Unknown Diners

Chapter Three

Lorne and Catherine turned to savouring the creations on the fresh plates and enjoying the Brunello, their conversation now focused on the flavours and flair and on the synergy with the wine. They discussed the artistic plating presentations and the service as their table was bussed and cleaned, and then set with dessert plates, cutlery and six wine glasses.

A waiter arrived with a large dessert sampler platter and placed it between them in the centre of the table. The sommelier followed with three bottles and showed them the labels before pouring the wines, lighter to heavier. "Moscato d'Asti, Vin Santo and Passito di Pantelleria. You two don't need explanations for these." She smiled, then continued around the room.

"And I was just getting back into my size fours," Catherine said, as she examined the platter and laughed. "God, it's good to get out again. I've been a hermit."

"I'm still a hermit, except when I come out for these things, and for the tastings, the junkets, the —"

"Yes, I suppose you are. I've never seen you with anyone." Catherine tilted her head. "A boyfriend?"

"Girlfriend. I've never done boys — except for the priest." He gave her a twisted smile, then took a bite from a crostata di fragole and followed it with a sip of Moscato.

"The priest?"

"An old Catholic tradition. We don't want to go there. This is delicious Moscato. I've had girlfriends, but never serious."

"Wonder why I pegged you as gay. Gentle, nonaggressive, kind and always helpful. Yeah, I guess. Trim, fit, well-groomed." She sat up in her chair, tilted her head and studied him. "You're a damned good looking man, Lorne. Devastating to be more accurate. Bright and witty — you've a great sense of humour. You've always made me happy. I've never heard you complain. You're obviously successful and prosperous. I would think there'd be hordes of women wanting to glom onto you and hang on. Why hasn't anyone?"

"It's never worked out with anyone I'm interested in. I guess that's it." He shrugged and took a spoonful of caffè pannacotta and another sip of the Moscato.

"So where have you searched? There are so many great dating sites on the web. I've been sifting through them, trying to figure out which one I should use."

"I haven't searched. Guess I've been too busy. Too focused on other things, the research, the writing. I've never looked."

"Focused. Yeah, you certainly are focused, but how the frick do you expect to find anyone if you don't search?" She eyed the dessert platter. "What's good here? I want a few nibbles only. I'm just getting used to my slim body again."

"The biscotti are light. They're a classic with the Vin Santo, and this one from Avignonesi is superb." He paused to look up and run his eyes over her. "You're gorgeous. But you've always been absolutely gorgeous to me. I could never figure out what you were seeing whenever you said you were too heavy."

"Ooh! I like that." She moved her scarf aside, then wiggled her shoulders as she flipped her thick red tresses around to her back. "Those are the eyes I need to have looking at me."

Lorne dipped a biscotto in his Vin Santo and let it soak a few seconds. "Here, bite the end off this." He reached it across the table toward her.

She took his hand to direct the piece to her mouth and continued holding while she savoured the bite, enjoying the complexity of flavours and the touch. "You're right, this is marvellous. Some things fit together so well." She squeezed his hand and felt a tingle and a shiver run up her thighs and down her belly.

He smiled. "So you've decided to start dating? I guess it's been a long time since Nathan... Sorry, we weren't going there."

She squeezed his hand again, kissed his fingers and took another nibble off the end of the biscotto. "Yeah, I'm tired of being alone. It's not natural. People are meant to be together."

He smiled at her and nodded. "I would love to find someone to share my life, someone's to share. More than a friend, though, a lover. I'm not getting any younger, thirty-four now, and it increasingly seems I'll continue the rest of the way as a bachelor."

"Why do that?" She wet her lips. "Look around, there's at least one woman in this room with an intense interest in you."

"Who do you... Oh, you mean Cynthia?" He scanned the room to spot her. "She asked me out a few times. It went nowhere. I found no magic. I guess she might still be interested."

"Okay, so there are at least two interested women in here, then."

"So who else? I can never tell." He swivelled his head to scan faces in the room. "I would love to find out."

Catherine squeezed his hand again, moved it to her lips and kissed it. "Me, Lorne... Me. We've known each other nearly forever, in the trade, in university, before that. I've always been interested in you, but you never saw me as anything beyond a friend as we tasted, wrote, wined, dined. You ignored everything about me beyond those things. Ignored everything but a warm friendship. A delightful friendship."

She shook her head and pouted. "There was never a hint of response to my flirting and advances. Nothing at all. I thought at first it was because I wasn't your type, then I thought you might be asexual, but you had too much fire for that. Finally, I assumed you must be gay, and I began dating Nathan and —"

"Not a gay cell in my body that I'm aware of." He stared into her eyes. "I'm a hundred percent hetero as far as I know." He ran his fingers through his hair, then shrugged as he began speaking, "This might sound weird to you..." He hesitated. "Creepy, even." He paused again and gave her a sheepish grin. "From the beginning, I've fantasised about holding you. Caressing you. Making love with you. So many wonderful fantasies — impossible fantasies. I never dreamed any of it was possible."

She nibbled on his forefinger, then put its tip in her mouth and ran her tongue over it before speaking again. "It's all possible, Lorne. All of it. I'd love you to begin playing through your fantasies with me." She flipped her hair off the back of her neck. "It's getting hot in here, isn't it? Which is closer? Your place or mine?"

Lorne took bites from each of the messier desserts on the platter while Catherine surreptitiously popped the more portable things into a zip-lock bag in her purse, both of them wanting to leave the sampler platter appearing well enjoyed. Their eyes were alive with passion as they raised their glasses of Passito to her toast, "Here's to many years of pent-up desire."

They drank to the toast, then rose from the table and caught Cynthia's eye. Lorne buttoned his double-breasted blazer as he stood, hiding an excitement he hadn't been able to dismiss. Feigning another engagement and begging off staying for coffees and grappas, they thanked Cynthia as she walked them to the front.

"Here, your kits," Pierre said as he handed them each a logoed canvas bag. "The menus, descriptions and profiles are all in here." He dropped a small ribboned box into each bag. "Also, an extra treat for each of you. You know how to reach us if you need anything further."

Cynthia took Catherine's hands, smiled into her eyes, then glanced at Lorne and back. "So good to see you again. Enjoy the rest of your evening."

Catherine smiled at her and winked. "We fully intend to."

<><><>
The External Link below will take you to Amazon
where there is more information on the book.
<><><>