Chapter Thirteen - Roseanne
I met him at the restaurant and he was sitting with a glass of champagne. Lying on the table was one white rose. It was uniquely perfect and had me picking it up to look at it from every angle. The petals were soft to the touch. One perfect white rose was better than a bouquet of twelve. It showed he understood how the flaws of each individual flower could stand on its own.
“I feel we have something to celebrate. I took the liberty of ordering a bottle of champagne. We won’t be driving, which makes it easier for us to indulge a little. The chef has informed me his homemade pasta is to die for.” He had on a blue sports coat making his shoulders look even bigger than they were when he had no clothes on.
I was wearing a purple leather skirt. His eyes told me his favorite color was exactly what I was wearing. The white blouse didn’t exactly hide the girls from being discovered by his greedy eyes. The pink bra and panties to match were going to be his to see, but only if he played his cards right.
“I don’t know about having something to celebrate, but I do need something to take the edge off. You make me nervous every time that I’m around you.” I sat down trying to avoid eye contact. “I’m not saying that to insult you. It’s the exact opposite.” I somewhat regretted what we had done already, but at the same time felt this need that only he could satisfy.
“There’s nothing to be nervous about. I’m not going to attack you right here in the restaurant. I do have a modicum of restraint when it comes to my overactive libido. There’s always time to explore sexually.” He was being nice and giving me room to breathe.
“I know I can trust you, but I’ve had problems with boyfriends who think that I’m some sort of possession. I wish that sometimes they would take a page from your book.” I didn’t want to talk about the elephant in the room. He already knew too much, but maybe it would be better to put all of my cards on the table.
“I would never treat you like I own you. I can’t condone those men who feel insecure and need to enforce their will on a woman. I'm confident, and I don’t have to show it by manhandling a woman. I will say, the possibility of being with a woman more than once has only been in the back of my mind. Nobody truly makes me feel like you do.” His voice was melodic, but I didn’t want to get caught into thinking he was the one. It was a dangerous path and one that was fraught with disappointment.
“I wish I could believe you. I know I can tell you anything.” I took a few more sips from the glass, savoring the taste and letting the alcohol give me the courage to continue.
“I know you’re trying not to say something. Does this have anything to do with your ex-boyfriend? To be honest, he doesn’t seem like the kind of guy you would be interested in. I don’t know what happened to make you settle for somebody like him, but maybe you didn’t see the true face of the man until it was too late.” He was pretty good at putting the puzzle pieces together.
All I could do was nod in confirmation to his assumption. “I’ve always believed everything happens for a reason. I don’t necessarily hate Jason. I’ve come to some painful conclusions. We will never be right for one another. There’s something inherently wrong with him and I hope that he finds someone who will be able to stand with him in this life.” I was giving him excuses. I was getting a little sick and tired of making myself look like the bad guy.
“I hate to say this, but men like him will never change their outlook on women. We might be different, but we click where it matters. In business, I have to admit you have become something of a blessing in disguise. Mrs. Wilson won’t say it, but I see it through her eyes that she has vastly underestimated you.”
We ordered our food and I took my cue from him. I actually didn’t mind him ordering for me. The idea of trying something new appealed to my palate. I still appreciated what he said after the waiter left.
“I don’t want to be presumptuous. If there’s something that you would rather have on the menu then you won’t offend me. I never want to be that guy who tells you what to wear and what to eat. This is something I want to share with you. This will be an experience to whet your appetite for the rest of the evening.”
He was getting ahead of himself. I hadn’t even decided how the evening was going to end. The sex was amazing and no doubt would be even better the second time around, but…
The first time was a feeling-out process and he was able to find those hidden gems to make me hungry for more. The act itself was demanding. The foreplay was a nice buildup to the main event.
“I would have said something had I felt you were overstepping your authority. I admit sometimes I don’t take the time to smell the roses. These last few months have always been about Jason. His obsession has grown. He wants what he can’t have. I wouldn’t be surprised if he showed up at my doorstep again.” I wasn’t suggesting that he become my personal bodyguard, but having him near made me feel safe.
