CHAPTER 13
Lombardi's wasn't too busy, given that it was a Tuesday night. Ryan and Calleigh sat down in where else, a table by the bay window. They were handed their menus and the two of them started discussing what to eat. Ryan spoke up. "I think I'll break out of my shell tonight and order something that doesn't have the words 'tomato' or 'basil' in it." Calleigh laughed. "Ryan, I think you've already broken out of your shell the way you look tonight." "I have?" Replied Ryan as he looked at Calleigh. "Thank God, somebody noticed." Ryan winked. Calleigh smiled and took a sip of red wine that the waiter just poured for her. Ryan paused from looking at his menu and stared at Calleigh. She set her glass down. "What is it?" She asked. "You're always beautiful, no matter how you look," was Ryan's reply. "Don't ever break out of your shell." Calleigh blushed. It always surprised Ryan how easily it was to get her to blush. Calleigh took his hand into hers. "I'll always stay the same for you, handsome." Ryan grinned at her comment and went back to looking at the menu. He looked for a minute, then looked back at Calleigh. "Cal, do you want to get your own meal, or do you want to get a whole order and share it? I'm kind of lost at the meals that don't have the words 'tomato' or 'basil' in them." Calleigh chuckled. "Ryan, have you ever tried the Fettuccine al Limone con Pollo?" "Isn't that what you always get for take-out?" "Yes, it's the best." "Well, I'll try that. You want to get the whole order?" "Of course," Calleigh said as she placed the menu on the table. The waiter came back to the table. "Are you two ready to order?" "Yes," answered Ryan. "We'll each have the Insalata Cesare for our salads and for the meal, we'll have an whole order of Fettuccine al Limone con Pollo." "Thank you." The waiter said as he took the menus. "Your salads will be out shortly." The waiter left and Ryan and Calleigh returned to their conversation.
'I told Christine how much you like coming here." Ryan said as he picked up his glass of wine and took a sip. "It's too bad you didn't want to join us on Saturday." Calleigh shifted in her seat. "Well, I didn't want to be the fifth wheel." "Cal, you wouldn't have been the fifth wheel. The both of us would have been happy to have you as company." Ryan paused to take another sip of wine. "Ryan, it wouldn't have felt right. I didn't know what was going on between the two of you at the time. For all I know, you could have been in the middle of an romantic dinner." Ryan reached over for the bottle to pour himself another glass of wine. "Well, Cal…if it was a romantic dinner, I wouldn't have invited you to join us. Besides, the only way I could have a romantic dinner with Christine is if I were to become a woman first." Ryan's comment took Calleigh by surprise. She suddenly realized why he and Christine were never an item. She reached out for Ryan's hand again and slowly squeezed it. He looked into her eyes. The waiter returned to their table with the salads and a small loaf of bread. Calleigh and Ryan both grabbed a fork and started eating. "I'll bet that you were a ladies man in college." Calleigh mentioned as she broke off a piece of bread. "I hope you didn't bet a lot of money because you just lost." Ryan answered as he took another bite of salad. Calleigh let out a small laugh. "C'mon. Didn't you go out on any dates at all?" "Sure I did," Ryan replied. "But both times, the woman asked me out first." Calleigh pressed on. "You're kidding me. You've only been on two dates?" "Well, no. I sort of had a girlfriend in high school." Ryan continued to eat his salad. "But we didn't get too personal. I guess the chemistry wasn't there." A thought crossed Calleigh' mind. She had to know. She didn't mean to be so curious, but she had to ask. "Um, Ryan?" Ryan stopped eating and looked at Calleigh. "Yes?" "I don't mean to get personal, but uh, exactly how far have you ever been romantically with a woman?" Ryan thought for a moment as Calleigh took a sip of wine. "Second base." His answer caught Calleigh off-guard. "What?" Calleigh dropped her glass. It hit the table and spilled directly onto her dress. "Oh, shit." She reached for a napkin to absorb the wine. Ryan stood up. "Cal, are you ok?" "I'm fine. I'm sorry. Your answer took me by surprise." She continued to wipe her dress. Luckily it was black, so there would be no noticeable stain. Ryan looked concerned. "Are you upset by my answer?" "No," Calleigh said as she placed her napkin back on the table. "I just wasn't expecting to hear that, um…" "That I'm still a virgin." Ryan looked away from Calleigh as he finished the sentence for her.
