Kissing Her(3)

“And now you have,” I say, interrupting what I’m sure would be a well-rehearsed speech. “Next time I’m taking it out of your ass.”

“I’m sorry, times are tight and I didn’t—”

“Enough,” I say, and he stops talking. “You don’t get to dip into what’s mine and walk away. Pack your bags and get the hell out of town. If I see you again it’s going to be at the end of a barrel. Do you get me?”

“Yes, sir,” he says and I hang up.

I tuck my phone in my jacket and sigh. I’m becoming soft. Years ago I would have shot him the second I found out and ended it there. But I’m tired of ending lives for stupid shit like taking a cell phone out of the new shipment. I got the money for it and Leo is gone. That’s enough for me to not care.

My stomach growls and I realize it’s been a while since I’ve eaten. There’s a taco stand close and I go over and grab a couple with a beer. There’s a bench nearby facing the water and I go over to it. There’s a young girl perched on the end of it eating a fresh churro and looking down at the ground. She’s bundled up in sweaters and a coat and looks like she’s freezing.

“Mind if I sit here?” I ask her, and she looks up at me startled that I’m there. Her honey brown eyes meet mine and the color is so jarring I nearly drop my food.

She doesn’t say anything but nods as she looks nervously to me and then to the bench.

I’m so struck by her eyes that it takes me a second before I remember to move. Her blond hair is peeking out from under a hat, but her scarf is over most of her mouth. There’s just one small part pulled down that she’s using to eat her churro and the rest of her is wrapped in wool. For half a second I thought she was too young to be sitting here alone on this bench, but those eyes are of an old soul.

I clear my throat and sit down as I set my tray of tacos next to me. It’s not that cold out, but from the look of the girl you’d think it was below freezing.

“Why are you sitting out here if you’re freezing?” I don’t mean the words to come out so harsh, but I’m beginning to worry if someone left her here.

“I can’t stop eating them,” she mumbles around the bite she just took and holds up the sugary stick wrapped in wax paper. “I’ve had four already.”

She smiles at me, but I only know that because of her eyes. She looks so happy as they light up.

“I may have to try one when I’m finished.” I eat my first taco in two bites and then drink half my beer. I have the second one gone before I take a breath and now she’s staring at me like I’ve got two heads. I shrug as I pick up my third one and smile. “I was hungry.”

“Sorry,” she says and looks away, embarrassed. “I didn’t mean to stare. I mean, I had four churros and that was after dinner, so I really have no room to talk. I never have this much sugar at one time and I’m feeling a bit jittery.”

Her words fall out in a rush and I laugh a little as I wipe the napkin across my mouth. She sounds like a kid who's been given caffeine for the first time in their life. But I can tell this is pure joy for her and it’s a bit infectious.

“Think you could go for a fifth?” I ask, and she thinks for just a second before she looks down at the ground and shakes her head.

It’s then I wonder if it’s about wanting one and not being able to have it, or if it’s about the money. A young woman like her shouldn’t be alone on the river out here at night.

Getting up, I go back to the stand and get two more churros. I hand one to her and it takes her a second before her small gloved hand reaches out and takes it from me.

“Thank you,” she mumbles and greedily eats it.

“They’re pretty good,” I say when the warm, chewy sugar crunches between my teeth. “But I don’t know how you ate five of them.”

She laughs as she looks over at me. “I think I’m on a sugar high.”

“You look sweet enough,” I say, glancing over at her. Her cheeks turn bright pink just before she looks away.

We sit in silence for a bit as we watch the swans swim by and I keep looking over at her.

“Thank you for the extra sugar,” she says abruptly and stands up. “I have to go.”

Before I can say a word she takes off at a quick pace in the opposite direction of where I need to go. I stand up and for a moment I’m frozen in place. I don’t know this young girl, but I feel a need to protect her. I’m not a good guy and certainly not a hero, but there are much worse men out there than me and it’s not safe for her.

I debate for only half a second before I’m walking in the direction she went. I take long strides and in a few moments I can see her ahead. She’s not walking very quickly like she should be this time of night and I try to keep my distance, but she turns around and sees me.

There’s a moment of panic in her eyes followed closely by relief.

“Hey,” I say as I hold my hand up and try to keep some space between us. “Let me walk you to your car.”

“I’m glad it was you,” she says and looks down at the ground. “I got scared for a second.”

If she only knew who I really am. I wish I could see all of her face and she wasn’t wrapped up in all those layers of material. I want to see all of her hair and her mouth and everything beyond that. I’m ashamed at my thoughts and try to control them as I walk in step beside her.