by Young, M. L.
After taking a few sips I set my glass down, and Penny did the same. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and she cuddled up to me like she always did. As I ran my fingers through her hair, we looked out over the bay. The sun glowed like a fiery mass, the red and yellow colors like paint cast over the twinkling water.
I might not have been in a tropical setting, but I was in paradise. As I held this woman in my arms, I knew I would never let her go.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Penelope
Blake told me we were going to dinner somewhere I’d really like and to wear something nice. He said it was a classier place, so to wear something sexy, but also I guess a little conservative. That was all I really ever wore, so it wasn’t a problem at all.
I asked him about three times where we were going, but every time he only told me it was a surprise. I didn’t get to know what type of food they served, where in town they were, or even a single letter of their name. Maybe it was a small way he could exert control like he used to, or maybe he was just incredibly excited to take me.
I wore a black dress with small bits of glitter strewn throughout. The top had thick straps and showed no real cleavage. This was about as conservative as it got with a nice dress. As he saw me come out of the room, he smiled and told me how beautiful I looked.
“So, when are our reservations for?” I asked, as I put on my shoes.
“Twenty minutes from now or so. We should get going. I got an alert that our car is waiting downstairs,” he said.
“Is this place far away?” I asked.
“It’s an okay distance,” he said.
I grumbled internally as I wished I would’ve been able to get something out of him. I thought he’d do well if he were ever captured and tortured for information. He’d never give anything up.
As we got out to the car, our driver smiled and opened the door for us as we scooted in and cozied up to one another. The doorman waved goodbye as we pulled out and began our journey. When we passed or came close to restaurants I looked at them and wondered if each one was it. We passed a lot of Asian places, but the driver just kept going, and Blake never said anything to try to stop him. I guess it was really that good.
After a few minutes, I looked out my window and got a few passing views of the Space Needle. It glowed in the dark like a giant light attracting bugs, and I saw people on the street taking pictures and gazing up at it. I still wanted to see it tomorrow, and Blake did say he had a lot of time open, so hopefully I’d get to go up.
Our driver pulled up on the side of the street near the Space Needle and I looked around for places where we could have reservations. I looked back at Blake, who was smiling, as the driver got out of the car and came around to my side.
“Where are we eating?” I asked, confused.
“Here,” he said.
“On the ground?” I asked.
“No, up there,” he said, as he pointed up towards the top of the Space Needle.
The driver opened the door and as I got out, I looked all the way up towards the giant needle and had my mouth open as I wondered how. How were we going to eat up there? How were we going to get up there to eat? Were we going to eat on top of the needle itself?
“How?”
“There’s a restaurant up there. It turns and gives a panoramic of the city and the bay. I thought you’d enjoy it. Would you still like to go?” he asked.
“Are you kidding me? Of course I do! Let’s go,” I said, grabbing his hand and dragging him with me.
We rode an elevator up towards the restaurant. I couldn’t have been giddier. I kissed him as we went up, slowly, as the butterflies he gave me couldn’t have been even a tiny bit more intense. To think he did this for me, and thought of something I really wanted to do and did it, showed me that he was something else. It also made me nervous that he did it for a reason, though. What if he asked the question tonight? What if, on top of the Space Needle, I had to tell him what really happened and be honest with him? It definitely wouldn’t create a great lasting memory for my first time here, but it would sure leave one.
As the elevator doors opened and the sweeping circular room greeted us, a hostess welcomed us before asking if we’d made reservations. Blake said his name, and as always, she perked up and treated us like royalty. One good thing about being with him was that nobody gave us bad service. It was almost like they knew their ass was on the line if they ignored us or were rude. It almost made going out more fun.
“Please, if you’d follow me, I’ll escort you to your table,” the girl said.
We walked behind her through the room, which was filled with the softened chatter of other patrons. I didn’t see any children, and not everybody was dressed formally, but I couldn’t have cared less. I just wanted to be here, and here I was.
“This is the best table in the house,” she said, as she took a gold metal reserved sign from the table.
“Thank you so much,” Blake said.
“You’re most welcome. Your server will be with you shortly, and I hope you have a very enjoyable meal,” she said, smiling, before walking away.
I couldn’t even be bothered to look at the menu as I stared out the windows. We were at the start of a new rotation, with our current view showing the bay and surrounding area. It was like something I’d see in some big-budget Hollywood romance movie, but I was the one living it. This was my reality.
“Hello, my name is Bertram, and I’ll be your waiter for this evening. How are you folks doing tonight?” Bertram asked, as he looked back and forth at us.
“Very well, thank you. And yourself?” Blake asked.
“I’m great, thank you so much for asking. Is this your first time here at SkyCity Restaurant?” Bertram asked.
“It is. It’s a beautiful place—and view!” Blake said.
“Yes, isn’t it magnificent? If you haven’t noticed, we’re rotating as the viewing platform moves. While your view right now won’t stay static, it will be back shortly. May I start you two off with a drink, or perhaps an appetizer?” Bertram asked.
