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Stefan
It’s hard to pretend I don’t see the very distinct pout and fiery eyes of the beautiful woman fuming next to me. I bite my lip to hide my amusement. She seems so frustrated.
After lunch I took her to the library. My mentor published his 10th book last year, and I wanted to see if I could find it there. Now, we’re somewhere that’s become one of my favorite places since I moved to this city, Railroad Park. I can tell she’s very underwhelmed.
The fun of it has been watching her reaction to every place I’ve taken her. I don’t know what she’s expecting. Luxury. Extravagance, probably. She seems remarkably disappointed every time I park my car. Maybe it’s the heat. Maybe it’s her own ideals of how today was supposed to go.
“I’m ready to go,” she snaps, after our second lap around the trail. The sun is blazing fire, and the hot cement is radiating the heat into my shoes and up my legs.
The passing trains are the most mesmerizing part about this beautiful park. It’s very small, much tinier than any parks I grew up with, but the shocking green of the lush landscape and the strategic placing of the trees makes it look like something out of a movie. A little slice of heaven right in the heart of Downtown. I’m so excited for our upcoming project. The proximity to Railroad Park is one of the main things that makes it such a delicious deal.
“I said I’m ready to go,” she repeats, fully stopping and glaring at me.
The sunlight soaks into her beautiful hair highlighting the different shades of brown and exposing hints of red. Her hazel eyes glow something close to green in the sun’s blaze, and her full lips, firmly and angrily set, appear almost red in the heat. That mouth of hers, God.
“You seem upset,” I comment.
Her fiery eyes narrow. Who would’ve thought just a couple of hours ago, her usually angry expression had softened into the face of an angel, her beauty illuminated in the empathy of her eyes. Now, she looks ready to kill. I bite back another smile.
“Upset? I seem upset?” She storms past me heading in the direction of my car parked at least a half a mile away. “Take me home!”
I follow her, keeping up easily with long strides.
“Home? I thought we were having a great time.”
She stops and turns to face me again, her face flushed. We stand under the comforting shade of a huge tree with limbs that stretch into the street and are weighed down by thousands of deeply green leaves.
“You’re so full of shit!”
“You’re awfully loud, little cat.” I see the now familiar clench of her jaw as she grits her teeth.
“You must think I’m so stupid.”
“Stupid. Not at all. Hot headed, judgemental, and conceited. Yes.” If looks could kill…
“Well let me tell you what I think of you! You’re a disgusting, arrogant playboy who treats women like playthings! I thought you’d at least go through the effort to plan something nice since you’ve been hammering me to go out with you, but no! You’re too cheap to spend more than a few bucks! I’m not some cheap fling. I’m not some airhead with no self respect that’s going to just throw myself at you because you’re handsome and rich. And if you think you’re getting anything more than blocked from me, you’ve got another thing coming, your highness.” She spits the last word like a slur.
“Hmm,” I mutter thoughtfully, feeling a little bothered for the first time since meeting her. Never in my life have I treated women like playthings. Any relationship that I’ve had has always been mutual. I’ve never lied or misled anyone for sex or anything else. I don’t have to lie.
“So let me run through that with you so I can make sure I understand you correctly,” I say, my tone just a tad clipped despite my effort to sound unbothered. “You’re upset because I have a lot of money, and I didn’t lavish you with a luxurious afternoon?”
She opens her mouth to respond and then closes it again with a huff. “That’s not what I’m saying.”
“It really does sound like it.”
Her nostrils flare as she folds her arms across her chest. I’m not too annoyed to notice her breasts lift and her cleavage peek through the shallow V of her dress’ neckline.
“You think just because I’m from little ol’ Birmingham, I’m not worthy of places like the ones you’ve taken other women to? I’ve seen the pictures online. I’ve seen what kind of women you go after. Older women with shiny jewels and pretty gowns. Rich women. Am I not rich enough for you to treat with respect?”
“Have I disrespected you once today? You’re so blinded by your judgements and ideals, your hatred of men. You’ve only upset yourself with expectations you developed yourself. I never promised to take you anywhere expensive or to spend thousands on an afternoon with you.”
“Right, because you think I’m not good enough for that. You’re worse than I thought. Not only are you a disgusting man whore, you’re a cheap, arrogant, disrespectful prick. Pigs will fly before you’re ever lucky enough to go out with me again.”
She turns to stomp away again, but I grab her arm and pull her to me. Her body is soft against mine, pliant until she realizes how close we are, and then she stiffens. Her eyes are wide as she looks up at me.
“I can fling insults as well. I can call you a gold digger. I can call you hateful. I can call you disrespectful also. I can say that you only went out with me because you know how much money I have. I can attack you in every way I know that could break you down and hurt your feelings. Like you’re trying to do to me. But I’m not that man. I’ll take you home, little cat. You can put away your claws, but I’d like you to think about how today went, and why it made you so angry. Maybe you’ll see who’s really full of shit.”
She snatches herself out of my grip, her chest heaving.
The car ride back to her condo is disturbingly quiet. I don’t even bother trying to spark conversation. She’s seething beside me, so I just let her seethe.
Despite my urge to stay in the car when I park in front of her building, I get out and walk her to her door. Unable to resist myself, I make a joke about a goodnight’s kiss, and she slams the door in my face. My chuckles follow me back to my car.
