Attraction at first sight

The sound of the birds chirping, soaking in vitamin D while drinking hot soothing ginger tea with an amazing view of a gorgeous man dripping sweat during his workout couldn’t be a better way to start Anaila’s morning. “Does he ever look bad?” Anaila asked herself while gazing at him. Lo and behold, Henry starts jogging towards her and she acts like she doesn’t see him. “Are you just gonna stare or join me”? Henry asked with a smirk on his face. “Hmh what? I don’t know what you are talking about”, Anaila said, sipping her tea. Henry chuckled and said, “you can’t feed me that good and not expect me to break a sweat every morning, so let’s make a deal, cooking classes for morning workouts”. Anaila nodded in agreement because all that ran through her mind was how good-looking he was even when drenched in sweat, just sexy.

Later that afternoon, Leila visited Anaila to hangout and catch-up since the lunch meeting.

Leila: I am sorry I had to work so I couldn’t help you with the move, but I brought us your favorite wine (Merlot). So, tell me girl, how did your day go? The move, settling in, your night? Tell me everything (takes a sip) …

Anaila: Haha! slow down, one thing at a time. Let me take a sip before we dive in (takes a sip). So, the movers did an awesome job, it took a total of 4 hours to finish the move. Henry stopped by with a goodie basket that had two bottles of merlot. Wait, did you tell him that’s my fave?

Leila: *takes a sip*, hmh! Maybe *winks*

Anaila: I knew that wasn’t a mere coincidence. What are you up to?

Leila: Nothing. He asked if you drink wine and if so, what’s your fave.. that’s all, I swear.

Anaila: Okay, fine. Anyways, he helped me unpack boxes while we chitchatted about our childhoods. Talked more over dinner and promised to give him cooking classes.

Leila: Wait, What? Like a date?

Anaila: No, I wouldn’t call it a date. It was more of a “thank you for letting me occupy your guest house”, even though he showed up looking hot *she mumbled and took a big sip*

Leila: So, did anything interesting happen after dinner?

Anaila: No, he helped me cleanup, we hugged and said goodnight. Let me say one thing, he smelled delicious, his scent lingered all night, and I wasn’t mad at that.

Leila: *Ahem* (clears throat). Yeaaah! You’re gonna smash! He thinks you’re attractive too, so it’s only a matter of time

Anaila: Oh, so you guys talked about me? What am I missing here?

Leila: Just a little. He said you are a beautiful and very attractive woman, and he already loves your presence.

Anaila: Aww! That’s sweet, the feeling is mutual, but you know how I am when it comes to commitment

Leila: I know, but this could be different since he is a nice guy and I think you will make a cute couple if you ever start something

Anaila: Whooa! Slow your roll. We should change the subject. What do you think about this marble top for the kitchen and bathrooms?

Leila: You always do this. Are you sure you weren’t a track star in your previous life?

Anaila: Haha! Very funny. So, let’s focus on my house, shall we? I need all the advice I can get since you are the best interior designer I know.

Leila: Okay fine, show me your options.

They spent at least two hours talking about the house, drinking wine, and laughing before they heard a knock on the door. “Come on in”, Anaila said. Henry walked in with two bags in his hands and said hello to the ladies. “About time, I texted you about an hour ago”, Leila said. “Yeah, I know. I wanted to give you ladies some time to yourselves and I had to grab food for us, I hope you are in the mood for wings and fries”, Henry said. “You had me at food”, Anaila said while getting plates. They ate, drank, talked, laughed and time flew by. Leila finally realized that it was getting late, and she had to get home. She had one too many so Henry called her an Uber and told her he will drop-off her car the next day.

Once Leila left, Henry started doing the dishes, but Anaila stopped him by grabbing his hand, handed him a towel, and said she got it. Anaila suggested they call it a night, walked Henry to the door and he leaned for a hug. This one was different, tighter, longer and a little passionate that they felt each other’s hearts beating fast. Once they let go, there was a moment of silence that was broken by Anaila’s throat clearing and the low tone in her voice saying goodnight. Henry said goodnight and walked away with hesitation but before he could turn and say anything, Anaila had already shut the door so he went to his house.

About 30 minutes later, Henry kept tossing and turning because he couldn’t shake-off Anaila from his mind. He bit the bullet and decided to shoot her a text with hopes that she was still up.

Henry: Hey, are you up?

Anaila: Barely. What’s up?

Henry: I was wondering if you were open to go on a date with me?

5 minutes went by, no response from Anaila. She had to think about it because it could possibly complicate their short-term living arrangement.

Anaila: A girl can eat but under one condition, you must be “open-minded”

Henry: Okaaaay! I am intrigued. I know you are a busy woman, please let me know your availability when you can.

Anaila: Will do. Sleep well

Henry: Thanks! Likewise.

