The Dating Game

by Susan Buchanan

  Anton looked at Gill for confirmation then said, ‘I think we can go to the table now, thank you.’

  They chatted easily whilst they perused the menus. Gill immediately gave up on trying to find a non-garlic dish in an Italian restaurant. But if they were going to get more intimate later, she didn’t want to have anything too heavy either. She chose a Caprese Salad to start and Spaghetti con Gamberoni. Prawns would be about the lightest thing she could have. Anton lowered his menu and said, ‘Have you decided?’

  Gill nodded, as she fought an impulse to play with the tablecloth. She did this whenever she was nervous. She ripped up beer mats, fidgeted, and toyed with tablecloths – basically anything except stay still.

  ‘Caprese Salad and spaghetti with prawns.’

  ‘Good choices. I like both of those, but tonight I feel like Roasted Mediterranean Vegetables.’

  ‘Yes, that does sound nice. Oh, they’ve included artichoke hearts, too. You don’t usually get that, do you? It’s usually just mixed peppers, aubergine, courgette and maybe tomatoes if you’re lucky.’

  ‘Well, you know what they say about artichokes…’

  ‘No. What do they say?’ a slight smile formed on Gill’s lips. She knew full well artichokes were said to be an aphrodisiac, but she felt she and Anton should start the way they meant, or at least, the way she meant, to go on. Tonight was about teasing each other.

  ‘Apparently in the 16th century, Catherine de Medici introduced them to France.’ Anton then rattled off a quote she had made at court.

  Gill must have looked a little stunned, crestfallen even, as Anton finally took pity on her and said, ‘and of course they are meant to be a powerful aphrodisiac.’

  Gill blushed to the roots of her hair. Her face was hot, probably not a pretty sight she felt, and that wasn’t the only area where she was warmer than usual. Anton rewarded her with a little grin. ‘Would you like to know what I’ve chosen for my main course?’

  Gill didn’t know whether to be worried or not at what he might say next.

  ‘Chicken parmigiana.’

  With a sigh of relief, Gill’s composure returned to normal and by the time the waiter came back with his pad to take their order, Gill and Anton were completely at ease with each other.

  She really does look amazing in that dress, thought Anton. The dress was so simple, yet so sexy. He liked the way her hair hung loosely down her back tonight. He didn’t need an aphrodisiac. Making her blush, though, had been fun, not in a cruel way, but in a teasing fashion. Hopefully there would be more of that to come later.

  He reached for his wine glass and proposed a toast, ‘To a wonderful evening.’

  Gill raised her glass and they clinked them together.

  As she took a sip, she drank in more than the wine. The man in front of her was a heady concoction all right. She hadn’t felt this level of connection, sexual or otherwise for a long, long time, if ever.

  Without realising what she was saying and the connotation it could have, she blurted out, ‘So which hotel are you staying at?’

  ‘The one next to the bus station.’ Anton reeled off the good and bad points of the hotel, not least that beggars hung around the car park next to it.

  When their starters arrived, they ate slowly, taking turns to relate anecdotes. Gill found out a lot more about Anton’s research programme and she told him a little about her friends and Janice. For the next few hours, they laughed, ate, drank and talked a lot.

  ‘That was delicious. I couldn’t eat another bite.’

  ‘Me neither,’ Anton patted his completely flat stomach, ‘I shouldn’t have eaten that zabaglione. It just looked so good when that girl next to us had it.’

  ‘I know, but I simply couldn’t have eaten anything else. If I’m honest, I struggled to drink my coffee.’

  ‘Do you think you could manage a drink, somewhere else?’

  Gill hesitated before replying confidently, ‘Sure, where were you thinking?’

  ‘My hotel, if you have no objections.’

  At first, Gill’s words stuck in her throat, but then before she could spit out her answer, Anton clarified, ‘They have a very nice bar, just off the lobby.’

  ‘Yes, that sounds good.’

  Anton paid the bill. They retrieved their coats and walked down towards the Buchan Hotel, on Renfrew St.

  ‘It’s quite nice in here. I’ve never been before.’

  ‘First time for me, too,’ Anton crossed his long legs and smiled at her.

