New York State of Mind VI

The blood finally returned to my brain and I realized that it had to be Mike because whoever it was had a key; now I just had to hope that the person in the room was the one I had been talking with.  I could hear him going through a dresser so I slowly opened one eye to catch a glimpse of him...I must be losing my mind.  I immediately thought of Karen, if she walked in right now they would need dental records to identify him.  I had to stop this because the anxiety was too much, "are you seriously going to rob me while I sleep?"  He turned around and I was so relieved he looked exactly like his pictures, "Hi Natalie".  I felt giddy and couldn't help but giggle.  He forgot his computer in the room and since I didn't text him he had no idea I would be there.  Thank god Karen was not the one sleeping in the room.

We sat for a bit and chatted. He was thankful I wasn't a large black man and I was relieved he was not going to make our first date a scene from Criminal Minds.  He's exactly who he claimed to be and it puts me at ease immediately...but his darkness is a constant reminder that this can go sideways at any time.  I remember the conversation about his past and it makes my heart hurt...how did he become this incredible man without the love and support so many of us need.  It just makes me like him more, he is a beautiful man with so much to offer; whoever gets him will be a very lucky woman.  I enjoy listening to him and can pick out little character traits I don't think he knows he possesses.  He comes off as really easy going but I can feel his intensity and he is high energy not unlike myself.  We're fairly similar and I am worried that if he talks as much as I do we may not get along.  It's easy to have any sort of relationship online or while texting but in person it's a whole different game; adding tone, emotion and body language can alter the way you initially perceived someone.  I easily got lost in him.  Mike is very interesting and intelligent, he has crazy stories and he's a beauty to look at.  I was getting lost in conversation when my phone lit up...it was Karen, I almost forgot about her.  I had to get Mike out of his own room before my chaperone returned.

Mike was great, he laughed as I kicked him out of his own room but understood completely.  Dinner was only a couple of hours away.  I hope Karen will extend my curfew...I should have left her in Manhattan...