The sky was a faultless blue when I awoke on Wednesday morning, the beaming sunlight streaming through my windows like a relentless wind of warmth, indicating the beginning of the glorious heat of the summertime. It made my apartment view of L.A breathtaking: skyscrapers shined in the flawless atmosphere like regal jewels, making the backdrop of the guileless blue almost too surreal to look at. 

But I was distracted, unable to appreciate the full beauty of it all. 

It had taken me a while to get ready for the day, but now I was nervous as I scrutinised my reflection in the mirror in front of me. A bulky, frowning man met my gaze, his tie-less, black Armani suit looking a bit too tight around his shoulders and arms. I knew I should've gotten fitted again, but I'd just been too busy to even think about stuff like that: my mind was otherwise occupied with all the rubbish going on with my job, as well as the girl who had me all dressed up currently. 

I was more excited than I would've liked to admit at the prospect of seeing Carmen again. There was something so different about her that was so refreshingly enticing. She wasn't a confident, open person like most girls in Los Angeles, who would tell you their life stories after about five minutes of meeting them. In contrast information almost had to be pried out of her: she seemed to be so self-contained that she gave off an aura of mystery and secrecy, which was completely alluring to devilish, cunning men like me who enjoyed figuring people out. 

And that was completely disregarding the fact that she was gorgeous, an embodiment of temptation. 

But I couldn't allow myself to get carried away with her attractiveness. I needed to leave. I checked my reflection one last time before walking out and locking the door behind me.

When I got down to the garage, I picked my Black Jaguar to impress Carmen with. I wasn't a massive car person, but I liked the opulence that came from owning a flashy vehicle which could build up an impressive speed so quickly: every man knew that if it wasn't fast, it wasn't worth it. 

I hadn't been in a car for ages because I didn't need a vehicle when I could shift wherever I liked, although it was frowned upon to do it in popular places where suspicions could arise, so I had forgotten how fun it was to actually drive. I was smiling widely by the time I reached the cafe, but then my nerves returned full-force when I parked the car and got out to face the woman I had been secretly obsessing over for the past week.

Walking onto the pavement, I scanned the sidewalk for a certain dark-haired beauty, but she was nowhere in sight. I glanced towards my watch to check that I wasn't too early, but it was in fact exactly twelve o'clock and suddenly I was afraid that I had been stood up. 

But as I began to lose hope, distant footsteps to my right had me turning my head, and my gaze fell upon an approaching figure in a beautiful blue and white summer dress, nervously making her way towards me. 

I gaped in astonishment, unable to quite comprehend the fact that this elegant, perfectly dressed woman was actually the girl I had managed to get a date with. My obsessions suddenly became clear and reasoned as I watched her long, silky black hair bounce in waves down past her shoulders; her big, mesmerising emerald eyes framed by delicate lashes, fluttered at me anxiously, possibly intimidated by my size. Her pale skin sparkled in the noon sunshine: a flawless reflection of the contrasting ivory and light.  

When she reached me, I pulled her into my arms and gave her a kiss on the cheek. "You look lovely." 

She really did. Her dress showed off her long, slim legs and enough of her busty cleavage to look classy but seductive at the same time, luring me in like the siren I recognised her for at the beginning. 

She blushed and stepped out of my arms, taking a long look at me before answering. "Thank you. You look very handsome...if a little scary." 

I chuckled, and, putting an arm around her, I guided her towards my car. She smelt fresh and feminine: a tantalising mixture that had my nostrils flaring in delight. She already had too much of an effect on me. 

When we stopped at my Jaguar, she froze and gaped at the monster of a machine, looking completely startled. "Is...Is that your car?" 

"Do you like it?" I smirked, feeling smug. 

"Yes," she still looked surprised, if a little intimidated. "I didn't realise you were a millionaire." 

Well I am, baby, and you wouldn't want to know what I did to get that money. 

"It didn't come up in conversation," I opened the passenger side door, letting Carmen slide inside, her elegant blue heels hindering her movement slightly. 

I closed her door and opened mine, taking my seat at the wheel and starting the car up. She was staring at the interior in awe, completely spellbound by the lavishness of it all: with the technical controls on the radio, and the plush, expensive leather seats. But I only had eyes for the road, and whenever I could spare a glance, her. 

