Following Arcas

6

My panic doesn't last long, though, because as soon as I start my frantic search for the escape artist I call my pet, I spot her wrapped around the stranger's arm. As she contently slithers her pearly body up and over his shoulder, he just stands there, a hint of a smile on his lips and a glimmer of amusement in his eyes.

For a moment, I'm struck. Here is Gaia, who usually scares the pants off of anyone who meets her, climbing onto the insanely handsome man whom I've just met and stupidly invited into my home. His eyes follow her head, which grants me the first moment to study him without his attention on me. Now standing in a lightened room with normal ceilings, I can deduce that he must be at least six-foot-five, his hair is the same color as the darkest oak wood, and his eyes the same as its leaves. His arms are covered heavily in tattoos, but not the cliche roses and crosses. These are beautiful landscapes of stories: thorns turning into lotuses turning into an intricate pattern of lines and finally into a welcoming sun. My eyes easily follow the path of dark to light ink on his canvas-like skin, and I have to pull myself out of my mind as I begin to become infatuated with finding the meaning behind such a beautiful piece of artwork.

I shake myself out of my drooling and bring my quizzical stare up from his arms to find him looking right at me with a knowing smirk. As if just now realizing, I gasp and reach forward to relieve him of Gaia's hold, trying to ignore the fire that has resided upon my cheeks.

"Shit, sorry, I really need to start putting books on top of her cage..." I start to pick her up from his shoulders before he backs away with a little shake of his head.

"It's okay, I like it. I had a snake when I was a kid, his name was Harry." He explains while he steps over to the tank to lower Gaia down until she is back in her home. He puts the top on and almost as if he had read my mind, put a book that was laying on the table on top of the lid. I give a small laugh, still slightly embarrassed that I hadn't done that in the first place.

"What a coincidence; all of my friends are terrified of her." I should have said friend, as in Kade because he is quite literally my only friend, but that would just make me sound lame. Maybe that's why I invited him in... Am I that lonely?

"Well, let me show you the guest bed," I say, waiting for him to grab his bags before turning and leading him down the hall. I turn lamps on as I pass them, having to remind myself that not everyone thrives on the ambient light of a few warm-toned lights like I do.

When we get there, I am grateful that I cleaned the sheets after Kade crashed over here one night that we drank just a little too much. The walls are eggshell, the furniture dark brown, and the curtains a light shade of blue. I hadn't had much money to put into this room, but I tried to spruce it up with a few nature photos and a nice, white down comforter.

I step in aside to let him push through the door frame and set his luggage down.

"It's not much, but at least the bed is comfy and you get a view of my garden. The bathroom is just across the hall, and my room is the one next door if you need anything. Do you need anything?" I think to ask before making my escape. He looks around for a moment and shakes his head before slowly stalking to me with a small smile drawn across his lips. I can't tell if it is a smirk or a genuine smile, but I don't get much time to decide before he speaks again, his deep, raspy voice filling the room as he does.

"I think I have everything I need... except for your name, bee."

I had totally forgotten that we didn't even know each others' names yet; I had gotten so accustomed to calling him "stranger" or "the man" in my head.

"Not until you tell me yours, tree." I cross my arms over my chest defiantly and give him a little smirk of my own, almost proud that I am not currently a puddle on the floor in front of him.