Hero
"Oh damn! Ok, it will stay like this!"
I sigh as I look at my reflection in the mirror.
This fucking shirt collar doesn't want to stand straight!
I bite my lip trying to find a solution but the whole shirt would have to be ironed again and I don't have the time now.
My stomach is upset and a slight anxiety keeps me company, mixed with the enthusiasm to go out with Jo tonight.
She and I are going out on a date.
Seriously!
I managed to organize a perfect date in record time!
I have no experience in this field, but I did my best to make it unforgettable and I hope I succeeded.
The sound of the shower coming from Jo's room brings me back to reality and I sigh again.
She's late, as always, but that's nothing new. I had calculated this too when I told her to get ready for 6pm.
"Damn fucking collar!" I snort.
I take a deep breath and check that I have everything: keys, cell phone, watch.
Jo went to the hotel gym to do pilates with Anna when we returned from lunch with the crew. She had to 'release the tension', her words. So now she's back in the shower, for goodness to my hormones.
I sigh again and try not to think that she is naked, right now, just a few steps away from me.
Now I can't help but think about her constantly, day and night.
I never saw her as a friend, that's for sure, but I didn't seriously think I could have feelings for her. I keep telling myself that the most important thing is to focus on work now and that's it.
Instead I dream about her, I imagine making her enjoy herself on my bed, in the shower, on my desk, everywhere!
I would like to eat those lips so soft and juicy with kisses all the time.
No, I don't think it's just sexual attraction because I really enjoy being with her, even just talking or watching a movie.
I would go for hours even without speaking, if it meant being with her.
I'm probably going crazy and these are the first unmistakable signs.
But do you want to know what is the most striking thing of all that happened in this period?
I stopped smoking!
I know, it surprised me too.
I never smoked a lot, but a few cigarettes a day were a must, at least until I came to Atlanta and met Josephine.
Now she is my constant thought and I have no room for anything else.
Furthermore, since she told me she hates smoking, I have eliminated cigarettes from my room. In fact, it seems I have eliminated them completely, even from my life! I didn't think it was possible honestly.
I had already tried to quit several times, without success.
As soon as my mother finds out, I think she'll have a monument erected for Jo somewhere in the living room.
It makes me laugh just thinking about it, as I torture the collar of my shirt some more.
Damn fold that stays all crooked!
Will I be dressed a little too formally for what we have to do tonight?
A first date is something important, to remember. I certainly can't go out in tracksuits and sneakers.
The black hat comes with me though. It's kind of a good luck charm now and I'm going to need it tonight, given how nervous I am.
"How should I dress?" The girl of my dreams appears in all her glory with only a bathrobe on and her wet hair tied in a messy bun.
Is it possible that I like her in every way?
I swallow and look for something intelligent to say while my heart goes to two thousand.
"This collar doesn't want to stand up straight!" Oh, yes of course. That's exactly what I wanted to say!
Jo comes dangerously close, inspecting how I'm dressed.
"You're elegant!" Her hands touch the collar of the shirt, brushing mine and I try to remain impassive.
The scent of her bubble bath reaches my nostrils, making me close my eyes to breathe deeply. Her fingers, so small and tapered, arrange the fabric around my neck, leaving a caress on my skin.
I swallow and try not to think about the chills she's giving me.
Soon there will be something clearly visible that signals my excitement and it would already be the second time in a single day.
Being a boy in the midst of a hormonal storm is not easy. Believe me!
"I'm not so elegant!" I clear my throat and look in the mirror again. She follows my gaze and we both look at each other, our reflection watching us.
Yeah, we are really beautiful together.
As much as the whole situation we find ourselves in screams loudly that this is a good gamble, I don't give a damn! I won't miss the opportunity to meet this fantastic girl, even for just two months.
It will definitely be worth it!
"It seems so to me. I'll run and get dressed, otherwise we'll be late!" She disappears into her room, leaving a trail of perfume that clouds my senses.
I close my eyes sighing.
Maybe the idea of a cigarette to calm my nerves wouldn't be bad at the moment.
