Characters: Actor Chris Evans, OFC Kayla Brooks

Warnings: Language, Fluff

Chapter 3

The following week Kayla walked into Von’s and waved at Beth, her favorite cashier. Kayla shopped at Von’s frequently and Beth was usually working. She noticed Beth pull out her cell phone, a cardinal sin according to the store manager, and hoped whatever Beth was doing was important enough to risk her job. Maybe Beth was having personal problems because she had done the same thing the last time Kayla was in.

Kayla was very methodical when she was grocery shopping. She tried to be methodical and rational about everything in her life really. It was realistic. She slowly made her way up and down the aisles and was stopped in aisle 8 looking down at her phone app when someone bumped into her cart. She looked up in annoyance and stared into familiar ocean blue eyes with hints of smile lines surrounding them.

“You’re a hard girl to track down. By the time I got here last week you were already gone. Nobody here seems to know any personal information about you other than you pay with cash and you shop at the same time every week. 6:30 on Tuesday and Thursday. You really should vary your schedule though.” He dropped his voice to a mock whisper, “Stalkers.” Her jaw dropped open as she stared at Chris Evans.

Kayla was stunned but recovered quickly. “You mean kinda like you are now? How did you find me?” She couldn’t help but notice he was dressed very casually in sweat pants and a plain white form fitting t-shirt that outlined his muscular frame. She wondered if he dressed that way on purpose or if it was at the request of his publicity team.

“Beth at the checkout was kind enough to be my lookout. She promised to call me when you came into the store.”

Kayla’s eyes flew open wide. “You gave her your phone number? You wouldn’t let me use your phone in an emergency but you gave Beth your phone number?” Her voice rose as she spoke. “And you think I should be worried about stalkers?” Chris noticed that the flecks of brown in her green eyes intensified when she was angry.

“Relax. I bought a pre-paid phone.” He held it up proudly totally missing her point. “I’m not foolish enough to give her my real number.” He seemed pleased at the way he managed to track Kayla down like he was a detective.

Kayla did a double take, not expecting his preparation and not liking his confidence. Time to take him down a peg. “Whoa, that’s some Jason Bourne kinda shit. Did you use code names too? Is everyone in the store in on this scheme? Are there double agents in play? Am I on a hidden camera right now?” Kayla looked around the store mock scanning for cameras.

“Wait, are you a Jason Bourne fan?” The look on Chris’ face was quite sincere and serious and Kayla felt a shift in the tone of their banter. She didn’t know what his play was.

She tried to keep it light so her reply was both serious and sarcastic. “Jason Bourne is a boss. He’s only the most bad-assed spy in the history of spies. He’s the MacGyver of spies.” She suddenly got caught up talking about one of her favorite characters. “I mean, sure James Bond is a legend and Sherlock Holmes, well for a man of that time he was brilliant. But Jason Bourne is in a class of his own. I mean seriously, Jason Bourne is a badass motherfucker.” She threw her hand over her mouth and looked mortified but Chris just threw his head back and burst into laughter, drawing looks from other shoppers.

“Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry. That was totally inappropriate. I’m supposed to be a lady and I should not be speaking like that. Especially in public and especially to a stranger. My mother would kill me right now.” Kayla hung her head and shook it back and forth, red faced and completely embarrassed.

Chris put his fingers on her chin and lifted her face. “It’s okay. I think it’s refreshing. I like girls who are real and aren’t afraid to say what’s on their mind. And to be honest, cursing is a little bit of a turn on.” Chris winked at her. He winked at her.

Kayla’s face then grew scarlet colored so Chris did the only thing he could think of to diffuse the situation. He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her lips.

It was so innocent and felt so tender. And those ocean blue eyes . . . Kayla blinked once, twice and then again. Her cheeks slowly returned to their normal ivory color. She took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, thinking. Chris noticed her hands were pressed to her side.

“You didn’t mention why you were stalking me at the grocery store.” She said it so matter-of-factly Chris was impressed by how quickly she turned the awkward situation around. “Why on earth did you want to find me so badly?”

“When I rescued you the other day you left without even letting me ask you for your phone number.” He grinned at her, the trademark Chris Evans grin she had seen in every magazine on the shelf.

With a straight, innocent face Kayla asked him, “What makes you think I would give you my phone number?” Her tense body visibly began to relax.

“I dunno, because I’m such a sweet guy?” He upped the ante and gave her his most endearing smile and the crinkly eyes, even adding an arched eyebrow. She wasn’t going to buy into it.

“I know a lot of sweet guys.” Kayla said as she slowly started to push her basket down the aisle.

Chris followed her, abandoning his empty cart, “I did get your keys unstuck from the trunk of your car. I rescued you.” He was enjoying this challenge.

She picked up random items from the shelves, pretending to read the labels without looking up at him. “Any locksmith could have done that.”

Chris countered, “I didn’t charge you for it.”

Kayla slowly turned and gave him a subdued look, “I get the impression that I’m about to pay for it now.”

Chris had a very bad feeling. He wasn’t used to women saying no. It wasn’t that he was perfect; he was just usually set up with women who didn’t say no. He hoped he hadn’t pushed her too hard. His heart began to race. “Will you have dinner with me?”

Kayla scrunched up her nose. “Chris you are a really sweet guy. You saved me when you didn’t have to. And you obviously tried very hard to find me. I don’t want you to take this the wrong way.” She took a long pause then looked him directly in the eyes. “But, no.” Then she walked away.

Chris stood in stunned silence.