An Unexpected Encounter
1449 Words
“Alina?”
The deep voice made her freeze. She looked up sharply, heart skipping before recognition settled in. Damian stood a few feet away, a bottle of water in one hand, his broad shoulders filling the aisle as if he belonged in every space he stepped into.
“Damian,” she said, her lips parting in surprise. “I didn’t expect to see you here.”
A faint smile tugged at his mouth, not quite a grin, but enough to soften his otherwise stern features. “Guess we’re neighbors for the week. How have you been?”
Her pulse quickened. He was looking at her not the way people in the office did, with judgment or envy but with genuine interest, as if her answer actually mattered.
“I’ve been..good,” she replied, adjusting the basket in her hand. “Work keeps me busy. And you? Settling back in?”
“Trying to,” Damian admitted. “It’s strange, being home after so long. Feels almost unfamiliar.”
She nodded, understanding more than she let on. “It takes time. But it will come back.”
They lingered there, caught between shelves of canned goods and bottled drinks, the silence surprisingly comfortable. For a moment, neither moved, until Damian cleared his throat and pulled his phone from his pocket.
“Listen,” he said, his tone steady but his eyes intent, “we haven’t really had a chance to talk. Why don’t you give me your number? Maybe we can catch up properly.”
Her heart thudded. He wants my number?
She managed a calm smile, though her fingers trembled slightly as she recited the digits. He entered them carefully, then dialed her phone so she’d have his as well. The simple act felt oddly intimate, as though they had crossed an invisible line.
When they stepped outside together, the evening had deepened into dusky purple. Damian gestured toward his car parked a short distance away.
“Let me drive you home,” he offered.
“Oh, you don’t have to..”
“I insist,” he cut in gently, but firmly.
She hesitated, then nodded. It would be foolish to argue. Besides, the thought of sharing even a short drive with him sent a warm thrill through her chest.
Inside the car, the low hum of the engine filled the silence as they pulled onto the estate’s quiet roads. Damian glanced at her briefly before speaking.
“So..catch me up. What have I missed these past two years?”
Alina laughed lightly, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Not much. I graduated, started working at my firm, and learned very quickly that colleagues don’t exactly roll out a welcome mat for the boss’s daughter’s friend’s sister.”
His brow furrowed. “They give you a hard time?”
She shrugged, trying to sound unaffected. “Jealousy, mostly. They see what I wear, the car I come in, and they make assumptions. But I don’t let it bother me. I just focus on my work.”
He studied her quietly, admiration flickering in his gaze. “You’ve grown tougher,” he said finally.
Her lips curved into a small smile. “Guess life forces us to, doesn’t it?”
The way he looked at her then steady, lingering made her breath hitch. She quickly turned her gaze to the passing trees outside the window.
As they approached her street, Damian slowed the car but didn’t stop right away. Instead, he said casually, “How about dinner next weekend? Just the two of us. We can talk without Marcus breathing down my neck.”
Her head whipped toward him, eyes wide. “Dinner?”
He chuckled, amused by her surprise. “Unless you’re too busy. Or uninterested.”
“No, I..”She bit her lip, fighting a smile. “I’d like that.”
“Good,” he said simply, satisfaction clear in his tone.
When the car finally rolled to a stop in front of her house, Damian shifted into park and leaned slightly closer. “Then it’s a date.”
Before she could respond, he leaned in just enough to press a quick, feather-light peck against her cheek. The touch burned into her skin, sparking heat that spread all the way to her ears.
“Goodnight, Alina,” he said, his voice low, almost husky.
She swallowed hard, muttering, “Goodnight,” before quickly slipping out of the car.
Her heels clicked against the driveway as she hurried inside, but the moment the door shut behind her, she pressed her back against it, heart racing. Her hand flew to her cheek where his lips had brushed, the ghost of the touch sending butterflies spiraling in her stomach.
And then despite herself she grinned. Wide, uncontrollable, girlish.
She was already imagining what she might wear for dinner next weekend.
Alina could barely keep the smile off her face as she slipped upstairs. Her steps were lighter than usual, her heart still fluttering from the brief kiss on her cheek. She dropped her bag onto her bed, pulled off her shoes, and lay back, staring at the ceiling.
Dinner. With Damian.
Her cheeks heated all over again at the thought. She pressed her fingers against them, trying to cool the rush of warmth, but it was useless. That single, fleeting moment outside the car had awakened something she couldn’t easily tame.
“Why are you grinning like a thief?”
Alina shot upright, startled. Marcus leaned against her bedroom doorframe, arms crossed, an all-too-knowing smirk tugging at his lips.
“Marcus!” she exclaimed, scrambling to sit straighter. “Don’t you know how to knock?”
“Knocking is for strangers,” he said easily, strolling into the room. His eyes narrowed as he took in her flushed face. “So..are you going to tell me why you look like you’ve just won the lottery?”
Alina rolled her eyes, reaching for a pillow to toss at him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Marcus caught the pillow with one hand, chuckling. “You’ve been blushing since you stepped out of that car. Don’t think I didn’t see it. What did Damian say to you?”
Her heart stuttered at the sound of his name, but she quickly masked it with an indignant huff. “He just dropped me home, that’s all.”
“Mm-hm.” Marcus flopped onto her bed with the ease of an older brother who had zero respect for personal boundaries. “And that made you blush so hard you could rival a tomato?”
“Marcus!” she groaned, covering her face with both hands.
He laughed outright now, the deep, teasing sound filling her room. “I knew it. Damian’s got you all twisted up, doesn’t he?”
Alina peeked at him between her fingers, cheeks blazing. “Stop making things up. He’s your friend. He was just being..polite.”
Marcus raised a brow. “Polite doesn’t make you stare at your closet like you’re planning outfits for a royal ball.” His eyes twinkled with mischief. “He asked you out, didn’t he?”
Alina’s silence was answer enough.
Marcus groaned dramatically, sitting up. “Unbelievable. Of all the men in Lagos, it had to be him?”
She frowned, irritation sparking. “What’s wrong with Damian?”
He opened his mouth, then hesitated. For a moment, his protective instincts battled with his trust in his friend. Finally, he sighed, raking a hand through his hair.
“Nothing’s wrong with him. He’s..Damian. He’s a good guy. But he’s also intense. Complicated. He’s been through things you can’t even imagine, Alina.”
Her expression softened. “That doesn’t make him any less human, Marcus. Maybe that just means he needs someone who cares.”
Marcus groaned again, muttering something about his “hopelessly romantic little sister,” but he didn’t push further. Instead, he wagged a finger at her. “Just don’t forget he’s still my friend first. And I will break his legs if he hurts you.”
Alina laughed, shaking her head. “You’re impossible.”
“And you,” Marcus said, rising from the bed with exaggerated dignity, “are clearly smitten. God help us all.”
She threw the pillow at him again, but this time he dodged and disappeared down the hall, his laughter echoing behind him.
Alina flopped back onto her bed with a groan, burying her face in the sheets. Her brother’s teasing was unbearable, but she couldn’t deny it he was right. She was smitten and you can’t blame her..he is a hot.
And Dinner was still days away..
- Writer
