“Hmmm, beautiful and smart,” Leo grinned, and quickly jotted down the phone number of her office before continuing. He tried to creep her on Twitter and Facebook but she didn’t seem to have any social media presence at all. He found that to be a little strange, but it wasn’t a deal breaker. She was clearly an academic type, probably even a little introverted. That was cool. He liked women with a little mystery.
Satisfied with his search, he dialed her office number. After navigating their annoying phone system he finally found her extension and was diverted to Nora’s voicemail.
“Thank you for your call. You have reached the voice mail for Dr. Nora Dupree. I am in the office today, but I’m busy with clients. Please leave your name and a number where you can be reached. I will return calls between 4:00 and 5:00 pm. If this is an emergency, please call 911. I look forward to speaking with you.”
Beep.
Mesmerized by the tone of her voice, Leo found himself tripping over his tongue. She sounded like a very sexy librarian.
“Uh, yeah, hello. This is Leo Moretti. I’m the not so heroic firefighter who knocked you down last night. Anyway, I hope you don’t mind me calling. I just wanted to see if you were okay, and I was also hoping you would let me make it up to you. Would you consider letting me buy you a cup of coffee? Or maybe dinner if you would prefer? You can text me at 626-555-3473. I hope to hear from you,” he said, finishing the message with a little more confidence than he started with, and hung up the phone smiling.
He was pretty sure she would text. Women rarely turned him down.
He looked at the clock on the stove. Usually he slept in on his off days, but since he was already up, he decided to go for a run and then hit the gym for a long work out. He grabbed his phone off the counter and went back to his room to get dressed.
Leo walked into the gym with his bag swung over his shoulder. If he walked in like he owned the place, it was because it was like a second home to him. He sauntered up to the front desk to check in.
“Hey Moretti, you’re here early.”
Leo looked up from under his long lashes and smiled at the pretty blonde behind the counter.
“I guess so, but lucky me I got to feast my eyes on you, Jones,” he flirted, leaning on the counter.
She shook her head and grinned at him. He could tell she enjoyed the flirtation, but they both knew she was not permitted to fraternize with members beyond professional banter, and that was unfortunate because Kelly Jones was fucking hot. She was younger than most of the women he typically dated, probably a twelve or fifteen year age difference, but if he had the chance he would take a shot at her. He’d always wanted to.
“Yeah, I am actually leaving in 15 minutes. I’ve been here since 4:00 am,” she offered, leaning in towards him. She smelled like mango and cinnamon, causing Leo to wonder if she tasted just as sweet. Apparently his cock wondered, too.
“Come work out with me. I’m doing chest work. You can lean over and spot me,” he winked, gently stroking her finger tips with his own. She sighed softly and casually pulled her hand away, her eyes glued to his. He could tell she was into him.
“You’d like that wouldn’t you,” she teased. “You want to get all wet... I mean sweaty with me?”
He pondered her question for a moment, his wicked smile revealing the hot fantasy flickering through his mind. She chuckled softly as though she knew exactly what was on his horny mind.
“Anytime, Jones. Anytime.”
Kelly gave him a playful shove and stepped back from the counter as Leo shot her a cheeky grin.
“Jesus, Moretti, you’re going to get me fired,” she chirped, her eyes glowing with curiosity.
“But it would be so worth it,” he offered with a wink as he walked away.
He felt her eyes burning into his back and raised his hand for a quick wave without turning around, certain her eyes were following him right into the changing room.
CHAPTER 3
NORA
Nora grabbed a pen and replayed Leo’s message for the third time, finally jotting his phone number down on her scratch pad. She couldn’t help but smile at the unexpected surprise. She didn’t get asked out very often, and never by men like Leo. She felt a blush rise to her cheeks as she recalled the night before.
Well, he must have liked what he saw, she mused to herself, shaking off her embarrassment. She picked up her phone to text him, and entered his number. She hesitated for a moment, her thumbs lingering over the keyboard.
