Cora: Going great, brought me bouquet of truffles, held hand at table, his cat's named Lancelot, did I tell you that yet?
After taking care of business and washing her hands she checked for a reply and of course there was one, Kaelyn was probably sitting with the phone on her lap shooing her kids and Tommy away until she received word.
Kaelyn: Sounds awesome so far, Lancelot really? Fate I think, have fun bowling, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, and if u do make sure you txt me all about it.
Considering Kaelyn’s current state there wasn’t likely anything she wouldn’t do, but this was a first date and Cora was sticking to her guns, no matter how much zing she felt when he held her hand, no matter what pretty lacy things were currently hiding under her dress. They were purple by the way, to match the plaid pattern on the dress, and her tights, another part of her date outfit splurge, and as she gave herself on last check in the mirror she liked what the new demi bra was doing for her cleavage.
Back at the table, Daniel was perusing the dessert menu. “What do you think, a little gelato, some tiramisu?”
“Uh, no, I’m stuffed. I haven’t eaten anything this rich in ages, besides if we’re going bowling, I’ll need to leave room for beer and popcorn.”
“Ah, a girl after my own heart.” They both blushed a little at that statement, each knowing there was a little truth behind it.
They fought over the check, but in the end Cora had intended to let him win and they went back into the cold and off to Kings.
Chapter 15
“I’ve never actually been here. I usually go to a local place, this always sounded way cooler than I’ll ever be; I hope I don’t get us kicked out.”
Daniel carried Cora’s bag and led her into Kings.
“Wow, this place really is way too cool for me.” Her eyes widen trying to take the whole place in while Dan checked them in and got himself some shoes. “This is amazing, thank you for thinking of this.”
It was apparently '80s night and songs she knew by heart were coming over the sound system at the lanes, combined with the sounds of people playing pool, laughing at the bar and bowling balls connecting with pins. There was Day-Glo everywhere and some of the other patrons had dressed accordingly.
They headed over to their lane and got themselves set up to play. While Dan searched for a ball, Cora put on her socks and bowling shoes, Dan came back wearing well-worn saddle style bowling shoes and a bright orange bowling ball.
“Prepare to get your ass kicked, Santagata,” Cora grinned as she unzipped her bag and pulled out her green glittery bowling ball.
“You weren’t kidding when you said your favorite color was green, it matches your eyes. As for ass kicking, don’t think I’m going to take it easy on you because you’re a girl, O’Malley.” His chuckle only sounded partly evil.
In the lane to their right was a bachelor party and the lane to their left a group of rowdy college kids, but after a few throws they’d tuned out most of the crowd and just enjoyed trying to one up each other on the lanes. At the end of the first string, Dan was ahead by ten pins. She didn’t care. She was singing along and dancing a little to the music and having a really, really good time for the first time in a long time. He made her feel so relaxed.
“I think it’s time for a beer, what can I grab for you?”
“I’ll take a Guinness and a pretzel if they have them, please.” She smiled and nodded as he seemed to question whether he’d heard her right. “Yes, Dan, a Guinness, please.”
While he walked off to the bar to grab drinks, Cora pulled out her phone and texted Kaelyn again.
Cora- At Kings now bowling, and throwing the game a little and letting him win, he’s off getting beer, things are going great.
Within a minute, Kaelyn had responded.
Kaelyn- Good idea to let him win, great as in good friend to hang out with or great as in hot monkey sex to end the night?
Cora- Even though I am wearing new lingerie under this dress there will be no hot monkey sex tonight.
Cora put her phone away as Dan walked back with a tray with two beers and two pretzels.
“Everything okay?” he asks as he looks towards her purse where she’d just put her phone.
“Oh it’s fine, just checking in with Kaelyn. I promised to check in so she knew I was safe and that you hadn’t hacked me up and put me through a wood chipper or sold me in to a Middle Eastern Sheik for his harem. Redheads are harder to come by and fetch a high price, or so I’m told.”
“Well, I usually save the wood chipper for the fourth date, so Kaelyn can sleep safely tonight.” Taking a long sip of his beer, he nods to the lane, “You’re up, Cora.”
Picking up her ball and squaring herself off she lets the ball loose, it goes flying down the lane for a strike. I will not get gloaty, or jinx myself, she says in her head.
After her second strike, she’s thinking she just might hit the turkey. Forget letting him win, she’s in the zone, and if he can’t take losing to a girl once in a while he’s probably not someone she’d want to spend forever with anyway. She wasn’t ultracompetitive, but she was smart and logical and a whiz at trivia. Bowling was the only “sport” she ever had a chance of beating anyone.
Feeling the warmth of the beer and the company spread through her, she lined up, took a deep breath, released it and then closed her eyes. When she heard the crash, and then a gobbling noise from the screen above her head, she opened her eyes and bounced up and down on her toes. Dan got up to give her a high five, but at that moment the high energy music stopped and Take My Breath Away come on. Instead of slapping her hand, he took it in his, put his other arm around her waist, and pulled her close. He wasn’t much of a dancer but he’d wanted to do more than touch her hand since the moment she opened her door tonight and it just felt right.
