When We Were Young

How to drink wine properly

We walked quietly down the sidewalk dodging groups of bar goers; Third Avenue was always busy this time of night.

"So where are you taking me?" Skylar asked. I wondered who she saw when she looked at me: a young naive boy, a college graduate, or a man.

"My favorite restaurant. Italian. It's a little hole in the wall but everything is homemade on site," I said. I placed my hand gently on the small of her back to guide her around a group of people standing on the corner trying to hail a taxi. She reached out and rested her hand on my arm to step off the curb. If she felt what I felt when we touched, then I made no mistake by asking her to dinner.

"So you live around here?" Skylar pulled her hand back but I tried not to look disappointed.

"Midtown, closer to my office," I said and pointed to the MetLife building towering in the sky.

"I live downtown. More trees." She smiled and tucked a stray hair behind her ear. She glanced at the ground before looking up at me from under her dark lashes. Skylar needed to stop looking at me this way. It only made me want to kiss her more and more as the seconds passed.

"Yeah, I was going more for convenience to work when I moved there. But now," I shrugged, shoving my hands in my pockets. "It's a little too busy."

We turned a corner and I guided Skylar into the small restaurant. It was dark, as it usually was, with only white candles lining the floor and sitting on the tabletops. There couldn't have been more than ten tables and only three were filled.

The flames from the candles flickered and brightened Skylar's eyes. Her lips were in a small smile. She looked impressed as I pulled out her chair and she sat down.

"And this is the wine list," the waiter said handing it to me, but Skylar reached out and took hold of it.

"Do you know wine?" She asked.

"Somewhat, but please, you choose."

"I happen to be quite the expert," she laughed at herself and opened up the large menu.

She said nothing as she flipped through the pages; she tapped her finger on her lips, and then twisted her lips before finally grinned and pointed to one. The waiter nodded and hurried away.

"What did you order?" I leaned toward her.

"Trust me."

"Trust you? I just met you," I said.

Skylar tightened her lips. "I should be saying that to you. Maybe you'll try to get me really drunk and take advantage of me," her eyes were serious but she wore a wicked smile.

I could faintly smell her perfume and just the look in her eyes was driving me mad.

"I'm not that guy," I said. "That's Nate."

She chuckled. "Maybe I'm that girl. Maybe I want you to get me drunk. Or maybe I pick up younger men to take home with me all the time." 

"Well, I could be that guy."

Skylar laughed, her eyes relaxed when she reached out to lightly touch my arm. I wanted to take her hand but what I really wanted to do was kiss her. I couldn't stop staring at her eyes and her lips. I'm sure it was obvious. Skylar was beautiful. Her straight hair framing her face, her bright almond shaped eyes, and occasionally she would nibble on the corner of her bottom lip and then her tongue would slide across the pink flesh. It was taking all my strength not to get hard.

"You're beautiful," I said. I didn't mean to say it, the words just slipped out. I was thinking out loud.

Skylar blinked slowly but didn't turn away. The same loose strand of hair fell in front of her face. I reactively reached out and tucked it behind her ear. Skylar sat motionless as she watched me, never swaying.