When she finally did, he rewarded her with a reassuring smile.
“Of course, thanks for asking me out,” she replied, returning his smile.
“The truth is, I am sturdier than I look. I played hockey when I was younger, so I have actually taken a body check or two in my day.”
Leo looked at her skeptically, unable to mask his surprise. He never met a woman who played hockey before, and she didn’t seem like the athletic type. It intrigued him even more.
“Really? Hockey?”
He raised his brows, gesturing for her to explain further. Nora took another sip of wine and set down the glass.
“Yes. My father was a huge fan of the sport, and he didn’t let the fact that he only had two daughters stop him from being a hockey dad. My sister refused to play after the first two years, but I went on. I played for about 8 more years before I finally quit. To be honest, I think I liked the bond it gave me with my Dad more than I enjoyed the sport itself,” she explained, her words quietly trailing off.
Leo nodded, encouraging her to go on.
Nora shrugged her shoulders, and continued, “I was pretty good, too, but unfortunately there aren’t many opportunities for young women to play after a certain age, unless they are really, really outstanding. And truthfully, once I met my high school sweetheart, hockey didn’t hold much appeal anymore. I preferred to spend my free time with him. Dad, however, was not impressed,” she offered, her soft laugh filled with memories.
“With the sweetheart or quitting hockey?” Leo asked lightly, happy to see her warming up to him.
“Both, actually,” Nora chuckled, meeting his eyes.
Although the lighting was dim, he could see that her eyes were a light green. He enjoyed the way the candlelight danced in them, holding his attention.
“I was more of a soccer player. Italians are nuts about soccer and my parents were no exception. In fact, the whole damn family would come to every game. Parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, even the little cousins. It was so embarrassing. They took up half the field with all their hooting and hollering.”
Leo smiled, the happy memories filling his heart. He missed those crazy goombahs.
“Sounds awesome,” Nora offered, her warm smile softening her pretty face.
There was no denying that Leo appreciated the female form. He enjoyed the angles and softness of a woman’s curves, but his favorite curve of all was her smile. A woman had to have a good smile or he would quickly lose interest. His favorite thing of all was when a woman would smile, and in that moment, he could suddenly see her soul. Her past, present and future, all in that split second. It would light up her face and reveal every secret she ever had, and the dreams she held close to her heart. Corrine once had a smile like that.
So did Nora.
Leo cleared his throat, feeling inappropriately nostalgic and sentimental. He turned his attention to the menus on the table and handed one to Nora.
“Shall we order?” he asked. “The steaks here are fantastic, but I’ve also had the double cut lamb chops and they are damn good too.”
“I was looking for the vegan options?” Nora offered, her expression deadpan. Leo looked up from his menu, not sure if she was serious or not, but hoping for the latter. She didn’t blink an eye.
“Um, I don’t think they actually cater to vegans... well, except maybe the salads... ” he stammered, looking back down at the menu.
He was a meat eater, through and through. Protein was his life, and none of that vegan, pea protein crap either. No matter how into a woman he was, nothing could ever convert him into a plant eater. Nora chuckled softly, grinning over her menu at him.
“I’m kidding. Gosh, now I feel bad. You look like a man trying to figure out if there’s a way out the back,” Nora teased, picking up her wine glass.
“Another toast... here is to rare meat and the omnivores who love it!”
Leo raised his glass to hers and sighed gratefully, accepting her good natured teasing with good humor. As they drank, their eyes sized one another other up. He appreciated that there were layers to Nora, that aside from being a little shy, she had a cheeky side as well. He was intrigued to know more, and guessed that she would probably be the kind of woman that would reveal herself slowly. The type to pace herself according to her comfort level, offering pieces of the puzzle one at a time with enough tidbits to hold a curious man’s interest and leave him wanting more. She was the kind of woman that commanded attention and patience, weeding out the unimaginative, the lazy, and the players. Men who picked the low hanging fruit.
Men like him, maybe.
“If you recommend the lamb, then that’s what I will order,” Nora said confidently, closing her menu.
“An appetizer?” he offered, hoping she was the type of woman who enjoyed food as much as he did.
Nora nodded.
“Maybe we should share one? To be honest, I had dessert picked out before the entree. I will confess to a bit of a sweet tooth,” she grinned.
“Let me see if I can guess,” Leo said, looking her up and down, and squinting his eyes as though he were trying to read her mind. “Hmmm, you look like a chocolate soufflé kind of gal. Am I right?”
Nora laughed softly, “Am I that transparent? You nailed it.”
Leo felt his mind slip into the gutter, hoping her words were a prediction of things to come. He would love nothing more than for the evening to end with her in his bed.
The waiter came and took their order and they continued to chat, getting to know each other while they waited for their meal to come. They casually talked about their families and careers, even sharing funny stories about when they were young. Just appropriate first date chatter, nothing too serious. He was pleasantly surprised by how easy their connection was, and grateful it didn’t take Nora long to relax. They both seemed to respect each other’s space and Leo really liked that. It wasn’t uncommon for women to ask him personal questions about his past love life, and nothing turned him off faster. He never shared that with anyone, it was far too painful.
