Hate at First Sight (7 page)

I wanted the first date to be special. It was actually the first time I had asked someone for a date. All those times I spent with other women could be called anything, but dates.

“Ready?” I asked Megan, opening the door on the passenger’s side.

“I don’t think it matters, considering that I have no idea about your plans for today.”

I smiled. “You will like it.”

“You’d better be right,” she replied, getting into the car.

She looked stunning, and I couldn’t but admit that her love for high heels was one of those things that made me crazy about her. And I needed to try my best to get rid of an image of her wearing nothing, but those heels….

“So where are we going?” she asked, as I started the engine.

“I’m sure you know this place, but let it be a secret for a few more minutes.” Out of the corner of my eye I saw Megan’s smile. I knew she was excited about the date, and so was I.

I took her to the dancing studio, where she took ballroom dancing classes a few years ago. According to my plan, we were supposed to share a tango. It had always been one of the most fascinating dances for me, and I couldn’t wait to see how good Megan was at it. I wasn’t an expert, but I knew the moves, and I was ready to follow her instructions.

“Now, close your eyes,” I said, as I stopped at the back entrance of the studio.

I helped Megan step out of the car and led her to the building. When we entered one of the dancing rooms, Megan opened her eyes and exclaimed excitedly, “No way! Ballroom dancing?”

“I thought you could give me a few lessons.”

“How did you know I liked dancing?”

“I know almost everything about you, remember?”

“I’m going to kill Owen one day,” she said, shaking her head. “I doubt he ever told you about his own dark secrets.”

“And I doubt I ever wanted to hear about them.”

We both laughed.

Megan looked around, frowning. “Are we going to dance without music?”

“Of course not,” I said, showing her a small room with the stereo system and CDs.

“Does anyone know we are here? I mean it’s legal, and we won’t have any problems later, right?”

“Don’t worry; I’ve taken care about everything.”

“Good,” she said, following me to the stereo. “Do you even know how to dance?”

I smirked at her question. “I’m a fast learner.” I found the CD I ne
eded and put it into the CD player.

“A tango?” she asked, surprised. “It’s one of the hardest dances, you know?”

“I’ll try not to disappoint you,” I said, winking. “By the way, I think you need to get changed. Here.” I gave her a knee-length red dress, with a V neck and flared skirt, and a pair of pumps. I myself was wearing black trousers and a matching shirt.

“Where did you get this?” she asked, taking the dress.

“I bribed one of the local teachers,” I said in a whisper.

“So I thought.” She looked at me squinting, as if she was trying to figure something out about me. “Okay, give me a few moments to get changed.”

I was right about the dress. It looked perfect on her, outlining every curve of her upper body and waist.

She spun around and smiled. “I haven’t danced for years!”

“Then I think it’s just about time to remember the moves. Shall we?” I said, outstretching my right hand.

She took it with that funny expression on her face that reminded me of unpacking Christmas presents. It was a mixture of excitement and anticipation.

Our tango started with an embrace, the first connection into the dance. I immediately liked the beginning of our date. The affection I saw in Megan’s eyes made my heart beat faster.

“Don’t press yourself too close to me,” she said, looking at our reflection in a huge mirror on the wall. “I need some space to move.”

What a tempting comment, I thought to myself.

I knew that while dancing a tango, the lady is held in the crook of the man’s arm. Megan put her right hand on my lower hip, and I led her around the floor in a curving pattern. Our moves were so natural, as if we had been dancing together for ages. It was like feeling every sound of music and then dancing to it, challenging and teasing each other. We let the dance sweep us away. Nothing else mattered; only she and I, swaying in the red flames of tango.

We both felt the intensity of the connection. Every time our bodies touched, we caught our breaths, as we were drinking in the moment.

The next second Megan took a few steps away from me, but her eyes never left mine, pulling me closer with the magnetism sparkling in their depths.

She kept stepping back, and I kept coming closer, dying to touch her. A few times our lips brushed, but we never let it become a kiss. It was a game where the players were equal; both impatient, both adamant and demanding.

When the song was about to end, I spun Megan around again, and she wrapped one leg around my thigh. I put my arm around her waist, and once she knew I had hold of her, she stretched her leg all the way up and threw her head back, making every inch of my lower body come to life. I didn’t know she was so damn good at dancing. A walking provocation — was what I would call her.

