Hey So I know it has been a hot minute since I have updated. But I suddenly felt like writing this again hopefully ya'll are still interested. However, pretty please go back and reread chapter one because I edited the hell out of it and I also added a lot more. Anyway, thanks for sticking around 3
The rest of the week felt like it went by extremely slowly. I had seen Dimitri every other day since I had asked him about the date. He rarely talked about it, except to say that he was planning a surprise for me and that all I had to do was be ready. He was even willing to come pick me up at my apartment and drive me back to his place so I could fully enjoy myself. Normally I would have been a nervous wreck to go on a date to a person's house, but there was something about Dimitri that always seemed to put me at ease, made me feel safe. I know that I could trust him with my life, and he wouldn't make me do anything that I wouldn't want to. But, what made me nervous was if I wanted to do something with him. I had started to flirt with him a bit more, texted him on the days we didn't work out together, and I found that my stomach seemed to have butterflies every time I interacted with him. It was different from the way Lissa made me feel, but he was still making me feel something and I wasn't exactly sure what it was or if I even wanted to feel it to begin with.
I let out a heavy sigh as I leaned back in my chair at the veterinarian's office where I worked. I always loved learning about animals and their behaviors. I worked as their receptionist as I continued to go to school to become a full-blown veterinarian. I only have a few more months before I graduate and I know my lovely annoying boss is looking to hire me here full-time. I had a few more hours at the front desk before I would be able to go home for the day but my mind was focused solely on a set of dark brown eyes. I was anxious to start getting ready for my date with Dimitri and see the surprise he had in store. The closer the time it got the more the butterflies in my stomach assaulted me. I tap my nails on the table in front of me as I wait and watch the clock.
"What has made you so impatient, Little Vet?" Adrian, the owner and one of the veterinarians that works with me says as he walks behind the counter of the waiting room. I let out a bit of a sigh before turning in my chair to face the doctor.
"I have a date tonight, and time seems to be slowing down rather than speeding up." Whatever folders Adrian had in his hands got slammed down on the counter suddenly before he moved over to me with a large smile on his face.
"As I live and breathe. Does Rose Hathaway have an actual real-life date?" I turned to the closest counter and hit my head down as hard as I could. I let out a small "ow" but still kept my head down to try and hide from this line of questioning. I didn't want to talk about this, especially not with Adrian. I could hear him chuckle as he moved away from me. I turned my head to the side to look at him as he sat down.
"Yeah, I do. A man I met a while ago at the gym." I try not to give anything away in my voice, but somehow Adrian can read me like a picture book.
"Rose Hathaway! Are you nervous?!" Adrian laughed loudly as he leaned back in his chair. He put his hands behind his head as he kicked his feet up onto the counter. "What is this man, a God or something?" I blew out a breath as I straightened out my back and turned to face Adrian.
"You could say thatâ" I had referred to him as a God several times in my head. He was rather attractive. Okay, very attractive. I had drooled over him at the gym more times than I'd like to admit before I started to speak with him. It was how Lissa got the idea in her head that he was my crush. I talked about him one too many times.
"I could say a lot of things Rose, but I want to hear what you have to say about it." Adrian leveled me with a gaze I never would have expected out of this man. He seemed so serious it was hard to hold eye contact with his emerald green eyes.
"What do you mean?" My leg started to bounce as Adrian slowly started to move his legs down off of the counter. He looked at me like he was looking right through me, like he knew exactly what I was feeling. He held my stare for what felt like an eternity before he gave me a large smile, shifting easily back into my easy going laid back boss.
"Nothing! Leave an hour early. We have a slow day today anyway." Adrian shrugged as he got back to his feet and grabbed the folder he had dropped earlier. I smiled at him as a thank you before turning back to my computer to look at our schedule for the day. Adrian was right, we only had about 2 clients coming in today, Adrian could handle that in his sleep.
I was practically running out the door the moment I was able to. I would have to make sure to buy Adrian a fruit basket. I rushed into my apartment, throwing everything by the door before rushing to my room. I could hear Lissa calling out to me but I was more focused on trying to find something to wear. I pulled out several different dresses and laid them on my bed and then just stared at them. I was so confused about what I was going to do, and how I was going to act. But it all started with what I was going to wear. I didn't want it to be too dressy, because then he would think this was a real date. Or what if I dressed too down and he thinks I'm not serious about getting over Lissa? A soft knock on my door pulled me out of my thoughts. Lissa's head peaked in and I waved her over. I motioned towards the dresses on my bed, signaling to her that I was lost. She walked in and stood next to me, looking down at the options I had laid out.
"Lissa, I think I am going insane." I sighed as I went to pick up a tie-around green dress. "I was thinking of dressing a little bit more casually." Lissa stares at the dresses I picked out for a while longer. She didn't even look at the Green one I was holding as she eyes the other two on the bed with such intensity.
