"Do you wanna ride with me over? It's not far," he said.
"Oh no, that's alright, I'll just bring my car over so you don't feel like you have to drive me back here," I said, knowing he would insist on doing that.
"Alright, that's fine, just follow me."
His house had a bunch of cars out in front, and I was suddenly self conscious, still in my work uniform and not feeling dressed up enough for a party.
Dego walked a few steps down the drive towards me and motioned for me to follow him with an encouraging smile.
"Come on."
"I- I didn't realize you're having a party."
"Oh no it's not a party, that's just some of my family. " He laughed and headed up the drive.
"Wow, only some of them? " I asked.
"Yeah just a few," he said, holding the door open for me.
I stepped inside, the warmth of the house enveloping me. I took off my jacket and Dego promptly took it from me and placed it on the coat rack.
"Mmmm it smells so good in here," I said, inhaling.
He smiled and took me gently by the elbow.
I decided I was beginning to like this man a lot.
He led me into the kitchen, which was full of people, and raised his voice.
"Hey! Everybody, this is Avery."
Everyone turned towards us and got quiet, then immediately started talking and introducing themselves so that they're was no way I had any idea what anyone's names were by the river they quieted down.
"Nice to meet you all," I said, nodding and unconsciously stepping a little closer to Dego. I felt his arm go around my shoulder and I was glad.
He led me through the crowd of people and over to the sofa in the next room.
"You can sit down if you like, I'm gonna go change, I'll be right back."
"Alright."
I turned around and observed the family as they interacted; there was a lot of yelling, but not all of it was angry sounding, and several little kids were running all over the place.
One little girl stopped in front of me.
"Are you Uncle Dego's new girlfriend?"
"No... I'm not,I'm just his-um, his friend," I said, smiling at her.
"Ohh...well you should be his girlfriend because he doesn't have one," she said, and ran off giggling when Dego came up behind her and scared her. "Get out of here Olivia," he growled, with pretend anger.
He dropped onto the couch next to me, his arm around my shoulders once more, and I caught the scent of his cologne, which smelled very sensual and good but made me a little light headed. He was now dressed in a close fitting t-shirt and a pair of sweat pants, but the thin gold chain he always wore was still around his neck.
If I thought he was attractive at work...well, he was sexy at home. No other word really fit.
Dego talked animatedly with his family from where he sat, and I merely observed, perfectly content to watch the fiery exchange going on in front of me.
I didn't even know what they were talking about because I was pretty sure everything was in Greek which didn't bother me in the least, it was one of my latest language obsessions anyway, even though I apparently had not gotten far in the fluency department.
"So," said one of the ladies, coming over to the couch and waving a spatula," Where did you find this nice Greek girl?"
I chuckled and looked at Dego.
"Ahh...she's not Greek actually," Dego said.
"What?! You look greek," she said, giving me a once over. " Beautiful dark hair, eyes, those beautiful lips, you must be greek."
"Im afraid my family actually descends from Germany and England," I said with an apologetic smile.
"Hmph. You are probably Greek too and you don't know it," she said, walking back to the stove and shaking her head.
"Don't mind her," Dego whispered to me, " She thinks everybody descended from the Greeks in some way or another. However..." He said, glancing down to look over my face," I do see what she's saying."
"Hmmmm...what an interesting observation. I am quite american though, as we both are."
"Yeah, yeah, I can tell by the way you talk," he said winking.
"How long have you lived in the US for, all your life or no? " I asked.
"I was born here, but I have gone to Greece several times to visit my parents' relatives, " he explained.
"I see,that's cool."
He shrugged and nodded.
"It was interesting."
Dinner was delicious, but I was too shy to eat very much. Around nine o'clock Dego had everyone shoved out the door, amidst great protesting.
"So you aren't even going to let us get to know her eh?" One aunt complained.
"Another time Aunt Sophia."
"You know what I think she was having a good time, now who does she have to talk to, you?"
"Im the reason she came here," he said as he ushered them out.
"Don't get too conceited," she snorted, and shuffled down the walk, shaking her head.
He turned to me and grinned, and shut the door.
