Tomorrow. Tomorrow her world would change. All of her hopes and dreams will converge, culminating into the form of Jamie Fraser. Tomorrow she would begin the greatest adventure of her life with the man she loved.
She had stopped at a little cafe for lunch and caught herself tapping her nails on the table in a relentless rhythm. She forced herself to stop, seeing the eyes of the other customers on her.
"Sorry," she said apologetically to the couple next to her.
She had to calm down. Why was she so nervous? She loved him and he loved her. Nothing really mattered other than that, did it? But for some reason, she was frantic about meeting him.
As she thought about it, she realized that she was actually worried about what he'd think of her. A man that hot (and by his profile pic she knew he was) could get any woman he wants.
But he wants you, she told herself. He said so.
This was ridiculous. She was working herself up into hysterics for no reason. The waiting was killing her.
In an effort to calm her mind, she decided that she would take the rest of the day off. She had done her rounds at the hospital that morning, and had planned to do her patient reports this afternoon, but with her current mindset, there was no way she could think clearly enough to do them.
She decided to go browse the dress shops for something to wear on their all-important date. She wanted something sophisticated, but also incredibly sexy. She had often been told she had nice legs, so perhaps a short dress would be good, something mid-thigh. Accentuate the positive, as they say. What color? She didn't want to go with black. Everyone wore black. She wanted to be distinctive. She wanted him to look at her like no one else existed. Red. She always looked really good in red.
Overwhelmed by all the wardrobe possibilities, she decided she needed to bring in reinforcements. Picking up her phone, she dialed Jillian.
"Jill?"
"Claire! How are you, darling?"
"Nervous as hell."
"Ah, the big date is tomorrow, right?"
"Yeah. I'm shopping for a dress. Help!"
"You've come to the right person. Where are you?"
"Catherine's on Dumbarton."
"Ok. Meet me at the cafe across the street in ten minutes. Cao!"
Jillian arrived in short order and then took Claire to an exclusive shop a few blocks away. Claire had never been in this shop, and she knew why.
"Christ! Is this price in pesos? There's no way that can be pounds!"
"I'm afraid it is, Claire. Fashion comes at a price, my dear. Besides, you're a doctor, you have plenty of money."
"No, I have plenty of school loans. That is what I have. If I was rich, do you really think I'd live in a one-bedroom flat the size of a matchbox?"
"It's not that bad, Claire."
"I know. I'm just so nervous, Jill. I've never got so worked up over anyone like this before."
"Let's find you something that will blow his mind. Then perhaps, he'll let you blow his…"
"Jillian!" She exclaimed, laughing despite herself.
After looking around the shop for a good half hour, Claire finally found what she was looking for.
"Oh, Jill! Look at this one! Isn't it divine?"
Jill looked at the short, red number and her eyes got wide. "Claire! It's perfect! Just the right amount of sex and class. Try it on!"
Claire took the dress into the changing room. She had never worn a dress quite this provocative before. The skirt came right to mid-thigh. The color was not just red, but a deep, rich crimson. It had three-quarter length sleeves and a deep V neck, but not too deep, the edge skimming just off the shoulders. The result was very elegant, tasteful, and drop dead sexy.
She came out of the changing room to show Jillian the dress. Jillian squealed with excitement.
"Oh my God, Claire! Yes! That's it! He will explode at the first sight of you."
"Jillian! For God's sake. Is that all you can think about?"
"It will be all *he* can think about when he sees you."
"Is it too much?"
"Just enough, I'd say. Ring it up!"
After making her purchase, she bid Jillian goodbye, assuring her friend that she was more than capable of finding shoes to wear with her dress.
"Call me and tell me EVERYTHING that happens tomorrow. EVERYTHING!" Jillian yelled out of the cab window.
Claire laughed as she headed down the street.
Meanwhile, Jamie had just got off work at the print shop and had made plans to go to the pub with Ian and his friend Rupert. He was looking forward to having a couple of pints with the lads - he needed to relax. He had been so worked up over Claire, that he'd hardly been able to focus on anything else. As it got closer to their date, he found he was getting even more anxious. God, he didn't know what was going to happen. He knew he loved her and, even without seeing her, he knew he wanted her.
That got him thinking. Would she expect him to lie with her that first night? She didn't seem the type to force such things. Still, would he be ready for it? He knew she was the one, so she would be the one he'd give himself to, but…
He had to stop this train of thought. As if the date itself wasn't making him anxious enough, now the idea of losing his virginity on that same date petrified him. Why was he doing this to himself?
He walked into the pub and saw Ian sitting in their usual booth at the back.
"Jamie! I'm glad ye made it!" Ian said as Jamie sat across from him. "So, tomorrow's the big date, huh?" he asked, with a huge grin on his face.
"Yes, Ian. Ye ken very well it is, as I've not spoken of anything else for the last 2 days."
"Nervous are ye?"
"That's an understatement. Ian...can I ask ye something?"
"Sure, Jamie," Ian said, curiously.
"Weel, do ye think that she, Claire I mean, will want to…"
From Jamie's expression, Ian knew what he meant immediately. "Oh, ye want to know if she will expect to lie with ye?" Seeing Jamie's nod, he continued. "Jamie, a lass like Claire, if she's anything like what you say she is, is not going to put that kind of expectation on ye. Just let things flow naturally. Don't put pressure on yourself. If the time is right and ye both feel it, then do it. If not, well, ye have plenty of time to get to that point and it will be fine."
Jamie cleared his throat and leaned closer to Ian, looking around to make sure they weren't heard. He said, in a low voice, "If we do, then, how do I know I can please her?"
