Page 6 of The Rhythm of their Souls

I just stare in awe as he strides towards me slowly; his movements are smooth like rich velvet. Within seconds, he is standing inches from me. Up close, he is even more breathtakingly attractive. A lingering oak scent invades my senses. It reminds me of a forbidden forest with hints of earthy undertones and wood. His thick, dirty blond hair lays neatly upon his blessed head.

I clasp my drink with both hands to avoid reaching up and running my hands through this guy’s gorgeous wavy locks. His strong stature is a good six inches taller than me. If Chris Hemsworth and Paul Walker had a younger brother, he’s the one. This man is exceptionally gifted from head to toe.

I completely forget that my best friend is right beside me; at this point we look like conjoined twins with how close we’re standing together. I pull my eyes away for a split second to examine Danielle; she is big-time gawking, just as I am. Looks like she’s getting laid after all.

“I haven’t seen you around here before,” mystery man says curiously. God, his deep voice sends warm shivers down my fragile spine.

I don’t even realize that he’s speaking directly to me until Danielle aggressively elbows me in my side. She then mumbles through closed teeth, “Earth to Olive.”

I gather my thoughts and go to speak. “Um, well, that’s because I don’t live around here.”

His perfectly symmetrical eyebrows pull together. “Olive, such a delicate name for a pretty face like yours.”

I nervously clear my throat and rattle out, “Why thank you, sir.” Wow, if I could teleport myself anywhere but here, damn it, I would. I can’t even look at Danielle. I know she’s burning a hole in the side of my head.

He chuckles softly before running his large hand through his hair.

“What’s your name, anyway?” I blurt out. I’ll say anything at this point to hear this man speak.

He gazes at me. “Theodore Ace Rivers, but you can call me Theo.” He just gave me his full government name. I’ll be doing my detective work when I get home.

This man is too sexy, even down to his name. I’m going to assume he’s probably a criminal or some shit. No way he looks this good and has a clean record.

“What are you thinking about in that cute little head of yours?” he croons with a grin.

I have got to do better about zoning out around people. I could drool at this point and wouldn’t have the slightest clue. I chew on my bottom lip before locking eyes with him again. “I was just thinking about how it’s getting late, and we have a long drive home. It was nice meeting you, Mr. Rivers.”

Yep, I’m buzzed out of my ass. I immediately turn around and rush for the back door. Once I get inside, I try to focus on where Taylor’s downstairs bathroom is. After bumping into multiple people, I spot it across from the living room. Right before I reach to grab the door handle, two girls jump in front of me and slam the door in my face.

Stupid bitches. It takes everything in me not to knock that damn door off the hinges and hope it lands on those snobs. Instead, I take a few deep breaths and grab my phone from my clutch purse.

Me: Danielle, let’s head home, please…

Bestie: Girl, I was just texting you. Why the hell did you run off like that? This beautiful man has the hots for you. WTF Olive?

Me: Yeah, well, imagine I give him the time of day, and then he sees the shitshow that I am. He will be the one running next.

Bestie: Okay, Ms. Dramatic. You are freaking gorgeous and deserve a good time with a hot guy. It’s literally 9 p.m. But it’s your birthday, so if you’re ready to head back, then I guess let’s go.

Me: This is why I love you. I’m heading to your car right now. If you run into Taylor on your way out, tell her I said thanks for the invite and nice crib.

Chapter 5

I left Ryan’s girlfriend’s party around ten. I would have gone sooner, but I didn’t want to look like a complete jackass for leaving so early. After meeting her, I couldn’t focus on anything else. I tried to play a round of beer pong with Ryan and a couple of other guys from school, but my curiosity got the best of me.

This girl sparked my interest, and I can’t seem to remove her from my thoughts. And now she’s the girl who got away. What a fucking moron I am. I didn’t even attempt to stop her. Honestly, though, how crazy would I have looked chasing her down, a stranger at that? She probably would have knocked the shit out of me.

But there is a small piece of me that thinks maybe she wanted me to follow her. I know what I saw. And when our eyes locked for the first time, the feelings were mutual in some weird way. I was drawn to her instantly, needing to know more about her.

At the age of twenty-three, having a relationship has been the least of my worries. It’s not that I don’t believe in it. It’s just that the girls I’ve tried to connect with just don’t click. It has nothing to do with looks. I’ve had multiple gorgeous women attempt to be what I need. The problem is that looks fade, and many women place their appearance on a pedestal, forgetting that their soul needs nourishment. You can perceive yourself as a model on the outside, but you can carry an ugly soul on the inside.

And I’ve yet to come across anything different with the females I’ve encountered until now. Meeting her tonight gave me hope for something. The beauty of her radiated from the inside out. I couldn’t pull my eyes from it. I’ve seen nothing quite like her, but there’s more to her I desperately need to explore.

There’s a brokenness filled with pain and tragedy that hides within the shadows of her expression. It’s almost like her soul has been in a war most of its existence.

It’s captivating in a way. How can someone so beautiful bear so much devastation? She carried herself so well, accepting her fate. I’ve tried to picture if my life would have turned out differently. Would I be as strong as her?

I know nothing about this girl, but I know she has experienced something daunting in her life. My biggest question is: How is she alone? I would have swooped her off her feet if she had let me. I’m assuming that since she came with her friend instead of a man, she is like me, single. Considering her friend willingly stuck behind and gave me her name and number, if there was someone involved, it’s not serious.