The truth was that before their date, Leo had wondered if maybe Nora was above his station. He had dropped out of college after only two years to join the fire department, but Nora had gone as far as you could go in school. He worried that he wouldn’t be able to carry a conversation with her, or that she would quickly lose interest. Or maybe it would happen the other way around.
But as it turned out, she was smart, but he also found her to be very laid back. He could tell that she was just as intrigued by him as he was by her. It was obvious that they were both stepping out of their comfort zones.
After their main course, they waited patiently for their dessert over coffee. The waiter had warned them that a good soufflé couldn’t be rushed.
“You know I dated a chef once,” Leo offered, tentatively.
Nora looked at him over her coffee cup, her eyes regarding him carefully.
“She explained to me that baking the perfect soufflé was like making love to a woman,” he continued, his sultry smile making his words even more enticing.
“Oh yeah?” Nora played along, her tone soft and flirtatious.
“Yep,” he said, taking her free hand into his own, “she taught me that the word soufflé literally means to swell. She said you can’t rush the process, you have to take your time during each step, paying special attention to every detail, adding each ingredient like a carefully placed kiss.”
He paused for effect, reading her expression. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity while her playful smile encouraged him to carry on.
“She insisted that the secret was all in the hands, and to apply just the right amount of pressure and speed while blending the ingredients to the peak of perfection,” he purred, gently massaging her finger tips, enjoying the softness of her hands.
She tilted her head to the side, hanging on to every word. He liked the effect he was having on her.
“Of course, preheating the oven to the perfect
temperature is vital to the end result, and she warned me to never, ever skip that step,” he grinned, “and only once the oven is hot enough should you tenderly place the dish inside. It’s through the perfect timing and care of each and every step, enticing the soufflé to swell and rise, but in the end, patience is rewarded with a creamy, warm, flavor explosion that fills your mouth with a sexy little taste of heaven.”
He sat back in his chair, smiling broadly, feeling mighty proud of himself. Nora placed her coffee cup down and cleared her throat, as though her words were stuck there. He was pretty good at reading a woman’s signals, and it was clear to him that she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. Her cheeks were pink and flushed, and she couldn’t tear her eyes away from him. He was feeling more confident that she would come home with him.
“Well, wasn’t that clever,” she said, finally finding her voice. She shook her head slowly, making Leo curious about her thoughts.
“Thank you,” he said, bringing her hand to his mouth, tenderly kissing her knuckles. He curled his fingers through hers, and then placed both of their hands back on the table. She didn’t make any move to pull away, a good sign, he thought. He stared at her warmly for a moment or two, grateful that she didn’t look away. Another good sign.
“You are a really hot woman, and you just about took my breath away when you walked in tonight,” he flattered, not surprised by the words flowing off his tongue, but by how true they actually were.
“That’s really sweet of you to say,” she replied, looking down at the table as though she wasn’t sure how to receive his compliment.
“I mean it. Your eyes, and that smile. You’re a knockout, Nora. Why am I sensing that you don’t believe it?” he asked, waiting for her to meet his eyes again. She finally looked at him and he shared a reassuring smile.
“I have spent the better part of my life with my head stuck in text books and psych journals. I am a bit of an introvert, truthfully. I don’t receive many compliments,” she explained quietly, “but thank you. I really do appreciate it.”
“And modesty makes you even sexier,” he admitted, suddenly drawn to her even more.
There was nothing he wanted more in that moment than to be the guy who finally convinced her how desirable she was, and he planned to do just that in his bed later that night.
He was just about to invite her home when the waiter returned to the table with their soufflé and set it between them. Nora’s eyes widened with pure glee, causing Leo to chuckle.
“The dish is still quite warm, so please be careful, but enjoy!” the waiter said, placing two spoons down, then nodded at them before walking away.
“This dessert looks absolutely fuckable,” Nora teased, tapping her spoon against the crusty top of the dessert. Her words amused Leo, but in the best way possible. On top of everything else, she was completely unpredictable and he found himself wholly captivated. He picked up his own spoon.
“I agree, shall we have our way with it?” he teased.
Nora nodded, her laughter filling the space between them.
“It will be a sticky little threesome, but let’s do it,” she agreed with a suggestive wink.
Leo raised his brows and chuckled. There may be way more to Dr. Dupree than meets the eye, he thought. She might just have a wild side.
After the check was paid, he stood up, offering his hand to Nora. “Ready to go?” he asked, pulling her chair out as she stood.
He was acting the perfect gentleman, and thought of how proud his Nona would be, despite the fact that his thoughts were far from noble right now. She grabbed her purse off the table then turned and smiled at him.
“Ready.”
He took her hand in his, and escorted her toward the door. Once they got outside, he turned to look at her. She was looking around and appeared to be searching for her car. Knowing it was now or never, Leo put his arms around her waist and gently pulled her closer to him, encouraging her to meet his gaze. He smiled warmly at her, turning up the charm.
