Beating Hearts [Knight's Rest #1]

16

At exactly five o'clock on the dot, her phone buzzed on the desk next to her. She had her headphones in so the vibrations resounding from the device had caught her of guard. Looking up, she pulled out the cords from her ears, closed her laptop and grabbed her phone before stepping out of the lab to answer the phone.

"Hello?" She answered, her lips already pulling into a smile as her eyes glanced at the caller ID.

"Do I have the pleasure of seeing you this evening?" His voice was as deliciously deep and throaty as usual.

She couldn't help but smile wider. "I don't know, I'm kind of busy." She paused for dramatic effect. "But I guess I can make some time for you since you keep pestering me."

Thelonious laughed softly. "You love it when I pester you." He wasn't wrong and they both knew it.

Darcy didn't reply to that, she just threw her head back and laughed.

"I'll swing by and pick you up in 30 minutes if that's okay." He told her, leaving just enough room for her to deny his offer if she really desired to. She didn't. "I hope you're hungry."

"Starving."

Thelonious shook his head, laughing slightly. Not that she was able to see it, of course. "It's never a dull moment with you." He noted aloud.

She smirked and leaned against the wall behind her, her hand tapping on it unconsciously. "You'll have your hands full with me."

"I'll have to see about that myself." Warmth spread from within her as she flushed at the innuendo.

Once Thelonious had texted her that he was waiting outside for her, she packed up all her stuff and made her way outside. She found him leaning against his car, just as he had been that same morning.

"Let me place your bag in the car," he offered, taking it from her and placing it in the boot of his car before proceeding to lock it.

"What's the plan for tonight?" She asked, slipping her hand in his when he held his out in front of them both; expectant.

He looked down at her, a small smile gracing his lips. "I was thinking a basic dinner and movie." He suggested. "How does that sound?"

She gushed internally at how thoughtful he was. "That sounds like a cute first date."

He frowned slightly, pondering for a moment before he voiced his concern. "This isn't our first date."

"It isn't?"

"No," he shook his head, his eyebrows furrowing together in confusion. She wanted to reach out and smooth the line that had gathered there. "Our first date was at the hotel." He pointed out, coming to a gradual stop as she stared up at him, confused.

A pregnant pause passed between them.

"You never said it was a date." Her voice was quiet as she stared up at him. He looked almost sad, that she hadn't recognised their first meal together as their first date. She hated that she was the reason for it, but things hadn't been clear between them from the very beginning.

They should have discussed this earlier on.

"Let me make this clear now so there isn't any confusion later on," he began, determined. He held both of her hands, one in each of his to ensure that he had her full attention. When he noticed the worried look on her face, her laced their fingers together and brought one of her hands up to his mouth, pressing his mouth against the back of it. "I really, really like you and would love to see where this is going because this," he gestured between the two of them. "Whatever we have going on between us is something very special, and I've never felt like this with anyone else."