• T H E F A D E D R O S E • C H A P T E R O N E • L U S T •

It was Friday night. Carrie and I sat at the local restaurant, as we usually did- examining the menu in order to decide what our next food victim would be.

The rain came down heavily outside the large window, and people scurried around till they reached a safe cover. Cars drove by the edge of the sidewalks, splashing puddled water all over the place. It was always raining in Seattle. Not once did we get a break.

"I've tried everything on this menu." Carrie groaned, letting out a small sigh filled with disappointment. "I don't know what to get."

I gave her a sly smile, closing my menu and sliding it over to the edge of the table. "I'm getting the Mediterranean Salad."

She chuckled, shaking her head. "You always get the Mediterranean Salad."

I shrugged my shoulders. It was my favorite thing out of all I've tried- which was basically the whole menu.

Carrie placed her menu on top of mine, taking a sip of her sweet tea as her eyes wandered around the joint. She smirked once she landed on a much older male, who quickly switched his eyes back to his drink once ours landed on him.

"He's been checking you out." Carrie's mouth widened with an odd happiness, "You should totally go talk to him!"

I shook my head rapidly, "He looks twenty!"

She cocked an eyebrow, "So? He's hot."

I studied his features as he continued to pretend to not notice me, but I knew he did. His eyes flickered back and fourth from my dark brown locks to the chestnut beer in his hand. He wasn't very good at hiding his stare.

He indeed was hot, though. Long dirty blonde hair that fell to the sides of his face in loose waves- his noticeably bright green eyes peeping through the tiny strands that fell over his eyebrows. A tad bit of scuffle that lined the sharp edges of his natural jaw line. Boys my age didn't have a semi-beard- which might be why I was digging it.

"What can I get for you guys?" Micheal, our waiter asked. His dark blue eyes focused themselves on me, a genuine smile forming on his outer lips.

"The usual." Carrie responded, handing the menus back  to the guy.

"Sure thing." He flashed a small wink into my direction, grabbing the menus and disappearing into the kitchen.

"Looks like you've got two admirers." Carrie giggled, downing half of her tea.

My cheeks turned a shade of pink, as I lightly swatted her comment away. She loved it when boys gave her attention- so it was only normal for her to love it when the male focus was on me. Her only goal in life would be to get me a man- and a real man, like the one sitting at the bar.

I casually flickered my eyes back to the strange, mysterious man sitting alone at the bar- but this time, he didn't bother to look away. He matched my gaze with his own, never breaking the stare as he continued to sip the remains of his beer.

Carrie began to tell me a story about what had happened earlier at school, but I didn't pay attention to any of it. The only thing I could comprehend, was how the man who used to be sitting at the bar, was casually approaching me with the half-emptied beer glass in his hands.

"I'm sorry to interrupt-" His deep, sexy voice began, "- but I must tell you how beautiful you are."

Carrie's smile widened, "I'll give you two your space." She flashed me a wink, before taking her purse and disappearing into the ladies room. On the inside, I screamed for her to come back- but on the outside, i wasn't so sure I wanted that.

He took Carrie's seat, leaning back and examining every part of me. His eyes trailed across each part of my body- and I loved every part of it.

I knew it was wrong- because he was clearly much older than me, but it was something about what was going on that made me crave it more and more each second. Maybe it was just the male attention, who knew- but I wanted it. I needed it.

"What's your name?" He asked me, before taking a small sip of his beer.

I smiled smugly at him, in attempt to make myself seem older and less childish. "Hailey."

He stroked the scuffle on his chin, "Precious." He cooed, my heart beginning to skip a beat. "I'm Travis."

I bit my lower lip as I nodded, waiting for him to ask another question. I don't want to sound desperate, even though I knew I was. I wanted him to want me- as much as I wanted him.

"Do you live around here?" He asked me, leaning forward against the table. His eyes focused on mine, as he gave me a curious stare.

I nodded, "Just outside the city."

"That's still quite a way. How did you get here?"

"We took the train." I grabbed my water, biting the straw as I sipped the liquid down my throat. It secretly hoped it would quench my thirst- but it only increased it.

He nodded slowly, "Well don't bother taking it home. I'll give you two a lift."

As if his words were her cue, Carrie strolled back over to us. "I'm sorry, Hailey. My mom needs me to come home asap. I'll call you tomorrow okay?"

I wasn't fully aware of what she was saying, so I nodded. It wasn't until she started out the door that I realized she was leaving me- but on purpose, judging by the wink she gave me outside the restaurant windows.

I was nervous to be left alone with this man I barely knew- but at the same time, my hormones raged. This was what I wanted, even though I was reluctant to admit it.

"Do you live here?" I asked. There was an intense silence between us, and I needed to break it. I needed him to continue to speak to me. His voice filled my ears like the melody of my favorite song. I wish I could put it on repeat, and just listen to it over and over again.

"As of today, yes." He set his emptied beer down, combining his hands as his toned, muscular chest leaned slightly over the table. "I've just moved here from New York- job reasons."

I nodded, dropping my gaze to the faint outline of his muscles that peaked from inside his plaid, buttoned down shirt. My insides raged. Perfect, so perfect.

"What do you do?" I tilted my head to the side, gazing at him seductively. I knew it was wrong- he seemed ten years older than me- but that didn't stop my mind from telling me I wanted him.

"I'm a photographer." He explained, his eyes glistening with pride in his profession. "A record label around here signed me to be their main photographer."

"I've always loved the art of photography." I shared with him, recalling the collection of different types of cameras lined against the shelves on my teal walls. "But I've never been that good."

He chuckled, "I can teach you."

I narrowed my eyes playfully, "Are you sure you're up for the challenge?"

He winked at me, "Always."

His hand fell into the pocket of his tight jeans, and he wrestled with its contents- pulling out a fine leathered wallet. He opened it, dropping a hundred dollar bill down onto the table.

"Come with me." He said, standing up from the table. "Let me show you where I live- for the lessons, of course."

This was dangerous in so many ways- yet I still obeyed him, nodding and following him outside to his car. He unlocked a silver Chevrolet Corvette- opening the passengers door for me.

I smiled with appreciation, hesitantly sitting my body down on top of the fine, black leather that coated the seats. He shut the door, and my heart began to race.

What was I doing- and why?