a known stranger

Chapter 15

CHAPTER 15

The meal started with a starter of Avocados stuffed with crab, a quarter pound of crab with mayo was the description on the menu, there was a choice of “Soup of the day” a different combination of soups each day.

The girls opted for the soup of the day, and the guys stuffed themselves with the Avocado and crab. Darien puts his fork with a bit of the avocado and he waves it in front of Ashley, “Here, try a bite, it’s really good,”.

Ashley obediently opens her mouth and takes a bite. She chewed slowly savouring the fishy tanginess of crab, and the sourness of mayo combined with avocado. “Mmm..yes, it does taste good,” she said after swallowing the bite.

Darien wipes his mouth and smiled, gets up and excuses himself. “Just going to check on out main course and will come back,” he said. He went to check on the cake, got the gift which Ashley had bought for Sheila from the car.

He left the gifts at the kitchen checking with the Kitchen Manager that the cake was ready, and the main course could be served soon. The main course was a roulade with potato galette, tomato beurre blanc, baked salmon with wine and a cucumber cream sauce.

He went back to the table, he saw that they had finished the starters, he sits and calls for the main course.

Sheila, and Jason commented, the restaurant was a good choice. They were seated at the fine-dining section.  He saw Ashley kept looking at the dance floor. The only illumination in the room was provided by the elaborate pyrotechnics beneath a floor that looked suspiciously like plastic.

He leaned over, grasping Ashley by the wrist, and pulled her to her feet. “Come along, Ashley.”

“Where are we going?” Ashley asked, startled as he pulled her along behind him and crossed the room. They had reached the dance floor, and he spun her onto the glowing ever-changing plastic surface. “Dance with me, please?”

She danced with him, and it was like no dance she’d ever known. The music was loud and riotous, and the moves were as ritualistic and sensual as those primitive mating ceremony.

The shifting colours and exploding pyrotechnics beneath their feet offered their own excitement, and Darien’s face in the flaring crimson glow had a look of hungry sexuality that awoke an answering response in Ashley.

Then the music suddenly changed its wild tempo to a slow, mellow melody that was as sensual in its own fashion as the former wailing cacophony.

Ashley and Darien were breathing hard, their emotions and senses as glowingly alive as the exhilarating adrenaline pounding through their bodies. They stood looking at each other for a moment.

“Shall we go back and finish our meal?” Darien asked her.

Ashley caught her breath, and nodded in acquiescence.

They got back to the table and the main course was served just as they were settling down and taking a drink.

They settled down to eat, as they were finishing the meal, Darien glances at Jason, he nods, and they both get up, and excused themselves.

Ashley, looked bewildered at Sheila, who was equally puzzled, as they were looking at each other, there was a sound of “Happy Birthday” being sung. “Happy Birthday..to Sheila,” Jason was carrying in the cake, With Darien trailing behind with the gifts and bouquet from Jason.

Ashley was shocked that she had not realized the day, and date. She belatedly remembers the gift which she had both for Sheila, sitting in her wardrobe. She got up and flung her arms over Sheila giving her a bear hug, muffling into her ear, “Sheila, Happy Birthday! My dear friend,”

Ashley, felt a tugged at her jacket sleeve, she turned to find Darien holding out the gift she had carefully wrapped with the card, in his hand.

She looked at him helplessly and wordless, and then whispered, “thank you,”

She turned and gave the gift to Sheila. Jason meanwhile passed Sheila her beautiful bouquet of flowers with a box of chocolates.

Sheila was overwhelmed. She looked at Darien, and heartfelt said “Thank you, Darien, this is a lovely, and thoughtful surprise. This is turning to be one of my best birthdays ever.”

Darien just smiled, and “I am glad you are having a good time, it’s my pleasure,”

Sheila cut the cake, feeding Ashley first a piece. Ashley, mischievously pretended to feed her, but instead, ensured she smeared the cake and cream all over Sheila’s face. Sheila, sputtered, glaring at her balefully, Jason and Darien were laughing hard at her expression.

Both Ashley and Sheila go to the wash room to clean up and Darien and Jason got the waiters to clean the table and pack up the remaining cake. They ordered some wine and were waiting for the girls to come back.

Once they came back, they went to the dance floor to dance. Putting his hands on Ashley’s hips, he pulled her back against his chest.

“Dar-“

He kissed the curve of her neck. “Just want to give you a friendly warning.” She tasted so good, he licked at her with quick catlike flicks that made her pulse turn to thunder. When she couldn’t seem to gasp in enough breath to ask him about the warning, he smiled. “ I wasn’t kidding about having you in my bed. Get ready to dance with me.” Pressing another kiss to the soft warmth of her, he drew back to his previous position.

It took her a minute to stop staring at his mouth after she turned to face him again. “you’re used to having your own way,”

“So?”

“So now you looked like you want to take a bite out of me,”

He let his eyes close to half-mast, his lips curving into a slow smile. “That’s because I do.” Delighted by the flush that spread over her cheeks, he decided to indulge in himself a little more. I want to have you flat on your back in my bed. Then I want to spread your thighs, and……”

“Drink” She gripped the lapel of his jacket, I need a drink,”

“Oh?” Disappointed, he leaned forward and nipped lightly at her ear. “I’ll tell you where I intend to take that bite out some other time then.” Leaving her flustered but definitely not scared any longer, he led her to their table.

She took her wine glass like grabbing to a lifeline and gulped it all down,

The heat, and the sting of the alcohol ran a fiery path down her throat, she felt alive, but jittery at the same time.

“Whoa, you are drinking like some seasoned hard core alcoholic,” Darien stopped her from pouring some more wine into her glass.

“Wines are supposed to be sipped and savoured, not drowned down like cola,” he said chidingly.

She giggled, “Sorry, was hot and thirsty, and unconscious of what i was doing”, she held the chilled glass to her cheek, caressing her face, and neck, not realising of the body language she was signaling to Darien.

Darien growled, “Ashley, do you know what you are doing?”

She stilled her actions, “Err,”

She put the wine glass down and turned away, mortified, when she realized what she had done.