Between His Eyes

Geneva looked around the beautiful hotel room and smiled big. Soft lights glowed from candles she had placed everywhere. Red rose petals covered the big king-size bed in a heart shape. She had worked so hard all day to make this night perfect. It was their first anniversary. One whole year with Jules Carter. The man of her dreams. Her heart beat fast with excitement. She was still a virgin. Twenty-one years old and she had waited. Tonight was the night. She had decided she would finally give herself to Jules. He was the one for her. He had to be. She is ready to break whatever promises she had kept, because she loved him. “Why am I so nervous?” she whispered to herself. Then she slowly touched the soft petals on the bed. “This is for Jules. He loves me. He says I’m the only special thing in his life. Tonight I will make sure it is romantic. It will be perfect for both of us.” She checked her phone again for the hundredth time. Still nothing like messages from him. That was okay. He was probably driving. Traffic in the city was always very terrible. She sent him another text. “Hey babe, I’m still waiting, and I booked room 4709. Can’t wait to see you. I prepared your favorite snack” She put the phone face down and looked at herself in the mirror. Her simple red deep cut dress hugged her body nicely. her full round breast looked nicer on the dress. Her hair fell in soft waves cascading her back. She practiced how she would smile once he knocks at the door. “You got this, Geneva,” she told her reflection. “He’s going to walk in, see all this, and kiss you like never before. Then… he gets to see the sexy lingerie underneath.” But a small worry sat in her stomach. Jules had been busy lately with lots of work, he always said when she asked. Always work. She pushed the thought away. It was their anniversary anyway. He would come. She walked to the window and looked at the city lights. The view was beautiful from the tall hotel. She remembered how they met. Jules was charming and funny. He made her laugh on their first date. He said she was different from other girls. That she was pure the way he loved his girl to be. “I waited for this day,” she said softly. “I could have done it with someone else, but I wanted it to mean something. With you.” Gradually, time passed. Eight o’clock became eight-thirty. Then nine. Her phone stayed quiet. She called him. It rang and rang until his voice message picked up. “Hey, it’s Jules. Leave a message.” “Hi babe, it’s me. Are you okay? I’m here waiting. And I am already tired. You know I feel irritated when you make me wait. Call me back, please.” She hung up and hugged herself, the room was becoming too chilly. The candles were burning lower. The rose petals looked less pretty in her eyes. A heavy feeling of doubt grew in her chest. “Maybe his phone died?,” she thought. “Or he got stuck in a meeting. He’ll come. He always did whenever I called him.” To keep herself from thinking so much, she opened the less expensive champagne bottle. The cold liquid felt good going down. She poured one glass, then another. The hotness tickled her throat. Warmth spread through her body. She turned on soft romantic and slow music from her phone. She danced a little by herself. “This is silly,” she laughed. But it felt good to whine her little waist. The dress swirled around her laps. For a moment, she forgot the waiting. Then the worry crept back stronger. “Why isn’t he answering? It’s our anniversary for f***s sake. I told him how important this was. I spent my whole paycheck on this room and the decorations. Does he even care? Godz! Don’t tell me this man forgot our anniversary?” Tears stung her eyes and she wiped them fast. She wasn’t supposed to be crying. She should be in a happy mood. So she sent more texts to him. “Jules? Are you still coming? I miss you so much”… Still left unread. The clock showed eleven o’clock now. Her heart beating faster than it should. The champagne made her head fuzzy, but it did not stop the pain growing inside. “I’m such an i***t for believing him,” she thought. “Planning all this like a fairytale. Maybe he’s laughing at me right now. No, Jules wouldn’t do that. He loves me. Right?” She remembered last month when he canceled their dinner because of “work.” And the week before when he seemed distracted on their date. Little things she ignored. Now they are gradually making sense. The music played on. She drank more champagne straight from the bottle, downing it in one gulp. It tasted less sweet now. Her chest was hurting. Real hurt, like something was cracking slowly. And she massaged it. “Why does it feel like