Willow

Chapter 6

Kristen signed the check for her, then Lily stood up and swayed, grabbing the table for support. Ok, maybe five was too much.

"Lily, I swear if you fall, I am going to punch you." "Don't let me fall." Lily smiled. "I'm tempted to." Kristen groaned and as soon as Lily took a few wobbly steps, she felt an arm around her waist, that was not Kristen.

"Let me help." She heard a man's voice. Not him. "Not you. I am fine." "Apparently you are not if your friend has to carry you out." "I am fine." "You helped me." He looked right into her eyes and she glared back, but let him keep a hold of her.

"Eric, this is Kristen. Kristen, Eric." Lily introduced them. "Hi. I still do not like you." Kristen glared. "There is a lot of that going around. And can you not walk straight?" He asked Lily as they tried to walk. "Apparently not." She snapped, but his grin made her turn away.

"Leave her here while you get the car. I will watch her." Eric told Kristen as they got outside. "Not with you." Kristen tried to get her to walk. "I am not going to do anything to her. She helped me once, just returning the favor." He smiled down at Lily, who wanted nothing more than to punch him. That was until she really looked at him and saw the kindness in his eyes.

"It's fine Kristen, go get it. I am fine." She leaned against the wall and exhaled. "Don't worry, she is harmless." Lily whispered once Kristen had walked away. "I think I will just play it safe. She scares me." He smiled at her again, and she started to feel a bit better.

"Look, I really am sorry, again. I can come across as hard, but I am not usually mean." "If I was mean, I would let you know exactly how I felt, but I won't." "I probably deserve it." "You do." She made the mistake of closing her eyes a bit too long, and felt herself lean over.

"Keep your eyes open. That only makes it worse. I have been here plenty of times these last two weeks." "Me to. Only mine has been longer." "How long?" He asked softly. "Months." She shook her head to fight the memories and the tears.

"It was more than a fight, wasn't it?" "Yes. And no, I am not telling." She looked up at him and he reached over and touched her arm to steady her. It felt good, to be touched, to have someone care, and part of her wanted more.

"Whatever it was, I am sorry." "Why are you sorry?" "I don't know, because that is what you say." He said flatly. "You can't be sorry for what someone else did." "I can be sorry that I made you feel worse." "Ok, that you can. And you did."

"Then I am sorry." "And you can apologize again for being mean in the car, when all I wanted to do was be nice." "And I apologize for that also." "Fine." "Fine?" "Fine." "Does that mean I am forgiven?" He smiled slightly and all she could do was groan. She did not want to smile.

"Don't smile at me, I am still mad." She smiled back. "You smile all the time." He grinned bigger. "Not now." "You are." "I'm drunk, I cannot control my facial expressions." That made her smile a bit bigger which made him laugh. Oh, the laugh is almost too much.

"You have a great smile. You should keep it there." He looked at her all serious and she felt off again. "Thank you. I usually do." Her cheeks started to burn a bit. "Hey, we all have bad nights." He softened. "I can usually find the bright side in everything, but this week has sucked. I am not sure there is a bright side."

"Next week will be better." "Why?" "It's next week. You can make it anything you want." His smile was almost glowing. "You sound like me." She rolled her eyes. "Did you just roll your eyes at me?" "I have no idea." She giggled.

"Seriously, that is a federal offense." "Is not." She rolled them again, and this time, he laughed hard. "It is with me." "Good thing your opinion doesn't matter." She turned and raised her eyebrows, making him laugh harder.

"What if I am someone of importance?" He stood taller and she deliberately looked him over. "Hmm. You probably are, to your job, your mother, and maybe the sexy neighbor that you bang occasionally." She teased him.

"Wow. I am important to my job and my mother." "Which means you are probably a CEO or something." "Not a CEO." "President, partner, or owner of something fancy." "No." He shook his head, as Kristen pulled up.

"Nope, I got it. Used car salesman. You are just sleezy enough for that." "Sleezy?" He looked offended, but his eyes were still shining. Not that she noticed, but she did. "And I bet you sell more than any other guy out there. Which gives you the ego." She bit her lip, trying not to laugh.

"I hope you are joking." He stepped forward to help her into the car. "Guess you will never know." She grinned and for a brief second, his eyes danced, then it was gone as he watched her. She was having a difficult time looking away from him.

"Of course, I am joking. I hardly know you." She finally exhaled the breath she was holding, taking her eyes away from him. "You do not know me at all." He almost whispered. "I know more than you think. I read people well." "This I would love to hear." He held her arm as Kristen opened the door, and his touch was warm and soft.

This was going to be easy. "Hard outside. You are tough and all business, but in there somewhere is a soft center. It comes out for your mom and no one else. Except the girl that broke your heart. She knew you. Now, your hard shell is back in place and you are put back together for the world to not notice that you still hurt. But I see it."

"Not me at all." His voice was softer, and she knew she was right. "Hmm, I bet it is." She whispered back and his eyes grew a little larger, but he did not argue with her. She was right. Soft and tender on the inside, and she liked it.

"Night Eric." She smiled and started to go, but he still has her arm. "You have to let me go." She grinned as she looked back at him. "Sorry. You are wrong." He barely got the words out. "Ok. See you around." She got into the car as he held the door open and was looking in.

"Be safe going home." "I will. Kirsten has me." "I hope whatever is hurting you passes quickly." "I wish it would." She watched as he looked her over, then told Kristen bye before closing the door.

"Ok, what was that?" Kristen asked as soon as they pulled away. "Nothing." "Were you flirting with him?" "No. He's an asshole." "A gorgeous one." "Yes, but he is...mean." "Was he mean to you again?" "Not this time. He just...not my thing."

"Not your thing? He is cute, tall, breathing, and he seems to like you." "He doesn't." "How do you know? He came to help you." "Only because he felt bad for being mean." "I think you are wrong." Could she be? No. He told her she was not his type, and he was clear he did not want anything from her. He was just being nice.

"Whatever. Take me home so I can puke out this liquor and pass out." Kristen laughed at Lily's comment, which made her laugh too. He was still an asshole, period.

And as she laid down for bed, she told Corey goodnight and cuddled in. Except she kept thinking of Eric. 'He was kind of still a jerk, but maybe he is like that to everyone. He is cute, and he did help me.' She exhaled out her frustrations at the thoughts. She was not ready to like anyone else.

But, as she drifted off to sleep, the image of those blue eyes and dark hair flutter through her mind. He was good looking, in an arrogant ass sort of way. And right before she fell asleep, she felt a smile form on her lips.