A Wild Flower Among Wolves

First Date.

I couldn’t take my eyes off him as I hurried to meet him at the door.

I’m not sure if my heart is going to pound out of my chest or stop completely.

I opened the office door and subconsciously held my breath.

He looked god-like in the glow of his headlights.

“You look beautiful, Clover.” He said in his soothing warm voice.

I had to physically pinch myself to remember how to speak.

“Thanks.. you clean up pretty well your self..” I managed to get that out without stuttering so, so far so good.

“I thought it might be nice to watch the sunset over in the park.. I packed some food if your hungry?” He motioned towards his truck so I started making my way towards it,

“Starved actually..” I paused realizing we didn’t really need to drive, Lakewood Falls is a small town and you could walk pretty much everywhere. “Do you wanna walk there? It’s just a few blocks away?” I turned back to face him,

“I’d love to stretch my legs that sounds great.”

He grabbed a cooler bag out of the back seat of his truck and made his way to my side.

We began the short walk making small talk about the weather and what he had packed for us to eat. He wasn’t sure what i would like so he had quite a variety of different snack foods for us. Kieran is a little too perfect.

As we reached the park, I felt the wind switch directions and the temperature drop. I felt goosebumps prickle up all over my bare arms. Kieran pulled me into his chest and began gently rubbing my arms in an attempt to warm me. I immediately felt immobilized. I closed my eyes for a moment and relaxed into his touch.

Suddenly, he stopped.

I could feel him tense before I heard two sharp snaps.

The sound shook me back into reality and I looked to him for an explanation.

“Sorry,” he said in a low hushed voice.

“There was a huge bug flying by your head.. I was trying to shoo it without scaring you.”

“You think I’d be scared of a bug? Oh sweetheart I grew up in a commune in the middle of the woods.. bugs don’t scare me.”

A memory flashes through my mind of the time my sister Poppy was screaming in our bedroom because a ‘tarantula’ crawled across her arm in the middle of the night. It took over an hour for Bo and I to convince her it was safe to get back in her hammock.

Kieran chuckled while pulling out a the picnic blanket and draping it over my shoulders.

“Maybe we should head somewhere a little warmer?” He looked over his shoulder and motion towards the group of small brick shops on the other side of the street.

Before I had time to agree, he took me firmly by the hand and hustled me towards the sidewalk.. I had to do a little skip to keep up with his strides.

As we reached the other side of the street, he twirled me around to face him.

My heart skipped a beat when his hand left mine and found the curve my back.

“Where to Clo-Clo?”

He smirked as his eyes scanned the buildings from left to right.

I laughed and pushed him away from me. I regretted it as soon as I felt the warmth of his hand leave my back.

I needed it back.

I reached out and grabbed him by the hand and led him towards the building on the corner.

The Lakeview Tavern was a little shabby nowadays but still had its appeal. Warmth flooded my body as we walked through the heavy wooden doors of the bar. The yellow glow of the stained glass hanging lamps illuminated the mahogany bar top.

We sat on a the wooden stools farthest from the door and Kieran had the bar tender store our basket behind the counter.

He looked absolutely incredible in this lighting and I felt a lot less intimidated sitting eye to eye.

“Would you be interested in a drink?”

He lifted his brow and placed his hand on the bar.

“Sure,” I leaned onto the bar so the bartender could hear me over the football game happening on the TV above her head.

“Would it be possible to get an Irish coffee?”

The woman behind the bar nodded and winked at me before looking towards Kieran.

“Jamison on the rocks if you have it ma’am.”

She shot him a little finger gun and went about her business. I barely had time to turn around before our drinks were slid in front of us.

I wasn’t sure if it was the coffee or the alcohol but my entire body was starting to feel warm and tingly.

“I’d never pin you as a whiskey girl.”

His eyes were warm and bright as he sipped his drink with one hand.

“Well try not to judge me too hard,” I laugh “I’m really just in it for the coffee.” I wrap both my hands around the warm mug and take a nice long drink. I couldn’t take my eyes off his. Before I could finish swallowing he said something my brain didn’t fully comprehend.

“I can’t believe I finally found you.”

I choked a little and spit some of my drink back into my cup.

“What?”