The First Touch (20 page)

Serena replied casually lying, taking a look at Grayton and seeming to look unhappy with what her companion was doing, “Probably a couple of weeks.”

Autumn took
a look at Grayton who had wide-
eyes and shifted repeatedly as though he were uncomfortable sitting next to Sophia. Sophia seemed surprisingly at ease and took the lead asking the waitress for an extra place setting
,
since they were short one at the table. The waitress asked politely if they were new to the area, and Sophia shook her head adding, “They are though
,”
pointing at Serena and Grayton.

They both smiled politely and before she could ask the obvious question, Sophia cut the waitress off asking, “May I have a cup of coffee black please.”

“Can you make that two?
”
Grayton added.

Sophia beamed at him
, “Can you make that three?”

The waitress nodded her head yes and asked Ivan
,
“What can I get for you sweet heart?”

Ivan replied
tightly
, “I’ll take
a water
,
”
and Autumn chimed in
,
“M
ake that two please.” The waitress smiled and repeated the order and then thankfully left.

They all pretended to look at the menus in front of them again
, as Sophia
pointed out items that looked good to her. Ivan
did not even bother keeping up the ruse then, as he
set his menu down and continued to stare at
Autumn
,
watching closely for any change. The waitress returned and Sophia ordered first
,
as everyone else chimed in saying that they would have the same.

Sophia and Grayton seemed to be hitting it off talking freely about the orchestra, eventually moving on to specific pieces that they both enjoyed. It was not until the meal had been brought to the table that their almost moment began. Sophia reached for a plate
at
the same time that Grayton did,
and
ever so slightly
,
Autumn
bumped Sophia’s hand trying to discourage her from making contact. Instead
,
Sophia slid her fingers out further to take more cont
rol of the plate
. As she did
,
Grayton seemed surprised by her aggression and to
everyone else’s alarm
his arm froze.

The brush was so slight that Sophia did not even seem to notice it but Grayton
once he was certain that the feeling had begun,
slid his hand back lightening fast. Then he stared at her with a look of utter shock
,
though it dropped as soon as she turned her head back to look at him. He smiled at her politely when she made eye contact. His hand was
still resting in his other one with a familiar protective gesture t
hat Ivan had displayed the other day
. Autumn quickly commented hoping to confirm her suspicions asking, “You know Grayton has nice hands you should take a look.”

Serena agreed looking at Grayton suspiciously, “Yes he does have nice hands.”

Sophia asked playfully, “Let me see.” Grayton did not
seem to want her to touch him and
Autumn
watched as Grayton showed Sophia his hands keeping th
em just far enough away as to
discourage her from reaching to touch them.

She
added casually, “Well really the amazing part is how smooth they are.” Grayton froze again and Sophia slid her hands over and touched his hands, sliding them down to his fingers. He smiled and obviously had a great bit of trouble kee
ping his eyes open, nearly rolling them
into the back of his head
confirming everyone’s prediction
.

Luckily Sophia’s eyes examined his hands
, not
his face. She smiled at the smoothness and agreed, “You’re right he does have nice hands.” Grayton finally pulled his hand away
,
and smiled h
is eyes still a bit wide. Sophia
smiled brightly and said, “Is all of your skin like that?”

Serena outwardly blanched at Sophia’s
suggestion
, and
Autumn
placed a restraining hand on her friends invading arm
, unable to stop herself from grinning from ear to ear
. “Stop teasing Grayton,
Sophia, and let the man eat
,
”
Sophia blushed instantly, and she added in a whisper though she knew that everyone at the table could hear her, “Besides
,
I don’t think that he could say no to you anyways.”

Her eyes went wide and she asked excitedly, “You think so?”

Autumn continued smiling and said still whispering, “I have never seen him so taken with a woman before.”

Sophia smiled and asked
still whispering, “Is he single?”

Autumn
smiled and replied happily, “Yes, and he’s cute too right?” Sophia nodded and giggled a little then looked at Grayton, smiling sweetly, to see if he heard the conversation. He pretended to be interested in his food chasing it around the plate, though
Autumn
could feel the excitement at the table.

Serena picked up the slack in the momentary pause and asked Ivan, “What time do you have to be at the appointment today?”

Ivan replied looking worried
,
as he glanced at his watch, “In about forty five minutes.”

Autumn frowned and asked, “Can I come?”

“That sounds like a great idea.”
He replied.

Sophia shifted uncomfortably then and
Autumn
turned her attention to her, “You know Sophia you have lived here for quiet sometime, and since you don’t have any plans for today and it’s a Saturday and all. You think you could help me out by entertaining Serena and Grayton for me. Maybe take them to a couple of museums or a concert or something?”

Sophia looked at
Autumn
wide-
eyed and then at Serena and Grayton who were both nodding and smiling in agree
ment.
“I guess so
,” she replied
sounding a little apprehensive.