But I don't even think about smelling like smoke all evening, to see Jo keeping her distance in disgust.
It's out of the question!
I want to keep her close as much as possible, tonight even more so.
Tomorrow we will have to kiss on the set for the rehearsals at the lake, it's a fact, and in no way do I want there to be tension or embarrassment between us.
In fact, to be honest, I intend to kiss her tonight, if the opportunity arises.
I want to kiss her like Hero, not like Hardin. A nice natural kiss, nothing fake like in the movies.
I close my eyes, trying to visualize in my mind anything other than Jo and her mouth on mine.
The erection is around the corner!
I am so envious of girls who can get excited without anyone noticing! It must be phenomenal!
Here, however, there is someone who jumps to attention for everything and lately as soon as I think of Jo, it happens often!
"Here I am!" She comes hopping on one leg while putting on a heeled shoe.
I remain still.
I swallow as I run my gaze over her body.
She is breathtakingly beautiful.
A hint of makeup, fiery red lipstick, hair braided over her shoulders and a black dress that seems tailor-made for her.
It's like a drug and I'm completely addicted to it.
I could spend hours watching her, seriously.
Don't get me started on what I would do to her right now.
If we don't get out of here in the next 5 seconds, I might actually suggest things that aren't right for us right now.
"You are... You are very beautiful!" I bite my lip excitedly. "Stunning!"
She smiles at me and turns around to let me see her better.
"Hot!" I whisper to myself.
Oh good. She has a deep neckline that reveals all of her skin right up to her butt.
My heart beats mercilessly.
She doesn't have a bra. There is no sign of the bra. Again!
It seems like all her clothes were specifically chosen to give me a heart attack every time.
Ok, I just have to breathe and I can do it.
One breath at a time.
Her legs, long and tapered, are highlighted by a pair of sky-high black heels.
I should tell her that this outfit is too sophisticated for what we're going to do, but I have no intention of doing so. I want to bask in this vision all evening.
Carpe Diem is my motto!
She smiles at me and takes her bag from the bedside table in her bedroom.
We leave, each from our room, just in case we meet someone in the corridor and go towards the elevator.
I'm so excited I can't say much.
She looks at me smiling and every now and then sighs.
"You won't even give me a hint about what we're going to do tonight, will you?" She looks at me amused while I shake my head.
I am excited and relaxed at the same time. Being with her has this strange effect on me every time!
"It's a surprise!" I remember her by biting my lips.
She watches me curiously while biting her lips too, copying my movement.
We are so synchronized that I would like to find out how synchronized we are even in the bedroom or on any available surface.
Yes I know. I'm perpetually horny these days.
I take a deep breath trying to calm my hormones. It's not easy with her here next to me, smiling and beautiful as the sun.
The elevator doors open in front of us.
"Let's go?" I offer her an arm and she passes her hands in the hollow that has been created.
I smile, covering her hands with one of mine.
I like being with her. I like it more and more.
It makes me feel good and it's an intoxicating feeling!
We remain like this even in the elevator, pressed close to each other. I don't care if anyone sees us when the doors open, we're not doing anything wrong. We are two guys going out together tonight, nothing strange.
Jo looks at me curiously and I return her gaze with a wink.
She chuckles biting her lip and I sigh, doing the same.
I want to kiss her so much that the temptation to do it now, even before starting this evening, is very strong.
No! I have to resist! I can do it!
"Are you excited for tomorrow?" she asks as we exit the elevator.
I take her hand, intertwining my fingers with hers.
"I can't wait!" If she keeps biting her lips like that, I won't be able to resist tasting her mouth for long.
She chuckles again and sighs, walking out into the Atlanta night with me.
"Me too..." Her is almost a whisper but it comes to me like a tidal wave, taking me by surprise.
So she can't wait to kiss me too! This makes me feel more confident and also means that I was right to ask her out.
I don't know what she thinks, but I want to try not to waste even a second with her.
I smile at her, remaining silent, as I open the door of the car that is waiting for us.
