Page 8 of Sweet Dreams
I bit my lip, wondering how he caught on to me so quickly. I was flattered he thought I was beautiful, but I didn't like him seeing my insecurity so easily. Nothing to do but go along with it though. What was I going to do? Fight with him about how I was actually ugly? Um, hell no. Even my self-esteem was better than that. So, I nodded. He accepted my non-verbal answer by placing his hand on my back and steering me out thedoor.
5
Dinner at Fire Sushiwent great. Like, crazy great. We talked, we laughed, we flirted, we had incredible sushi. Ivan was a perfect gentleman. He opened doors for me, made sure I had the best seat in the restaurant, and asked my opinion on things. He never once looked at another woman, and there were plenty of beautiful ones, both in the restaurant and out on Main Street. He was so focused on me I was almost a little flustered. I was guessing this was how it was supposed to be when you're with a guy who's totally intoyou.
After we couldn't eat another healthy sushi roll (because even on a date/non-date, Ivan ordered healthy...no oil, no fried bits, no cream cheese, no eel sauce...le sigh), we decided to hunt down dessert. Because calories don't count on a date, everybody knew that (except Ivan). I asked if he was up for a walk which he was. He even said if my feet hurt in my wedges, he'd already demonstrated that he could carry me. That would be entirely unnecessary but a sweet offernonetheless.
He grabbed my hand and laced our fingers together as we began to walk down the street toward Pacific City. His hand was warm and seemed to transfer heat straight to that flutter in my stomach. This guy's touch was magic. I was starting to crave his hugs already and now I couldn't decide if I liked the hugs or the hand holdingbetter.
"I know we decided to just be friends right now, but I gotta be honest with you, Esa. This feels like a date. A really good first date," Ivan said cautiously while glancing at me from the corner of hiseye.
A small smile was on my face before I even knew what I'd say in response. The idea of this being a real date wasn't scary or repulsive at all anymore. In fact, it made my heart rate speed up with what felt suspiciously like longing. Maybe it was the wine at dinner, or the romantic evening atmosphere, or his big hand holding mine so tightly, but whatever it was, I couldn't hold back thewords.
"Yeah, it sure does seem like a date, huh?" I said grinning. I couldn't look at him yet, but I knew his gaze hadn't left myface.
"I was thinking, we don't want to confuse ourselves. Maybe for easy labeling we should just go ahead and call it what it is. Our first date.” He pulled on my hand so I stopped walking and was forced to look at him. He looked directly in my eyes and his expression was dead serious even though his words wereplayful.
A minor panicky feeling took off in my stomach at being put on the spot, but I could clearly feel this was one of those defining times in a relationship. I either got brave and decided to go down this path with him or I chickened out and pushed him away. The thought of going back to him not being in my life seemed intolerable. So, I pulled up my big girl panties (figuratively, of course) and decided to make the jump. I could always cool things off later if I felt like they were going too far, too fast.Right?
I took a deep breath in and then let it out, bringing my gaze back to Ivan. "Yes, let's call it a date. Our first date," I said softly but firmly while looking him in theeye.
His face immediately lit up in that stunning smile of his, right before he grabbed me and wrapped me into a warm hug. I went without complaint, happy to feel his heart rate racing, just likemine.
After more walking, more hand holding, and more flirting, we finally reached the second level of Pacific City. I picked up my speed and led him to Chocolate Dreams, which was closed this late at night. Ivan looked at me in confusion. I whipped out my keys, gave him a secretive smile, and said, "I've heard they have the best hot chocolate concoctions in the state. We gotta try 'em!"
Before he could speak, I spun around, unlocked the door, and pulled him into my dream come true. I hit the lights and smiled with pride at the decor. "What is this place, Esa?" Ivan asked as he looked around, then swung his eyes back tome.
"This is my shop. I'm the owner," Isaid.
He grinned with a sexy look in his eye as he grabbed me by the arms and said, "Damn, my girl's a business maven." This turned him on as evidenced by how close he pressed his body intomine.
The warm glow intensified as I focused on how he'd said 'my girl'. Had we already gone from our first date to together-together? I wasn't sure how these things worked, but I figured I was right about Ivan not taking things slow. That made the stomach flutter come back, and I was just enjoying itsabsence.
"What's your favorite dessert, Ivan?" I asked, master of abrupt topicchanges.
"Hmm...first place would be tasting you, which I'm hoping you'll let me do soon, since we've decided this is a date. Second place would be mint chocolate chip ice cream," he responded while he used one hand to cup the side of my face. His thumb stroked along my cheekbone and then grazed my bottomlip.
All coherent thought left my head. My lip tingled, and I gripped his bicep harder as I tried to get just a fraction of an inch closer to that hard body. Like a lightning bolt to the head, I now knew. Five years without sexy times was way too long. It was like being a starving person front and center at a buffet. Like Bailey entering a Saks Fifth Avenue with a charge card. I wasn't sure how much self-control I really had at that point. The switch was flipped, and I wanted a piece ofIvan.
He leaned down, his lazy grin went blurry, and he kissed me on the cheek. I felt the subtle scratch of his five o'clock shadow and my lips began to pout of their own accord when he straightened back up without giving them the attention theywanted.
"So, what are you going to make me, Esa?" Ivan asked in a clear voice, stepping away from me. He was grinning like he knew what sexual torment he left me in. That figures! He rushes to get me to admit it's a date, but then slows way down when I want that firstkiss.
My eyes narrowed to let him know I knew what he was doing, and I'd go along with it, but I wasn't happy. I walked around the counter and made my famous hot chocolate. Ivan was sitting on one of the bar stools watching me create my masterpiece. I made sure to include some peppermint in the chocolate mix, then topped it with our chilled, homemade whipped cream. Then I sprinkled both mint and chocolate shavings on top of the whip and finished it with a mint chocolate candy stick on the side. I came around the bar, sat next to him and presented him with his dessert in our signature white cups with pink and blacklogo.
He swiveled on his bar stool so our knees were touching, picked up the hot chocolate, and took a sip. He closed his eyes for a moment, then put the cup down. I was pretty confident with my recipes, but I also didn't know if it was just too girlie for him. And for some reason, I really wanted him to like it. His opinion mattered, and I was more nervous than the day I opened my shop to thepublic.
He swallowed, opened his eyes, and said, "That is the best damn hot chocolate I've ever tasted, babe. Way better than mint chocolate chip ice cream. Way better than Costco pumpkin pie. Better than a churro at Disneyland which everyone knows is perfection. You've literally spoiled me for every other dessert I'll evereat."
I figured he was exaggerating a bit, but I still smiled from ear to ear at his praise. "I'm so glad you likeit!"
"I don't like it, I love it. Here, share this with me," Ivanresponded.
We sipped and shared in friendly silence. Finally, he said, "You've got a little whipped cream right there," gesturing to my lip. I swiped quickly but apparently, I didn't get it because he leaned in and said, "Let me getit."
And that's when ithappened.
His lips descended onto mine for a split second before his tongue licked across my lip. "So tasty," he whispered against my lips. I was a little shocked and more than a little turned on, so when he deepened the kiss by opening my mouth and using his tongue to explore, I actively participated. He grabbed onto my hip with one hand and pulled me closer to him. The other hand cupped my face and slid into my hair, grabbing a handful, and tipping my face up for deeperaccess.
