A Dangerous Attraction
974 Words
Chapter 2 —
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Aaliyah told herself she wasn't waiting for Marcus to call.
She had repeated the lie three times by Saturday afternoon.
By Saturday evening, she had checked her phone so many times that even she was beginning to feel embarrassed.
“He hasn't called,” she muttered.
Nia, stretched across the sofa with a bowl of popcorn, looked at her over the rim of her glasses.
“You mean Marcus?”
Aaliyah frowned.
“I didn't say his name.”
“You didn't have to.”
Aaliyah tossed a cushion at her.
Nia laughed.
“You like him.”
“I barely know him.”
“You gave him your number.”
“That doesn't mean anything.”
“You're smiling.”
Aaliyah immediately stopped smiling.
“I am not.”
“You were.”
Before Aaliyah could answer, her phone vibrated.
She looked down.
Marcus: Dinner tonight.
Her heart gave an embarrassing little jump.
Nia leaned forward.
“That's him, isn't it?”
Aaliyah ignored her.
She typed a reply, deleted it, typed another, and deleted that one too.
Finally, she settled on:
Aaliyah: Where?
His response came almost immediately.
Marcus: Somewhere quiet. I want to hear from you
She stared at the message.
No man had ever said anything quite like that to her.
Most men wanted to impress her. Marcus seemed more interested in knowing her.
Aaliyah: Seven.
Marcus: I'll pick you up.
She hesitated before answering.
Aaliyah: I'll meet you there.
A few seconds later:
Marcus: Independent. I like that.
She smiled.
“Stop smiling,” Nia said.
Aaliyah looked up.
“I wasn't.”
“You're hopeless.”
At seven minutes past seven, Aaliyah walked into the restaurant.
Marcus was already waiting.
He stood when he saw her.
And for several seconds, he simply looked at her.
Aaliyah had chosen a simple black dress that fell just above her knees. She hadn't dressed for him, she told herself.
But the look in his eyes made her wonder if she had secretly hoped he'd notice.
“You look beautiful,” he said.
“Thank you.”
Marcus stepped closer.
“You're nervous.”
“Maybe.”
He smiled.
“There it is again.”
She laughed.
They sat down.
Dinner was easy.
They talked about their childhoods, careers, family, dreams, and the things they were afraid of admitting to other people.
Aaliyah discovered that Marcus owned a growing architectural firm. He discovered that she worked as a marketing consultant and secretly wanted to start her own company.
“You should do it,” he said.
“What if I fail?”
“What if you succeed?”
She looked at him.
“That's a very dangerous way of thinking.”
“Maybe you're used to people telling you why something won't work.”
She became quiet.
Marcus noticed.
“Did I say something wrong?”
“No.”
She lowered her eyes.
“My ex used to make me feel like everything I wanted was too much.”
Marcus's expression changed.
“He was wrong.”
“You don't know that.”
“I know enough.”
His voice was gentle.
Aaliyah looked up.
For the first time, she saw something beyond his confidence.
Kindness.
Real kindness.
After dinner, they walked outside.
The night air was cool.
They stopped beside Aaliyah's car.
“I had a good time,” she said.
“So did I.”
Neither moved.
Marcus looked at her lips briefly before meeting her eyes again.
Aaliyah noticed.
Her heart began beating faster.
“Marcus…”
“I know.”
He took one slow step closer.
“Tell me to stop, and I will.”
She didn't.
Instead, she looked at him.
His hand lifted gently and brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face.
The touch was soft.
Careful.
Aaliyah's breath caught.
His fingers lingered for only a moment near her cheek.
“You're beautiful when you're trying not to be nervous,” he whispered.
“I am nervous.”
“I know.”
His thumb lightly brushed her cheek.
Aaliyah closed her eyes for half a second.
When she opened them, he was still there.
Close.
Very close.
But he didn't kiss her.
Instead, he lowered his hand.
“Good night, Aaliyah.”
She blinked.
“That’s it?”
Marcus smiled.
“For tonight.”
He stepped away.
Aaliyah stood there, stunned.
She had expected a kiss.
Maybe she had even wanted one.
And somehow, his restraint made the attraction between them feel even stronger.
Marcus opened his car door.
“Call me when you get home.”
She smiled.
“I will.”
He drove away.
Aaliyah got into her car and sat there for several seconds.
Her lips curved into a smile.
She touched the spot on her cheek where his fingers had been.
This was dangerous.
She knew it.
Because she wasn't simply attracted to Marcus anymore.
She was beginning to want him.
And that frightened her more than anything.
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