Page 4 of Between the Blue
I’ve never seen anything quite like them. Dark and deep and full around the edges, but light and soft and nearly golden in the middle. They didn’t seem real. It was like they created their own light.
I thought absentmindedly that they reminded me of one of those chocolate candies with caramel pooled in the middle.
Well, maybe if one of those candies were left out in the sun on a hot summer’s day to slowly melt into a work of mouth-watering art. Then, maybe we’d be getting somewhat close.
It was then that I realized my head was tilted and my jaw was slack.
I quickly shook my head, coming to my senses.
“Why are you–” I blurted. “How are you– The women’s locker room–Explain yourself,” I said finally, crossing my arms.
Now it was the man’s turn to tilt his head at me, those caramel-centered eyes squinting and his dark brows pulling together in a look ofwhat I could only describe as irritation.
His gaze was so piercing that it involuntarily forced me to drop my own, and that was the moment I caught sight of my fitness watch on my wrist and a near yelp caught in my throat.
Seven minutes behind schedule.
Knowing I’d needed to get a move on, but not quite ready to let this go yet, I ducked down to my knees, beginning to gather my things at my feet as I continued to question him.
“I’m sorry I ran into you, but I still don’t understand. I mean, I know it’s early and there aren’t many people here, but you really couldn’t just take the extra few steps to use your own locker room?”
Again, I was met with silence.
Apparently he was a man of few words.
I blew out a heavy breath as I stuffed my jeans back into my bag.
It was then that something green on the floor in front of me caught my eye, and I realized that my new friend had also lost his gym bag in our collision. Lucky for him though, he had the common sense to keep his bag zipped, therefore keeping all of his contents inside.
I rolled my eyes and began to return to my mess when I caught the embroidery on the side of his bag.
JAMES.
I felt my brows pull together as my eyes quickly flicked back up to him.
James?
I immediately felt like that didn’t quite fit him, but was too distracted by the sight of his eyes burning a hole into a place on the ground before me. So, I followed his gaze.
Then I felt my heart drop straight to my stomach.
“Well, I usually let a guy take me to dinner before I show him my panties,” I forced, attempting a casual chuckle.
No words, and certainly no movements– especially none involving peeling his narrow-eyed gaze from my baby pink cherry-covered thong– come from James.
And it forces me to snap myself out of my trance, bringing me back to the present.
“I swear it,” I insist. “My Nana would be so disappointed in me.”
When I’m not met with even a half-hearted chuckle after three painfully long and silent seconds, I give up, snatching up the underwear and shoving them back in my bag,verydeeply. Hopefully never to be seen again.
It’s clear James has no intention of speaking to me, but, for whatever reason, I simply can’t stop speaking to him.
“Well, I hope you got what you were looking for, coming into the women’s locker room. May my old ratty panties keep you satisfied for days to come.”
Again, he says nothing.
“Well, if you must know–”
