Page 20 of Becoming His Muse
“I actually just finished one. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about it since it wasn’t one I’d planned out. It sort of just happened, but I like it.”
She smiled at him. “Sometimes being spontaneous is what you need.”
“For someone who claims they aren’t artistic, you give great artistic advice,” Elion responded with a smile of his own.
They finished their tasting, and Olani watched as he stood, coming to her side of the table and holding his hand out. Sheplaced hers in it, grabbing her clutch from the table and allowing him to lead her towards the vineyard as the lights came on.
Elion intertwined his fingers with Olani’s as he led the way through the vineyard. The lights were now on, giving it a soft glow as they journeyed through it. The silence was peaceful for several long moments as he enjoyed her company.
They’d been walking for about five minutes when Elion looked down at her. “Have I told you how beautiful you look?”
She looked up at him and smiled. “No, but thank you.”
“No need to thank me for the truth.”
As they continued to walk, Elion asked her how work was going. She told him about a couple of businesses that she was hoping to contract with. One was an industrial plant that was considering hiring through agencies since it hadn’t had much luck expanding its workforce when production expanded.
“I want to be the only agency they work with. It would bring in a lot of jobs for several of the clients that job search with us.”
“I’m sure they won’t make the mistake of going with someone else,” he responded as they turned left.
“I hope you’re right.”
“So, I know that the next date is your turn to choose, but there’s this cooking class centered on desserts this weekend, and I thought you might like to go with me.”
Again, she looked up at him and smiled. “I’d liked that.”
This time, Elion pulled them to a stop and leaned down to kiss those soft lips. “You can choose the next two.”
They started their walk again, and he thought about their week six date. According to the website’s breakdown, that waswhen they were to take a weekend trip away. The site would give them three options and packages to choose from.
Elion knew that he’d need to tell Clara that he was dating before that week came around because she would ask far too many questions about him being gone forty-eight hours and he wasn’t working.
They walked the vineyard for about forty minutes before going back to the pavilion. Elion had been sure to walk them in a circle, so it only took them ten minutes to get back.
When they did, he found the two covered dinners Shaw had been nice enough to have his chef cook for them and two glasses of wine. He definitely owed his friend for this.
“What’s this?” Olani questioned as he led her back over to the table.
Elion pulled her chair out for her before taking the silver lids off the two dinners. The chef prepared crispy salmon, asparagus, and sliced potatoes. It looked and smelled delicious.
“This, Sweetheart, is dinner. You didn’t think I was going to ask you out this late in the evening and not feed you,” he stated as he took his seat. “That would be criminal,” he joked with a smile.
When she rewarded him with another one of those beautiful smiles, he had to keep himself in his seat.
While they ate, they discussed more of their interests, and Elion told her a story about him and his sister getting into a fight when he was twelve because she broke one of his statues after he’d used all the hot water. She was upset she didn’t have any for a date she was going on that night.
As they finished eating, one of Shaw’s employees came in with another covered dish, placing it in the middle of the table and taking the other two dishes away. Elion took the lid off it and found a large slice of cheesecake.
Getting up, he went to Olani, pulling her from her seat. He took it before pulling her back down and into his lap.
“I know I said what I chose may not have required you to be in my lap, but look, I was wrong.”
She laughed as she turned sideways on his lap. “Well, I’m not going to complain.”
He watched her pick up the fork on the plate beside the dessert. She forked some and held it out to him. Elion took it into his mouth and didn’t miss how her eyes dropped down to his lips. He then watched her stick the fork back into the cheesecake before slipping it into her mouth and wrapping her lips around it. His eyes dropped down to her lips.
They continued to eat the dessert this way until it was gone, and he ran his hands up and down her waist the entire time.
