Chapter 2 First Date Jitters

Friday came far too quickly for Rachel and she stood in her curtained room trying to find the perfect outfit to go out with Brody in. She was nervous, beyond nervous and really wanted the two of them to have the best first date around. Brody meant a lot to her, she had never felt more grown up and free than she did when he was around. He embraced both the Ohio side of her and the New York and truly seemed to care, it was perfect and she sighed as she threw another dress onto the floor before plopping down on the bed with a groan.

On the other side of the city, Brody was fiddling with the buttons of his shirt, unable to get them straight no matter how hard he tried. This wasn't his first first date and he knew it wasn't going to be his last but Rachel was special. She had a certain light that struck something in him, plus she was sexy as hell and that was certainly a plus. He wanted things to go well, to treat her like she deserved to be treated. After watching her pine over some loser that she had no idea what she saw in him, he wanted to do his best and make things seem right. Checking the time he cursed under his breathe and grabbed his coat and fixed his hair once more before leaving and getting a cab. The train would be cheaper, but this was special and she deserved a date in a car and not stuffy transit.

He took a deep breathe before knocking on her door, flowers in his hand from the place down the block.

"Wow." Brody breathed when she opened the door looking as stunning as ever.

She blushed and looked down at the dress she had finally settled on. "Thank you, come in?"

He nodded and stepped inside before kissing her cheek and handing her the flower. "Flowers for the beautiful woman."

"These are beautiful Brody, thank you. I'll put them in water and we can go."

Rachel smiled to herself and got the flowers into a vase before going into her room and grabbing her coat and bag before rejoining him at the door. He looked so handsome and she felt really lucky to be escorted by him for the night.

Brody guided her out letting her wrap her arm around his as he kissed her head and hailed a taxi. He had planned a rather simple night but something that she was going to enjoy. She was still new in town after all and no matter how well she fit in, there was no way she had seen it all yet.

"New York is so pretty in the winter." She mused as she looked out the window, tucking into his side as his hand rubbed up and down her arm. He just hummed in response and she looked over to him staring at her. Rachel laughed and kissed him softly.

"Thank you for taking me out tonight."

"Thank you for wanting to go out tonight."

Rachel grinned and pecked his lips. "How could I not want to go out with such an immaculate man like yourself?"

"Immaculate? You did not see me before I decided to shower and put on clean clothes." He teased and she laughed before pushing at his chest.

"You clean up nicely, Brody. Though I've seen you after a dance rehearsal and my previous statement was still true then."

Things seemed to go so easily for them, they didn't have to try too hard to impress on another or make sure that the other knew that they were paying attention. It was already understood and Rachel found it refreshing as she just cuddled with him until the taxi stopped at central park.

"I know that this is a little cheesy." He began as he helped her out of the vehicle. "However, this is only the beginning."

She nodded and took his hand as he led her to a restaurant facing the park and squeezed his hand as they went in and were sat at their table.

"This place is beautiful." Rachel complimented just taking it all in. It was one of the nicer places in the city that wasn't actually going to cost an arm and a leg and she appreciated that Brody did what he could without breaking his bank account.

"You're beautiful." He whispered and she automatically blushed still taking it all in.

She was still confused how he could like her, how he could see something in her that she didn't even see but he did and she appreciated that more than anything and hoped that he knew that.

The beginning of their date was wonderful, a nice candle lit dinner with a waiter who looked past that she wasn't 21 so that she could enjoy a glass of wine with her date. A handsome man sitting in front of her who never stopped paying attention to her even when she was sure that she was being boring. He loved the same things that she did though, broadway, being healthy, the importance of a good facial routine. They had so much in common yet enough differences that the conversation never got boring and as they left the restaurant she wrapped her arms around his waist the happiest smile on her face.

"Do I get to know where we are going next?" She asked with a grin.

"Nope." He smirked as he kissed her head and lead her into the park.

They walked for a while, taking different paths that she didn't usually take when she was exercising. It was cold but his body heat kept her warm and finally they reached a clearing where the snow hadn't been touched and the moon lit up perfectly.

"What are we doing here?"

"We're going to build a snowman so when the first people come through here in the morning they are greeted."

She laughed and just nodded as she fixed her gloves and bent down to start gathering snow when she got an idea and grinned before tossing it at him.

"Hey!" He laughed before chucking it back at her.

The snow war began and before she knew it they were both laying on the snow and he was kissing her so heatedly that she forget that they were freezing.

"This isn't how you build a snowman." She whispered when the kiss broke.

"Who cares." He whispered back before kissing him again and she continued it before pulling back.

"Let's go back to your place."