Was he truly interested or was he just being a nice guy? As smart as Nora was, she wished that she was wiser when it came to the opposite sex and dating. Most of the time she felt out of her element around men.
She thought for a moment or two longer, considering a witty and sexy message, but finally decided to play it safe.
Hi Leo. It’s Nora. No ill effects from the tumble, so no worries. It would be great to meet again under less stressful circumstances. Either coffee or dinner works for me. What would you prefer? Let me know where and when and I’ll check my schedule.
Nora read her text over a few times, satisfied that it sounded okay. It was safe and neutral but not stuffy, and definitely put the ball back in his court. She smiled softly to herself and pushed ‘send’ before she lost her nerve. She wondered how long it would be before he replied. Should she wait? Carry on with her work? Return some phone calls? God, why was she so bad at this, she thought, gently chiding herself.
She placed her cell face down on her desk, certain that work was a better option than sitting there waiting like a schoolgirl. It could be hours before he texted back.
Nora was surprised when her phone chirped only a few minutes later. She picked it up and clicked on the message icon. It was from Leo. She felt an involuntary flutter under her ribs and took a deep breath.
Thanks for getting back to me, Beautiful. Glad you’re okay. Would prefer dinner, but will settle for coffee. I’m not working tomorrow night, unless you already have something planned?
She inhaled slowly and stared thoughtfully at his message. He called her Beautiful. Based on that, she felt pretty safe assuming he was interested. Although tomorrow was Friday, Nora was certain she had nothing planned, but she appreciated the sentiment, nevertheless. True, her social life was pretty non-existent, but she sure as heck didn’t want to let Leo in on that. She sat back in her chair, biting her bottom lip nervously. How long should she wait to reply? What was just the right amount of delay to convey that I’m interested, but not desperate?
She decided to return a few more business calls before responding back. It wouldn’t hurt him to wait a bit. People had become so accustomed to the instant gratification, it was no surprise that so many of her clients suffered from social anxiety. It was a tough world to navigate these days, especially if you lacked the skills or desire to keep up in a world driven by fast moving technology, quick and impersonal communication, and social media. All the worse if you were shy and introverted, or just appreciated privacy. Those folks often found themselves lost or left behind altogether. She was sadly aware that she ran the risk of finding herself in that group.
After Nora finished the conversation with her patient, she set the receiver in the cradle. Convinced that she had allowed enough time to pass, she picked up her cell again and typed Leo a message.
Dinner would be great and my schedule just opened up, so tomorrow works. Do you want to pick me up at my place?
Thankfully, Leo replied right away. The contrast of their texting style was not lost on Nora. Clearly Leo had more experience, and/or confidence, than she did. Probably both.
Would you mind meeting me, instead? I’ll make reservations at Arroyo’s for 7:30. Please tell me a steak house is not a problem. You’re not a tree hugging, hemp wearing, plant eating hippie, are you?
Nora laughed and quickly replied.
No problem. I’ll just wear my peasant skirt with Birkenstocks and order a tofu burger.
She sent the message before she could c
hange her mind. She had an odd sense of humor, quite dry actually. It wasn’t uncommon for her jokes to go right over people’s heads, or for her to have to explain that she was kidding. She wondered if she would have to constantly explain herself to Leo.
I’ll wear a beret, and then maybe we can hit up a poetry slam after dinner, came the message back from Leo.
Nora grinned, grateful he was playing along, then found herself giggling as she pictured her burly fireman in a beret.
A poetry slam sounds groovy. ;) I will meet you at Arroyo at 7:30. Thanks for the invite.
Nora sent her text off to Leo, then grabbed her purse from the bottom drawer of her desk. Before she could throw her phone into her bag, it chirped again.
Looking forward to seeing you, Birks and all.
Nora smiled nervously to herself and stood up, tucking the chair under her desk. No doubt she would be nervous as hell tomorrow. A hot firefighter was interested in her! She wondered if they would have much in common, or what they would talk about. It was obvious she was physically attracted to him, but she wondered if they would have any shared interests. What exactly had prompted him to ask her out?