Autumn smiled at her and said in girl talk mode again whispering, “Make sure you get his number.” Sophia smiled brightly again and nodded vigorously shooting another glance over to Grayton who smiled back at her this time. Then she continued trying to eat her meal and not looking at Ivan who was staring at her shamelessly.

Sophia final noticing
Ivan’s
intensity blurted
out
all of a sudden
, “I need to go to the bathroom.”

Autumn taking the hint
,
volunteered
, “I’ll go with you
.” Then she looked up at Serena and said, “Serena.” She looked at
Autumn
confused for a moment as Autumn gestured with
her head for her to follow.
Sophia, made her way towards the bathroom
,
and
Autumn
whispered to Grayton
ruefully,
before she followed, “You so owe me.” Grayton nodded
his face pale
. Serena quickly pushed Ivan out of the way following the other two women to the bathroom, a little cautiously. The lights flickered back to life then, filling
the diner
with harsh light once more
, and the music started up again
.

Grayton and Ivan exchanged glances watching as they disappeared behind the
bathroom door. Grayton murmuring
to Ivan as soon as they were gone, “I am sorry my friend, I never could have imagined.”

Ivan shrugged, though he was relieved that his plan had panned out for his old friend. Grayton added
strained, “It is almost unbearable all I want is to touch her.”

Ivan replied curtly, “Don’t, it only spreads the fire.”

Grayton looked truly tortured now, “I do not even like having her out of my sight.”

Ivan smirked,
a little sweat forming on his brow now, “Yes, it brings me pain as well.” He paused as he listened to the conversation in the bathroom.

“She seems
to like you.” Ivan offered.

As Grayton smiled at the words, “He is so cute!” coming from
Sophia’s mouth in the bathroom.

“I hope it is over soon.”
Grayton added shifting.

Ivan warned him then, “
Autumn
said that she was slow to warm, you will have to earn her trust first.”

G
rayton nodded then asked
suddenly frazzled
, “How…
?”

“I have no idea.”

Grayton snored, “You bonded wit
h
Autumn
quickly and so strongly
that I considered killing you for a moment to ensure that she would choose me, once she changed.”

Ivan snorted
at him,
“O
nce she’s changed she will have
no problem choosing another
, I suspect
.”

“Love drives people insane.”
Grayton offered flippantly.

Ivan looked at him cautiously as if he were going to argue but thought better of it
saying defeated, “Is Serena certain
that she
is
the eye?”

Grayton replied thoughtfully, “Yes and until her final vision I was favoring the
council
path for her as well, but now
…
.”

I
van swallowed
, “You could be wrong.”

Grayton nodded and replied sadly
, “
I hope that I am.”

Ivan nodded gravely then asked, “Should I call Henry?”

Grayton replied a little more gravely, “Serena already made the call.” Ivan nodded in response, his head suddenly feeling very heavy atop his broad shoulders. Grayton suddenly smiled, and Ivan sharpened his ears as well
,
listening closely to the chatter in the bathr
oom in the back of the building.

In the bathroom, the three girls chatted freely about the two men at the table
focusing primarily on Grayton, while
Sophia began, “So tell me about your brother.”

Serena looked
a little taken aback for a moment remembering that she was supposed to be Grayton’s sister
, “Well he plays a few instruments himself, though he is too proud
to tell you, the violin is his favorite one right now. He is quite proficient with many others as well.”

“That’s how he knows so much?”

Serena rep
lied slowly, “Yes but I fear he
is a bit shy.”

Sophia smiled wider, “Yes, I kind of got that vibe from him.”

Autumn added, “He’s not too hard on the eyes though.”

Sophia smiled and exclaimed
, “
I know! He is so cute!”

“I know right!
”

Then Sophia suddenly asked Serena
,
inspecting herself in the mirror, “What kind of girls does he usually date?”

“He doesn’t date much.”

Sophia asked then wrinkling up her nose
, “
He is not gay, is he?”

Serena
smiled genuinely and said, “N
o, he is just very picky, so
I would take
his interest
as a good sign.” She smiled at the last words to herself though not for the reasons
that
they thought.

Both of the women
nodded and then Sophia looked to
Autumn
seriously then
, “Speaking of signs, Ivan looks at you with such... a hunger.” She shivered, “How long have you been dating?”

Autumn lied, “A
few months but we only recently got... close.”

Sophia blushed and replied a little more concerned, “Is he always so intense?”

Autumn smiled thoughtfully
,
sitting up on the counter
, “
Yes, but I think that is probably the thing that I like the most about him.” Sophia looked confused and
Autumn
continued sweetly
, “
Utter devotion from a hot guy is totally where it is at, I would highly recommend it.” Then she added a little quieter, “Honestly the attention from him has become slightly addicting.”

She smiled a little s
hyly and then Sophia turned asking
Serena with happy bright eyes
, “
Is Grayton like that?”