Three
LISA
BEFORE
Finding out his name, dorm, and class schedule was easy enough—there are some perks to volunteering in the college offices from time to time.
Trouble is, his classes and dorm are on the other side of campus from me, and with it being only two weeks from the end of this semester, I’ve had a couple of projects that needed my full attention.
It’s all winding down now though, which means I can focus on more important things. Like making David mine.
Warmth and happiness buzz around my body at the thought of him, of his green eyes, of his beautifully crooked smile, and his mesmerizing aura. There’s a lot of light in him yearning for a kind of freedom I know I can give him, but there’s a darkness too, one that I know I’m destined to tame.
The nights are a lot colder as winter solstice approaches, but that only makes me appreciate the sparkle of moonlight as it glitters through the trees.
I long for my winter coat and pull my spare jacket tighter around my body as I step through the undergrowth of the forest surrounding campus and take a deep breath, inhaling the fresh scent of the morning breeze.
A small clearing comes into view, my little personal haven surrounded by trees and bushes, a spattering of snowflakes, and a fallen log just off to one side.
It almost feels as if nature itself created this little nook just for me.
It’s my favorite place to greet the new day as the moon disappears and the sun begins to rise.
I’ve never once thought about bringing anyone else here to join me, mainly because the friends I’ve made here have their own places of solace.
But David…I’d happily share these moments in time with him.
As I slip off my Birks, ready to ground myself to the earth, I can picture him beside me every morning for the rest of our lives, soaking up the new day.
“Well, well, well. What do we have here?” I’m jolted out of my meditative state as an unfamiliar voice interrupts my calm. “Aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”
My body is instantly on high alert. It’s barely daylight and everyone should still be asleep, not to mention too far to hear my cries. Assuming I’m in danger, I turn to face the guy, annoyed that he’s invaded my bubble, but I fall short when I realize just how close he is to me.
“I’m busy, do you mind?” With the potent stench of alcohol wafting from his breath—yes, he’s that close—there’s no mistaking he’s been drinking. And not just a little bit. I’m uncomfortable and I hate that I’m feeling this way in my safe space.
“Not at all, I’m enjoying the show to be honest.” His leering gaze travels up and down my body like he’s seeing me naked and imagining all the things he’d like to do to me.
Well, if he thinks he can just come here and desecrate my sacred space with his dark and menacing aura, he’s sorely mistaken.
“I’m not here for your enjoyment so maybe go puke elsewhere.” I want to turn away but his presence keeps me on high alert, there’s no way I’m turning my back on this man.
Before I can react, his meaty palm is on my jaw, fingers pressing against my flesh. I’m suddenly on the frozen, December ground, my clothes dampening from the freshly-fallen snow as he looms over me, straddling my waist.
Now I’m more than uncomfortable, and panic is beginning to clog my throat as my whole body vibrates with fear.
Falling to his knees, he traps me beneath him just as he begins unzipping his pants and taking out his cock.
I’m struggling, my thighs pushing up to buck him off, my arms pinned under his bony legs as he leans up and over like he wants to feed me his little prick.
I scream but the sound dies as he backhands me across my cheekbone.
“Shut the fuck up, you little hippie whore.”
The sting on my face brings immediate tears to my eyes and makes my breaths shorter and faster, but I don’t have time to process it as he’s ripped off me and flung across the clearing with a roar.
Quickly standing, I try to stop shaking as I cup my cheek, watching in awe as David grabs the guy again, pushing him up against a large trunk.
“You pathetic piece of shit.”
“Bu—”
“No. You don’t get to speak. I don’t want to fucking hear it. You know exactly who I am, so think of yourself as very fucking lucky that I’m not putting you in the ground. Do we understand each other, Nikos?”
“Y-yeah.” Nikos is deathly still as he responds to David’s threats—which I never thought I’d find attractive in a man.
“Good.” In the blink of an eye, David has drawn his fist back and punched Nikos straight in the face, knocking him out cold.
“Oh my Goddess! Did you kill him?” I rush forward and David unfurls his fist, dropping Nikos to the ground.
That beautifully amused brow of his rises as he turns to look at me.
There’s a hint of wariness in his eyes—I’m assuming because he’s not quite sure how I’m going to react to what I just witnessed.
The terrifying panic that flooded my system is waning, but I’m now in an oh-my-Goddess-what-just-happened kind of panic.
“I mean, it’s cool. I don’t believe in violence, but if anyone deserved it, it’s that guy.
Well, it’s not exactly cool that you killed someone, and now I’m a witness to it, but it’s fine.
We can deal with this. No one else is here, I can be your alibi because who would believe the hippie girl would ever be an accessory to murd—”
“Precious, he’s not dead. He’ll wake up soon enough with a bad headache and a couple of bruises.” David’s attention is solely on me now and his possessive stare is devouring me from the outside in.
“Phew. I really did not want that on my conscience.” I move to take a step backward as David steps forward, but he stops me with his hands on my shoulders, slowly—torturously—sliding his palms down my arms to hold my hands.
My body is still trembling from what Nikos just tried to do, but David is like my center, calming me with his touch alone.
The electricity between us is everything I remember it being a few nights ago, everything I imagined it would be with him. We’re drawn to each other, no matter the circumstances, perfectly perfect for our other half. Like twin flames.
“You were willing to be my alibi though. And that is sexy as fuck.” Leaning down, David kisses me, simultaneously entwining his fingers through mine, and his tongue demands entrance like it did before.
I freely open up for him, tasting all that is this man, pressing my body against him and allowing my senses to be filled by him. The butterflies that appear only for David are rampantly flying around my stomach, but again, it’s over a lot sooner than I would like.
With our fingers still tangled together, David pulls away, his heated gaze raking over me from head to toe, pausing on my throbbing cheek that I know will inevitably bruise.
An angry haze thunders behind his gaze before it softens again as he lifts a hand to gently cup my face.
Leaning into it feels natural and he smiles at the contact, bringing his forehead forward to rest against mine.
We stand in silence for a few minutes, breathing each other in, like he knows this is what grounds me and fills me with peace.
The early morning birds begin their songs, the sunrise peeking through the trees, and I’ve never been happier than right now.
“You should stay away from dangerous men. We’re not good for the soul.” His eyes remain closed, his head still resting against mine, and the sorrow in his words seeps into me. How this man could ever see himself as a danger to me is baffling.
“Let me decide what’s good for my soul, Bauble Boy.”
He sighs deeply as we continue to stand there, connected in this moment before he pulls back a little.
“I’ve got to go, Precious.”
No explanation, no reasoning, he just plants a gentle kiss on my forehead and turns to walk away. It takes me a minute to find my voice again.
“Don’t forget to return my scarf and jacket. This one isn’t anywhere near as warm.”
I know he heard me because he pauses, turns to look at me with that beautiful crooked smile, and winks. If I were a weaker woman, it would have brought me to my knees.
Okay, so now that we’ve shared two kisses, I can technically count those as dates, right? Which means I’m one step closer to giving myself to him.
The man I never knew I was saving myself for.