The last sound of music died in the silence of the room, and I helped Megan to her feet, trying to catch my breath.

“Who taught you to dance?” she asked, amazed. “I can’t believe you are not a professional dancer. That was….”

“Fantastic,” I said, still looking into her eyes. Today they were unbelievably bright, with millions of golden shades flashing in them.

“Thank you for the dance,” she said.

For me it was the best dance ever. I never had a partner as good as her. “The pleasure was all mine,” I said, kissing her hand. “Keep this dress.”

“You sure it’s okay, if I keep it?” She touched the fabric carefully. I could see that she liked it too.

“I bought it for you.”

“Oh … you shouldn’t have….”

“I wanted you to have something to remind you of this day.”

Traces of sadness crossed her beautiful face. “I will never be able to forget it.”

“Hey, the day hasn’t finished yet.”

Man, I desperately wanted to kiss her. I could still remember the taste of her lips, and the way they moved over mine….

“What else have you prepared for today?”

“Another surprise,” I replied, leading her to the door.

“Do I need to close my eyes again?”

“No. This time I want you to guess where we are going.”

“Any clues?”

“It’s a place where natural powers win over humans’ ability to create things.”

“Hmm … Cheddar Gorge?”

“How did you know?” I laughed. “I thought it would take you a little longer to figure out my motives.”

“It has always been one of my favorite places to visit.”

“I know.”

“Uh, Owen again, right?”

“Exactly.”

Cheddar Gorge was a local tourist destination, with lots of caves and other attractions. There were many small shops where you could buy things of wool, leather and rock crystals. I knew how much Megan liked crystal souvenirs. Owen once mentioned her collection of small bells and plates. It was one of a few things that his sister took with her to London.

We spent the rest of the day in Cheddar, visiting the Gorge and walking along the lake. Then we stopped in a small restaurant near the local waterfall to have dinner. It was famous for the best
Fish & Chips
in the region. We took one of the outside tables to enjoy the view of the mountains and fresh air.

“I missed this place a lot,” Megan said, inhaling the aromas of the flowers around us.

“I’ve been here a few times, but never saw the Gorge.”

“My family used to spend every summer weekend here. When Owen and I were kids, a trip to Cheddar was the best present for every occasion. We came here early in the morning, had breakfast in one of the cafes, then went to the caves, ate ice-cream and took thousands of pictures, making funny faces.”

“Would you like to live in a place like this?” Even though Megan liked her life in London, I doubted it was the kind of life she wanted for herself.

“I don’t know … maybe.” She looked around thoughtfully. “I think I’m too young to see the true value of living in a place like this. It’s a perfect place for a family who has already gone through a lot; for a family with kids, dogs and a few grandchildren. Why did you ask?”

“No reason.” I shrugged.

But in reality there was a reason to ask that question. I had a house in Cheddar, and I wanted Megan to see it. I never stayed there, but I didn’t want to sell it. There was something very peaceful about it. And just like Megan said, it was a perfect place for a family with a wife, kids and dogs. It was a perfect place for my family….

“I want to show you something,” I said, as the two of us finished the meal. “Come with me.”

In villages like Cheddar, people don’t need cars.  A fifteen-minute walk can get you from one end to the other.

I had a one-
story house. It was built on a hill, and the whole village could be seen from the west-side windows. It had three bedrooms, a spacious living room and a garden, with lots of flowers and trees. The garden was the main reason I liked that place.

My housekeeper, Mrs. Crosby came two times a week. There wasn’t much work to do around the house, as it had been empty for the biggest part of the year.

The day that I was so afraid of turned out to be really good. The dancing session was a very pleasant surprise. I could still feel the excitement that always followed my dancing classes. And today’s tango was the most sensual dance I had ever had. Aiden’s every move was carefully chosen, as if he tried his best not to disappoint me. Well, I doubted he would ever disappoint me, but still it was good to know that I didn’t need to think about anything, but music leading us into the mysterious world of the dance.

