Love and Pride

Pride, Love and First Impressions Part 3

Ayhan

I walked out of my off-campus apartment expecting to see the giant monosyllabic Bulut guarding my door, instead, there was Osman in another of his sharp blue suits looking delectable. I dropped Colin Firth's leash in my surprise and he made a break for it. Osman deftly grabbed the trailing leash and told my dog to sit and the confounding creature just did it. I stood there staring at him and wishing for a moment that I could teleport back into my room and change out of my leggings and sweatshirt. Oh, well, I am what I am.

"How do you do that? I've been trying to get him to sit forever. Are you some sort of dog whisperer?"

"He is undisciplined, " he said and I swear I could see the words, "like his owner" in a thought bubble above his head. He handed me the leash and we went outside. We walked in companionable silence for a few minutes while Colin Firth stopped to sniff every leaf and speck of dirt. But silence had never been my strong suit.

"I thought you were too busy running a company to deal with a foolish girl who doesn't have the brains to pick a sane boyfriend."

"I never said..." he took a deep breath and I could literally see him gather his patience.

"Why do you do that?" He glanced at me.

"Do what?" I batted my eyelashes innocently.

"Try to push my buttons."

"Because you're cute when you get riled up."

"I do not get riled up."

"You're doing it now, Curly, " I pointed out.

"Curly?" he grimaced. The hair was obviously a sore spot so I poked at it some more.

"No? What about Tumbleweed? Poodle Head? Curly Fry?"

He shook his head in exasperation but I could see his lips twitch slightly. He was amused despite himself.

"Curly Fry it is."

"You're incorrigible," he gave me an exasperated look but ruined the effect by smiling at me. I tripped over the flat ground and almost swallowed my tongue.

"It's not your fault and I don't think you're foolish," he said after a few minutes returning to our original conversation. "Never blame yourself for the actions of a coward who thinks it's okay to terrorize a woman," he said.

I tried to gather my scattered wits. "I don't know. I feel like I should have seen the red flags," I said quietly. I blame myself for worrying about my family and friends.

"But there hasn't been any contact since the incident?"

I stopped beside a giant tree and let the dog happily sniff around it. My hesitation spoke volumes so I confessed.

"Somehow he found my new number and he texted me a few times."

He cursed loudly and volubly. My mouth dropped open in shock.

"You were supposed to report everything. Have you lost your mind? This is your safety we're talking about!"

I was stunned at this uncharacteristic display of emotion.

"Don't yell at me! And what do you care anyway?"

"You're insane, exasperating and without an ounce of self-preservation," he continued as if I hadn't spoken. His face was exponentially closer to mine. Who had closed the distance? I had no idea but this passionate display was everything I'd ever wanted. Nothing good would come of this. Nothing. I knew this and yet...

"Shut up," I told him and then I grabbed his beautiful curly head and kissed his angry lips. He froze, his lips clamped together and my heart sank. I began to pull away in complete humiliation but then in a lightning-fast move, I was pushed against the tree and my mouth was being ravished by a serious, uptight, suit-wearing, beautiful man who kissed me as if his life depended on it. His hands were holding my face, angling it this way and that while his mouth took mine passionately and without control.

After an eternity in which I had learned that this was indeed my first kiss because nothing that had come before this could even be called such, he let go of me so abruptly that I almost lost my balance.

"I'm sorry," he looked horrified. "That was a..."

"No, don't say it!" I put my hand up. "Don't ever say that the most passionate thing that ever happened to me was a mistake."

"Ayhan, " he said in a resigned voice.

"That's the first time you said my name, " I said my voice trembling a little.

"This is a mistake, " he said forcefully. "Nothing good would ever come of this."

My thoughts put into words but coming out of his mouth, they shredded my heart into confetti.

"The only mistake would be to ignore it, to not pursue it and see where it goes. I love you. I've loved you forever." I put my heart out there. And he stomped on it.

"What do you know about love, child? You've had one boyfriend and he turned out to be a nutjob, " he said coldly.

"Don't, " I said in a low voice. "Don't try to hurt me to cover up your inability to deal with your feelings. I'm not a child and I'm pretty sure I just gave you proof of that." I turned on my heel, picked up Colin Firth and got the hell out of there before I broke down into a million pieces.