"You're really not going to tell me where we're going tonight?" I asked, turning my head towards Tanner as he smiled proudly to himself, like he was holding all the secrets of the universe. Dusk was approaching and we'd been driving in the car for what felt like hours, not that I was complaining. I could do this all night.
"No, I'm really not going to tell you. You'll have to be patient," he replied, patting my hand gently. His skin felt warm. "We'll be there soon, though. I can tell you don't do very well with anticipation."
"You're right." I laughed. "I'm the worst. I was the kid who would try to open my Christmas presents ahead of time and re-wrap them so my parents wouldn't notice."
"You'd go to all that trouble just to see what was under the tree?"
"Yep. You said it yourself. I don't do well with anticipation."
"I'm starting to think that was a giant understatement," Tanner teased. I watched him as he drove to our unknown date destination. It was our first date and I was really excited. Even though Tanner made me feel at ease, I was still so attracted to him that my nerves were standing at attention. I watched his strong arms as he turned the steering wheel, focused on the road. If he hadn't told me he was in computers, I'd never have known. His t-shirt pulled from the toned muscles of his biceps. He was tall and lean, but obviously worked out and took care of himself. I was beyond impressed.
A few minutes later, he pulled the car up to a small park. Still intrigued, I wasn't sure what to think.
"I love playgrounds!" I teased. "But, I should warn you, I get sick on the merry-go-round."
"I don't think we'll be spending much time on it, don't worry. Just a sec. I have to grab a few things from the trunk."
Strolling confidently to the back of his Jeep, he opened the trunk and retrieved an old fashioned picnic basket, a checkered blanket, and a grocery sack. Goosebumps rose on my arms as I wondered what was inside them. Trying to conceal my excitement, I followed Tanner to the open field behind the playground.
"Will you help me with this?" he asked, handing me one end of the red and white checkered blanket. It reminded me of the old fashioned ones you'd see on television when I was a kid.
"It's the least I can do." I smiled. "So....what's in the basket?"
"Hmm, I'm thinking I should make you wait. You know, since I know how much you love surprises and anticipation. Making you wait could be a lot of fun," he said. A fake pout crossed my lips and I wrinkled my nose.
"Okay, okay! I see you're bringing out the big guns once again. Have a seat and I'll show you." Eagerly, I sat down next to the large wicker basket.
Tanner opened the top of the basket and placed two plates on the blanket, followed by wine glasses and several small plastic containers filled with cheese, grapes, and bread.
Finally, he rested a bottle of wine on the blanket and I practically gasped. Observing my reaction to the bottle of Moscato di Asti, my absolute favorite, he looked sheepish and a little uncomfortable.
"I have a confession to make," he said, gazing thoughtfully into my eyes. "I knew that Moscato was your favorite wine. It wasn't some lucky guess or an act of fate or anything like that."
"Aha, so you gathered intel?" I grinned. "I'm guessing Elise is responsible for this?"
"Yep. I'd never even heard of it, to be honest. I'd planned to pretend it was my favorite. But, I'm a terrible liar. Plus, I don't want to impress you under any false pretenses."
A terrible liar? That could be a very nice change.
"You did impress me, though," I said, trying to reassure him.
"Really? Even though I kinda cheated?"
"Yep. I love that you cared enough to go to Elise. I think that's awesome." I was having trouble containing my enthusiasm. "No one has ever done that for me before. I know it may seem like something minor, but trust me...it's not. Not to me."
Tanner took my hand, raised it to his lips, and planted a delicate kiss on the tips of my fingers. My pulse quickened and my mouth started to feel dry as my nerve endings danced. It'd been so long since I felt like this that it was a bit unsettling. I resisted the urge to pull my hand away. Heat was gathering at my fingertips and flooding the rest of my body. I was aching for him to kiss me, to stroke my hair and caress my neck. His gentle, simple gesture had sent me into a beautiful frenzy. Every bit of my body was yearning for him. Who knew a computer geek could be so hot?
"Okay, are you ready for rapid fire dating questions?" I asked, trying to focus my brain on something else besides jumping my date's bones. My confidence was growing and I was eager to know more about him.
