Kismet Encounter Ch. 02.5

It was odd at first until her hand touched the small of my back and she urged me closer to her. Even with my sweater on, I could feel the same shock when her hand met my back. The intensity was dulled, but still noticeable. I wrapped my arms around her neck and let my body move with hers to the music. The brush of her breath on my face and neck was tantalizing. I found myself so quickly aroused by our proximity that it scared the crap out of me. The hair on the back of my arms stood up beneath the sleeves of my sweater and I felt my nipples harden in my bra. Her lips briefly grazed my neck as we danced and I moaned, thankful for the heavy base of the music playing.What the fuck is wrong with me?

"Is that your phone or are you just happy to be dancing with me?" Carey mused next to my ear, causing my goosebumps to spread down my entire back.

My phone was vibrating and ringing loudly in the pocket of my hoodie and I cursed. "I'll be right back," I promised, heading to the narrow hall toward the bathrooms. When I reached the quieter space, I looked down at my screen to see I had a missed call from Ryan and a text.

Heading to Ben's house. Don't wait up.

I rolled my eyes and texted him back that I didn't want to hear about his night the next day. My eyes lifted from my phone and Carey was standing a few feet from me. "I didn't want to lose you in the crowd," she explained. She was leaning toward the wall, exuding a sexiness that I couldn't deny.

I stepped up to her, my hand touching her face, relishing in the strange static that superseded the touch. My fingers tangled in her silky hair and her eyes were wide as she parted her lips, staring at mine. I closed the scant distance between us, pressing my mouth to hers. She moaned when we touched again with a stronger electric shock that left my skin tingling when she pulled back to look at me again. "Do you feel that?" Carey whispered.

I nodded, my heart pounding in my chest. "What is it?" I asked with my hand at the base of her neck. I could feel her pulse on my palm, racing wildly and sending out little ripples of energy over my skin.

Her brows were scrunched, and she shook her head in response. "I...I don't know," she answered huskily.

I met her lips with mine again and I wrapped my arms around her neck. She embraced me, pulling my body flush with hers. Every cell within me felt electrically charged as her tongue caressed my own. The music from the club was drowned by the deafening pulse in my ears. It felt as if we slipped somewhere else entirely, the sounds muffled and sensations otherworldly. Who was she and what the hell was happening to my body?

Her hands were raking down my sides, pulling hips to hers and I groaned aloud. She nipped my lower lip before pressing her tongue in my mouth with a frenzied urgency.

She pulled back from me, inspecting my face with heavy lidded eyes.

"Want to come over to my place for some coffee?" I murmured, trying to keep the desperation from seeping out into my voice. I wanted her. I wanted to feel her bare skin on mine, every inch of it, to see those lips pursed in ecstasy, to feel the new height of pleasure I somehow knew would come. She paused for a moment and it was as if I could see the gears turning in her head as she thought over the prospect. I wanted her to say yes so badly but I also felt myself wondering why the hell I was willing to bring a random woman home.

She smiled broadly and shook her head. "I'm sorry, nurse Autumn. I'm not that easy," she replied. Her lips possessed mine again, rendering her comment contradictory as her hands roamed over my body and I moaned. Jesus, maybe I was just that easy. She pulled back, taking a step from me. "Though, can I have your number?" she added shyly, her stoic resolve slipping.

****

I rolled over in the bed, surprised to meet a ray of sunshine peeking through the window. As I sat up to the edge of the bed, the memory of Carey's lips against mine filled my senses briefly. The smell of fresh coffee drifted into the room and I stretched, excited Ryan had made coffee. I was disappointed that last night, the cute flagger walked me to the curb as I awaited a cab and didn't leave with me. She'd kept her word and gave me her number in exchange for mine.

The hall was quiet and when I rounded the counter, the coffee pot wasn't on, nor was there coffee in the carafe. Confused, I quietly padded my way across the hall to Ryan's bedroom, peering in through his ajar door and his prone figure was under a thick comforter.Well, that's weird I thought to myself.

And then it hit me; this overwhelming need to write. Throwing a cup of hot water into the microwave and readying a packet of instant coffee, I found my laptop and powered it on. I wasn't much of a writer aside from college assignments and a dabbling as a teen, but I felt this urge to get things down.