I’m the only one trying?” she whispered. “I gave him everything, my time, my heart. I even saved my first time for him. And he can’t even show up?” She was very angry. She left the hotel room and stepped out to the club. She wanted to dance hard and forget everything that was happening. She moved through the loud music and bright lights. Her body swayed and turned fast. Suddenly, she bumped hard into a man’s chest. The handsome stranger stood right in front of her. He was very tall with strong shoulders and dark hair. His eyes looked gray in the flashing club lights. He wore a nice black suit. He looked surprised when he saw her in her red dress, with messy hair and red cheeks from dancing. Geneva blinked. “You… you’re not Jules.” The man stared at her. Something in his eyes changed. He really looked at her. His voice was deep and smooth. “Wrong place then?” “I… I don’t know.” Her head felt dizzy from the champagne and the hurt. Tears started to fall. “He’s not coming. I waited for hours for nothing.” The stranger did not walk away. He stepped a little closer. “Are you okay?” His voice felt warm and kind. Geneva’s heart was breaking, but this man made her feel seen. Not invisible like Jules did tonight. “I planned everything,” she said with a shaky voice. “The candles, the roses. I was going to… I was finally going to…” She stopped. She could not say it to a stranger. The man’s eyes got soft, but there was warmth in them too. “Sounds like he doesn’t deserve you.” Geneva laughed through her tears. It was a sad sound. “Yeah. Maybe not.” She knew she should walk away. But her feet would not move. The pain in her chest was too big. The champagne made her brave. Or maybe silly. She was not sure. “Do you want to talk about it?” the man asked quietly. “Or I can go.” Geneva thought about the sad hotel room. Half-burned candles. Sad balloons. The cake that was written “Happy First Anniversary.” Her heart hurt so much. She looked at the stranger again. He was handsome in a way that made her heart flutter. He had a firm jaw and eyes that did not look away. “Who are you?,” she whispered. “Me? You can call me Jordan.” “Geneva,” she said. For a moment, they just looked at each other. The air felt thick and full of energy. Geneva’s mind was racing. “What am I doing? This is crazy. It’s my anniversary night. I don’t know why I am still talking to this man. But Jules broke my heart. I waited a whole year for him because doing it earlier will make me look like a cheap girl. I saved myself for him. And he stood me up, of all days to do that he chose today!” She stepped closer to him, held him by his suit. “Come with me,” she said softly. Her voice shook. “Just for a little while.” Jordan walked with her. His eyes saw the hurt on her face. He looked at her longer this time. She walked him straight into the decorated room. “You planned all this for him?” he asked. “Yes.” Her voice was small. “And he is probably with someone else right now. I can feel it.” Jordan stayed close enough that she could smell his nice cologne. “No man should make a woman like you wait,” he said. His low voice sent a little shiver down her back. Geneva’s heart beat fast. Part of her wanted to cry more. Part of her felt angry. And another part felt drawn to this strong man and the way he looked at her. “The truth is that.. I was going to sleep with him tonight,” she said suddenly. Tears fell again. “My first time. I wanted it to be special. With someone I loved. But he…” Jordan’s jaw got tight. His eyes got darker. “Oh! Seems to me that he is a big fool. But then, you can always do that next time. I believe.” Those words felt good. Someone finally understood her pain. Geneva took another drink. The music felt louder. Her skin tingled. She looked at Jordan. He was very handsome. Strong and powerful. Nothing like Jules. “What am I thinking?” she hit her forehead. “This is wrong. But my heart hurts so bad. And Jordan looks at me like I matter.” “I’m sorry for what happened to you. I should go now”… She stepped closer to him. Her hands shook. “Stay,” she whispered. “Please.” Jordan did not move away. His hand gently touched her arm. The touch felt warm. His eyes held hers. “Are you sure?” he asked. His voice was rough. Geneva did not answer with words. She stood on her toes and kissed him. The kiss started soft, then became deep and strong. All her hurt and waiting poured out. Jordan pulled her closer. His arms felt strong and safe. For the first time that night, Geneva stopped thinking about Jules. She only felt heat and need. And a pull toward this man she just met. Her heart was still broken. But in a stranger’s arms..