"The reason I talk to myself is because I'm the only one whose answers I accept."
~George Carlin

After dinner, we have a bit of discussion about his work because I found it a bit interesting and we have a laugh, but I notice Eli checks his wristwatch now and then. At first, I was lost but soon remembered his glasses were scheduled to go off at a particular time.

"How much longer do you have?" I ask as he glances at his wristwatch.

"Ten minutes and I don't want you to see me use the stick," he admits, hints of embarrassment in his voice.

I find myself smiling stupidly, but manage to roll my eyes, "Don't be silly, Eli, you came into my room a few days ago with a stick remember?" I remind him.

He rolls his eyes in return, "You're not helping, young lady." He scolds although his cheeks heat up. "I wasn't on a date and trying to woo you over with science talk then." He jokes with a small voice.

"I have always been yours, Eli, but don't worry, you wooed me over with your science talk." I inform him and getting up to my feet, "alright let's walk the rest ten minutes to your car, handsome!" I blurt out and I see emotions flicker in his eyes at the name I just called him, but he remains quiet and gets up with me after dropping a wad of cash on the table.

This is too much tip if you ask me.

"I have to be honest and admit that when I asked you out yesterday, I didn't think it would be this perfect." He confesses his tone holding much truth in them.

"Me too," I admit more to myself than him.

"Will we be doing this again?" He asks as we take the turn towards the parking lot and he puts his arms around the small of my back.

I tense up and Eli also senses it because he begins to withdraw his hand, but I hold on to his arm and smile up at him.

He dips his hand into his pocket and brings out a pack of cigarettes and that surprises me because I was never told he was a smoker, but then he offers it to me. I am taken back and almost give him a confused look when I remember that Anna smokes and he's probably thinking that she might want to have one now.

Smoking was one of the things I told Anna I wasn't going to do, and I told her if anyone bothered to ask, I'd tell them it was because I was quitting.

"Thanks, but I'm quitting," I reply with a gently shake of my head.

He seems extremely surprised but impressed. He returns the pack of cigarettes into his pocket.

"I hope the pressure from mother isn't why you're quitting."

"No, it's personal, I might stumble back, but for now, I am not," I emphasize that just so that it doesn't leave Anna in a complicated situation when she returns and begins to smoke.

We walk for a while before he speaks "I've been wanting to kiss you since I saw you yesterday, I must confess."

"Why haven't you then?"

"I don't know how you would react," he admits, insecurity in his voice. "I didn't want to push on something you didn't want, especially since it's been so long." He trails off, but his desire cannot be ignored.

I clear my throat, "But you wouldn't know unless you try to." I respond.

I do think he's charming and an amazing human being, but if I had things my way, I would not want to kiss him but what I want isn't relevant.

"You're right," he agrees and pulls me closer before closing the space between us and I feel his warm breath fanning my face and causing tingle through my body. His arms around my waist tightens and his grey eyes darken a little before his lips finally meet mine.

My legs give up regardless of my struggle to keep them strong and butterfly erupt in my stomach as my mouth is plundered lovingly by this man. I grab onto him for support and need and I kiss back wanting to give back as much as I'm getting. And when I feel his tongue at my teeth, I immediately open to him, letting him in and his hands around my waist loosen and not long after I feel his hand over my clothes shielded breast and he gives it a light fondle. I moan into the kiss and though my mind tells me this is going too far especially because we are in public, I cannot bring myself to care.

This is Anna's fiancé, Quynn, get a grip. My mind scolds me and I clear my throat and push him off me a little. He immediately obliges and pulls back from me and as I struggle to regain my breath and I look up and I see mixed emotions of frustration and pain on Eli's face and my heart begins to beat unsteadily and I wonder if it because I kissed longer than I'm supposed to or because I pulled away.

Maybe he finally figured the truth and is considering dragging you deceitful ass to jail.

"Is something wrong?" That was a stupid question because the looks on his face showed something was wrong.

He presses his lips together and turns away from me, "I can't see you anymore." He answers with his voice filled with sadness and pain.

I exhale in relief and my eyes close, but still, my heart goes out to him.

"It's nine pm and the Sight is automatically programmed to shut down." He explained before pulling off the glasses on his face and carefully slotting them into their case and then back into his pocket before turning back to look at me, his grey eyes swimming in what happens to be unshed tears and my heart breaks a little on the inside for this man.

"I'm sorry, Eli, tonight has been amazing and even now, it's still the best nights I've had in months. And I know how important seeing is, but I am happy with the man that you are either way. As long as you've got that heart of yours you're good to go."

He chuckles a little feeling a bit relieved because the look on his face has shifted from sadness and pain to mild happiness, "You never told me that before," he points out pulling out a small iron rod and stretching it into a long walking stick.

"You've never given me the chance to before," I answer him.

"You're right, I haven't given us a chance in a long time, I've always kept away especially after Sight project took off. But it's really nice to hear you say that, thank you," he smiles genuinely and the tears in his eyes finally roll down his face and he quickly wipes it off. "You're not supposed to see me use the walking stick and cry at the same time." He says and mumbles a cuss under his breath.

My heart warms at how different Eli is compared to the others I've met and I can't help smiling harder, "Well, you're not crying, if it makes you feel better, it's just a tear."

He rolls his eyes, "Yeah right. "

I take his hand into mine, "Can I ask you something? And this question is more than eight months late but still better than never."

He glances down and his eyes settled so firmly in mine that for a moment I believe he still has his vision, "Sure, what's it?"

"Do you see anything once Sight goes off?"

"No," he replies. "It's not complete blackness, the cones and rod correction surgery changed the complete blackness into more of a dimmed vision."

Hence partially blind.

He pressed his lips together, "Just like now, I know there is an image beside me but it's hard to tell unless I smell you or hear your voice." I remain silent, not knowing what to say, "I love that you're curious to know, Anna, now, I need to take you home." He says, rubbing my hand that's locked in his as we finally approach the car.