It was Jimmy's idea to go back to his place and grab a bite to eat. I didn't really feel like it, but since he hadn't bothered to take my keys with him, I knew I had to go if I wanted them back. Plus, I felt guilty for breaking his nose.

He opened the apartment door and led me inside. My mouth fell open when I saw the kitchen table. He had a green linen table cloth with two sets of dishes and the proper cutlery beside them, waiting for hungry hands to pick them up.

On the counter a glass pitcher of juice waited with two glasses beside it. Bread was in the toaster waiting to be toasted. Bacon and eggs sat waiting to be fried, along with a bowl, with what I assumed to be pancake batter.

All this for me? I was confused at his show of proper attention. Everyone knew Jimmy's reputation was tarnished and very smeared. He was famous for taking a girl home and making her leave after they were done. He never seemed to talk to them again, and he never showed any remorse for his actions.

Everyone has done it: Brought someone else home or gone to theirs and most times the girl can always complain about how they were treated. He didn't call. He didn't even say goodbye; He wasn't attentive or he didn't even have breakfast with her. Sometimes you just wanted to get out of there. But there were those times that you wanted to stay. You wanted to bask in the glow of their company...but not often.

It was different with Jimmy. I hadn't expected a call, much less a breakfast date. I didn't know how to handle the gesture. It was ok to not expect something, then you wouldn't be disappointed, but this totally threw me and I didn't know how to respond.

"Sit down and make yourself comfortable". He gestured, pointing toward the elegantly set table. He smiled at me then, his dark eyes sparking impishly, making me re-think my hesitations. After all, it was a very nice thing for him to do, especially after I had run out on him, not to mention the nose.

I smiled at him and sat down. He got to work, frying the bacon and eggs and then making some coffee. He set a large mug in front of me with milk and sugar already added. I tasted it: It was perfect.

I turned around in my seat and faced him. "How'd you know how I took my coffee"?

He had the decency to blush as he looked my way. His cheeks flushed, making my heart flutter at his obvious embarrassment over my question.

"I asked Bosco one time." He said, simply, as he turned his back to me again to mix the pancake batter.

"You asked Bosco what I took in my coffee?" I asked.

"Yep. It just came up in conversation".

"Came up? How does it come up?"

He sighed heavily and wiped his hands on his sweatpants and sat down in the chair opposite me. He took my hands into his.

"Faith. I like you, okay? I asked because I hoped to get you a coffee one day and maybe then dinner and then who knows? I'm glad you came here last night. I'm glad that we were together like we were. I had a great time with you and I want to do it again...although you seem to think it was a mistake." He finished, searching my face to see if I'd correct him.

I gently pulled my hands out of his and began to bite my nails. He narrowed his eyes and then stood up and went back to the counter.

"Jimmy, this is just too...fast. I don't know what to say. My divorce just went through and I'm...I'm confused. I didn't even expect to hear from you again." I confessed, now watching for his reaction.

He turned, his palm flat on the surface of the counter. He licked his lips slowly and sucked in a breath. Was it my imagination or was he genuinely disappointed that I didn't know what I wanted?

He looked at me; his face a mixture of what I now was sure was disappointment.

"Faith, let's just eat this nice breakfast. But I want you to know that I want to take you out. When you're ready." He turned back to his busywork. "I'll wait". He said softly. Almost so softly I didn't hear him.

I have to confess, I was starting to get turned on by this sensitive side of Jimmy. He was showing me a part of himself that I'm sure not many others saw. Maybe Kim had seen it on occasion and that's what had kept her hanging on. Or it could have had everything to do with the fact that the man was absolutely amazing to be with.

Either way, I was beginning to consider letting him take me out. What could it hurt? Bosco was all caught up with Sarah and she wasn't going anywhere. Maybe it was time to just get over it and move on with someone new. I had to face it: Getting over someone was going to be a lot easier with someone like Jimmy to help. It's not like Bosco and I had a future together. Feelings of jealousy and attraction could happen to friends, right?

It was entirely possible however, that Jimmy was only in for the chase. Maybe he'd made a bet with some of the other firefighters about me, I reasoned. Or maybe he really does like you, my other half seemed to say.

I wasn't what you'd call a very spontaneous person by nature. I liked to know what I was doing on Friday night. I liked to know where my relationships were headed and how long it would take to get there. I enjoyed knowing the ending of a movie before I watched it and yes, I did flip open a book at the end to see how it turned out before I read it from the start. And look at how your boringness made your life turn out, I thought. My husband had left me; my kids were gone and I had no one.

At that moment, I let fate take over. I knew it was foolish. I knew I'd probably regret it later on, but my impulses told me to just let it go and see where I ended up.

By this time, Jimmy had finished our breakfast and set a big plate in front of me. I was famished and the wonderful smell of bacon, eggs and pancakes made my stomach churn in anticipation.

I smiled the first genuine smile of my day. "Thanks, Jimmy."

I picked up a fork and dug in. "This is really good." I added.

He smiled back, seemingly pleased by my compliment.

"Does this mean you're gonna go out with me on a real date, then?" he asked, learning over and kissing me on the cheek, taking me off guard.

Damn all the questions that filled my head with doubt. Damn all the hurt feelings that this would cause. Damn it all. I wanted to go out with him. I wanted to see what it was like to have someone special for a change.

Impulsively, I turned my head and kissed him on the mouth. He tasted like strawberry jam and bacon.

He licked his lips after I pulled away and reached over and cupped my face with his hands and leaned in for another.

Our kiss deepened and lengthened until our breakfasts were forgotten and we were moving toward his bed.

Damn them all. I was living for a change.

I