Translation of Love - By Alice Montalvo-Tribue Page 0,6
“No, you didn’t hurt me.”
I startle as he reaches across the table and grabs my hands pulling them to him and flipping them over so that he can inspect my palms. He gently traces a fingertip on my right hand. “You have a scratch here,” he says, not looking up.
His touch feels familiar, almost intimate. It hits me everywhere. I want him to stop but I know I’d miss it if he did. “It’s okay. I didn’t even notice it. It’s just a little scrape.” He looks up, still holding my hand.
“I’m glad I ran into you again.”
“Really?” I’m shocked by his statement.
“Yes, you left the bookstore before I could at least attempt to get your number.”
He must have sensed my apprehension at the store. Was I really that obvious? I want to look away from him but my eyes are stuck on his, like a magnet pulling me in. “I’m sorry, I was in a bit of a rush back there. It was my niece’s birthday dinner tonight and I was running late. I was actually in the bookstore picking up her gift. I didn’t realize there would be such a crowd there.”
“Your niece? So you have a sister?”
“A brother actually. Gavin.”
He nods politely. “Older or younger?”
“He’s four years older than me. How about you? Any siblings?” It’s a lame attempt to keep the conversation going but I genuinely want to know.
“Yes, I actually have an older brother too. Alex. He’s five years older than me.”
The waitress reappears with our drinks, setting mine down first and then turning to put his down. She leans toward him, revealing just a hint of cleavage. It’s a calculated move. She knows exactly what she’s doing. “You let me know if I can get you anything else.” She gives him her best sexy smile then walks away swinging her hips as she goes. I try to stifle a giggle but I can’t. He gives me a heart-stopping grin.
“Oh, you think that’s funny, huh?”
I can’t control the smile that plays on my mouth. “I do! I think it’s hysterical, actually. Do you always draw such transparent attention to yourself?”
His grin turns into a full-fledged smile. “It’s a gift, it’s a curse.”
“Oh, we’re a little sure of ourselves, aren’t we?”
“Eh, not really, besides most of the time it’s unwanted attention. I prefer subtle flirting.”
Subtle flirting. Is that what you would call what I’ve been doing tonight? I’m not quite sure how to respond to that comment so I just smile and take a sip of my drink.
He takes a drink of his beer but his eyes never leave mine, if he wasn’t so unassuming, it would make me uncomfortable. “So do you live around here, Elizabeth?”
“You can call me Elle. No one really calls me Elizabeth anymore. And yes, to answer your question, I do live around here. I’m actually a little closer to the shore, about 15 minutes from here.” It hits me that the fact that he’s asking means that he might not be from this area. “What about you, are you from here?”
“No. I’m just here for a couple of days. I live in the city.”
“The city?”
He nods and takes another sip of his beer. “Yeah, New York City.”
Great! He doesn’t even live in the state. I suddenly feel a little disappointed and I can’t understand why. “Oh, I see.” I return with a forced smile.
“It’s really not that far away, you know? It’s only about an hour and a half drive.”
He’s trying to reassure me. Does he sense my disappointment? I do my best to cover. “Yeah, I know. I love New York, especially in the summer. I love the street fairs and I try to catch a Broadway show at least once a year.”
He reaches over the table, grabs my hand again and begins to trace circles on my palm with his thumb. His touch sends currents shooting down my spine. I try but it’s impossible to deny how nice it feels. “I’m just saying that it wouldn’t be an issue if there was some reason for me to come back down here on occasion.”
I’m rendered speechless. I’m not about to give him an open invitation to visit whenever he wants. Hell, I’m having a hard enough time dealing with tonight. I am in no position to think toward the future. Although, knowing what I know about relationships and the promises I’ve made to myself, I’m pretty sure that this thing between us will not go past tonight. I decide