Mary was bricking it. She hadn't been this nervous since she was taking her final exams. It was her first date in forever and she was contemplating everything. Her outfit, her hair, what to order. She didn't even know where she was going. What would she have to drink? She wasn't big on alcohol, what if James wanted a drink? It was all too much and she even thought about backing out at the last minute, her nerves were getting the better of her. But Anya would kill her. She didn't just spend two hours getting her ready for her first date for her to turn around and cancel.
"So what does he do?" Anya asked as she finished putting away the endless amounts of makeup she brought. She didn't do anything too crazy but a slight smokiness to Mary's eyes really made them pop and her clear complexion was glowing. She was dressed in a white dress with small pink flowers on, hugging her body and tied at her breasts. It wasn't her usual type of clothing but she had to admit she looked stunning in it and she hoped James thought so too.
"Oh, I don't know actually, I didn't ask him" she realised, checking herself in the mirror one last time before slumping onto her bed.
"Well that's something for you to talk about tonight then" Anya smirked and Mary's nerves kicked her in the stomach. She was the worst when it came to dates and talking to guys and flirting. Anya told her to get her flirty game on, whatever that is.
"I can't believe you didn't tell me this when it happened, I'm so disappointed in you" Anya scolded and Mary giggled, shaking her head.
"Well I didn't want to make a big deal out of something that might not have been anything" she admitted. Except now it was something.
"I have to admit it's romantic, you two bumping into each other, love at first sight… is he Christian," she asked, raising her brows. This was something important to Mary, something that she hoped would be a part of her life. A Christian man was who she was looking for and of course, she hadn't had the time or courage to ask James if he was.
"I'm not sure, I'll ask him tonight… okay are you sure I look okay" Mary was starting to doubt herself as she stared in the mirror, beginning to see her flaws and Anya tutted.
"Of course you do, you look hot, now hurry he'll be here soon" she ushered her out of the bedroom to collect her bag. It was warm so she didn't bother with a jacket and slipped on a pair of white short heels. Heels weren't really her thing. She had one pair and they were the ones she wore to church but apart from that, she never wore heels. But she wanted to make a good impression, considering the past two times she'd been a nervous wreck and was fumbling over her words. Perhaps a drink would calm her down, loosen her up, and give her the confidence she needed. She thought about it for a moment but immediately kicked it out of her head. God would be furious if she took one sip.
"Let me come down with you so I can see him" Anya begged, whining like a little child wanting a new toy.
"No, absolutely not, you can hide in the building and peak from the window but that's it" Mary scolded. Knowing Anya, she'd probably scream or shout some embarrassing line at him which would make things awkward and the last thing Mary needed was more awkwardness.
It reached seven and Mary was almost shaking with nerves. She waited outside her apartment in the heat, standing awkwardly in her heels and contemplating running back in and changing them for sneakers. Oh, how she wanted her comfy Converse on right now, with soft socks that meant she could wiggle her toes instead of being confined in these stiff heels. Why did she listen to Anya and not go with her gut? But it was too late. A sleek black Mercedes pulled up and she swallowed, her stomach tightening and heart beating faster, pounding against her chest as if it was going to fly out and land in the parking lot.
"Have fun" Anya quickly called out from inside the apartment complex and hid in the shadows. Mary gulped and made her way over to the car, concentrating hard on not stacking it and smiled as James stepped out of the car. God did he look handsome. Dressed in an all-black suit, it must be his favourite colour, he looked like a walking god. He walked with such confidence as if anyone giving him the wrong look would end up on the floor with a bloody nose. He walked over with a swag, a smirk appearing on his lips, cheeks bones snatched with every movement of his lips.
"Hi," he murmured as he reached Mary, looking her up and down but not in a greedy creepy way. Mary gave a smile back, brushing a piece of annoying hair behind her ear although it was more of a nervous mechanism, like any girl.
