15. First Date
Sydney looked at herself in the mirror. She was back home, back in her own little apartment, in her own room, door closed, pleased with her reflection, and missing Vaughn with a desperation she did not remember.
She eyed her dress. . . yes, it was the one Vaughn had mentioned. The "little black number from Austria". She smiled as she fingered the criss- cross straps that diverged from the sleeves and down her back. It fit her like a second skin, hugging every curve and flattering the ones she either didn't have or didn't want. Not that she was unhappy with her body. Vaughn certainly seemed happy enough with it.
Because she knew that no one was here to judge her, she conceded that she looked pretty amazing. Her hair was curled and piled atop of her head with only a few tendrils sneaking out and framing her face. Her face looked soft and natural because of the make up she had used and the way the light shone on her.
She had never before felt so carefree. She had called Devlin in the morning after calling Francie. And had told him that she had found out about her cancelled flight when she was already at the airport and had decided to spend the night at a hotel which lead to oversleeping and not coming in to work.
She had been given the day off.
She heard her phone ring and smiled softly to herself when she saw the number. "I love you," She answered the phone.
"I hope you knew it was me and that you don't answer all your calls that way," Sydney would almost hear the wink in Vaughn's voice.
"Oh, Vaughn, is that you? I had absolutely no idea," She replied, giggling.
"You look beautiful."
"You can't even see me Vaughn. . . that sounds kinda creepy."
"Sydney, don't you realize that I could say that to you at any time of the day or night and it would still be true? I know for a fact that you look absolutely amazing. I've seen you try Sydney, and when you do, it just takes my breath away."
Heat rushed up into her cheeks. She hadn't heard anyone say anything like that to her in. . . too long. That was different from a declaration of love. That was a declaration of pure adoration. "You're not so bad on the eyes yourself."
"Well, I can't wait to see you. So open the door." And then she heard the doorbell ring. Smiling, she walked out of her room and, slipping on her black strappy heels, opened the door.
His response was hilarious. His mouth actually dropped open in wonderment. "Jesus Christ Sydney," he whispered, nearly dropping the phone in his hand. "I know I promised to be a gentleman but. . . Good Lord how can any man keep his hands off you?" He stepped towards her and touched her face almost wonderingly. Then he lowered his lips onto her own, not wanting to wait any longer before touching her. She smelled sweet and he pulled her towards him, feeling the smooth material of her dress under his fingers.
She broke the kiss, "Vaughn what are you doing here? I thought we agreed to meet accidentally on purpose at the unnamed restaurant?"
"Yeah but your house was on the way and I realized I had to see you again before I left. I missed you."
"Vaughn. . . my apartment is about 40 minutes out of your way. And since when do you know where I live?"
"I followed my heart," he replied, winking.
Sydney grinned. "No, really."
"Oh, well, I just did a little digging in your file." He leaned closer to her and in a mock whisper said, "Oh, I have flowers for you but you don't know that because I've never met you before. But they're really pretty and I think that whatever pretty lady gets them will like them a lot and will feel inclined to give her giver-of-flowers a kiss."
She burst out laughing at his antics. She fingered the collar of his suit. "You look so sexy right now that I might give you a kiss anyway Mr. Vaughn," she half growled, half whispered into his ear.
Vaughn raised an eyebrow at her and caught her wrists gently into his hands. "Listen babe, as much as I want to do this with you, I have a one- man reservation at this fantastic restaurant where I fully plan on hitting on a beautiful woman. So you see, you'll have to excuse me." He grinned and left.
Sydney stood in the doorway, feeling light and not believing what had happened in her life. Then she took a breath, grabbed her purse and went to her car. This was her first date. Her official first date with a man whom she loved, who loved her back, from whom she had nothing to hide, and who's presence in her life was essential. She was in love and this was the big time.
She couldn't stop smiling. Her forehead hurt from the stretching that rest of her face was doing and she felt like her cheeks were going to fall off but life was good. Amazingly good.
She followed his car, suddenly grateful that he had come to her apartment; even though the restaurant was the only unnamed establishment, she knew that she would have had much more trouble finding it.
Sydney grinned as she saw him drive by an open parking spot. Ever the gentleman. She parked and walked through the doors and into the most romantic restaurant she had ever set eyes on.
