Faith

What You Deserve

Sawyer was dressed in a smart pair of jeans, with a snow-white shirt that stretched across his broad frame, covered by a powder blue blazer. His look tonight was a departure from his usual country casual dress-code. He had run a bit of gel through his unruly hair to try to style it a little, and was clean shaven this evening. As he stood in the hallway of the farmhouse, he shifted nervously on his feet, checking his watch and trying to decide if he felt more comfortable with his hands in or out of his pockets... This was insane. He was transported back to being an awkward teenager stood in the airy hallway of his high-school girlfriend Mandy's house the night he waited for her to appear at the top of the stairs in her prom dress... His mouth felt like cotton... Was he sweating...?

'Get a grip of yourself Sawyer... It's only dinner and drinks... You're being ridiculous...'

He paced into the kitchen to get a glass of water, and as he reappeared in the hallway he found Ariana just reaching the bottom of the stairs.

She smiled as she saw him, her hair was blown out into big bouncy curls that she pushed behind her ear as she blushed upon Sawyer's unintentional, but audible 'wow'.

Flashing a nervous grin at him, Ariana touched Sawyer's arm, "You look really nice!"

Sawyer smiled in acknowledgment, but he just couldn't take his eyes off Ariana. She was wearing a beautiful white halterneck dress, it stopped at her knee but skimmed all her curves in just the right places. There was an applique lace overlay that created a subtle silhouette, accentuating her already lovely figure into a perfect hour glass shape. Nude Heels and sparkling rose gold accessories set off her outfit.

'She could have walked straight off the cover of a magazine' , Sawyer mused.

Juliette had insisted on doing Ariana's make-up for their date tonight, she'd come round with what looked like a weekender case earlier that evening and disappeared upstairs to Ariana's room. Although Sawyer thought Ariana was already beautiful in her simple day-to-day tinted lipgloss and mascara, he couldn't help but feel in awe of how flawless and glowing Ariana's complexion looked: her cheekbones shimmered, her eyes sultry under a layer of smoky shadow and lips that he didn't know how anyone could resist kissing... He was completely mesmorised by her tonight.

Ariana felt Sawyer's eyes on her, suddenly becoming self-conscious and doubting her choice of attire, she folded her arms across her middle, screwing up her nose, "Am I overdressed? Is this too much?"

Sawyer's mouth dropped open as he shook his head, "Ari, you're perfect. You look... I'm the luckiest guy in Montana to be takin' you out on a date tonight."

Ariana fiddled with her necklace as she whispered, "Thanks..."

Sawyer reached out and took her small hand in his, "If you're ready, Miss Omari, our chariot awaits..."

Ariana chuckled, "Why thank you, Mr Oakley", as she squeezed his hand and they headed out to the porch and into the waiting cab.

Ariana felt so anxious sitting in the backseat, her knees were locked tightly together, her hand, still enveloped in Sawyer's, sat on the seat between them as they headed down the drive towards Sweetridge. Her heart raced... She knew Sawyer wanted to be more than friends, and she desperately wanted that too... She had come to trust the kind man next to her more than she could reason since she'd arrived at Oakley Ranch; he'd become her closest confidant. There were personal truths that she'd shared with him that she'd never uttered to anyone before... What if she blew things tonight and ruined everything...?

As those doubts rumbled around in her mind, Ariana suddenly realised that she'd never really been on a proper dinner date before... When she'd met Sean she was only sixteen: she wasn't age to go to a bar, and a date consisted of maybe going to a house party, a movie, or bowling... By the time she and Sean had ever gone for a meal, they were already in a relationship... This was a whole new experience for Ariana...