In automatic response her hand closed over mine, and with a slight winced expression her face smiled kindly at me, and mine at hers, before finding ourselves both looking into the other's blue eyes, and for a brief moment…it was as if everything around us was suddenly still.
‘’I um, I think I can take it from here’’ she said softly, and I carefully released the hand holding the iced napkin and placed it into hers.
Ring ring…Ring ring….
I knew instantly who it was, and with one press of my finger I disconnected the call.
Ring ring…Ring rin- ‘’I’ll call you back’’ I said and snapped the case shut.
‘’It’s okay Mr. Ave-I mean Hudson, you can take your call. I really don’t mean to intrude on your evening, or be of any unnecessary burden to you’’ Taylor said, her arm already outstretched across the back seat ready to grab her rucksack.
‘’Oh no you don’t, you’re not running away again’’ I grinned with humored authority, while playfully placing her hand back down on her lap which made her laugh, then wince a little, then laugh again.
‘’So, where does your aunt live?’’ I asked humming up the engine again while flipping open my second phone affixed to the window of my car, which I used as a remote GPS monitor ‘’…I know you said to drop you off at Charlotte Street, but which door exactly so I can see you in safely’’
When she didn’t respond, I subtly shifted my gaze over and looked at her, noticing again her face slowly lower, and her somewhat shy eyes fixate themselves down on her lap and stay there. I was acutely aware something was amiss, but at this early stage I couldn’t quite place my finger on it…
CHAPTER 6
TAYLOR POV:
I caught Hudson’s eyes subtly sweep over me again, and I could only imagine the sizeable cleaning bill he’ll most likely slap on his car the second I’m out of it.
Naturally I was embarrassed as hell, as even I was starting to repel my own fetid stench fast filling the perfection of his car. I could feel him looking at me still waiting patiently for me to answer, but I dared not look in his eyes right now as I wasn’t the bestest liar by any means. I sat fidgeting trying to think of something plausible I could say, something that would politely get me out of this uncomfortable -yet at the same time very comfortable situation I found myself in with Mr. Midnight.
I still couldn’t believe it was really him…like what are the odds?! My eyes so desperately wanted to turn and stare at the handsome man beside me, to take in every feature of his sinfully good looks in this one-time, up close, amazing opportunity. But, continued embarrassed nerves wouldn’t allow it.
It didn’t help on top of everything I’d secretly fantasized about him, that his kind selfless nature tonight had surpassed anything I could have ever imagined. And for reasons unfathomable to me here he still was, trying like a true gentleman to help me. So…why was I fighting this again?
I knew why. It was because I wanted my fantasy of him to remain just so, rather than have it miserably dampened in self-pity, over a companionship I know I could never have.
I just then smiled a mischievous grin, when suddenly remembering an abandoned apartment building only one block away from Charlotte Street. It was the perfect place to have him drop me off at, where I could then go back to living my miserable life, and he could go back to enjoying the fabulousness of his.
I won’t lie, I wanted to prolong the fantasy as far as I could stretch it, ahead of the disheartening feeling soon set to come my way when it was time to say goodbye.
But for the now part…what was stopping me from enjoying it to its fullest, right?
‘’I’ll point it out when we near Charlotte Street’’ I assured him in response to his question.
‘’Sounds good. Okay then Taylor, buckle up’’ Hudson grinned, and in the true suave style I’d always seen him do, my Mr. Midnight cruised us in his fancy black sports car out from Madison Square, and onto the main high street.
Fifteen Minutes Later…
‘’You sure this is it?’’ Hudson asked, leaning his eyes up through the window at the rundown abandoned apartment building of my ‘’aunt’s’’ house that I brought him to.
‘’Trust me, on the inside it’s The Four Seasons ’’ I chuckled at his still skeptical expression ‘’but yes, I’m sure this is where my aunt lives’’ I assured him, reaching over now into the backseat for my rucksack ready to exit his car.
‘’Oh I’ve no doubt you know where it is, it’s just, -and with no disrespect intended- there doesn’t appear to be any lights on. And given what happened earlier Taylor I really do want to make sure you get in safely’’
Part of me wished that he wouldn’t be so nice. That he’d just adopt your typical guy attitude and drop me off and get going. Because with every kind word and gesture Mr. Midnight offered my way, just made the thought of saying goodbye to him all the more harder.
‘’She works late so she might not be home yet’’ I told him ‘’I’ll just hang out front and give her a quick call’’ I said opening up the car door to leave ‘’thanks again Hudson, it was real nice meeting you. I can’t thank you enough for your chivalry toni-‘’
‘’I’m not leaving until you’re safely inside Taylor’’ he said with a serious face.
‘’Okay Daddy’’ I teased with a playful eye roll, and caught a small humored smile cross his lips when I said that ‘’but no really I’ll be okay, I got a set of keys somewhere in here’’ I told him pointing to my rucksack that I’d slung over my shoulder ‘’might take me a while though to look for them, and I really don’t want to waste any more of your time, so you should just go’’ I said, desperately wanting him to leave now, so I didn’t have to face the humiliation of trying to gain access to a building I knew nothing about.
‘’I’ll wait’’ he said stubbornly.