Wicked game (chapter 1)

The world was on fire and no one could save me but you.
It's strange what desire will make foolish people do.

- "I really like your writing, you know." 

It's the sexiest thing a woman could tell him. He never felt so confident and masculine as he felt when someone would compliment his work. His work were words. And his words were his life. So, when she said she liked his writing, he heard that she likes him. In his mind there was no difference between the two. 

And he surely likes her. In fact, although they met just a couple of days ago and this was their first date, he was already in love with her. Of course, it wasn't the "I'd die for you" kind of love, nor even the "happily ever after" one, but it was love nevertheless. Love that most people couldn't understand, so he never tried to describe it. Even in his books. 

- "That's very kind of you to say. It's always nice to meet a fan. I can feel this evening will give me something to write about." - he said the most generic thing he could possibly say. That is because he could feel his cheeks blushing as she said that, and he couldn't think of anything better. He was like a child sometimes, especially when he was in front of a beautiful woman. At the beginning.

- "Oh, I'll take that as a compliment. Even if I'm sure you said it before."

He just smiled and took a sip of his drink. She was onto him, and that made him like her even more. 

- "It is a possibility that those words have left my mouth in the past, yes. But I can recall it. So, I'll admit nothing."  

She couldn't help but giggle, and he knew she was disarmed. He had this power that he could disarm any woman with his words and his charm. To be fair, it was difficult to him to approach a woman, that always felt like hell. No matter the scenery, he was never sure how to do it, what to say... But once they were one-on-one like this, she was on his turf. And he could play it anyway he wanted to. Not that he was a player, far from it. He never even wanted to be one. Every time he met a woman he already pictured them buying furniture within the first hour. 

- "I have to ask, in your last novel, that girl Elodie, was it really that bad in reality?" 

- "What can I tell you? Mistakes were made, hearts were broken, harsh lessons learned. 

But you shouldn't believe everything you read." - he smiled at her. 

- "Oh really? I thought you only write about things you know?" 

- "I do, but I change it a bit. I'm not writing chronicles. It's about 50-50 fiction and reality. I call it semi-fiction. Sometimes it's 70-30 or 30-70, but all and all it's 50-50." 

- "So, I could end up some kind of vengeful bitch in this story?" 

- "That's a possibility, yes." 

- "I'm a bit reluctant about dating a writer now..." 

- "Nonsense. Of course you want to date a writer. Who wouldn't want to be immortalized like that?" 

- "Vanity card? Well played." - she smiled seductively. 

- "We're all vain, more or less. Which is not necessarily a bad thing. Anyway, what's the alternative? Another Mr.IDriveAnExpensiveCarSoYouHaveToSuckMyDick who replaces women with a younger model more often than his overpriced car?" 

- "They're not all like that, you know." 

- "I know, I know. But I've seen more than enough to runaway from that corporate bullshit of a world. It makes me sick just to think about it. I would rather wait tables for the rest of my life, trust me. 

I mean, look at them just here. They're all here with their wife/lover/girlfriend and there's not a single one of them who didn't undress you with his eyes. Or any other woman for that matter." 

- "That is true! I noticed that. Why do men do that? And by the way, I also noticed that you don't do it. So, you earned a big point there." 

- "Well as much I would love to take credit for that, I do have an unfair advantage over any of them." 

- "Oh yes? And what would that be?" 

- "I'm already here with the prettiest girl." 

- "Well, aren't you the sweet talker? I'm sure it's just another line you use ." - But she couldn't help to blush. And she put her hands on his. 

- "Once again, I may have said it before. And I probably meant it. But that doesn't mean that I don't mean it now. I'm sure you're told repeatedly every single day how beautiful you are. You must know it by now." - Now he was holding her hands and looking her deep in the eyes. There was nothing else for them to do at that point but to kiss. As he was leaning towards her, he had this feeling in his guts that this could really be It. 

- "Wow... So you really think there'll be a story of us?" 

- "I'm positive. You know, I had a really hard time for the last couple of months and I have this wonderful feeling that all that is changing tonight." 

- "Isn't it a bit too soon to tell?" 

- "Oh, don't get me wrong. I'm sure you'll find the most creative and painful way to break my heart someday. But I'm willing to take that risk." 

- "Right. The vengeful bitch." 

- "The vengeful bitch... I already have a title." 

They were both laughing and they left the restaurant. Like a real gentleman he was, he walked her home. Which wasn't that far away. 

- "Would you like to come up for another drink?" - he just kissed her again. 

As they were entering the appartement, he noticed that she has a record player. Straight from the door. A record player! And the record that was outside was Rumors (Fleetwood Mac). And he was sure he loves her now. But that's another story...

What a wicked game you play to make me feel this way.
What a wicked thing to do, to let me dream of you…