Must Be Doing Something Right
The infamous chicken dinner.
Robbie's Story
His apartment was spotless, cleaner than it had been in months. The new pillows were on display, the new towels clean and hanging in the bathroom. A chicken was roasting in the oven. By all accounts, everything was as it should be and yet he was nervous.
They'd been on this trajectory for a long time. They both knew what tonight was about, even without discussing it. If he thought too much about it, he wasn't really sure what she saw in him. He was vastly older, came with enough emotional baggage for three people. Yet, she'd waited for him. Seen him through the worst of his grief and remained steadfastly at his side.
He thought about the past few weeks. Their dates which had been much like every other time they'd been to dinner except at the end he'd been able to kiss her. Each night those kisses became more passionate, harder to stop.
Three nights ago, he'd finally broken down and asked her to his place for dinner. No specific words had been spoken but it was implicitly understood she would spend the night. That the kisses wouldn't stop.
Now, here he was, pacing his apartment, wondering if he'd made the right decision. Surely, she was much more experienced than he. Not that he thought her promiscuous but he'd spent 25 years with the same person. There had been a few before Val but no one since. Not that there hadn't been offers, it just never felt right.
Would he be able to please her? Would she be disappointed? A buzzing from the kitchen froze his thoughts. He pulled the chicken from the oven, unsure if it looked right. His cooking skills were limited at best. Oh, he could manage a fry up and he was the master of the pierce and ping. But a real meal was stretching the limits of his skills.
He could have taken her to dinner but this night, it felt important to stay in. Picking up his phone, he pressed the button to connect to James. He needed to confirm the chicken was right but mostly, he just needed to hear another voice.
Despite his cheek, James had helped him push his rapidly increasing nerves away. The doorbell ringing brought them back but he made his way quickly to the door, opening it to her. As always, she took his breath away.
The large bag on her shoulder was proof positive this night was a new chapter. Stepping aside, he let her in admiring her figure as she walked past him. There was a hint of mischief in her smile as she looked up at him. For a moment, he thought about pulling her to him, kissing her.
She turned back to him, lifting her bag slightly, an unspoken question in her eyes. He took it from her, motioning her toward the sofa. Without a word, he turned away, headed for his bedroom. Setting the bag in a chair in the corner, he cast an appraising eye around the room. Everything was in its place, clean sheets, all furniture dusted. He wondered if she would make fun of his orthopedic mattress. Yet another reminder of the age gap.
Pushing the thought from his mind, he returned to the sitting room. She was still stood in the middle of the room. Hearing him she turned to him, "Something smells good."
He realized these were the first words they'd spoken since she arrived. "Thanks, it needs to relax for a bit more. Would you like a glass of wine?"
She smiled and nodded, "That would be nice."
He skittered off to the kitchen returning a few moments later with two glasses. Laura was still standing in the middle of the room. He handed her the glass then took a sip from his. Staring at him, an amused look on her face, "Have you forgotten something?"
He looked at her, confusion clouding his features. Seeing she hadn't taken a sip of her drink he nodded, "A toast, of course." He thought for a moment, then laughed as he raised his glass. "To no call outs."
She smiled, touching her glass to his then taking a dainty sip. His nervousness was intriguing and slightly exciting. Leaning in, she brushed against him, "I was thinking more along the lines of a kiss."
Cursing to himself, he reached up to softly stroke her cheek, "How could I have forgotten?" Brushing his lips lightly against hers, "Can you ever forgive me?"
Pushing up, kissing him more deeply, "I'm sure I can figure out some way you can make it up to me."
He swallowed, nervousness returning. Had he messed up their evening already? "Do you want to sit down?"
"Do you?" Nodding, he motioned to the sofa. Smiling up at him, she teased, "Where do you normally sit?"
"At the end."
Laura walked to the couch, sitting carefully in the middle, then patted the seat next to her, "Sit with me."
