Date
"What am I supposed to wear?!" AJ yelled, looking in her wardrobe whilst Lyla lay on her bed.
"Where is he taking you?" Lyla asked.
"I don't know. He wouldn't say." AJ said, "So how am I supposed to know what to wear?"
"Keep it casual but sleek then." Lyla nodded, "What about your black baggy trousers, your alien crop top and a blazer?"
"What if he takes me to a fancy restaurant and I've got a fucking alien top on?" AJ turned around, unimpressed with her friend's suggestion.
"There are no fancy restaurants nearby. I think you can cross that off." Lyla said.
"Ok, definitely baggy pants." AJ decided, pulling them out of the wardrobe and sitting them on her bed, "Should I just text and ask him where we're going? So that I know?" She asked.
"If you want but… it might be nice to let him keep the surprise." Lyla shrugged.
"I don't think I like surprises." AJ realised.
It had been a week since AJ and Punk had talked after their little fight. A week since they'd done unspeakable things in his coffee shop, which she was gladly keeping to herself. They had pretty much spent every night since either in his apartment or hers, having dinner and tumbling into bed after. Punk had finally asked her if she was free tonight to go on a date and of course she had said yes.
"I think baggy trousers, a crop top and a blazer. It's classy but it's casual." Lyla nodded with assurance, "He'll probably show up in those stupid cargo shorts he always wears." She rolled her eyes as AJ laughed a little.
"You're mean." AJ smiled, looking through her dresser to find a suitable top she liked.
"I speak the truth." Lyla said, "I also can't wait for you to tell me all about it." She said excitedly.
"I am curious to know what he's got in mind. There's one bar here and neither of us drink so that seems out of the question. It's not like there's a movie theatre or something nearby." AJ said, "Unless he wants to drive for a couple hours, which I don't imagine he will."
"I'm sure whatever it is you'll love it." Lyla nodded, "You should probably get in the shower." She said, looking at her phone for the time.
"I might just go with the alien crop top." AJ nodded to herself as Lyla smiled.
"Nice top." Punk nodded, having been waiting in his car outside AJ's apartment until she finally appeared and got in the passenger side.
"Are we going somewhere fancy? Because if we are please tell me so I can go change it." AJ said to him seriously as he looked at her with a smile.
"What your wearing is completely fine." Punk assured her, "And I really like it." He nodded. He loved her style, but he was sure he'd find her gorgeous in absolutely any kind of clothes, whether it was a fancy dress or sweatpants.
"Ok." AJ nodded to herself, putting her seatbelt on, "So can you tell me where we're going now?" She asked as he hit the gas and started driving along the road.
"You're impatient." Punk noticed. Ever since he'd asked her on the date, she hadn't stopped asking him questions.
"I don't think I like surprises." AJ said.
"Ok, well I made you dinner. So you don't have to worry about fancy restaurants." He told her.
"What did you make me?" She smirked.
"Not telling." Punk said as she scoffed, "You… look really beautiful." He said, turning to her for a moment with lust in his eyes before turning his attention back to the road. He only wished he didn't have to drive so he could just stare at her for a little while longer. She was truly the most beautiful woman he'd known. Inside and outside.
"You look ok too." She teased, "Lyla bet me that you'd be wearing the cargo shorts." She nodded, "So thank you for the ten dollars she now owes me." She said triumphantly, as he had jeans on instead. He also had on a black polo t-shirt which she'd never seen before, and her heart melted a little at the thought of him buying something new for their date.
"Did you tell Shiv today that we're doing the Summer Fair together?" Punk asked her.
"It… slipped my mind." AJ waved her hand. She had been meaning to tell Shiv about the fact they were joining up the coffee shops for the next Fair. She was putting it off as she was nervous about Shiv's reaction, given it meant she had to work with Daryl and Finn.
"You're totally never gonna tell her. She's just gonna show up the Fair and have to deal with it, isn't she?" Punk nodded.
"No, I'm going to tell her." AJ nodded, "I just don't want her to be upset or uncomfortable, that's all."
"She won't be. I've talked to Daryl and Finn about it. They think it'll be a lot of fun, actually." Punk nodded.
"How have they been? Working together?" AJ asked.
"Not bad but not great." Punk shrugged, "They say actual words to each other now, which is progress."
"That is progress." AJ nodded, "You're just planning to do sandwiches for the stall?" She wondered.
"I've asked Linda to do some baking, too. I hope that's ok." He said.
"My biggest hater." AJ nodded, "Yeah, whatever." She shrugged.
"I still can't believe you got beef with her." Punk shook his head with a chuckle.
"Hey, I don't have beef with her. She's the one that has decided she doesn't like me." AJ said, "She should act her big age."
