Stranger Ch. 02

The incessant shrilling of an alarm clock pulled Rosalie out of dream about dark handsome strangers. Groaning, she reached out and hit the snooze button, nestling back under the covers again. What felt like a second later, the alarm went off again, and she reluctantly pulled herself out of bed. She swayed slightly as she stood up, her head pounding and her mouth dry. Reaching for a glass of water by her head, she had just taken a sip when her mobile started ringing.

'Hello?' she yawned sleepily

'Morning sleeping beauty, have you had a look at the time, don't tell me you've only just woken up!'

'Well if someone hadn't forced one too many drinks down my throat last night we wouldn't be having this problem'

'Ooh touchy!' Jenny laughed cheekily, 'So tell me... have you called him yet?'

'I'm not even going to pretend to know what you're talking about Jen.'

When Jenny started screaming words down the phone to her, Rosalie held the phone away at arms length. A few minutes later when Jen's loud screams calmed down, she placed the phone back to her ear.

'Okay, I didn't get a word of that. Say it all again. Quietly please,' Rosalie requested.

'I'm not telling the story again!' Jen said impatiently, 'All I can say is check your arms and then call me back when you remember. Love you!'

Before she could utter another word, Rosalie heard the dial tone and shaking her head; she placed her mobile back on the nightstand and headed into the bathroom.

'Check your arms.' Jenny had said. Curiously, Rosalie pulled up her sleeves and gasped when she saw the 11 digit number scrawled across her left forearm. She stared at the number for a minute, contemplating whether Jenny had done this for a joke, or whether she had actually forgotten what had happened last night. Closing her eyes she tried to remember the previous night's events. Her memory was in fragments, she remembered drinking tequila, dancing to her favourite song, and suddenly, she remembered the feeling of a hot wet tongue circling her ear. Blushing at the memory, she pictured herself dancing with the mysterious stranger, being seduced by him in the dark shadows of the club. Like a light going on in her head, she whispered to herself, 'Alistair.'

Not wanting to face Jenny, she stripped out of her clothes and stepped into the hot shower. As the warm water ran down her body she imagined his hands running down her body, from her waist to her thighs, caressing her skin slowly. She shuddered, remembering how his touch had made her skin feel electric, shocks running through her body every time he touched her. Not usually a confident person, Rosalie was surprised at how brazen she had been last night, letting the stranger do as he wished to her. Not that she had regretted it; if her sketchy memory proved correct, Alistair has been the textbook perfect male. Despite herself, Rosalie washed her arm with care, ensuring that the number for her mysterious seducer did not get washed away.

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Juggling his cup of coffee and sandwich, Alistair swore and he dropped the key to his apartment. Finally managing to open the door, he rushed in, placing the coffee and sandwich on the table in the hallway, before running into the living room to check his phone message. The red light flashed indicating a new message. Grinning to himself, he pressed the play button and waited.

*BEEP*

'Hi Alistair its Drake... What the hell happened last night? Call me back when you get this.'

*BEEP*

'Hi! It's Claire. I just wanted to remind you to keep Saturday night free. I'll explain why later! Love you!'

Groaning, Alistair sank into the couch, frustrated. His little sister and his alcoholic friend. Not exactly what he was hoping for. He had been wishing for a message from the beautiful stranger he had seen last night. He had just been dragged to the club for a 'Boy's Night Out' when he had seen across the room at a small table with her friends. Despite the obvious stares he was getting from the breathtaking blonde at her table, his eyes had been drawn to Rosalie. She had the most captivating eyes he'd ever seen. Like the clearest pools of blue he had felt himself drowning in her eyes, but she never once looked his way. He had sat at his table waiting for the moment he could catch her eye, but it had never happened. When she left her table and headed over the dance floor, he had felt himself gravitate towards her. It was like an out of body experience. He watched himself take hold of her and dance with her, but was not aware it was him who was doing so. When she had turned towards him, he had known she was drunk; her eyes slipping in and out of focus constantly. He had been glad that she had not pulled away from him, she had been fairly obedient, probably due to the amount of alcohol she had consumed. All he'd wanted to do was take her and kiss her till the room span but he hadn't wanted to frighten her off, so he went slowly. He hadn't wanted to leave but he made sure she had a way of contacting him before he left. Now all he had to do was wait.

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'Call him.'

'No.'

'Call him!'

'No!'

Seeing the pattern of their conversation Rosalie stood up and walked into the kitchen, away from Jenny. Inviting her round had been a bad idea. She knew Jen would try and persuade her to call Alistair but she couldn't bring herself to do it. Despite being drunk, she had felt a strong attraction to him, and could not deny his remarkable beauty. But she was hesitant to call him. He was after all, a total stranger.

'You'll regret it if you don't call him.'

Rosalie jumped; she hadn't realised Jen had come into the kitchen behind her. Jen shot her a cat-like grin before pushing the phone into her hand.

Rolling her eyes, Rosalie dialled the number before she could change her mind. She listened for a moment and then hung up.

'Well, what happened?' Jen asked impatiently

'Answering machine.'

'So leave him a message.'