"Rose, why did you pick these?" Her voice held such disgust with my choices. She touches a dark red one I had pulled out that I knew didn't fit me correctly anymore. It hugged my chest and ass, but it hung weirdly around my stomach and the skirt fell weirdly down to my shins. It wasn't a great dress, but I was thinking that I didn't want to lead him on.
"Okay, that one sucks but what about these other two?" Lissa practically rips the green dress out of my hands and throws it on the bed. I don't have time to even ask her what the hell she is doing before she walks over to my closet and is going through everything.
"Liss, I already looked through everything." More or less true. Not only had I not been home for super long, I was also scared of wearing some of my riskier items.
"Those dresses were awful! It didn't show off any of your assets. You have so many better dresses in your closet. I am looking for one that I know you haven't worn yetâ Oh! Here it is." She pulled out a black strapless dress that I had bought a few months ago on a whim. I took it from Lissa and looked it over. It was a gorgeous dress, of course, it was what made me want to buy it in the first place. I was a little conflicted about wearing it, however. It ended right above my knee but it showed off the girls perfectly but was it maybe a little bit too much? Wouldn't Dimitri read a bit too much into this? But he did tell me to wear something nice. I must have been staring at the dress for too long because Lissa put her arm around my shoulders and leaned her head against mine. "Trust me, Rose! This will make him fall head over heels for you."
"I just don't know if I want him to fall head over heels for me," I spoke quietly, but Lissa still didn't say anything in return. Instead, she rubbed my arm and squeezed me before letting go. She took the dress off the hanger and pushed me towards the bathroom.
"Change Rose. Put the dress on, put some makeup on, and then we will see how you feel. But this will be worth it! You haven't been on a date in a long time, and I can feel it, Dimitri will be a great guy." I nodded my head before offering her the best smile I could muster. She wanted this for me, so I would do my best to get through this night and have as much fun as possible. Plus, I already knew she was right, Dimitri is a great guy.
So I do as Lissa instructed. I took a deep breath once I closed the door to the bathroom. I look at myself in the mirror, taking another breath to steady myself before I start pulling the makeup out that I feel like I'd need for tonight. I don't normally wear much makeup anyway so I just put on some lipstick and mascara. It's my hair that I am mostly worried about. I almost always wear it up, as it's too thick and curly to do much else with it. Some days I can't even get a brush through the damn thing. I pick up a strand, looking it over before sighing and letting it drop. I take a second deep breath before starting to strip out of my clothes. Here goes nothing.
Dimitri arrived right when he said he would. Exactly to the second it felt like. If it wasn't for the fact I was anxious to leave as quickly as possible, I would have made fun of him for it. Once I opened the door, Dimitri stood in front of me in shock. His eyes traveled from my face slowly down to my toes and back up again. A smirk grew on my face the longer it took for him to say anything.
"Wow you look nice, Rose." I mocked, using a bad fake Russian accent and deepening my voice to try to mimic his. "Wow thank you so much Dimitri, you don't look too bad yourself." I leaned against the door frame as I took him in, letting my eyes slowly travel down the length of him like he had done with me. He was wearing all black except for what looked like a cowboy duster over the top. He looked fantastic in his well fitted clothes. I was used to seeing him only in his gym outfits, which always looked great on him but nothing like this. "Really goodâ" I muttered as I stared at him a bit too long.
Dimitri cleared his throat, running his fingers through his long brown hair that he left down today. "Yes, sorry. You do look amazing, Rose." We smiled at each other before I heard Lissa calling out from her bedroom, where she too was getting ready for her date.
"Is that Dimitri?? I want to meet him!" My eyes widened in panic as I stood up straight from the doorway. I started to push Dimitri back a bit as I turned, closing the door slightly.
"Another time Lis! Bye!!" I screamed before slamming the door and turning toward Dimitri. I grabbed his hand and started pulling him out of the apartment building. I could hear him laughing a bit behind me as I dragged him away.
"Trying to keep your lovers apart there, Rose?" He jokes before catching up to my side. I let go of his hand, realizing I wasn't dragging him any longer and we were just casually holding hands. It was weird how I immediately missed the warmth of him when I let go.
"Just not ready for you two to meet yet. Plus, I was afraid if we waited any longer we would have run into her new boy toy. Or worse yet, invite us out with them on some weird double date." Dimitri let out a hum of acknowledgement before he opened up the front door for me and guided me out with a hand on the small of my back. I was a little surprised at the chill that ran up my back at his touch. He has touched me before in the gym but it never felt like that before. Nor has my body ever reacted this way. But then again, those touches were always just to correct my form or keep me from hurting myself on the equipment. This touchâ This touch is something else entirely.
