Emma’s P.O.V.
We drove in silence but it wasn’t uncomfortable not at all, and I know that when other people say that – that they can sit in silence with someone and not feel strange or the powerful need to fill the quiet, you think are you inane? Because it’s true at least I used to think so.
I turned to face Dorian while he took us to wherever it is we’re going having given up on using the roads we were taking to guess. While I watched him in all his perfection I couldn’t stop the thoughts coming of why he’d settled for me and I was twitching having these clichéd thoughts of not being enough but no matter how cliché it is I’ll always feel it.
“I can feel you staring” he muttered with a smile; signalling left after checking his mirrors and turning onto a new street.
“Sorry”.
Dorian peeled his right hand off of the wheel and took my left in his. “Don’t be sorry I’d be staring if it were you who was driving, of course I may also be fearing for your safety if that were the case” he chuckled while I settled for smacking his shoulder which made him laugh harder.
“Just because I don’t have my license doesn’t mean I don’t know how to drive” I informed him while I saw his eyebrows shoot up in surprise.
“Well it should, how do you know how to drive”?
“Jeremy taught me”.
“I should’ve known” he sighed.
“Don’t blame Jeremy, my uncle John did too except don’t ever tell my Dad that cos he’d have a fit that he didn’t think of it first”.
“What teaching his daughter to drive, illegally”?
“Yep”. Dorian turned to me questioningly.
“My Uncle John has three sons but everyone knows what he wanted was a little girl so he compensates by treating me like his daughter which riles my dad up because I’m his ‘daddy’s girl’” I air quoted it even though I know it’s true.
“I bet that’s led to many feuds”.
“A few? I wish, did you see how my Dad lit up like a Christmas tree when I told him that I didn’t bring Uncle John back a cigar”?
“I did” he nodded.
“Except I did buy him something, I couldn’t not I mean he is like a Dad to me”.
“And he’s been there more than yours” Dorian summarised gently.
“No, that’s not fair, it’s not that he hasn’t been there because he has he just...”
“He didn’t see you”.
“I’ve just always had to try so damn hard for him to see something good in me, and I know I sound like a brat but all I ever wanted was for him to be proud of me I never expected or wanted him to give me anything”.
“But your Uncle John saw you”?
I laughed thinking about all the times I’d just turn up on his door step and he’d be all ‘What’s my gorgeous and brilliant niece achieved today? Cure for the common cold or perhaps a Nobel prize’?
“Yeah he did and I love him for it, he was never annoyed or angry with me he was just happy that I came to see him and my aunt Susan, hey you might meet them at Christmas”.
“Might”?
“Hmm depends if I still want to keep you around” I joked.
“You know you love me and I told you, I’m not going anywhere never without you” he squeezed my hand gently and I settled for tracing patterns into the back of his.
“That’s good, cos I do love you”. The car stopped and Dorian leant over to kiss me but I put a finger to his lips and shook my head a little.
“I thought you said you love me”? He pouted making me almost give in and kiss him senseless anyway.
“I do but we’ll be late if we keep stopping like this”.
“About that” he smiled sheepishly "we won’t be late”.
“Why not”?
“We don’t have reservations where we’re going”.
“Why? Where are we going”? He smiled and pointed out of my window behind me and I looked around to see a run of the mill 50's style diner – I actually loved it! I laughed so hard that I turned back to Dorian with tears in my eyes. “Really”?
“Really” he smiled pleased that I’d reacted so well to his idea. “I knew you’d prefer something like this” he told me with a wink.
“Why on earth did we have to get dressed like this”? I said gesturing between us at our formal attire.
“To throw you off ma dear and, because I wanted to see you in a dress”.
“Why Sir you have offended me”! I mock scolded crossing my arms over my chest. Dorian’s eyes bugged and I had no idea why until I followed them and my eyes rested on my exposed cleavage which was now even more pronounced because of the pressure of my arms on my chest. I cleared my throat. “Eyes up here handsome”.
He’d lowered the top half of his body significantly to get a better look and only cast his eyes up to look at me with very dark lustful eyes. He shook himself out of it and nodded.
“Sorry baby, I know what you mean now about getting caught off guard”.
“I thought you’d come around, now come on lets go”.
We got out of the car and Dorian locked it throwing my jacket around me and doing it up.
“What are you doing”?
“Putting your jacket on for you”.
“But we’re going inside” I pointed out, literally jerking a thumb at the diner.
“I know but I don’t want other males lusting over you”.
I rolled my eyes but I felt his possessiveness and dominance on the situation already which have been growing more pronounced over the last week so I didn’t push him this time, but I also didn’t take his hand like I usually would’ve done. I heard him huff but it didn’t stop him pulling me into his side as we went into the little diner.
I looked around as Dorian pulled us to a booth and was surprised at how colourful it was, it was like a time machine had thrown up the fifties in this place. It was cute with it’s milkshake bar and checked black and white floor. The booths were your classic candy apple red and the walls were a pale pink with framed pictures of cars and motorcycles that were popular back then.
When we were seated I took my jacket off and put it down next to me while Dorian glared.
“What? I’m hot”?
