Wine tasting or a date

He was laughing , he was always laughing. But then he said it again. "You should let me take you out on a date, I promise you it will be the best first date you ever had." I chuckled to myself. I had know him for years , with no romantic inclinations. I might lean my head on his shoulder. but I couldn't remember the color of his eyes. I did not think about rubbing his hairy chest.

It was a strange thing I had never dated someone with a hairy chest. It was weird that out relationship was so strictly defined as friendship that I had never thought about his chest hair.

He changes the topic- he was talking about wine. Merlot- he had received a box which he had ordered over the internet. He wanted me to try it. It was called Mojave Rain. He offered to bring a bottle over to my apartment. He even said he would bring the glasses as well. And reading my mind again he said "and I've already seen your disheveled apartment." His one glass of merlot would lead to him falling asleep on my couch. Contemplation- uncertainty- it sounded fun , but when I made my life plans was it really something I wanted?. I was dressed. it would take 10 minutes to pick up. He lived 15 minutes away. I said yes.

"It's not a date" I said "We'll just drink a bottle of wine. Give me 15 minutes" I added. He laughed and we both hung up the phone.

I picked up my apartment, but this was not a date. So I did not take a shower, brush my teeth again, style my hair, or look for a becoming outfit. He was a good friend so he would just drink wine with the everyday me.

Twenty minutes later the doorbell rang. He hadn't considered this a date either. He was wearing his everyday summer uniform. Blue jeans and a tank top. No fancy hairstyle just the average everyday him.

He was caring the merlot and two wine glasses. He announced that he had already had a taste of the red wine. I smiled. I don't know why I smiled. I just did.

It was a dry wine. I usually mixed my red wine with Orange Juice and threw in some berries. But tonight he was designing the evening.

I sat down in my beanbag chair. It was big enough for the both of us, but he pulled a chair up in front of me. He poured us each a glass of wine. He had also brought a bar of dark chocolate. He said it complimented this wine perfectly. Again I smiled for no given reason. He was right, he was almost always right. The chocolate tasted great with this wine.

I wondered if he had planned a music selection to enhance the evening, so I asked. No he had just thought we'd drink the wine. To broaden my horizons.

I asked Alexa to play Taylor Swifts Folklore. The words of the song were "I didn't have it in me to go with grace. I voiced my opinion" If it's a real friend there is no need to behave with grace. He agreed. He expanded though" You shouldn't have to doll yourself up for a date. You should appear sexy to a real date even if you we wearing a potato sack- jeans-messy hair- whatever. It is suppose to be a inner connection which makes the other party look sexy."

I felt warm inside. Was it him or the wine? I had known him for years, it must have been the wine. He appeared to feel embarrassed when I failed to respond.

Next thing I knew we were talking about the weather. Frivolous, nonvulnerable conversation. But it didn't last long- the senseless conversation soon turned to poetry. He was reciting one of his poems. He had them all memorized. I then recited one of mine. Then I went and got two notepads and two pens. I did not tell him what game we were playing. I told him to pick a word. " Well we are drinking the world's best merlot . I pick the world merlot." Now I had to pick a word. "Softly" and then he picked the word "spill"

We were going to each write a poem using those three words. But then I though it would be fun if we did it together. And so we did. My line- the merlot spilled softly over her lips. He laughed but he still came up with the next line - Red stains, red blossoms like roses joins us together, as the wine slides into our mind and hearts.

We were both laughing. I thought about kissing him. Was it the wine? I kept asking myself this. I was being moved but why.

The bottle was soon drained, but he did not sleep on my couch. I did not kiss him. One glass of wine had lead to another but all it lead to was a kiss on the cheek , and " I'll see you tomorrow." I closed the door, after he left, things between us had changed. Our evening had left me with a wish. That this had been our first date . Because it had been the world's best first date.

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