The whole room was lit up in a soft wash of light, almost peach in coloring that bounced off the glass of the mini chandeliers that separated each level. The walls were painted with pictures of places of Italy with such a touch of realism that Sydney could almost imagine that she was there. She walked up to the Maitre de. "Reservation for one, under the name of Vaughn. Sydney Vaughn?"
"You are alone?" The man looked puzzled, he looked at her appreciatively but could not understand how someone would dress like that to dine alone. But he was paid to serve and not to ask questions; so at her nod, he merely led the way.
She sat at her table, sipping water and gazing over the menu. Michael came in about 10 minutes later, looking so delicious that it was all Sydney could do to keep herself from calling out to him.
He asked for a reservation for a Michael Bristow and was seated almost exactly opposite her. He sat down, thanked the man for his services and was about to take a menu when his eyes locked onto hers. He looked up at the maitre de still standing before him and beckoned for him to come closer. "Excuse me sir but who is that exquisite woman over there?" he pointed in Sydney's direction.
"Ah, sir, I can not reveal that information. She is lovely, no?"
"Absolutely. She is the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. Can you tell me if she is dining alone?"
"She is actually. It surprised me very much that a woman like that would be single but now I see that perhaps you two were destined to meet. After all, you are a handsome man and you came alone to eat did you not?"
Vaughn smiled at the man, "That I did. Will you please send over a bottle of wine? The best that you have. Tell her that it's for the loveliest person I have ever laid eyes on from the stranger admiring her in the corner," His eyes twinkled.
"It would be my pleasure, sir."
Sydney was glad for an excuse to look up when the man came walking back to her. Her eyes widened when she saw the bottle of wine. He smiled at her response.
"This is from the gentleman seated in the corner booth. He says that he hopes you will accept this wine because you are the loveliest creature he has ever seen."
She blushed and looked around the man at Vaughn. He smiled and lifted up his own wine glass. Smiling, she accepted and took a sip.
The wine flowed down her throat in a smooth stream of liquid; it was the most wonderful wine she had ever tasted.
Taking his cue, Vaughn stood up and strolled to her table. "Excuse me, miss but you have accepted my wine, given me an extraordinary smile, and now I feel the need to introduce myself to you. I'm Michael." He held out a hand, giving her a warm smile.
Sydney looked at herself in the mirror. She was back home, back in her own little apartment, in her own room, door closed, pleased with her reflection, and missing Vaughn with a desperation she did not remember.
She eyed her dress. . . yes, it was the one Vaughn had mentioned. The "little black number from Austria". She smiled as she fingered the criss- cross straps that diverged from the sleeves and down her back. It fit her like a second skin, hugging every curve and flattering the ones she either didn't have or didn't want. Not that she was unhappy with her body. Vaughn certainly seemed happy enough with it.
Because she knew that no one was here to judge her, she conceded that she looked pretty amazing. Her hair was curled and piled atop of her head with only a few tendrils sneaking out and framing her face. Her face looked soft and natural because of the make up she had used and the way the light shone on her.
She had never before felt so carefree. She had called Devlin in the morning after calling Francie. And had told him that she had found out about her cancelled flight when she was already at the airport and had decided to spend the night at a hotel which lead to oversleeping and not coming in to work.
She had been given the day off.
She heard her phone ring and smiled softly to herself when she saw the number. "I love you," She answered the phone.
"I hope you knew it was me and that you don't answer all your calls that way," Sydney would almost hear the wink in Vaughn's voice.
"Oh, Vaughn, is that you? I had absolutely no idea," She replied, giggling.
"You look beautiful."
"You can't even see me Vaughn. . . that sounds kinda creepy."
"Sydney, don't you realize that I could say that to you at any time of the day or night and it would still be true? I know for a fact that you look absolutely amazing. I've seen you try Sydney, and when you do, it just takes my breath away."
Heat rushed up into her cheeks. She hadn't heard anyone say anything like that to her in. . . too long. That was different from a declaration of love. That was a declaration of pure adoration. "You're not so bad on the eyes yourself."
"Well, I can't wait to see you. So open the door." And then she heard the doorbell ring. Smiling, she walked out of her room and, slipping on her black strappy heels, opened the door.
His response was hilarious. His mouth actually dropped open in wonderment. "Jesus Christ Sydney," he whispered, nearly dropping the phone in his hand. "I know I promised to be a gentleman but. . . Good Lord how can any man keep his hands off you?" He stepped towards her and touched her face almost wonderingly. Then he lowered his lips onto her own, not wanting to wait any longer before touching her. She smelled sweet and he pulled her towards him, feeling the smooth material of her dress under his fingers.