I settled on the couch with my cup of coffee and the laptop on the table. Opening a blank document, I let myself go.

She breathed in the mist of bitterness, swirling her cup of coffee as a wine enthusiast swirled their glass of Merlot. The bean in question was an expensive one, but after experiencing the taste of it, she had to have it. A tentative sip passed her lips and she sighed. A strange feeling settled over her shoulders that had nothing to do with the coffee. The fine hairs at the nape of her neck lifted against her collar and she peered around the island in her kitchen. It felt as if she were being watched. Like a B-rated horror movie, she stepped out of the kitchen and meandered down the hall, her eyes scanning her little bungalow.

After a survey of the small space, she sat on her futon acknowledging there wasn't anyone in the space aside from herself and her goldfish. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, but it...

"What are you doing?" Ryan mumbled, scaring me so bad, I slammed the laptop shut with haste.

I whipped around and met his sleep eyes. "Nothing. Just writing a little," I admitted. His presence scared me, ripping me back to the here and now. The sensation was akin to the feeling one gets when they just barely fall asleep and are awoken with a fierce jolt. My heart was racing, a thin layer of perspiration collecting at my hairline.

Ryan held my eyes with skepticism and I shrugged sheepishly. "When do just write? You practically begged me to help you write your papers when you went back to school to get your BSN."

I chewed my lip nervously before taking a sip of my nasty cup of coffee. "I guess I like it now," I laughed and he shook his head in confusion before heading to the kitchen. I had to admit that it was a bizarre development. I hadn't felt anything take over me that strongly before and it kind of freaked me out. Regardless of the ethereal feeling, I opened the lid to my laptop and continued with my possession:

...held an uncanny aura to it. It oddly made her think of her previous night, and with it, the beautiful woman she nearly went home with. But, leaning toward her better judgement, she had decided against the opportunity. Her lips curled and she retrieved her phone from her pocket, debating whether it would appear audacious or too forward if she were to send a simple message to the...

"Did you really drink all the creamer?" Ryan's voice made me jump for the second time and I glared at him.

He was standing behind the couch with one hand on his hip and in the other holding the empty creamer bottle. I couldn't help but giggle at his facial expression. "Dude, there's another one in the bottom of the fridge," I explained, turning my head back to the task at hand before I finished my sentence.

"Cool," he chirped and I heard his footsteps trot back to the kitchen. When I lifted my hands to hover over the laptop again, it was gone. Just like that; the connection to a creative side I hadn't known existed within me was gone. With an exasperated groan, I shut my laptop down and sank into the couch.

I reached for my phone but realized I left it on my nightstand in my haste to have coffee. I stood and headed to my room, deciding that if I couldn't write I would find something intriguing to read. When I reached my phone, a new message was on my screen from an unknown number.

Hey, nurse Autumn. It's the cute flagger from the bar. Have anything planned for this afternoon?

My eyes widened and a dopey grin broke out on my face before I came up with a reply. I hadn't plugged her number in my phone the night before.

What's up, cute flagger Carey? I'm free all day without a thing in the world planned. What are you doing today?

The smile on my face didn't dissipate as I made my way back to the living room, plopping on the couch to sip my stale coffee. Ryan was watching me precariously from the plush chair a few feet away. "What's up with that shit-eating grin you're sporting?" Ryan inquired suspiciously.

I took another sip of my coffee and kicked my feet up. "Oh, nothing. How did your night go with Ben?"

Now it was his turn to smile broadly. "He's really something. I know I say this a lot, but, damn, I like him," he crooned and I giggled. My phone vibrated in my palm.

Not a thing. Want to grab lunch with me?

I looked at the clock above the television and saw that it was almost noon. I turned to Ryan, "Well, I'm glad you found someone around here." He grinned at my remark and I quickly finished my text to Carey.

I'd love to. How about the Menchez on Heron? It'll take me just a few minutes to get ready.

I got up again, hauling my cup to the kitchen to rinse before heading to my room. It was raining out, so I chose a pair of jeans and a tee shirt, along with my unsightly green hoodie. My phone buzzed as I picked up my brush. I didn't want to come off too desperate in my appearance but hoped I looked cute.

