Chapter 3. Are You Stalking Me?

After a restless day, Stuart was glad that it was evening. "Bro, I'm going to Allison's cafe to approach her. No, say nothing. We'll deal with the consequences later," said a determined Stuart.

Jaden sighed. "Do what you want, but don't come to me when you're neck-deep in trouble," he said with a death glare. Rosalie didn't come out much in the evenings, so he stayed in playing the new video game on Stuart's PlayStation. After a while, a bored Daxton and Denver too joined in. They were grounded and couldn't do anything else other than be jailed at home under their ma.

Stuart added a whiff of cologne all over him. "Don't you damage my PlayStation? Else I'll come home and finish all of you," he threatened and went downstairs.

His mom and dad sat in the living room, talking when they saw him. Before he could retrace his steps and run back to his room, his ma called him. "Stuart, come and sit here. Your dad wants to speak to you," she said solemnly.

Stuart rolled his eyes. Do they have to have this talk now when he was about to get his girl? "Ma, can we have this talk another time, please?" he pleaded.

"No, you come here right now. Your dad and I can't see you wasting your life doing nothing," she yelled and Stuart dragged his feet and sat down before them, waiting for his death sentence.

Couldn't they wait for him to finish his graduation? He had to work all his life and provide for his battalion of kids, but at least he could laze around now since he was yet to produce his own battalion.

"What? I'm listening," he said in a bored tone.

"Why don't you accompany your dad and learn to handle the business instead of lazing around the whole day?" said his ma while his dad quietly watched him.

"I will after my exams," he shrugged. "Let me enjoy my life, ma."

"Haven't you enjoyed enough?" she asked with a glare.

"Enough? I've just started enjoying and now this," he grumbled at his ma.

"What have I done God that I got such a worthless bunch of kids?" said his ma, getting up and going to the kitchen. Stuart watched her antics and then looked at his dad.

"So, what plans do you have with your life right now?" asked his dad.

"Right now, I have some other plans, dad else I'll die a bachelor all my life. Once I get my girl, I promise you I'll do anything you say," he promised.

His dad thought for some time. "What makes you think any girl would like you?" asked his dad, and Stuart's eyes popped out.

"Why? I'm dashing, I'm sexy and I'm the most handsome creature in Houston. Why wouldn't girls like me?" he asked his dad, who rolled his eyes.

"Okay, so Mr. Dashing, even if you're able to woo your girl, what will you do when she wants to go out on a date with you? Feed her air and serve water instead of drinks? 'Coz after your final exams, I shall stop all your pocket money. So, tell me how you will survive?" asked his dad and Stuart's jaws dropped with horror. He hadn't thought of that before!

"You can't do that to me, dad. Isn't it the duty of parents to see to the needs of their children?" he groaned.

"Exactly it is. You're not a child anymore, Stuart. You're twenty-three and you need to get more productive. Do something with your life, son. I don't want you wasting it," said his dad.

Stuart closed his eyes. His dad had a point there, he knew, but he just wasn't ready for a 9-5 job. He just wasn't made for that. "Think about it, son. You have a month," said his dad, getting up from his couch and going to his room. Stuart got up and walked outside to his car. He needed a drink to clear his head. He drove to the popular nightclub, Purple Flamingo, two blocks away.

The glitzy neon lights, the gyrating bodies on the dance floor, the crazy crowd, and the DJ churning out unbelievably glorious music didn’t attract Stuart’s attention. He sat broodingly at the bar of the nightclub and ordered a Smirnoff. He had just finished his first glass when a group of giggling girls entered the bar, monopolizing everyone's attention towards them, just when he needed some peace. Stuart was about to look away when his gaze fell upon her. Allison Green.

Stuart's heart thumped loudly in his rib cage with excitement at the sight of the gorgeous girl of his dreams. After that talk with his dad, he had completely forgotten his plan to woo her, but it seemed fate had other plans for him. Her companions went to occupy a table at the far end of the bar. They were celebrating a birthday. A lot of cheering and singing and drinking went on, but Stuart's gaze was hooked on Allison and he had the inkling that she looked uncomfortable in her surroundings. They brought in a huge three-tier birthday cake and a bigger group of rowdy guys joined them.

Stuart felt a wave of jealousy sweep over his body at the sight of the guys. As far as he knew, she had no boyfriend. He would have to make his move before those boys approached her, but how? He sat watching Allison drink and sing the birthday song for her friend while he burned with jealousy.

She competed with the girls, emptying glasses brimming with drinks in a gulp, causing Stuart to worry. Was she crazy? Why did she need to drink so much? Then the group started moving to the dance floor and peppy music blasted through the speakers at their special request. Stuart finished his vodka and got up to join them on the dance floor, but to his dismay, there was no sign of Allison anywhere. Where did she go? He went to look for her all over the bar.

When he couldn't find her, he came back to his seat and ordered another drink for himself. Now what?

"One vodka soda with a splash of grapefruit juice and two limes," spoke a beautiful voice next to him. He turned to see and his breath caught in his throat at the sight of Allison standing beside him on the counter.

"Don't you think you've had enough?" he spoke slowly, his eyes not leaving her radiant face and twinkling eyes. She turned towards him and froze.

The moment Allison saw the mesmerizing blue eyes which had been haunting her the whole day, she felt dizzy and drowned in their depths. Was it a coincidence, or was this blue-eyed guy following her? She was very sure that this was the guy whose mustache fell into his coffee. She couldn't forget those eyes.

"H-how did you know?" she stammered, feeling nervous about standing beside him. Was he watching her?

He chuckled. "Sit with me and I'll tell you," he said in a husky voice. Allison couldn't think straight. Her breath caught in her throat at the thought that this gorgeous man wanted her to sit with him! She couldn't believe it. All her life, she had steered clear of boys and concentrated on her studies. Her mom was very strict and clear about her rules. The day she received low grades, she would stop Allison's education completely. So, she always strived hard to get better grades.

However, today at work, it was another waitress, Clea's birthday, who had been with her for six long years and she couldn't decline. She quietly sat down on the stool beside the blue-eyed hunk. Maybe after a talk, she could get him out of her system.

Stuart watched her with hooded eyes. She was more gorgeous from this close. Her golden hair cascaded down her back, making him want to embed his face into them and touch their silken smoothness. With her eyes drawing him into their depths, he felt more excited than he ever felt before. His glance fell to her quivering pink lips that sipped the drink that she had ordered. Her ripe curvy body and her full voluptuous breasts were all drawing him towards her. He was already in heaven, being this close to her.

"Tell me now," she said, with wide, innocent eyes. Stuart blinked hard to realize what she was talking about. He was totally lost in her and had completely lost track of the conversation. With his friend down there twitching with excitement, getting harder and harder with every passing minute, he couldn't drive the sinful thoughts from invading his senses.

"What do you want to know?" he asked, trying another way to remember what she was talking about.

"How do you know how much I drank?" She asked in a duh tone.

"I was watching you. How else?" he said with a smirk, finishing his drink off.

"Why?" she asked with red cheeks.

"Isn't it obvious?" he asked, turning and staring into her eyes.

"Were you there at my cafe today?" she asked curiously.

"Took you so long to figure out?" he asked her, his heart pounding at the thought that she remembered his eyes. She blushed at his jab.

"No, I figured it out long back. I just wanted to be sure," she said shyly. "Are you stalking me?"

Stuart's jaws dropped. Should he tell her the truth?