Magnetic (New Adult Contemporary Romance) (7 page)

Darren stood and touched her shoulder, “
Let’s get you home,” he gently said. Then taking her by the hand and scooping up his pack and her damaged phone in the other, he led her to his jeep parked across the street. He hit the unlock, on the wireless remote, and opened her door for her.

Until tonight, when Mark hadn
’t opened the door for her, she hadn’t realized what a gentlemanly act it was. She turned and looked at Darren before climbing in, then she reached up with her left hand and toyed with a curl at the nape of his neck. He closed his eyes and tilted his head towards her hand.

“
I’m sorry,” Samantha hoarsely whispered.

Darren
’s eyes shot open, and he looked down at her. “You have no reason to be sorry, none of this was your fault.”

“
No, yes … what I want to say is that I am sorry for our date. I have so many things I want to say to you, but this isn’t the time. Will you allow me to talk about them soon?”

Darren couldn
’t believe his ears, of course he would allow her to speak, and when she was done, he would beg her to stay with him forever. “Of course,” was the only thing he could say.

She started to turn back to the jeep
to climb in, Darren stepped closer to help if she needed it, but before she got in she turned back to him and shyly asked one last thing. “Darren, will you erase what happened tonight from my mind?”

“
Samantha, I wish I could, I would do anything if it meant you could forget tonight ever happened.”

She hesitated, but then plunged
ahead; she reached both hands up and cupped his head, pulling him down to her. Their lips met, and all cognizant thought left both of their minds. They forgot everything that had happened that night. Nothing existed but the two of them. Nothing existed but their shared passion. Darren had her back up against his jeep, just like he had in Seattle, their kisses were white hot.

Samantha felt her own desire, she felt his desire, but it
wasn’t fair to him. She was taking advantage of him to suit her own carnal lusts and desires. Pulling away she licked her lips then placed her hands flat against his chest looking up into his eyes. “That was amazing, I want more …” he bent down and kissed her again, “you didn’t let me finish. I want more, but we need to talk first. I owe you that.”

Darren could care less about talking, they could figure that out later, he needed her, but his rational mind took over, and he agreed with her. With one light ki
ss on her forehead he helped her into the jeep, his mind screamed to pace himself, his body screamed to take her now.

Out of breath and slightly dizzy with the headiness of his taste, Samantha stepped into his jeep and clicked her seatbelt into place while he ran around the front and got in beside her. Pulling out of the parking space he spoke, “Do you mind if we stop by my place so that I can pick up some clothes?”

“
Sounds good,” she said the whole time her mind screaming,
it’s about time. Had I known where he lived before, I would have found him weeks ago.

Samantha was surprised when Darren pulled up in front of a large apartment complex, very near where she lived. He had been so close, yet she would never have found h
im. He parked on the street near his door rather than turn into the parking garage since they only planned on stopping for a few minutes. Samantha opened her door and stepped out, a moment later Darren was already at her side, helping her down and being a gentleman. His actions made her feel special.

Darre
n laced his fingers through hers and led her to his apartment. He was on the fourth floor and by the time they reached his apartment door she was huffing and puffing from overexertion.

“
Are you alright?” Darren asked as she grabbed her side and tried to appear composed though she wanted to lie down, right there on his rubber welcome mat, and die.

“
I’m fine, just a little out of shape. I haven’t trudged up four flights of stairs since, well ever.” He chuckled at her admission. “No wonder you’re in such great shape.”

“
I guess that’s one of the benefits, the downfall is moving. Try lugging a sofa sectional up those beasts.”

“
Yeah, I guess that would make anyone stay put. My apartment came furnished, so I didn’t have to worry about all that stuff.” When they walked in, Samantha drank in the sight before her. The apartment was beautiful and just as clean as his jeep. “How many live here?” she asked.

“
There are three of us, though our schedule is such that we hardly ever see each other.”

Samantha walked to the sliding-glass door and looked out at the lovely deck, “
It seems private for such a large complex.”

Darren walked toward her from the kitchen holding a g
lass of water, “Here, would you like a drink?” she thanked him as he spoke, “Yeah, I guess it’s all the trees in the greenbelt behind us. It blocks out a lot of noise and city chaos.”

“
I’m just going to get my clothes; you can either wait here or come with me. My room’s just at the end of the hall.”

