Hi everyone. This is finally the big FIRST DATE. It's a longer chapter and I hope you guys like it. Please review!
Chapter 8
It had been a week since their first unofficial date and tonight they would be going out for dinner for their much-awaited official date. Both of them had been busy and it had been hard to coordinate a time when they could go out. Alisha had tried to tell Sarah that it wasn't right that Steve had waited a week to ask her to dinner, Sarah had understood. He was a very busy man, his work was his priority and at this stage they were not close enough for her to resent it. And she hoped that if this relationship developed, she would not resent it. His work was an intrinsic part of who he was, it was not just a job but he was emotionally involved. She had gauged this from what she had heard from him and his friends. She liked that he was a passionate man and he would probably be as passionate about all aspects of his life.
Well the night was finally here, Friday night to be exact. Steve had not told her where they would be going but had just said to dress a little fancy. So here she was in her favourite red Mexican style maxi dress, which she had had to alter since she was so short. It was a lovely strappy dress with a full skirt embroidered with colorful flowers in bright blue and yellow. Her hair was in a loose side braid and she wore dangly wooden earrings to match her wooden bangles. On her feet she chose to wear her tan colored wedges, which were comfortable and would give her the needed height. Walking with Steve made her feel like a midget, and even though she was not a frequent heel wearer, now she would have to. Therefore more shoes – Yay!
The doorbell rang and she heard two male voices talking, Steve and Jack her roommate. Next thing her door burst open, Alisha came rushing in, "OMG, he looks fantastic! I had no idea a suit with no tie could look so HOT! Go quick see for yourself" she rushed Sarah out the door.
"Am I looking ok?" she quickly asked feeling uncharacteristically nervous. But then again with Steve around her stomach was always flipping. "You look great babe" was the hasty reply.
Sure enough, there stood Steve looking so handsome her breath caught. Previously she had always seen him in his cargo pants and shirts, and once in jeans. She had thought he looked hot then, but now in a slim fitting black suit and white shirt, minus tie he looked like a GQ model.
"Wow, you look great" was what Steve said after he took in her form quietly for a few moments. "You ready to go?"
"Thanks and you look very handsome yourself" she walked toward him as he offered her his arm, she slipped hers through it. Her sling had come off and so had his cast, although they both had to wear a protective brace on their injuries. Alisha passed her the black lace Spanish cover up in case it got a bit chilly. Once outside she saw a truck instead of the silver car and knew this was probably Steve's.
Once they reached the truck he opened the door for her and before she could hoist herself up on the seat, she was turned toward him, his hands settled on her waist and he lifted her up onto the seat, "Thanks, you didn't have to" what a silly thing to say Sarah girl.
"A pleasure ma'am. And I have to do something else" he looked into her eyes and smiled his sexy smile. At her questioning look he said, "This" and kissed her lips. It had been a week since their last kiss and she had relived it a hundred times over and over again. But imagination could not compare to the reality of it.
He started off slow, just a soft brushing of his lips against hers. Then he nipped her full bottom lip and licked the sting away. He held her face in his big hands while her arms went to his hard chest. Steve's kiss became more demanding and he slipped his tongue in, engaging hers in a dual. She was shy at first but then became more confident, matching his enthusiasm and kissing him harder. She grabbed his jacket lapels and brought him closer. It was as if their mouths were fused together and not even air could get in between.
Steve was the first to pull away, his breathing harsh in the quiet night, "God I missed that mouth, its been driving me insane" his thumb caressed her blushing cheeks, "I've ruined your lipstick".
"If you continue to kiss me like that you can eat up as much lipstick as you want" her breathing was heavy. "So where are we going?"
"It's a surprise. I just hope you like it" that was all he said as he came around and got into the drivers side. They drove for about thirty minutes but they were nowhere near any of the restaurants or nightlife that was huge here. Instead they had turned into a suburban street with lovely bungalows lining each side.
"I just need to pick up something. Come inside it won't be too long" again he helped her out of the truck and into the spacious house.
Sarah looked around and liked what she saw. Everything was very neat and tidy, with pictures of his family on the walls. A woman's touch was evident in the décor, which was not overly feminine but something a man would not have picked. She had no idea of Steve's past and wondered who had decorated.
As if he read her mind, "This was the house I grew up in. It's a bit dated but it reminds me of my mom" he told her and she felt silly for feeling jealous.
"I love it. It's so open and airy".
"Come out the back for a minute I want to show you something" Steve took her hand in his and walked out the back door onto a deck that led to a garden and then the beach. And on the beach was a beautiful setting that melted her heart.
Right there near the water, was a table set for two while lanterns and candles were the only source of light around. It was incredibly romantic and something she had not at all expected for a first date.
"Oh Steve, this is lovely. It's completely different to what I had expected" She turned to him and going on tiptoe kissed his cheek, "Thank you".
Sarah could have sworn that he blushed but she couldn't tell in the dim light, "I had hoped you'd like it. But don't thank me yet. I had my sister cook for us and I am not sure what it tastes like" he grinned as a young blonde walked out from behind them. "Sarah I would like you to meet my sister Mary, who informed me that she is an excellent chef and that we should put our trust in her".
Mary punched him in the arm and smiled at Sarah, "Don't listen to him, I am a fabulous chef and you will be licking your fingers by the end of dinner. And in case you are wondering, I won't be interrupting your date, I serve dinner and then I'm gone".
