Zelene
"Where is he heading to?" Dalia asked me.
I watched Damian leave out the back door, and it seemed as if his contact was running from him. Was that the other part of being a detective?
The part where people didn't want to be found? What would he do if he wanted information from someone that wasn't willing to give it?
Would he resort to violence or use some other means?
"Obviously found who he was waiting for," I said.
"That guy?"
I looked at Dalia. "What guy? I don't even know who the guy is."
Dalia shrugged. "Your boyfriend coming back anytime soon?"
"Dalia, he is not my boyfriend."
"Why is he not your boyfriend? Didn't he ask you out? Take your number?"
"He did both of those."
"And you said no?"
"I gave him by number and told him it was okay we met, but he isn't my boyfriend. Like how does that even make us date partners?"
"He is handsome, darling," Dalia said and took my hands in hers. "If I were you, I'd invite him to my place and cook something nice for him to eat. Then he could tell me if he wanted to eat something else."
Dalia was spoilt. I knew she watched porn and could even be a bad influence to Mikey, but she was my childhood friend and we understood each other quite well.
In fact, there were things that I did, and I had to tell her beforehand. And vice versa.
"Good thing I'm not you, then."
"How is that a good thing? You are behaving as if that guy didn't save your ass last night."
"He did, Dalia."
"Yeah? But why the hell aren't you being thankful enough?"
"I know what you mean, Dalia. You don't just want me to be thankful with food. You want me to offer him my body too, is that it?"
Dalia leaned backwards in the seat. "Eff Cain. It's been long you've gotten laid. And maybe he deserves to handle you."
I shook my head from side to side and smiled. "Take your mind off the sultry part of life for once, Dalia."
"The sultry part of life is fun, Zel. And I have your best interests at heart."
"Oh, do you? Well, he's still a stranger. To me."
"I know you're being protective and what not. But can you just pretend for once that you aren't a mother and just have a good time?"
I said nothing to that. Maybe I could. But trying to sleep with someone? I wasn't sure if I could bring myself to do that.
Being away from Cain had made me bring up all sorts of barriers. One reason why I didn't want to let Damian close is because I might not be able to let him go afterwards.
I felt this pull towards him, and it was unlike anything I've ever felt with any other man. So what the hell did that mean? Attraction? Lust? If we were in a room by ourselves, would we get naked and make love?
My mind was making up all sorts of nude scenes and it was getting my insides feeling mushy. I felt the wetness in between my legs and that made me remember just how long I had missed the touch of a man.
"Maybe we should leave," I suggested to her.
Dalia looked at me and I could see pity in her eyes. She was probably wondering why I was such a stubborn friend who didn't want to let loose.
Well, I didn't want to be used by just anyone. Cain was enough, and I didn't want a repeat experience.
We left the bar and walked back home. Was glad Dalia didn't stop to talk to the guys who looked at us in admiration. She seemed to feel what I was feeling.
She offered to pick Mikey up from school and I was thankful for that.
I took by bath and decided to fix lunch for everyone.
My phone rang in the middle of it. I picked it up and the strange number on the ID display told me it could only be one person.
I answered and said, "Hello."
"You sound lovely on the phone," he said.
Damian's voice was unmistakable. What was I supposed to do with that piece of information? He was getting more bolder. "Thank you," I said.
"You know who this is?"
"Damian," I spoke his name. It gave me goosebumps everywhere. I mean everywhere.
"Right. Sorry I had to leave the way I did. My contact didn't want to be questioned."
"That I figured out," I said. "But it's no way to leave a woman."
"I'll make it up to you," he said, sounding like he was still considering that option.
Well, I wasn't going to push him into trying to make up for leaving the way that he did earlier.
So I said, "You don't have to."
"Well, I want to. Are you going to work this night?"
"Will be off for the next two days."
"Great. I guess tomorrow will be fun."
"Why? What's happening tomorrow?" I asked.
"Wait till you see."
"Hey, you don't get to go all mysterious on me now."
"Sorry if I am, but it's better you have no idea what's tomorrow is going to be like."
"Are we going out?" I ventured with that question.
"Maybe," he said.
I could tell that he wanted to keep it a secret. Well, how did I feel about that? I wasn't sure.
I heard my car pull up outside. Dalia was back with Mikey. Of Damian wanted to date me, I wondered how he would feel if he knew about my son. It was one of the reasons I didn't want men coming around me. They'd bail once they knew you were a single mom. But not before sleeping with you.
"I'm cooking. Talk later."
"Save my number."
"Okay."
I ended the call and headed for the door. Was expecting to see two people step in, but I saw three.
The sight of the third person stopped me in my tracks.
What the hell?