"Dinner at my place tonight?"

She smiled as she read his text. When she had left his house Sunday evening, they had exchanged phone numbers. She had taken a chance Monday at work, texting him to ask him to come to dinner at her house. Tuesday he had invited her back to his house. Wednesday she once again had invited him to her house. And now Thursday he was inviting her again.

"Sure, I'll be there."

She gnawed on the right side of the bottom lip as she put the phone down. She had never realized she had that weird habit until she met him. He always reached up and pulled her lip free of her teeth while giving her one of his warm smiles. Smiles that reached into her deeper and deeper for each time he gave her one.

She knew she was falling for him hard and fast and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She just didn't wanna act on it. Although he said he believed her over everyone else on the street, she still had the fear that they would win him over with their lies and that he would turn his back on her like everyone else had.

"Hey beautiful," he smiled when he opened the door that evening. "Come on in."

She knew her way through his house already and walked straight to the livingroom to sit down. As always he had dinner ready and as always she enjoyed an evening in his company. These few days had gone by fast and she just felt like she had known him for years.

"Are you free tomorrow?" She asked.
"What do you have in mind?" He asked.
"Every Friday I go out with my friends. There's always room for one more," she answered.
"Friends?" He asked.
"I have friends," she laughed. "No one but you in this neighbourhood but I do have friends outside of here."
"Of course," he shook his head at his own stupidity. "So you and some girls?"
"Girls and boys. Lana, Rusev, Becky, Liv and Darren," she said.

He looked at her as she mentioned the names, trying to figure out if one of those two men might mean something more.

"Rusev?" He asked.
"Married to Lana," she answered.
"Darren?" He asked.
"Gay," she smirked. "So you might have a chance if you're interested."
"I'm not," he chuckled. "But sure, I'll come. Where are we going?"
"We usually meet around 8 PM at that little Greek restaurant downtown and then we go out partying after dinner."

He met up with her and her friends next evening as promised. Her friends accepted him right away. Any friend of hers was a friends of theirs. That was the mentality in the little group and he liked that.

After dinner they went out to a club. He enjoyed himself, had a few drinks, talked with her friends, but mainly he watched her. Watched how happy she was with her friends, watched how she drank, watched how she moved around on the dancefloor, watched her every movement.

His fingers itched to touch her, his lips longed to taste her, he was going out of his mind with want and desire and the alcohol sure wasn't making it any easier for him to fight his urges. He didn't wanna make a move on her. Not until he was sure she knew he meant it and that she wouldn't for one second think that he had given into the rumours about her being the neighbourhood slut and just wanted a quick roll in bed with her.

"Are you having fun?" She asked as she returned from the dancefloor.
"I am," he smiled. "You're looking good out there."
"You're watching me?" She blushed.
"I can't help it. Not when you move your body like that," he said.

The right side of her bottom lip disappeared in between her teeth. He chuckled as he reached his hand up, running his thumb over her lip and pulling it out. He didn't move his hand away again. He ran his thumb over both her lips slowly, leaning a bit closer. He stopped himself before he could kiss her, quickly moving his hand away from her again.

"I think I'm gonna go home," he said.
"Already?" She asked.
"Yeah, but it's been fun though. I'd like to come along some other time," he said.
"Okay," she said.

Her heart felt heavy. She could pretend just like him that he hadn't been leaning in to kiss her. Why would he ever want to anyway? Why would he ever want her? Even if he said he didn't believe the rumours about her, they were still there and hard to ignore. They would always separate them and they would never be anything but friends.

"I'll text you," he said.
"Yeah," she managed to smile. "See you around."