little things matter (short stories)

the romantic debate

He leads her to a small table in a quiet restaurant. At a late hour for dinner, most of the tables are empty. He pulls out her chair. She sits. He sits across from her. The only light is from a few well-placed candles.

A waiter approaches and, without saying a word, pours them wine and leaves the bottle. No menus. He has ordered them in advance.
There will be no interruptions from wait staff aside from the bringing and clearing of the courses.

He watches as she sips the wine. She notices.

Blushes.

A shy smile slips out. He loves watching her.

A voyeur looking into a secret world.

He smiles warmly back as if to comfort her. It does.

She begins to enjoy his gaze. Soaking it in. Feeling his eyes move over her.

From her eyes to her nose, cheeks, and lips. The curve of her neck. The slope of her shoulders. Her chest. The tiny bit of cleavage just peeking out from her dress. Again, she blushes. This time, so does he. Back to sipping wine.

They lock eyes across the table. 

Lost in the depths of each other's eyes. She can feel his desire, he is hers.

But it is not lustful. Calm, gentle, controlled.
With a sense of longing to escape forever into that universe around them. 

She gazes at him over her glass as she sips her wine. She knows he is watching her.

She decides to break the sensual silence and add words between them.

"So, how's life?", she slips a grape between her lips. Smiles coyly as her teeth crush the skin, exploding the juices into her mouth.

"Life is great how it has been recently. Everything is in its place perfectly.", he smiles affectionately. 

She got slightly miffed and began a discussion on why pros of marriage. 

The two Harvard graduate lawyers debated the merits, demerits, and consequences of marriage.

The vigor was high as Everest in the atmosphere.

She was vexed at the reluctance and said, "Alright, I don't want to marry you either."

Before he could say anything, the waiter bought the dessert on the table. As she stuck her spoon to take a bite of it, she hit something.

She took out the beautiful thing from in there and gazed at it in amazement.

"Do you still not want to marry me?" he retorted refilling their wine glasses.

She couldn't stop blushing. Time stands still. Stopping just for them. An eternity to enjoy each other's company. He watching her. She is being watched. Anyone could see the energy between them. It can be felt. Something surreal is happening at that table. To them, it is completely natural, to exist at that moment in their universe.

Her spoon sways out from between her lips as she devours the dessert. Some are left on her lips. He planned that of course. She knows it. He reaches towards her before she can raise her napkin. But his reach is not for her lips. He puts his hand softly on her cheek and leans toward her. She leans toward him. He kisses her softly. Tasting the sweetness of the dessert mixed with the sweetness of her.

Everything around them fades away.

They are in their universe.

Locked in a kiss.