The place I booked is nearby but I wanted to avoid walking in heels for too long.
I close the door and walk around the car to sit in my seat next to her.
I take her hand again, unable to go a minute without touching it. That beats me!
She smiles at me and I can see it on her face that she is very curious to know what I have organised!
I hope she will like it! It seemed like a good way to spend time together, away from the confusion of some club or even just some too chic restaurant. These don't seem like things you might like. On the other hand, one of the things that excites her most is her taco bar points collection card in Perth. Nothing sophisticated or too elegant!
I like her for this too. She's real, authentic, natural! I mean, I could go on for hours and now I have to concentrate!
Jo looks out the window and we are enchanted together watching the thousand lights that pass quickly in front of us. I lean towards her to look at what catches her attention and we laugh at the funny shops we come across on the street.
Who needs a store just for earplugs? Absurd.
Or as Jo would say: "That's madness"!
I play with the fingers of her hand, stroking them delicately and every now and then she squeezes them, looking at me smiling.
I'm already loving this evening and it's just the beginning!
The car stops in front of a restaurant that appears closed. There isn't even a light on, except for the one that indicates that the restaurant is not open to the public.
Jo looks around more and more confused and turns towards me, hoping that I will finally reveal the secret to her.
Ah! Not even for a thought!
I thank the driver, pay and get out of the car, quickly walking around to open the door for Jo.
"Thank you!" She bites his lips again, smiling "You know, I can open a door by myself, but I like all this attention you put into it!"
If I keep smiling like that, I'll get facial paresis! But what can I do?
This time she is the one who takes my hand, while I motion for her to reach the entrance of the club.
"Ooook... So we're in front of a closed restaurant?" She looks at me doubtfully.
"Yes, but not for us!" I smile as she continues to look around, before returning her gaze to me.
"I'm more and more confused!" She laughs clearly disoriented.
"In a moment you will understand where we are!"
I ring the bell and a girl welcomes us, opening the door that had been locked until now.
"Hello, Mr. Hero right?" She smiles at both of us and I hand her the card Ramona gave me today during lunch with the crew.
She told me to show it at the entrance, so they'll know who I am.
"Exact!" I smile as she nods, having recognized the note I showed her.
"Of course! Please, this way." She motions for us to follow her inside.
We walk behind her into an elegant but completely dark room. There is only one light in the corridor that allows us to see where we are going.
The girl opens a huge metal door and we are catapulted into a 5 star kitchen!
Jack, the director of photography, wasn't kidding when he said his restaurant was perfect for a date.
Of course, when I explained my idea to him, he was pleasantly surprised because generally people book when the restaurant is in full operation, not on the closing day, but he immediately agreed to give me a hand to make it happen.
"Good, then when you're done, go ahead and close the front door. We'll take care of tidying up tomorrow morning." She hands me a bunch of keys "Good evening!"
Jo is increasingly upset.
It makes me laugh as I see her looking around, her face becoming more and more confused.
There are lots of tools on the shelves and a large table on the left, fully set.
Jo looks around and turns around.
"Okay, I thought I understood but I wasn't even remotely close to any of this!" She blinks quickly "Where are we, Hero?"
I chuckle as I look around.
"In a kitchen!"
"Oh thanks!" He burst out laughing "I had guessed that! But what are we doing here?"
"What do you do in a kitchen?"
She looks at me askance and puts her hands on her hips.
Oh God I love her when she does that.
"Do we cook?" She frowns.
I reach some shelves and take two aprons, one for me and one for her.
I hand her the one that says "I love the chef!" while I wear the other "I can only cook an egg".
She reads the writing and looks at me amused. She plays along and puts on her apron, over this beautiful dress she wore tonight.
She wore it for this occasion.
She practically wore it for me!
"Did I dress up so fancy, to cook?" She bursts out laughing again and I nod.
"You were too hot to tell you to wear something more comfortable" I confess without thinking too much.
She stops while tying the apron and suddenly looks at me seriously.
Shouldn't I have said that?
"T-thank you" is a whisper as she quickly finishes fixing her apron.