"You're asking me? Don't forget, Jamie, that I've not lain with anyone either."
"True."
"From what I know of women, ye just have to pay attention to her. She'll tell ye in subtle ways what she likes and what she doesn't. Just pay attention and it will be alright. I promise."
Jamie smiled and patted his oldest friend on the shoulder. "Thank you, man. I appreciate that. And just so ye know, I'll be proud to have ye as my brother-in-law, should ye and Jenny decide to marry. I know ye to be an honorable man and I know that ye will respect her."
"Indeed, Jamie. I will." Ian smiled, then nodded towards the door to indicate that Rupert had just walked in. "A word of advice, Jamie...Rupert isn't quite so honorable when it comes to women, so don't believe a word he says."
They burst out laughing.
Claire finally arrived back at her flat after finding the perfect pair of shoes. Given that she was fairly short, she thought it would take at least 6-inch heels to even come close to Jamie's chin. For added insurance she had bought the tallest black strappy shoes she could find, while still being able to walk. She tried them on when she got to her room, admiring them in the mirror. Oh, yes. Jamie will love these.
She changed her clothes and got into something more comfortable. After working all morning and shopping all afternoon, she was worn out. She hoped to talk to Jamie that night, so she grabbed a glass of wine and lay on her bed.
Right on cue, her phone rang - it was him.
"Hi Jamie. How are you and the guys faring? Do you need a lift home or can you still stand?"
He laughed. "Och, I'm alright. It's Rupert you should be worried about. I'm already back home."
"I just got home, myself. I took the afternoon off to do some shopping for tomorrow night."
"Oh, really? Now I'm very curious...what did you buy?"
"I'm not telling. It's a surprise." She smiled.
"Ye have to warn me Claire, because I'm afraid I might have a heart attack when I see ye."
"That's the way I've been feeling all day, Jamie. God I've been nervous."
"Me too, Geordie thinks I've lost it." They giggled together.
"It's weird to be nervous isn't it? I mean, we've already said we love each other and yet, the idea of seeing each other is causing us to panic. Why is that, do you think?"
"I dinna ken. But I suppose that maybe we are afraid."
"Afraid of what?"
"Afraid of the power of our feelings."
"I know what you mean," Claire said. "We have a really strong sense of each other already, even over the phone, and the added benefit of being able to see and touch each other might be overwhelming."
"Exactly."
"Well, we have to get over that."
"Aye." Jamie paused for a moment. "There's something else, Claire…"
"What is it?" Sensing his hesitation, she added, "You can tell me, love."
"I wasn't going to bring it up, but…"
"Go on…"
"I just want ye to know that I don't expect you to do anything you don't want to do, I mean, physically."
She thought about that for a moment. "I know you don't, Jamie. You're a gentle and honorable man. But what if…"
"Yes?"
"What if, you know, we decide to take things further...together?"
"Well, I...I would be...honored."
Claire smiled to herself, hearing his nervousness. "Jamie, you don't have to be worried about saying something indelicate. One thing about being in love is that you can tell the other person anything and know they'll love you no matter what you say. Don't be afraid to talk to me about anything."
"Aye. Thank you, love. Weel, I dinna ken exactly how to say it, but, I want ye to know that I've...never truly been in love before. And my Da always said it was the greatest joy in a man's life to lie with the woman he loves…so..."
Suddenly, she took his meaning. "Jamie, are you saying you've never been with a woman?"
"Well, I canna say I've not touched a few and certainly kissed a lot of them, but aye, I have been waiting for the right woman - not that I haven't had a lot of offers."
"Oh, Jamie, darling, you are just perfect. That only makes me love you more."
He sighed with relief. "Thank you, I was worried you'd think me pathetic."
"Never. I love you, remember?"
"I love you too, my Sassenach."
This subject inspired Claire to to test the waters a bit. "Jamie…"
"Aye?"
"Are you on your bed right now?"
"Aye."
"I'm lying on my bed too and I've got nothing on but my thin satin chemise."
He gasped, then nearly choked on whatever he had been drinking.
She smiled, then continued, "What are you wearing, my love?"
Trying to regain his composure, he said, "Ah...well, I'm wearing a towel. I just got out of the shower before I called you."
"Mmmmm. I can just picture it," she sighed enticingly. "Can you picture me here, on my bed?"
"Y-yes. Yes, I can."
"What do you think I'm doing right now?"
"I-I couldna say, S-Sassenach." She could hear that he was coming unglued.
"Well, perhaps I'm running my hand up my thigh...all the way up to…"
"Jesus, Claire! Are ye trying to give me a heart attack?"
"You told me prepare you before tomorrow. Perhaps if you can picture some of me now, you'll not be so nervous to see the rest of me."
"Lord, now I'm even more lust crazed than I've been every night since we - " he cut himself off, not meaning to say so much.
"Ah, so you *have* been thinking naughty things about me. Do tell."
"Not a chance. The mind is a wonderful, dirty thing, Claire. You would be scandalized to know what I've been thinking."
She was delighted. "Jamie, I have to know. Tell me."
"All in good time, my love. I will show it all to you when I take ye for the first time. Believe me, it will be worth the wait."
This time, it was her turn to gasp. He was even more exciting than she could have ever imagined - and she hadn't even laid eyes on him!
They would postpone further explorations until they could do so in person. Still, Claire decided to give him one last tease…
"Jamie, before you go to sleep tonight, think about me lying on this bed and what I'm doing right now." She paused for effect. "Sweet dreams, my love."
With that, she hung up the phone, grinning from ear to ear. She had no doubt she would pay for teasing him, and she couldn't wait to pay the price.