“Yes, please bring us a bottle of your finest red. Price isn’t an issue. What would you recommend for an appetizer?” Blake asked.
“Our beef carpaccio is a great seller, and will pair nicely with the wine. Does that sound appetizing?” Bertram asked.
“Yes, I believe it does,” Blake said.
“Great! I’ll get that order in and fetch your wine. Thank you,” Bertram said, before walking away.
“I hope it’s okay I ordered that,” Blake said.
“It’s fine. It sounds delicious,” I said, before looking back out over the city.
Bertram came back with the wine, letting Blake and me sample it. We both loved it, and that must’ve made Bertram happy, as he smiled and poured us each a glass before leaving the bottle with us. Our appetizer soon came, and as I saw the beef laid out in front of me, my mouth began to water.
I took a bite and the meat melted in my mouth like it was made of butter. I closed my eyes a little, letting out a tiny moan. Blake was looking at me when I opened my eyes. I gave him a slightly embarrassed look, as I wondered how many people around me heard me do a sex moan inside a restaurant. It wasn’t my fault this was so damned good.
“How are you enjoying the dish?” Bertram asked, five minutes later.
“It’s great,” I said.
“I’m so glad you’re liking it. Have you had a chance to look over the menu, or would you like more time?” Bertram asked.
“I think we’re ready,” Blake said.
“Great. What can I get for you?” Bertram asked.
“I’ll have the prime Angus tenderloin,” Blake said, closing his menu.
“And for yourself?” Bertram asked, as he looked at me.
“I’ll have the same thing,” I said, as I closed my menu.
“Excellent. If you don’t mind me asking, are we celebrating anything special tonight?” Bertram asked.
I looked at Blake as
I waited for him to answer. He took a few seconds, not saying a word, and my anxiety intensified as I waited. Well, Blake, are we? I thought.
“Actually, we are,” Blake said, as he smiled at me.
I felt my stomach drop as I wondered if this was it. Was he going to ask me to be his girlfriend? No, he couldn’t, at least not in front of the waiter. He seemed like a nice man and everything, but I didn’t want him standing in front of us as Blake said this to me. I also didn’t want him here when I had to stop Blake and tell him my secret.
“It’s her first time in Seattle and I thought we’d come here to celebrate that. She’s wanted to come to the Needle for quite some time,” Blake said.
“Well, I’m very happy you decided to dine with us and get to see our entire city from so high up. We certainly welcome you and hope you’ll see us again in the future,” Bertram said.
“Thank you. I know I’ll be back,” I said, with a friendly smile.
Underneath my smile was a whole bunch of confusion and a hint of relief. Sure, I wanted to wait to tell Blake, and sure, I didn’t want to cause a scene here, but at the same time I did want him to say something and look me in the eyes before asking me to be his. Maybe I was being a stereotypical girl, but I kind of wanted him to not be embarrassed and ask me in front of the world.
Blake and I talked about his business deal as well as just everyday topics as we waited for our food. He held my hand on top of the table, which gave me butterflies, as he kept showing me other sides to him that ranged from sweet to downright sexy. I couldn’t wait to see what happened when we got back to the hotel tonight.
Bertram brought our food and made sure we were all set before we dug in. The steak was even more tender than our appetizer, as I could barely chew it before it melted away in my mouth. How they got this meat to act this way I’d never know, but I certainly was not complaining.
“How is yours?” Blake asked, as he cut effortlessly into his.
“Amazing, and yours?” I asked.
“The same. I live for fine dining, if you couldn’t tell,” he said.
“Oh, I’ve definitely noticed. You seem to always know the best places to go and the best things to get,” I said.
“What can I say? I have great recommendations from people. I’ve also had Grace look up and research places for me to go,” he said, with a chuckle.
“So she’s a good secretary?” I asked.
“Yeah, much better than the last,” he said.
“Why?” I asked.
“She wasn’t exactly the most truthful person in the world. She held back some very important information from me that I can’t disclose, and it made me furious. I know it seems odd given what happened between us, but I can’t stand lying,” he said.
“It’s okay. I understand. It was different,” I said nervously.
“I just don’t like to keep liars in my life. I only like people I can trust, like you. It makes me feel more secure. I feel like so many people have tried to use me, and it’s so hard to find those genuine people who don’t try to use me for my things. I try not to keep those people around,” he said, before taking another bite.
I could tell that even though he was saying these things, he wasn’t directing them towards me. He wasn’t being sarcastic or trying to bait me into admitting anything; he was just venting. The worst part about it, though, was that I was doing exactly what he hated. What if he got rid of me when I finally told him? It was making me wonder if this was a secret I should just take to the grave.
I didn’t say anything, as I figured being quiet was likely my best course of action. This dinner and this night were too great to mess up just because I wanted to talk. Besides, the view outside did enough talking for the both of us. It was still as breathtaking now as it was when we first came in, and I’d been looking at it for most of that time.
