I watch as Zak rubs his eyes with his hand before looking at me leaning against the grocery store shelves.

For the past ten minutes I've been filling him in on Gemma the gym Bunny and Ed.

"You seem tense." I tell him causing a scoff.

"Really? Maybe it's something to do with the woman following me around the store with her nonstop talking?" He guesses.

I hum in thought. "No it's something else." I tap my lips in thought before snapping my fingers "You're hung up on your ex girlfriend, who is banging her personal trainer and you stupidly thought that when she stayed out overnight that she was at her friend's and not having a hot steamy sex session with him in the back room?"

"No." He deadpans making me sigh. "I am not Ed."

"No, you aren't." I observe.

His eyes are an ice blue with flecks of green and brown but through the mixture it looks gold.  He's taller, definitely taller and I'd roughly put him at six foot and a little bit more. 

There was tattoos, I say that plural from the one on his finger and the hint of one on the back of his neck that I saw as he tried to speed walk away from me.

"How many tattoos do you have?" I ask.

He frowns "Do you have A.D.D by any chance? Your thought process is everywhere."

"Nothing diagnosed. So tell me, how many?"

It was hard to tell how much ink he had under the long sleeve black shirt and jeans.

I'm guessing his favourite colour was black. Everything about him was black.

"Why do you want to know?" Zak questions.

"Curiosity." I shrug going back to the conversation about his body work.

"I have seven, because one tattoo is split into two." He says placing his hand onto his forearm. I look him over, wondering where all  seven are placed before smiling and looking at his shopping basket.

"You're a healthy eater."

"Is that from your observations or the fact you've badgered me about everything I've picked up?"

"Both."

"Look, I apologise for the second-date plan with Ed... But do you think this is normal?" He asks gesturing between us.

My head tilts "I don't follow..."

"You. Following a complete stranger around the store to make a point. I could be anyone..."

"But you're not anyone, you're Mr Zak." I reply and watch as a smile quivers his lips.

"Well you don't know a thing about me and frankly, it's getting uncomfortable..." He says.

I look at the shelves "Because you're looking at condoms or because I'm here standing here talking to you whilst you look at condoms?"

He sighs and gives me an irritated look. I should take hint, leave him alone and go about the rest of my evening, but like I said before, I'm curious about this man. I feel like I need to know more.

Zak reaches out and picks up a box making me whistle "Sure about that?" I ask watching as he handles the box.

"I'm pretty sure."

"Fair play, question. Does the curtains match the rug or..."

He's about to speak, heck maybe even yell at me when a woman appears at his side. Whoever it is, it makes him tense up.

"Hey, Zak. I thought it was you." She giggles bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Kim, hi. How are you?" He asks. For some reason the whole sentence comes out awkwardly, it's like a car crash waiting to happen..

So I watch a little longer. Of course...

"Amazing. You? You look great." She says resting her hand on his arm.

His laugh even sounds nervous, there's no way this guy is nervous around women, he's too good looking and his whole demeanour changed when she appeared.

This must be an ex girlfriend and right now, he's drowning..

Life boat or weight around his neck? I ponder looking at the shopping basket on the floor and the dropped box of condoms he had snagged up.

"You been working out?" She asks pawing him further.

She might be a nice girl, but this man has got me in a situation that I'm afraid I won't be able to escape, especially if Ed speaks to my 'friends' before me.

Dammit I should have called them first than chase after this enigma..

This girls whole vibe is sugar baby, from the sprayed tan to.... has she got talons for nails? Holy smokes.  Deciding that Zak hasn't kept up his offer of listening to me moan on about Awkward Ed, I step in.

"Hey, I'm Elle." I speak appearing from behind Zak who had almost put himself as a human shield between us.

The woman's eyes flick to me before going back to Zak, her recognition of my presence passes like a breeze. I was clearly nothing to be threatened about.

"There you are." Zak says suddenly pulling his arm away from Talons and wrapping it around me. "You got everything you need, sweetie?"

Wait what? What's happening?

Talon's eyes soon flash back to me and I could have sworn they flared in colour. If she had a superpower, it would be burning me into dust right now.

Zak leans down and kisses my temple, using my head to discreetly growl "Play the fuck along."

I giggle "Of course my love."

"Oh, Kim, this is Elle. Elle this is Kim." Zak introduces us quickly.

Kim's eyes stay focused on me, making me wonder if I still have that salad sauce on my top. This woman looks intimidating when you piss her off, and right now, she looks very pissed off.

"Nice to meet you." I smile. Please don't kill me..

"Right." She says before looking at Zak. "So I was wondering if you're free one night? I have something I want to show you."

"Like what?" I ask. Because again, curious.

"Like it's personal." She answers.

"Should probably see a doctor then. Zak is pretty busy lately." I answer.

"It's true, I am. But if it's something you're concerned about, you could send it to Bill-"

"No. Only you. I don't want to send it anywhere... I was hoping we could maybe talk about it over dinner."

"Now we are talking, I love food. It-"

"No kidding." She says looking at me up and down. "I also mean just myself and Zak."

It sucks to be body shamed, kind makes me wanna snap her little plastic neck like I used to do to my barbies, and bowl their heads down the corridor, like I was some Emperor conquering a towns army.

Can't image anyone would want to see a head rolling down aisle 10 but needs must some time.

I feel Zak's hand tighten on my hip as my fists clench.

"Like I said, I'm pretty busy. So unfortunately I won't be able to help."  Zak says making Kim's eyes shoot back to him.

"Your loss. I'm in town for a couple of weeks, incase you free up some time." She says flicking her eyes at me before turning on her heels.

"What a bitch." I huff turning to look at Zak. He's about to reply when Kim chirps in.

"Oh and it's great to see you're still doing charity work Zak." She smirks.

It was clearly directed at me and as I go to step forward Zak takes my wrist, to keep me firmly at his side.

"Do not, do whatever it is that you're thinking.." He says.

"Don't know what you mean?" I reply calculating the distance between Kim and myself.

I could still catch her...

"Seriously? You were practising some bowling move. You made an awkward conversation, a thousand times worse.." He mutters picking up his shopping basket and walking off.

"Hey wait up. I need to know who that was!"

"No you don't.."

"I so do! You went all preteen boy about to nut in your pants. Honestly you were ramrod tense. She an ex?"

"That obvious?" He says putting his  shopping onto the conveyor belt at the checkout.

I follow him to the end of the check out and put my stuff up to help him pack, because men are useless at packing things.

Or in my opinion they are.

"I can pack." Zak deadpans.

"I know, but you can pay and fill me in on the gossip instead." I smile.

He groans in response but moves up the checkout to pay.

He also fails to tell me anymore.

I try to tell him that talking is a part of therapy, to aid him on the road of healing but I get told to shut up and soon we are heading towards our cars.

"Well it's been.... Eventful." Zak says.

I nod. "That it has. Nice to meet you Mr Zak."

He smiles "You too, Elle."

As I get into my car, I try to turn on my phone, but the battery is dead, so I can't chew my friends ear off about Ed and then tell them about Zak.

Zak was just my type, in the looks department obviously, hell I had no idea what his personality was like from the moments I spent with him. He was a healthy eater and had a clear obsession with fruit. I also knew his condom size after packing them away.

Even if he had to slap the box out my hand when I let out a low whistle causing the girl behind the check out to pinch her lips together to stop a giggle.

I start up my car and pause when I hear a car horn as a Bentley rolls past very slowly, Zak is behind the wheel and so very smoothly lifts his hand as a goodbye before leaving.

Now who the hell brings a Bentley grocery shopping?!

Like I said, curious!

And I didn't even get his number.