1: First meeting

 Part I

Amelia was standing in front of the mirror getting ready. This was one of those rare Friday nights where she was going out on town with her best friend Linda, something she didn't do very often. Partying and drinking was just never really her thing.

 She brushed her long blond hair, contemplating whether to leave it down or put it up, deciding to leave it tumbling down her back. She finished off the light make-up, looking into her own blue-grey eyes, this had to do.

 They were going to a karaoke bar, and she put on a pair of skinny jeans and a fitted T-shirt, that left about an inch of her abdomen visible. She was rather happy about the way it showed off her body without being too much.

 She was a slim girl and until she turned 18, she had been really skinny without any curves. But suddenly both her breasts and her behind had grown in and the boys started paying attention.

 Now she was 23 years old and she was happy about how she looked, she was athletic without it being too much and had curves without it getting vulgar if she had to say it herself.

 "Hi Ami, are you ready ?" Linda smiled at her when she stepped onto the train and flopped down next to her.

 Amelia nodded. "Yes, well as ready as I'll ever get for a night out, no it is going to be fun. Is Kasper okay with you going out ?"

 Kasper was Lindas boyfriend, they had been together for almost two years and Amelia thought they were perfect for each other.

 "Yes of course, he knows I am with you and you would never get me in trouble". Linda said grinning.

 Amelia had only had one boyfriend in her life, Daniel, whom she had met when she was 18 years old. They had been together for 3 years and she thought they were forever, until she found out he had cheated on her again and again, she hadn't had a boyfriend since.

 She shook her head. "No, as always it is probably you who will try to get me in trouble".

 "You can't stay single forever because of that asshole Ami. You are so beautiful and have so much to offer the right guy". Linda said with a sweet smile.

 Amelia shook her head again. "I could easily find some guy, but most men can't be trusted. You are so lucky to have found one of the rare exceptions".

 "But then don't find a boyfriend. Just let your hair down, have a fling, before you turn back into a virgin". Linda said grinning.

 She rolled her eyes. "You know that is not my thing Linda, and let's just say, that the selection of men around here is less than satisfactory".

 "Or maybe you have impossible standards, no man can live up to all those criterias". Linda said teasingly.

 Did she ? She actually didn't think so, she just didn't want to waste her time on a man that wasn't the right one. It wasn't so much the looks, but of course being hot was a plus. It was more something intangible and of course the way he acted and carried himself. And most importantly how he made her feel.

 She shrugged. "I don't think I am choosy. I just know what I want, and especially what I do not want".

 When they walked into the bar and sat down with a drink, they started looking around and Linda asked. "Not one single interesting guy ?"

 "Nope can't say there is, haven't seen one above a 6 yet". Amelia answered grinning, why did Linda always try so hard to find someone for her ?

 Linda took a sip of her drink. "Let me guess, nothing less than a perfect 10 is good enough for you ?"

 "Stop it, a solid 9 would suffice or even an 8 if he had other talents". She said, lifting one eyebrow.

 Linda shook her head. "Those talents you ain't gonna find out about if you don't even talk to them".

 "If someone remotely interesting shows up, I promise to talk to him". She said, looking at the stage, they were setting up for the karaoke to start.

 They were having fun, laughing a little at the really bad ones. Then a blond guy came on stage. "That one Ami, he is really cute".

 "Well he does look kind of cute, he could maybe get an 8". Then he started to sing and Amelia made a face. "Okay forget it, he just slided to a solid 6".

 "Just because he got a bit of a shrill voice ? Seriously ?" Linda looked at her like she was crazy.

 Amelia looked at the guy again and shook her head. "Just imagine him moaning your name in that voice, not just couldn't go there".

 They both started laughing at the idea. Amelia knew she had some peculiar ideas about men sometimes, but some things just really turned her off. Maybe something really was wrong with her.

 "Then that one, he is a whooping 10 if ever I saw one". Linda made a notion with her head and almost drooled.

 Amelia turned her head and then looked back on her friend, with a look of horror on her face. "Seriously, did you see his arms ? They are totally hairless, he has women's arms".

 "What is it with you and arms ? You can't seriously decide whether a man is worth a second look based on his arms". Linda looked ready to give up on her.

 Amelia emptied her drink. "Well I am not going to be with someone who has arms like a girl, and he shouldn't shave his legs or chest either, a man should look like a man".

