About a week after they first met, the couple went on their first date. Ellie had been able to find somewhere quiet and inconspicuous but which met the Secret Service's requirements. Ellie smoothed her hair down nervously and applied a final coat of mascara; she grabbed her jacket and keys then headed out of the door, an agent following her into the car.
Ellie was nervous as she pushed the restaurant door open, her hands were sweating slightly; there were already an extra couple of agents inside and Sara was already seated at a table by the back wall, a little way from the kitchen door. Sara stood when she saw Ellie come through the door revealing her slender frame in her dark blue jeans and red halter neck top. She hugged Ellie and they kissed softly. Sara smiled appreciatively at Ellie's purple skirt and top.
Dinner was relaxed as they continued to get to know each other; they stayed for quite a while after drinking their coffee sitting and laughing, talking and holding hands on top of the table. The Secret Service drove them back to Ellie's apartment where they continued to talk and kiss until Sara left around two a.m. Ellie woke later than normal, pleased it was Sunday and that she wasn't due in the lab until next day; while drinking coffee she considered whether or not it was to soon to call Sara, so called Millie instead.
The pair caught up on each other's news before Ellie said why she'd actually called,
"I've met someone, about a week ago. Her name is Sara Anderson, she's a photographer, who lives and works here in Baltimore."
"Congratulations, that's great" Millie returned warmly.
"Millie, I really like her." Ellie took a sip of coffee from the mug in her right hand and proceeded to relate the events of the night before. When Ellie finished, Millie asked in an amused tone, why her goddaughter was still talking to her and not to Sara. Ellie giggled, not laughed, actually giggled and blushed despite Millie not being able to see her.
Elle mumbled, "I didn't want to seem to eager."
Millie smiled down the phone and practically ordered Ellie to, "hang up the phone and call Sara."
Ellie did as requested and dialled Sara's number with a slightly shaking hand.
She answered after a few rings, "hello."
Ellie relaxed at the sound of her voice, "Hi, its Ellie."
"Hi Ellie," Sara said warmly, "thank you for last night. I really enjoyed it."
"Me too. I was wondering if you wanted to go out again?"
"I'd love to. Lunch tomorrow?"
Ellie bit her lips slightly; "I'm at the lab all day and only get three quarters of an hour for lunch. Today? A late lunch, maybe a movie too?"
"Sure, sounds good to me. Three o'clock, my apartment?"
"My agents will want to sweep it first, but yep I'll see you at three."
Sara read out her address and Ellie wrote it down; she walked it over to the apartment across the corridor and explained to the agents inside. Two of them set off, allowing Ellie time to shower, change out of her pyjamas and generally get ready before the agents in Sara's apartment gave the 'all clear' and she could head over. It was on days like this that she counted down until her Dad left office, and she no longer and to clear almost everything with the Secret Service first.
They had a chicken Caesar salad for lunch and started to watch a movie before their lack of concentration on it and more on each other lead them to making out instead.
The next day Ellie contemplated their budding relationship as she conducted a routine experiment. She wondered if it was too soon to fall in love with someone, or if it was just lust making her want to spend all day with or near Sara. The night before it had taken twenty minutes of goodbye kisses until she left. Ellie realised she'd be happy to simply spend the day with Sara, even if it meant she was writing up reports and data while Sara developed her photos in the darkroom or edited and filtered them on her Mac.
TBC...