Nothing You've Come To Expect - Alex Turner

19. and your love is standing next to me

I put my glass down laughing with my mouth close, trying to not spit the wine out. "Stop it! I'm going to choke!"
Alex kept making me laugh at the worst times all night.
He did good. The place is indeed beautiful: a roof-top restaurant on the hills with an amazing view. We got back to LA in the early evening and we caught the last bit of a red sunset. It's getting dark now and the city lights are beginning to showing off their charm.
"By the way, you should come with another warning. 'Careful: feisty'," he says before taking a sip of sparkling water. No alcohol for him tonight. He had enough last night.
"You're learning."
"Yeah. I told you what lesson I learnt this time."
"Good boy! And that was only a taste." I joke, tapping on his hand on the table. I make him chuckle.
"It's true what they say about Italians." His hand now switches on top of mine and rubs it delicately.

"What do they say?"
"That they're passionate." I feel his gaze penetrating my pupils, making it very hard to look away.
"I saw it right away, really," he adds, talking quietly.
A strange tension built up all at sudden. Alex got intense: his gaze, his voice, his tone. I feel like we're about to get very personal. I have to look away, it's too much. Even for just a second.
I look down at our hands, smiling and when I go back to him he's smiling back.

"We have a good thing, don't we?"
I can't breathe
I'm not able to reply so I just smile back, getting lost in his eyes.
He holds my hand in his, stroking my fingers, keeping eye contact.
This man controls my heartbeat. And it is going up.
Alex swallows and I see his lips parting, like he's about to say something, but he's hesitating.
"Can I take these out of your way?" the waitress asks, pointing her hand to our empty plates. I didn't even hear her coming by.

Alex clears his throat. "Sure." His eyes are still in mine.
"Another Pinot Grigio, miss?"
I look at my glass. God knows if I need another glass right now. But damnit, I have to drive and it's a long drive. "Oh, no thanks."
I go back to Alex. He's looking down, rubbing the side of his nose. As the waitress reaches to collect our dishes, he lets my hand go and runs his through his hair.
Damn. The moment is gone.
I'm not sure what was going on, but jeez lady, you killed it.

"Can I get you anything else? Should I bring the dessert menu?"
Alex raises his brows at me, forwarding the question to me.
"I'm good." I tuck a lock of hair behind my ear and I look back at him with an amused expression, remembering the last time a waiter asked us the same question. We'll have dessert at home this time too, I reckon.
The smirk on his face tells me Alex is thinking the same thing. "Want to head back?"
"Mmh-mmh," I reply affirmatively. I lick my lips as I trace the rim of my glass with a finger.

He did good in the after-dinner, too. Oh yes.

Unfortunately I had to leave after that. But this week we'll have a chance to see each other before the second weekend show at Coachella. It's a busy week for The Puppets: a concert in LA, an apparition on TV on the James Corden show, some interviews, a photoshoot for GQ and gig at the Observatory in Santa Ana. This one is at a decent distance for me so, even though it's in the middle of the week, I'm joining them there.

*****
I have more luck this time accessing the back stage with my pass.
"Hey! Where's everyone?" I ask Ceci when I find her.
"They're going over the new song one more time."
"Which new song?!"
"A new cover, they'll play it tonight. I'll keep it a surprise to you."
"I like your surprises, Ceci!"
"You're welcome. Oh!! I almost forgot! Guess who showed up the other night at the gig in LA?"
"Who?"
"Polythene Pam."
"What?! You gotta be kidding me. Why you didn't tell me?"
"Sorry honey, I just didn't want you to get upset for nothing. She was there with a guy...he's in some band that I don't know. They didn't stay too long after the gig, they said hi and left."
"Ok. Keep your eyes peeled girl, I have a feeling she's not done sniffing around, and I don't trust her."
Fucking Pamela. She didn't see me there with them - with him- and maybe she thinks the way is clear. Argh she makes me so stupidly paranoid. I hate her for that.