Page 3 of Perfect Strangers

I nod slightly. “Yeah, I know.”

He chuckles, “So, you’re just gonna spend the whole night here, by yourself? You know it’s only 12:45?” That’s almost five hours.”

“Well, I don’t have any money, a phone, nor do I have anywhere to stay for the night. So, the answer to your question is yes. Yes, I’m staying here.”

I turn away and rummage through my bag, trying to find anything to read, maybe even figure out a way to concoct a blanket of some sorts. Then, I catch eye of my broken heel.

I spin to face him, holding up my broken shoe. “Plus, I don’t even have shoes to walk in!”

He yanks the shoe out of my hand and inspects it. I watch as he studies the shoe before nodding toward my bag. “Give me your other shoe.”

“What? Why?”

He huffs, “Just give it to me. I’m going to fix this.”

I pull my shoe out of my bag and hand it to him. He places the broken one on the bench next to the heel. With a hand on the base and the other on the heel, his pulls on the shoe I just gave him.

“Wait! What are you --?”

And with that, he snaps the heel off, forcibly breaking it.

A shriek of anguish escapes my lungs. “No! What the hell? That’s a hundred and fifty-dollar pair of shoes!”

He hands me both shoes which are now flats. “There, now you have shoes you can actually walk in.”

I stare at my broken shoes as sadness and anger seep through me. “Do you know what you just did?”

He shrugs, “Yup, I just saved your ass again.”

He bends closer to me inches away as his deep voice whispers into my ear. “You’re welcome.”

The deep sound of his voice vibrates through me, sending chills all over my body as I shudder next to him. A tingly feeling of excitement surges through us as his lips linger close to my ear. I breathe deep and swallow away the feelings as I soak in the loss of my beautiful shoes.

I slip each shoe onto its matching foot and inspect his new work of fashion sense. It’s actually not that bad. In a way, you can’t even tell these were high heels.

“Just admit, you like them and we’ll be on our way.”

I sigh, “Fine, I like them. Wait, what do you mean on our way? Where are we headed?”

He stands up, glancing at his phone, before returning his gaze to me. “You don’t expect me to stay here all night. Come on, we need to go find your wallet. Retrace your steps, maybe grab something to eat.”

I huff, not moving from my spot. “Listen, I don’t even know you, so there’s no way in hell, I’m leaving with you. I should just stay here and wait.”

His brow arches as he stares at me. “You really think you can last here all night. What are you gonna do sleep on this bench like the homeless? Stop being a girl and let’s go.”

“Excuse me! I am not being a girl. I am being cautious. What if you’re a serial killer or something?”

He huffs a deep breath. “Look, I would have killed you already if I was. We are all alone in this space. Do you really think I would hurt you? After all that with your phone and your shoes? Come on, do I look like a killer?”

He gives me a bashful look, knowing full well what he’s doing to me. He knows he’s gorgeous and he’s practically flaunting it. I cross my arms like a two-year old because well, that’s how I react, I guess.

Yes, I know I shouldn’t be acting so immature especially since I’m twenty-two. Last year of college and look at me, fighting with a hot stranger who wants to take me out into the city. I’m sure any other girl would have jumped his bones already. And maybe if I had a couple rounds of tequila in me, I would have done the same.

“I’m only asking you one more time. Are you gonna leave with me or not?”

I glance away from him, holding my ground, with my arms folded. My ass is firmly planted on the bench. There’s no way I’m getting up and leaving out of here.

He sighs with annoyance at my reaction. “Alright, you asked for it.”

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