by Lake, Thalia
“Hi,” I said smiling at the gorgeous man standing on the other side of the door. I was more anxious to see him than I realized.
He had taken his time caressing my body from head to toe with his eyes before he spoke.
“Hello, yourself. You look absolutely beautiful, Sloane,” he finally said, and of course I blushed.
“Thank you, and you look handsome.”
“Thank you. Are you ready to go?” He asked.
“Yes,” I said smiling. He stuck his elbow out for me to take as I closed and locked my door, and he walked me to his sleek, black Mercedes. He opened my door for me and helped me inside before he slid into the driver side and started driving.
We had an easy conversation on our way to the restaurant even though flashes of our kiss the other night kept popping in my mind. The restaurant he was taking me to was about fifteen minutes away from my place. It is a fairly new French restaurant called la Classe that had opened last year. It has received rave reviews from food critics far and wide, and all of the important movers and shakers in Detroit dined there.
Luca parked in the front of the restaurant and helped me out of the car before giving his keys to the valet. He put his hand at the small of my back as we walked the short distance to the front door. Once inside, I was blown away by how beautiful and luxurious the restaurant was. I felt like I should have worn a ball gown instead of the black dress that I had on. All of the tables were adorned with the whitest table cloths with wide pleats in them. The carpeting was a rich scarlet color, and the chairs were Victorian style with plush winter white upholstering. At each table, there were three lit candles with a tall crystal vase that sat in the middle of the table. Inside of the vase was a beautiful assortment of flowers that sat in a bunch at the top. There were beautiful gold chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling full of expensive crystals dangling and sparkling brilliantly throughout the restaurant. The lighting was dimmed which provided a romantic setting for its diners. There were large beautiful paintings on the walls, no doubt painted by French artists. I imagined this was how it would look and feel to be in a five-star restaurant in Paris.
We were seated immediately in a secluded area of the restaurant. Luca helped me take off my coat and then took his off as well and handed it to the maître d’. He pulled out my chair for me and seated me before taking his seat.
“You smell good,” he said smiling at me.
“So do you,” I said in return.
“This place is so beautiful,” I said as I continued to look around.
“Wait until you taste the food,” Luca said smiling.
A waiter came and brought us menus and told us what the specials were. Luca chose the wine for us, and I was very impressed with his French.
“I’m not on top of French cuisine, so I’m going to have to depend on your expertise,” I said as I tried to make sense of the menu.
“No worries. I know you’ll love this dish. It’s a chicken breast stuffed with rich cheeses and vegetables.” Luca said confidently.
“How do you know I’m not on a diet and trying to watch my girly figure?” I teased.
Looking me in the eyes Luca said, “I like women, not girls, and your womanly figure is fine just the way it is. You don’t need to lose a single pound.”
Warm shivers went up my spine. He spoke as though he already knew my body intimately, and I loved that he told me in no uncertain terms exactly what he liked.
Blushing I said, “Touché.” He simply smiled in return. I loved his smile. It was boyish and at times mischievous, but very sexy.
With a wave of his finger, Luca called the waiter back to our table and placed our order. Once again, we were alone, and Luca used that time to gaze at me. I began to feel uncomfortable and wished he’d say something. I felt like he was studying me and trying to uncover my hidden secrets.
“You make me nervous when you stare at me like that,” I said softly.
“I certainly don’t want you to be nervous, but I enjoy looking at you. You’re beautiful, like a delicate rare flower,” he said.
That was by far the sweetest thing any man had ever said to me, and to see the honesty in his eyes when he said it made my heart melt even more.
“I notice you blush at compliments. Are you shy?” He asked curiously.
“I am. I was terribly shy when I was growing up.”
“Tell me more about your childhood,” Luca said as he leaned in closer on the table.
Now I was really uncomfortable. The smile on my face melted as I tried to think of a way to get out of this.
