Dark Creations: The Hunted (Part 4) by Jennifer Martucci, Christopher Martucci Read Free Book Online

and lowered her eyes. She felt warmth spreading across her cheeks.
    He took her hand in his and walked her to his waiting Honda Pilot.  She slipped in the passenger seat, careful to not twist the jersey material of her dress.  She noticed him looking down at her legs as he fumbled to put his key in the ignition.  She wondered whether she was wrong about him, that perhaps his feelings matched hers.
    They sat in comfortable silence for the five-minute drive to his house.  He and Yoshi had rented a small, ranch-style house that sat on an equally small lot of land.  The unexciting architecture and poor landscaping was a far cry from his previous residence, but she breathed a sigh of relief knowing that an evil genius did not reside beneath it, and that a grave revelation was highly unlikely.  The night seemed promising.
    He opened her car door for her after parking in the driveway and they walked to the front door hand in hand.  As she stepped over the threshold, nutty notes of garlic and cheese mingled with lemon.  His house smelled of Italian food and a cleaning product. The overall effect was inviting.  The coffee table had been set with plates, glasses and utensils and a single candle sat at its center.  Though the presentation contrasted considerably from their last true date, she liked this one much better.  It felt more like them, more intimate.  His spread could have consisted of jelly sandwiches on paper plates and she would have been thrilled, as long as they got to be alone.
    “Everything looks great,” she said.
    “Thanks.  It looks better without Yoshi sprawled out in the living room, doesn’t it?” he joked.
    “Yes, it does,” she giggled.
    “Dinner’s in the oven.  I ordered it earlier and put it in to warm so that we could eat as soon as we got here.  I figured you were hungry.  You didn’t eat much at lunchtime.”
    “You’re right.  I’m starving.  I could eat this candle, that’s how hungry I am,” she rambled.
    “Please don’t.  I’m sure it tastes awful.  It doesn’t even smell very good,” Gabriel deadpanned.
    Melissa stared at him blankly.  Surely he’d known she was only joking.  She relaxed when he smiled broadly.  He had been playing around with her and looked rather pleased with himself for evoking a response.  She couldn’t quite put into words what was going on with him. He seemed different somehow, nervous even.  He disappeared into the kitchen, but called to her.
    “Did I tell you how great you look tonight?”
    Melissa desperately wished she could conjure a feisty comment to respond with, something playful or naughty to spice things up and let him know how intense her feelings for him were.  But she could not think of anything.  Her mind was completely blank, until she became acutely aware of the how much time had passed from when he had originally asked her his question.  Suddenly, her heart began to beat a little harder.  Her palms became damp.  Her thoughts became muddled and she could not remember what he had asked her in the first place.  Before she knew it, Gabriel’s stunning face was before hers.
    “Is everything okay, Melissa?” he asked.  “You’ve been really preoccupied lately.  Have I done something wrong?”
    “No, not at all.  You’re fine.  Everything’s fine.”
    He looked at her briefly, skeptically.  Certainly, she could not tell him that she worried he was not attracted to her, or lacked the desire for physical intimacy.  How could anyone ask such a question, least of all, her? 
    “Fine,” he agreed and smiled again.  “Shall we eat?”
    “Fine,” she said with an impish grin.  His smile grew and his eyes seemed to twinkle with delight.
    Gabriel brought the food from the oven to the shaky table.  They both sat and began to eat.  Melissa was wary of the garlic bread and anything that smelled pungent.  She did want to have bad breath later on when they hopefully spent a long time kissing.  She