***Dear Reader, This book is going under editing as of today, 01-Oct-2021. I apologize for the inconvenience, but I am aiming to create you a better reading experience. Best regards. TW***

Tonight I am aimlessly walking the streets again. There is nowhere else that I would rather be than here. When did my life become so boring? So boring that I do not wish to go home. Home is where my fiance is, where my life is, home is where I should be, but I'd rather be here alone, by myself.

The sun has long set over the horizon, and there is a slight drizzle of rain. The smell of wet tar fills my nostrils as I make my way down the dark, deserted alley again. Even between all the people of the night, I still choose to be alone.

What a miserable life it sounds like, a not so lonely man wandering down empty streets. A man that should be enjoying the company of his fiance, but here I am, late in the evening in the middle of the city, getting drenched in the rain.

I left work hours ago, but I did not feel up to the club life tonight. Now I found myself down this alley. In the back of my mind, I keep telling myself to go home, but something is keeping me here. Something here makes me want to stay and not go home.

In the far distance, I can hear people talking. It sounds like the voices of two girls. Then all of a sudden, there is a voice of a man, a firm voice, like that of a father, but yet it sounds too young to be one, maybe that of a brother.

It sounds like they are arguing. The one girl sounds like she is crying. Maybe I should go see what is wrong. I know that this is not my concern, but I feel like I am being drawn there.

I start picking up my pace and head over to where I heard the voices come from. It is raining so much harder now, but I am determined to get there.

The voices have now gone quiet. The alley is once again deadly still. It is so much darker down here; I can hardly see a shadow.

Then out of complete nowhere, someone slams smack bang into my chest.

A sweet smell of lily and vanilla attack my senses. There is a tiny figure pressed into my body. It is the body of a girl; her tight bosom is pushed into my sculpted chest. She must have one of those next to nothing crop tops on cause I can feel her naked skin touching the exposed skin of my abs. I slowly try to push her away, but my hand gets tangled in her hair. She is soft, and her smell is intoxicating; I do not want to let go.

My voice is gentle but somewhat trembling as I speak to her. "Miss, miss, are you?"

She does not say a word, but instead, she grabs onto me; her body is tight against mine. I can feel her chest rise and fall as she is breathing heavy. Her head is resting on my shoulder; I feel her warm breath on my ear. It sounds like she is whispering, but I cannot hear.

I whisper softly in her ear. It is like I just want to feel my lips against her skin. I want the closeness of her for as long as I can keep it. "Is there something I can do? Tell me what I can do to help you?"

She slowly pulls away as if she only now realize what has happened. In the darkness of the alley, I can see the glimmer in her eyes. The shadows fall perfectly over the soft features of her beautiful face. When she speaks, it is gentle and sweet. If I knew the voice of an angel, then I would say that hers was one.

I silently chuckle to myself, just imagining the pink rose that her skin is most probably blushing right now.

"Oh my god, I am so sorry about that. I have a nasty habit of walking into things".

Her response somewhat surprises me; I look at her with a mischievous smile forming around the corner of my mouth. "Mmm, you say things?"

Her laughter vibrates down the alley to every crack and crevice. It rushes over me, sending shivers throughout my body. It is not shivers of cold that I feel, but more like tingles of pleasure. As the beautiful sound subsides, she finally speaks. "I mean people, I walk into people."

I look at her, slightly amused and quite curious to know, "Do you do it that often?"

"All the time but not really into strangers lurking in alleys," she replies.

Captivated by the way she is making me feel, I do not hesitate to give her my direct answer, "Well, I am happy I was lurking in your way."

She looks at me and studies me from tip to toe. Maybe a bit too long to make me feel comfortable. Her voice is soft as she teasingly remarks to my bold statement, "It was a pleasure walking into you. In any way, I must be off. I am so sorry again".

Her words are not even dead, and she is gone. She spins on her heels and makes a dash in the other direction.

I immediately feel the void that she is leaving behind as she disappears into the dark. "Wait!" I shout out after her.

I run up to the main road to where she has gone, but there is no sign of her. It is like she has vanished; all that is left is the sweet smell of lily and vanilla in the air.

Where could she have gone so fast? She did not even tell me her name. But why would she? We are strangers, even though it feels like I know her. There was something between us that I just cannot place, if she only could have stayed for a little while longer.

My head is full of all these images of her as I make my way home. In the light of the moon, she was absolutely beautiful, but it is not her beauty that captivates me the most; it is how she felt. Touching her skin felt like heaven, even though she was cold. Her smell was so hypnotizing. Every part of my body was drawn to her; there is something about this girl which I cannot place. I wish I could see her again.

I finally find myself at my front door scratching around in my pocket for my keys. I prepare myself for what awaits me on the other side.

Before I can slip my key in, the door opens. Darcy is standing in front of me, and she looks mad. I just know to prepare myself for an hour of it, us just fighting. As she opens her mouth to speak, I just know that it is about to come.

She looks at me with a confused look on her face, somewhat mad "Carson, what is on your shirt?"