“There really isn’t much to tell. I have three brothers and two sisters. I’m the youngest girl and the fifth child.”
“Are you close to your family?”
“Some of them, yes,” I said. I saw the curious look on his face and knew more questions were coming.
“What about your parents?”
“I’d rather not talk about them. I’m not close to them. My family isn’t normal, it’s not close-knit, it’s not…….it’s just not like normal people’s families,” I said before taking a sip of my water.
Luca didn’t say anything as he listened, and observed me.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to upset you,” he said softly as he reached out to cover my hand with his. His touch made me shiver it was so powerful, yet comforting.
“It’s okay, how were you supposed to know that I come from a jacked up family?” I said.
I saw the empathy in his eyes, and I was almost in tears. I hadn’t cried about my family in years, and seeing this man feel empathy for me not knowing how deep my pain went reduced me to mush.
“Great, now I’m going to cry,” I said, as I looked down at my lap trying to keep my tears at bay.
“Sloane... I’m sorry. Making you cry is the last thing I wanted to do. Please don’t cry. I shouldn’t assume that everyone comes from big happy families. I see the sadness and hurt in your eyes, and I want to take it away, that’s all,” he said as he moved in closer to me. Now he was holding both of my hands, gently massaging them with his warm ones.
“Thank you for that Luca, that’s very sweet of you,” I said as I met his eyes.
“Well, what do you like to do? What are your favorite foods? What kind of movies do you like to watch?” He rattled off. I smiled at his effort to lighten the mood and took a sip of my ice water.
Clearing my throat as I got my emotions under control I said “Well I like to read, I like to travel even though I haven’t done so in a very long time, my favorite foods are anything Italian, soul food, and pizza. I love old black and white movies, romantic movies and suspense movies, rom-coms, and stupid comedies. What about you?” I asked.
“I’m a homebody. I like being home as much as possible because my job requires me to travel so much. I enjoy hiking, I love sports, I’m Italian, so I love Italian cuisine but I don’t discriminate with food. I like a little of everything. I like action movies, and I like comedies and a few rom-coms. We should go see the new Kevin Hart movie. It looks hilarious.” Luca said.
“I’d like that,” I said smiling.
Just then our food arrived, and as Luca promised it was delicious. The chicken was so tender it melted in your mouth. We shared a decadent chocolate mousse cake as we continued to laugh and talk. I loved his laugh. It was deep, rich, and sexy.
“So, Luca…tell me about you and your family, if you don’t mind me asking.”
“Well, I come from a very large family. I have four brothers and three sisters. I’m the second oldest. My parents are retired, and my brothers are basically running the company. I stepped in temporarily at my father’s request to make some needed changes. I have my own construction consulting firm that I run, and I’m not a billionaire like a lot of people think. I’m well off and make my own money, but Santorini Construction is my family’s business.”
“I take it the gold diggers come at you a lot. That doesn’t surprise me. They see a handsome, successful businessm
an with a recognizable name, and they assume you have money stacked up to the moon.”
“You think I’m handsome?” Luca teased as he pinned me with a sexy stare.
“Yes, I do,” I said, with more confidence than I truly felt. I was determined not to spend the entire evening blushing in front of this man.
“Are you seeing anyone right now?” I asked. I felt it was time to get that out of the way once and for all.
His face got serious as he looked me in the eyes. “No, are you?”
“No.” I responded.
“When was your last serious relationship?” he asked.
“I never let them get serious.”
Raising his eyebrows in surprise Luca asked, “Care to explain?”
Why did I put my foot in my mouth? Now I’m going to have to explain my fear of turning into my mother which will only lead to more questions from him about my family. I didn’t want to start out our…..whatever this is, with lies, so I decided to tell him. I had taken a healthy swallow of my wine before I continued. I felt I needed more liquid courage now.
