That Tuesday Sully pulled up in front of her house. He had felt a little on edge all day, and he kept thinking about how lucky he was to even take her out.
She was not the type of girl he would normally approach. She was too educated and too wealthy – at least from what he had heard.
But there was something about her –he felt drawn to her, and normally he did not bother with girls, but with her he'd felt… he would not exactly say off balance,
but her presence did something to him. Something intriguing.
She saw his car from the window, and how he got out and walked up to her front door. She could not help smiling to herself.
He looked good in his jeans, shirt and shoulder length hair.
She answered the door with a smile.
"Hi," he took in her appearance, and smiled back. He had hoped she would wear her hair down, and she did.
"What is it?" she was suddenly very conscious of his eyes on her, and giggled a little.
"You look pretty…" he stated meeting her gaze.
"I like your hair like this" his fingers grazed her cheek as he reached out and touched her soft semi curls.
"Thank you…" her voice was a little raspy.
Usually men were so cheesy, but Sully acted like it was the most natural thing in the world to comment on her hair, and touch it.
In her experience men wanted something when they paid compliments and she had never felt such at ease around any of the boys, who had been interested in her.
Then they were both brought back to the real world.
"How about some food?" Sully's hand found the small of her back as they walked towards the car, and she did not object.
They went across town to a small café called Grace's.
"Hi Sully", the woman behind the counter greeted when they entered, and he gave her a nod
"Hi Grace –how are you doing?"
"Just great. It has been a while, is someone else feeding you?" she winked at him, and he laughed softly.
"Grace, this is Michaela. I thought I'd introduce her to your wonderful cooking."
Grace sat them down at a table and Michaela was amused by the way Grace mothered around Sully.
"I'll leave you two to decide what you want", she took off with a whiff, and Michaela lowered her voice leaning across the table.
"You come here often?"
"Yep…" he looked at the menu already having decided what to order. He could tell she was intrigued.
"You already decided what you want, right" she stated, and he nodded with a twinkle in his eye.
"Okay then, I'll have the same as you" she pushed the menu across the table, and gave him a challenging look.
"Grace we'll have two of your specials" Sully said not taking his eyes off Michaela.
"Are you sure?" Grace looked at Michaela.
"I'm sure…" she was not at all sure what she had gotten herself into, but she was bemused by Sully's expression.
"Do you think you can handle it" he grinned when Grace took off to the kitchen, and she shrugged her shoulders in response.
"We'll see... "
"Here you go, folks!" Grace put down an enormous plate in front of Michaela.
The hamburger on it was gigantic, and Michaela made a decision: She would have to eat it all and with her fingers.
When Sully walked her to her door some hours later, she turned and beamed at him
"I told you I'd eat it all"
"I know – I still can't get over it. Where did it all go?" he grinned giving her a light squeeze as if he wanted to check for himself.
Suddenly he was awfully close and smiling.
Now he'll try to kiss me she thought meeting his gaze, but he didn't.
Their eyes locked, and all he did was to run his hand along her arm down to her fingers.
Sully held back. He liked her.
She was funny, intelligent and he felt relaxed around her.
She bit her lip, and their fingers became entwined. His thumb ran across the soft flesh between her thumb and her index finger making her shiver.
"Are you cold?" his voice was soft, and he leaned close against the door frame.
His musky scent reached her nostrils, and she leaned against the door for support.
"No", she lied. They were both waiting for the other to say goodnight.
"I really enjoyed tonight…" he added, and she lowered her gaze to her hand in his.
"Me too… you're good company", she admitted shyly.
"We could hang out some more..?" he said tentatively waiting for her response.
"We could…" she tried to remain composed "why doesn't he just kiss me?" she wondered.
"You want to?"
She nodded in response, and he gave her a big smile.
"I'll see you around then?"
"Yes…"
At her words her brought her hand to his mouth and placed a soft kiss there.
"Good night…"
He gave her hand a final squeeze before he turned around and walked down to his car.
Seeing him drive off she felt dizzy and a little confused.
He had done it again: stirred her and made her want to get to know him more.
"Hello…? What's going on with you?" Her friend Miriam nudged her to sit down in the cafeteria.
"Mike, you're absentminded…you're not eating properly… are you worried about the test next Friday?" Miriam was worried.
"Has anything happened?"
Michaela was brought back to the present by her friend's insistence.
"Michaela…." Miriam grasped hold of her hand across the table "Has David been calling you again?"
"No. don't worry. I am fine" She looked Miriam straight in the eye, and Miriam leaned back looking a little more relaxed.
"So what are you not telling me?"
"I don't know what you're on about.." Michaela took a bite of her hamburger and Miriam gave her skeptical look.
"Since when do you eat hamburgers for lunch?"
Michaela felt her cheeks go warm.
"Why are you blushing?"
"I don't know…" she paused and then she made a decision.
"I'm sorry Miriam, these past couple of weeks have been kind of hectic. I've been busy with Colleen Cooper and her family,
and I guess I'm just a little exhausted."
She could tell Miriam was not buying that story entirely, but for the moment her friend shrugged her shoulders and dug into the food on her plate.
Michaela was eyeing the burger on her plate. Miriam was right, since when did she eat hamburgers for lunch? She usually made a healthier choice.
The truth was that she had been helping out Colleen quite a lot the past 1½ weeks.
She was studying for an important exam as was Michaela.
On top of that Colleen worried a lot about boys which Michaela still needed to talk to Charlotte about.
Not to mention Sully… she had not heard from him, but again they were not dating.
She kept telling herself that just because they had gone out once it did not have to mean anything.
But he was on her mind.