Free Learning To Let Go (Short Erotic Story) by Angelique Nicolas Page B

read Devin Naciemento. Her eyes were working their way through his name as she tried to frame a pronunciation in her mind. “My great grandfather was from Brazil,” he said when he saw her reading it. He slipped the card back into his wallet. “I’m told it’s a common name there, though I wouldn’t know personally. I imagine Devin isn’t quite as common”
     
    “No, I’d imagine not.” Dahlia replied, mostly just looking for something to say. “There’s a cute little coffee shop around the corner here. We could walk if you’d like.”
     
    The bell on the café door jingled as he swung the door open for her to pass. “Do you come here much?” he asked as she waltzed past him, trying not to appear hopelessly smitten or vulnerable with this obviously experienced and comfortable man.
     
    “From time to time,” she smiled and tapped the rolled up uniform in an exaggerated gesture.
     
    “I travel a lot, so I’m in the city frequently enough, but never for very long.”
     
    “What do you do that moves you so much?” she asked as she wrapped an arm around the lamp post while they paused on the corner.
     
    “They call it consulting, or sometimes I’m called an analyst, but mostly I help big businesses figure out how to get people to do what they want them to do. Sometimes that’s marketing to outsiders, sometimes that’s manipulating employees so that they want to do the job they’re already being paid for. It can mean a lot of things.”
     
    “So you’re a professional manipulator.” She suddenly felt like she had the upper hand. She had him labeled as an outsider and now she had a reason.
     
    “Ok, maybe I shouldn’t have said ‘manipulate.’” She thought he’d feel like he was in trouble now, but he obviously didn’t fluster easily. “I help people figure out what they want, how to get it, and how to get others to want the same things. It’s like being a therapist for entire companies at once. It sounds crazy, but for some reason I’m good at it.”
     
    The coffee shop was lit with trendy colored glass lighting in yellows and browns. It seemed very chic, and Dahlia was glad she had suggested it. The barista stole a long, obvious, and satisfying glance at Devin as Dahlia looked through the list of drinks. “Tall skinny latte.” She ordered and paid, not leaving him the chance to pay for her drink.
     
    She chose a small table in the corner, away from the bustle of the foot traffic coming and going with their cardboard cups of rich earthy caffeine. Devin sat down across from her, and studied her quietly.
     
    They talked and laughed, and then drank their coffees in silence for quite some time.
     
    “I’m leaving in another week.” Devin started. I have another engagement in London I must see to, but I’m nearly finished with my work here, and I have some time to kill. A week’s worth of time really.” Devin sat quietly for a minute or more while they studied each other. “Would you like to go down to the beach for a walk?
     
    Dahlia looked at him quizzically. It’s a sad fact that no one that lives near the beach ever visits the beach, but he, of course, wasn’t from here.
     
    He smiled warmly at her, and leaned in closer. “It’s not dark yet. It’s a public place. No danger there.”
     
    She smiled, conscious of how paranoid she must seem. “It’s not that. I just haven’t been to the beach in a long time, and I live right here. It’s kind of sad.”
     
    “We tend to take for granted that which is most available. It’s tragic.” He looked at his empty cup. “We could go and watch the sun set over the water, and make a very un-tragic evening of it.” He looked up to meet her eyes. It was more like he was telling her that they were going to go on this outing instead of asking her. Somehow he just knew she would go with him.
     
    Dahlia shook her head at herself and laughed a little. “Why not?”
     
    “I’m parked in the deck a few blocks over. Do you