  They chatted about inconsequential things for a while, both realising that they were building up to something. The anticipation was almost tangible.

  They were seated on a sofa together, side by side. But it was Saturday night and throngs of people crowded the bar. Anton rested his hand on Gill’s thigh. ‘Can I make a suggestion?’ he asked.

  ‘Fire away,’ Gill replied, half-knowing what was coming.

  ‘Would you like a little more privacy?’ he looked directly into her eyes.

  Gill didn’t trust herself to speak.

  Anton signalled to the waiter for the bill and ordered a bottle of wine to go.

  They walked towards the lift in silence. Once inside, Gill took advantage of the fact they were alone to clarify matters.

  ‘Anton, I want things to go further, but I need you to know, I’m not a hundred percent sure I’m ready for that.’

  Anton moved a lock of her hair and kissing her behind her ear said, ‘Gill, we won’t do anything you don’t want to.’

  Feeling the pressure lifted considerably, Gill fell silent again as Anton kissed her again, this time on the lips.

  The lift pinged their arrival at Anton’s floor and they walked towards room 309.

  Anton handed Gill the wine and the glasses, then took out his key card from his wallet and opened the door. Once inside, he took the wine from Gill and poured them both a glass. He sat on the sofa, which was at the far end of the room. Gill followed suit.

  ‘Slainté,’ Anton held aloft his glass then took a sip. Gill raised her glass to her lips. They looked at each other, wondering who was going to make the first move. Anton sat his glass down. He moved towards Gill and then his lips were on hers, the teasing they’d enjoyed earlier in the evening long gone.

  Gill couldn’t believe that they were really here, alone. Her nervousness evaporated and she kissed Anton back hungrily. The thought that her new silk dress would get crushed, popped into her head and just as quickly disappeared again. Anton pulled her towards him and nuzzled her neck.

  Gill slipped off her sandals whilst Anton struggled to kick off his shoes. She stroked his back and then more daringly, untucked his shirt from his trousers, giving her access to his lean, flat stomach. She luxuriated in the feel of him. His chest sported a light sprinkling of hairs. He smelled wonderful and this time it wasn’t his aftershave she could smell, but his masculinity. Impeded by Gill’s dress, Anton resorted to caressing her nipples through the fine silk. He was so hard already. He groaned as Gill’s hands slid upwards from his stomach, familiarising herself with the hard contours of his chest. They then travelled back down and rested on the waistband of his trousers, before Gill turned her attention to his belt. She unfastened the buckle and wrenched it free of the loops, tossing it to the floor. As she undid his zip, Anton whispered in her ear, ‘Stand up.’

  Gill obliged and Anton unzipped the back of her dress, kissing her neck as he did so, then her shoulder, then her back. Gill could scarcely breathe. It was so erotic. He eased her dress over her shoulders and let it slide to the floor, where Gill promptly stepped out of it. Hearing Anton’s sharp intake of breath, she turned towards him.

  Oh God, I need to have this woman right now. He thought he was going to come just looking at her. She was wearing incredibly sexy underwear. He was just wondering whether she’d bought it to wear for him, when he saw a tiny piece of the price label still affixed to one of the bra straps. He smiled and decided not to share that with her. It gave him enough
of a glow that she’d gone to so much effort for him. As she stood before him in her bra and briefs, Anton feasted his eyes upon her; her beautiful ample breasts, curvaceous bottom and narrow waist. Where to start?

  Gill pulling down his trousers, leaving him only in his boxers, brought him back to the present. Anton’s lips found hers and their hands roamed over each other, searching, anxious to explore. Somehow they made it to the bed and then Gill’s bra landed on the floor, followed by Anton’s boxers and finally Gill’s briefs.

  It was all too easy to get carried away, Gill thought. If Anton hadn’t said, ‘just a moment,’ whilst he withdrew a condom from his wallet, it wouldn’t have occurred to Gill. She’d never had unprotected sex, but then she’d never felt such wild abandon. The sensations she had experienced with Anton were among the most exquisite of her life. The first time he came, he apologised that it had been so quick; he had just been very aroused. Gill looked forward to his idea of slow, as twenty-five minutes for quick, made her have high hopes. Whilst he recovered, Anton took care of Gill’s needs and soon she asked herself how she could have gone without making love for so long.