Samantha followed him to his room, curious if it was as neat and clean as the rest of his apartment, and his jeep. He didn
’t fit the stigma of the messy bachelor. She stood leaning against the door frame sipping her water, searching her eyes around his room. It wasn’t messy, but had a decided lived-in feel to it. She breathed in the room’s smell, Darren’s smell. It was an aroma that she could smell all day, a mix of body soap, aftershave, laundry detergent, and him. His bed coverings were tossed up in a haphazard,
I made my bed in a hurry,
kind of way. The chair in the corner near the closet had two pairs of pants draped over the back. Shoes were lying in a pile next to it, within easy accessibility of the person sitting to put them on. The dresser looked like a retro piece from the late 1980’s with a matching headboard that had shelves and slots to conceal his alarm, wallet, keys, magazines, books, and whatever other necessity a man in his early twenties needed. Admittedly, Samantha wanted to walk over and peek in both, you could learn so much about a person looking through their personal belongings.

Darren walked to the foot of
the bed and bent over to reach under for a duffel bag. Samantha gazed at his butt admiring how sexy he was. His hand found purchase on the bag he was seeking, and he pulled it out, and set it on the bed in front of him. It didn’t take long for Darren to fill it up with his clothing, and then his personal items from the bathroom situated across the hall.

Gathering his things, including a backpack of textbooks took a matter of minutes. Samantha marveled at how easy it was for a man to gather his belongings f
or overnight. Had it been her, she’d have barely picked out what blouse she would like to wear tomorrow.

“
Ready,” Darren announced walking out of the bathroom tucking his toothbrush into the side pouch of the bag.

“
That was fast.”

“
I’m low maintenance.”

“
Most men are,” Samantha chided as they left his apartment.

Samantha had imagined Darren in her apartment, so many times the past month that he seemed that he was meant to be there. Now that he was, she couldn’t imagine him anywhere else.

He fit.

While he set his bags at the end of the couch, she quickly picked up a few scattered clothes and tucked them into her tiny closet. Her studio looked like a hovel compared to his luxury apartment.

Darren sank into the couch and watched as she flitted around the r
oom, tucking her silky hair behind her ear whenever it would fall into her face. He longed to reach his hands up and run his fingers through her tresses. Although they had a setback, almost before they had started to date, he was confident that they could work through it.

They had to.

He couldn’t live without her. He loved her and wanted her love in return.

The past month had been agony without her. Never had he been so distracted, thinking of her. His roommates chided him to get over her. There were so ma
ny other women to moon over, but he couldn’t. They weren’t Samantha. They weren’t perfection.

He could tell she was agitated. Upset from her date, nervous that he was there, worried about her father, plus a thousand other things and usually go on in a woma
n’s mind that he would never understand.

“
Samantha, why don’t you come over and sit down?” he gently called to her.

She stopped what she was doing, set the clothing articles on the top of her dresser, then walked over and sat near him on the couch. They didn
’t touch, but she was there and that was all that mattered.

“
There isn’t that better?” he asked.

“
Yeah, the only thing that could make it better is a hot relaxing shower, some comfortable clothes, and a large steaming mug of caramel hot-chocolate. That’s my weakness, you know.”

“
Good to know. Why don’t you go shower and change and I’ll rummage through your cupboards for the hot-chocolate. By the time you’re finished, I’ll have one steaming cup of caramel hot-chocolate at your disposal.”

“
That isn’t possible. I don’t have any hot-chocolate, or caramel sauce. I guess I’ll have to settle for the hot shower and comfy clothes.” She offered a sigh of resignation as she leaned her head back against the couch and smiled towards him. Her smile melted his heart.

“
Oh no, on a day such as this, one must never settle. You take a shower and change while I go to
Starbucks
and get us some drinks. Sound good?”

“
Sounds heavenly.”

“
I’ll be right back.” Darren leaned over and brushed her lips with a light kiss. As the door closed behind him she jumped up and grabbed her yoga pants, and a t-shirt then raced to the shower.

Samantha was already dressed, in the bathroom combing out her damp
hair when she heard a knock at the door. Laying down her hairbrush, she went to the door. She thought it was Darren returned with their drinks. The knock sounded a second time, this time louder. Samantha opened the door, but as soon as she did, she wished she hadn’t.

