Magnetic (New Adult Contemporary Romance) (4 page)

A waitress walked up with their drinks and introduced herself. She took their orders and then left them alon
e again.

“
Were you close to your grandfather?” she inquired.

“
About as close as any kid could be. We lived in the same town as my dad’s parents, so I was able to see them anytime I wanted. My grandfather came to Seattle a lot when I was a kid, and I tried to tag along anytime I didn’t have school. I adored my grandfather.”

“
Is he still around? I heard you say adored, in the past tense. Is he …?”

“
Yeah, he died about ten years ago.”

“
I’m sorry,” Samantha felt guilty, she had just hit on one of the biggest first date no-no’s, according to
Cosmopolitan Magazine
. Never talk about ex’s, divorce’s, or death.

“
Nah, don’t even think about it. My grandfather was old, he lived a wondrous life. I am proud of him, and hope I become half the man he was.”

Samantha leaned forwa
rd, her eyes focused on Darren. Her ankles were crossed under the table, and her knees pressed together when she felt his foot lightly touch her leg. She thought it was an accident at first, but then she felt it again, his leg lightly touching her’s. Just enough pressure to know he was there, but not so much to intrude upon her personal space or become threatening.

“
I rode on that Ferry once.” She pointed out the window to the boat below, eager to start another conversation that would slow her heart rate.

“
Oh yeah, did you enjoy it?”

“
Yes, I loved it. My grandparents live on Bainbridge Island, we went for a visit.”

“
Just one visit?”

“
Well, perhaps a few, but I really only remember one of them well.”

“
What made that particular ferry ride so special?”

Samantha sig
hed, she just led the conversation back to the very subject she was trying to get away from,
death.
“My mother had just died, and my father wasn’t in a good place. I was alone, on my way to stay with them for a while.” She didn’t say anything else.

“
Now I’m the one who’s sorry.” He reached his hands across the table and held her’s, they both looked out at the pier, watching the cars load onto the ferry, and the foot passengers walk across the deck. Darren gently rubbed his thumbs across her knuckles causing electrifying bolts of desire to pulse through her. Neither of them said a word, they just enjoyed being together.

A bunch of loud and
obnoxious women walked past, bringing their attention back inside the restaurant. “No way, what are you doing here?” One of the women stopped at their table, her full attention on Darren. His head snapped towards her at the sound of her voice; he was speechless.

“
What’s the matter, cat got your tongue?” she teased.

“
No, I mean, hello … how are you Melissa?”

“
I’m well Darren, who’s the latest girl?” Darren visibly cringed at her choice of words.

“
Samantha, this is Melissa, a friend of mine from U-Dub.”

Samantha held out her hand, which Melissa accepted
, and they exchanged courteous greetings.

Darren sat watching them with a curious expression.
“It was nice to see you Melissa, I hope you have a nice evening.” He turned his attention back to Samantha, effectively dismissing Melissa from their table where she stood.

“
Bye,” she managed to say as she walked away. Samantha watched her go.

Darren regai
ned her hands in his, and resumed his attentions, but Samantha was un-nerved, the second cardinal don’t of first dates was effectively there on the table,
ex’s
. Jealous women are never rational.

“
So, how do you know Melissa?”

“
Oh, you know, we met our freshman year and have been friends ever since.”

“
Friends?” she questioned.

“
Yeah, just friends.” Samantha visibly relaxed, and Darren was glad they had escaped a difficult conversation.

Their dinner arrived
, and their attention was drawn to their plates. Discussion of food, drinks, and international travel became the safer topics of conversation, and the more information they shared, the more relaxed they became in each other’s company. They had so much in common. The sun was setting over the Sound as they finished eating their dinner.

Darren called for the check, paid, and then helped Samantha out of her chair and into her sweater. He picked up her flowers and handed them to her, then took her hand to leave the restaurant.

“May I have just a minute to use the ladies room?” Samantha asked before they exited.

“
Of course, I’ll wait for you up front.”

“
Can you hold these?” she asked, handing him her flowers. He reached out and took them from her.

Samantha hurried to the bathroom, not wanting to keep him waiting. When she
stepped out of the stall, Melissa was waiting for her.

“
I see he’s taking his girl’s to the same old haunts. You’d think he’d come up with some other idea as a first date location. I assume it’s a first date, isn’t it?” Melissa looked at Samantha who nodded in a hesitant agreement. “Oh, and he gave you flowers. Did he tip the woman with a twenty? He’s generous that way.” Melissa was practically sneering as she spoke to her.

Samantha
’s eyes grew wide at the audacity of the woman, but still she wondered,
How did she know?

“
I bet he told you all about his poor, dead grandfather who used to take him to work with him, and tell him old-stories of sitting here at
Lowell’s
drinking coffee.”

Samantha was getting
extremely nervous and fidgeted with her hands in the water, washing them an unusually long time.

Looking directly at Samantha, Melissa let one last volley fly, “
It’s only your first date honey, get out while you can. I should know. I fell head over heels for him, gave him everything he wanted, and as soon as he got tired of me, he moved on to the next woman. He’s taken countless women’s virginity. He can see a virgin coming from a mile away. Am I right? You’re a virgin aren’t you? He may be easy on the eyes, but he’s a demon with your heart.” Melissa flipped her hair and walked away, not looking back. Samantha was a mess of confused emotions.