"Go for it." He sat up, giving me his undivided attention.
"Favorite movie?"
"Say Anything."
"Seriously? I love that movie so much." I was practically gushing. I couldn't believe Tanner loved one of my all-time favorite movies, usually deemed a chick-flick. Josh-u-a would be horrified.
"Yeah, I guess I'm a big sap. I think it's a great movie. I love the boom-box scene where he's standing outside her window. John Cusack really nailed it. He became my favorite actor after that movie."
"I agree." I smiled, pulling my legs up to my chest. Wow, this guy was getting under my skin.
"So much for rapid fire questions," Tanner teased as he popped a grape into his mouth, snapping me back to reality and to the task at hand.
"Oh, right, sorry. Okay, favorite book?"
"1984," he said confidently.
"George Orwell, huh? I love that book as well. I'm a dystopia junkie."
"I guess we have something else in common."
"Yep. All right, stop distracting me. Favorite band?"
"The Rolling Stones," he said matter-of-factly. "Paint it Black is my all-time favorite song."
"Ahh, so you have a dark side, too?" Shamelessly flirting with my date, I couldn't help myself. His answers were pretty perfect.
"Favorite way to spend an evening?" I asked.
"Um, I'd say a picnic with a beautiful woman sounds like the perfect evening to me," Tanner answered, handing me a slice of cheese and a handful of grapes.
We sipped the wine, nibbling on the cheese and bread while laughing again and again. Telling one another ridiculous dating stories, I was at a bit of a disadvantage since he was friends with Henry and already knew some of my mishaps.
"So wait, hold on...." Tanner laughed, trying to catch his breath. "The guy sent you a YouTube video of Van Halen?"
"Yep, he sent me the "Hot for Teacher" video. He was hoping to impress me."
"Well, did he?"
"Nope," I stated proudly.
"Thank God." Tanner shook his head, seemingly reassured by my taste in men.
"Actually, the YouTube video isn't the reason that I turned him down."
"Oh, really? I'm intrigued."
"He was divorced and had four kids. I'm not ready to be the mother of one, let alone a stepmother to four. It was way too much pressure at the time. Hell, it'd be way too much pressure now."
"Yeah, I'm thinking you dodged a bullet on that one."
Just then, my cell phone beeped. Glancing quickly, I saw Cece had sent me a text. I quickly put my cell phone away.
"It's okay. You can read your message," Tanner said reassuringly.
"Nah, it can wait." A bit shaken, I tried to refocus my attention completely on my date, "So, tell me...what's the craziest thing a girl ever did to be with you?"
"Hmm, believe it or not, I'm drawing a blank. Don't get me wrong, I've dated a lot. But I've never had anyone chase me around. Computer guys aren't exactly known for making the ladies swoon."
"Well, I'm swooning." Raising my eyebrow, I looked him straight in the eye.
"Are you?" Tanner asked with a lopsided grin as his finger tips tucked my hair behind my ear. A shiver ran down my arms.
"Mmm hmm. This is a very romantic first date, you know."
"I'm just getting started." He said, wiggling his eyebrows one time. He was so confident. I loved it. "Turn around. It's time for the sunset
."
I turned just in time to see the glowing orange sun sinking slowly into the clearing. It was gorgeous and unbelievably romantic. Tanner wrapped a small blanket over my shoulders, slid in next to me, and took my hand in his. When I turned to smile at him, he kissed me softly on the lips. My chest fluttered. I was tired of the polite kisses; I wanted more. A lot more.
Eventually, the sun had set completely and the twilight sky was nearing darkness. Just as I mentally prepared for the end of our picnic, Tanner reached into his bag and pulled out several candles. Smiling wide, he shrugged his shoulders. "Citronella, to keep the bugs away. I'm not ready to let you go. When was the last time you looked up at a sky full of stars?"
Tanner carefully lit all of the candles and placed them carefully around our blanket. He laid down and I followed his lead, placing my head next to his. We were so close that I wondered if he could hear the thunderous thumping of my heart. He placed his hand into mine, threading our fingers together tightly. His other hand gently stroked the inside of my wrist.