Anaila is a Vice President at a Consulting firm, an entrepreneur, and a forex trader. Working from home has only kept her twice as busy, between meetings and work, she barely has time for herself, let alone, go on a date. She responded to his texts whenever she could, and they barely saw each other. Two weeks went by and Henry had yet to hear from her. He didn’t want to seem desperate, but he was. He longed to be near her, talk to her and get to know more about her. It was midweek, he was chilling shirtless in his sweatpants with all the lingering thoughts when he heard his doorbell ring. He wondered who it could be, and to his surprise Anaila was on the other end of the door. Anaila was taken by surprise, she could barely speak as she scanned the fine man that was right in front of her. She thought to herself, “Damn! What I could do to that body, Sheeeesh!”. It was his eyes, smile, muscles, height, without forgetting the imprint that left a long-lasting impression.

Henry: Oh, hey Anaila. What a pleasant surprise. Come on in

*after a long pause of appreciating God’s creation, she finally found her voice again*

Anaila: Hiiiii (in a shaky voice). Thank you

He wrapped his arms around her curvy body and planted a kiss on her cheek. Anaila froze for a split second before she embraced him. All she thought was, DAMN!

Henry: I am so happy to see you. Can I offer you anything to drink? Water, Wine, Whiskey, Juice, Cocktail? I make mean-ass cocktails.

Anaila: Cocktail it is. Let’s see what you are working with. I can’t believe this is my first time inside your main house.

Henry: Let me fix you a cocktail and I will give you a tour. *he smiled*

Anaila: I would love that. What’s in the cocktail?

Henry: Ginger, sugar, sparkling water for the syrup. Coconut malibu, and Cranberry juice.

Anaila: That’s an interesting mixture

Henry: Yeah! But it’s amazing. My buddies and I made this in college, it was our signature drink. Try it and let me know what you think

Anaila: Oh wow! It’s amazing. The ginger gives it a kick and I love it. I am impressed.

Henry: Thank you. Are you ready for the tour?

Anaila: Yes.

His main house has 5 bedrooms, 6 bathrooms, a home movie theater, man-cave in the basement with a pool table, and a bar area. When they got to the movie theater, Anaila said, “this is to die for. I don’t mind going to the movies, but I love watching movies at the comfort of my home”. “We will have endless movie dates, if you would like”, Henry said. “Endless? We haven’t even had one yet”, Anaila said with a smile. “Yes, Endless. I am very patient and hopeful”, Henry said. When they got done with the tour, they sat at the bar where Henry fixed her another glass of his signature cocktail.

Anaila: You have a beautiful home

Henry: Thank you. It needs a woman’s touch

Anaila: Leila is the best interior designer I know. She should be able to help you out.

Henry: I know but I would love it if you would. I saw what you did in the guest house, and I love it. I can only imagine what you will do to your own house.

Anaila: Aww! Thank you. Okay, I will do my best to help you out. So, about my availability, I will be free on Saturday.

Henry: Perfect! I’ll have the whole day planned for us.

Anaila: You are a very interesting man. Okay, what’s the dress code?

Henry: Casual fit for the day, dressy at night.

Anaila: Okay, I can’t wait. I must get going, thank you so much for your hospitality.

Henry: You are welcome. Feel free to stop by anytime.

The long-awaited day finally arrived. She wore a cute white tee, jeans with comfortable sneakers, hair in a ponytail and beautiful hoop earrings. He was in a short-sleeve shirt, jeans, and sneakers. He said to her, “you look beautiful”. She smiled and said, “thanks, you are not so bad yourself”. They both laughed and took off. Just to put your mind at ease, every person we might interact with today has tested negative for the virus, I ensured it.

The first stop was at a restaurant for breakfast, they had a private room with a private chef who happens to be Henry’s friend. Anaila was surprised and impressed. She told him that he didn’t have to do all that, but his response was, “it’s the least I could do for my beautiful date”. After breakfast, he surprised her with a Helicopter tour ride. Anaila was all smiles, and Henry couldn’t have been happier. The views were breathtaking, the ride was smooth, the tour guide was very knowledgeable about all the landmarks, and most of all, Henry and Anaila enjoyed each other’s company. The helicopter landed on a helipad on top of one of the buildings in the city, Anaila was a little confused as to why they landed there.

When they got off the helicopter, Henry told her that the only way down was by zip lining. Anaila panicked since she has acrophobia. Henry hugged her and said, “hey, I am asking you to trust me and be open-minded, it’s made for two people so I will be next to you to hold your hand, you will be okay, and I promise it will be fun”. He planted a kiss on her forehead, got secured on the zip liner, held her hand and asked her if she was ready. She nodded, he signaled and got pushed. She started off by screaming and squeezing Henry’s hand but after a few seconds, she started enjoying the view. When they got to the end of the zip line, Anaila said, “that wasn’t so bad, thanks for the assurance”. “I got you. Are you ready what we have to do next?”, Henry asked. She shook her head and smiled.

