I pace back and forth nervously in front of my mirror in the bedroom. Is this good enough to wear tonight? I looked at my reflection. I chose a tight-fitting red and white dress that falls just above my knees. Calleigh once told me I looked good in red, so I thought I should wear the color tonight. What if I'm completely wrong on how she feels? I asked myself. She did kiss my cheek and call it a date….I know! But what if she was just being super friendly? We are really good friends…I argue with myself. The doorbell interrupts my mental argument.
I walk downstairs and check my hair once more before I open the door to find Calleigh waiting. She was breathtaking! She wore black, leather pants with a pair of leather boots. The outfit was topped off with a tight-fitted white dress shirt and a black, leather jacket. I quickly felt overdressed. She must have noticed the expression on my face.
"Natalia, you look fantastic." She informed me. I half-smiled and let her inside. Should I change? The thought is taken from me as Calleigh takes my hand and squeezes it.
"Natalia, I want you to know that no matter what we will remain friends." Calleigh informed her. "However, I would really like more." I squeeze her hand back and smile. I quickly felt reassured about my appearance.
"You would huh?" I teased. She stands in front of me and pulls me against her.
"Yes, I would." She said with that Southern drawl. I hold back a growl as our lips meet for the first time. Our kiss was brief, but it sent shocks through my body. We pull back and her eyes remain closed as our foreheads lean against each other. She has a lazy smile on her face as I push the hair back from her face. I gently tilt her head up to look at me and rub my thumb back and forth on her cheek bone.
"Calleigh, I will never hurt you." I assure her. Her fears in the past pushed her towards the things that were bad for her…Eric, Peter, and all the other men she was with. A tear falls down her cheek. I wipe it away and smile at her.
"Now, how about our first date?" I asked. She nodded and returned my smile with one of her own.
"You will like the restaurant we are going to." She informs me. I grab my purse and follow her out the door.
Our drive to the restaurant was wonderful. We talked about our new future and how long we've been in love with the other. The feelings mutually began when we first met. I had met Calleigh and Ryan as they walked into the new lab for the first time. It turns out that was a special moment for us. During the whole ride we held hands. Her hand on mine made me feel warm and cared for. Someone loved me.
We arrived at a beautiful Italian restaurant downtown. She opened my door for me and held my hand as we walked up to the maître de. He showed us to our table Calleigh had reserved, gave us some menus, and poured us two glasses of wine.
"I'm impressed Duquesne." I teased Calleigh as I glanced up at her past my menu.
"Good. It doesn't end here." She said with a thick, Southern accent. My eyebrow raised as she took a sip of her wine, staring at me the entire time. She smiled broadly at me and I returned it. We ordered our dinner soon after and waited for it to be brought out to us.
"I meant it earlier today, Nat. I really do want to know more about you." Calleigh said as we sipped on our wine and nibbled on some salad.
"Okay. What do you want to know?" I asked her. She tilted her head and thought for a moment. A large grin spread on her face as she squinted her eyes and leaned on the table.
"How many female relationships have you had?" She asked. I laughed at the expression on her face as I sit back in my chair and cross my legs.
"Well, several. I prefer women." I answered honestly. "I realized this more after Nick." She nodded.
"What about you?" I asked her. She sighed and played with a piece of lettuce on her plate.
"I dated women on and off during college, but once I joined the academy I started dating Jake. It kind of let downhill from there. I had numerous crushes on women I knew, but I seemed to have been drawn to the bad boys." She explained. Bad boys, ha! The dangerous kind of bad boy, I thought to myself. However, I knew it wasn't Calleigh's fault.
"It's not your fault Calleigh. We can't help who we're drawn to." I responded. She glanced up at me and smiled. I was really enjoying our time together.
"Why didn't you tell me how you felt sooner?" She asked me.
"You were with Eric and Jake for a long time. I backed off a lot when I saw you were getting close to them." I answered with a sad tone. There were numerous times I wanted to walk up to Calleigh and ask her out the way Jake or Eric did, but I always chickened out. The fear of rejection always kept me back.
"Is that why you haven't dated?" Calleigh inquired. I was taken off guard, but she guessed right. I nodded. No one can measure up to Calleigh, I thought. She sighed and took her hand into mine.
"I'm glad we're together now." She told me. I smiled and squeezed her hand.
"So am I." I replied.
"When do I get to meet your sisters?" She asked with a smile.
"You already met Anya." I mentioned. She shrugged and played with my fingers.
"Yes, but we never met formally." She reminded me.
"As you noticed, she's the problem child. She was always getting herself in trouble." I responded. She glanced up at me and listened. "Christine and I was always trying to keep her in line. My parents were all over themselves trying to keep Anya out of trouble."
"Well she is the youngest, yes?" Calleigh asked. I nodded.
"I'm the middle child." I informed her. It suddenly hits me that there is a lot I never told Calleigh.
"I am the youngest. My older brother and I used to be close." She informs me. She has a brother? There was a lot I didn't know about Calleigh after all.
"What happened?" I asked as I leaned in to listen to her.
"He left the house when I was young. He couldn't take Dad's drinking and the fighting. When he was eighteen he left and would come visit me. I was left in the house with my parents. Dad introduced me to firearms as a young child, but he withdrew when the drinking became out of hand." She explained.
"What about your mother?" I asked.
"She tried to be my best friend. I'm surprised I made it out of that house alive! No parenting whatsoever." She answered. I laughed to see a wild Calleigh as a teenager, but she turned into such a strong woman. It made her who she was.
"You're strong and beyond caring. It made you a wonderful woman." I informed her with a blush on my face. She blushed too and our conversation paused with the arrival of our dinner.
We eat our dinner and continue to chat throughout. She surprises me every now and then with new information about herself that makes me laugh and admire her so much more. I share an embarrassing story about my first love that turned into a disaster. She held back as long as she could from laughing before it overtook her and she laughed so hard she cried. It was so good to let loose like we were doing, especially after such a stressful week.
Dinner was finished with a delicious, Italian dessert. The bill was paid and we walked out of the restaurant together. The night was so beautiful that we decided to take a walk across the beach under the moonlight.
We took off our shoes and carried them as we walked across the beach in the warm sand. The moonlight dancing on the tops of the waves was beautiful. I glanced over at Calleigh, who was glancing out into the ocean. I admired the glow the moonlight caused on her hair. It was beautiful. I moved behind her and wrap my arms around her waist and lay my head on her shoulder. She sighs as she presses her back into my chest.
"Let's stay like this forever." She mumbled. I agreed with a nod and pulled her down into the sand so we were sitting. She relaxes in my arms and we watch the moonlight dance on the waves.
"Natalia?" She asks me after we have been sitting together for a while.
"Yeah Cal." I respond. She twists around so she can see me.
"Don't leave me." She says. I pull her against me tighter and plant a soft kiss on her shoulder. She was completely vulnerable to me.
"I won't Cal, I won't." I promise her.