She shook her head tersely, cross with herself for being so serious. For once in her life, she wondered, why couldn’t she just set aside her systematic way of thinking and just enjoy the moment? Why did it have to be anything beyond a fun night out? Two people attracted to each other and just having a good time? She was determined to approach things differently this time. She could go with the flow and set all expectation aside, couldn’t she? She would just be playful and spontaneous and see where things went. She didn’t have to always be in control, did she?
Dropping her phone into her purse, she quickly left the office, happier than she had been in a very long time.
CHAPTER 4
LEO
The hostess sat Leo at a quiet table for two in the back of the restaurant. She lit the small candle on the table and then set the menus down.
“Can I bring you a drink while you’re waiting for your guest?” she asked with a smile.
Leo looked up at her and grinned. She was a pretty little thing, but far too young to be flirting with.
“Sure sweetheart. You can bring me a California red. Merlot.”
“The bottle?” she asked provocatively, raising her perfect brows.
Leo laughed good-naturedly.
“Absolutely. I like the way you think,” he winked, sitting back in his chair.
In spite of his best efforts, he couldn’t help but flirt, it was just his way. She didn’t seem to mind, anyway. At least if her giggle was any indication.
“I’ll be right back,” she offered, a blush rising to her cheeks.
“I’ll be waiting,” Leo purred, sending her on her way with another giggle.
After their exchange outside her apartment, and the texting to set this up, he was really looking forward to his date with Nora. She intrigued him—for reasons he didn’t yet understand. Well, except one. But really, she was different than the girls he typically flirted with. He had dated a lot of women since Corrine, but never a doctor. Let’s just say the women he typically socialized with could not be considered scholarly. At first glance, Nora didn’t look like the women he was normally attracted to either. She was pretty, and had a smoking body, based on the quick peek he stole before she could cover herself, but she was more than the girl next door. If he had a ‘type’ based on his track record, it would probably be curvy blonds.
When he was a kid, his family shared a house with his grandparents. He would hang out with his Nona and watch classic movies with her. She loved the old movie stars, like Spencer Tracy, Gary Cooper, and Gregory Peck. Her personal favorite was James Stewart, someone she referred to as a ‘true gentleman.’ Every time they watched a movie with Jimmy, she would say, “Look how handsome he is, Leo,” followed by, “Essere ancora il mio cuore,” which translated meant, “Be still my heart.”
His Nona had expressed to Leo that the men of today didn’t know how to be gentlemen, and that he should strive to be like a Jimmy Stewart. This would make Leo laugh. He didn’t want to be like Jimmy. He was more into the tough guys, like Marlon Brando, Steve McQueen, or James Dean. Now they were bad ass.
Of course these old flicks had their share of beautiful Hollywood starlets, too. That was probably where he’d developed his taste for curvy women. Back in the forties and fifties, women were more voluptuous. Women like Jane Mansfield, Rita Hayworth, Brigitte Bardot, and of course his personal favorite, Marilyn Monroe.
When he was thirteen, his grandfather slipped him a copy of the very first Playboy magazine ever published, featuring the beautiful Marilyn. Come to think of it, he probably didn’t know how valuable it was at the time, or he wouldn’t have offered it to a teenage boy with sticky fingers. His friends might have thought it was weird that a kid in the 90’s had his fantasies fueled by nude pictures of a young Marilyn nearly 40 years earlier, but he couldn’t help it. She was damn fine. Sexy, provocative and vulnerable, she set the bar for him from that moment on. He still had that magazine in a safety deposit box at the bank. Last time he checked it was worth more than $40,000, sticky pages and all.
Leo was pulled away from his memories by the same young hostess setting two wine glasses on the table. He smiled up at her as she held the bottle before him.
“This has a palate of blackberry and plum with a soft vanilla note. It offers a nice finish. Shall I uncork it for you?” she asked with a sly grin.
Leo returned her grin and eased back in his chair.
“You’re referring to the wine, I presume?” he teased, his tone thick with innuendo.