"Well, I planned a great night for us." Dimitri started as he opened up his car door for me. "I hope you are hungry."
"One thing you should know about me, Comrad. I am always hungry."
It didn't take long for us to get to Dimitri's place, and while at first I could feel my heart beating wildly in my chest, Dimitri easily put me at ease with his banter. We easily fell into conversation with each other that started out with just more gym talk and ended with us talking about our families. I won't lie, I was a bit jealous of the large happy family picture he painted for me while all I had was a workaholic mom and a maybe once a month dad. But he didn't make me feel like I was somehow lesser or in need of pity just because my family basically abandoned me.
"I still can't look Vika in the eye to this day. Definitely not a visual either of us needed to see." He already had me laughing so hard that tears were forming in my eyes. Maybe next time we go out, I'll forgo the makeup entirely. Next timeâ
The car stopping brought me out of my little train of thought as I took a look around at the seemingly normal apartment complex we pulled up to. Somehow it wasn't the type of place I thought that Dimitri would live. I had imagined a cozy cabin in the woods with a large fireplace lit and maybe a dog or two.
"You seem disappointed." His soft voice drew me out of my little fantasy as I turned to look at Dimitri. Looking at his face, he almost seemed nervous now, which didn't make any sense to me. What would Dimitri have to be nervous about?
"Not disappointed, just confused. I don't know why but I always imagined you living in a cabin in the woods." I turned to look back up at the completely normal apartment building when I suddenly heard the most beautiful sound in the world. Laughter. Dimitri's Laughter. Not just a chuckle or a turn of the lips but a full blown, deep in the stomach laugh. A grin started to spread on my face as I sat back in my seat and just watched his face.
"Maybe one day, Rose. But for now, this place will have to do." Dimitri gracefully got out of the car and quickly rounded it to my side, where he opened up my door for me and held out a hand to help me out of the car.
"Ooo what a gentleman." I tease as I grab his hand and ease myself out of the car. It isn't nearly as graceful as the way Dimitri handles himself, and I silently curse myself for listening to Lisa and wearing the heels she picked out. I'm already not a graceful person, and the heels don't help. Standing outside of the car however, I noticed that Dimitri never let go of my hand as he started to lead me inside his building and to his front door. Even when he goes to unlock it, his hand is firmly around mine, not even a hint of him wanting to let go and I can't say I hate it.
The moment the door opens though, all thoughts of Dimitri's hand leave my brain. The most amazing smell in the world hits me right in the face as I take in the mouth watering smell of Lasagna and fresh garlic bread. I close my eyes and inhale deeply, letting out a not so subtle moan as I rush into his apartment.
"That smells delicious, Comrad!" If I knew my way around his place better I would already be pulling the delicious food out of the oven and chowing down. No plate needed, just give me a fork. I could hear Dimitri's soft chuckle again as the door clicked closed. Once again, his hand is on the small of my back as he gently leads me into his dining area.
"If simple pasta and Garlic bread impresses you, wait until I cook something from Russia on another one of our dates." My heart skips another beat at the idea of there being more dates than this. We barely even started this one and he has more planned in his head? Can't say I'd complain to more nights like this one, especially since I've already caught myself picturing future dates as well.
"I told you, I love food. Especially when I don't have to cook it." Dimitri pulls out a chair for me and guides me to sit down. He pops the cork off the wine bottle I hardly even noticed was already sitting on the table and started to pour. "Dang Dimitri, you really went all out on this fake date." His hand stopped pouring for just a fraction of a second before he began again, filling my glass about halfway.
"Don't think of it as a fake date, Rose. You said you were serious about getting over Lissa. I am here to help you any way I can." He touched my shoulder gently and another damn shiver ran down my spine. He needed to stop touching me like this, or this is going to go from a date to a hook up so fast.
"Thank you." I finally manage to squeeze out my throat as I quickly grab for the glass of wine, suddenly ten times more nervous than I was when we first started. Because if this is a real date then that means Dimitri, Gym God and Russian hotty could be interested in me. That seems too ridiculous to comprehend as I gulp down half my glass.
Another small moan escapes my lips as Dimitri sets the mouth watering food down in front of me. I reached for my fork, ready to dig in when I heard Dimitri's full laughter for the second time in one night. I stopped my fork mid reach and looked up into his dark brown eyes that were full of humor. He moved his plate to the side, clearly having picked it up to start serving us both, but instead plops down in the chair and starts to dig right into the pan with his fork. He pulls another move that shocks me to my very core, he slowly moves the fork to my mouth, giving me the first bite. I open my mouth slowly, taking the bite into my mouth. My eyes rolled into the back of my head as I chewed on the bite of the most perfect lasagna I have ever had in my life. If this is how good he cooks, I could only imagine how good at other things he was.
