Chasing the Moon

Chapter Three

Bria stared at her rescuer since it was the first chance she had to pay attention to him. As she looked into his brilliant blue eyes, she realized that he was so tall she had to look up a bit.

"So," she said watching his light black hair blowing in a sudden breeze.

"Do you take it upon yourself to just rush in and save a random woman from trouble."

The man turned red as she said this.

"Sorry it just looked like the odds were not in your favor so I thought you could use some help."

One thing she didn't like about this man's appearance was his scruffy beard, even though he kept it trimmed. She became so tied up in imagining what he looked like without it; she didn't hear his question the first time he asked.

"Are you okay?" the man repeated looking at her with concern.

Bria blushed for having causing him to worry, she quickly smiled and replied,

"Yes, I am."

Then she did something that just that morning she would have never done in a situation like this.

"Thank you for the help, I appreciate it."

At that moment, Bria was struggling to figure out what she was feeling. It was just that morning that she would have despised a man for coming to her rescue. There was just something about this man that she could not put her finger on. It then occurred to her she did not even know his name, well she would have to change that.

"So what do I call my brave rescuer?" she smiles sheepishly offering him her hand.

_ _ _ _ _

Alex just stared into the woman's beautiful brown eyes; they had a little of a gold tinge to them. It took him a second to get focused on her question.

"My name is Alexander Gunolf, but I prefer to be called Alex."

The woman smiled tilting her head to the side so that her long brown shoulder length hair swayed. He was hypnotized as he took her hand.

"Whats yours?" Alex stammered taking a minute to covertly check out her curves when she turned her head.

"My name is Brianna Hemming, but my friends call me Bria."

Smiling Alex released her hand and turned towards the hole in the fence.

"May I escort you out?" he asked motioning for her to go first.

"Such a gentlemen."

Bria made for the fence, bending down low to climb through the hole. Following after her Alex stepped back out on the street. Standing there a minute he was unsure of what to say, so he decided the best thing was too show interest in her. It was what his dad had told him to do and was one of the only pieces of advice his father had ever given him about interacting with women.

"So how did you get in that terrible situation in the first place?"

Bria sighed as she dusted herself off, her lovely hair swaying in the wind.

"Basically I kicked them out of my establishment, and they didn't like that decision," she said airily as though it was no big deal. This was quite an appealing trait for Alex, as a soldier being able to stay calm in a dire situation was highly valued.

Alex strained his mind trying to think of more to say but found nothing but trivial conversation. Resigning himself to just leaving before he got boring Alex smiled.

"Well I guess it's time I get going before I'm needed at work."

However, as he said this Bria's expression fell, and he could tell she was not ready for their time together too and, and truthfully neither was he. Despite feeling awkward Alex decided to throw caution to the winds and do something bold.