“My mother always put her husband before us kids. No matter how much he cheated on her, no matter how badly he treated her or us, she always took him back and believed his lies. It’s like she lost all common sense when it came to him. So I have this fear that if I meet a man and fall in love, I’ll somehow turn into her. I know it sounds crazy, but that’s my fear.”
Luca frowned at me and shook his head. “I know we’ve just met, but I know for a fact you’re nothing like your mother. To be like your mother you’d have to be an extremely selfish person, and you’re not selfish Sloane. If you were, I would have picked up on it a long time ago. Your mother only thought about herself and her needs, not you or your siblings. You can’t let her mistakes or character flaws become your own. You’re not your mother, Sloane. Not by a longshot.”
His words were like a healing balm to a lingering wound. They were soothing and very much needed.
“Thank you for saying that, I really appreciate it. I’ve gone to great lengths to live a life opposite of my parents. When it came to dating, I was simply scared. It’s hard for me to let my guard down and let people in. I’m too afraid of being hurt.”
“I won’t hurt you, Sloane,” Luca said. His eyes were serious as he looked into my own.
“I want to believe you,” I said with sad eyes.
“Just give me a chance. That’s all I ask,” he said in a soft voice.
“Okay,” I said softly in return.
This was so unlike me. I’ve never dated someone on a whim. I gave every decision I had to make serious thought and consideration, carefully weighing the pros and cons. For some reason, I instantly trusted Luca. There was something about the man that drew me in, something besides the fact that he oozed sex appeal and was a wonderful kisser. I can’t explain it, but I want to give him a chance. I want to give us a try. Not only do I want to get to know him, but I want to prove to myself that I can let go and let someone in. If I fall in love along the way, so be it. Letting go doesn’t mean that I will automatically turn into Betty Jean Paris.
We continued to talk about various things throughout the evening, and we laughed often. The more we got to know each other the more we found that we had many things in common. The most important thing I found out was that Luca Santorini was a sweet, kind, funny man who loved his family more than anything. Family was important to him, and I loved that about him. I also liked that he went after what he wanted in all aspects of his life. He wasn’t a man used to hearing “no” and I loved his take charge attitude. He wasn’t shy about saying what was on his mind either. I knew there was more to this smart, bossy, confident, man than what I’ve seen so far. I loved that he felt comfortable enough to be so transparent with me. It showed that he was serious when he said that he wanted me to get to know him.
When we got back to my loft, he turned off the engine and lights to his car and looked at me.
“This was by far the best date I’ve ever been on, and I’m not just saying that Sloane. I truly enjoyed myself with you tonight,” he said in a serious voice.
“I had a great time too. It was nice seeing this other side of you,” I said in return.
“I meant it when I said that I wanted you to get to know me, and for us to get to know each other. I hate our date has to end,” he said, as he took my hand into his.
“Me too,” I said smiling. “Thank you for a wonderful evening, Luca.”
“You’re welcome. Maybe we can catch that movie next time.”
“I’d like that,” I said softly. With that Luca got out of the car and walked to my side to help me out. As we walked up the pathway that led to my front door, he took my hand into his and linked our fingers. My entire body tingled at his touch, and I instantly felt warm. I had my keys in my hand, and he took them from me and unlocked my door and then handed them back to me.
“I like you, Sloane. I like you a lot, and I like us together. I want to keep seeing you, and only you. If I’m moving too fast for you just let me know, but I know what I want, and that’s you.”
My heart was pounding out of my chest. I was nervous, excited, turned on, and…..happy. I felt happy for the first time in a long time, and I didn’t want that feeling to go away. Luca made me happy. Yes, it was fast, but we’re both grown adults. Why wait? Why put a timeframe on when certain things should happen? Well, wait a minute. I will put a timeframe on sex. I will not have sex on a first or second date. But Luca Santorini may be an exception. Each time I’m around him my willpower gets weaker and weaker.