We gazed at the stars for hours. Tanner pointed out several constellations to me and I was captivated by his knowledge of the sky.
"I was fascinated with astronomy when I was a kid. I had a telescope in my room and everything. Maggi and I used to sneak up onto the roof on clear summer nights."
"I think the stars are incredibly romantic," I whispered, " and I love that you know so much about them. I feel like I'm learning a little more about you."
"I'd like you to know a lot more about me...when you're ready."
Puzzled by this response, I pressed him. "What do you mean, when I'm ready? What did I miss here?" I leaned up on my elbows and stared into his eyes, expectantly.
"I wasn't going to say anything. But, this night has been...well, it's been pretty incredible. I want to make sure that we move at a pace that works for you, and I know you've been through a lot. I don't want to mess anything up."
"Oh," I said, taken aback. "So, you know about Mayson?"
"Yeah, Henry told me. He wanted to make sure I was careful, you know, with your feelings. And he was right. So we'll take it slow. Just know that I like you, a lot, and I'd love to keep seeing you."
"I like you a lot too, Tanner. You really don't need to worry about me, though. I'm a big girl. Yes, Mayson put me through a lot. And it was painful to lose him the way I did, but I'm doing my best to move past it."
"Okay, I'm sorry I brought it up."
"No, I'm impressed that you brought it up. I love that you're straightforward and honest about your feelings. I used to be like that, too. It's refreshing."
"You used to be? What made you change?"
"Well, let's just say that Mayson didn't appreciate brutal honesty."
"Ah, I see. Well, just so you know, I do. I would much rather we talk things through, without holding back, then to have unspoken things fester between us. I've always lived my life that way and I really don't have any plans to change."
"I'll work on it," I promised. "Habits can be hard to break sometimes."
"Ok, now lay back down and let's look at some stars. It looks like the fireflies are coming out."
"Oh, I love lightning bugs."
"Lightning bugs?" Tanner asked with a laugh. "I've never heard that term before. It's cute."
"Oh, c'mon. Everyone in the Chicago area knows they're called lightning bugs."
"Well, that explains it. I grew up in Michigan."
"When did you move here?"
"About five years ago. There's a lot of tech jobs here."
"Well, you're a Chicagoan now, so you had better get used to calling them by their proper name," I said.
"Fireflies." He nodded assertively, giving me an irresistible smile that I was pretty sure would be my undoing.
"Alright, alright, I give in." I put my hands over my head in surrender.
"You're incredibly sexy, you know that?" Tanner asked quietly, his cheeks reddening slightly.
"No, I don't," I said, overwhelmed by his sudden compliment.
"It's true. You've got to be the sweetest and sexiest woman I have ever watched lightning bugs with."
"Aha, you said it properly!" I said, throwing back my head in laughter.
When I turned back to him, his eyes were serious. And I knew the night was about to change. His lips pressed to mine. Not a soft, delicate kiss like earlier in the evening, but a hungry kiss full of desire. His hands cupped my cheeks as I eased effortlessly into his embrace. His touch felt so natural, as if we'd been doing this for years. Tanner's tongue entered my mouth and every nerve in my body stood hungrily at attention. His kisses were deliberate and smooth. My toes tingled as he pressed me into the checkered blanket, our legs twisted together in a beautiful, private knot. His hands threaded through my hair seductively as he continued to kiss my lips, my chin, my throat. I slipped my hands underneath his shirt and he moaned softly into the crook of my neck.
Just as his hands wandered underneath my cotton tunic, my phone rang, startling us both. I recognized the ring tone even though I hadn't heard it in months. It was Cece. Again. First a text and now a phone call. I hadn't seen or heard from her since we met at the coffee shop months prior to this night. Something had to be wrong.
"I'm so sorry, Tanner. This might be an emergency. I should take it."
"Of course," Tanner said, out of breath. He looked flustered.
"I'll be right back." He nodded and handed me a candle.
"So you can find your way back," he whispered.
I offered a weak smile, guilt flooding me as I answered the phone. I was walking away from my gorgeous and thoughtful date in order to talk to the mother of my ex-boyfriend. Something did not add up. But I had to take the call.
"Cece, hi."
