Part 2 - Stephanie

Deacon. God that man made my body light up like a Christmas show.

Deacon made me feel things all over my entire body.

Things I don't think I have ever felt in my entire existence. When he grabbed my hand it was like an instant tether to him. There was absolutely no going back to anything I had before the moment I met him.

When I walked away from him my body was screaming to go back. For once, even my conscience agreed. Hearts and minds are never in agreement either. Especially mine, but my body unfortunately kept moving out the door.

Why did I feel like I knew him? He looked so familiar and so did the guy walking in as I was leaving. I had to have seen them somewhere, this town is too small to not know everyone.

I stared up at the stars in the sky outside of the Mexican restaurant. I wanted to go back in and shake him and ask why I felt this way towards him, but I was a complete and utter chicken shit. Plus that would definitely put me in the psycho stalker region of a relationship.

I had work tomorrow, and if I did go back in there I wasn't going home alone tonight. I needed to concentrate on my work. New school and new year.

I sighed and closed my eyes listening to the small amount of traffic around me. I live in the middle of nowhere and the population of this town is just shy of 4,500 people.

I needed to get out of this town but I couldn't leave my insane family behind. They all live here. My parents? I have no clue who they are. I never met them, they passed away two days after I was born. My adopted family are the ones that raised me.

So it's just me at home with my dog. Tucker. He's an old hound dog that has been with me since I graduated high school. My literal best friend.

A cough interrupted my thoughts. I jolted up and my eyes went wide at the person standing in front of me.

"Stephanie." Deacon said lowly. His voice deep and gravelly made a shiver slip down my spine. I wanted to moan at the way he said my name.

"Deacon." I said breathlessly.

He looked at my car and smiled. "Coffee?" He asked and point to the small cafe that was two doors down from the Mexican restaurant. I nodded in response with a small smile. I don't even know if I could form another word with this an standing so close to me.

A man came bouncing out of the restaurant after Deacon.

"Yo man when are you going to-" and his question died out as he looked from back and forth between Deacon and I. A small smirk played on his face.

"You must be Stephanie." The man approached me as I eyed him carefully. He reached his hand out to shake mine. I instinctly looked to Deacon and he nodded in return. Almost like he knew I was worried that this man knew me.

I turned and shook his hand, "You are?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Aaron. At your service m'lady." He answered, now displaying a huge smile.

He turned to Deacon and gave a handshake man hug goodbye. He quickly got in to his truck, waved, and drove off.

I watched the truck leave the parking lot and then I turned slowly to Dean. His arm was out for me to take it, and I smiled softly as I slipped my hand into through the crook of his elbow.

Everything in my body, mind, and conscience screaming to stay with him and never let go. I felt like I was going crazy.

We sat there for another hour. He stared, I stared, we caught each other staring. Almost not saying anything other then small comments about the coffee, the fucking weather, the baristas, or refills. It was closing time as we were walking outside. His rough large hand grabbed mine and slowly encased mine. His callouses rubbed my softer hands and I smike at him.

"Deacon. Can I be blunt?" I asked and he nodded in return looking down at me. His towering frame made me feel so small. Being 5'7" I was very average for my height. He had to of been 6'3" or 6'4" at least.

"I feel like we've met before. But I don't know how or why. It's freaking me out." I said trying to be as brave as possible, as I tucked a piece of my brown hair behind my ear. His eyes followed my hand as it went through my hair.

He smirked and shrugged, "Maybe in a past life." He said deeply. His hands landed on the sides of my arms and he kissed my forehead. His lips lingering on my forehead.

He slipped his grip away from my arms and grabbed my phone from my other hand. He unlocked it with ease. I should probably put a password on it or something. He typed his phone number in and winked at me.

Not uttering another word he walked me to my Jeep and I crawled in. He gave me a long stare and turned and got in his car. I drove off feeling alive. More alive then I ever have before.

Tucker waited for my patiently on my front porch as I drove up. His tail wagged and he bounded up to greet me as he ran to the front door. Unlocking the door and coming inside made me feel almost lost. Like I shouldn't be here. Like I should be with Deacon.

It kind of scared me in a way because I had just met him and I didn't want to scare him off right away.

The next morning came too quickly. My dreams were enveloped with a man that made me feel like my nerve endings were on fire but his touch made me come alive.

I walked through the fluorescent lit hallways to my classroom. Teaching high school history was not an easy job. No teaching job was easy in all honesty. I sat down my two bags of paperwork down on my desk. My first class started in 20 minutes, as I saw an opportunity to send my mystery man a text.