Sarah laughed at their interaction, it was very different from her own relationship with her brother, "That's fine. And Don't worry I have full confidence in your abilities. I bet your food will be delicious".
Mary had a quick drink with them and then headed back into the kitchen.
"I hope this wasn't too much for a first date" Steve asked her as he led her toward their table on the beach.
"I think it's perfect for a first date. Very romantic and hundred points for creativity" she looped her arm through his since her feet were sinking into the sand making it hard for her to walk. Steve noticed and then did something that completely surprised her. He scooped her up in his arms and led her to the table. "Oh my, how strong you are sir" she tried to joke in a fake southern accent. Her stomach was flipping again as she inhaled his male sent.
"All the better to impress you with, ma'am" He mock growled at her. When they reached the table he set her down and pulled out her chair. Once they were seated Steve poured them some wine and touched his glass to hers in a silent toast.
"I'm pretty sure the wolf was not as polite as you".
"Well what can I say, I'm a nice guy, even when I'm pretending to be a wolf" he showed off his perfect teeth.
Sarah was amazed at how good a time they had, the food was amazing and true to her word once the dinner and desert was done Mary left with a quick hug for both of them. Now they were alone and at his place, she just hoped she could handle what came next.
-X-
After shoving his sister off the beach, he turned to Sarah. Tonight had been perfect and for some reason he had gone out of his way to arrange something special for their first date. He had never done that before, usually he just took his dates to a nice restaurant followed by a movie or something low key. But when it came to Sarah he always wanted to do something more.
Right now she sat on her chair and looked like an angel with the candlelight playing on her face. Her dimple flashed when she talked and laughed. And he loved her laugh, it was light and innocent and different from what he was used to. She was different. They had talked the entire time, and when there had been silence it was a comfortable silence. Steve thought back to a time when his dad had told him that when silence with a woman was comfortable, a man knew that she was someone special.
"Wanna go for a walk on the beach?" she asked him. Throughout the night he had noticed that she was confident even if she held a hint of shyness. She didn't play coy like some women, she was not naïve in spite the air of innocence she had about her. And from what she had told him, she was fiercely independent, and he liked that about her. He usually came across women who were either too clingy or so damn independent they made him feel emasculated. Sarah was a combination of both. She didn't pull away from him and he knew she wasn't clingy from the way she had behaved so far. In fact he was the one who would call her more often.
"Lead the way" he offered her his arm, but had to wait as she took off her wedges and he followed her discarding his own dress shoes and socks, rolling up his pants.
They walked on the waters edge and now and then the water lapped at their feet. Sarah had bunched up her pretty dress in her hands while her other hand was in his.
Somehow their conversation led to the day of her shooting, "So have you been able to locate Matthew yet?" Sarah asked.
"We just heard news that he has fled to L.A where some of his family are. Because of that the FBI is taking over. But don't worry we will also be following this up".
"I went to the funeral for David Gilbert. I couldn't meet his mother she was so heartbroken. I just stood at the back" she sounded so sad. Steve pulled her closer and wrapped his arm around her shoulder as they walked.
"We know definitely that it was a gang related fight. David was getting more involved in one of the gangs and as part of the initiation he had to prove himself. Unfortunately that included him clashing with Matthew who turned out to be too much for him to handle" Steve turned her towards him and kissed her mouth, then bent and kissed her bandaged wound, "And you were caught in the middle. Do you know how scared I was when I saw you in the ambulance?"
"It was like I was in shock when I saw you running towards me. I thought I was hallucinating" Sarah burrowed closer into his hard body. "I was so happy to see your face, but I realize that only now".
"I'm glad I could be there for you as much as I could be".
"Steve you're a great guy. Not at all what I had expected. I was very apprehensive about you, I thought you would be too macho and he-manish" Steve had to laugh at that. Except for Danny no one had called him he-man before.
They stayed like that for a while just enjoying holding each other. Then Steve asked, "Do you want to stay the night?" he felt her stiffen a little, then she looked up. He could see the uncertainty in her eyes.
"Steve I know you're used to dating a certain way and while I have dated quite frequently I have never been serious with anyone before" she paused then looked away. "I never had a boyfriend and I have never slept with anyone before. So if you don't mind could we please wait? I feel like we have something and I would like it if we could take it slow". Once she had finished her speech she looked up at him, again with a mix of uncertainty and determination.
Steve knew that if he did not agree with her he would lose her. She was a woman who demanded respect, who was he to deny her that. Something must have showed on his face because she spoke, "Look, don't think that I am angling for a proposal, we just started seeing each other. It just so happens that since I have waited this long I would want for my first time to be with someone I could love".
He took her face in his hands and kissed her gently. That didn't last long, because as soon as he started to kiss her his entire body became an inferno. He kissed her deeply, slid his tongue in her mouth and played with hers. She was not shy but enthusiastic, telling him she would be very passionate once she did sleep with him. More than anything he needed to make this kiss feel like a reassurance for her. He wanted to reassure her that he would respect her wishes.
Steve pulled away from her and looked into her eyes, "That was to let you know that I will respect your wishes. And until you give me the green light nothing will happen between us".
Sarah smiled, "Thank you for understanding. And now I give you the green light to kiss me senseless".
"Oh God you will be the death of me woman!" he growled as he pounced on her. Her laugh was swallowed in his passionate kiss.
This waiting was going to be a challenge but it was something he would readily do if he could only keep Sarah with him.