Page 45 of Lessons in Love
All the chaotic thoughts and worries about having a jokeless future vanish the moment I see her. I stand beside the booth and watch her come to me with a walk that catches every guy’s eyes in the joint. Holy shit.
Her hair is wavy-curly, hanging down past her shoulders the way I like it best. She’s got heavier eye makeup and lighter lips.The red dress hugs every curve and the thin straps highlight the beauty of her neck and shoulders. My eyes go low anddamnnnn, she’s wearing shiny black heels that beg to be wrapped over my shoulders.
My heart starts racing the second I see her smile, the smile that she’s wearing just for me. I step forward just as she reaches the table. Kissing her on her cheek, I whisper, “You are the most magnificent woman I’ve ever seen.”
Keeping my cheek against hers, my hand runs along the curve of her waist. I want her. I want this woman more than anything I’ve ever wanted—not just sexually, but in my life, every day. Every morning. Every night. In my bed and in my heart.
Her hands are wrapped around my back, and she whispers, “You look incredibly handsome, Hardy.”
“Maybe we should skip dinner?”
“No,” she replies, laughing. “I’ve wanted to eat here since it opened but it was too hard to get into. How’d you get a reservation on such short notice.”
“Magic.”
“And by magic, you mean connections?”
“Exactly.”
“Hardy?”
“Yes?”
She starts to squirm. “Are we going to stop hugging long enough to have dinner?”
“Do you want to? I’m totally fine standing here holding you like this all night.”
Laughing, she whispers, “We can do this again when we get to my apartment if you like.”
“I would like to do that.” I release her and lean back. Her sweet smile pierces my heart. My hand gravitates to my chest and I rub.
She winks at me. “I’ve been looking forward to this lesson since the first time we were in your office.”
“You have?” I take her jacket and purse from her arm and slip them into the booth between us as we slide in on opposite sides. She instantly moves them to the side and scoots closer to me.
I don’t even think she’s aware how close she’s sitting until the waiter comes by and tells us what a beautiful couple we are. She puts a few inches between us and though I’d love to make a joke about ten inches I’d like to put somewhere, I’m too busy trying to find a reason to close the distance again.
We order wine and sit back, in no rush to order food despite being starved. I want my time with her to last as long as it can. “How was your day?” I ask.
“I cleaned and did some shopping. I got this dress today and these shoes. I treated myself. Ever since you talked about how the other women dressed around Lowry, nothing in my wardrobe made me feel good.”
“Does this dress?”
“Yes. I feel pretty and in these heels, I feel tall. I like feeling powerful like that.”
“A woman who carries herself with confidence is extremely sexy.”
“So maybe I’m not a lost cause after all.”
Our bottle of wine is opened and we take the time to test it. The pinot noir reminds me of her lipstick the first time I ever saw her. I’ve been craving this wine ever since. “Salut,” I say, holding my glass to hers.
“Salut.”
Conversation flows throughout dinner and I learn that she loves golf and yoga, but hates horseback riding because she was thrown once, and she’s willing to jog with me, but fears she won’t be able to keep up.
She loves the snow. She loves when it rains. She hates when they mix. She has annual memberships to The New York Botanical Gardens in the Bronx and The Met and often frequents the New York City Library, but rarely goes in.
“Why don’t you go in?” I ask, turning the stem of my wine glass between my fingers.