"Where did you learn to cook?" I asked, covering my mouth with my other hand to try and pretend like I have some manners and not picturing him in compromising positions.
"My Mama taught me how to cook. When she learned I wanted to move to the states, she didn't want me to starve without her. Though it does mean I mostly know how to cook Russian food." Dimitri loaded up another fork full of food and moved it towards my mouth. He still hasn't taken a bite of his own food at this point, but I still happily accepted. I quickly filled up my own fork and moved it to Dimitri's mouth. His face lit up when he realized I was going to feed him back, and honestly, I couldn't keep my eyes off his mouth the entire time. When I finally pulled my eyes away and up to his eyes, they shined with the knowledge that I clearly wanted to kiss him. I could feel my face turning red so I cleared my throat and looked back down at the food.
"So," I said after I swallowed, trying to change the subject in my mind as quickly as possible. "You have your mother to thank for your cooking. You have three sisters who have clearly taught you how to be a gentleman, yet you don't have a girlfriend? How is that?"
"I've told you about Tasha. We were together for a long time, but she had to move back to the states to take care of her nephew. We tried to stay in contact but ended up having to break it off. But when I got the opportunity to move to the states, it seemed like an easy choice. A better job to help my family, and connect with Tasha again. But something seemed to change between us over here and she just wasn't the same person. I just wasn't interested in anyone else until a certain gym rat decided to talk to me one day." Dimitri gave me a sly wink before giving me another fork full of Lasagna. I could feel my cheeks turn an even darker shade of red as he admits to finding me interesting. Such a simple admission, yet I could feel my heart beating hard in my chest.
"You surely know how to pick them. A crazy ex and a woman who is clearly in love with someone else." I cringed a little at the way those words came out of my mouth, but Dimitri surprisingly didn't seem to take offense.
"The difference is that you are actively trying to fix your situation. Nothing I did could make Tasha happy, but you want to be happy. And you want Lissa to be happy, even if it isn't with you. I admire that." I sat back in my chair, looking at Dimitri in a new light. I guess he was right, I did want to he happy, and I'd never do anything to Lissa to stop her from being happy.
"How could Tasha not be happy around you?" The look on Dimitri's face made me realize I said the words out loud. I could feel my face growing hot once again, so I quickly leaned forward and scooped up a large bite of food. Dimitri let out another of his beautiful laughs as he too took a bite of the food he made. I glared at him a little as I swallowed, but secretly I was happy that he was finding my outburst so hilarious. We chatted a bit more while we ate until I felt like I was going to burst out of my dress. I leaned back in my chair, patting my stomach dramatically. "Okay, Comrad. I officially can't take another bite. We are going to have to work out even harder next time in the gym to work off all the calories."
"Obviously, that was my plan. Even more time I get to spend with you." Dimitri smirked as he too leaned back in his chair, bringing his glass of wine to his lips. "I did have more planned for tonight, but if you are too full then I can always just roll you back home." He laughed at his own joke while I just rolled my eyes, fighting my smile.
"Haha. Very funny. What else did you have planned tonight?"
Maybe I was just used to cheap men, but when he said he had more planned, I expected him to move closer to me, lead me to his bedroom and have his way with me. And honestly, I probably (definitely) would have enthusiastically agreed to get naked and spend all night letting him distract me from Lissa. However, what I didn't expect was for him to pull out a few board games and have me pick whichever one looked the most interesting to me. I was hesitant at first, as I was extremely competitive, but it turns out so is Dimitri. We spent the rest of the night playing game after game, fighting and egging each other on until Dimitri caught me yawning. He looked down at his watch and I swear he actually looked disappointed when he suggested driving me back home. Funny though, I was disappointed too. He is such a fun guy that I found myself not just temporarily distracted from thinking about Lissa, but almost entirely forgetting about her. I hadn't checked my phone once. I didn't wonder how her date was going, if she needed me home. I was more than happy to sit and enjoy my time with Dimitri. He is such a gentleman that he even walked me to my front door when he could have easily dropped me off and drove off. Once we were standing at my front door, I started to mess with my keys, the way that one movie said was a universal sign that a woman wanted a kiss goodnight.
"I had a fantastic night tonight, Comrad. Thank you so much for taking me out." I even went so far as to lean against my door frame to show that I had no interest actually going inside.
"So did I. I really hope we can do this again. It was nice to see you outside of the gym." He leaned in closer, going towards me like he was going to kiss me. I closed my eyes, leaned in closer to him, so ready to kiss this amazing man. However, I felt his lips brush my cheek before he pulled back. When I opened my eyes he was taking a few steps back. "Good night, Roza."
"Good night..." And just like that, he was leaving. I sighed as I walked into the dark apartment and quickly headed to my room.