"Well, she loves me, so I have to defend her." Punk shrugged as AJ rolled her eyes, watching him turn into a slip road which almost looked like a dirt track. She couldn't believe she was even here. Trusting a man to take her on a date some place she didn't even know. If this was any other person. Or if this was a few years ago. She knew she would have been panicking. But that was just it, she did trust him, all she felt was excitement and joy to be spending a night with him.
"Where are you even taking me?" She laughed a little.
"Be patient, woman." Punk laughed.
"I'm just saying… this looks suspicious." She hummed as he chuckled.
He drove for another few minutes until he stopped the car on the side of the road, "Alright, we're here." He nodded, getting out of the car as AJ raised her eyebrows.
"I should have put on some boots." AJ mumbled, getting out of the car whilst he opened up the trunk and took out a bag and a blanket from it, "Oh, we're having a picnic?" She grinned.
"Just walk with me." Punk shook his head, not being able to take any more of her questions, even though he sort of loved her excited spirit. He extended his hand out to her as she looked at it and paused for a second, "What?"
"You're a hand holder?" AJ smiled.
"I suppose I am." Punk nodded, "Don't leave a guy hanging." He wiggled his hand in her direction as she smiled and took his hand in hers, allowing him to lead the way as she leaned close to him whilst they walked through the grass.
They eventually approached what she noticed was the most gorgeous lake she'd ever seen, with the grass surrounding it as if nobody had ever stepped foot on it. It was a picture-perfect scene, especially with the sun setting in the horizon.
"You know… for a guy who doesn't know his way around this town, it seems unlikely you've stumbled across this?" She smiled.
"Mister Eckles told me about it. I asked him this morning if he knew any good spots for a picnic. He gave me directions to this place." Punk said, "He said the locals don't even know about it."
"Well, don't I feel privileged." She smiled, "It's beautiful." She looked up at him as he smiled.
"Glad you like it." He said quietly, walking a little further towards the lake and spreading the blanket down on the grass for them to sit on.
"What could you have possibly made me for dinner?" She smiled curiously, sitting down on the blanket with him as he opened up the bag.
"What I'm best known for." Punk said, "Sandwiches." He nodded, unwrapping the foil which he'd wrapped the bagels in as well as bringing out a large bag of chips for them to share and two cans of pop, "Because I realised you haven't even tried one of my sandwiches yet."
"I haven't." AJ said excitedly, "I guess I should see what the fuss is all about." She nodded, "What's on them?"
"These are a customer favourite from the shop. They sell out every day." Punk said, "Chicken, roasted tomato, pesto, buffalo mozzarella and arugula." He said, "All locally sourced." He added as she smiled.
"Sounds amazing." AJ nodded, picking up her sandwich and taking a bite which gave her an extremely large, melted cheese pull, which had them both laughing.
"Good?" He asked her as she chewed and nodded whilst making happy noises.
"Ok, that's really good." AJ nodded, "Why didn't you open a sandwich shop?" She shook her head.
"I guess I didn't want to pigeonhole myself into doing one specific thing." Punk shrugged, "You ever thought about doing other stuff besides cakes and pastries?" He asked whilst taking a bite of his own sandwich.
"I've thought about it." AJ nodded, "Maybe doing some breakfast stuff. French toast. Eggs. Pancakes." She said, "But it's not really my domain. I'm so much more comfortable baking than cooking."
"Oh, I can't cook. I can just do a good sandwich." He said as she smiled.
"It is a good sandwich." She nodded, "Thank you for making me it."
"My pleasure." He said.
"Did Sophie ever reply to your apology message?" AJ wondered.
"Yeah. She just said the heads up would have been nice and that I'm still an asshole." Punk nodded, "And that she wished me well." He shrugged.
"That was… kinda nice?" AJ wondered.
"Yeah." Punk nodded, "And I took your advice, I invited one of my friends here for the Summer Fair. Cole." He said, "Known him since I was eighteen. We used to go to a lot of concerts together. Just one of those friends that has always been around. A good friend." Punk said.
"That's good." AJ nodded, "You met him in high school?" She asked.
"No, we went to different high schools. I met him through the music scene in Chicago. Actually, it's where I met most of my good friends. I didn't get along with anyone in my high school." He said.
"Not anyone?" She asked.
"No." He laughed a little, "I was a big loser. With an older brother who was everyone's best friend."
"Yeah, and where is he now?" AJ reminded him as Punk just nodded, "How many years did he get? I don't think I ever asked you."
"Well, he was charged with manslaughter and drug offences. Twenty-five." Punk said.
"Do you ever think you'll see him again?" AJ asked.
"Doubt it. I don't think I really want to see him." Punk shook his head.
"I don't blame you." AJ nodded.
"What about your folks? You ever think you'll make the trip to go see them?" Punk asked.
"I want to but it's like the stubborn part of me always gets in the way because… why can't they come visit me? My own parents?" AJ shook her head, "I think about going and then I end up mad at them."
"Have you ever gone over there to see them?" Punk asked.
