Chapter 21

"Good to know we have the same tastes, but since you have been there before, would you rather try somewhere new?" he questioned.

"Of course not! We both like the place, so let's go to Callisto's!"

"Alright then," he told her, picked up his keys from the table near the front door and escorted her to his Escalade.

They talked about their personal histories, their jobs, and anything else that caught their fancy. Both of them found the other to be a good conversationalist, as well as a good listener. They asked appropriate and interesting questions to gain more information or to clarify a topic. The conversation between them flowed easily, like they had been good friends for years rather than having known each other less than a week.

They had finished salads and appetizers and were several bites into their entrées when Akaliiani waved the partially eaten bread stick in the air as she told him, "This is my fourth bread stick! You have to make sure that I don't eat anymore!"

So he snatched the two bites of the stick that was in her hand away from her with a huge grin and popped it into his own mouth.

Liiani's head swiveled back and forth between AJ and her empty fingers before she protested, "I meant after I finished that one! I meant for you to not to let me take anymore, not to take away that last one from me!"

He continued to grin at her as he chewed then as he swallowed, even knowing he would have to run a few extra miles that week to make up for it, he took another bread stick from the basket and while holding it close to his lips replied, "Then you really should learn to be a little more clear in your instructions Officer Benet. You see, as lawyers, we are trained to be very literal in things. So when you said 'make sure that I don't eat anymore' I took that to mean just that!" and then he took a healthy bite of the bread stick he had been taunting her with.

"Oh you!" she exclaimed and reached for the basket.

But AJ was quicker and moved it out of her grasp.

"Oh come on AJ! Please let me have just one more!"

With a laugh, he told her, "That makes you sound just like a junkie begging for your next fix, and you did ask me to promise not to let you have any more."

"I never said 'promise'!" she protested, stretching her arm out for the basket he was keeping just out of her reach.

"So you are suggesting that there is a loophole in the arrangement we made?"

It took only a split second for her to realize he was offering her an 'out'. With a sigh she said, "No, I meant it. I really don't need anymore especially since I am having linguine. Thank you AJ for looking out for my waistline, even when I am too weak to do it for myself."

Putting the basket back on the table within easy reach of both of them, he smiled and answered, "While I like you just the way you are, a pound or two more certainly won't have me running for the hills."

"Good to know," she sighed. "But I still shouldn't have anymore." She did however, manage to polish off her meal, she had just never been the 'doggy bag' type of girl.

AJ finished his meal as well, but both of them passed on dessert, claiming they were much too full to even think about it. He drove them back to his house since her car was there, even though he was old fashioned enough to want to see a lady home after their date. At the house he invited her in for coffee and she accepted.

Other than a few kisses and one cup of coffee, nothing else happened. Liiani was in her car on her way home just under an hour later. They had made plans for pie and coffee at 'their' diner on Tuesday night.

Over breakfast on Monday morning, AJ listened to the first few messages from Meredith who had racked up a grand total of thirty nine over the four days he had been screening his calls and keeping the answering machine on silent so he wouldn't be bothered with her pleas to be taken back. He knew he would have to face her at some point, but he hoped he could put it off until the disgust he felt for her died down a bit. Having met and become involved with Akaliiani had gone a long way to making that happen.

He even went so far as to think he might take one of her calls when he got home that evening. However, that wasn't to be.

To be continued…..