He realized how close she would be, was both thrilled and scared. Taking a tentative seat, he set his glass on the table. Just as he was lowering himself onto the seat, a buzzer chimed. Standing and moving toward the kitchen, "That'll be the chicken." He turned back to her, recognizing the disappointed look on her face, "Will you get the glasses? I'll fix our plates."
She nodded, a sad smile on her face. Watching him walk away, she stood, picking up his glasses and made her way to the small dining table. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"No, just have a seat. I'll be there in a moment."
He stood in the kitchen, trying desperately to figure out why things were suddenly so awkward. At the rate he was going, this would be the shortest love affair in history. He froze for a moment, love. Did he love her? Was that the cause of his nerves?
Laura's Story
She'd changed clothes three times, debating with herself between a dress and pants. Finally she'd gone with a nice summer dress. He'd said he was cooking but she had a passing familiarity with his cooking and suspected they might actually have to go out.
Smiling into the mirror, she found she didn't really care about food. This night wasn't about dinner, it was about them, finally taking that last step, starting a new chapter. She pressed her hand to her stomach, hoping to quell the butterflies fluttering within.
Sex for the first time was always a thrilling proposition, even more so when you loved the person. She'd never experienced it in this order. The few times she'd been in love before had always come after sex. She wondered if it would make the act more meaningful.
There was no doubt in her mind they would be good together. Robbie was almost certainly an attentive lover. She wondered for a moment if there had been anyone since Val, suspected there hadn't been. It would make him nervous, possibly less sure of himself.
She debated on whether or not she should take the lead when she got to his house. A quick shake of her head and she made her decision. No, it was best to let him come to her. Grabbing her bag and the bottle of wine she'd purchased earlier, she left her home.
Packing the bag had been an easy decision. They hadn't explicitly said tonight would be a sleepover but they each knew. There was no fancy lingerie only simple clothes. Things that would make Robbie feel as comfortable as possible. They had plenty of time for sexy clothing, tonight was about a beginning and she wanted him relaxed.
Arriving at his house, she parked, a thrill of excitement rushing through her. This was it, there was no turning back. Collecting her things, she made her way to his door, knocking lightly. He opened the door, a dish towel tucked into his jeans.
She looked down at it, pointedly, smiling when he pulled it free. Comfortable teasing him, she slipped past him into his flat. She could smell the cleaning products, laughed too herself at the scrub up the place had clearly undergone.
Turning back to him, she lifted her bag from her shoulder, a question in her eyes. He took a step toward, taking the bag. His hand lightly grazed hers, she could feel the heat from his body. Looking up at him, she hoped he would kiss her, desperately wanted to be kissed, but she had to wait for him to come to her.
He pulled back, pointing her toward the sofa then disappeared down a hallway. She smiled to herself, realizing they hadn't spoken a word since she arrived. Turning to him, she smiled, "Something smells good."
"Thanks, it needs to relax for a bit more. Would you like a glass of wine?"
She smiled and nodded, "That would be nice."
She watched him skitter, nervously, toward the kitchen. He handed her a glass when he returned then took a deep draw from his glass. Amusement followed by annoyance rushed through her. It was one thing to wait for him, but a girl could only wait so long. "Have you forgotten something?"
The confusion on his face almost made her laugh out loud. She wondered if he would figure it out. His eyes dipped towards her glass, he smiled. "A toast, of course." He thought for a moment, then laughed as he raised his glass. "To no call outs."
She forced a smile, touching her glass to his then taking a dainty sip. Perhaps a little push wouldn't go amiss. She leaned in, brushing her upper body against his, "I was thinking more along the lines of a kiss."
His hand on her cheek almost made her sigh, "How could I have forgotten?" A gentle brushing of his lips against hers, he whispered, "Can you ever forgive me?"
Needing more she pushed up, kissing him more deeply, "I'm sure I can figure out some way you can make it up to me."
She knew it was a mistake instantly. Felt his body tense before he pulled away, "Do you want to sit down?"
