Everyone has a weakness, a vice, something they can't turn away from regardless of the repercussions. For me, it was my sister-in-law's brother, Paul. There was just something different about him, at second glance. He was approachably good-looking, average body, dark hair. But there was a certain detached look in his eyes...a different breed of arrogance.
It was rare I got the opportunity to be around him. But when I did, I made the most of it and tried adamantly to engage him. I found that being coy didn't work. Neither did 'friendly' or 'standoffish'. After a few attempts, I knew I was making a fool of myself. But I couldn't help wanting to know that man. He was this ongoing mystery I couldn't solve. I had done some digging, but there wasn't a trace of him on the internet that I could find. The only thing I heard through the family grapevine was that he was unattached.
So there I was, at a family wedding reception. And there he was, standing around nearby the cash bar, having a drink. Upbeat dance music filled the air around me. Like clockwork, I felt myself drawn to him, so I walked over. His dark eyes avoided mine; he turned away as I approached.
"Hi Paul"
"Lisa" He said curtly, looking straight ahead.
An idea came to mind, an approach I hadn't yet tried- "I guess I must be a humiliation slut."
Paul's body stiffened, but not in a disconcerted way, in a familiar way.
"You're obviously not interested, but I keep coming back for more punishment, don't I?" I continued on with the definition, as if he required it.
Paul glanced down at me. "Why do you keep doing that?"
"I just told you."
"Because you're a humiliation slut," he smirked. Shaking his head, Paul turned to walk away from me.
"Why do you do this?" I followed him. "Why won't you even talk to me?" I was at his heels, clamoring for an explanation.
"Because I don't want to give you the wrong idea, and let you think I'm coming around."
"And that's fine." I conceded.
Suddenly, I realized we were outside. I'd followed him straight out an exit door at the reception hall. The door slammed shut behind us, muffling the sound of the music inside, as I continued my plea, "Can you just tell me why, and then I'll leave you alone forever?"
"You promise?" He leaned down towards me with arched brows.
Nodding, I reassured him, "I just want to know."
*********************
Paul reached over and grabbed the front of my throat. He steered me backwards into the side of the building. "I don't date. And what I do, isn't gonna happen with my brother-in-law's sister."