She clears her throat as she begins to inspect the kitchen.
"So if you can only cook an egg..." She points to my apron "This it's going to be a short date!"
We both burst out laughing.
"Not at all!" It will be a very long date, to remember!
"Tonight I will teach you how to cook my famous Shepherd's Pie!"
"Uhhh even 'famous'?" She teases me by nudging me with her hip.
I nod proudly "The only thing I know how to cook!"
She shakes her head in amusement as she chews on her lips.
"Okay, then show me what you can do!"
Oh, Jo.
How many things I would like to show you that I can do!
If I think about it...
No, no no. I don't have to think about it!
I take a deep breath and start listing the ingredients we need.
We find them all pretty quickly and place them on the central workbench.
"Do you always take girls to cook at restaurants for a first date?" Curious question while arranging the bowls we need for the recipe.
"I would say yes..." I take some time before continuing the sentence, to see her reaction. She raises her eyebrows in surprise but says nothing, starting to chop the celery and carrot.
"...since this is the first time I've ever asked a girl out on a real date!" I finish the sentence and now I'm more and more curious about his reaction.
She suddenly stops and looks at me with wide eyes.
She didn't expect it. Definitely no.
"The first... Are you saying you've never dated anyone before?"
I shake my head as I peel the potatoes that will make the mash.
"No, none. The girls I've been with..." I stop to think for a moment. It's a topic that maybe shouldn't be brought up on a date, right?
Jo looks at me, waiting for me to continue speaking.
Well, I can't back out now.
"I dated girls I already knew. They were in my group of friends who I've known since childhood. There was never any need to ask on a date, after all."
Jo only nods, going back to chopping vegetables.
She doesn't comment and from her expression I can't understand what she's thinking.
"You?" I ask, making her turn to me.
"I what?"
"Have you ever cooked on a first date?" I smile trying to recover the atmosphere of a little while ago.
She laughs "With an entire kitchen at my disposal, that isn't the one in my house, you mean?" She looks around, giggling.
I love her laugh!
"No, I would say no. They have always been short and somewhat banal appointments to tell the truth. No one has ever thought of teaching me how to cook food that reminds them of home" She smiles at me, having perfectly understood what binds me to this recipe .
I nod "I knew you would understand right away!" I whisper looking at the potatoes in my hand.
She nudges me again with her hip, smiling.
"I like it, Hero. I really like this thing you chose to share with me!" We whisper and I don't even know why at this point.
We are alone in this room.
"Could you pass me the salt, please?" I ask her, holding out my hand.
She opens a kitchen shelf, takes the salt and hands it to me.
The air between us is relaxed, familiar, but as soon as her hand touches mine, an electric shock runs through me. She too seems to suffer the same effect, from the expression she makes.
I sigh, thanking her quietly, focusing on the recipe again.
"No meat?" she takes the lentils from the table and shows them to me, waiting.
"No, my recipe is special. You'll see!" I smile proudly at her. It's the only food I know how to prepare decently and it took me a long time to perfect the recipe.
"Are you cooking this with your mom?" She puts the sauce in the pan and turns to me.
I nod "We cook it together almost every time I come home!"
She bites her lip smiling as she tries to figure out how to turn on the induction hob.
"Do you want a hand?" I walk over, wiping my hands on my apron.
"I have no idea how to turn it on!" She bursts out laughing as she presses some keys. The kitchen is filled with indicator lights but none of them light the fires. Good.
We try to understand something together but the only thing I can focus on seems to be her arm that touches mine every time she moves.
I close my eyes for a moment and take a deep breath.
"Let's try this way!" I press some keys together and suddenly the light goes out with a dull thud.
"Damn!" I hear her sigh next to me.
A few seconds pass before we both burst out laughing.
"Perfect! Now it's truly perfect!" I comment, running my hands over my apron again.
"Has the main generator been tripped?" Her voice is still close to me, calm and amused.
"Probably yes. The hard thing will be to find him and turn everything back on!" The room is completely dark. A little light filters through the window but my eyes are not yet accustomed to the darkness and I will have to wait a moment before trying to move and do something.
