I couldn't remember a time when I had been more nervous on a first date. I had already kissed the woman, for goodness sake! Wasn't that supposed to be the difficult part? I cringed as I quickly dodged a waiter carrying a tray full of glasses. That was close. I let out a large breath of air and prayed that Hope would not notice my nervous nature.
"I like the vibe in here." Hope shouted over the loud dance music blaring from the DJ booth at the front of the large room. Bright lights and dark spaces seemed to provide the perfect ambiance for a romantic night out. It wasn't exactly the best place to talk, but it would do.
I led her to a small table tucked away. I knew the place and the people quite well. The small nook helped to drown out the sound of the bass and bring a large sort of intimacy to our situation. I smiled and nervously pulled down my short red dress that was altogether too revealing to be comfortable.
"You look amazing." I managed to say with a small smile that I hoped would convey precisely how attractive she was.
"Thank you. You don't look too bad yourself." I grinned and observed her long legs sticking out from her dangerously short skirt. Her dark green low cut shirt clung a little too close to her skin for my complete comfort. Amazing didn't seem to cover the amount of sizzle the woman possessed.
"I want to be blunt. I'm attracted to you. We both know it. I'm starting to think that attraction isn't all I need anymore. Do you know what I mean?" I cringed at my indelicacy but I couldn't think of another way to put it.
"I know exactly what you mean." She placed a warm hand over mine on the red silk covered table. I smiled.
"I can't stop thinking about you." I said as earnestly as I could.
"So what can we do about that?" She said with a mischievous grin.
"Dance?" I inquired happily. I reached out to take her hand once I stood from the table. She didn't hesitate.
The dance floor was crowded with energetic bodies but I just pulled her close and we swayed to the fast beat as if we didn't notice others around us. It's true that we seemed to exist in a world completely of our own. My hand found it's place on her svelte hips. Her body seemed to tense for a moment when my hand touched. I enjoyed the tension.
Her blue eyes held my green ones captive in the best way.
"You know, my past doesn't define me. You don't have to know it in order to know exactly who I am." She spoke the words and I nearly let out a sigh. If only she knew how much my past held on to who I was. Somehow, Hope made me want to forget the past and try and be happy for once. If Jane could do it, I could too.
"I'm all for forgetting the past." I spoke earnestly. She nodded in concession.
The night flew by with laughs about our passions and hobbies. Hope shared the same interest in literature as I did and longed for great adventures as I did as well. She seemed to blossom up before me as the night went on. Her eyes held true mirth and excitement as she shared stories of her family and the farm she grew up on.
I laughed out loud when she shared that information with me. Who would have thought it?
At the end of the night, I walked her to her door. It felt so new. Although I had kissed her before, it seemed so much more important to get the goodnight kiss right.
"You look as if you might pass out." She chuckled at the sight of my nerves. I tried hard to laugh. I swallowed hard as I leaned in close. Her breath seemed to catch as I locked eyes with her and my hand found the side of her sweet face and guided her lips to mine. The kiss seemed so simple, but it wasn't. It was perfect. It was brief and electric. When I pulled away, I mourned the loss of her lips. She stared at me for a moment.
