllable held a taste. “I’m Fane.”

“Calista.” I introduced myself again like a moron. “My middle name’s Rose.” I shrugged like that information was useful to this hot stranger who was watching me while I tried to fit my whole foot right into my mouth. “So…Cali Rose. But, uh, Calista is fine. Better, even.”

Holyballs. Kill me now.

“Cali Rose is pretty.” He seemed to look glad to still be standing in front of me instead of horrified that he’d walked up to the world’s most inept conversationalist.

I cleared my throat and opted to pretend the last minute never happened.

“I’ve never met someone named Fane before,” I mumbled, undoubtedly dazed by this human stranger in front of me.

“Would you look at that,” he said, holding his hand out to me.

“What?” The word was breathless and enthralled and hopeful.

“The first thing we have in common.” He pulled me up to standing until I was eye to…pectoral?

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