This wasn't how I imagined the evening would go.
Jo touches my hand, her fingers in mine. For a moment I lose my breath and remain motionless.
I caress her hand, both of us silent in this dark room.
I move closer to her, running my free hand over her bare arm.
I breathe in her scent deeply, closing my eyes to imprint the sensation in my memory.
I go up delicately towards her neck and touch it slowly.
She gasps briefly but relaxes soon after.
"Hero..." She whispers sending my brain into overdrive.
The skin of her face is smooth, soft.
She leans her cheek against my hand, sighing.
I can't resist touching her lips and she remains still, in my exploration.
I hear her sigh again and I move closer to her a little more.
Her hands find my face in a caress that makes my heart beat even faster in my chest.
I rest my forehead against her, taking a deep breath.
Our noses touch and touch each other delicately.
"If we were Eskimos, we would be kissing right now" she whispers against my lips, smiling.
Her laughter drives me crazy and I smile because she thought of this Eskimo thing at a time like this.
The air around us is increasingly electric and our breaths are the only thing that can be heard.
"Maybe we should really kiss" I whisper "Not like the Eskimos though" I touch my nose to hers again and she returns the movement.
I hear her giggling again and I bite my lip at the thought of kissing her.
"Mmm...maybe" her lips brush against mine with another electric shock.
"Maybe?" I want her to be sure otherwise I won't do anything.
"You'll kiss me anyway, tomorrow" I can feel her still smiling. She likes to tease me, I'm starting to get to know her now.
I touch her cheek and place my hand between her neck and one ear, massaging it there.
I hear her sigh again as my lips briefly touch hers. She holds her breath, just as I hold it.
"I wouldn't kiss you like Hardin now," I whisper as I continue to caress her face.
"No?" Her lips touch mine again.
I think I'll die here if we continue like this.
"No, definitely not" If I don't kiss her now, I might go crazy!
In an instant her mouth surprises me, landing on mine. I'm surprised for a second, but I quickly recover. I kiss her back, savoring her lips, so soft and juicy.
They could seriously be my drug!
This girl will be my downfall!
We exchange closed-mouth kisses and the sound our lips make when they collide is one of the sexiest things I've ever heard.
I pull her closer to me, opening my mouth and sucking on her lips.
A moan escapes her and my excitement reaches levels never seen before!
I take my time savoring it as her hands move behind my neck, starting to stroke my hair.
It is her tongue that first asks permission to enter and I grant it immediately. I don't know how long I've been waiting for this moment!
The kiss becomes frenetic and at the same time sweet, passionate but controlled. It's like a dance that I feel like I've been dancing with her my whole life. I've never kissed like that in my life.
I've never felt these feelings with anyone before.
We catch our breath between kisses, just for a few fractions of a second before diving back into the magic of the moment.
Her tongue moves in rhythm with mine as she grips my hair between her fingers.
The moan she makes when I hold her close takes away all the air I have in my lungs.
I would stay like this forever. Feeling it on my skin is a fantastic sensation!
The lights suddenly come on blinding us.
We break away almost as if we had been caught doing something forbidden. It's just the two of us, there's no one else.
The eyes struggle to get used to the light again.
Evidently there is some emergency generator that activates in these cases.
Fucking timing, huh?
We look at each other confused for a moment, before we both burst out laughing.
"Um..." She clears her throat, tucking her hair behind her ears.
Her cheeks are red and her lips are swollen, full of my kisses.
I remain to observe it as one admires a spectacular work of art.
I am speechless.
What just happened is confirmation that she and I together are the bomb.
It wasn't just an impression.
Too bad our time together is limited. There is an expiration date on our heads.
"Shall we try again?" I bite my lips and still taste her.
"Uh, sure! Let's try to turn on these evil things like that!" She turns to the stove and tries to turn everything on again.
"I was referring to kissing again, but we can continue cooking," I chuckle as I settle back down next to her.
She turns even redder and clears her throat again. I see her giggling, looking at the pans.