There stood Mark.

Seeing who it was, she slammed the door in his face. Mark was too fast for her though, he blocked the door with his shoe.

“
Samantha, don’t be that way. Look, I’m just here to apologize.” Mark held up a small bunch of flowers in front of him, offering them to her through the door.

“
Apology accepted, thank you for stopping by,” she said dismissing him and again trying to close the door, but he continued to block it.

“
Don’t you want the flowers?” he called.

“
No, that’s alright if I want flowers I’ll go buy some.”

“
Whatever Samantha, just take the damn flowers.” His voice was rising, and she could tell he was beginning to get upset again.

“
Fine, just leave them on the porch, and I’ll pick them up when you leave.” She was still trying to close the door, but it was getting harder to hold as he increasingly put more pressure against it.

“
No, take them now.” Mark pressed his body against the door; she was helpless to hold it when he put his full weight against it. Her door swung open wide and he stepped into her apartment uninvited. She was terrified, and didn’t know what to do. Her mind screamed at her for being so silly and wishing for caramel hot-chocolate. What was a man as perfect as Darren to do, but rush right out and fulfill her every whim? He was supposed to be there to protect her that was the plan after all.

Now Mark was standing in her kitchen, all menacing, scaring the hell out of her.

Samantha reached to receive the flowers, intent on doing whatever it took to convince him that she was sincere and then make him leave. Mark handed them to her and smiled. He was glad she accepted them, that was why he had come after all. She didn’t say a word, just stood there holding the flowers.

“
Well, aren’t you going to put them in some water?” he asked.

Turning her back to him, she quickly sought out the same pitcher she had placed Darren
’s flowers in and filled it with water. She heard her door click closed and Mark move around the room.

“
Cozy little place you have here. I bet the rent’s cheap.” Samantha just nodded as he sat on the couch and made himself comfortable. She stood in the kitchen arranging the flowers, staying as far away from him as possible. Her mind counted down the minutes until Darren would return.

“
I think those flowers look great, why don’t you come over here and sit by me.”

“
Um …,” her mind raced for any excuse not to have to sit next to him “I think I should trim the stems. The fresh cut will allow the flowers to soak up more of the water, and last longer.” She reached into the utensil drawer and pulled out a pair of kitchen scissors and began the task of trimming the stems.

“
No, they are fine. Just set them on the table and come over here,” he demanded.

Samantha took her time putting the scissors away and cleaning up her little mess, not immediately going over to sit down.

“Samantha, I told you to leave them. Get your ass over here.” His voice was raised and becoming increasingly more menacing. Mark patted the couch next to him with a sinister smile that sent fear to her heart. She walked over and sat down on the far end of the couch, as far away from him as possible. Her posture was rigid, she was afraid and unsure.

“
There now, isn’t that better?”

Samantha nodded her head.

Mark shifted in his seat turning his leg towards her. “See, I knew we would get along great.”

She nodded again, not daring to speak.

“From the moment I saw you in our American History Lecture, I knew we were meant to be together. I think we will date all of this year, perhaps next year too, then our junior year I will officially ask you to marry me. I have it all planned out. Right after graduation our senior year we will get married. What do you think? Sounds like a great plan, doesn’t it?”

Samantha was aghast, no it didn
’t sound like a great plan, it sounded more like hell. Samantha couldn’t say anything. There was no way she was going to agree with him, but she didn’t want to provoke him either.

“
Well, aren’t you going to say anything?”

“
It sounds like a very nice plan Mark, but I am sure there is a better girl out there for you.”

“
Nonsense, you are perfect.”

“
Thank you for the compliment, but I assure you I am not.”

“
That just means you’re human. Hell, nobody’s truly perfect, but the truth is that I think you’re perfect for me.”

“
Mark, that really is kind of you, but I just don’t feel the same way.”

Anger flashed across his face for a split s
econd, had she been looking anywhere else, she may not have seen it, but just as quickly as it appeared it was replaced with a serene, confident smile. He scooted over on the couch, towards her, and then placed his arm across the back where she was sitting. When his fingers settled in her hair she jumped up, “Mark, I really think you should go now.”

“
Why? I just got here.”

“
It’s late, and I’ve had a long week, I need to get some sleep. Please leave.”