Page 91 of Rules Of Engagement: St. Louis
He nodded with a smirk then reached over and pinched my chin.
“You’ll get to know more of me, and part of that is finding out in this moment that I’m always trying to impress you.”
I smiled. “You are so consistent.”
“Am I?”
“You’ve been trying to impress me since our first date when you didn’t have to.”
He winked, and I winked back.
“It’s my style, you know.”
“I do know.”
And just like that my nerves had settled down completely. Without trying, Christian had calmed me, and that was something I couldn’t ignore.
We pulled into the parking lot of a small Italian restaurant I’d never heard of. The building was unassuming, tucked between a dry cleaner and a cell phone store, but the parking lot was full.
“This doesn’t look like much,” I said.
“Trust me. They have the best food in the city outside of Soulful.”
Inside, the restaurant showcased checkered tablecloths, wine bottles lined the walls, and the smell of garlic and tomatoes was heavy in the air. It was warm and intimate.
“Christian!” A short Italian man with graying hair approached our table, beaming. “So good to see you! And this must be the beautiful woman you told me about.”
I raised an eyebrow at Christian as the man kissed both my cheeks in greeting.
“Naomi, this is Tony. Tony, Naomi.”
“Welcome, welcome! I have the perfect table for you. Very romantic, very private.”
Tony led us to a corner table lit by candles, with a view of the small garden outside. It was perfect, but I was still processing what he’d said.
“You told him about me?”
Chrisitan blushed and it was the first time I’d seen his face fill with color in such a way. “I may have mentioned that I was bringing someone special.”
“Special, huh?”
“Don’t let it go to your head.”
I laughed, knowing he was teasing me.
Tony brought us wine without being asked, a rich Chianti that paired perfectly with the bread and olive oil he placed on our table.
“So,” Christian said, settling back in his chair, “tell me about your worst first date.”
“Are you trying to make yourself feel better about your music choices?”
“Maybe.”
I took a sip of wine, thinking. “In college I had a blind date set up by my roommate. The guy took me to Chuck E. Cheese.”
Christian choked on his wine. “Chuck E. Cheese? For a date?”
“He said he thought it would be fun and nostalgic. Turns out he just wanted to play the arcade games. I spent two hours watching him try to win tickets to get a stuffed animal.”