"Hi," she replied and James gave a swift nod to his car, leading her to the passenger seat. Like the gentleman he was, he opened the car door for her and she slipped in, or more like dropped in, her body slipping into the leather and almost falling. Quickly she gathered herself while he made his way to the driver's seat and smoothed out her dress, hands flailing about. The car was cool and quiet, the seats cold to her bare skin and smooth to the touch.
James sunk into the driver's seat, all long legs and rich cologne oozing off him, hands with long slender fingers with his rings. It was giving mob boss vibes. His hair was slightly messy but silky smooth and the muzzle he was growing wasn't putting Mary off at all.
"You look beautiful" he commented, this time a smile instead of a smirk appearing on his soft lips and Mary blushed.
"Oh thank you, you look nice too" Mary glanced down at her feet, wanting to kick herself. She had no experience talking to men and she wasn't even sure that was the right thing to say to a guy. James chuckled under his breath, turning the car on and smoothly driving out of the parking lot.
"So where are we going?" She asked, making conversation to make the journey not awkward. It was one of Anya's tips for dating.
"There's a restaurant a friend of mine owns, it's down the city" he smiled.
"They own it!" She asked.
"Yeah, he brought it a couple of years back when it was a small business and it's become popular ever since" he grinned, his bright white teeth dazzling. The smile alone made Mary tighten her legs and feel that buzz inside. Again she nervously tucked her hair away, playing with it to distract herself from blushing. It wasn't long before he pulled up to the restaurant. Mary was surprised to see a long line of guests waiting outside, chatting and popping their heads around the corner to see if the line was moving. It looked like they were going to be waiting awhile which meant more awkward conversations. Mary hadn't realised she was still in the car until the door opened and James offered his hand to her. She slipped hers into his palm, his skin smooth and warm and she felt that tingle rush through her again. A hit of his cologne attacked her and he smelt divine.
James led the way confidently to the front of the restaurant, completely ignoring the long line waiting behind a red velvet rope and Mary was confused. Surely he wasn't just going to walk inside. The security at the front stepped aside and allowed him in with Mary following like a lost puppy, looking between the line and James.
"Good evening Mr Barnes, your table is right this way" a friendly waitress greeted, dressed in a smart black dress and heels, leading the way to their table. The restaurant was lux with warm lighting and dark features, oozing money. Soft music played in the background and as Mary passed the many tables seated with rich dining guests dressed in suits and women in fur coats and dresses, she felt a little out of place. Each table had buckets of Champagne, caviar to start and the warm glow of candles. You wouldn't catch Mary dining here on a Thursday night.
Their table was situated at the corner of the restaurant, discreet and private compared to the other tables. There looked to be a private room at the back hidden by a velvet curtain and the bar was busy with customers drinking martinis and old fashioned's. The waitress kindly handed them a menu as they sat down, Mary almost slipped on the leather chair but caught herself in time.
"What can I get you two to drink?" She asked.
"We'll have a bottle of Dom Perignon" James ordered softly, his eyes focused on the menu rather than the waitress. Mary didn't have much culture on alcohol but she wasn't an idiot to know that s fancy name like that wasn't a $200 bottle of champagne.
"Oh actually can I just have a lemonade please," she asked and the waitress nodded. James looked a little caught off guard but brushed it off and thanked the waitress who scurried off to get their drinks. Mary couldn't help but feel guilty for rejecting Jame's choice of drink which was silly because she could drink whatever she wanted. She never drank alcohol and wasn't about to start now.
"Champagne, not your thing?" He asked, raising a brow slightly.
"I don't drink alcohol, I'm not sure god would approve if I started now" She laughed softly and James grinned.
"Yes, I forgot you are Christian aren't you, I should have remembered" he leaned on the table linking his long fingers together and Mary shrugged.
"It's okay, all Christians are different as well… are you?" She asked and James chuckled. If only she knew.
"No, I'm not, religion wasn't something we had growing up in my house and I don't think god would be allowing me to join anytime soon" he joked and Mary's eyes widened.
"Really… why's that?" She wondered, completely clueless. James laughed under his breath softly. If only she knew the things he had done. He had about a zero per cent chance of getting into heaven and a hundred per cent chance of getting into hell.
