Scanning the sidewalk, I spotted a figure stumbling in the shadows between streetlamps. It was Lilli, but something, or someone, else too. A shadow draped over her back, arms encircling her shoulders. She stumbled again, causing her to drop something.
My heart raced, blood pounded in my ears. Lilli was being attacked. Brining my car to a screeching halt, it would be until later I realized I pulled onto the curb.
Jumping from the car, not bothering to shut the door, I hurried to Lilli. Grasping the back of a long dark trench coat, I yanked the figure off Lilli.
"Leave him alone!" Lilli's protest stopped me from tossing her attacker to the ground.
"Aidan, what the hell are you doing?" She reached for the man, grabbing his arm and pulling him to a bench. In the yellow light bathing the bus stop, I could see her attacker. His weathered face, dingy worn clothes, he was an old man – probably homeless. Lilli spun back to me.
"What are you doing?" Confusion wrinkled her forehead.
"I’m sorry, I thought that he was…that you were…" She caught on to my thoughts.
"Oh. No, no." She brushed by me and bent to pick up a scarf from the ground. "This is Crazy Joe. He usually lies here on the bench, but he must have found a way to get booze tonight. I found him down the street on the curb." Walking back to the bench, she smiled and laid his scarf over him. "I couldn’t leave him on the ground, so I was helping him to the bench."
Taking three steps closer to her, she turned, leaning against the bench.
"But thanks," She lightly punched my shoulder. The moment she touched me a wave of heat rushed from my shoulder to my toes and back up through my body. She seemed to feel it too, but quickly recovered. "You’re my hero!" Placing one hand to her forehead and the other over her heart, she faked a swoon. "I'll be fine, you can head home."
"Why don’t you just let me drive you back to your apartment?" I already saw the argument on her face. "It will make me feel less guilty about leaving you standing in the dark alone."
To emphasize my point, two young men staggered down the opposite side of the street. The minute they laid eyes on Lilli I saw their grins. I stepped further into the lamps light. Catching a glimpse of me, they decided to keep walking.
"I’ve got Crazy Joe," she giggled.
"Yeah, but it doesn’t look like Crazy Joe is up to being a hero tonight," I grinned.
"Fine, but quit following me." She teased, her eyes narrowing playfully, her lips upturned revealing her dimple.
Opening the car door she paused, looking over the car.
"What kind of car is this?" She slid into the brown leather seat.
"The Audi E Tron." Closing the door, I hurried to my door and slipped behind the wheel.
"So, what's that?" She looked over the car's brown, white and gray interior.
"It's one of their electric concept cars." Starting up the car, I put it in gear and gently backed down from the curb.
Lilli snorted.
"What?" I stole a quick glance at her shaking her head and then turned back to the road.
"I didn't picture you as the environmentally cautious type."
Even with my eyes focused on the road and traffic in front of us, I could hear the smile in her voice.
"Are you laughing at me?" I faked hurt.
"No. Not at all. In fact, it's quite refreshing to see a guy not trying to make up for lacking in other areas for a change."
I hit the break a bit too roughly at the stoplight. "I don't know if I should be insulted or thank you for the compliment."
She nodded. "Compliment." Though, it sounded more like a question than a confirmation of her meaning.
The stoplight changed to green. The rest of the drive was full of pleasant conversation before we reached her and Dixon's apartment building.
"Thanks for the ride." She grabbed the handle and opened the door.
"Lilli?" I blurted.
"Yeah?" One of her long, dark wash jean covered legs stretched out of the car, but she turned to look back at me.
My mind went blank. I didn't have anything to say. I just didn't like the idea of her getting out of the car.
"Sleep well. I mean, good night."
"You too." With a smile she was out of the car, door closing behind her.
Grumbling at my idiotic prepubescent boy behavior, I pulled away from the building and into the throng of traffic back to my apartment.
Chapter Four
Family Dinner's and Discussions
Aidan