Mr. January: A Forbidden Romance
She shakes her head.
“No, it’s perfect. It sets off the shrimp just right.”
With that, I take a bite of my slice too, and Sam’s right. The toppings are complementary, even if I’m risking going into anaphylactic shock by ingesting seafood. We both wolf down our slices, and then Sam reaches for another one. But then her fingers falter, and she shoots me a quick look that makes my heart clench.
“What’s wrong, sweetheart?” I ask, picking up on her hesitation immediately. She lets out an embarrassed laugh, and won’t meet my gaze.
“Well, it’s not as if it’s a secret that I’m a little on the curvy side,” she begins. I don’t understand what that has to do with anything.
“So? I love your curves, honey. You know that.”
She nods.
“I know. It’s just that … well, most women I know don’t seem to eat much. Meanwhile, I can’t survive on a diet of air and water, so I have to eat. Hunger makes me go crazy, so I’m going to have a second slice,” she says in a firm tone.
I stare at Sam.
“Of course, sweetheart. Have as much pizza as you like. I didn’t bring you out to a restaurant because I wanted you to sit there while nibbling at crumbs. I brought you here because I want you to have fun, and to enjoy the date and the food. Help yourself, sweetheart. There will be no judgment here, understand?”
She manages a relieved smile.
“Thanks Randy,” she says in a quiet tone. “I appreciate it.” Then the beautiful woman brightens. “It takes more than one slice of pizza for me to get full, but I promise I won’t eat the entire pizza by myself!”
But Samantha has no idea how serious I am. I take her hand, and look into those big brown eyes.
“Sweetheart, I’m serious. I bought this pie because I want you to enjoy it, and I’ll be happy to buy two more pizzas, or even more than that, if that’s what it takes to get the both of us nice and full. You shouldn’t feel self-conscious, and it’s not a problem at all. Eat as much as you like, and besides, if eating is the way that you got this beautiful body, then have more. You know how much I adore your curves, baby girl. Hell, I’ve never come so hard before and you’re the woman who does it for me.”
Sam blushes and looks down at the table, trying to hide a smile behind her hair. “You’re only saying that to be nice.”
“No, I’m saying it because I mean it. Your body is perfect, and I want you to believe the words. Don’t get me wrong, you’re beautiful at any size, but the way you look right now is pure perfection. I think a lot of women would pay good money to look like you, and hell, I’d pay good money to make you invisible.”
“Invisible?” Sam giggles. “What kind of message are you trying to send? I thought this was supposed to be an encouraging speech to make me feel better about myself. How did it turn into you wanting to turn me invisible?”
I chuckle too before going serious.
“I want you invisible so that I’m the only man in the world who gets to look at you. Does it make sense now, honey? The point is, you’re stunning, and I want you for myself.”
Sam melts a bit before my eyes, relaxing.
“Thank you, Randy,” she says in a quiet voice. “I really appreciate your support.” The moment is meaningful, and I try my best to keep myself together as I take a bite out of my own slice of pizza.
“Good, baby girl,” I tell her softly. “I want you to be happy.”
We’re quiet for a little while, savoring this newfound intimacy between us when Sam suddenly looks up with a playful smile. “So, what about you?”
“What about me?” I’m too busy marveling at this incredible woman to fully follow the train of the conversation.
She giggles.
“I mean, you’re obviously not in school, right?” Sam asks, one brow arched.
“No, I’m definitely not,” I drawl, amused. “I’m way past that, sweetheart. It’s been decades since I set foot in a classroom.”
“Really?” she asks, tilting her head at me in astonishment.
I nod.
“Yeah, after finishing high school, I enrolled in a technical program to become an arborist, of all things,” I say with a rueful smile. “Weird, right? It’s odd to think that once upon a time, I thought I’d be into working with trees because when I actually tried it, it turned out to be so goddamn boring. They don’t exactly talk to you. But while training to be an arborist, I started doing volunteer firefighting on the side, and that piqued my interest.”
She giggles.
“From trees to fighting fires.”
I nod.
“Yeah, it’s funny. At first, firefighting was just something that I was doing just for the hell of it, to pass the time, but then I realized that I was actually passionate about the work. I enjoyed it so much in fact that I dropped out of school and enrolled at the fire academy. Everything started picking up speed then, and after graduation and a couple more tests, I signed up with a station.”
“Just like that.” Sam smiles sweetly.
I nod. “It came with some lumps and bumps because the training’s not easy, but I got through it. All of this was twenty years ago, of course, so I may have forgotten some details. I’m forty-two now,” I add.
She gasps, eyes wide. “Seriously? You’re in your forties?” Then Sam slaps a hand over her mouth. “OMG, I didn’t mean to be rude. It’s just that you just caught me off guard because well, you don’t look forty. I thought you were in your thirties at most. I mean, you’re so fit and sculpted, with big muscles and everything.”