Things have been going well, but I feel like I’m waiting for things to go wrong. I think that’s part of why I want to take her out tonight. I like her, and I want her to know that this is more than just sex. Though the sex is fucking mind-blowing.
I’ve booked us into one of the top restaurants in Boston, where we will be served a seven-course degustation menu prepared by one of the top chefs in the country, who happens to be an old college friend of mine. I’m actually kind of nervous about it. It’s like I’m worried that if she gets to know me too well, she might decide this isn’t worth it. Or maybe you’re worried she’ll find out everything you’re hiding. I frown, realizing how anxious that makes me.
Maybe I like her even more than I thought.Right on seven, I knock on her door. I hear movement on the other side, but it’s a moment before she opens it. She smiles at me. I take her hand and kiss it.
“You look stunning,” I say to her.
“Thanks. You look pretty good yourself,” she grins. “So, where are we going?”
“Have you heard of Kingston?” I ask her. I already know the answer will be yes.
She laughs at my question. “Everyone has heard of Kingston,” she scoffs. Her eyes widen. “Don’t tell me you got us reservations there?” she gasps. “How?”
“What can I say? I know people,” I grin. “So, shall we go?”
She nods. I take her hand and we walk to my car. I help her in and then shut the door, walking around the front to the driver’s side. She smiles at me as I get in and buckle in my belt. I start the car and drive off, the excitement in my stomach beginning to give way to nerves.
We drive through the city in the direction of the water, which the restaurant overlooks. I pull to a stop outside it and get out, handing the attendant my keys. Alana waits until I open the door for her and extend my hand.
Alana clutches onto my arm as we walk through the restaurant, her eyes wide with excitement. I glance down at her short, dark purple dress, my throat constricting. Why did I have to make tonight about everything other than sex? Fucking her is all I can think about, seeing her in that dress, but I’m determined to show her that this is more just about sex.
“Holy shit,” she hisses, tugging at my arm. “I'm pretty sure that’s Kayne West over there.
I turn and smirk. “Yeah, that’s him,” I say with a chuckle.
“You seem less impressed than I am,” she comments, narrowing her eyes playfully. “Which I’m assuming means you’ve been here before?”
I nod as the waiter leads us to our table.
“Once or twice,” I grin.
Once or twice being nearly every month.
Not only do I like the food, but I'm also friends with the owner. We went to college together, so we catch up and have lunch every now and then.
I sit down. Alana looks around, the smile never leaving her face. Then she glances around, like she’s lost something.
“What have you lost?” I ask her curiously.
“Nothing,” she mutters. “I was just looking for the menu.”
“There is no menu,” I say with a smile. “Degustation means the chef decides what to serve. It comes out over seven courses. Small courses,” I add when her eyes widen.
“How have I never heard of this is before?” she says, shaking her head. “This is perfect. I hate making decisions. I'm terrible when it comes to choosing when I have more than one option.”
“I’m having trouble believing that,” I say with a grin.
“It’s true. Three weeks later and I'll still be trying to work out the pros and cons.”
“That’s not necessarily a bad thing,” I say with a smile.
“It is when I miss out on the things I want because of it,” she replies.
“It's funny, because I would've thought the opposite about you,” I say. “I see you as calculated and organized.”
She shakes her head vigorously. “No way. I've always been like this. I used to drive my father crazy when I was younger. He’d asked me to choose somewhere to go out for dinner and I'd still be deciding on the drive there. One time we went on a vacation and I was still booking the accommodation a hour before we arrived.”
I chuckle, studying her with amusement.
“What?” she grins. “I’m a sucker for making sure I’m getting the best deal.”
The first course comes out. I smirk when I see what it is. Escargot. I’, not the biggest fan, but I'm more interested in seeing her reaction. I'm pretty confident her reaction isn’t going to be positive. The waiter places her plate in front of her. She leans forward and breathes in. “God that smells amazing,” she murmurs. “I love escargot,” she adds, when I can’t take my eyes off her.