Stepping out of the bathroom Samantha sought out Darren and the two left. He tried to take her hand, but Samantha deftly moved her flowers into the hand nearest him, ef
fectively blocking his advances. The two walked to the piers below, this time the silence eerie rather than amiable. Both of them could feel the tension between them, but Darren was at a complete loss about why. They had enjoyed such a romantic dinner together, he didn’t know how her mood had changed so fast.

With the tension between them so thick, they didn
’t last long walking along the docks and soon returned to his jeep. They climbed in and drove back to Samantha’s apartment, very little conversation took place, and what they did have was strained.

Samantha touched the velvety softness of the flower petals that lay on her lap, willing herself not to cry. Then she would think of Melissa
’s words, her heart would harden, and it took every ounce of her will-power not to rant accusations at him. She had been drawn to him, almost magnetically, from the first moment that she fell into his arms. She knew she was naive to believe that she could have such an instant attraction to someone that she met only hours before, but she couldn’t deny it, the attraction was intense.

She longed to clear the air and
confront him about what Melissa had insinuated, but didn’t think she had the right to, after all they had only known each other a few short hours. No, the best thing to do was to drop the relationship before it even began.

Darren drove a little more aggressively than he had on their way to dinner, feeling the strain, unsure where it had originate
d. The oversized tires of his jeep roared over the roadway, a sound almost calming to Samantha as it reminded her of home, of driving in her father’s pickup.

Pulling into her driveway, he threw the jeep into
park and sat in place for a moment, neither initiated conversation or attempted to get out. Samantha made the first move, “Thank you for dinner. I had a nice time.”

He half-laughed at her ridiculous attempt at small-talk. “
I did too.” He threw back at her.

Opening the door she stepped out, grabbing her purse and keys from the floorboard. He joined her, making sure she made
it inside safely. No matter how awkward their date had turned, he was a gentleman after all. She rattled the keys in her door, then swung it open, and reached inside to flip on the light. He had moments before she would walk inside, which would effectively cut her out of his life forever. He was sure of it.

“
Samantha, I am not sure what happened when you came back from the bathroom, or whatever, but I had a really enjoyable time, up to then. I would like to see you again, but I’m getting the vibe that you don’t want anything to do with me. Am I right?”

She didn
’t answer, but shrugged her shoulders in an indifferent
I don’t know
motion.

Darren was upset, he couldn
’t get her out of his head since they met today, everything had been so perfect all day, then
bam
she goes to the bathroom and doesn’t want anything to do with him.
Women are so fickle,
he thought as he turned around, ready to walk down her stairs. “Look, I can’t fix what you won’t tell me.” Darren turned and ran down the stairs, retreating to his jeep as fast as he could.

Firing up the
engine he backed down her driveway. He stopped when he looked at her seat and saw the flowers. “Damn,” he said as he looked back and forth between the flowers and her lighted windows. He could see Samantha pacing inside, her hand continually raising to her cheek and wiping away errant tears.

“
What the hell?” he questioned. Taking the jeep out of reverse and driving back up the driveway he got out and slowly walked back up the stairs to her apartment. Hesitantly he raised his hand and knocked at her door. She didn’t respond at first, and he knocked again. Shyly she answered the door, a handful of tissues wadded in her left hand, and her eyes red and puffy from the tears she was already shedding.

“
Hey, we need to talk, can I come in?” Darren asked, holding up the flowers as a sort of peace offering.

“
No, it’s late, why don’t you just call me sometime.” Samantha stood against the doorframe, her arms crossed in front of her.

“
That’s way to convenient, at this rate you will never accept a call from me. C’mon, a man deserves to know why a date that was going so well turned sour in the course of five minutes. What the hell Samantha, one minute we are in lover’s paradise, having the most incredible date of our lives and the next, you won’t even look at me.”

She didn
’t say a word, she just looked at the floor in silence. Darren became frustrated, unsure what to do next, but willing to try almost anything. They had the most incredible connection, something he had never felt before, he would do almost anything to get it back. “Seriously, you’re not going to tell me anything? Can I at least come in and try to talk to you?”

Samantha didn
’t say anything, she just stood there looking at him, contemplating.

“
For the sake of bugs.”

“
Bugs, what? What are you talking about?” Finally, she made eye contact with him.

“
Standing around with the door open is attracting all the bugs. It’s dark out, and we have the light on.” He pointed to the light above their heads that was swarming with little bugs.

“
I can’t believe I am falling for such a lame excuse as bugs, but I know you’re right.” She swatted at a fly that buzzed around her face and let him in, taking the flowers from him and placing them in a pitcher full of water. She wished she had a pretty vase, but the pitcher was all there was.

He slipped off his jacket and laid it across the arm of the couch as he sat down. He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees as his thumbs massaged his temples. His hair fell forward, and as she walked over t
o sit at the other end of the couch Samantha longed to run her fingers through it. Despite everything, she was still drawn to him by an invisible fascination that she could hardly resist.

Samantha unzipped her leather boots and kicked them off
. They landed across the narrow room underneath the window. Darren looked up to see her feet, covered with thick wool socks, tuck up under her. She still wore her oversized sweater, but she started to remove her jewelry and set it on the desk at her end of the couch. Neither of them said a word, but Darren just watched her. Seeing her in the comfort of her own apartment, performing such a simple task as removing jewelry was something he had never watched a woman do before.