The Postman 2

Faith is sitting in her living room, on the soft, warm rug, her back leaning on the sofa, a glass of white, semi sweet wine in her hand. Slow, gentle music is playing in the background. Her eyes are drawn to the bright flames licking the firewood, and she's lost in her thoughts, seemingly forever. Sipping some wine she almost misses the refreshingly sour after-taste, when the doorbell rings. She jerks, nearly spilling some of that delicious wine, a frown forms on her pretty face. She isn't expecting anyone this late.

She carefully peeks through the window but the single figure in front of her front door is obscured by the large rose bush she loves so much. Sighing, she decides to risk it. After all, it might be something important.

Hesitating only a moment Faith unlocks her front door and turns on the light outside, illuminating the most handsome man Faith has ever laid eyes on. He has long black hair which he adjusts from his face leisurely, deep, sparkling brown eyes, and a tall, lean body. She realizes she's staring open-mouthed when the stranger's eyebrow shots up, his lips curling in an amused half-smile. Faith is horrified by her actions and quickly clears her throat. But before she can speak, his eyes slowly darken. As they travel down her body, Faith is painfully reminded of her domestic outfit. By the time his eyes meet hers, Faith's cheeks are brightly red.

"I didn't mean to startle you," he says, his rather deep voice doing to her the exact thing he claims he didn't mean to do. Somehow she didn't expect him to sound like that. Well, she did expect him to sound sexy like that, she admits to herself, just not that deep.

"Um, you didn't... You just... remind me of someone," she says. "Someone I've read about," she adds, not exactly sure why she had to share this with the man she never even met before. But he seems pleased and she blushes some more.

"Anyone... good, I hope?" he smiles down at her and she has to smile back, although her insides are melting under his gaze. She chastises herself internally for letting a stranger evoke such reaction from her, may he remind her of the almost perfect male character she had been thinking about through all evening however he likes. Faith clears her throat once again and tries to compose herself.

"How may I help you?" she asks, thanking the good fortune to have been able to produce a voice.

The stranger seems amused by her attempt at resisting his charms. He casually leans on the door frame, almost entering her personal space but she refuses to give into the urge to step back. His proximity almost consumes her every other thought until he hands a package to her.

"If you're Faith J. Flint, then I have this package for you. It's from Purplestone Publishing House."

Faith gapes at him. She hasn't even noticed that he was holding a small package this whole time.

"But... you're not wearing a uniform," she states, as if that changed the fact that he had a package for her.

"No. I was on my way out when this was delivered. It says 'Urgent' so I thought I'd dropped it off on my way home. I live down this street actually. So if you ever want to talk, here's my card. Please take the package. By the feel of it it's not a bomb. It's a book."

He winks at her, making her blush even more. Faith takes the package and his card, admonishing herself quietly for being so obviously smitten by him. She feared he had bad news. But then again, maybe he was the news. Bad or good remains to be seen, she thought to herself.

"Thank you," she says quietly before closing the door slowly. "Good night."

But for a moment, he doesn't move away. His smile is gone, so is the casual manner he presented for the entire encounter.

"Call me."

Faith shivers under his serious gaze and nods before she can stop herself. His pleasure at her response is unmistakable. He groans, although quietly but appreciatively so. A moment later he's gone and Faith is leaning against the now locked door, gasping for air. Did this just really happen to her? Did she just really meet her own dream?

As Faith looks down, fear, anxiety and hope fills her whole being. On the package she holds his card. It has only a phone-number on it. No name, no address. She sighs, she was hoping to at least learn his name, but for the time being she'll just think of him as... the postman. And for tonight, she'll just have to find a way to busy her mind with something else for not to go crazy with her own imagination. She smiles, unwrapping the package. He has brought her the exact thing she needs. A new book. A new world. A new dream.