Okay. We can plan to meet up at about one.

I brushed my teeth, ran a comb through my hair, threw on a dash of make-up for good measures, and then headed back to the living room to slip on my sneakers. "Where are you going to in such a hurry?" Ryan questioned.

"I'm going on a date, I think," I answered, my head bent, saving Carey's number in my phone as Cute Flagger Chick. His sarcastic snort was the last thing I heard before I slipped out the front door, pulling the hood of my sweater over my head as the midmorning mist assaulted me.

****

God, she was cute. She wore dark jeans and a loose pull over hoodie and I found her casual attire unbelievably attractive. Her deep mahogany hair lay straight down her back and I wanted to run my fingers through it. I sat across from her in the brightly lit bar and grill we settled on and watched her talk about software development. It didn't make a lick of sense to me, but I listened intently as she went on about the different facets to programming.

She paused, running her fingers through her hair and smiling at me bashfully. "I guess I'm the one babbling today. Sorry about that," she chuckled.

After taking a sip of my water, I shook my head. "No need to apologize. I find it interesting. I wish I understood computers like that. When did you know you had a gift?"

She choked on the French fry she had in her mouth, staring at me with unmasked alarm. "What?"

I noticed I struck a cord but wasn't sure what it was. "You know, when did you know you had a knack for computers and stuff?" I reiterated, finding her reaction to my question odd.

She visibly relaxed with a smile. "I think it was when my dad first introduced me to his old Macintosh. It really fascinated me and I couldn't stay away from it. Do you get to travel all over for work?"

"Yeah, I've been all over the place. When I first started, I hung around the east coast but then ventured to the Midwest before heading down south. But, recently I've only been going up and down the west coast. I prefer it over anywhere else. I'm thankful I have quite a deal of say as to where I'm sent and when. Not all companies offer that luxury," I explained. It was the truth. The west was always more welcoming than the snobby east coast and the bigoted south. It was just right for me and I was beginning to fall in love with the Pacific northwest in particular after my bout in Portland. She seemed to ponder my words, a brief flash of doubt that quickly disappeared.

We fell back into an amiable conversation after that, discussing work and our families. "My parents are back in Maryland and I see them once in a while. My brother lives in New York. I can't remember the last time he and I saw each other," I told her. I didn't find it necessary to delve into the fact that I was adopted. It didn't seem first date worthy.

She nodded. "That must be hard, traveling all over and not being close to your family," her voice had taken on a reserved tone.

"Are you close to your family?"

She sighed, looking down at the table before meeting my eyes. "My dad was in a freak logging accident when I was twelve and my mom had a heart attack five years later," she said.

My brows furrowed together and a wave of sympathy overtook me. "I'm sorry. You must've been really strong to get through that at such a tender age," I mumbled, feeling quite unfortunate for bringing up an uncomfortable conversation.

She smiled at me warmly. "Thank you. Itwas hard, but it made me grow up quickly, which came in handy later in life," she admitted but didn't divulge in the meaning.

We finished our lunch with a lighter conversation regarding recently released films, Carey hinting at a possible next date. She paid the bill against my protests and I eventually conceded, claiming it was my turn next which earned me a huge smile from her.

She walked me to my car and I wanted to ask her about something. I couldn't formulate at the time what it was that I wanted to ask her, but there was a sense of familiarity with her that I couldn't place. As we stood in the parking lot beside my little Toyota, I watched her face, my hand reaching to touch hers. "Thank you for lunch," I paused, "Do you want to get together again?" I asked lightly, pulling my car keys from my pocket.

She grinned. "Absolutely. What do you think about seeing a movie next weekend?"

"I'd really like that," I managed before her lips were on mine. The feeling was present again, albeit much lighter. Her hands wrapped around my waist, pulling me to her as her tongue caressed my own. I stretched my arms around her neck and relished in the feeling of electricity going through me.

One of us moaned, I couldn't tell which and she pulled back, her eyes wide. "I have never experienced anything like this in my life," she whispered, amazement mixed with a hint of fear in her eyes.

