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FRIEND
Taylor
Shit, I thought, staring at the hunk of flesh approaching me. It’s him.
I always wondered how I would react if lola Nora’s big prediction actually came true. I often fantasized about that day, and imagined myself wearing some sexy red dress, putting on a touch of makeup, and perhaps even convincing my dad to take me to that fancy salon in the mall to get my hair done, because dammit, this was my soulmate we were talking about, and everything had to be perfect.
As if I knew exactly when he’d show up.
Then I grew older and the silliness of youth became glaringly obvious, but a part of me still hoped for something magical, and I held on to this notion that I had to prepare myself to welcome the love of my life.
I was so not prepared that day.
The man paused, our eyes locking onto each other, and suddenly my body was reacting in a way I had never felt. My heart rate shot up, the beating in my chest so strong I swore the man could hear it. Sheer panic gripped me, and, inexplicably, I felt my nipples harden, straining through my bra and the old house shirt I was wearing.
All this happened within the span of a few seconds, and it rendered me speechless, my eyes growing wide with fear.
The man continued walking until he towered above me. His lips were moving, and it took me a moment to realize he was talking to me, but all I could hear was the thumping of my own heart.
The man must have thought I was stupid or something.
“What?” I said, practically shouting.
Great, now he thinks I’m deaf AND stupid.
“I said it’s a nice sunset,” the stranger said, nodding back at the sun which was almost completely swallowed by the sea. “Mind if I join you?”
I shook my head, fully incapable of speech. The man dropped his duffle bag on the grass beside my bike, sat next to me on the curb, and together we watched the great ball of fire slowly sink over the horizon.
I should say he watched the sunset. The great spectacle was lost on me. I was completely overwhelmed by the powerful presence sitting within touching distance, my mind caught in a senseless oh shit, oh shit, oh shit loop. My heart was pounding so fast I thought I having a heart attack, my stomach knotting up, and there was a low buzzing between my legs I had never felt before. I had to press my knees together tightly to prevent myself from squirming.
What’s happening to me?
The sun disappeared, and a cool breeze whipped up around us.
“Well, that was nice,” the man said, getting up. “My name is Miles, by the way.”
“T-Taylor,” I stammered.
“Nice to meet you, Taylor. Are you staying at the B&B too?”
“Staying?” I said, comprehension coming in at a snail’s pace. “Oh, staying. No, I live here. With my dad.”
“I see,” he said, staring at me with eyes as blue as the ocean, his gaze penetrating deep in me, as if he were looking straight into my soul. There were so many things I wanted to ask him, so much I wanted to know about him, but I was thunderstruck, and the words simply refused to form.
The silence between us stretched out to an uncomfortable level, until finally the man cleared his throat.
“Well, I guess I’ll see you around, Taylor.”
He smiled, picked up his bag, and walked up the steps to the lobby.
I turned and watched him go, marveling at how his tight white shirt clung to his muscled body. Another knot assaulted my stomach, and I held my knees tightly, not trusting myself to move. It seemed like my whole body was trembling, and a layer of fear was slowly wrapping itself around me.
I had found my soulmate, the man I had been waiting for all these years, and I was scared shitless.
It took me a full ten minutes to pull myself together and walk inside. I thought he would have checked in and gone to his room, but I was surprised to see him still at the reception counter, chatting and laughing with my dad.