"We're not going to an expensive restaurant, are we?" She asked anxiously, drawing my attention to her beckoning lips. "I don't think I've brought enough money..." 

"I'm paying," I interrupted her, feeling slightly insulted that she didn't expect me to pay for the date. 

"Well that's very nice of you," she paused, biting her lip as she looked across at me. "But I can't accept your money." 

"Why not?" I demanded, frowning at her. "I can afford it." 

"That's not the point-" 

"I'm taking you out, and that includes spending money on you." 

She sighed in exasperation. "Do I get a choice?" 

"No." 

She giggled at me, rolling her eyes up to the heavens as if to look for some divine patience. "I forgot how demanding you are. Can you please tell me where we're going?" 

"You'll see in ten minutes, I'm not going to spoil the surprise now." 

She pouted, adorably. "You're such a tease." 

I winked at her, and she blushed once again, taking her gaze firmly away from me. 

"Can I turn the radio on?" She asked after a pause, as I watched her hands fidget. She was obviously uncomfortable with the silence from someone she had only met once before. 

"Hmm...It depends what you put on." 

"Is that a test?" She asked me bravely, her face portraying her ardent curiosity. 

"It might be," my voice was low and husky, and she glanced towards me, fluttering her eyelashes unconsciously as she stared at me for a moment too long. The action didn't go unnoticed by my groin, which tightened in anticipation of what was to come. 

Hesitantly, she turned on the radio, quickly changing the channel from heavy metal to something more calm. I nodded my head in approval and she beamed at me, obviously proud of herself, and her expression had me feeling slightly short of breath. 

"I don't even know your full name yet," I said to her, surprised by my lack of knowledge. 

"If you tell me where we're going, I'll let you know," she smiled up at me coyly, making my earlier reticence of information stab me in the back. Her intelligence was refreshing and completely abnormal for a man like me: woman who ran in my circles were either demonically cunning or very, very stupid. Carmen was the first girl who fit neither of those categories. 

"You're such a tease," I fired back at her, grinning in amusement. It had also been a long time since a girl had made me laugh, or smile, and she was managing to do both in one sitting. 

Before she could reply, we had finally arrived at Santa Monica Beach. 

"Oh!" She exclaimed, her face lighting up with excitement. "I love the beach." 

"Me too," I told her whole-heartily, as I continued to drive along the boulevard to find the restaurant, eagerly waiting to impress her with my reservation. Although at her previous reaction to my riches, my plan may have backfired on me. I was beginning to discern that money wasn't particularly attractive to this unique girl, and even though that was a good thing, I didn't know how she would react to the kind of expensive things I liked to get up to in my spare time, and not to mention the general opulence of my life.

A moment later or so, I pulled up towards the car park of One Pico. It was a fine dining, Mediterranean style hotel with stunning beach views and was known for its extensive choice of delicious wines and quality food. I was hungry, so at the moment I was just hoping that there wouldn't be any kind of obstruction to getting something to eat. I was already yearning for my classic steak. It wasn't usually served at lunch time, but I was a shareholder and had asked the manager to provide a dinner time menu for Carmen and I. I was spoiling her as much as I possibly could. 

I parked the car and turned off the engine, before turning to her. "Don't move." I ordered. 

She stayed put obediently as I got out and walked over to the passenger side. Opening her door, I received a genuine smile as she accepted my outstretched hand and manoeuvred herself away from the seat. 

"I didn't realise you could be such a gentlemen," she said, a blush tinting her cheeks, as she took my outstretched arm and walked with me towards the restaurant. 

I understood her surprise, because maybe she could see what I really was like, what my real intentions actually were and what thoughts clouded my dark mind. And maybe she was goading me: maybe she had already figured me out, and was preparing herself to stab me in the back when I was at my most vulnerable.

But, as my intense gaze wondered over to her face and did not waver, I realised that the smile she was wearing was completely sincere and innocent. She was unaware and utterly naive of the darkness that brewed deep inside of me, and that was...comforting. For the first time in what felt like decades, I was with someone who knew nothing about my world of shadows and was only with me because she was actually interested. It was refreshing even though I knew what I was doing was wrong, and the poor girl would never be the same after I was done with her.