The Dance

Chapter 194 Dinner Date

Lucy had set a beautiful table for dinner complete with real china dishes and vintage linens. It wasn't often that she had the opportunity to entertain and she was pulling out all the stops to make a good impression. She checked the clock on the wall and had just enough time to shower and change before Gabe arrived.

Gabe showered and dressed asking Jill for helping in pressing his best shirt. "Where you going Uncle Gabe?" Lucas stood at the bathroom door watching his uncle put the finishing touches on his hair.

"I have a date tonight, buddy."

"With the cookie lady?" Lucas asked crinkling his nose.

"Yep. With Lucy." Gabe answered back.

"She's pretty."

"You have good taste in women little man. You're definitely a Brown man."

"Are you going to marry her like Uncle Bear did?"

Gabe picked Lucas up and sat him on the counter. "Well it's a little early for that."

"I would marry her. She could bake us cookies everyday."

"I'll let Lucy know there's a back up man in case we don't work out. Sound like a plan?"

Lucas nodded as Gabe picked him up and carried him to the kitchen to get his shirt.

"Don't you look spiffy, bro." Matt teased Gabe as he buttoned his shirt.

Jill frowned at Matt. "I think he looks handsome." Jill adjusted his collar. "Mmmmm, you smell good."

"We'll leave the porch light on for you." Matt chuckled as he opened the door for Gabe.

"Uncle Gabe, you forgot something." Lucas handed him his sketch and whispered in his ear, "Don't forget to tell her I would marry her."

"You got it little man."

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Lucy rummaged through her closet trying to select something to wear. Tonight's dinner didn't warrant a dress but she still wanted to look nice. Eager but not overly eager. She finally settled on an oversized off the shoulder sweater and a pair of leggings and pulled her hair into a high ponytail. She finished the look with a spritz of perfume and turned her attention back to her dinner and dessert. She had prepared what the girls at the bakery referred to as her famous white trash dinner which included a spicy meatloaf, mashed potatoes, corn and freshly baked dinner rolls. Dessert would be ice cream with choice of slivered almonds, cherries, sprinkles, and chocolate sauce.

Gabe knocked on the door promptly at 6pm. "I like a man whose on time." Lucy leaned against the door and invited him in. "Wow! You clean up well."

"I had a little help." Gabe confessed Jill had pressed his shirt. "Lucas told me to tell you hi. The kid's got a thing for you."

Lucy giggled. "You mean he has a thing for my cookies. Well it's good to know the Brown men have such similar tastes. You better be careful Mr. Brown. That Lucas kid is a charmer."

"We know a good thing when we see it."

"I'm flattered." Lucy disappeared into the kitchen. "Make yourself at home while I get dinner on the table."

Gabe took a seat at the table taking more of how nicely it was set. He wasn't really accustomed to eating off real china. The Brown families were all pushed for space and time and efficiency at dinner time which meant for an easy clean up with paper plates.

Lucy reappeared with two plates and placed one on front of him. He stood when she entered the room. "No need for formalities. It's just us." Gabe sat down again.

"Smells good." He waited until she took the first bite before he started. His mother had raised him well and Lucy took note of his politeness.

"Tastes good too." Gabe inhaled his dinner and Lucy offered him a second helping of everything.

"We work up pretty big appetites with all the construction we've been doing. My family can really put a hurt on a meal."

"Good thing you have a baker in the family now. Red is a fabulous cook."

"We love when it is Red's turn to cook.  She makes great pizza and calzones. Good thing Bear runs everywhere or he would be as big as a moose."

Lucy and Gabe chatted for almost an hour over dinner. He offered to help her clear the table but she insisted he just relax and pick a movie from her DVD collection. Gabe made himself comfortable on the couch and flipped through her movie library finally deciding on "Elf."

Lucy took a seat next to Gabe handing him a bowl of ice cream topped with everything. "Elf, I love Elf. You're going to love this movie."

Lucy passed on dessert instead snuggling up next to Gabe. Once he finished his dessert. He moved his free arm to around her shoulder. As the movie progressed, he found her getting more comfortable and now she laid her head on his chest. Lucy could feel his heart racing as she nestled deeper into his comfort zone but didn't say a word.

She smelled so fragrant. Every time he was near her and inhaled her fragrance he was reminded of a wildflower meadow that he wanted to show her. He was concentrating on her softness and fragrance that he soon lost interest in the movie. Lucy stroked the fabric of his shirt causing him on more than one occasion to lose his breath.

Lucy soon realized he wasn't interested in the movie any more. When she sat up, he walked to where he had hung his coat and took his sketch out. "What's that?" Lucy asked with all the curiosity of a cat.

"It's a little remembrance from our picnic date." He handed it to her and hoped she would like it.

Lucy carefully untied the leather that was wrapped around it and unfurled the paper. She gasped when she saw the drawing. It was her and he had made her beautiful. "Is this how you see me?" She paused not knowing what to say.

"Its exactly how I see you...beautiful." Gabe wasn't shy about how he perceived her.

"You've drawn me too beautiful." Lucy blushed. "I'm not that beautiful."

"To me, you are perfect."

Gabe sat down next to Lucy. "I want you to keep it to remind you of our rewind date.

"I don't know know what to say. It's such a lovely gift. Thank you."

Lucy placed the sketch on the table. She peered into Gabe's soulful blue eyes and said nothing as she slowly leaned into him. She touched his bruised cheek, laying a series of soft  butterfly kisses on his sore cheek and then moved to his other cheek. He put his hands to her face holding it still and studied her eyes before pulling her face to his to kiss. His mouth opened, searching for her tongue with his. His kiss was long and deep and he held her tighter not wanting to break his bond with her. She adjusted herself on top of him continuing to kiss him. He found his hands running up and down her body. It was as much fun as you could have with your clothes on. Lucy could feel the heat rising between her legs as well as the excitement growing in Gabe's jeans.  "I think we'd better stop before this goes any further." Gabe sat Lucy upright on the couch.

"Stay with me tonight." She asked.

"On one condition, we keep our clothes on. When the times right, I want it to be special."

Justin Timberlake-Can't stop this feeling