And dancing with Aiden was unforgettable; with his palms sliding slowly all over my skin; his eyes burning me alive, and his body moving in a perfect connection with mine. Every time our faces were inches from each other, I desperately wanted to touch Aiden’s lips with mine. And he was so good at teasing me, smiling leisurely at my every attempt to get closer. The view of him in those black trousers and a shirt, with a few upper buttons undone made me want to rip the damn thing to pieces and slide my palms down his perfect chest and back … uh, I was in a whole mess of trouble.

“Here we go, my place,” Aiden said, as we stopped in front of the entrance to a very beautiful house.

“Your place?”

“Well, I bought it a few years ago, but I didn’t have a chance to stay here for more than a few hours. Come in.” He opened the door to what turned out to be a living room, with huge windows, white sofas, light-blue curtains and a fireplace that looked like it was taken from some old movie. It was surrounded by the candles and flowers, reflecting in the round mirror from the opposite wall.

“If I had a place like this I would never change it for anything else,” I said, looking around.

“Really?” Aiden put the keys on the glass table near the entrance and came up to me. “You like it?”

“
Like
isn’t a strong enough word. Now I know what people call ‘
a house of your dreams.’
This is the one.”

“Would you like to live here?”

I looked up at Aiden, but there wasn’t a hint of a humor in his eyes. He looked very serious, as if his entire life depended on my response.

“I would gladly stay here for a few more hours,” I said, turning away from his piercing eyes.

“We can stay here till tomorrow. What do you say?”

The butterflies in my belly danced. Stupid things….

“I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

Aiden smiled. “Why not? Or are you afraid of losing the bet?”

Well, yes. That was exactly what I thought the moment I heard his words. A night with Aiden? I mean an innocent night with Aiden? I doubted it was possible….

“It’s the second time I see you speechless,” he said, leaning against the back of the sofa.

“Really? When was the first time?” I asked, trying not to give up my nervousness.

He caught my hand and pulled me closer. “The first time was the moment I said that your lips were too delicious for brother’s kisses.”

I remembered the moment, the one when I thought I would never talk to him again because of that shameful comment.

Suddenly my breath quickened. Aiden caressed my
cheek with the back of his hand and ran his fingertips over my lower lip. “And I was so right: these lips deserve the most passionate and deep kiss ever.”

For a second I thought Aiden would give up and kiss me. Instead, he smiled, and his fingers slid down the lines of the red dress I was still wearing. “And I would gladly kiss not only your lips, Megan, but every inch of your skin. Here,” he said, running his fingers dangerously close to the edge of the dress that covered my breast. “And here,” he said, sliding his palm down to my belly. “And here,” he added in a whisper, as his hand stopped at my hip. “And everywhere else I want to,” he said, wild desire flashing in his eyes.

Oh God, I needed to break free of his tempting embrace, because with every word he was saying, my desire to lose the bet was getting stronger.

“Why don’t you show me the rest of the house?” I said, deliberately looking straight at his lips. I knew he would notice that, and I was right.

Aiden smirked, took my hand in his and led me down the hall saying, “Shall we start with the master bedroom?”

“As you wish,” I replied, following him.

The bedroom wasn’t big, but it was very cozy; decorated in light-green and ivory colors. There was a huge bed in the center of the room, another fireplace right in front of it, and a rocking chair near the window.

“Nice,” I said, taking one of the pillows from the bed.

“We could stay here a little longer,” Aiden said, as his arms wrapped around my waist.

I ignored his meaningful invitation. “Show me the room where I’ll stay tonight.”

“Actually I thought you would like to share the bed with me.”

“You sure you will be able t
o handle it, with no kisses and … the rest?” I asked, caressing the skin of his neck showing through his partly open shirt.

“You’re going to pay for it, you know?” he said, looking at my hand.

“Can’t wait.” I smiled and stepped aside. “How many more bedrooms do you have to show me?”

“Enough to make this excursion last forever.”

But in reality our excursion lasted no more than fifteen minutes. We saw other rooms, the terrace and the garden that Aiden liked so much, and when it was about eight in the evening, we went to the kitchen to make supper. The fridge was filled with vegetables, meat, different kinds of cheese and fruits.

“Who brought it all here?” I asked, taking a plate with a frozen chicken.

“My housekeeper. I called her before we came here.”

“So you were sure we would stay here for the night?”