  As they lay together afterwards, Gill stroked his chest, whilst she nestled in the crook of his arm. Every so often they kissed again until soon it was time for round two.

  When Gill woke a few hours later, she watched Anton as he slept. His hair was mussed, definite ‘I’ve just had sex hair,’ and the sheet covered only the lower half of his body. The streetlamp outside their window bathed Anton in a dim half-light.

  Such a handsome man and she’d just made love to him – four times! No wonder he was sleeping so soundly. He must be exhausted. Each time had been better than the last. She got up and poured herself a glass of water, then crept back to bed and snuggled into Anton, who stirred momentarily, but soon became still again.

  At eight thirty, the light entering through the gap in the curtains woke Anton. At first he struggled to remember where he was, but Gill’s arm resting lightly on his chest, soon oriented him. He turned to look at her. She looked so peaceful, content. He could make out the form of her body under the sheet and it brought back memories of the night before. Just then, Gill rolled over and opened her eyes, which widened in delight when she saw Anton.

  ‘Morning,’ she said sleepily.

  Anton turned to face her and kissed her lightly on the lips. ‘Hi.’

  They looked at each other, smiled and then retreated under the covers together again.

  As the maid walked past on her early morning rounds, she was a little embarrassed at the moans coming from room 309 and decided to start her duties on the floor above.

  When Anton and Gill left the hotel later that day, Gill felt self-conscious about being in evening dress.

  ‘Don’t worry. You look beautiful. I want to remember you just like this,’ he said, pulling her towards him for one last kiss. ‘I’ll see you in a few weeks and of course I’ll e-mail whilst I’m away.’

  ‘You do that,’ said Gill, as, reluctantly, she let go of him to get into her waiting taxi.

  As the taxi pulled away from Anton, she sat back in the seat and thought, What a perfect night.

  Chapter Twenty-Three

  Sunday 18th September

  ‘You look great, sis,’ Christopher hugged her.

  ‘Thanks,’ Gill said, although she wasn’t sure how that was possible, given that she hadn’t slept much. She felt as if she were in a suspended state, a dream world. She handed the flowers and bottle of wine she had brought, to her brother, just as her nephews came tumbling towards her, ‘Aunt Gill!’ they screeched in unison, throwing themselves into her arms.

  Laughing, Gill said, ‘It’s so nice to be wanted.’

  ‘Did you bring us any sweets?’ asked Harry.

  ‘Harry,’ his father admonished. ‘What have I told you about asking for things? It’s rude. Say sorry.’

  ‘Sorry,’ the small boy hung his head then two seconds later forgot all about it and chased his brother around the room.

  Sarah came into the living room, taking off her apron. ‘We made jam tarts this morning. The boys were in charge of the jam, so I thought it might be best to have something to cover up my new trousers.’

  ‘Ah,’ Gill had been surprised, as Sarah was usually very stylish and the image of her wearing an apron wasn’t one generally associated with her.

  ‘Garlic lemon chicken today, with roast potatoes and asparagus.’

  Sarah was an excellent cook and Gill’s stomach started to rumble. She had just had enough time to hightail it home, change and freshen up, before driving over to Christopher and Sarah’s. She had arrived fifteen minutes behind schedule. Gill hated being late, but they didn’t appear to have noticed.

  As she perched on the edge of the sofa, feeling, and probably looking, rather pleased with herself, Sarah stared at her, then made sure the boys weren’t listening, before she proclaimed, ‘You’ve had sex!’

  ‘What?’ blurted out Gill. Christopher’s head snapped up. He looked first at his sister, then at his wife, then back at his sister.

  Sarah repeated what she’d just said. Then, ‘You have, haven’t you? Oh, how exciting! Well, go on. Tell us all about it.’

  ‘I think I’ll just check on the potatoes,’ Christopher excused himself, with a backward glance at the two women.

  ‘So, give us the goss,’ Sarah flounced down on the sofa beside Gill. ‘I assume it involved the gorgeous Russian?’

  ‘How…how did you know I’d had sex?’ stammered Gill.