“I’ve already proven no man is a match for me. Your safety is my main concern. Those who consider you weak will find out how strong you really are. I can protect you, but I don’t think I have to. Jason was the cause of your insecurity. Once you had the courage to let him go, you finally opened up your eyes to how you can be stronger on your own.”
He sounded like a fortune cookie, but everything that he said made sense in my head. My heart, on the other hand, was still a little gun-shy when it came to throwing caution to the wind.
We talked about how he would keep an eye on me, but also on those feelings we had been unable to voice without expressing ourselves physically. It was a little awkward and he stumbled over his words trying to find the right ones to convey to me the way he felt.
“I’m glad you said that. There are times I feel weak, but I know deep down I don’t have to give any man that kind of power over me.”
“Jason needs to learn women are not defined by the man they are with. A relationship is supposed to be a two-way street with compromise and affection. I would be glad to teach him how important it is to be more connected to his partner. I don’t mind making the sacrifice of beating some sense into him.”
I cringed at the notion of him tangling with Jason in his beastly form. “I thought for sure he was going to come back with the police to charge you with assault. He’s probably trying to grasp the concept of what he saw. If he’s thinking straight, he won’t want to have anything to do with you, and in turn, he won’t darken my doorstep again.”
It wasn’t just the meal, but the companionship was a pleasure. I didn’t feel I had to measure up to expectations. I was happy to report the meal was absolutely divine. There was nothing I would have changed except for a little less garlic.
“I should always try something new, but the ravioli is too good to pass up. I tried to bribe the chef into giving me the recipe to the sinfully delicious sauce, but he was not very receptive. I always thought everybody had a price, but some things are priceless.” He took my hand and he made me believe that I was one of those priceless artifacts.
He fed me from his plate and it was a little cheesy like Lady and the Tramp, but it still left me blushing two shades of red. I was a little embarrassed by his behavior, but also felt like a woman should be treated on a date.
The white linen tablecloth with the prerequisite candlelight was a perfect way to bring some romance into my life. I thought that I was immune to candlelight dinners and long walks on the beach. I was getting the feeling I had never discovered the true art of romance until Tom came into my life.
“I can’t stop thinking about last night. I’m not the kind of girl to sleep with a man I barely know. It’s funny, but I feel I already know you in a way that nobody else can. I told you your secret was safe, but it doesn’t mean that I haven’t been mulling it over. I’m guessing you’ve tried to find a cure or maybe you were born with this affliction.” I had so many questions and I wasn’t sure how to pose them without invading his personal space.
“We could talk about it, but wouldn’t you rather have a repeat performance of last night? I have never been so damn hot for someone. It’s painful to sit here with this fucking erection wondering how I’m going to get you on your back with your legs in the air.”
I looked around, afraid somebody was going to overhear, but it was as if we were in our own little world at the back of the place. “You really don’t mind saying what is on your mind. I admire the way that you don’t find it necessary to play games. It was rather sexy to hear you say those words in public. I’m having these images which I would like to make into reality.”
He raised my hand and dipped my fingers into what was left of the sauce on his plate. “Life is too short for regrets. I find something I like and I’m not afraid to say what is in my heart.” My index finger was summarily sucked into his mouth, sending a shiver of excitement down to my lower extremities. “I’ve never been in this position, but I feel you deserve more than lip service.” He licked clean my middle finger. “I’ve always been a big believer in action speaking louder than words.” Then my ring finger was sucked slowly, making my body imagine other places where I wanted his tongue. “I think last night gave you a pretty good idea of how you have affected me.” Finally, he cleaned my pinkie. It drove me wild. “Jason is a name I never want to hear cross your lips again.” Hearing that name put a bit of a damper on my libido. Tom didn’t seem like the kind of person to lie to me, not after everything that we had been through. But just that name brought back some difficult memories.
“He was the one I thought I wanted, but I know that you can treat me better than some Neanderthal pounding on his chest. I’m sure you are wondering why I wasted my time with the likes of him. There must be something damaged about me to get together with a man who treated me like shit.” I was appalled by the curse coming out of my mouth, but it was the only way to make my feelings abundantly clear.