“I don’t want this night to end, Nora. Come home with me,” he stated confidently, certain that the night would end with her clothes on his bedroom floor. It always did.
Nora looked back at him kindly, searching his eyes, then slowly shook her head. For a moment, he wasn’t sure what the gesture meant, until he realized she was declining his invitation. He cocked his head and grinned, unsuccessfully masking his surprise. Did she need more reassurance?
“I had a really great time, Leo, but I’m going to call it a night. The dinner, the conversation, our connection, all of it was amazing. Thank you so much for inviting me,” she offered warmly.
Leo’s surprise quickly gave way to curiosity. Was she really saying no? He opened his mouth to speak, hoping to find the right words to persuade her, but she jumped in before he could.
“I would love to go out again and get to know you even better. You’re a great guy,” she assured, this time more confidently.
She placed her hands gently against his chest in a gesture that indicated their date was over. Leo exhaled slowly, unaware he had been holding his breath. He nodded at her begrudgingly, reluctant to concede to her, but a gentleman nevertheless.
“I would like that. Can I text you next week?” he asked, awkwardly, unaccustomed to not being in the driver’s seat. It felt foreign to him, yet at the same time intriguing.
“Yes, please do,” she nodded, offering him one of those all- encompassing smiles.
He leaned down to kiss her, certain she would at least accept an intimate goodbye. She did not disappoint him there.
CHAPTER 5
NORA
Nora practically floated through her apartment as she got ready for bed, her mind replaying their date over and over, her body tingling with happy hormones. Leo had surprised her. He was just as engaging as he was handsome, and his confidence was sexy as hell. His was the demeanor of a man used to getting what he wanted, when he wanted it, and Nora found that damn near irresistible. She liked that he had no problem complimenting her. He made her feel desirable, and what woman didn’t want to feel that?
The night couldn’t have gone any better, as far as she was concerned. Leo had a way of making her feel safe and at ease, encouraging her to bring out her playful side. There was no question that she was focused and driven, she definitely was. After her marriage had failed so miserably she felt like she had something to prove. Her parents had been so disappointed with her choices, and if she was being honest, she didn’t blame them.
She had been rebellious and even a little reckless in her late teens, frustrated by their stringent rules and unrealistic expectations. She and her twin sister had been sheltered from the typical teenage lifestyle, their 11:00 o’clock curfew ensuring that they would be home well before the parties were in full swing. It was no surprise that both of them had a hard time cultivating friendships and had spent the majority of their time together. She adored her twin, but Nora was restless and grew to resent her parents for holding her back. She wanted to experience the same freedoms that her classmates had, to stay out late and have some fun.
Then she met Devon. He had transferred to her high school in their junior year and became a primary object of attention for many of the girls in the school. Everyone seemed to crush on him, including her. He was a renaissance man, one of those guys that just seemed to be good at everything. It seemed as soon as he arrived at the school he was welcomed into every clique and club. The jocks embraced him without question, but he was just as comfortable with the brainy kids and the drama geeks. He excelled at sports, but his true passion was acting and it was no surprise that he quickly established himself as the leading man in almost every high school production. Even the teachers loved Devon.
They started dating just before the end of the school year, in May. She was seventeen. Nora always had a flair for fashion, even in high school, and was invited to help out with the year-end production of Grease. She was in charge of costume design. It was also her resp
onsibility to make sure that costume changes went smoothly during performances. She loved being a part of the theatre and it was really the only opportunity she had to be social and build friendships. Her parents supported school activities and would give her lots of leeway for them, rarely questioning the time she committed. Theatre gave her the freedom she craved.
Devon played Danny Zuko, of course. Not only did he have the looks, but he had the singing chops for it, too. Nora sat through every rehearsal, watching him perform from backstage and wishing she was his leading lady. She would have loved to have been the girl playing Sandy, but two things held her back. One, she had terrible stage fright, and two, she couldn’t carry a tune if her life depended on it. So, destined to be behind the scenes, she was certain that the chemistry that ‘Danny’ and ‘Sandy’ had on stage must have translated off-stage too. She thought it unlikely that Devon would ever notice her, but he proved her wrong.
After a few months of rehearsal, opening night finally arrived. Both the cast and crew were nervous as hell, but determined to be brilliant. They had only one or two full dress rehearsals prior to opening night, so Nora was feeling especially anxious. She had to get the timing perfect in order for the costume changes to go smoothly, and she wished that she’d had more time to practice. During one of the scene changes, Devon came in for a costume switch and they just happened to be alone. Just as she finished helping him change, he turned to her and gave her a quick kiss on the cheek before running out. She wasn’t sure what to make of it but it left her curious, and happy. The next time he came in there were several other actors in the room with them, including the one playing ‘Sandy,’ whose name she couldn’t remember now. Nora watched them playfully interacting and sadly came to the conclusion that his kiss had been nothing more than a spontaneous flirtation prompted by the adrenalin he felt. She watched as he quickly changed costumes, and was completely caught off guard when he threw her a flirtatious wink before heading back out onstage. After months of having no interaction with him at all, why was he suddenly paying attention to her?
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