The stove finally lights up and Jo jumps up and down "Yes!!! I knew it!!!"
I shake my head in amusement, resting my hands on the counter.
I have a terrible desire to kiss her again, this time I want to look at her and I don't want to miss even one of the expressions that I'm sure she makes when she kisses me.
I raise my hand to high five her "Great work, team!" I smile.
She chuckles again, reaching for the potatoes I peeled earlier and am definitely ignoring now.
"Hero? What do we do with these?"
I smile at her attempt to somehow keep herself occupied. I'm a little nervous too, but very excited at the same time.
She puts them in the pot with the water that is already starting to boil.
"Jo..." I take her hands and stop her frenzy.
She takes a deep breath and then swallows.
She looks at me in silence and we remain like that, eye to eye.
"I'm scared, Hero" she whispers "I don't know what we're doing"
Her eyes scrutinize me attentively.
I take her hand, bringing her closer to me
"Whatever we feel like doing."
She looks at me seriously "And what do you feel like doing?" She asks after a while.
Oh, Jo. I smile at the thought of how I might answer this question.
"I would kiss you again" I caress her hand "And again and again" I whisper.
"And then?" She swallows, looking down "It's just... All this scares me. It scares me to feel these emotions when I'm with you" she says in one breath, looking at me again with these big blue eyes.
It's almost a whisper as she takes a breath and passes a hand over her face.
"I know, I understand you" I caress her face. "I feel the same things when I'm with you!"
She looks at me sighing while biting her lips.
"We have a good two months to be together, Jo. Let's not waste time being afraid, what do you say?"
She thinks about it for a while and finally nods, looking down.
"What do you feel like doing?" I whisper, asking her the same question she asked me earlier. With two fingers under her chin, I gently lift her face so I can look her in the eyes.
"I feel like spending time with you, like now. I really, really like it. And kissing you!" She smiles, turning a little red on her cheeks. "Drives me crazy!"
"Okay, then we'll see how it goes, no pressure. I'm with you, 100%" I nod.
"No pressure..." She repeats my words hesitantly.
"No pressure!" I confirm by nodding. "It's you and me, Jo. We just do what we feel like."
"Ok... I'm okay with that!" She sighs, biting her lips. She's still very thoughtful, I know.
"Hey, come here" I pull her to me, hugging her. She buries her head on my chest and breathes hard.
I can't resist the temptation to leave a kiss on her hair. She sighs and relaxes a little.
"You know, you kiss really well!" I whisper to her, trying to ease the tension that has arisen.
She sighs and giggles into my chest.
When she looks up at me, she chews her lips and remains silent.
"I don't know what we're doing, but I like it!" she sighs.
"We're getting to know each other" I move a lock of hair behind her ear, caressing her face.
She nods and seems calmer than before.
Being with her also causes me a series of emotions that I have never felt before. I know exactly what she means when she says she's afraid of what's happening.
It's scary, but we can't stop ourselves from experiencing this emotion, just because we're scared of it.
"I feel like I've known you my whole life," she whispers, wrapping her arms around my waist.
I nod "It's weird, right?"
We remain for infinite moments like this, embraced in silence and at the same time confiding a thousand things to each other. Fears, emotions, desires. We don't need to talk. We are so in tune that we communicate at all times, even with just a glance.
I smile as I hear her stomach growl.
"What do you say, let's continue cooking?"
"Oh god!" She puts a hand over her mouth in surprise, before bursting out laughing. "I would say yes!"
I lean towards her and leave a kiss on the corner of her mouth. We both smile and a rush of adrenaline runs through my body again.
It will be difficult to concentrate on the recipe now, but I want to do things right and make this appointment unforgettable.
"Here it is!" She takes the boiled potatoes and places them in the baking dish on top of the lentils. "Now?" She wipes her hands on her apron and moves some hair from her face with the back of one hand.
I take the pan and put it in the oven, adjusting the temperature.
"Now let's wait!" I lean towards her when I see that some tufts of unruly hair don't want to stay still in their place. I caress her face slowly, arranging them so that they no longer bother her.
