When the time finally comes, I make sure to dress semi-casually. Gray slacks and a cotton button up that I roll up to my elbows. I know that from the date we’ll have to run to the party, so I’ll only need a blazer to be set.
I’m not ready for Bella though. She has on a lavender dress that hangs in lovely folds from the neckline, revealing plenty of cleavage. The dress molds to her flat belly and hips, then there’s a slit dangerously high up her thigh. She spins in a circle for me, showing me the dress is practically backless.
I take her hand and pull her close. “I think I might have to slightly change our date.”
“I know we have to go right to the party, so …”
“High-class restaurant and modified moonlight stroll it is.”
“You don’t have to try so hard, Matthew,” Bella says as we drink champagne in the limo together. “I like you as you are. Especially when you looked so comfy.”
“I like to use dates to show a woman what I think of her. You’re amazing and I’m not going to settle for a date that’s not worthy of you.”
Her eyes soften and she scoots closer to me. “I have one rule for tonight.”
“Just one?”
“No boring first date questions. None of those terrible ice breakers or questions about the weather. I want to see the real Matthew. I want to know who you really are.”
“I thought you said that’s what starts attachment.”
“I could be attached to worse people and even temporary with you is worth more than any of my past relationships.”
I don’t know how she humbles me that easily, but our night goes exactly like that. She tells me about college, and how lost she felt bouncing between majors until she found the stepping stones she needed and the focus.
I tell her about how I used to be a huge nerd. That I loved dungeons and dragons and even painted my own miniatures as the Dungeon Master. She doesn’t laugh or tease me, she asks questions, telling me she’d seen it in a few shows and got really interested but wasn’t sure if she’d ever manage to play.
Before I know it, we’ve had a full meal and are walking hand in hand through the city. The shopping area isn’t huge, but I see her get stuck at a store. Candle Chemistry.
“You can make your own candles and lotions and stuff here,” She murmurs. “Not like shaping the wax, which would definitely be amazing, but choosing the scents and putting them in, mixing them and all that.”
“Is that something you’d want to do?”
“Maybe another day. I think they’re about to close and we have a time limit.” She squeezes my hand and kisses my cheek. “Next time.”
That Next time sits in my head as we take a break in a small park. The sun is setting slowly, but the palm trees make a ceiling above us with their leaves. Bella points out different shapes she sees until she meets my eyes.
We’re closer than I thought we were. She strokes my jaw and then down over my neck. Her fingers continue along my shoulder and to my arms. “You have such long arms. I would have sworn you’re an Olympic swimmer or something.”
“I swam competitively for my school until graduation.”
Her fingers curl with mine. “I don’t have a knack for sports. I’m more of the yoga type.”
“Does it help with flexibility?”
“Do you want to find out?”
I lick across my bottom lip. Of course, I want to find out. I want to know everything I can possibly know about Bella. I want to feel her mouth against mine, want to wrap her legs around my face and devour her sweetness. I want everything she’s offering and more.
“You can’t look at me like that and not kiss me, Matt.”
“Well, you keep leaving the hew off my name.”
“I’m sorry. I meant no offence.” She scoots closer and puts my hand on the small of her back, right on her soft, hot skin. “But if you’d rather I call you something else …”
I kiss her before she can fill in the blank. Her tongue coaxes mine into a slow, but building kiss. I change the angle and let her feel how hungry I am for her, pouring my lust out until I’m almost afraid we’re going to get tossed out of the park.
Bella moans and presses her forehead to my shoulder, rubbing my side. “I think I like dates with you.”