"Let's say I haven't made some good choices over the years," he said simply. This was just the beginning and if things went any further with Mary, then he'd have to find the right time to tell her. For now, her innocent mind would stay innocent.
"Well, god can be very forgiving, you never know he might give you a chance," she said sweetly and he smiled. It wasn't exactly what Mary was looking for. Ideally, she was looking for a Christian man but she wasn't going to end this just on that note. Perhaps there'd be a chance for change.
The waitress came back shortly and set their drinks on the table. Mary was amazed James ordered a $200 bottle of champagne without a second thought. "Cheers" he clinked her glass with hers and she cheers back quietly sipping the bubbly lemonade as she watched the be lifted to his lips, she felt that same tingle. Shutting her legs tightly she ignored it as best she could but it was taking over her. Why was he drinking from a glass so hot, so sexy? His soft lips wrapped around the edge of the glass, tongue darting out to lick the remainder of the golden liquid off his lips. They ordered their mains and were left alone again.
"How come we skipped the line?" Mary asked, the question wandering around in her head just waiting to be asked and James smirked.
"I told you a friend of mine owns this place, I called him earlier and said I was bringing someone to dinner and he reserved this table for me".
"Well you must be good friends then, did you go to school together?" She asked and he nodded.
"We've been friends since we were six. He always wanted his own restaurant and I helped him buy it when he didn't have the money". The statement alone made Mary realise how rich James must be if he can afford to buy a restaurant for his friend.
"Really… did he pay you back?" She asked.
"Yes, he did, he's made so much money from this place, the waiting time for a table is three months" he casually said and Mary nearly choked on her lemonade. She held it down although her cheeks flushed bright red. That would have been embarrassing. Was James really telling her the restaurant he brought her to had a three-month waiting time and he managed to get a table with the click of his fingers and walk in like he owned the place?
"Oh wow… I didn't realise this place was so popular" she murmured, glancing around the tables. It definitely wasn't a place she would openly eat at. Probably due to the fact she couldn't afford it and speaking of which, she wondered what the bill would be later on.
"So what do you do for work then?" She asked. James took a breath, clearing his throat and seemed a little tense but nothing that Mary could notice.
"I'm an accountant and a supplier. I have my own business supplying people weapons for protection like high government officials and things like that" he explained.
"Oh, how did you get into that?" Mary was hoping he'd say he was a lawyer or a CEO which he kinda was seeing as he has his own business. But weapons… that wasn't what she had in mind. Again, she wasn't letting it change her view of the kind and caring gentleman he showed her.
"It's a family business, my dad owned it and then his dad owned it and it's been passed down to me. It's a hard-working job but it puts food on the table" he smiled.
"Oh, I see".
"What about you, how did you get into nursing?".
"I've always loved helping people and when my mom got sick all I wanted was to make her better. Unfortunately, she passed and it made me want to help people even more. My dad encouraged me so much as well and it only felt right".
"I'm sorry about your mom, did she die young?" He asked and she nodded.
"She died when I was sixteen and then it was just me, my brother and my dad" Mary didn't talk much about her mother to anyone and bringing the subject up made her a little teary. Her voice sunk and James felt a pain in his heart.
"I'm so sorry… I know what it's like to lose a parent as well… my mother died when I was five and my dad when I was twenty".
"Oh my goodness… that must have been horrible" James nodded but he was used to the feeling. He didn't know his mother for long and his father was the closest thing to him. When he died he wanted to rip this city in half but his father made him into who he was and destroying the city wasn't going to bring him back. Instead, he became the cold ruthless mafia boss he was today.
The mood had changed from the awkwardness it was, to begin with. James felt the buzz of the champagne and Mary relaxed. He was a tentative listener, chuckling and smiling as he listened to the sweet Mary. He didn't believe how innocent she was until he sat opposite her. He noticed the little things about her, like tucking her hair behind her ear when she was nervous, sipping her drink and eating her food cleanly and slowly, the sweet dimples that appeared with every smile. James was holding himself back, fighting the urge to grab her hand and pull her into the back room and fuck her hard and fast. Girls like Mary needed slow and passionate sex. But one thing he knew without her telling him was she was a virgin. All Christian girls were, saving it for that special someone and as much as he wanted to take that virginity for himself, he had to refrain.