She looks at me silently, watching my every move carefully.
She smiles and in reflection I smile at her too.
The air is still electric around us.
We remain like this looking deeply into each other's eyes, with our breathing slowly returning to regularity.
I would like to suggest that we kiss again, but at this point I don't know how long I could stop myself before moving straight to dessert, if you know what I mean.
I can't think straight and this first date has to be perfect! Not that it wouldn't be if we had sex, but it would all be too rushed and I want to take it easy with her.
Jo tells me about her life in Perth, the evenings spent with Mia and her group of friends around the beaches both day and night, at some party.
I would seriously like to be part of her life. Go to parties with her, go out together even just for an ice cream.
I'm getting really stupid and if Felix knew it he would laugh at me for the rest of his life. I swore I would never fall for a girl like this.
Famous last words!
The sound of the oven timer makes both of them turn.
"Dinner is ready!" I smile, leaving another kiss on her lips.
I wouldn't stop!
Jo nods as she steps off the counter and follows me to the table where we'll eat.
Everything is already set, as if the restaurant were open.
The tranquility that envelops us is reassuring and for a moment it doesn't even feel like we are in a public place.
I move her chair and motion for her to sit.
She smiles at me, biting her lips, as she walks past me and takes a seat at the table.
"Thank you" she whispers, adjusting her dress on her legs.
I serve her dinner under her attentive and bright gaze.
My heart is bursting in my chest.
"It's delicious!" Her eyes widen in surprise when she tastes the Shepherd's Pie.
I nod happily, eating a piece myself. It turned out really well, I have to admit!
"Don't be so surprised!" I make fun of her.
Jo giggles and continues to eat contentedly.
We chat about everything that comes into our heads and we laugh, we laugh a lot. I'm happy when I'm with her, I feel light and at peace with the world.
Now that I kissed her, even more!
"Do you happen to have any defects too?" She smiles into the rim of her glass, drinking some of the wine I poured for her.
I chuckle shaking my head "I have so many!"
"I wouldn't think so!" She puts the glass down and looks at me intently "You seem too perfect to be true, Hero. Seriously!"
"Well, let's see then..." I wipe my face with the napkin and start thinking about everything I could say to her that could make me seem less perfect in her eyes. Also because, I'm anything but perfect!
"Aside from wearing flip-flops with socks, of course!" She bursts out laughing, clearly making fun of me.
"What's wrong with that?" I widen my eyes in surprise.
"Really?" She continues laughing and shaking her head.
"Look who's talking! I saw you just yesterday in socks and slippers!" I reply.
"They were slippers, there's a difference!" Her eyes widen as well and we both burst out laughing.
"Ah, so only you can wear socks?" I raise my eyebrows in surprise as she giggles in amusement.
"Doesn't your book of manners talk about how to wear flip-flops?"
It's irritating. Sweetly irritating.
Is something like this possible?
I can't hide the smile that comes to my face and I see her biting her lips trying not to laugh.
"I don't have any book on manners!" This girl will be my exasperation.
And I'm more and more attracted to it.
Madness, right? As she always says.
"Come" I stand up and hold out my hand.
She looks at me for a moment, taken by surprise and then offers me her hand.
It's so small compared to mine. I envelop her completely without difficulty as my heart beats faster in my chest.
Contact with her skin has a strange effect on me!
"Where do we go?" She looks around as I lead her to the center of the room, phone in hand.
I quickly type something and music fills the room.
"What... what is it?"
I pull her towards me by placing her other free hand on my hip.
"Let's Dance!"
"Take my breath away..." breaks the silence as Jo looks at me in amazement.
"Oh my God! Is that the Top Gun song?" She exclaims, more and more surprised rather than asking.
"Mmhh maybe?" I absolutely don't remember if this is a song from a movie, I put it on the playlist because I liked it.
Yes, I know what you're thinking.
Me only listening to rap music and then saving these sappy pop songs?
Who knows what came over me, huh?
I do not know.
I honestly don't know shit about anything since I met her!
