Page 50 of Serena
Getting out of the car, I make my way to her and pull her into my arms. “I told you I’d come up.” She bites on her lower lip.
“I was nervous and started to overthink, so I just came down myself. If I didn’t, I probably would have canceled." I can’t help but smile because if overthinking were an Olympic sport, this woman would have a gold medal.
“Okay, but next time, try to wait for me. I want to make this perfect for you.” I know this is her first date in a long time. Serena didn’t date. I can see how nervous she is about tonight, and I try to ease her. “Respira,” I tell her.
“How did you know?”
“I’ve heard you mumble it to yourself.”
I love that her genuine smiles are more frequent. “Let’s go.” I steer her to the car, where Augustus is waiting with the open door. They exchange smiles, and he winks at her. The motherfuckerwinksat her. Once in the car, I turn to her and find her smiling at me. “Don’t be jealous of Gus. Plus, it’s your fault; you have him drive me everywhere. So, it was natural that we’d become friends.”
“I’ll fire him and hire a new driver,” I say as I look at him through the rearview mirror. “Don’t be dramatic. Who else would put up with your tantrums? Plus, don’t we have a date?”
Did she just say tantrums? And called me dramatic. She’s right, we do have a date, so firing my driver wouldn’t be a good idea, for now. Truth be told, I’m nervous about tonight. I want everything to be perfect for her. I can feel her restlessness. “You look beautiful.”
“Um. Thank you. I didn’t know what to expect, so if it’s dinner or skydiving, I’m sort of covered.” She half laughs.
“Don’t worry, no jumping out of an airplane, unless you want to.”
“That will be a pass.”
We arrive at my penthouse. “So, our first date is at your place? I mean, I’m all for staying in.”
“Mi Reina, you sound disappointed, but not quite.” I tap the access key to the elevator. We arrive at our destination, the rooftop, which only I have access to.
When I thought about tonight, I didn’t know what to expect. This, in front of me, never crossed my mind, and it’s everything. When the elevator opened, the scent of fresh flowers invaded my senses. The rooftop is covered with a variety of colored roses, with candles scattered throughout on the floor. The full moon and stars help cast light onto the table that’s placed to the right. In the center, there's a chair with the guitarist from our trip weeks ago. I don’t move, taking everything in.
“Do you like it?”
I look up at him. “Do I like it? I love it,” I tell him because I do. No one has ever done anything like this for me. “Ian, it’s perfect.” He lets out the breath he’s been holding in and takes my hand, guiding me to the table. And the guitarist starts to play.
“I have another surprise for you.” Then I hear her. “Would you like to try a mojito?” I turn to find Ruby, and I can’t help but scream in excitement. I wrap my arms around her. “What are you doing here?”
“Mr. Kayde, eh, I mean, your man, flew me out for your date, and I have an audition at his cousin's bar in a couple of hours. So, how about that mojito?”
“Yes,” I say excitedly. We do our routine, and the mojito, along with the ambiance, is perfect. I turn to Ian, who’s staring at me. Without hesitation, I place my hands on his face and lean in for a kiss. It’s soft and tender, expressing what my words can’t. A waiter shows up and places a variety of fruit with lime and chili powder. I look at Ian.
“The watermelon tasted so good I decided to try other fruit, and now I’m hooked on it.” I don’t miss the jícama that’s placed on the table. He wraps his arm around me, pulling me closer to him, and I let him. Then we sit and enjoy the music.
“How did you know about the roses?” I don’t recall sharing my favorite flower. I’ve always loved roses. In the past couple of years, I’ve used them to help me reduce my anxiety. Their scent helps keep me calm.
“I pay attention to everything about you.” And I know that it’s true.
After dinner, Ruby excuses herself, agreeing to meet for coffee before she heads back home, leaving Ian, me, and the guitarist, whose name is Sergio. Ian stands and puts his hand out for me. “Dance with me.” I don’t know if it’s a demand or a question, but it doesn't matter. I wrap my arms around his neck, and he coils his arms around my body, holding me tightly, as if I’m about to run.
“I’m not going to run,” I assure him. “One day at a time,” I remind him. As we dance, I find myself wishing for more nights like this.
I don’t know at what point the guitarist leaves, but Ian and I stay on the rooftop. I’m standing at the edge, looking at the sky; the stars are so bright. I feel one arm wrap around my waist while the other moves my hair to the side, allowing him toplant kisses on my neck and behind my ear. I lean into his hold, moving my head to the side to allow him further access. “I like it when you kiss me like you need me,” I admit. He doesn’t ask me about it, and I contemplate sharing, but then I push that thought aside.
“Baby, I need you all the time. I need you now.”
“Then take me.” Tonight, I don’t want to overthink anything. I want to just give in to all these feelings. I know I’ll regret this tomorrow, but what if I don’t? He continues his kisses and moves a hand to my breast.
“I’m going to rip this off you. This top has been teasing me all night.”
“Do it,” I challenge. “But that means I won’t have anything to wear when I leave.” I can feel how hard he is, so I grind my ass on him.
“You’re a brat, you know that?”
