I Love You I Do (under construction)

Chapter Sixteen

¨Hi.¨ 

Steven's voice sounds higher than usual revealing his visible nervousness. Mareena's eyebrow quirks up and her mouth twitches as she tries to keep an amused smile off of her lips. She felt Steven's nervousness the moment she was escorted by him into the limo.

His hands slightly trembled as he eased her into the limo seat, as he walked with her hand in hand up to the rooftop, and as his large hands lightly wrapped around her waist when he was guiding her as she was blindfolded.

Mareena spent the beginning of the car ride wondering who this man whom her friends sent her off with was. At first she thought Yasmin had set her up on a date, but that idea quickly left her mind. Something in the atmosphere was different.

She felt like it was a thick fog that had settled over them. She felt a connection with whoever the man sitting beside her was. She knew it. She felt it in her soul. She still questioned who was sitting beside her. 

GOD gave her the answer as soon as her hand touched Steven's. She touched his hand and she knew. 

It quickly reminded her of a story in Genesis. 

A father named Isaac had two sons, Jacob and Esau. Isaac had become blind. Esau had hairy skin and Isaac did not. Esau was the firstborn. Jacob deceived his father Isaac by putting animal skin on his hand to receive his brother's blessing. His father felt his hand and said "You feel like Esau but you sound like Jacob."

She felt the man's hand and knew. She felt it in her heart. The way her body reacted to feeling his skin on hers felt so familiar. 

She knew it but didn't say anything. The feeling that settled over her felt so unusual. Like an airy unfamiliar feeling.

Despite being in her company for about an hour now Steven has not taken the time to actually look Mareena over. Sweeping his eyes up and down her figure a small smile appears on his lips.

The young woman is dressed in a navy blue long sleeved dress that flared out in ruffles about 2 inches above her knees. As she walks the skirt of the dress bounces slightly. Yasmin gifted her so nude colored pumps to pair it with. He didn't see a bunch of makeup on her face. Mascara which elongates her curly lashes and some lip gloss that Steven likes because of how her plump lips look with it on. Her hair is styled with twists criss-crossing back into an afro with her edges sleeked into little curls. Once again Steven finds her beautiful.

As Steven is observing her appearance she quickly does so to his.

A white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbow and one button open at the top adding a dashing look. Paired with black semi-formal slacks and shiny black dress shoes. His black thick hair is slicked back into a pompadour with the little curl that Mareena finds so cute hanging over his forehead.

As the two finish checking each other out, awkwardness creeped up. Steven bites his lip as he rocks back and forth on the heels of his feet. Mareena shifts one foot  in front of the other and then back to it's former position.

Clearing her throat she says, "Hello Steven.", trying to have a friendly tone. She's a little apprehensive about this ordeal. Her feelings are a bit raw from the other night and another outburst is what she did not want.

Steven slightly frowns as he notices the change in Mareena's demeanor. The bright and wide smile he is used to seeing on her face isn't there right now. As well as shyness she seems a bit guarded and that caused a jab in Steven's chest.