"Watching every motion in my foolish lover's game...On this endless ocean, finally lovers know no shame..." She hums with a beautiful smile on her lips.
"Turning and returning to some secret place inside..." I continue, looking into her eyes.
"Watching in slow motion as you turn around and say..." She hums almost in a whisper.
She has a magnificent voice, I could spend hours listening to her.
"Take my breath away... Take my breath away" we both whisper.
Our lips search for each other and find each other immediately. It's like breathing again after too long a period of apnea.
That's what her kisses do to me!
They are addictive!
Music plays in the background as we sway to the rhythm and kiss.
It is a sweet, slow kiss that knows no rush. We have all the time in the world to be together, here and now.
Her hands slide around my neck and she pulls me closer to her.
I let her guide me and lower my head, deepening the kiss.
Our tongues meet and clash trembling, our breathing becomes uncontrolled.
She catches her breath by biting my lip and a smile grows spontaneously on our face.
"It's one of my favorites!" She whispers looking at me with a fantastic light in her eyes "How did you know?"
"I liked it and thought you would!"
"You made the playlist, thinking about... well, I..." We sway softly in each other's arms. There is just enough space between us that allows us to look into each other's eyes.
"Thinking about you?" I finish the sentence for her, immediately understanding what she means.
She nods, biting her lip.
I lean across the table and take out my cell phone.
I show her the display turned on on Spotify.
"Songs she loves" she reads aloud and then looks at me even more amazed.
I see her swallow as she scrolls through all the titles carefully.
I watch her reaction and I don't know if she's shocked or happy.
Maybe both?
"I..." she hands the phone back to me and blinks quickly.
"Did I leave you speechless?" I try to ease the tension that seems to have been created.
She takes a deep breath and throws herself back into my arms, holding me tightly in a hug.
Her head resting on my chest, where my heart is beating like crazy.
"Jo..." I whisper.
"That's the sweetest thing anyone has ever done, thinking of me!" she whispers, raising her head slightly, to look me in the eyes. "All of this. This whole evening, it's just perfect!"
Only now do I notice that her eyes are shining.
"Hey..." My fingers find her tears starting to silently roll down her cheeks. "I didn't mean to make you cry!" I whisper.
She shakes her head vigorously, wiping her face "No, no! They are tears of happiness!" She is quick to clarify.
I smile at her, visibly relieved.
I was afraid I had screwed up colossally.
The song ends and another begins but now it's just a background buzz, I see and hear nothing but her.
And it's been like this practically since I've known her!
"What do you say, can you forget about the flip-flops and socks thing now?" I joke.
She smiles through her tears "Oh, no! You can't get over that! It's some kind of trauma!" She laughs, wiping her face again.
"Come on, let's go back to the hotel!" I take her hand and kiss it.
She nods and takes a deep breath.
She tightens her grip "Thank you Hero, really!" She takes a deep breath. "It's the best date I've ever been on. Absolutely, the best!"
Her words warm my heart and I can't wait to surprise her again, if that's what it feels like.
I move closer kissing her again.
This time it's a light kiss on the lips. It's our eyes that speak to each other in their own language and that make me fly two meters above the ground.
"I'm fucking good at setting up dates! I knew it!" I smile.
"Modesty is one of your qualities!" She laughs as she walks with me towards the restaurant exit.
"Certain!" I nod amused.
"Let's go home" she whispers, holding me close.
Even though 'home' means our hotel room, it's kind of like it has been since we decided to open that connecting door.
"Let's go home" I repeat, leaving a kiss on her head, while she hugs me, sighing.
I'm fucking good, yes.
No modesty!
Try to beat me!
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Author's notes
Here is their first date! 💞
What do you think?
❤️ They finally gave each other the kiss that they had both wanted to give each other for a long time!❤️
Who knows how the rehearsals at the lake will go tomorrow, now that they know for sure that they won't be able to resist the temptation to kiss?
Who knows, we'll find out soon!
💞 Thanks for reading this story! 💞
A hug
Vanessa 💫