"Daphne, I'm so sorry, is this a bad time?" she asked.
"Well, I'm...not at home at the moment. Are you alright?" I couldn't handle telling Cece that I was on a date, the first date that I'd enjoyed since losing her son. I felt guilty, as if somehow my dating Tanner and moving on might cause her pain.
"Oh no, dear, I'm fine. I've been thinking about you so much and finally decided that I needed to get in touch." My body calmed as I heard these words, knowing she was all right. This bond I felt towards Cece was unexplainable, yet so strong.
I glanced back at Tanner who was drinking another glass of wine and running his fingers through his hair. His brow was furrowed in concern. But as guilty as I felt for leaving him on the picnic blanket alone, I was so relieved to hear Cece's voice.
"Well, I'm so glad that you did. I felt terrible with how we left things."
"Oh, Daphne, you have no idea what that means to me. This may seem strange, but I feel such a connection with you. Perhaps it's what we went through together, losing our Mayson. I don't know, but I just called to say that I'm here if you ever need me. I care for you deeply, almost as if we've known each other for years. Is that terribly strange?"
"Well, maybe, but I don't care." I laughed, tears filling my eyes. "I feel the same way. Listen, I do have to go, but I will call tomorrow and we can catch up."
"Fantastic." I could tell she was smiling on the other end of the line. "You take care now."
"You do the same, Cece."
"Oh, and Daphne, thanks for answering my call. I wasn't sure that you would, after, well, after the cafe."
"I'll always answer. I'll talk to you tomorrow."
Walking back to Tanner, a spectrum of emotion flooded through my brain. Cece referred to Mayson as "our Mayson." How could I possibly tell her about Tanner? How could I tell her that he intrigued me in a way that no one else had since her son? I can't. If she asked about my love life, I'd have to lie...at least temporarily. I had to protect her feelings. She'd been through enough.
"Is everything alright?" Tanner's concerned eyes found mine.
"Everything is fine. I'm sorry about that." I tried my best to sound casual.
"No emergency then?" I could tell Tanner was fishing for in
formation and I couldn't blame him. We were in the middle of an extremely hot make out session and I stopped to take a phone call. Pangs of guilt shot through me, knowing I might have hurt Tanner's feelings, and possibly his ego.
"No. Just an old friend I hadn't talked to in a very long time. She had texted earlier, so when I saw that she was calling, I thought maybe she was in trouble." Tanner nodded, listening intently. "I'm sorry I spoiled the moment."
"That's all right. It's just the first date. We'll have other moments." He glanced down at his watch.
"Let's get you home before the cops bust us for being in the park this late."
"Ah, so you're a rule follower, eh?" I asked, realizing just how much I loved teasing Tanner Finley.
"Not all the rules, but I really don't want this date to end in the back of a police car. So, yes, in this case, let's behave ourselves."
Inside, I pouted a bit, not wanting to leave this near-perfect date. But knowing that there would be more nights like this put the smile back on my face as we drove to my apartment for a slow and sensual goodnight kiss.
Swooning over a computer geek? Hell yeah!
#
Chapter 25
Interrogation
"So, what on earth do you talk about with her?" Morgan asked skeptically over a slice of pizza. We were sitting on my apartment floor watching a romantic comedy (Joshua would be so proud) and chatting over dinner. I'd somehow managed to reveal my ongoing friendship with Cece.
"Everything really. Well, almost everything. I can't bring myself to tell her about Tanner. It would crush her."
"But you're talking to her a couple of times a week. Tanner is a huge part of your life now, right? How could you not tell her about him? If Cece's really your friend, you wouldn't hide it."
"In theory, I agree with you. I know I shouldn't be hiding him from anyone. I adore him, but she's still in mourning. If she knows I'm starting to move on, she may pull away from me."
"And why would that be so terrible? What is so special about this friendship? You have plenty of friends already." I could hear the obvious disdain in her voice.
"I don't know how to explain it. It's a bond that I've never felt with another human being. Maybe it's because we both lost Mayson, maybe it's because we comforted each other in a way that no one else has. All I know is that I adore her and really look forward to our talks. She's become like a second mom to me."
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