First Meetings - or maybe Meet Again

Excerpt

And as I peek up from this mortifying position on the tavern floor, there he is - towering over me with bright, dark eyes.

And I am lost.

Thank the twelve no one else is here.

Extending a hand, he chuckles “Here, let me help you.”

He hoists me up and I stumble a little too far into him, immediately blushing from head to toe, hair tussled.  

Leaning in with eyebrows raised, wait – is he teasing me?

“Quite the, uh, place to be?” he says.

I quickly look down and step back, almost falling back to the disgusting floor and he grips my hand harder.

Gods knows what’s sticking to these wood panels.

“Well, it was until you showed up.” I snap. Ugh why did I say that??

Letting go of my hand, he replies, “Hmm - okay, I’ll leave you to it then” and starts to walk away.

As he turns, his dark shirt and pants are highlighted by the sun coming through the western window, creating a silhouette. The gods are punishing me…those shoulders…that jawline…

I swallow.  

Shaking my head – Get it together, Adira - “Wait - I’m sorry. Thank you for helping me up. You caught me in a precarious situation, and I’m not used to receiving help from strangers.”

He tilts his head and his eyebrows bunch, “Stranger? You don’t remember me, do you?”

My eyes go wide…