  ‘Because you have a smile as wide as the little emoticon smiley-face chap, that’s why.’

  At this, Gill did smile. ‘And you seem so content, not your usual flustered self.’

  ‘Thanks, I think.’

  ‘Sort of healthy and glowing.’

  ‘Again, thanks.’

  ‘You know what I mean,’ Sarah said with a dismissive wave of her hand. ‘So, c’mon, spill!’

  Part of Gill was dying to tell someone, but she really thought it should be Debbie, plus some things she didn’t feel she could share with Sarah. She was married to Gill’s brother after all. Gill certainly wasn’t going to give her the graphic details. She wanted to hug them to herself for a bit longer.

  ‘I had a fantastic evening. Lovely dinner, great company and that was good, too.’

  ‘How? Where?’

  ‘He’d booked into a hotel in town. That way he wouldn’t have to leave early to get the train back to Stirling.’

  ‘Which hotel?’

  Gill gave Sarah an account of the hotel and the events leading up to her finally sealing the deal with Anton, including the outfit she’d worn, although she didn’t go into detail about her lingerie.

  ‘So when are you seeing him again?’

  ‘Well, he’s going to be away in Belarus for the next few weeks, but after he gets back.’ Sarah raised an eyebrow. ‘He said he’d e-mail,’ added Gill, waiting to see what was on Sarah’s mind.

  ‘What?’ Gill finally asked.

  ‘I just wondered when you found out he was going to be in Belarus for a few weeks.’

  ‘A week ago, maybe ten days. Why?’

  ‘Oh, nothing, just wondered.’

  ‘Sarah, why?’

  ‘No, seriously, it’s fine. It’s just that it wouldn’t be the first time a guy has told a woman he can’t see her for a few weeks, as he’s going away, and that’s the last she hears from him. But, in this case it’s different, as he told you at least a week before you slept together.’

  ‘Hmm,’ Gill was thinking. She knew that couldn’t be the case. They were so into each other.

  ‘Anyway, Anton aside, have you had any other dates?’

  As Gill filled Sarah in on her latest exploits, Christopher came back into the room. Seeing that the conversation had moved away from his sister having sex, he breathed a sigh of relief and sat down. It was one thing to discuss your sister finding a potential partner, quite another to hear a blow-by-blow account
of her sex life.

  Soon Sarah served up lunch and the boys traipsed in to sit at the dining table. Sarah had truly outdone herself this time.

  After a delicious lunch, Gill spent a pleasant few hours playing games with her nephews. They had been banned from playing their computer that day, as they had spent too much time on it the day before. So, hide and seek, football out in the garden, and finally a couple of stories before bed, kept both Gill and her young nephews occupied until it was time for Gill to leave.

  Christopher did, however, manage to waylay her on her way back in from the garden.

  ‘Sis, is everything OK?’

  ‘Couldn’t be better,’ Gill smiled at him.

  ‘So, do you think this could be The One?’

  ‘I hope so.’

  ‘Just be careful. You know how you always fall head-over-heels.’ He put his arm around her shoulder and gave her an awkward hug.

  ‘I know, I will.’

  ‘OK, I worry about you, that’s all.’

  ‘You don’t need to. I’m a big girl.’

  Christopher muttered something indistinct and went into the garden to call the boys in for their bath.

  As Gill said goodbye, Sarah said, ‘Good luck with Sean. It’s not a bad idea to play the field a little for now.’

  Closing the door, Gill was already counting the days until she could see Anton again.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Monday 19th September

  The driving rain battered against the office windows.

  ‘How can you be so chirpy on a day like this?’ Janice asked, curious. ‘And it’s Monday as well.’

  ‘Just in a good mood, I guess,’ Gill replied, then resumed humming the ditty she’d been subjecting Janice to all morning.

  ‘Someone’s been having their nookie by the sounds of it,’ Janice had, as usual, hit the nail on the head.

  ‘Moi?’ Gill acted surprised.

  ‘Yes, toi!’

  ‘I’m just in a great mood because Angus has accepted our job offer.’

  ‘Yes, that is great news, but you wouldn’t be looking as if you were meeting George Clooney later, if that was all there was to it.’