The elevator door opened. Michael stepped out into the hall and made his way to Sara's door. Once there he stopped. His mind began to review all of his plans for the evening, making sure he hadn't forgotten anything, which of course he knew he hadn't. Once through the thought process however, he began again from the top. A few seconds in, he paused. Why was he doing this? Everything was in place.
He wanted this to be special for her. She had been waiting on him and he was not just thinking about the time he had spent behind bars. She had been expecting things to move forward in their relationship since he had gotten out. He knew she didn't understand, but it had been important to him that he have a job and get his life back on some sort of track before he offered her any type of future. She had stood by him these last two years through everything. Had sacrificed so much for him.
She had told him about her friend Mary at the hospital. He was glad she had found someone to talk to but he also knew there had been others who had not been so kind when they had found out about her relationship with him. Oh she had tried to hide it when she would come to visit him while he served the mandated sentence, but he knew her too well. Each time it had happened he could see it in her eyes and it broke his heart that he was again causing her more pain. But she had chosen to stay with him, and he was glad for that. Michael began to relax. She was family. His family. With a smile on his face he reached up and knocked on Sara's door.
His hand had barely pulled away when the door opened. The smile disappeared. In the last two years, he had seen her in jeans, scrubs, and a few pairs of slacks but nothing had prepared him for this. Sara wore a black dress that hung just off her shoulders. It was a cocktail dress, he knew. It reached just past her knees where it flared out a little. She had pulled her hair up with curls hanging down to frame her face and she wore earrings that dangled just below her ear.
She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.
~
Sara had opened the door and found Michael dressed in his best suit and the tie she had bought for him. The smile she had seen when she first opened the door was now gone. In its place was an intensity that was solely Michael. He was studying her. Taking in every detail. She hopped he liked what he saw and from the heat she was seeing in his eyes she was pretty sure he did.
Her body was beginning to heat up as he continued to run his eyes over her. Maybe she should make her move now instead of later. When she went to speak it came out in a husky whisper, "would you like to come in?"
Michael met her eyes for a second and then shook himself out of the fog he was in. Man she could make him forget everything else around him. He would have to stay extra focused tonight if things were to go as planned. Michael cleared his throat, "No."
He could see she was disappointed so he quickly added, "Our reservations are at seven and we don't want to be late."
It was clear to Michael she was still disappointed although he wasn't quite sure why. But before he could say anything else she reached behind her, grabbed her purse, and stepped out into the hall closing the door behind her.
He held out his arm. She looked at the proffered arm and then up at him. She loved this man so much. No one had ever made her feel as he did. She would go along with whatever he had planned for her tonight. She took his arm and he guided her to the elevator.