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Sora fretted as she waited. "Is the dress ok?"
May looked away from the tv to look over her roommate. Sora's hair was half braided, allowing for the longer strands to trail down the open back of her raspberry colored dress. A pair of gold leaf earrings dangled from her ears, making her neck seem long and slender.
"You look fine. Stop worrying." May ate some popcorn and then muttered to herself. "You'd think this was your first date ever."
"It's just – he works in fashion! What if what I'm wearing offends him somehow because it's the brand of what his competitors model in or it's a knock off of the original?"
"He asked you out knowing how you are already. You're fine." May gave her roommate a sidelong glance as she was still facing the tv. "You just need to worry about the media."
Sora frowned. "The media? Why?"
May rolled her eyes. "Does a certain dancing video in New York ring a bell?" When Sora turned red, May continued, "They know you exist. I'm pretty sure they'll find out who you are and hound you two like crazy."
"It's only been half a week since New York!"
May hmmed. "They might have started looking in New York so that should give you some time. But eventually, they'll find out."
"How can you be so sure about this?"
"I just do," May took a drink of her daiquiri, "Plus, that's what happened to Tiffany and Jason."
"Who?"
"The model and the reporter from the Hot off the Press book series."
"One of your romance series?" Sora sputtered, "My life won't be like that!"
"I'm just saying," May tossed popcorn in the air and caught it in her mouth, "The paparazzi get paid for stories."
Before any other arguments could be made, the doorbell rang. Sora half glowered at her roommate and then huffed. Her life wasn't one of May's romance novels.
She went to the door, purse in hand. "See ya."
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Despite her initial protest, Sora started to wonder.
Was her life like a romance novel?
There usually was a love triangle, secret life stories, stalkers, crazy exs, and usually a lot of physical contact.
I did discover Leon's life story. She hadn't expected him to be the brother of her dearly departed friend. She could suppose that there was a bit of a love triangle with Yuri, Leon and her, but it hardly lasted long if at all. And then there was the physical aspect to consider - they were starting to get kind of touchy kissy with each other.
She lightly blushed at the thought.
From across the restaurant table, Leon spotted the blush. "What makes my date turn pink, I wonder?" When she didn't respond, he added with a half grin, "Perhaps we should take this date elsewhere." He reached a hand out to lightly brush her arm with a teasing touch, "Somewhere more private?"
She snapped her head towards him and gaped a little. "Wha- No!"
His eyes glimmered with humor. "So you are listening."
"Of course I am," she bit out, "especially when you're trying to pull tricks on me!"
"Who said it was a trick?"
She blinked at that, not quite sure if he truly was joking or not. By the way he steadily stared at her, she was inclined to believe that he wasn't. She cleared her throat and looked down at the menu.
"The pastas look good."
"Yes," he murmured, his fingers brushing her arm once more and then retreating back to his side of the table. "So do the seafood choices. Feel free to pick whatever you want."
"Leon," she started with a huff, seeing where this was going, "If you think I'm going to let you pay for both of our meals, you are dead wrong."
He looked at her from over the menu. "Why can't I treat my date to dinner?"
"Because," she bit her lower lip and then looked back down at the menu, "I can pay for my own meal."
"I know you can," he said and then lowered the menu. "I simply wish to treat you. Is that so terrible?"
"No," she slowly started. She looked over his dinner outfit, his fancy black coat not on at the moment. His nice maroon dress shirt was probably worth more than what she made on one paycheck. Heck, his silver studded earrings could pay for their entire dinner, dessert and wine included. "It's not that I don't appreciate it, it's just-" she sighed and looked at her hands. Her nail polish was already chipping a little despite the fact that she had barely painted them that afternoon. "That's not why I want to date you."
He considered her words and body language. He admired her strength and the way she took charge of things, but if he didn't know any better, he'd say she was somewhat embarrassed of the idea of having him pay for her meal. He lightly shook his head, chuckling under his breath. Others would want to order the most expensive things that his money could buy.
"And that's exactly why," he grabbed her hand, his fingers entwining with hers, "I want to date you."
Her cheeks were already heated when he grabbed her hand. When he kissed the back of it, she was flaming brighter than the sun.
"Let me buy you dinner," he rumbled against her skin.
She shivered, his lips brushing against her hand as he spoke. "Fine. But I pay for dessert."
"Deal."
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Their dinner turned out to be enjoyable.
There were no media people around like May predicted and she was able to pay for a part of the meal. Leon handed the valet the key to his car and then joined Sora over in the front of the restaurant outside.
"We're in public," Sora squirmed as his nose tickled her neck.
"So if we weren't in public..." he slowly drawled with a bit of a husky tone, his arms going around her waist.
She turned around in his arms to face him with a flat look. "You care to finish that sentence?"
He flashed her a smirk but did not respond.
"You're diabolical," she chided, her tone undermined by her wrapping her arms around his neck. "How'd I ever get mixed up with you?"
"You're the one that recognized me from a romance novel," his smirk grew, "as well as kept my card with my address on one side and the offer of a shower interlude on the other."
"Smartass," she said, ignoring the fact that her face still burned.
"Quite a mouth on you," he murmured.
"Right back at you buster," she leaned her face up to his, "What else can you do with it?"
"I think you know already."
She smiled. "Vaguely." She brushed her lips against his, "Can you remind me?"
He responded by demonstrating; he didn't need another hint to taste those lush lips again. Her fingers played with the tips of his short hair as they kissed. He tilted her chin, his hand cupping her jaw as they reminded each other what else their mouths could do.
They teased and brushed, finally deepening the kiss when all that teasing did nothing to alleviate the pleasurable tension. When he felt her lean up more, he wrapped his arm around her waist to help take the weight off of her tiptoes.
She was short and he was tall. But both were willing to adjust to the other.
"Mr. Oswald," she could hear a male voice say from behind her date, "here is your car."
Sadly, Leon pulled away from her, but kept his arm around her. He turned around, causing Sora to move as well.
"Thank you."
Just as the valet was giving Leon the keys back, there were two gasps, one from Sora and the other from the valet. Sora's eyes widened as the carrot top's jaw dropped slightly.
"Sora?!"
Well, there's the "ex" part for the romance novel.
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AN: After much debating and reading some of the reviews, I've decided to extend this story. I re-read it and it would feel too abrupt to end it in two or so chapters, so I'll keep going. But I don't plan for this to be in the 100s. Maybe 60s or 70 chapters with what I have in mind. Does that sound good? ; )
Sorry for those who would have preferred a shorter story! But if you see my other works, most are kind of lengthy in either drabble chapters number or short number, but longer chapters.
So you can kind of see this point of the story as the first chapter of Part Two or Season Two. XD