Page 9 of Handsome
She pressed her hand on her heart and said, “Truly? Twelve boys? That seems astronomical.”
When we entered the dining room, we were alone. I directed her to the seat next to mine as I said, “With two brothers married, and now two grandchildren, my parents are somewhat obnoxious about bliss.”
She slid into her seat, and I swear her hair smelled like strawberries as she said, “Bliss is one of those words I associate with ice cream, not feelings.”
This time I laughed and joined her as I said, “We’ll have ice cream for desert so you can re-experience it, then.”
The wait staff who brought in the dinner nodded that they heard us. Two plates were brought, which meant I was having seconds tonight so I could avoid being rude.
She put her napkin on her lap and said, “Not what I meant, but this looks delicious.”
She then scooped a large bite of the eggplant stew in her mouth and moaned like she was happy or having an—no. I squashed the inappropriate thought.
Her happy moans impressed me, and I said, “Not everyone likes Persian food. If you prefer a burger, our kitchen can make one for you in just a few minutes.”
She finished her bite and shook her head. “I eat burgers all the time in the restaurant. This is delicious.”
I laughed and said, “Glad you like it. One of my girlfriends left me because she hated the food I love.”
Sarah licked her lips, but then her eyes had a gleam in them as she said, “Love is a big commitment to food.”
With every girlfriend I’ve ever had up to now, I’d never once utteredI love you. It was intimate and true, but I was already thinking the L-word when I was near her, and backed down quickly. “I’m sticking to my claim. Food is amazing.”
We ate in silence except for her small sighs and moans while she enjoyed her dinner. Nothing in my life had given me this much pleasure in ages.
My phone rang, and as I reached for it, she said, “Great ringtone.”
I glanced at it and sent the caller to voice mail as I said, “It’s the dance committee. I don’t have a partner, so it doesn’t matter.”
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Ballroom dancing?”
“Yeah, it used to be a hobby,” I said, without much enthusiasm. For a few months my quest to enjoy life away from the hospital led me to dance, and I enjoyed it—a lot.
She swayed to music only she could hear while the staff took our plates and delivered the ice cream sundaes. She moved and said, “I’ve always wanted to learn.”
The air between us sizzled with awareness when I replied, “Then let’s train so you can be my new partner.”
She froze, but then picked up her spoon as she sighed and said, “It'd be a waste of time since I have no sense of rhythm.”
I patted her hand, but then another jolt rocketed through me. I let her go fast and said, “And I’m not really in it to compete. I just do it for fun, so that's fine.”
She curled her nose in the air and said, “I’m sure you’ll find someone else.”
My last dance teacher had clearly hoped to be my new girlfriend, but I only wanted to learn the steps, not date. Now, with Sarah, I’d have an excuse to hold an interesting woman while I whispered,No, I think I finally found a partner who might stick.
We finished our ice cream and she jumped up like she wanted to bolt, but instead she grinned said, “Well goodnight, Fred.”
I tilted my head and said, “I’m Cyrus.”
She crossed her arms and said, “I meant Fred Astaire. That’s his name, right? The guy in the black and white movies who dances?”
“Yes. Good night, Sarah.”.
She ran, but I watched her hips sway again. She was a mystery I wanted to know better, but also there was something about her that made me pause. For the first time in forever, I wondered what it would be like to have her as my own.
4
Sarah
