For The Different Monster - Chapter Eight

Throwing Caution to the Wind

Brooke sat on the bed, watching Adrian as he approached while contemplating how to best deal with this situation. She wanted to tell him, but she struggled finding the right words. The thoughts brought to the forefront of her mind after seeing her father’s face, were not things she wanted others to know. She wanted to forget her past but her mind had other plans.

He handed her the washcloth and she wiped her face while he laid across the bed facing her, concerned and waiting patiently. She took a few deep breaths and calmed herself down enough to speak.

“I’m so sorry Adrian, that had nothing to do with you…”

She continued to explain while leaving out the many details she felt he didn’t need to know. When she finished, he sat up and said, “Jesus Christ! I’m so sor…”

Brooke interrupted him, “Please don’t with the sorry, I don’t need it and I don’t want your pity.”

“I don’t pity you, Brooke. I just can’t believe you had to go through something like that. And you were so
young.”

“Yeah, well, if it’s okay with you I’d rather not talk about it anymore. I’d like to just forget about this night altogether and I would understand if you’ve changed your mind about spending the weekend with me.”

Adrian grabbed her hand, brought it to his lips and gave it a peck. “Nonsense, if anything you’ve made me want your time more. And no pressure, we don’t have to even talk about sex right now. Let's just spend some time getting to know each other and maybe you can show me around your city. You have to know the best places to eat. I’m a bit hungry.”

Brooke was pleasantly surprised by the way he handled the news and flashed a smile at him, “Yeah I can show you around. Thank you for being so cool about all of this.”

“As if, you certainly don’t have to thank me for that. I am still very intrigued by you and want to know anything and everything you’re willing to share with me.”

Brooke’s cheeks flushed red. She couldn’t believe that he was being so kind to her and she could see herself easily falling in love with this complete stranger.

Adrian got up, ran his fingers through his hair, “Are you hungry? Wanna go grab a little something to eat?”

“Yeah I could eat.” She said while getting off of the bed. She took a step closer and wrapped her arms around him. “I really can’t thank you enough for being so understanding. You have no idea how people act when they find out things like this about someone.”

He wrapped his arms around her, “Awe, C'mon now, I already said you don’t have to thank me for that. Let’s go beautiful … whatcha feel like eating?”

Ending their embrace, she buttoned her shirt and said, “I know the perfect spot, right down the street and they’re open all night.”

They got themselves ready and walked down to a sports bar that had the best hamburger steaks. They sat there for a couple of hours eating, talking and laughing. The chemistry between them was apparent and they were both like giddy teenagers joking around and learning about one another. When they finished eating, they went back to the room and laid in bed. He held her in his arms while she fell asleep. She had never felt so safe and protected in her life and it was a feeling that she wanted to keep. She drifted off while having visions of their possible future together.

They spent every moment together that weekend. Brooke showed Adrian all the usual hot tourist spots and when it came to food she took him to the places that only the locals knew about. He enjoyed every minute and carefully observed Brooke the whole time, he loved seeing the city through Brooke’s eyes. She had an appreciation for little things that he normally took for granted. They had a wonderful weekend which seemed to fly by and when Sunday evening approached all too quickly Brooke was faced with the reality of having to go back to school, something she didn’t want to think about after their magical weekend together.

After a nice day of frolicking in the city, they found themselves at Brooke's hotel room. They hadn't spent any time there and she wanted to see the room that she didn’t sleep in before she had to check out. She sat on the edge of the bed while Adrian looked around the room, and out of the window at the beautiful birds eye view. He didn’t want the weekend to end and while he joined her on the bed he asked, “Did you have a nice weekend, Brooke?”

“I had a great weekend, one of the best weekends of my life. I really hate that I have school tomorrow.”

“Well, it doesn’t have to end.”

Brooke looked at him while thinking that she wanted nothing more than skip school and stay with him while he was in town. She figured that it wouldn't hurt to miss a few weeks of school but work was a different story, if she missed too much without a valid excuse, she would lose her job and in turn lose her scholarship. “I would love to Adrian, but I have to work.”

“Okay, how about if I bring you to school every day and pick you up every evening after work?”

“But that's over thirty minutes away, I would never let you do that!”

“It’s either that, or you blow off school, I'll blow off my conference, and we live like there’s no tomorrow. I want to show you how good things can be, Brooke. C’mon beautiful, live a little!”

With butterflies in her stomach and electricity once again coursing through her veins at his words, she stood in front of him, grabs his face with her hands and leans in for a kiss. He wraps his arms around her and leans back bringing her on top of him. She looks at him mischievously, “Adrian, you're a bad influence but seeing as how I have no one to answer to, I say, let's do it!”

With a devilish smile, he pushed her hair behind her ear and, before pulling her in for another kiss murmurs, “Ah, that’s my girl."

She had no clue what the next few weeks would bring nor the consequences she would face by making this decision. She could only see the beautiful being standing before her and was fully aware of the spell she was under, but these feelings were addictive, and she wanted to keep her drug nearby.