Chapter 2 - Guard my Cart / Part 2

Adriano

I was busy giving Emmet a rundown of the meeting and going over the days itinery when I felt someone touch me and a tingle ran up my arm.

I turned in shock and saw a small young girl looking anxiously up at me.

My hand shot out in reflex and covered her much smaller one.

More tingles.

She gasped when my much larger hand clasped hers.

She peeked up from thick sooty dark lashes, and mouthed a “Hi”.

Again I simply looked down confused at our connected hands.

She looked up at me through her thick lashes and I was taken aback by the most striking blue eyes I had ever seen…peeking up at me warily.

I stiffened. Actually stiffened.

Like an electric spark had been ignited.

Gulping back my shock, I masked it with snapping anger.

“Speak up girl…I’m on a call here…what do you want? If its change, then I don’t keep any” I said flatly.

She shivered as I cut her to the quick and even flinched as if I had struck her.

Yeah..I could be a dickwad.

Her cheeks bloomed with soft colour and she stiffened, blue eyes flashing like lazers as she glared up at me.

I was entranced, those unusually striking eyes spoke volumes.

“I’m not—” she shook her beanie covered head, flustered.

“I don’t want money.”

“Then what do you want?” I snapped, my irritation clear in my voice.

If only the little thing knew that my irritation now was not with her but with myself.

My equilibrium was askew.

This girl was affecting me in a very strange way.

I felt her hand clench into a fist in my hand and hid my amusement at her tell of temper.

“I didn’t mean to bother you Sir.,” she said quickly, her cheeks turning even redder.

I inhaled and a tremor passed through me at the Sir but she wasn’t done.

“I wasn’t approaching you for charity. I was just hoping you could watch my cart.” She continued.

She flushed prettily at the end of her speech, the seep of colour creeping up to tinge her cheeks and neck even through the grime.

She tugged her hand free of mine and I immediately mourned the loss of contact, that strange current.

I let out a breath, ran a hand along my jaw, then finally looked behind her and registered the cart.

I stared at it, brow furrowed and then shifted my gaze back to her.

She had my complete attention now and my eyes locked on her fully taking in the shabby young girl in front of me.

I looked at her from head to toe, appraising the worn clothes and beaten up sneakers.

She fidgeted and I saw the fingers of her hand tighten around the cart handle, knuckles turning white.

“I just needed someone to watch it for two minutes while I order food. They won’t let me in with it. I thought—” she said and paused – gesturing to the cart.

“You looked like someone who wouldn’t let it be taken.”

I was bemused.

This entire exchange so foreign to me.

Her cheeks reddened even more as I stared.

“It’s okay, I can find someone else.” she said.

I saw her face fall and she looked so disappointed that her initial assessment of me had been wrong.

And for the life of me I couldn't understand why I felt a pang at her disappointment in me.

“No.”

The word left my mouth like a bullet, coming out sharp and vehement.

“I assumed,” I said, and just stopped there, at a loss for words.

I wasn’t sure if I was processing or apologising.

Maybe both.

“I’ll watch it,” I declared, surprising myself.

“I have a few minutes until my driver gets here. Go.” I waved in the direction of the MacDonalds.

You could see the relief that relaxed her tense little frame.

“Yeah???” A huge smile split her face, transforming the gamine little thing to truly pretty.

It drew attention to full pink plush lips completely unadorned and white pearly teeth.

I literally slow blinked – just staring and something tightened in my chest.

What is going on with me?

Why is girl evoking these bewildering reactions?

“Really, oh thank you so much Sir,”

Again with that fucking Sir…

This girl was killing me with her low dulcet tones and those unforgettable eyes.

My dick made an interested twitch.

If she only knew how the Sir affected me, would she still say it?

Or better still, would she say it while on her knees?

"She's a fucking child Adriano. Rein your filthy mind in." my subconscious berated.

I cringed feeling like a pervert.

“I won’t be long… I am so grateful Sir” she chirped.

Sure…rub it in gambina!

Another small shy smile and she raced off as if afraid I would change my mind.

I looked in bewilderment at the cart, wondering..What the fuck just happened?????

I held onto it, giving it a disdainful once over.

The wheels were rickety, rust over most of the metal not covered by the tarp and worn faded rope secured it.

I wondered about her concern with leaving it unattended..who in their right fucking minds would steal it?

Looking down at my phone in the other hand, I realised… shit Emmet was still on.

“Jeez Emmet, you still there?"

I waited for confirmation.

"Yeah, sorry about that. So where was I…yeah don’t forget to pick up my suit for the gala Friday night and get the Estate prepped. I will spend next week-end there, I want to see how the cottage came out."

I waited for him to note that.

"Also have the pilot know that he can pick me up Monday at 7am sharp at the Estate, we have a 9am with Dicor Construction."

I rattled off a few more instructions but my mind was elsewhere..on tingly currents, on startled blue eyes and on hoping to hear Sir come out of those plump pink lips.

Yeah, I had officially lost my marbles on a bustling Manhattan street, in front of a McDonalds no less.