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I could get used to it.
Maybe I could just be a mystery enough.
Still own the club, still have the money…but instead of a mobster, just be a normal, run-of-the-mill businessman.
The longer I looked at her, the more I wanted to give in to that idea. I wanted to talk more in-depth; I wanted to get to know her. For real.
But a sense of caution held me back. I knew I couldn’t afford to reveal too much, especially to a stranger. And I couldn’t afford to get to know her, because getting to know someone meant they also got to know you.
She wasn’t part of my world.
I needed to keep it that way.
I had to think about my family. They had to be first.
I was drawn to her, but the danger of getting involved with the wrong person loomed over my head. It felt like a dark cloud warning me.
There was so much mystery surrounding her. I just couldn’t put my finger on what intrigued me so much. She enticed me more than anyone had.
“So, this was fun,” I said, a sort of debate raging in my mind as I finished gathering my things. I had to leave. It was getting closer to dawn. I needed to get the hell out of there before her dad came in and it became a whole thing.
I wasn’t that kind of guy. I didn’t do the dad thing.
And I wasn’t going to start now.
But I couldn’t resist the pull for more.
I just had to keep it casualenough.
"Hey," I said, my mind a whirlwind, as I flashed a slight smile. "Would you be interested in exchanging numbers? You know, just in case we wanted to meet up again?”
She met my gaze, her eyes twinkling with a hint of mischief.
I wondered if her alarm bells were going off like mine were, but I guessed they probably weren’t. She probably didn’t have an entire world to keep a secret like I did, but we were supposed to be keeping this light nonetheless.
Phone numbers might be pushing that boundary.
It could still be light with each other’s phone numbers, though, right?
“Sure,” she replied, her voice tinged with flirtation. “I wouldn’t want you to miss out on seeing me again.”
Relief washed over me as she handed me her phone. With fingers slightly trembling, I entered my digits and passed it back to her. “But this is just for fun,” she reminded. “Don’t go falling in love with me.”
I laughed. That would be ridiculous. I didn’t have it in me to settle down. Not that a part of me didn’t want to; I just couldn’t.
As she saved my number, a smirk tugged at the corners of her lips. “I’m also not a booty call, so don’t overuse it,” she warned teasingly.
I chuckled, unable to hide my excitement. "Don't worry," I replied, matching her playful tone, “I’ll be too busy mowing the lawn of a few others.”
She cringed and then we both — without hesitation — bellowed out in laughter.
“Listen, that sounded disgusting,” I admitted with amusement. “I was trying to be funny, but it came out all wrong.”
We shared another moment of laughter, the tension of anonymity momentarily forgotten as she pulled her hair up into a ponytail and sat on the edge of her bed.
“Alright,” I sighed deeply, with a sense of finality. “I should probably get going.”
As we parted ways, I couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation, a tingling excitement. I hadn’t felt giddy to have someone's number in a long time.