The young woman blushed again and nodded, uncertain how to respond.
“Yes sir, the wine,” she giggled.
“It is a 2010 St. Francis Merlot. Very popular.”
Leo decided to let her off the hook. She was probably no more than twenty-one, and although she appeared flattered by his attention, she was definitely not accustomed to men flirting with her. Despite the fact that it was his nature, he suddenly felt a little creepy.
It hadn’t seemed that long ago that he could get away with dating 20 year olds just as easy as 40 somethings. Now that he was pushing forty, not so much. It wasn’t that he couldn’t still attract young women—he still looked and felt closer to 30 than to 40—but he was starting to recognize that he had less and less in common with them, aside from a mutual enjoyment of casual sex.
He had to admit, the age gap was becoming a problem. A few months ago he took a young woman out and they were talking about music when she asked him if he liked ‘The Weekend.’ Although the question seemed odd, he replied, “Sure, only when he wasn’t working.” The young lady quickly informed him that she was talking about a musician of the same name. Needless to say, after a quick round in the sheets, they didn’t get together for a second date.
“The wine looks great. Please...” he said, gesturing for her to open it.
She uncorked the wine like a pro and poured him a small amount to taste. Leo was no connoisseur when it came to wine, and hated the pretentiousness of the swirling, sniffing and sipping expected of him whenever he ordered a bottle. It all seemed so ridiculous to him, anyway. Wine was wine. Like a true Italian, he never had any complaints. The best wines were the ones that happened to be sitting on the table.
He tossed the whole thing back and nodded, grinning at her impishly. She laughed a little louder than she probably should have and gave him a look that said she understood. Just pour the damn wine. She obliged and then left him alone, promising that once his guest arrived, the waiter would be by to take their order.
He had barely enjoyed a few sips when his eyes landed on Nora being escorted to his table. He pulled his breath in sharply, then released it in a long drawn out sigh. She was gorgeous. Although he knew she was probably joking about the peasant skirt and Birkenstocks, he was relieved to see that she was definitely not a hippy, in spite of being a Psyc
hology geek. Just the opposite in fact.
She was dressed in a tight grey skirt with a mid-thigh slit, a black, short sleeved silk blouse, buttoned just high enough to be classy, but still revealing the perfect amount of cleavage, along with a pair of black, patent leather Louboutin pumps with the signature red soles. Her straight dark hair hung loosely around her face and shoulders, and, aside from the red lipstick, she wore very little makeup. She looked like a young Betty Page, all the right curves, but without the signature bangs.
He smiled broadly and stood up to greet her, opening his arms to invite her in for a hug. She accepted it warmly, then he stepped back and eyed her up and down appreciatively, noting her shyness when he got caught looking. She shrugged softly and looked down at the floor. This was a woman who was not aware of her beauty, he surmised.
“Wow, you look incredible. Somehow I wasn’t expecting a Doctor of Psychology to dress like this. Damn, woman!” Leo teased.
“Please, sit down,” he offered, gesturing toward her chair.
Nora chuckled and sat down in the chair across from him, setting her small purse on the table. As soon as she settled herself, she looked him over closely and smiled.
“So, just how were you expecting a Psych Doc to dress?” she teased gently, picking up the wine glass he had just filled for her.
“To be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I have only ever seen you in a bathrobe, you know, and that wasn’t much to go on,” he quipped back.
“Can I make a toast?”
“Of course,” Nora agreed, lowering her glass. She appeared nervous and Leo wanted nothing more than to set her at ease.
“Let’s drink to fate,” he offered, hopefully, “and the fact that it literally knocked us together.”
He raised his glass and waited for her to clink it with her own. She nodded and sipped her wine, her eyes downcast as though she was too shy to meet his gaze.
“I’m happy you agreed to meet me for dinner, Nora. I couldn’t stop thinking about you. I felt so bad for knocking you to the floor. I guess I was just lost in my own world,” he confessed, his eyes willing her to look up.
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