Wicked Chase

❖ Chapter Five

[dedicated to Mel, who made the fab cover in the multimedia section and for being a lovely writer]

CHAPTER FIVE

Before I had gone to bed last night - a nightmareless night - I had spent a few minutes tossing and turning over the idea of dinner with Alastair and thinking of all the possible outcomes. I had predicted that our dinner would be filled with numerous awkward pauses and conversation would be scarce.

I certainly did not expect to be driven to Fish Away which was about a ten minute drive away from my apartment complex in Alastair's Jeep which was very comfortable, the fragrance of leather and forest instantly invading my senses. I didn't expect his driving to be so reckless either. The Jeep had skidded and sped on the road so fast that by the time we got to Fish Away, with me spurting directions to the quaint restaurant faster that I've ever given out directions in my life, it had only been six minutes since we left the apartment complex.

I had gotten out of the Jeep and adjusted my top, straightening it before I ran my hand through my ginger hair that hung down, a few strands brushing my bare shoulders, and gathered myself. The car ride wasn't filled with awkward pauses and that was due to Alastair's insane driving skills - if they could even be defined as skills - that had me giving out directions so fast there was no need for an unwelcome silence to make it's place between us like it had done numerous of times.

His lips thinned once he got out of the Jeep and came over to my side, his eyes glossing over my appearance and when those stormy, grey eyes met mine they looked dark, and strangely seductive under the night's light. He jerked his head to the yellow glowing sign that read Fish Away in slurry lettering and said, "I presume this is the restaurant that a lot of people like?"

His statement was meant to be a sentence but instead it came out like a question. When I first moved across the country, that was what I had thought as well; why did this small, not-so-attractive-looking restaurant attract many customers. It was not until I entered the restaurant due to John - a fellow Quantum Physics classmate - had insisted that I join him and Jenny, his potential girlfriend, to grab a bite. It was not until my teeth sank into the chips and the fish that I understood why everyone loved this restaurant.

"I promise that you'll fall in love with the food," I smiled enthusiastically, stepping closer and reaching out my hand to grab his wrist and drag him into the restaurant to clear that dubious look on his features. I realised that would entail touching him and while I knew I was attracted to Alastair I didn't want to give in because there was still a part of me that questioned his motives even though my mother had clearly stated that I had no reason to not trust him, but then I had no reason to trust him either. So I moved my hand away before the slight movement could register with Alastair and whether he noticed my reluctance to even touch him or not, he didn't mention it.

Instead he said, "I highly doubt that's possible."

I lifted my head and raised an eyebrow, my green eyes locking with his alluring grey eyes. "Is that a challenge I hear?"

A look of amusement flickered across his face but unlike the other times it had not fully disappeared. While the amused smile was gone as soon as it came - you couldn't even notice the smile because it was so small and brief - traces of amusement lingered in his enticing grey eyes and his features. "Perhaps it is," he replied.

I replied with a smug smile on my lips, "Just watch, Alastair Ignacio, I'm going to prove you wrong." And with that, I turned my back to him and entered the restaurant, the sound of his footsteps behind me assured me that he was following me and had just accepted the challenge.