"Finally. Im really sorry about that, they normally come over here Saturday nights but I un-invited them this weekend, as you can see they don't listen."
"Ah, I don't mind, they were quite amusing."
"I bet."
"You want anything to drink?" He asked, heading for the fridge.
"Ah, whatever you have is fine."
He held up a Corona.
"No thanks, I have to drive."
He grabbed a sprite and set it down in front of me.
"Now this, I like," I said with a grin.
"I know, I see you at work."
"Ahh, spying on me huh?"
"Of course not, but who can help looking at you let's be honest?"
I rolled my eyes.
He came around the bar and sat on the stool next to mine.
He held my gaze as he took a long draught of his beer, and something in it caused me to be slightly apprehensive. Not quite afraid, but it warned of a drive, an intension, a power, that was carefully contained beneath the surface of this mans exterior.
I kept my gaze unassuming as I smiled back, and then looked away.
"Your house is very nice."
"Thank you."
"Mhmm...so are you the only one of your family who lives here?" I was still confused as to how all those people were related to him.
"Yeah...those were all my brothers and sisters and some of my aunt's and uncles and they live not too far away. See, there's two different restaurants that we own in this town and so we all work in one or the other."
"Ohhh I see, how interesting."
"Yeah. I live alone. Tell me about yourself," he said, leaning forward.
"Well...like what?"
"Where are you from, what are you doing out here, what do you like to do," he said.
"Well...I've grew up in Florida, lived in a couple different places there but never moved away, until about...two years ago. My dad got deployed and so I couldn't live at home anymore because my...my um, step Mother left us, not that we were sad about that, but I was only seventeen so my dad didn't want me to be alone...I moved out here to be with my brother Scott, I have two more brothers but they are both in the military too."
"I see. So I assume that was your brother the first day I saw you."
"Yes, he's the foreman of the crew that was building the deck. And by the way, why in the world did you offer me a job...I must have looked like the worst sort of character, he always made me wear the ugliest clothes I owned so none of the guys would give me a second glance."
"Honey," he said, shaking his head slightly, " You working out there on that deck all day was probably one of the hottest things I've ever seen...I wanted to go out there and talk to you but I didn't know what to say so, I just made up something," he shrugged.
"Ha wow..." I didn't know what to say, so I just took another sip of my sprite, shaking my head.
"Let's get comfortable," he said, rising and heading to the living room.
I followed him and sat on the sofa, leaving a cushion between us.
We spent the rest of the evening talking about various aspects of our lives, and found out we actually had a lot of things in common. I gradually began to forget my original discomfort at the broad age gap between us, and warmed to his personality, frequently breaking into peals of laughter at the way he worded something, or a story he told about his family. He had a way of making you laugh, he had a way of making you like him.
He knew how to make you feel interesting, and he was attentive to every thing you said, like he really cared.
My eyes started to drift closed though by eleven o'clock.
"Dego, I think I'd better go now..."
"I'm sorry, your brother is probably going to get worried."
"Oh nah, he's not going to worry, he won't wait up for me, but I'm just getting tired," I said, and then decided that was an exceedingly stupid thing to say, because if Dego was planning on murdering me, he would know nobody was missing me right now.
"Alright, come on then sweetheart," he said, and rose to his feet, grasping my hand and pulling me up with him.
I swayed a little sleepily, and he put an arm around my waist, leading me to the bar and taking my spite from me to set it down.
" Thank you for having me over," I said," It was really nice getting to know you."
He led me to the door.
"Of course, and I want you to come again."
"Alright, that would be nice," I said, and put my shoes on.
"Are you sure your awake enough to drive home?" He asked, stepping out onto the porch with me.
"Yes, I'm quite awake now, I was just dozing off there in the livingroom for a moment," I assured.
"Alright..." He walked me to my car. "Be safe."
"I willll," I said, twirling my keys around my finger.
"Goodnight Ave," he said, smirking.
"Goodnight," I murmured, and stepped back and into my car.
He waved as I drove away, standing in the drive way in his socks and sweats, hair slightly messed, looking younger than I had thought at first.
But I wished he wouldn't call me Ave.