She melted into his arms and sighed as they swayed more than danced. He felt so warm, his hold on her solid, her head tucked right under his chin and she could feel his heart pounding in his chest. Knowing she wasn’t the only one affected by their closeness allowed her to relax into his arms even more.
As the song came to an end he pulled back, grabbed her chin and tilted her head back and planted a soft, sweet kiss on her lips. She tasted of strawberries and before he realized it, his tongue had flicked out and slid across the seam of her lips. She opened her lips, initially on a gasp, not an invitation, but Dan took the kiss deeper and slid his tongue past her lips, past her teeth, seeking to tease her own tongue out. Her mind went blank. There was no sound, no one else, just him and his kiss. This amazing kiss that she felt in every cell of her body. The kiss might have lasted forever but catcalls from the bachelor party in the next lane snapped Cora back to reality, she pulled away blushing furiously.
“I’m sorry,” he said softly.
She was confused, it must have shown on her face which was now likely as red as her hair.
He pulled her closer and whispered in her ear, “I’m not sorry for kissing you, just sorry for embarrassing you. I should have been more thoughtful, but you were so soft and warm in my arms and when you looked up at me I couldn’t resist.” With another soft kiss, he pulled away, holding her hand and leading her back to the booth. “My turn, not sure I’ll be able to make a comeback after that turkey you pulled. I think you’ve been holding back on me, my Cora girl.”
Breathe, inhale, exhale, it’s easy, just because his kiss removed all the oxygen from the room doesn’t mean you need to make a fool of yourself. She tried to calm herself as her shaking hand brought her beer to her lips and she took a long sip, and then another. I’m on a date with Dan, and he kissed me, ME, I could die now and be eternally blissful. Of course she didn’t want to die, she wanted more of those kisses. He tasted of beer, mint and something delicious she couldn’t place.
As they played through the rest of the string they would touch hands, or brush against one another making contact when they could, ramping up that zing that they had between them for w
eeks now. In the end Dan won, not because she’d let him, but because that kiss robbed her of all coordination and she was leaving pins standing left and right, whereas that kiss seemed to give him renewed energy. It wasn’t a blood bath per se, but he won by thirty pins in the end. Thankfully, he didn’t gloat.
He took her hand as they walked out and held it all the way back to the car. After settling her in, he walked around the back of the car putting her bag in the trunk and taking a few deep breaths.
“Get yourself under control, Dan. This is not some hook up, do not make all your decisions with your dick. This could actually turn in to something. She’s kind of amazing, okay she’s really amazing.” He had to be crazy, he was talking to himself out loud, on a date. A deep breath and he closed the trunk of the car and got in; starting the engine he cranked up the heat when he noticed she was shivering.
“That was a lot of fun, I’m really glad you thought of that.” Even in the dark of the car he could see her smile, he could feel it come of her like rays of the sun.
“The bowling, the dancing or the kiss?” he asked, sounding a little breathy himself. Where had that come from? He wasn’t a player but he didn’t usually get completely flustered by women.
Almost in a whisper she replied, “All three.”
After merging on the highway, he took her hand in his, “Me too, now and again I have a good idea, of course now I’ve set the bar pretty high for myself.”
Far too soon, they were pulling up in front of her house.
“I had a really great time tonight, Dan. I’m so glad we did this.”
“Me too, Cora, if only I’d known what I was missing…” He grabbed her bag, came around, and opened her door. He walked up the stairs with her and stood on the porch while she dug out her keys and unlocked the door.
“Would you like to come in for some coffee, or some truffles?” she said with a smile. She wasn’t going to sleep with him, she wasn’t going to sleep with him, she wasn’t going to sleep with him, at least that’s what she kept repeating to herself.
“I would really love to, Cora,” he said with a light pause.
“Ah, but I hear a ‘but’ in there,” she said with a small sad smile.
He tilted her face up to him and looked into her eyes, “There is a 'but', probably not what you think though. I want to do this right. You are not a one-night stand, and I don’t want to rush you, or this thing we’re building. Trust me, I want nothing more right now than to come inside, kiss you senseless and see what’s under that pretty dress of yours, but tonight is not the night for that. We have plenty of time, Cora, plenty of time.”
“Oh,” her breath whooshed out in relief, he wasn’t rejecting her, and he wasn’t just using her for an easy fuck. She could be okay with that. She opened her mouth to say something but before the words came out Dan claimed her mouth with another kiss. She forgot how to think, how to breath, she dropped her purse and her bowling back on the porch and slid her arms up his chest. He slid his hands from her cheeks and dug his fingers into her hair holding on and guiding her as he kissed her, devouring her like he wouldn’t ever get enough of her. She could feel him against her, so warm, and unmistakably as aroused by this as she was. She tried really hard not to think about how warm he’d feel against her if he was naked.
After a few minutes, they broke apart, both gasping for air.
“Wow,” she thought.
“Yeah, wow is right,” he responded.
She turned red from the tips of her toes to the roots of her hair. “I said that out loud, didn’t I?”
“Yup,” he smiled, “you did, and I agree completely. Now I’m going to give you one more kiss and then you’re going to go inside, warm up, text Kaelyn and then get a good night’s sleep. And I am going to drive home, take a long, cold shower and hopefully crash myself.”