'But what do I say?'

Jen laughed, 'What are you so nervous about? He obviously likes you, from what you told me anyway. Just leave a casual message and then wait for him to call you back.'

Taking a deep breath, Rosalie dialled the number again. She waited for the answering machine to play, but this time, she heard someone pick up. Panicking, she hung up.

'Oh my god, he picked up!' Rosalie wailed.

'So... you hang up on him?!' Jen laughed again, 'What are we going to do with you?'

'This isn't funny! For all we know this guy could be a murderer or puppy-killer or something!'

'Yeah he might be... but you still think he's gorgeous!' Jen said with a wink.

'That really doesn't help me, thanks for all the advice,' said Rosalie sarcastically.

Giving her a serious look, Jen grabbed her hand with the phone.

'Look, you know I'm just messing around with you,' she said, shaking Rosalie's hand with the phone in it, 'But something good could come of this, and you'll never know unless you try.'

Knowing she was right, Rosalie nodded and dialled the number again. She gently pushed Jen out the room while she waited for him to pick up again.

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Hearing his phone ring again, Alistair wondered if someone was playing a prank on him. Paul maybe. He considered letting it go to voicemail, but curiosity getting the better of him, he answered.

'Hello,' he answered cautiously.

There was a pause, and just as he was about to hang up again he heard a soft delicate female voice.

'Hi.' The voice was nervous, a bit shaky, 'It's Rosalie.'

He flicked through all the people he knew, but he never recalled meeting a Rosalie. However she obviously picked up on his hesitation as before he could say anything she was speaking again.

'From the club... last night,' she continued in her soft alluring tone.

He felt his pulse quicken. His heart felt like it was jumping around in his chest. It was her. The girl he'd been waiting for all day.

'Oh yeah. Hi,' he said lamely.

There was an awkward silence.

'Erm sorry,' he apologised, 'I didn't recognise your name.'

'Oh, that's okay. I didn't really get a chance to introduce myself last night,' she laughed unsurely.

She was scared. He could hear it in her voice. He grinned to himself, her shyness was so endearing. Not wanting her to feel too uncomfortable he decided to make this easier on her.

'Are you free for lunch tomorrow?' He asked quickly, keeping his fingers crossed that she wouldn't shoot him down.

'Erm, yeah. Sure. I guess.'

'Good.' He grinned again, 'I'll pick you up around 1. What's your address?'

He heard her intake of breath at his boldness.

'Oh. Erm its Westcroft Avenue, apartment number 31. West side of the city. You know the area?'

'Yeah I know it; it's not too far from me. See you tomorrow then'

And he hung up before she had a chance to change her mind.

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Rosalie hung up, her hand shaking. She was meeting him tomorrow. Despite how nervous he made her feel, she was excited. Jen was always telling her to take a chance, and here she was. Having lunch with a guy she barely knew! Knowing that Jen was probably dying from the wait, she opened the door to let her back into the kitchen.

She had standing by the door with her ear pressed up against it, and fell onto Rosalie as she opened the door.

'Well what happened?' she asked excitedly.

'As if you didn't hear anything! Don't act like you weren't eavesdropping.' Rosalie feigned indignant.

'Okay well I heard you tell him your address. What was that about?'

'Well he's taking me out for lunch and he's going to come pick me up.' Rosalie gushed, unable to hide her glee any longer.

When Jen started screaming in her ear about outfits and shoes, she rolled her eyes and tried to calm her friend down, even though her own excitement was hard to contain.

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Rosalie was ready with 5 minutes to spare the next day. She glanced at herself in the mirror again, scrutinising her appearance. She had opted for casual; jeans and a cute shirt with boots. Her hair fell down her shoulders in big waves, with a few bits pinned back. She applied a bit of mascara and then sat down to wait for him. At 1 on the dot, the door bell rang. Feeling scared suddenly, Rosalie remembered that this man was a total stranger, and considered not answering the door. However, realising that she couldn't just leave him standing there, she decided that if he turned out to be a little weird she would fake an emergency and leave.

She straightened out the non existent creases on her shirt and ignoring the fluttering in her stomach, she opened the door. She almost gasped when she saw him again. She had remembered his as being good looking from her hazy memory, but seeing him again she knew she was wrong. He wasn't just good looking; he was absolutely beautiful, in the manliest way possible. He crowded her door frame, and she estimated his height to be around 6'' 2'. He was wearing a dark blue t-shirt that clung slightly to his chest, and jeans. His eyes, much darker then she remembered them were glowing and sparkling in the sunlight, and he has a playful look in his eyes. He smiled a slightly crooked grin at her and she felt her heart skip a beat. She realised she was staring at him with her mouth slightly open, so she looked down, unsure how to greet him. He gave a short laugh when she looked away from him, and slowly leant down to her. He lightly pressed his lips against her cheek and then straightened back up again.

'Hi,' he murmured softly.

Her breath caught in her throat as she tried to reply. She ended up coughing a bit before sputtering out an incoherent 'Hello'. He laughed at her again, and given her an amused look, led the way to his car.