She broke the kiss, "Vaughn what are you doing here? I thought we agreed to meet accidentally on purpose at the unnamed restaurant?"
"Yeah but your house was on the way and I realized I had to see you again before I left. I missed you."
"Vaughn. . . my apartment is about 40 minutes out of your way. And since when do you know where I live?"
"I followed my heart," he replied, winking.
Sydney grinned. "No, really."
"Oh, well, I just did a little digging in your file." He leaned closer to her and in a mock whisper said, "Oh, I have flowers for you but you don't know that because I've never met you before. But they're really pretty and I think that whatever pretty lady gets them will like them a lot and will feel inclined to give her giver-of-flowers a kiss."
She burst out laughing at his antics. She fingered the collar of his suit. "You look so sexy right now that I might give you a kiss anyway Mr. Vaughn," she half growled, half whispered into his ear.
Vaughn raised an eyebrow at her and caught her wrists gently into his hands. "Listen babe, as much as I want to do this with you, I have a one- man reservation at this fantastic restaurant where I fully plan on hitting on a beautiful woman. So you see, you'll have to excuse me." He grinned and left.
Sydney stood in the doorway, feeling light and not believing what had happened in her life. Then she took a breath, grabbed her purse and went to her car. This was her first date. Her official first date with a man whom she loved, who loved her back, from whom she had nothing to hide, and who's presence in her life was essential. She was in love and this was the big time.
She couldn't stop smiling. Her forehead hurt from the stretching that rest of her face was doing and she felt like her cheeks were going to fall off but life was good. Amazingly good.
She followed his car, suddenly grateful that he had come to her apartment; even though the restaurant was the only unnamed establishment, she knew that she would have had much more trouble finding it.
Sydney grinned as she saw him drive by an open parking spot. Ever the gentleman. She parked and walked through the doors and into the most romantic restaurant she had ever set eyes on.
The whole room was lit up in a soft wash of light, almost peach in coloring that bounced off the glass of the mini chandeliers that separated each level. The walls were painted with pictures of places of Italy with such a touch of realism that Sydney could almost imagine that she was there. She walked up to the Maitre de. "Reservation for one, under the name of Vaughn. Sydney Vaughn?"
"You are alone?" The man looked puzzled, he looked at her appreciatively but could not understand how someone would dress like that to dine alone. But he was paid to serve and not to ask questions; so at her nod, he merely led the way.
She sat at her table, sipping water and gazing over the menu. Michael came in about 10 minutes later, looking so delicious that it was all Sydney could do to keep herself from calling out to him.
He asked for a reservation for a Michael Bristow and was seated almost exactly opposite her. He sat down, thanked the man for his services and was about to take a menu when his eyes locked onto hers. He looked up at the maitre de still standing before him and beckoned for him to come closer. "Excuse me sir but who is that exquisite woman over there?" he pointed in Sydney's direction.
"Ah, sir, I can not reveal that information. She is lovely, no?"
"Absolutely. She is the most beautiful creature I have ever seen. Can you tell me if she is dining alone?"
"She is actually. It surprised me very much that a woman like that would be single but now I see that perhaps you two were destined to meet. After all, you are a handsome man and you came alone to eat did you not?"
Vaughn smiled at the man, "That I did. Will you please send over a bottle of wine? The best that you have. Tell her that it's for the loveliest person I have ever laid eyes on from the stranger admiring her in the corner," His eyes twinkled.
"It would be my pleasure, sir."
Sydney was glad for an excuse to look up when the man came walking back to her. Her eyes widened when she saw the bottle of wine. He smiled at her response.
"This is from the gentleman seated in the corner booth. He says that he hopes you will accept this wine because you are the loveliest creature he has ever seen."
She blushed and looked around the man at Vaughn. He smiled and lifted up his own wine glass. Smiling, she accepted and took a sip.
The wine flowed down her throat in a smooth stream of liquid; it was the most wonderful wine she had ever tasted.
Taking his cue, Vaughn stood up and strolled to her table. "Excuse me, miss but you have accepted my wine, given me an extraordinary smile, and now I feel the need to introduce myself to you. I'm Michael." He held out a hand, giving her a warm smile.
