How I Met My Dream Daddy

It was a gorgeous fall day. The leaves were changing colors. It was a cool sixty-five degrees, with just enough of a breeze to move my hair in that way that looks cute and not wild. Everything felt right. My workout shorts made my butt look cute and the pink tank-top I had on looked girlie.

But then, I snagged my toes on a pot hole.

I pitched forward and skinned my knee on the cement. Thank God this park wasn't too crowded today. I would hate to be embarrassed AND in pain. It hurt so bad. I considered just laying there forever and wasting away, not sure how i could ever get up and get myself home like this.

I looked down at my knee. It didn't look great. The long scrapes up it from skidding on the cement were bleeding. I went to try and get some of the loose gravel out of the scrape when I noticed my hand was also scratched up from catching myself. The pain was just becoming too much at this point. I hung my head in resignation that there was no fairy coming to magically transport me home. I was going to have to get up and get through it.

That's when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I startled and turned my head to look at whoever was grabbing me. I made too easy a target. This was a safe area, but I was basically a sitting duck and ripe for the picking. Or kidnapping. Both seemed relevant at this point.

"Hey I saw you take quite a spill there! Are you okay? That knee looks pretty bad. Mind if I take a look?" His tone made me nod my head. He sounded like he was genuinely concerned, and that he wouldn't hurt me. Something about him made me ease up on the embarrassment I was feeling when I realized someone had watched me stumble.

He gently pried my hand away from my knee so he could look. I watched his face so I didn't have to look at what hurt so much anymore. He was tall, but then so was I. His lips were pursed, but still looked full surrounded by his salt and pepper beard and mustache. Delicious. His hair matched, just long enough to run my fingers through. It was his eyes that captured me most though. They were gray, framed by dark lashes. There was a little extra weight on him that put me at ease. I wasn't out here running because I loved running. I could never see myself with a man that was fit and ripped.

Wait, why am I talking about running My fingers through his hair? Or imagining being with him at all? I probably look like I just got ran over. My knee certainly didn't help me look like the catch I knew I could be. I sighed and then flinched as I felt his finger touching a sensitive spot.

"That looks really painful, Miss. Can I drive you home? I think your run is over for today. I can just go grab my car over there and I'll come pick you up? Okay?" It was sweet how he was going out of his way, but I probably should have been more concerned that this stranger wanted to get me into his vehicle. I know he didn't make the pot hole or make me trip in it, but it still seemed sketchy. People weren't this nice in real life right? I just didn't have the willpower to turn down his help. I could barely move.

I looked toward the parking lot and watched him get into a sleek navy car. My eyes followed the car as it crept up towards me on the park's running path. It stopped a few feet away and he got out and came over to where I was still laying uselessly on the ground. He held a hand out to me and helped me up to my feet. I could barely put any weight on the bad knee, but I managed so he wouldn't need to do so much lifting.

"Let's get you settled, young lady." He slowly moved towards the passenger side door. The door opened and he helped me maneuver myself into the seat without making me cry from the pain.

"It's Leighla. You can call me Leighla." I felt odd getting into his car without him even knowing who I was or where he would be driving me. I started blurting out directions to my house as he smoothly got into his seat. Seeing that I only lived a few blocks away, we were there not too long after. No kidnapping, thank God.

"Thank you for helping me! I hope something really nice happens to you today! You have all the good karma now." I opened the car door and moved my good leg out of the car.

"Stop." It wasn't barked at me or anything, but the tone had me freezing my movements. He got out and came around to my side and started helping me out of the car now too. The care he was taking with me made me feel off kilter. He lead me to my front door and stopped just before the threshold. "May I come in? I just want to make sure you're alright and I'll be on my way."

I nodded shyly, trying to run through each room in my head and remember if I left a mess out anywhere. He walked me to my couch just off the front door and took a quick glance around my living room. No emotion showed on his face, so I guessed I was in the clear. My house always made me feel warm and cozy, probably why it was so difficult to go out for a run most days. I was too happy being home.

"Where is your first-aid kit?" The man was looking down my hall like it was going to pop out at him or something.

"I have a couple Band-Aids in a drawer in the bathroom? But no formal kit..." I air-quoted the word kit and looked as guilty as I felt. I wasn't even sure why I felt that way. It wasn't like I was the only one out there without a formal kit. My anxiety must have shown on my face. "I can grab it from the bathroom!"

He put a hand out at me that had me pausing my movement again. "Point me in the direction of your bathroom. I don't want you moving until I get those scrapes doctored." I pointed towards the hall with my mouth parted. What was I Thinking letting this man pick me up from the ground, load me into his car, and now clean my wounds? He was doing so much for me already, I didn't know what he could want in return for all these favors.

He came back into the room and took a seat on the couch a couple feet away from me. He patted his lap and I put my injured leg on it. I was completely dazed at this point, just responding instead of being difficult with him. If he wanted to stay here and treat me with kid-gloves, I was not going to be the one to stop him. The scrapes felt less throbby now, and he didn't use the stingy stuff. He looked up at my face, and I'm not sure what he saw there but the worry lines on his forehead smoothed out and that made me feel better too until I remembered what kind of band-aids I owned. He opened the first once and didn't look surprised though. Just as sure and confident as he had been helping me with everything else so far, he put on my Little Mermaid band-aids.

"Thank you, sir", I sounded timid to my own ears and hoped he didn't think I was scared of him. He had been so nice. I was just embarrassed by the entirety of today's events. I did notice how his eyes relaxed when I called him "sir" though. I wondered if he was part of The Community. My community, the one filled with people that craved the same control, give and take, spicy relationships that I did.

"You don't live with anyone, do you?" He sounded both curious and like he was carrying some kind of responsibility for me on his back.

"No... why?" I moved my leg off of his and sat up straight, avoiding his eyes. No one had lived with me since college. I felt so lonely most of the time. Most of my free time was spent with my nose in a book, reading about the life I wish I had. My friends were nice, but I never felt understood by them the way I wish I was.

"Boyfriend to come over and help you if you need it?" His eyes glanced around the room again, presumably to search for a hint of a man. No man here. No pictures of us at a sports game on the wall. No pair of men's shoes next to the door. Nothing here but me and my soft throw blanket.

"No... no boyfriend. My mom would come though if I needed help with something. Not sure what I would need help with though. I am a strong, independent woman." I said the last bit more for myself than for this kind stranger that was helping me. This whole day was making me feel especially needy and dependent. The worst part? I would totally let him keep going with treating me with this high level care. He just seemed like the nicest guy I had met in awhile.

"Mind if I put my number in your phone then? In case you need help? I live a few blocks away and can be over in a jiff if you need anything." I handed him my phone and that was when it hit me. This man was putting his number in my phone for a couple of scratches. I must not have embarrassed myself too bad if he still wanted to see me again. Maybe he has a thing for damsels in distress.

We smiled at each other, and he stood. "I will let you rest up. With any luck, you'll be back running at the park again in a few days. I hope to see you again. Soon." Before I could formulate a response, he was out the door.

And I didn't even learn his name.