Again, she decided to let him take the lead, "Do you?" He motioned to the sofa. Smiling up at him, she teased, "Where do you normally sit?"
"At the end."
Laura walked to the couch, sitting carefully in the middle, then patted the seat next to her, "Sit with me."
She saw the fear on his face as me moved toward her. He took a hesitant step, setting his glass on the table. Just as he was lowering himself onto the seat, a buzzer chimed. He shot up and away from her, "That'll be the chicken." He turned back to her, "Will you get the glasses? I'll fix our plates."
She nodded, wondering how they had arrived at this point. Watching him walk away, she stood, picking up his glasses and made her way to the small dining table. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"No, just have a seat. I'll be there in a moment."
Their Story
She sat, waiting, trying to figure out what she should do to get him to relax and let this happen. Taking a sip of her wine, she tried to calm herself.
Robbie stood in the kitchen, at a loss. He knew this wasn't going well. Maybe he should just kiss her, pull her from the chair she was sitting in and kiss her for all he was worth. Would it overwhelm her, scare her? His desire for her was so great, what if he just let go? Would she hate him, push him away?
He turned to the chicken and started carving. It only took a few minutes and he had two plates ready to go. Walking to her, he could see the tension in her shoulders, maybe they should have gone out. Sitting the plate in front of her, he sat across from her. "Here you go. I make no promises. Perhaps I should have just taken you out."
"This looks lovely. Thank you."
They ate in relative silence, a few casual comments about work. Finally, the meal was done. Laura stood, "Since you cooked, I'll clean."
Robbie fumbled to stand, "No." Seeing the anxiety in her eyes, he smiled, "Let's do it together. There's not much. Believe it or not, I'm a neat cook."
She smiled, "That sounds like a plan."
True to Robbie's word, the kitchen was tidy and it was the work of a few moments to set everything to rights. He smiled down at her, "Do you want to go for a walk?"
She shook her head, "Not really, do you?"
He shook his head, "Not really." He looked down at her, found himself lost in the deep blue of her eyes. Without even thinking, he lowered his head and kissed her. A deep sigh escaped her sending a flush of desire through him. He pulled her closer, needing to feel her against him.
The kiss took her by surprise, seemingly coming out of nowhere. He'd been taking about a walk and then suddenly his lips were on hers. They had kissed before, many times but this was different. There was a neediness to it which took her breath away. She sighed as she felt a wave of desire pulse through her. Her arms moved up encircling his neck, pulling him to her.
He pushed at her, backing her into the cabinet. His body pressed into her, his hands pushing her sweater from her shoulders. The feel of her bare skin was heaven. He imagined touching more than her shoulders.
The feel of him pressed against her left her longing for more. She slid her hands between them, tearing at his buttons. Pushing at him, trying to create some separation, desperate to get to bare skin.
At her push, he looked down at her, hesitancy returning. He tore his hands away from her skin, scared he had pushed too far. Looking up at him when his hands left her body, she saw his fear, to hell with waiting for him.
Keeping her eyes on him, she methodically unbuttoned his shirt, placing a teasing kiss on his chest with each button. She released a needy cry when his hands returned to her shoulders. Pulling on his shirt, she untucked it from his pants, wrapping her arms around his waist, pulling him to her.
Smiling up at him, she could still sense his unease. Stepping away, she took his hand and led him from the kitchen. Feeling him pull on her hand slightly, she smiled over her shoulder, "Come on, it's just a short walk."
That smile was all it took. Wherever she wanted to lead him, he was willing to follow.
Anywhere you wanna go
Baby show me the way
I'm open to suggestions
Mmm whatever you say
Tonight's about giving you what you want
Whatever it takes
Girl I hope I'm on the right road
Judging by the smile on your face
Must be doing something right…
And that is where I leave you, let your imaginations take a short walk (or a long one if you prefer). The song is Must Be Doing Something Right – Billy Currington