Dindi Pt. 01

I didn't know this woman. I had -unfortunately- never seen her before, but I could tell she wasn't happy with me. She had the most expressive eyes, as if it weren't enough for them to be so beautiful.

A crease appeared in her forehead. She looked puzzled. Her eyes moved farther up and they met mine, and her reaction made me held in a breath.

She blinked a couple of times and her mouth hanged open. Her entire face softened, and she pulled a lip inside her mouth with her teeth. I'm sure she didn't even notice she did that. It just made me want to press her to the nearest wall and kiss her.

I couldn't for the life of me stop smiling at her. She was exquisite. Truly a beautiful woman, probably in her late twenties, and not very tall at all. She had to tilt her head back to look at me. I would have to bend myself to kiss her...

She ran her hands up and down her arms like she was cold and I had the urge to hug her and warm her with my body.

"Were you trying to blind me?" She asked, clearly bothered.

I took me a second to process she had just talked to me. She had an accent, just like George's. It was delicious to hear her talk.

I shook my head, not believing how affected I felt by her.

"No."

My brain was mush while I looked at her, so I couldn't elaborate my answer. How could I explain to this woman that what I actually meant was that I wanted to save her image, to be able to look at it for as long as I had the ability to see? She'd think I was insane, if she didn't already.

She tilted her chin up, eyeing me with a comic, scrutinizing look. I'm sure I looked like an idiot, but I was just amazed by how beautiful she was. She wouldn't fit any beauty standard to a T, but you'd have to be insane to say she wasn't pretty. No, not pretty. Beautiful.

Everyday I photograph all kinds of women. Throughout my career I must have photographed thousands. But none of them had that magic to them, that invisible magnet that drew me to her.

She kept looking at me with the corner of her eyes. I didn't know whether she was just plain curious or if she was watching me to make sure I wouldn't attack her or something. I couldn't read her.

"Are you cheeks hurting yet?" She asked, turning her entire perfect face at me.

The corners of my mouth could touch my ears with the smile she elicited in me.

"No." I answered, again not elaborating. My brain was empty, except for her in there.

"Alright." She said suspiciously lowering her head.

I guess she really did think I was retarded. But I really liked the way she looked at me. Her eyes were full on reservation, but held some curiosity too. Of course she couldn't know what she was doing to me and I didn't have the guts or the ability to explain it. I didn't know what it was, but I just had to look at her.

In another one of those nervous ticks, her hand went up to her ear and she put a mass of curls behind her ear. I have never been so jealous of a hand or an ear. Her skin looked so soft I could kill a man just to have a chance to touch it.

Looking up I saw that the elevator had arrived to our floor and I knew I had to say something before she ran.

"You are exquisitely beautiful, you know that?" I told her exactly when the elevator doors opened with a 'ping'.

She turned to me with wide eyes.

"What?" She croaked.

Whether she didn't hear me or just wanted me to repeat myself, I couldn't tell. So I just said it again.

"You're beautiful."

She looked back and forth between me and the opened elevator with bewilderment like she had to make a choice. Stay with the insane man or run from him?

"I have to go." She said, pointing to the elevator.

She probably decided in favor of me being insane and was trying to run away.

I watched fascinated as she stepped inside, leaned in to press a button and waited. They way she oscillated on her feet told me she couldn't wait to be away from me. She was smart, then.

She risked a glance my way and I just smiled back at her.

I felt insane. I was chasing a woman I didn't know, and kept smiling at her like a creep. Of any reaction I could have, smiling was the only thing I could do while looking at her.

The doors started to close. I watched immobile as my view of her narrowed. Her hazel eyes were fixed on me with an unreadable expression. It was like they dared me.

Do something!

My subconsciousness convinced me she didn't want to leave me. When the doors were almost closed, and I couldn't see her anymore, it hit me. Don't let her go. Not yet. My hand slid in the one inch gap and stopped the doors from closing completely. They cringed and reopened.

Her eyes had been glued to her feet, but then she looked up startled. I stepped in beside her and her head followed my movements. She opened her mouth, but quickly shut it again, turning her face to the closing doors. The elevator started its descend and then it was just the two of us, alone in that compact iron box. Her smell was all over the place, overwhelming me.

She gave me a furtive look and I just kept smiling and smiling at her. Then again, I said,

"You're truly very beautiful."

She didn't look at me, but I saw her eyebrow shot up in surprise, and I think I saw her cheeks flush under her brown skin. But I couldn't tell for sure.

"Thank you." She said carefully, only briefly turning to me.

I chuckled nervously. Her tone was that one women assume when they don't care for your flatteries and you're about to be blown off.

Fuck. I was scaring her away.

I cleared my throat and compelled myself to behave like a proper human being.

"What's your name?" I asked her.

George had called her Mo. I wanted -needed- to know what Mo stood for.

She turned her heart-shaped face to me wearing a stunned expression. She bend her head down, shaking it slightly before looking up.

"Shouldn't you have asked me that before taking my photograph without my permission?" She darted a suggestive look at my camera.

She was a spunky one.

I laughed.

"I'm sorry. I've told you I'm sorry. But really, it was your fault."

"Excuse me?" She scoffed.

I laughed of the expression of pure indignation on her face.

"Well, you can't just walk around looking like that and not expect me to take a picture of you." I accused her.

She meant to say something, but when she opened her mouth only a breath of annoyance came out.

I was teasing her when I was supposed to be charming her. But her expressions when she got mad were to die for.

"Look, Mr-" She began.

"Travis." I interrupted her. "Travis Keegan." I introduced myself, offering her my hand.

She hesitated. I could almost hear the ticking of her brain, trying to decide whether to take my hand or refuse me. The way she looked at me left no room for doubts. She thought I was a crazy man.

But I needed to get at least her name before the doors opened and she ran from me. With her name I could find her again.

Deciding in my favor, she put her hand in mine. I caressed the back of her hand with my thumb. I could swear I felt her shiver. The skin there was incredibly soft. My imagination took control of the situation when I wondered if her whole body would be that soft.

Something surged up my spine, and then it came down again, reaching my groin.

Damn.

If I got a hard on now, then she was sure to run for the hills screaming and I would never see her again. For some reason that thought scared me.

The doors opened with another 'ping'. I had completely forgotten where we were.

I felt her pull her hand from mine, but I held hers tighter and put my other hand atop our joined ones.

"Tell me your name." It was a whisper. A plea.

Her lips parted and I could almost hear her saying it, but then the damned doors started to close again and she jumped startled, slipping her hand off of mine and rushing out the doors before they could close.

I meant to run after her, but changed my mind. I just stood there watching her hair flying behind her as she all but ran from me. Before the doors closed completely I took another shot of her. And then the doors closed and she was gone.

What the fuck are you doing, Travis?

I didn't even know her name.

Mo? Mo what?

There was a song playing in the background. Bossa Nova or Jazz. Classical elevator soundtrack. I had been so focused on her I hadn't noticed the song. It was a Frank Sinatra song I think. I remembered listening to it in my father's old records. It was one of his favourites.

Dindi.

That was the name of the song.

Dindi.

'If I only had words I would say all the beautiful things that I see when you're with me. Oh, my Dindi...'

Except she was gone, and I was left speechless with that nagging feeling I had just let something precious slip through my fingers.

*****