 “Don’t you mean like a werewolf ?” Linda laughed and Ami rolled her eyes, but she couldn’t help but smile.

 They were talking and watching people go by, getting a second drink. Sometimes Linda would point out some guy, but Amelia always found something wrong with them, too small, weird eyes, too self-absorbed and so on.

 Mostly she would hand out a 5 or 6, there was a couple of 7 and one single one that could have been interesting if it hadn't been for a wedding ring.

 "Sweetie I am sorry, but I got to go, Kasper is promising me mind blowing sex if I come home. I guess he misses me". Linda said grinning.

 Amelia stuck out her tongue at her. "You just go home to your perfect 10 and have some amazing sex, and leave me here with the scum of the earth. No, it’s okay, say hello from me. I will probably get a cab when I have finished my drink".

 The two friends hugged and Linda hurried out, home to her Kasper. Amelia sighed, it wasn't that she didn't want a boyfriend, she just hadn't seen anyone since her ex Daniel that took her fancy.

 She emptied her drink and got off her seat. But when she turned to walk out, she slammed right into something very hard and fell on her behind. It was like hitting a brick wall, but who the hell put a brick wall there ?

 "Oh fuck, I am so sorry". A warm voice said in English, he sounded american she thought and a big hand with long fingers reached for her.

 She grabbed the hand and let her eyes wander up the person impersonating a wall. First thing she saw was a pair of really big feet wearing converse and then long legs in nice dark grey pants.

 "Uhh thanks". He was wearing a snug black long sleeved sweater, it had three buttons at the neckline and the top one was open, she got a glimpse of dark chest hair.  His sleeves were rolled up to the elbows, revealing strong masculine arms, nothing girlish about those arms.

 His voice brought her back to reality. "Are you okay ? I hope you didn't land too hard".

 "No, I think I am okay. I thought for a moment that I walked into a wall". She answered without thinking, too occupied with studying him.

 His lips were quite full and looked soft and he had dark stubbles, kind of like a 'haven't shaved for 3-4 days' beginning beard, his hair was dark as well, short at the sides and longer on the top, smoothed back.

 He laughed, it was a warm and soft laughter and the huge smile that followed made the corners of his eyes crinkle. He had the most amazing eyes, they lit up the room and sucked her in, they were hazel, she had never seen that exact colour before.

 "A wall, really ? I don't think I have ever been mistaken for a wall before, it has to be because you are such a tiny thing". He said teasingly.

 "Or maybe you are just really big, have you thought about that ?" She shot back at him, and he really was, at least 6'3 and kind of broad over the chest and shoulders, but with a slim waist and long legs, all in all he was quite a sight.

 One of the corners of his mouth slid up in a lopsided mile. "I might be, but I am still quite certain you are a tiny thing".

 Usually she didn't feel small, she was a normal 5'6, but next to him she felt kind of tiny, just reaching his shoulder.

 "Are you here all alone ?" He looked around to see if someone was waiting for her.

 She shrugged. "I was here with my friend, but her boyfriend missed her too much and talked her into coming home, so she left me. I was just about to leave to".

 "Well is your boyfriend missing you too much too ?" He asked, eyeing her curiously.

 She shook her head grinning. "Very discreet, very smooth and no I don't have a boyfriend, just didn't want to sit her all alone".

 "Was it that obvious ?" He asked, making a cute face that said 'whoops I got caught' at her.

 Amelia nodded. "Maybe just a tiny bit, but I guess you are not here with your girlfriend then ?"

"Nope, no girlfriend, mate or any other of that sort. I am here with a friend" he said with a sweet smile.

 “Mate ?” She asked, that was a weird word to use.

 He smiles a bit sheepishly. “Wife… mate is just a slang word used where I come from”.

 Amelia didn't really know what to do or say next, then he cleared his throat. "Would you like to come sit with us for a bit ? I feel I kind of owe you a drink as an apology for imitating a wall".

 "Okay then, when you ask so nicely. I am Amelia by the way, but just call me Ami, all my friends do". She didn't know why she said yes, there was just something she liked about him. Something that kinda pulled her to him.

 He sent her a flashing smile and grabbed her hand kissing it. "A pleasure to meet you Ami. My name is Connor, just call me Connor, everyone does, even if they don't know me".