We finished our dinner and sat sipping our wine as the chef brought us some gourmet artisanal chocolates that were made locally. We chatted with him for a few minutes and told him how delicious his food was. Blake offered many words of praise, which I thought meant a lot to the chef, as he seemed genuinely appreciative.
The chocolates were soon gone and only droplets were left in our wine glasses. Blake hadn’t asked me the question yet, and I figured it wasn’t going to happen tonight—at least not here. That was okay, though. I guess it gave me a little more time.
When the restaurant began to close, we left last. We got onto the elevator and rode down alone to our waiting car, which was parked right out front. A small drizzle came down as we hurried in and shut the doors behind us.
The asphalt and sidewalks were shimmering as the light rain coated them underneath the city lights. I looked back up one more time at the Space Needle and said goodbye to the magical place that I never wanted to leave. Why couldn’t I just move in above the restaurant? I’d be okay with that. I really didn’t even need much room!
As we walked into our room later, I was more than excited to kick off my shoes, walk over to the couch, and fall down onto it. It felt good to just be back and relax. Blake sat next to me, asking me to come over, and I fell right into his strong arms. I put my legs in his lap, my head on his shoulder, and wrapped my arms around his torso as we looked out at the ships in the bay. Neither one of us said a word, not even a grunt, but in some ways, we were saying so much.
I awoke the next morning to breakfast in bed as Blake brought a tray over to me.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he said.
“Good morning, yourself,” I said, as I yawned and wiped my eyes.
“I have to get to my meeting in a minute, but it shouldn’t take too long. I’ll hopefully be back before eleven. In the meantime, eat, shower, and I’ll see you soon,” he said, before leaning in and giving me a long kiss.
I gladly kissed him back before he left. There were Belgian waffles, strawberries, scrambled eggs, and buttered toast. It all smelled so good. A room service cart to the side held even more delights in case I was still hungry.
It was a little annoying not being able to cuddle in bed with Blake this morning or take a shower together in this wonderful bathroom, but I guess I knew this was a business trip when I agreed to go. He’d told me multiple times about his meetings, and I just needed to deal with it.
I ate my food slowly as I looked out the bedroom window and gazed in awe at the mountains in the distance. It was a clear enough day that I could see them, and they held a sort of trance over me. I could barely look away. Maybe next time I came I could ask Blake if we could take a plane or helicopter up to see them. That would be very neat and incredibly romantic—at least to me.
I set my tray aside on the room service cart when I was done as I burped and wiped my mouth. I opened my suitcase, which sat on a stand, and dug through my clothes before finding a tight-fitting flannel shirt, a white cami, and some dark wash jeans I thought would look cute and very Seattle-y. I guess it was my take on modern grunge, and where better to wear that than Seattle?
The shower, while not as opulent as Blake’s, had multiple jet heads that sprayed me all over. I turned up the heat, and as the glass doors got foggy I was sure I’d come out looking like a prune. The toiletries, which were premium and better than my own stuff at home, lathered luxuriously, and the towels, which felt as soft as fur, wicked away all the moisture from my body as I got done. I wrapped the white towel around myself, walked out of the shower, and got ready for the day, which didn’t involve much. I left most of my makeup off like I normally did and did my hair simply before I got dressed and checked myself over.
I got my phone, took a full-length mirror pic, and sent it to Blake, who within five minutes told me I looked beautiful and that he was close to leaving the meeting. I smiled at both parts of his text and put my phone away before walking out into the living room and seeing the view of the bay once more. I hadn’t a clue whether we were going to be coming back here later tonight, since our flight wasn’t too far away, and I didn’t want to m
iss out. I took my phone back out, opened my camera, and took a few pictures for Nicolette, more to make her jealous than anything.
The city of Seattle was enchanting as Blake and I walked hand in hand down its streets. It was so alternative, so progressive, and more modern than I could’ve ever dreamed of. I knew San Francisco was many of these things as well, but I think you notice it even more when you’re out of your home element. I’d gotten so used to San Francisco that I almost didn’t notice things as I walked past them anymore. Here, though, everything was new and exciting, like the people with tattoos, flannel shirts, and even sporty looking moms pushing their strollers as they jogged down the street. There was always something to look at.
“Look at that!” I said, as we passed a small chocolate shop.
The sidewalks were busy on this early Saturday afternoon, but nobody seemed to recognize Blake in the slightest. It was always nice when we could just walk around together and not be bothered. I knew he wasn’t a celebrity by any means, but he might as well have been, with the way some people reacted around him. You’d think they were around a living god or something.
We walked inside a small café and were gladly welcomed as the aroma of freshly brewed coffee beans jolted my senses. Plates of perfectly pressed paninis and sandwiches whizzed by me towards their tables. The menu, which was a board hanging above the coffee roasters, was jam-packed, featuring everything you could think of. Feeling a bit overwhelmed, I picked the first thing I saw that looked good.
“May I take your order?” a girl behind the register asked.
“I’ll have the turkey and cranberry panini,” I said.
“Okay, what would you like for a side? We have homemade chips, a baguette, a side salad, or a fruit cocktail,” she said.