Chapter 27 Eric, What Are We?

After Sierra was discharged from the hospital, she went to visit her father at the police station. George Adler's condition was okay, but he had lost weight and looked thinner. However, his body was still in good shape which put Sierra's mind at ease.
She continued with her busy life - working during the day at a music center and teaching several students in the evening on rotation besides working at a restaurant. Although it was tiring, it brought in more income.
A week passed by without seeing Eric. She only saw him in the entertainment section of a newspaper where he attended a celebrity party held in H city. He wore a black velvet suit with a white organ shirt and black bow tie that made him look dazzlingly noble among others.
He stood next to an attractive woman whose waist he lightly embraced as if they were two perfect matchings together like jade bi discs. Sierra recognized her as one of the top female stars who had won numerous awards including Best Actress award; now she nestled up against Eric with ambitions of marrying into wealth.
Sierra gently put down the newspaper thinking that it is fortunate that she did not overestimate herself believing that Eric treated her specially because for someone like him who is high-quality man having women around them is normal.
Two days later while working part-time at the restaurant, Eric came by wearing navy blue shirt and iron gray trousers covered by black windbreaker coat looking matured yet handsome alone sitting there ordering food but barely eating anything just listening quietly to Sierra playing piano nearby.
Sierra didn't know why he came here so she ignored those burning eyes staring straight towards her direction.
The restaurant closed at ten o'clock sharp after which Sierra tidied up before leaving work noticing that no one sat where Eric used to sit earlier.
She breathed out relieved but also felt petty for not thanking him for taking care of her father at the hospital.
As she walked out of the restaurant, a golden Continental car stopped in front of her. The window rolled down revealing Eric's handsome face.
"Get in," he said briefly.
Sierra hesitated for a moment but eventually got into the passenger seat mainly because his car was too conspicuous and she didn't want to attract attention from others.
Eric started the engine and after a while reminded her to fasten her seat belt as they drove off. Sierra looked at Eric who only wore shirt and trousers with coat casually placed on backseat; he asked softly, "Do you think I'm good-looking?"
Ah?
Sierra blushed even more furiously than before. At red light intersection, Eric turned sideways looking straight into Sierra's eyes with an expression that both men and women understood well.
Unable to withstand this ambiguity, Sierra cautiously spoke up: "Mr. Howard, thank you for what happened last time."
Eric remained silent while Sierra nervously continued speaking: "There is a bus stop ahead where night buses are available."
Eric's gaze deepened as he finally spoke: "Sierra, stay with me for a while."
He called her by name...
Sierra couldn't resist anymore!
Eric drove them to an area near mountainside where there were no people around making it suitable for doing something bad.
It dawned on Sierra later that evening that tonight’s Eric was different from usual when he took out cigarettes lighting one up then deeply inhaling smoke intermittently between shallow breaths outside of car window using slender fingers which made him look pleasingly attractive.
He bent over towards her kissing passionately until they broke apart momentarily when Sierra whispered against his shoulder: “Eric…”