Check Please!

Emily wasn’t the seductive beauty that she always saw in her sisters and often comparted herself too. She had more natural beauty, at least that’s how her mom described it. Emily was tall but not too tall, she was thin but not too thin, she was outgoing but not obnoxious. She was pretty but not beautiful… at least that’s how she would describe it. She had brown hair, but she always wanted blonde hair. She bought sexy business clothes but never wore them. She owned and collected a few dozen pair of Prada and Monolo Blahnik heels. Sadly, the only time they touched her feet was right before she set them on a shelf, for a life of forever loneliness of shoes perched in her closet from that point on.

Emily sat at the table fidgeting; she pulled her skirt down to her knees for the third time. She wanted so badly to wipe the lipstick off, but she promised her sister she would keep it on. She knew she was early; she was just timely like that. She looked at her phone for the umpteenth time and looked at the camera for another evaluation of how ridiculous she thought she looked. That was another promise- to keep her hair down and not pulled back in a slick-rick -ponytail. She set her phone down and looked at the door one more time. There he was! She felt a rush of heat run from her armpits up to her throat. She was anxious or was it the wine finally kicking in, she couldn’t tell.

Oh no, I feel sweaty! If this is the wine, I’m gonna look like a blotchy nightmare! Her thoughts scrambled as she saw the waitress point him in the direction of her table. “Oh my word! He’s gorgeous!” She believed she said that out loud, that was her hopeful explanation for the awkward looks coming from the table next to her.

“Hi, Emily?”

“Yes!” she stood and put her hand out for a good ole handshake and nearly spilled her red wine.

He came closer to her, straight up in her personal space! He gently grabbed her shoulders and leaned in for a soft kiss on her cheek.

Emily with a stiff body, sputtered a couple ohs, and a giggle under her breath.

“Mark?” she sat as he stepped to his seat. “It’s so nice to….”

“I’m so sorry, I hope I didn’t keep you waiting….”

“Oh goodness no…I was ….”

“I had….” They kept interrupting each other until they made eye contact, both chuckled, then both took a relaxing breath and smiled.

They settled in for light conversation, the typical how was your day? Where do you work? Do you have family close by, and even a what kind of car do you drive? There were giggles and lighthearted teasing when they discovered they new the same people. The waiter came through a couple of time and by the third time they decided to order.

Emily’s wine glass was nearly empty, “I’m so sorry we got wrapped in conversation and I didn’t realize your wines almost gone,” Mark said as his eyes left Emily’s and he looked up at the waiter, “Please, give her another glass of whatever she is drinking, and I’ll look at the wine menu.”

“Do you like white wine?”

“Umm no, well ya, I like both I guess. I was curious if they had one of my favorites here. I’m usually a Cab drinker…. But I’m pretty versatile.”

“Well, if you’d like to try mine… you can.” Emily said as she slid her glass slightly his direction.

“What are you drinking?” He touched her finger as he slowly reached in for her glass.

“It’s a Merlot…”

He looked a little surprised and took a sip, “You know that movie…"

“Sideways?” she Interrupted…. They both laughed.

“Did you know, following that movie in 2004, Merlot sales dropped 2% while Pinot Noir sales increased 16% in the U.S.”

Mark was impressed with Emily’s trivia knowledge, and when the waiter came back, he ordered exactly what Emily had.

“So Emily, you’re a journalist! That is awesome, you love to write?”

“Oh yes, yes I do!”

Mark continued asking all the right questions and Emily was more comfortable as the evening progressed. Their conversation grew more personal and Emily shared her odd behavior of buying clothes, and the expensive collection of shoes she will never wear but they comfort her. She could feel his stares and she laughed at all his silly jokes. Dinner came and went, and the waiter asked if they would like to look at the dessert menu, they smiled. Mark made the jovial comment about how another glass of wine would be their dessert. Emily giggled and agreed.

“How did you get into writing for a “Self-help and Wellness” magazine?” Mark realized that his question seemed a bit too “questionable.” “I mean have you always enjoyed writing?” He sipped his wine, but Emily wasn’t responding, “I mean, I couldn’t imagine writing, it’s a talent…. Really ….I'm more a numbers guys…”

Emily giggled… “Yes, I have always loved writing.” She smiled as she finally interrupted. She flirtingly enjoyed watching him squirm. “I’ve been writing small stories ever since I was a little girl. My poor mother had to read some crappy stories when I was young, but with her help she pushed me into what I do today.” she pulled her glass closer….

“I actual have a secret side of writing…. I don’t know…” she giggled on the err of shyness.

“What do you mean secret?.... you write erotic articles or novels?? Hahahahahahha…” Mark busts out in a deep chuckle. He felt proud of his joke and leans back in his chair.

Emily smiles and bashfully looks down at the table.

“Oh My God!” Mark quickly moves his body back to a straight position and pulls his chair closer to the table.

“Oh gosh, I don’t know what’s wrong with me! Maybe it’s the wine…never mind!”

“No!NO!... don’t be nervous” Mark leans in and chuckles, “Seriously…. You are full of surprises Emily!” He realizes his body close was making her uncomfortable, so he sat back a bit, “You can’t say something like that and pull away now. I promise I wont judge you…. But this is too good for you to not to share?”

She rolls her eyes and giggles, “I probably don’t have to say this, but my sisters and momma don’t know I write like this!”

“When did you start writing erotic articles, can you show me one?”

Emily grabs her phone and scrolls her fingers about on the screen, “Here, this is a little glimpse of one,” as she hands her phone to Mark:

“…..I could see him staring at me. I know if we were alone every inch of my body would crave his touch. I moved behind the dealer. I wasn’t in his sight, maybe I was playing games like a schoolgirl? I just wanted his eyes to meet mine through the statues of people at the other side of the table. And they did, his eyes were smokey blue, hungry, and glued to me. I liked that! I moved around slowly, pulling my hair behind my ear and gazing back at him. I didn’t want to confuse him; I wanted him but I enjoyed the game. I knew he was involved in the next play and I was an intentionally distraction but a distraction he could play with all night long! I walked to the corner of the table where my friend was playing his hand. I felt his eyes fixed on me and it was making me weak. I moved aside so the waitress could deliver the round of drinks to the table. When she briskly moved away I purposely bumped her, causing a handful of small napkins to float to the floor. My devilish intention was for his enjoyment, the slit on the side of my dress went clear up my hip as I bent down. While picking up the final cocktail napkin, I didn’t have to look at him, I knew I had his attention. I could feel the cool draft of the air conditioner wash over my lower back. My dress had just as minimal fabric on the small of my back as there was on my hip and the lack of panties was apparent……..”

Emily took the phone away, “What do you think?” she said quietly as she squirmed a bit.

Mark had a look on his face and for the first time the table was silent. Emily stared at him waiting for a response, she could tell he wasn’t the shy type, but the silence seems to last forever.

“Emily…. I…. ummmm I’d like to get to know you forever! And I ….Ummmm…. would like to get to know you in a pair of red Monolo Blahnik’s, writing me stories for the rest of my life!”

Emily looked at the waiter, “Check Please!”