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He had taken her to a quaint café in the town centre that she had seen many times but had never been too. He had been a perfect gentleman all afternoon. He hadn't been very forward, which she appreciated as she was still a little cautious, but he had found subtle ways to touch her. Grazing her hand when he reached for the bread or placing a hand on the small of her back as he led the way to the car. Every time he touched her she blushed visibly, but he has just grinned at her. Over their lunch he politely quizzed her about her work, friends and her life in general, and she had reciprocated enthusiastically. He had also been willing to talk about himself, and she had eagerly listened to everything he had to say about himself. He has told her he was 23 years old, and had a degree in architecture. She found out that he had a little sister, who whilst a little annoying, was hugely important to him. She also knew that his favourite movie of all time was Forrest Gump, and he loved to listen to jazz music. By the end of their lunch, he no longer felt like a random stranger she'd met at a club, but more like a friend.

They were now in his car on their way back to her apartment, but she didn't want her time with him to end. Every so often he would glance at her in the passenger seat and smile crookedly at her. She felt a blush rise in her cheeks when he looked at her, and butterflies in her stomach. She couldn't explain the way he made her feel, and even more confusing, the fact that she felt like this having only known him a few days. Apart from the obvious physical attraction she had for him, there was something about his goofy personality that she loved.

Cautiously she reached out and touched the back of his hand, which was resting on his thigh, lightly. Using her finger she traced random patterns gently on the back and when he looked curiously at her, she pulled her own hand back. A few minutes later he pulled up in front of her apartment block and turned the engine off.

'Let me walk you to your door,' he said with a small smile.

When they reached her door, Rosalie felt a little nervous but realised she didn't want him to go just yet. She gave a little cough and quietly said, 'Would you like to come in?'

He looked a little shocked but seemed to rearrange his face quickly, 'Uh, yeah sure that would be great. But I wont be able to stay long, I promised a friend id help him out with something later on.'

She had shown him around the apartment quickly, and then went to the kitchen to make some coffee. While she was waiting for the machine, she considered calling Jen to ask for advice. She knew she really liked Alistair, but didn't want anything to happen as she hadn't known him long. But she knew she loved his company, and defiantly wanted to go out with him again.

She didn't hear the kitchen door open, but suddenly felt large hands spanning her waist. She gasped as Alistair turned her around so she was facing him. Her small hands fell against his chest and she could feel his heart fluttering rapidly. He slowly backed her against a wall without saying a word. His dark eyes blazed fiercely and she could not break away from his gaze. He reached up to her face and gently tugged on a wave of hair that fell forward on her face. With the gentlest of touches he pushed the hair behind her ear. Her cheeks reddened as she blushed and he grinned cheekily at her, appearing to find her innocence appealing.

When he slowly lowered his face so it was level with hers, she felt her eyes flutter close. As he got nearer to her she could feel his hot breath on her face. Unbelievably softly, he pressed his mouth to hers. At the feel of his soft lips upon hers, Rosalie felt herself go weak. Slowly, he parted his lips against hers, and the tip of his tongue glided across her bottom lip. Gently, he captured her bottom lip between his teeth and sucked on in gently. She moaned quietly when he released her lip and opened her eyes. He was staring down at her with an arrogant grin on his face. She blushed again and he laughed musically at her. Cupping her face he dipped his head towards hers again and captured her lips in another kiss. This time when his tongue licked across her lips, she parted her mouth slightly, and felt him groan as his tongue found hers. They kissed slowly for a while, before Alistair reluctantly pulled his lips from hers. He kissed a fluttery pattern down her jaw line and onto her neck. Pushing her head back carefully, he exposed the pale flesh of her neck. He licked a line lightly across her neck before sucking gently on it. She moaned out loud as he moved his mouth upwards, towards her ear. He sucked her lobe into his mouth and then licked the curve of her ear delicately until she started writhing underneath him. As he stood up straight again, he pressed his body against hers so she flattened against the wall. She felt his hardness at her stomach and suddenly felt shy. He leaned down to press another kiss on her mouth.

'I have to go now,' he whispered hotly in her ear, 'Have dinner with me on Saturday night?'

He looked into her eyes with so much passion, it took her breath away. She nodded slightly, unable to form the words to tell him how much she would like that. Taking her small hand is his large one; he pulled her out of the kitchen and towards the door to her apartment. He opened the door and before leaving, gently pulled her into a hug. He wrapped his arms around her waist and gently rubbed circles on her back.

'I had a great time,' he murmured to her, 'Ill call you tomorrow. Promise.'

'Okay,' she smiled up at him, finally finding her voice.

He slowly pulled her hand up to his mouth and kissed it softly. Then he looked into her eyes, smiled and left.

When she had closed the door behind him, she leaned against the wall and let out a long sigh. Then, grinning broadly at herself, she picked up the phone, knowing Jenny would want to hear all about it.

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Sorry if this story took longer then expected to be submitted, trying to finish it was a lot harder then I thought it would be. I should be submitting the next chapter within a week or 2 so please check back then! Please comment with any improvements I could make to this story, I really appreciate it.

Scarlett