The making of a Luna

Chapter 16

Ashley

The next day I did the same as the evening before. After dinner I followed Ed home and then I went to the diner to study and spend time with Eric.

"Do you work every night of the week?" I asked Eric when he had a short moment to sit down at my table.

"Yeah. From after lunch to closing time." My eyes widened with shock.

"Don't you get tired?" Eric gives me a lopsided smile.

"I don't have anything else to do. I don't study or have a girlfriend or anything like that. Most of my friends went off to college or married their spouses and started families. I'm working as much as I can to save up for a house. So I have something to offer once I find my dream girl." He winks at me and I blush.

"I think you have a lot to offer a future girlfriend. A house is just a material thing." He reaches across the table to take my hand in his and rubs light circles with his thumb on my hand. His eyes bore into mine with heat and interest.

"You think?" I blush and nod my head. "Then I only have to snag my dream girl!" His eyes shift down to my lips and he licks his own. My breath hitches and my brain short circuit.

"When you find her." I breathe out. It's not a question but at the same time it is. I want to know if perhaps I could be that girl he wants to snag.

"Hmm. Who knows? Maybe I already have and am biding my time." Butterflies flutter around in my stomach and I feel myself slowly leaning in closer over the table. Eric leans in as well until we are interrupted by the bell over the door. We both jerk back from each other, looking guilty, as if we were caught with our hands down the cookie jar.

"I need to take care of the customer. From now until closing there will probably be a lot of customers so I won't have time to chat."

"Okay. I think I will head home then. I am wiped out after my first week here." I give him an apologetic smile and he smiles back.

"If you have time tomorrow, come by and say hi. Otherwise I'll see you on Monday, right?" I nodded my head and packed my bag as he went over to the customers.

It was a group of loud middle aged men who looked ready to celebrate the end of the workweek with some good food and a good drink. They called happily after me as I left the building with a smile and wave at them and Eric.

There was a light bounce to my step as I walked along the lit walkway, thinking about what had happened between me and Eric. Had I really wanted him to kiss me? We hadn't even had a first date yet, but at the same time I had spent more time with him than any of the boyfriends I've had before. And he was cute, in a geeky, childish and funny way. So unlike the scary form of Mr. Bleckbourne.

I halted my steps. Why did I compare Eric to Mr. Bleckbourne? It's not as if I see Mr. Bleckbourne as a possible love interest. Sure he's gorgeous in all his tall, dark and intimidating ways, but he really needs to work on his personality. He's much too demanding and scary. And the way he became angry with me for bringing Ed to my room...

I shiver as I remember his blue eyes shining with anger, his voice low and threatening. I bite my lip as I remember what that furious and growling voice also did to my body. How my stomach fluttered in frightened excitement. How my fufu clenched and moisturized itself as if it would love to accept him to calm down his anger.

I shook my head to clear it from those nefarious thoughts of Mr. Bleckbourne. Besides, he's more than ten years older than me. He wouldn't even have interest in a barely adult girl like me and why would I have any interest in someone that old. I have never been interested in older men. Two or three years difference, sure, but 13 years? No thank you. He's like an old man.