“Let’s say … I was sure I could make you stay.”

As it turned out later, Aiden was a great cook. He helped me roast the chicken, make spaghetti and salad. I laid the table on the terrace, and he brought a bottle of wine, poured it into the glasses and gave one to me, saying, “No matter what happens in the future, I will never regret meeting you, Megan.”

“Same here,” I said, taking a sip of my drink.

“So, when are you going back to London?” Aiden sat down to the table, and put some salad on his plate.

“On Sunday. I have only one week to decide whether or not I want to go to the graduation ball.”

“I guess you need a date to go there.”

“Actually … I have a friend who wanted to be my date.”

“A friend? Hmm…” Aiden’s lips twisted in a very ironic smile.

“What?”

“What’s his name?” He asked, looking at me curiously.

“Zack. But I don’t think he’s a good candidate for a date.” I took a bite of chicken made by Aiden, and it was delicious; a little spicy, but really good.

“What do you mean?”

“Well … he’s different from everyone I know.” I smiled, watching Aiden’s puzzled expression. “He’s a gay.”

Aiden burst out laughing. “And he’s a friend of yours, right?”

“What’s wrong with him being my friend? He’s the only man who will never think about sleeping with me.”

Aiden rolled his eyes. “Don’t be naive, Megan. I’m sure he has already thought about that many times.”

“At least he never said that aloud.”

“Whatever. Anyway, if you change your mind and want to go to the ball with a real man, call me.”

“Never.”

Aiden took another sip of wine and smiled, as if he knew something I didn’t.

“You are impossible,” I said, shaking my head.

“I know.”

When supper was over, we moved into the living room. Aiden found a CD with some old songs, and we sat in front of the fireplace, enjoying the peacefulness of the moment.

I always liked watching the burning fire. No matter how angry or tired I was, the fire was one of those things that could change everything in seconds. I didn’t mind when Aiden moved closer and sat behind me, so I could lean against his chest. He put his arm around my waist and started humming along with the music.

“I reach my hand trying to catch you

But you disappear with the sunrise

And there’s no one to hold on to.

Make me or break me, but don’t go

I don’t want to be the man I used to be

Years ago.

Make me or break me, don’t leave me alone

Without you my life is like a cold stone.

I want to have you by my side forever….

Stay for a second or a day

With you I want to sway

To the sounds of guitar I’m playing

For you to stay I’m praying….”

Make me or break me, my midnight angel

Half innocence, half danger

My wildest dream coming true

I’ll do anything you ask me to….”

I closed my eyes listening to the last lines of the song. They repeated a few times, before the sounds of music died away.

“What are you thinking about?” Aiden asked in a barely audible voice. His hand was travelling up and down my arm, and all I could think about was the feeling of unbelievably pleasant inner peace. I hadn’t felt like that for a long time. And I didn’t know why, but the man who combined everything that I hated so much, suddenly became the man I didn’t want to let go….

“How did you do that?” I moved so I could see his face.

“Do what?”

“Got so deep under my skin, made me lose control.”

Aiden shook his head, smiling down at me. “Trust me, Megan, I haven’t done anything yet.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean?”

“I always get what I want, you already know it. And when I want something as badly as I want you, I don’t care about anything, but getting my prize.”

“Is that a threat?”

“No. A warning, a promise … I swear, anything, but a threat.”

“It makes me want to run away as far as I can.”

“Is that what you usually do when you are attracted to someone?”

“Who said I’m attracted to you?”

“I don’t need anyone to tell me what I can see myself.”

“You were right, you are one hell of a man to stand,” I said, smacking his hand.

“I told you it wouldn’t be easy.”

“And I foolishly hoped it would be as simple as anything….”

Aiden looked at me, squinting.

“What?”

“You don’t deny that you like me.”

Well, hell … it was hard to deny something that I wasn’t sure about. But still, I wasn’t going to admit it. “I hate you, Mr. Murphy. Happy now?”

“Love and hate are just one step apart, Sweetheart.”

“One long, long step apart,” I added, watching the fire.

Aiden didn’t say anything at my comment. I couldn’t see his face, but I could swear he was smiling at that moment. Again I thought he was making fun of me, because there was no way he believed his own words….