Ryan sat back down, a look of embarrassment on his face, as if he what he revealed was some deep dark secret. "There's nothing wrong in still being a virgin, Ryan." Calleigh said. Ryan sighed. "Well, it's not like I had a choice. I've never been good with women. And the fact that I never found the right woman to give it away to." Ryan looked at Calleigh, then looked down at his salad. "I hope you don't think of me being less of a man for never having sex." "Ryan," Calleigh said in a hushed voice, "I would never think of you as less of a man for that. I think it's very noble that you've decided to wait until the right girl came along." Calleigh couldn't believe what she just said. She practically told Ryan that she was the one he would give his virginity to. Not that anything was wrong with that, she just didn't want him to think that they would rush into certain situations. "Uh-Ryan, well, I mean when the right girl comes along." Calleigh quickly stammered out, her face turning red. Ryan was not lost on her reaction. "It's ok, Cal. I know what you meant." He smiled at Calleigh. The waiter returned to their table with the main course. "And here is your Fettuccine al Limone con Pollo. Any thing else I can get the two of you?" "No thanks, we're fine." Answered Ryan. Ryan picked up the tongs and spooned a helping of the Fettuccine onto Calleigh's plate, then his own. Calleigh waited to eat until Ryan took a bite to see what he thought. He took a bite, then rolled his eyes in ecstasy. "Oh my God, this is so good." Calleigh grinned. "I knew that you would like it." "This is great." Ryan quickly took another bite. "I'll have to get this with my soup next time." Calleigh picked up her fork to eat. "I'm so glad you approve, Ryan." Ryan reached for the bottle of wine. "Would you like some more wine, Cal?" "Of course." "You promise not to drop your glass again?" "I promise." Calleigh held out her glass. The two of them sat there throughout the rest of the dinner, talking about cases they worked on, occasionally laughing about some event in the workplace.
Dinner was over and Ryan was driving Calleigh home. He walked her up to her apartment. She unlocked the door. "Will you come in?" Calleigh asked. "Sure." Ryan walked in. As soon as she had her door closed, Calleigh grabbed Ryan and kissed him. "Thank you for dinner. It was wonderful." "My pleasure." Ryan replied as he lifted Calleigh off the ground to kiss her again. Suddenly, he put her down. "What's wrong?" Calleigh looked at Ryan as he composed himself. "I think I drank too much wine tonight." Ryan rubbed his forehead. "Do you mind if I sit down?" "No, I don't." Calleigh took his hand and led him into her living room. They both sat down on her sofa. Ryan leaned forward to kiss Calleigh. "You smell good." He kissed her neck. Calleigh swooned at the touch of his lips. He leaned back, rubbing the side of his head. "I don't suppose that I can get a couple of aspirin?" "I'll be right back." Calleigh got up to go to her bathroom to get Ryan some aspirin. When she returned, Ryan looked like he was going to pass out. She handed him the aspirin and a glass of water. Swallowing the pills, he started to get up. "Where are you going?" "I need to go." "Oh no you're not." Calleigh sat him back down on the sofa. "I think that you had too much to drink. I want you to stay here tonight." "Cal, I don't want to be an inconvenience, I'm fine." Ryan argued, then tried to get up again. Calleigh pushed him back down. "Ryan, you are never an 'inconvenience' to me. Please stay here tonight." "Well, if you insist." Ryan said with a chuckle. Calleigh got up as Ryan stretched out on the sofa. "I'll get you a blanket." Calleigh went to her hall closet. When she returned, Ryan was sound asleep. "He looks so peaceful sleeping there," Calleigh thought to herself as she smiled. She unfolded the blanket and draped it over him. She went to her bedroom to undress, stripping down to her undies and putting on a t-shirt to sleep in. She walked back to the living room to turn off the light when Ryan stirred slightly. "Calleigh." He mumbled. She leaned over Ryan to answer him. "Yes?" "Please stay here with me tonight." Calleigh felt her heart skip a beat. She wondered if she should lay here with him, or leave him alone and sleep in her room by herself. Without giving it another thought, she turned off the light on the table and laid down next to him, her back to him as she stretched out. She felt his arm reach across her waist and pull her closer to his body. She smiled in the dark. She wanted so long to lay next to him. He kissed the back of her neck. "Thank you," he managed to say before he drifted back off to sleep. Calleigh soon joined him.
to be continued…