"Neither have I," I muttered before pressing my lips against hers again. It was an incredible sensation and I had to force myself not to completely surrender to it. A loud honk from a car at a nearby stop light yanked us from our ethereal kiss. Carey chuckled.

"I better let you get going. I've got a shift later tonight," she explained. With a chaste kiss to my cheek that emitted its own frequency, she turned on her heel and headed to her car.

****

It was late the next evening, both Ryan and I at the cottage instead of work. I was scheduled for a night shift the next day and couldn't settle my mind enough to sleep, Ryan up because he preferred night. The eerie sensation elicited by Carey was far too fascinating to let go but I refused to disclose this to Ryan. He would without a doubt construct some psychological reasoning behind it, having nothing to do with what it really meant.

What did it mean? There was an unmistakable allurement surrounding the cute flagger that left me flabbergasted and off kilter. I didn't know how to react to it nor did I know what to say. She felt it just as strongly as I did, which furthered the peculiarity of the situation.

And then there was the writing. The feeling overcame me fiercely as I plopped on the couch with a bowl of popcorn. "I've got to write something down so don't talk to me," I announced, shoving the bowl into Ryan's hand, who in turn took it with a shrug. I picked up my laptop from the coffee table and opened a new document.

The sound of the rain pelting the window woke her first. As she sat up in bed, she realized the feeling was back: someone was watching her. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling however, it was quite disconcerting and eerie. She looked around, aware of the futile survey of her bedroom. No one was there. Easing herself from her bed, she padded over to the window, taking in her reflection in the glare of the night. Her brown eyes staring back at her were nearly obsidian from the darkness of the thick clouds coating the sky. Rain splintered down the glass in a heavy rush of droplets. The rain always reminded her of the discovery of her gift.

It had been a torrential windstorm, knocking out power in several cities within the region. She and her family lived miles out of town, far in a secluded area with little to no neighboring families. Being bored out of her mind as any normal eight year old would be, she decided she would fix the problem with sheer will power. She wanted to fiddle on her father's computer and play the one game it included. Her father laughed at her when she stepped into his office, candle in hand, sitting before his computer.

She touched the bulky tower with her palm and, brows scrunched and lips pursed, glared at the dark monitor. She sat there for ten minutes, unrelenting in her determination and her only movements being a handful of blinks. Suddenly, she felt a strong heat within her, swirling in her chest before it erupted to the piece of equipment her hand had contact with. The tower sputtered to life, emitting a loud clanking sound and the monitor fluttered with light. She sat back on her haunches, taking in her work with a satisfied smirk, hand still touching the tower.

"How in the world did you do that?" Her father asked from the doorway, unmasked astonishment in his face when she whipped her head around. She was startled by his interruption, fear engulfing her senses. The computer monitor's glow brightened the darkened room, the light becoming near blinding before the glass exploded in a cascade of shards through the small space.

Her father gasped and she jumped back from the desk, frightened of...

"Are you even listening to me?" Ryan's voice echoed in my brain and my fingers ceased their pecking. I felt my eye twitch and I yanked my attention from the laptop in front of me to glare at him. He was staring at me with a dubious expression, one blond eyebrow quirked up and his lips in a thin line.

"No. If you had been listening to me you would've heard me say I was going to write and to bug off," I averred and then quickly added, "But, I'll bite because I did hear some of what you were saying. Why do you think I'd have any idea where you should take Ben to dinner? The nicest place I know of around here is freaking Denny's and he's vegan, so that's not helpful."

I hoped that at least placated him enough to ease the butthurt of him thinking I wasn't listening. He was infatuated with the guy he met at the bar shortly after we started our contract in the city and they'd dated ever since. I had to tune some of the crap he rattled off about because I honestly didn't want to hear about his and Brian's sexcapades.

The story had come in a larger bit that evening and I felt compelled to finish what was going through my brain. To do that, I had to talk to him so he would let me be.

He sighed and leaned back against the couch. "I really like him, Autumn. I think I more than like him," he admitted. I had to keep myself from audibly swooning at my happiness for him. They were cute together, but I did worry about what they would do when our contract was up.