They had a picnic by the river, fed ducks and headed home. When they got home, he said to her, “we are not done yet, we will have dinner at the house by 8:30”. She said, “aren’t you full of surprises? I have to get back to my workout routine if this is what dating you looks like”. He laughed, hugged, and gave her a kiss on the cheek but she held on a little longer and whispered, “thank you for an amazing day, I needed it”. He said, “you’re welcome, beautiful”. She planted a kiss on his cheek and said, “see you later, handsome”. He was caught off-guard, he stood still, in shock as he watched her walk away.

As she was getting ready for the date, she hopped on a video call with Leila to fill her in about the day’s adventures with Henry.

Leila: Oh wow! He outdid himself. How do you feel?

Anaila: Honestly, I had an amazing day. I didn’t know I needed it, so I appreciate it. “It’s the planning for me”.

Leila: I am glad you did. Are you going to open-up to him?

Anaila: Yes, it’s going to be an interesting conversation. I will fill you in later or tomorrow.

Leila: Okay, I will be waiting. By the way, you look sexy. You’re about to drive that man crazy.

Anaila: *laughs* Thanks girl, I hope not too crazy *winks*. Talk to you later, bye.

Leila: Enjoy your night.

By 8:30, Henry was outside her door with flowers. She wore a well-fitting blue dress with a slit that accentuated her smooth thick thighs, low-cut back that exposed her curves, simply sexy. He took a deep breath and said, “Wow! I’m in trouble. Your beauty is mesmerizing”. She smiled and said, “you are so sweet, thank you. Shall we?”. With a stutter in his voice. “yeah, yes yet. Let’s”. The setup was in the backyard, super romantic candlelit dinner with slow jams playing in the background.

Anaila: OMG! This is beautiful. When did you get time for all this?

Henry: My friends helped bring my vision to life. I am glad you like it.

Anaila: I love it, it’s very thoughtful. I am highly impressed. You are full of surprises Mr.

Henry: You are worth-it. We have a lot of options on the menu, I know you’re a meat and seafood lover, so the chef made a little bit of everything. You can have whatever you like.

Anaila: You listened; this warms my heart. This has been one of the best days ever, thank you.

Henry: Let me reiterate, you are worth-it, beautiful.

They had Merlot wine to wash down dinner while the chef cleared the table. Anaila seemed to be deep in thoughts because they were about to have a somewhat tough conversation.

Henry: What’s going on in that beautiful mind?

Anaila: Remember I asked you to be open-minded?

Henry: Yeah! What’s that all about?

Anaila: It has to do with my dating life. I have been going on dates with different people

Henry: Okay. Are you exploring your options or is this about commitment?

Anaila: A bit of both. I have made mistakes in the past. I would talk to one person, and dismiss the rest after making a minor connection, that’s not how dating should be. It should be fun while getting to meet different people.

Henry: Understandable. So, you want me to be open-minded about you dating other people?

Anaila: Yes! I thought you should know since you asked me out and I live here. I have yet to meet someone that will fully catch my attention.

Henry: Thanks for letting me know. I am a one-woman kind of guy. I really like you, and I would like us to continue getting to know each other. It’s going to be hard seeing you go on dates with other men, but I hope to be that “someone” for you.

Anaila: I would like to continue getting to know you too, but I don’t want my dating life to complicate things between us including the living arrangement. Only time will tell.

Henry: *smiles* It won’t, I am a man and can handle it. Besides, I am very patient and hopeful.

He had the jitters when he held her hand as they walked towards the door. The entire time, he thought of how soft her hands were, beautiful skin and wondered what her lips tasted like. His thoughts were interrupted by her soft voice, and a passionate hug. His hands gently caressing her back sent shivers down her spine, thanks to the low-cut back dress. Right before she pulled away from him, he gently pulled her face close enough that his lips brushed against hers, this is what they have been longing for. They started kissing, it was butterflies and fireworks exploding inside them. Her hands wrapped around his neck, his around her waist, he was gentle, passionate, attentive to her body language, and such a good kisser. Their chemistry was out of this world, simply magical. Their climactic moment was interrupted by the chef’s van's bright lights. “That was a sign that we should call it a night”, Anaila said while pulling away from him. He chuckled disappointedly, planted a kiss on her forehead and said, “the chef and I need to have a little chat”. Anaila laughed, but before she could walk away, he pulled her for a smooch and said, “goodnight, beautiful”. She froze for a split second before she responded and walked into the house.

She stood behind the door, astounded by the magical day, and not wanting the night to end. Henry walked into his house feeling the same way. As she got ready for bed, a text came through from Henry saying, “You are the epitome of perfection, your elegance, beauty, sexiness exudes effortlessly. The opportunity to be in your presence and getting to know you isn’t something I take lightly; I am hopeful that with time, this will turn into something great. No pressure, I can wait”. Anaila was all smiles, she responded, “Thank you for always making me feel special, I am excited to see what the future holds. Goodnight Handsome”. He responded, “Sleep well, beautiful”.