“You’re not moving too fast at all. I want the same things. I want you……” he didn’t let me finish my thought because he pulled me into his arms. One hand cupped my face while the other was wrapped around my waist as he laid a mind blowing kiss on my lips. I whimpered in surprise and arousal but quickly gave in to him. I wrapped my arms around his neck, grabbing the thick hair at the nape of his neck. His tongue demanded entrance into my mouth, and I eagerly parted my lips for him. He moaned deeply into the back of his throat as he began a sensual assault on my mouth. His tongue was strong as it dominated me and imposed its will on my mouth, caressing, licking, and hypnotizing me. His hands moved inside of my unbuttoned coat and wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer to him. I felt his arousal, and I felt even more lightheaded. He tasted so good, so manly, and I wanted more. I couldn’t get enough of him. My panties were ruined again with my desire for Luca, and if we didn’t stop soon I would officially become a member of the “Dropped the panties on the first date” club.
His hands were now massaging my ass as he deepened our hot first date kiss. It wasn’t just a sensual or sexual kiss; it was a kiss that conveyed that I now belonged to this man. He was staking his claim and making sure that I knew that I was his, just as he was mine.
Finally, he dragged his lips from mine as we both gasped for air. I slowly opened my eyes to find his beautiful, passion filled blue ones staring intensely at me. His hand cupped one side of my face while his thumb caressed my cheek over and over. I shyly smiled at him, and he slowly smiled back.
“That was nice,” I said breathlessly. Who was I kidding? That was freaking hot! This time our kiss was much more intense and needy. We both let ourselves go and gave in to the moment.
“Yes, it was. I’m sorry I got so carried away, but your lips shouldn’t be so damn soft and sweet. I couldn’t get enough, and I still want more,” he said in a low, sensual voice that only turned me on more.
I reached up and wiped my lipstick off of his lips and chin with my thumb. I was trying desperately to get my bearings. I felt light headed like I was walking on clouds, and I needed to get away from Luca despite how much my body craved him right now.
“You say the sweetest things to me Luca. Thank you again for a wonderful evening. Good night,” I said before I stepped inside my home.
“Ciao, mi amore,” Luca said sexily in fluent Italian as he waited for me to clos
e the door. I slowly closed and locked my door and stepped out of my heels smiling as I walked to my bedroom. I’m in a real relationship for the first time in my life with an amazing man, and I like it. One minute I hated the man’s guts, and the next I agree to dinner with him, agree to date him, and I’m slobbing him down on my door step. Yet, it all feels right. I couldn’t wait to call Angie tomorrow to tell her all about my date with Luca. She’s going to scream!
Chapter Thirteen - She’s Mine
My date with Sloane was amazing. She looked breathtaking in her black dress. When I picked her up at her place, I was tempted to cancel dinner and suggest that we stay in, but I didn’t want her to think that I only had sex on the brain. All of her womanly curves were on display in all the right places in that simple yet oh so sexy dress. Once we relaxed and got past the nervous jitters that first dates often bring, we had a great time talking and laughing about many different subjects. Sloane is a very funny woman, even when she’s not trying to be. She is insightful and thoughtful and has a kind, giving heart. All of those qualities endeared me to her even more.
When she shared with me how she was afraid of being like her mother, my heart broke for her. This sweet, amazing woman has denied herself love and affection all of her adult life because of the selfish actions of her mother. I couldn’t even begin to imagine how it had to feel for her growing up with a mother like that. I think of my own mother, and she’s the total opposite of Sloane’s mother. My mother doted on all of her children, and there’s eight of us. Till this day, she calls each of us at least once a day to check on us and the grandkids. I thought everyone had a mother like mine, but tonight I was reminded that not everyone does. I can tell from looking in Sloane’s eyes that her family issues are deep and painful, and I’ll never push her to talk about them. Just hearing what little she did share with me was enough for me to know that I would have to tread lightly with her when it comes to her family. I kept thinking about how I couldn’t wait for Sloane to meet my family. They would love her and welcome her with open arms. That’s how loving my family is.