"I went a few times when I was a teenager with my aunt. Then I went a few times when I started college but… I haven't been since my attack. And they haven't been to see me." She said.
"That must have hurt you." Punk said, "Surely if you found out something like that happened to your daughter, you'd be there at the drop of a hat."
"Yeah, you'd think." AJ nodded, "They… live in their own little world. My mom has a lot of mental health issues. Not that I'm giving her an excuse but… she does struggle."
"My mom was the same." Punk said, "Although, she was just a big bitch most of the time." He said as AJ smiled a little.
"So… who did you have growing up? No one?" She asked.
"I stayed with my grandpa a lot." Punk nodded, "He would mostly just tell me stories of him in World War Two. But at least he took notice of me." He shrugged.
"That's sweet." AJ smiled, "Don't take this the wrong way but… do you normally date girls who are younger?" She asked as he laughed a little.
"Way to make me sound like a creep." Punk nodded, "But no, I don't. Sophie was a year older, actually."
"Does it bother you? The age gap between us?" She asked. It was something she found herself wondering about.
"No. Why would it?" Punk shook his head, "Does it bother you?"
"No. I guess it's kinda drilled into you from a young age that the normal age gap in a relationship is like… two or three years." She said, "But… I guess it doesn't really matter. Well… as long as everything is legal."
"Yes, legal is important." Punk nodded.
"It's kinda hot." She admitted quietly as he looked across at her.
"You are also kinda hot." He nodded, "So… I'm winning."
"Yes, you are." AJ smiled.
They spent a few hours down at the lake, enjoying their picnic and talking about anything and everything together. That was the beauty of it all. The fact they could just conjure a conversation out of anything. Nothing was ever awkward or nerve wracking. It was just so simple and peaceful.
They cleared up their picnic after the sun had finally gone down, heading back to the car where Punk put the bag and blanket back into the trunk, finding AJ leaning against the back door.
"This might have been the prettiest date I've ever had." She admitted as he walked over and stood in front of her.
"You're the prettiest date I've ever had." He nodded as she smiled, looking up at him as he towered over her, already making her feel incredibly hot and flustered just by the way he was looking at her.
He leaned down and kissed her on the lips softly, cupping her cheek as she ran her hands up his stomach.
It didn't take long for their kiss to escalate into much more as they climbed into the back seat of the car, laughing whilst doing so as Punk hit his head on the roof of the car and AJ almost fell down onto the floor of the car. But it didn't stop them from making it work as they tore each other's clothes apart until they were naked.
"We could wait and go back to my place." Punk said, kissing her neck as she leaned up against the car door with him on top of her.
"Or we could not." AJ suggested as he nodded.
"I've never felt this way before." He admitted to her as she looked up at him, "Just… always wanting to have you. I can be making sandwiches at 8am and all I can think about is… seeing you naked and putting my mouth all over you." He shook his head as she smiled and giggled a little.
"What else?" She smiled.
"Watching you come. It might be one of my favourite things ever. The noises you make. The look on your face." He said in a quiet voice, kissing his way down her body, cupping her breasts in his hands firmly as she moaned.
"Watch me come right now if you want." She whispered, moving her hand down her body as he sat back a little, watching as she began stroking herself whilst keeping her eyes on him. He thought he might lose it just at the very sight of her in front of him, giving herself pleasure whilst making sweet little moans.
"I'd rather make you come." He said, not being able to handle the sight, needing someone to focus on as he leaned down and buried his face between her thighs, parting her legs and using his tongue where her fingers had been.
"Fuck." AJ gasped, gripping the back of the car seat as his tongue explored her and then focused in on her clit, sucking and licking until she couldn't bare it any longer and came on his tongue, moaning with such pleasure she swore she heard him moan too.
Punk kissed his way back up her body to reach her lips, kissing her roughly as she moaned at the need and desire in his actions. She swore she never thought it could be so good like this.
He reached down to his jeans to grab a condom out when she said, "I've gone on birth control. You don't have to…" She shook her head.
"You sure?" He asked.
"Yeah." She nodded, sitting up whilst pushing him into a sitting position in the middle of the back seat, "You could have some self-control and pull out, just to be sure." She smirked, straddling him, her knees on either side of his hips as he chuckled a little.
"I'll try really hard." He nodded, gripping her hips as she reached down between him for his length, guiding it towards her opening and slowly sinking down on him as they both moaned in sync.
"Fuck." AJ gasped, placing her hands on his shoulders whilst he kissed her throat down to her breasts, sucking on one as she began to move up and down on him. The feeling of him deep inside her whilst he sucked and kissed at her breasts was indescribable.
"You feel so fucking good." Punk moaned, leaning his head back, taking in the sight of her moving up and down on him, her perky breasts bouncing as she moved her hips up and down. He couldn't take his eyes off of her. It was pure heaven, for both of them.