C & K

This was his dream come true!!!

Cal arrived early at Morimoto's restaurant and checked it out thoroughly before deciding he would prefer a quiet table further to the back for this evening.

There was a magnificent square centre piece where two chefs stood slicing, chopping and dicing providing an impressive show of cookery on sizzling silver surfaces. There was bar styled seating so you could sit before them and have the food served to you immediately, but it would limit the conversation and intimacy of the evening so Cal planned the alternative. Waiters moved effortlessly around the tables ensuring food and drinks were brought to everyone.

The restaurant itself was designed by Stephen Starr who had wanted to give the impression of dining under water. The wooden ceilings rolled like waves and the walls were sculpted to created the effect of motion. Each glass table was individually lit with slowly changing coloured lighting. The service was impeccable, as was expected and according to the critiques Cal had seen the food was guaranteed to be a dining experience.

In his mind, Cal had a single purpose to this evening. He wanted to discover if Katie Manoso was as fascinating and captivating mentally as she was physically. He knew he might never have an opportunity to do so again. There was a chance they might not hit it off. There was a good chance Ranger would come down on him if he found out. There was also the very real chance that Katie was not interested in him romantically, or that the age difference, whatever it was, might be too challenging for her to overcome.

If she was as as enticing in her personality as she was bodily Cal was completely prepared to be her toy boy should she desire one.

Cal waited somewhat nervously at a small table in the rear of the restaurant, sipping his water. The table he had asked for was partially screened from the entrance by a planter box of bamboo. It was not far from the kitchen area where a small army pre-prepared foods for the incredible culinary display taking place in the middle of the restaurant, but that too was delicately barriered by a remarkable Shoji screen.

He could not believe that this afternoon he had so boldly suggested sharing dinner with Katie Manoso. It was like his dream come true, well at least part of the dream. He shifted awkwardly in his seat thinking he was being awfully presumptuous to assume she was interested in him in that way. He focussed himself on the doorway and waited for her to come through, distracting himself from any other thoughts he was entertaining.

Cal watched Katie arrive without her seeing him already sitting in the back. She looked ravishing. Her figure, her hair, her skin were all highlighted beautifully by the deliciously red dress she wore. Cal's eyes drifted down the length of her legs and he thought briefly how sweet it would be to have those red high heels locked behind his back. Shifting again in his chair, he took a deep breath and forced himself to change his thinking.

Katie was quite undeliberately restraining her physical sensuality, out of a subconscious respect for the Japanese culture. As she bowed from the waist and followed the hostess who was showing her to the table, the graceful gait in her step gave her alluring essence away naturally. Cal stood and smiled as Katie approached.

Katie took time to notice the width of Cal's shoulders and the way his shirt clung to them in places. She noted the crisp pressed crease down the front of his dress pants and the immaculate shine on his black shoes. He was obviously a service man through and through. She smiled at his smile and his detectable nervousness, glad she wasn't the only one feeling a little uncertain of themselves. She stepped up to him and kissed his cheek. "Hello Cal," she breathed with a hint of her own nervousness.

"Katie, you look absolutely breath taking." Katie wasn't entirely certain about the accuracy of that, but it broadened her smile, putting an extra sparkle to her eyes and helped set her at ease. Like the gentleman she expected he would be, Cal held her chair for her and pushed it gently in before sitting down again opposite her.

Ranger would have sent Cal on more training had he known that Cal was entirely enchanted by Katie, and as a result, entirely unaware of his surroundings. Cal did not notice they were being watched, albeit briefly.

Katie found it surprisingly easy and comfortable talking with Cal. They shared the many small courses of their meal and conversation paused only for eating, flowing smoothly, as if they had been friends for many years. Cal surprised Katie when he spoke of his years in the service; Army, Special Forces, of course.

"Was there no-one special waiting on base for you to come home,Cal?" Katie enquired well into the evening.

"I was engaged," Cal admitted, losing himself briefly in his own regrets. "She realised she didn't want to raise army brats on a base far from her home and family, and figured that she wasn't the one for me after all. So she left."

"I'm sorry Cal"

"That's all right Katie, it gives me my own right of inquiry," Cal said with a wink.