After another mind bending, panty melting kiss he whispered, “Good night, sweet girl. I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” As she closed the door, he turned around and walked down the steps whistling to himself as he went along.
Chapter 16
All along the drive home the little devil on his left shoulder, and the raging hard-on in his boxers, were kicking him for not going inside and stripping her naked and making her scream until she forgot her own name. But, man, he wanted to do this right. She was it—he just knew it.
Joe wasn’t kidding, when you know, you know. When he took her in his arms at the lanes, in what he thought was just going to be a flirty little spin it overwhelmed him, that need to possess and cherish and claim her. If it weren’t for those drunken idiots next to them the might still be standing at lane fifteen kissing.
He was home before he knew it, only living ten minutes away. As he climbed his porch and unlocked the door for the first time since he bought the house almost two months ago, he didn’t want to go inside. It felt empty, hollow, he hadn’t known he was missing something until he kissed her tonight and his world shifted on its axis.
He made sure Lance had food, water and that all the doors and windows were locked and closed, and he climbed upstairs to his bedroom. Stripping out of his clothes, he padded barefoot into the bathroom and turned on the shower, getting the water as cold as he could stand it. After nearly ten minutes, it had done nothing to cool his ardor for her so he turned off the tap, dried off, took a piss, brushed his teeth and climbed into his too big, too empty, bed naked and alone and cursing his gentlemanly side.
He tossed and turned for a while, unable to sleep; instead, he thought of all the ways he would worship her body when the time was right. He reached into the nightstand drawer, took a dollop of lube and imagined her soft and breathy beneath him as wild with desire as he was, and as he reached his climax it was her name that left his lips on a whisper of breath.
He drifted off to sleep, red hair and freckles and the smooth sounds of Berlin weaving in to his dreams.
While he was sleeping, Cora was still on the phone with Kaelyn, who called her about two point seven seconds after she’d hit send on her text letting her know she was home and it went well. She wanted every last detail. She contemplated subtext and reassured Cora repeatedly that he was obviously very much in to her, and no, his not trying to jump her at the lanes or in her apartment didn’t mean he didn’t want her.
Cora hung up, changed in to a flannel nightgown, because fuck, it was cold. The snow had begun to fall again and if it kept up she’d be spending the weekend in her apartment under the covers with Gwennie watching movies. The truffle bouquet caught her eye again from the table and she noticed a card attached.
She opened the envelope and pulled out the card and read the neat, small print—Dan’s precise writing.
Cora, flowers would just be put to shame by your beauty. You are likely far sweeter than these but my sister said I couldn’t go wrong with chocolate. ~Daniel
She stared at the card for a long time, a smile on her lips and clearly dust in her eyes. But, she wasn’t tearing up because he’d basically called her beautiful, certainly not because he was the first man in more than a decade to do so and actually, probably mean it.
She flipped over the card and written in small print on the back 2 truffles = 3 points. Everyone at work had noticed her weight loss, some people made dramatic comments, some made rude comments and some said nothing. Of course, he’d noticed and somehow he’d figured out how and wanted her to be able to enjoy them. He was really too much. She took her dusty eyes, her cat and crawled under the covers and drifted off to sleep.
Chapter 17
Around three a.m. he woke up, he was restless. He was aching and itching for her. The house was cold so he threw on some boxers, a T-shirt, and his slippers and headed for his office and fired up his computer. Something was stuck in his head and he needed an answer, it didn’t matter what the answer was, but he had to ask the question.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Date: January 26, 2008 3:10 a.m.
Cora,
You don’t need to answer this, but did you respond because of the ad, or because you knew it was me? There is no wrong answer, no right answer, and even no answer is okay, but it’s been on my mind, and although curiosity may have killed the cat, I’m eighty-seven point three percent sure I’m not feline.
I hope you’re sleeping right now. Thank you for a truly wonderful evening. Believe me when I say walking away from your door was not an easy thing to do, but I meant what I said, and I said what I meant, and now that I sound like Dr. Seuss. I’m going back to bed.
Dan
Okay, it’s out there and with that, he crawled into bed and slept until ten the next morning, which for him was late, even on the weekends he never made it much past eight. He plodded down to kitchen to grab a cup of coffee, whoever invented the automatic coffee pot should earn the Presidential Medal of Freedom—seriously. He climbed back up to his office to surf the web and play a little Warcraft.
In his email box there was a reply from his three a.m. sleep/hormone drunk email, at least he didn’t call her, that would have been even more stupid. He shouldn’t have asked the question, the answer didn’t really matter, the end product did, and he liked where their end product was headed.
To: [email protected]
From: [email protected]
Date: January 26, 2008 9:15 am
Subject: Others have excuses, I have my reasons why…
Dan,
All right, I'm going to answer your question, about why I answered the ad...
I've had my ad on Date4You.com for...oh just about forever. I keep it up so I can look at and respond to other ads if I'd like, but mine isn't searchable. I turned that off after some disastrous dates, you could enter all the criteria about me and still not see my ad...anyhow...I get a weekly email with people who match my criteria, I almost never read it, I usually delete it unopened.
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