Mary was the same. She couldn't handle the tingles and rushes and heat between her legs, the sensations she had never felt with anyone before. Surely god was scolding her now for being so filthy and she's be saying her prayers later tonight. There was something mysterious about James, something sexy and secretive. The way his eyes narrowed slightly and lips turned up into a smirk in the corner made her hot and she gulped down her lemonade. The way his hand gripped the glass, long fingers wrapping around it. It made Mary want to know what his hands felt like on her. So many dirty thoughts in her head.
The bill arrived and Mary reached into her purse. She was praying the bill wasn't too much, she could just about afford takeout on her salary.
"How much do you want to pay?" She asked, digging in her bag for her purse.
"Don't be ridiculous" he scolded, handing the waitress his black credit card between two fingers and Mary was a little stunned.
"Are you sure… I don't mind paying" she insisted and James smirked, taking the card and tucking it back in his wallet which snapped shut and pocketed in his jacket.
"Positive" He stood, holding his hand out for Mary to get out of the seat and didn't let go as he took her out of the restaurant into the warm New York evening. There was still a line waiting outside the restaurant and it almost felt like Mary was a celebrity, walking in and out of restaurants with three-month waiting lists. James was fast walking, with his long legs and Mary was quickly walking behind him, her heels clicking to catch up with him. He still didn't let go of her hand, fingers lacing with hers.
His car beeped as he unlocked it, opening the door for her and she thanked him, slipping into the seat. The simple thank you rolling off her tongue made James hard and he fought the urge to take her here in his car, one of the many places on his list he wanted Mary. He'd like to hear that thank you followed by a Sir.
James arrived at her apartment, opening the door for her once again and helping her out of the car.
"Thank you for dinner, does that mean I'm forgiven for spilling your coffee," she asked and he chuckled softly. He completely forgot that was the reason he was taking her out.
"I think so" he whispered. Mary giggles softly and the sound made James clench his hands. Oh, how he wanted to push her against his car and attack her with kisses and run his hand up her dress.
"I want to see you again" he announced and Mary was surprised.
"Oh… sure" she wasn't saying no but she was surprised he wanted to see a girl like her again when he probably could have any girl he wanted.
"How about tomorrow?" He asked, resting his hand on the top of his car.
"I'm working at the hospital tomorrow, I finish at seven so after that?" She asked and he nodded.
"I'll pick you up".
"Okay" Mary nodded, biting her lower lip tightly and James took a deep breath. He couldn't resist anymore. His hand cupped her cheek, bringing her forwards and he kissed her softly and slowly. Mary squeaked against his lips completely caught off guard. She craned her neck backwards because of how tall he was. The feeling of his hand on her cheek was something she hadn't experienced before and the other one wrapped around the back of her neck, keeping her close. The tingles exploded in her, giving her the confidence to kiss him back although she had no idea what she was doing. James took control, kissing harder and working his lips with hers, his tongue darting on top of hers which made her moan. It was passionate, exhilarating and exciting. When he pulled away, Mary was out of breath, eyes wide and cheeks flushed and she dropped down to her heels, returning to her small height. His thumb gently stroked her cheek, moving down to her chin and cupping it, eyes completely focused on hers.
"I'll see you tomorrow then?" She whispered and he smirked.
"Goodnight Mary," he said softly.
"Goodnight James" James held back the moan wanting to escape at the mention of his name on her lips and she pulled away, turning and quickly walking inside. He knew the effect he had on a woman and she was too shy to look at him now. Mary almost ran back inside, keeping herself collected until she entered her apartment, throwing her bag to the floor and throwing herself on the couch where she squealed, kicking her legs like a little girl. Tonight she'd be saying double prayers.
I hope you liked this chapter, let me know what you think in the reviews