"My life is an open book, ask and ye shall receive," Katie replied with a gentle laugh. "No, no, let me tell you instead." Katie sipped her wine for a little courage and Cal relaxed preparing to savour her every word. She was as exquisite as he had already imagined.

"Miguel and I were childhood sweethearts," Katie smiled to herself. "He was friends with my older brothers and was always at our place playing. As we grew older he would leave love letters for me under the seat of my bicycle but when I was six and he was seven he fashioned a ring from a piece of quartz and copper wiring and proposed to me on our back porch." She laughed gently at the memory. "We were always meant to be." Cal could see the joy in her eyes as she remembered.

"You love him very much don't you?"

"I still have that ring," Katie's smile saddened a little, "I always will love him. He holds part of my heart." She looked up at Cal's eyes. Miguel was gone and her vows had been to love him with all her heart until death they did part. She had done that so easily, and had no intention of replacing him, but she sometimes found herself lonely. "I thought I loved him with my whole heart entirely, but then we had children, and somehow there was room there for them, bountiful love for each one all the same." She spoke slowly and deliberately hoping Cal would understand what she was saying, "I am learning that there is always still more to share."

Cal studied Katie's face and her words silently. Was she offering him an invitation he wondered to himself, to get to know her a little better. He certainly thought so and grinned. "Time for a little warm sake then?"

Katie blushed and grinned herself, remembering her outrageous flirting in the garage at Rangeman. "I gave you fair warning what that might lead to," she laughed glad that Cal had brought the conversation around to be light hearted again.

"That's why I'm ordering a bottle or two," Cal responded cheekily, drawing another laugh from Katie's lips.

"You were going to tell me about these tattoo's you like to hide." Katie deflected her embarrassment.

Cal caught the attention of a waiter passing by, which wasn't very difficult, they had been constantly attended but quietly and unobtrusively the entire evening. He ordered some green tea ice cream for dessert and some sake for them to sip, then turned his attention to Katie once again, frowning, " I do believe it was you that had one of your own to tell me about."

"I knew you wouldn't forget." Cal had not forgotten at all. He had spent the afternoon distracted from his work, finding it hard to concentrate on anything other than playing over in his mind just where her tattoo might be located and what exactly it was. "I might have to wait for my sake before I make this confession."

"Is it so terrible?" Katie blushed but shook her head no, as the sake and ice cream arrived.

"I have a dragon tattoo'd on my hip," she shook her head and rolled her eyes gently. "I thought I was getting old, married with children. At 28 I had a mid life crisis and acted out I suppose you could say." Cal was intrigued.

"Dragon's are traditionally noble and vibrant," he said. "Throughout Asia they are a symbol of good health or good luck and fortune, but Western culture portrays them so much more sinisterly. May I ask why a dragon?"

"I was born in the Chinese Year of the Dragon, please, don't do the math on that one!" Her eyes widened momentarily in horror at that small admission. "But my dragon is not a sinister one. It is in fact a love heart," Katie explained. "It's red in colour and sits on my hip, rearing up. It's wings are lifted to open but arch back and down wrapping behind it's body forming the shape of a valentine. The curled serpentine tail finishes in an diamond, completing the heart," she finished the description. Cal knew beyond doubt it would be incredibly sexy.

"The good news is we are highly compatible," he laughed at Katie when she was slightly taken aback.

"We are?"

"According to the Chinese," he continued. "I was born in the Year of the Rooster, making us extremely well suited."

"Is one of your tattoo's a rooster?" Katie asked quickly.

"Ha!" Cal snorted, "I've yet to find a sexy or macho chicken design to have tattoo'd on myself," he said.

The night was growing late, the hour stretched on to midnight and while Cal was in no hurry to leave, he was on an early shift tomorrow and knew he had to drag himself away, however reluctantly.

"Just what are these tattoo's I can't see on you?" Katie insisted on knowing.

Cal shook his head, standing and offered Katie his hand. She gathered her wrap and her handbag and snaked her arm through his, drawing her body to his side. "That would be a discussion for another time," he said.

Cal escorted Katie to her car, opening her door for her to slip in but Katie stopped in front of him. "That's a conversation I would like to have," she kissed him gently on the lips. "Call me," she slid behind the wheel smiling and gathered enough sense about to find a gear and roll away, watching closely his figure in her rear-view mirror.