Seven

“Devin? I got lost coming back from the bathroom.” I yell as I walk through the hallway of this giant mansion.

I don’t know whether I am in his house or the white house, this place is so fancy and large, and I feel like if I touch anything, I’m going to have to take out a loan to clean it off…and I’m the maid for this place.

The marble floors, lofty ceilings, greyish-white walls, and beautiful large pictures remind me of a movie. I know I’ve been here once already, but I never paid attention to its beauty. I was too busy cleaning it to admire it.

“I just finished the pizza!” He announces as he quickly walks past the hallway and toward the dining room. “Follow me.”

I swallow the golf ball-sized knot trying to build in my throat. The scratchiness makes it even harder for me to want to speak. He has me nervous and I never get nervous for dates…ever! Who is this guy and why am I so damn nervous around him?

As I turn into the dining room, two beautiful chandeliers hang from the decorative ceiling right above the extended dining room table. The overly large red carpet sitting underneath the table reminds me of a movie I once saw that involved a red room.

“Sit.” He politely commands as his gaze remains focused on me. “Pizza is done, and I think you will enjoy it better than any restaurant around here.”

“Really?” I question, trying to hold back my laugh. “It’s pizza. I’m pretty sure I’ve had some amazing pizza that has topped this.”

He slides a chair out for me, gesturing his hand for me to sit with seriousness in his face. “I guess we will find out. Now sit.”

“Yes, sir!” I playfully joke.

I run my tongue across my lips, sitting as the smell of the pizza increases the hunger inside of me. I pull a piece from the tray, the stringy cheese stretching as the steam rolls off the piece of pizza.

My mouth begins to water as the grease trickles down the side of my hand. “Wow…Devin. You made this pizza look like it’s from a movie.”

“Well…try it.” He commands again. I’d swear there was a hint of seduction in his tone.

“Fine.” I sarcastically say and roll my eyes. “Demanding much?”

“Sorry.” He says as the seriousness in his face turns to a realization that I’m not whatever kind of woman he thought I might have been. “You are tough to read. I am usually in charge and this is a little different to me."  

“Oh, yeah?” I question as I bring the pizza closer to my mouth. “Forget about me for a moment. Tell me more about yourself.”

There’s a mysteriousness that seems to be hiding inside of him. He is calm, but so demanding. He is very polite but also seems like he’s holding back. He confuses me. And I don’t like being confused when it comes to new people, because I never know the truth about them.

He swallows the food in his mouth, quickly reaches for his glass of lemon water, and proceeds to take a drink. He sets the glass back down, returning his attention to me, and smiles a dominant smile.

“I own a tech company.” He explains, leaning forward and once again, begins gazing into my eyes. “I’ve got more money than I know what to do with, yet I could care less for money most days. It’s just kind of a safety net at this point.”

“Safety net?” I question, starting to become interested, returning the best-tasting pizza on earth back to my mouth.

“Yes. But that’s not what makes me feel good. I prefer…something else. Something more thrilling, and honestly…” he pauses, turning his head away from me, leaving me with more questions than answers.

I swallow the piece of pizza in my mouth and set the slice down on the plate. Now he has me intrigued. What is he talking about?

“I’m going to regret this,” I say and lightly exhale. “But please tell me more.”

He begins to play with his glass, sliding it from one hand to another with a nervous expression on his face. His quick and heavy exhales verify his nervousness, but he’s the one who seems to have it all together and he seems to have it all in control, so why is he nervous?

“Firstly.” He says, leaning toward the table again. “You look like someone I once knew. Someone I had a tough time letting go.”

“Okay, that’s fucked up,” I say, quickly leaning back and dropping my pizza onto the plate.

“You find me attractive because of someone you once knew? How does that…” I pause growing annoyed and confused. “Why would you even admit that to me?”

“Because I am an honest person. Cassie. I don’t like holding back secrets which lead you to find out about later if we ever entertained a relationship.”

“Yep…” I say in sarcasm quickly shaking my head as I consider leaving. “And a surefire way to never have a relationship with someone.”

“Now, hold on!” He tries to demand, getting up from his chair and almost reaching his hand out to grab mine, but he stops himself. “You can’t leave. Just because I say you remind me of someone I used to date, shouldn’t force you out. It doesn’t work like that.”

I sigh and chew on my bottom lip, purposely looking away from him. He has no idea that I feel this urge to kiss him. I could make him get down on his knees…maybe.

“What other secrets do I need to know about, Devin?”

He closes his mouth and heavily exhales out of his nose, averting his eyes. Does he have another secret? It looks like he does!

“I don’t fall in love easily.” He admits, stepping around the table and taking another sip from his minty-smelling lemon water. “When I fall for someone, I fall hard, almost becoming addicted to them. In a weird form, it is addiction.”

“Addicted?” I question, raising an eyebrow and lightly tilting my head in confusion. “Explain.”

“I need that person around a lot.” He continues admitting. “I have a challenging time letting them be… alone.”

I raise my hand to stop and interrupt him, I instantly feel nervous but interested in this entire thing. A part of me had always wanted someone who wanted me in that form.

Licking the bottom of my lip, I step closer to him. “Remember when you said I reminded you of someone? And I said that was fucked up.”

He tilts his head, looking baffled. “Yeah?”

“That was only ten percent fucked up compared to what you are telling me right now,” I say and roll my eyes.

“What are you trying to say, Devin?”

He returns his deep, dark, and mysterious eyes to mine, staring at me like I’m the only thing in the world he wants. And we just met, so I don’t know how comfortable I am with his blunt honesty.

He steps closer to me. I hesitate, wanting to step back but I stay still. Every part of me is ringing an emergency bell to get the fuck out, yet another part of me feels safe around him. Why is my mind so twisted?

“Cassie. I…” He pauses. Whatever he wants to say, he’s having a hard time saying it.

“I splurge any amount of money on whoever I am with. And I want them around me a lot. I get jealous easily, but I have never and would never hurt anyone I am with. I treat my women with the utmost respect… But…”

“Just spit it out already!” I argue, throwing my hands up and scoffing.

“I like to fuck! A lot!” He loudly admits, creating a deep silence in the room, so quiet a pin-dropping would just get sucked into the silence. “And I mean a lot.”