The phone now in my grip, I just stared at his contact information. How would I write it?

Hey babe.

Hey this is the weird stalker girl from the restaurant.

Hey I couldn't get you out of my dreams and now I have a lady boner the size of the Marianna Trench for you.

Like how the actual hell do I even have friends at this point? I can't even write a hey.

"Miss Callum?" A voice asked me from my doorway.

"Hey Jay. What can I help you with today?" I looked up and grin as I see my favorite nephew walking in to my classroom. My question was ignored when he answered me.

"If its that guy from the Mexican restaurant you should just say hey. It isn't that hard. Plus he was really in to you. Sabrina and I saw you go in to the coffee shop together." He said with a smile as he sat down at his regular seat.

"Shuddup Jay. And why were you and Sabrina still there? Still making out in your moms car?" I asked smirking as students started slowly filing in to the classroom.

That's how my day went for every period. In between classes I had about 10 minutes to regain some sanity before having to explain to children that Christopher Columbus enslaved people and did not actually land in the USA. I rolled my eyes as I passed out the last of the papers that the kids had written for part of their midterm. Mostly As and Bs but of course there were a couple that didn't care and didn't want to do the work.

"See you all in a week. Have a great November break." I yelled. Some kids don't celebrate Thanksgiving. I don't because of the circumstances surrounding it but I definitely get Turkey Cranberry sub from Wawa or a Pub Sub. Maybe both this year.

My phone had buzzed sometime in my last class and I could just now answer.

It was definitely from Deacon. And yes all it said was, Hey.

Hey to you too. Isn't there a rule stating you wait like 72 hours to contact a girl after a first date? I texted back smiling.

So it was a date? His retort came back quick.

Maybe 🤷‍♀️ I answered with a laugh.

Ok - 2nd date. Saturday. 7pm. Your address? He wrote back even quicker then the last.

So cocky. I didn't even say yes....

Ooooo sorry I'm meeting with my much buffer and manlier other date then. Reschedule for Friday? I wrote back being a smart ass.

Yes. His short answer came through.

Damn no comment on the other date? I frowned. I thought I would at least get a response or annoy funny Stephanie.

My phone buzzed again quickly and I wasn't expecting another response.

I looked down at my phone and smiled wide.

Also, tell the other guy that I saw you first and he has no chance of winning this fight.

I barked out a laugh and received a couple of side glances from some students still littering the hallways.

But damn did that not turn me on a bit. I blew out a huff as I tried to calm down a bit. Way too early for that...right?

The rest of my week went by agonizingly slow. Every day the same thing - At work by 730, Home by 430, Eat dinner, phone call with my friends, and then bed. A few texts with Deacon sprinkled in to keep some excitement going.

I was so nervous for the date and I wanted to see him so bad. We didn't talk much other then that conversation but I knew he didn't talk much. I'm just thankful Friday was an early day and Bridgette and I were going shopping for my date that night. After a quick wrap up of my last class I practically ran to my car.

After looking broth racks of clothes I realized I didn't even know what kind he had planned.

Out shopping for an outfit for tonight and I need to know how to dress. I texted Deacon quickly.

"..." was the only notification I got from him that he was texting something. That man didn't like to talk so I knew it couldn't be that long of a text.

I rolled my eyes. I would come in wearing a sack from some potatoes if he didn't tell me. Or my sweats. But no one wants to see those. Those things need to be burned and I definitely need a new pair.

Comfortable. Was his one word response. I groaned rather loudly in the store as Bridgette and the sales lady stared at me like I had grown a third head.

"He said comfortable Bridgette." I groaned again.

She laughed, "Typical guy. Ok dark skinny jeans, this blue top, and these sandals. This man had better have a huge dick."

"In my dreams he does." I said sticking my tongue out at her and she laughs loudly.

"Girl you need to get laid at this point. How long has it been? 3 years?" she asked pushing aside some more shirts on the racks.

"3 years, 2 months, 5 days." I said with a long dramatic sigh.

My nights definitely weren't dreamless. In fact my dreams were becoming more intense as I got closer to my date with Deacon. Everynight it ended up in the same thing.

Dreams of myself in a dress with him by my side. A blanket below us as we stared at the sky, talking about constellations, and laughing at silly jokes, and mind blowing sex out in the open...ya know to round out the date.

I needed a night out and some good dick. Hopefully I can find out about this connection between the two of us. It's driving me crazy not to be able to put my finger on why I feel this way about him.