He blushed. "You look beautiful."
"Thank you!" She stepped out and closed the door to her apartment. "So where are we going?"
"Baraka." Sara raised her eyebrows; Baraka was one of the best restaurants in town, and it was pricey. "Afterward, I thought we might go see that National Lampoon movie - unless you'd rather see something else."
"No, that sounds wonderful. Baraka, Greg?"
He smiled shyly. "I want the night to be special."
And it was special. For all of his youth and punk rock persona, Greg Sanders was a true gentleman. He was so very nervous, but still he managed to make her laugh more than she'd laughed in years. He really was adorable, she thought as she smiled over at him. His chocolate eyes were bright with excitement as he clumsily flirted with her during dinner, and she was startled to find his awkward, earnest attentions moving her more than the practiced charm of her previous dates.
He slipped an arm around her during the movie, and she once again surprised herself by scooting closer. He smelled good, cologne and soap and coffee and warm skin, and something in her wanted to bury her nose in his shoulder to get closer to his wonderful aroma. She resisted, but stole a quick sniff of the arm that surrounded her. She smiled when she felt him nuzzle her hair. It appeared she wasn't the only sniffy one.
At the end of the date he stood in her doorway and extended one trembling hand to brush away an errant wisp of hair before gingerly touching his lips to hers. His mouth was warm and soft on hers, and when his tongue begged entry she granted it without hesitation. He tasted of coffee and mints and something indefinably appealing, and she pressed closer as his tongue caressed hers. He hadn't done this very much, she could tell that he hadn't, but his artless attentions affected her more than she cared to acknowledge. When finally she pulled back he looked at her with something akin to awe.
"I had a great time." She gestured into her apartment. "I need to..."
"Yeah. Okay. Sara?"
"Yeah?"
"Would you go out with me again sometime?"
She smiled. "Yeah. That'd be nice. Um, when?"
"Maybe... maybe next week, when we're off? Like, maybe Thursday?"
"Thursday. Yeah, that'd be good."
He grinned wildly. "Yeah. Next Thursday."
"Goodnight, Greg."
"Night."
"So you two have a thing going now, don't you?" Colette's eyes were alight. "I told you he'd be good for you."
Sara frowned. "We've been out three times. I don't know I'd exactly call that a 'thing.' "
"Semantics. When's your next date?"
"Tuesday."
"And you went out twice last week." Colette smirked. "When you see each other more than once a week it's a 'thing.' "
"Fine. Whatever. We have a 'thing.' "
"Are you having fun together?"
Sara smiled as she remembered their last date. He'd taken her to Chinatown. "Yeah. We definitely are."
"Well, good. You like him, he likes you, you have a good time together. Relax and enjoy your new boyfriend."
And before she could sputter out an indignant reply, Co was out the door.