Missing Key

Different You. Different Me.

I bite my lip playfully . "Never."

"Whaaaat?!?!? You can't keep that kind of talent hidden!" He replies shocked. His jaw is hanging.

"Well, it's never something I really like to share," I say as I release his hand and begin to play with my hands. My eyes refuse to look at his curious eyes. They want me to expose a part of me that I want to keep for me.

"Cierra, I know you don't know me very well,but you can trust me," he says in a soothing tone. That sounds good, but I don't know if I'm ready for that kind of exposure. Short, gentle touches trace my chin and lift it to face Quincy's mesmorizing stare and smile.

Quincy smiles. "You've got to learn that you don't hide your talents because you're scared of being in the shadow of your dad." He puts the car in park. "Cierra, I've only known you for 2 days and you've amazed me. Your voice, girl, you can't let God's gift go without being used. I won't let you do that as long as I'm around."

My eyes begin to burn as the tears congregate on the rims of my eyelids. I try to stop the tears from flooding my vision by blinking, but that isn't working. Trying to hide the rivers flowing from eyes, I turn my head to the window.

He continues, "You don't have to hide your emotions around me either. I see you crying over there. Cierra, I told you that you don't have to act around me. It's okay to be yourself with me. I like you the way you are."

Quincy's words continue to bring tears to my eyes. I've just never had anyone to have that much faith in me. "Umm. Thank you, Quincy for your support. It really means a lot of me." I lead my eyes back Quincy's warm eyes. "You don't understand what it means to me. What you mean to me."

Our eyes stare into each other's. It's as if time has stopped. I just want to trust him. I really do, but my history with guys hasn't been the best and I don't want to mess him or this up. Is it too soon to give him all of me?

There's too many questions without answers that cannot be answered right now. Only time will tell if he truly means what he says. I can't be afraid of being hurt again without being afraid to fall in love. "Quincy, I- I really do tha-" His finger stops me from finishing the rest of my sentence. A fiery passion burns through his gaze, freezing me in the position I'm in. No word can escape my mouth.

His lips crash into mine, setting fire to every fear I feel. They melt with each touch from him. His hands caress my face. My heart is racing and pumping out of my chest. There's just so much I don't know about Quincy, but I want to start this journey with him by my side. No one else.

Tap. Tap. Quincy pulls back first, looking at the driver's side window. An ivory colored man, dressed in a white collar shirt with black pants is standing, waiting. Quincy and I look at each other and laugh. The man opens the door, greeting us.

----------------------------------------------

"I promise you'll love McKinney!" I exclaim as we slide into the round, gold plated booth. The hostess, a short petite white girl in her earliy twenties, hands us the menus.

She smiles and says, "Well, I hope you all enjoy the lunch menu today. I'm not sure if you guys will be needing it. Mr. Shaw likes for Chef Touré to cook a specialized meal for he and his guests, assuming that you all are his guest." She gives a smirk. Boy, I wish I could smack that smirk off of her face, talking to me like that.

I give her a tight smile. "Yes, we are. I'm his daughter."

Her face lights up brighter than Christmas lights. "Umm. Oh. Yes, I should have put that together. My manager did say he was coming in this afternoon with some guests. I just wasn't expecting his guests to be so young. I'm so sorry about that."