I left that line hanging there while he struggled to squash his flirty reply that he was clearly dying to give. I started to laugh at the effort on his face and to my surprise he laughed too. Dorian reached across the table for my hand squeezing it gently again like he did in the car.
“I love you”.
“Wow an I love you on a first date, I’m doin’ pretty good huh”? I laughed while he shook his head with a little smile.
“This isn’t our first date, well officially it is I suppose”.
“The lake, I remember now – you made an attempt on my life” I playfully glared.
“An attempt on your life? Nothing was going to happen to you” he scoffed remembering I can't swim and my natural aversion to water.
“I know, although what happened later certainly knocked me for six” I laughed thinking about how the truth about Dorian’s being a vampire had come out even though I didn’t believe him.
“Me too; stupid Alec. I thought I was going to lose you for real that time”.
“You wouldn’t have” I assured him giving his hand it's own little squeeze.
“You were pretty hell bent on getting me to leave”.
“I don’t really remember much of that night to be honest”.
“I’m not surprised you went through a lot, the bond was moving up a peg and didn’t get as much time as it should because of Alec, then you found out about me and was labouring under the impression that I had murdered your best friend, who herself was also, well you know” he made a guesture at himself and it was honestly the first time I remembered for a while that Maddi was a vampire too.
I shook my head thinking about it all “I guess I did have a rough day”.
He smiled “But you took it all extremely well in the end”.
We both turned in the direction of the isle to a new voice. “Hello darlin’s what can I get you”? An elderly lady asked us smiling, she looked so happy I was instantly pulled into her mood. Her uniform was a seafoam green smock and faded white tennis shoes, she was so cute with her hair pulled back into a pony tail and bow.
“I kind of haven’t thought about it yet... what do you want Dorian”?
I saw an evil smirk light his face and I knew a cringe was imminent “Uh, can we get a large chocolate milkshake with two straws please”? he asked her sweetly while I held myself as stiff as I possibly could and shaking with the effort to not cringe.
“Of course now you two have a think about dinner while I go get your shake”. She walked away and Dorian watched me while he watched my internal struggle he rested his cheek on his fist with a knowing smile.
“You will pay” was all I could handle saying before my body cringed in on itself. Dorian laughed deeply and even though I wanted to smack him upside the head I loved the sound of his laugh, it’s just free and happy.
“I’m sure” he chuckled locking our fingers on the table top.
“So, can I ask you something”?
“Of course you can”.
“Why now? I mean this date kind of just popped up”.
“I don’t think so, I think it’s just the right time now we’ve really talked about our doubts and things. We know where we stand now and it’s only made me love you more which in turn made me realise I still don’t know a lot about you”.
I frowned “You know a lot about me” I disagreed while he shook his head.
“Not really, I mean I can judge your mood and how you’ll take things but I want to know more about you, we’re always in so deep and not that I mind, I just want to learn things about you how I would have done if this were a normal relationship, things that I’d have built up a knowledge of over the years, and I also want you to know me more beyond my, condition as it were”. I knew he was hinting at his being a vampire he just didn’t want to say it when other people were around.
“Ok, well what would you like to know”?
“Everything” he told me simply.
It took a while for our food to get to get us but we didn't really notice because we hadn't stopped talking and I didn’t like the idea that Dorian wasn’t really enjoying it but he told me that he wasn’t even thinking about it while we were talking, he knew what he was doing, he’s an evil mastermind because he knew that I would keep giving him answers so that he didn’t suffer with human food.
“What’s your favourite colour”?
“Hmm, I’m going to say purple”.
“You don’t sound so sure”.
“Eh, it changes but right now it’s purple, deep purple though not lilac eek” he laughed at that.
“What about yours”?
“Amber” he said without hesitation.
“Why amber”?
“Nuh uh my turn” I rolled my eyes.
“What is your favourite flower”?
“Really”? I asked making a face.
“Yes really, tell me”.
“But I feel like the answer is going to come back and bite me in the ass”.
“What’s wrong with the love of your life bringing you flowers”? I was glad he’d phrased it like that because he it showed that he had confidence in us now.
“Well it depends on what the love of my life has done to feel he needs to give me flowers”.
“How do you know I’d have done anything wrong? Why can’t I just bring you flowers”? He pouted.
“Fine, lilies but I don’t know why guys give flowers when they’ve done something wrong anyway”.
“Because they’re a token of forgiveness Emma, a gift”.
“Eh but you have to arrange them, and feed them and then they die eventually and you have to throw them out”.
“Yes but it’s the sentiment that counts”.
“I’d rather have a snuggle”.
“A snuggle? Is that some kind of stuffed animal”?
I laughed “No, it’s long hug and a kiss”.
“Hmm, I think I like that idea more too... but I’d still want to get you something if I’d hurt you not that I plan on it”.
“I’m sure you’ll figure it out. Now why amber”?
“Your eyes have flecks of amber in them, it reminds me of Tiger’s eye gemstones”.
“Is that why you called me tiger”?
“Mmhmm... hey why did you call me fish”?
I blushed remembering but it wasn’t ever something I planned on telling him because I found it embarrassing.
“Do I have to answer this one”?
“You have to answer them all” he said sternly and if it wasn’t for the fact that it was Dorian and that he was only asking because he wanted to know me so bad that I could see the desperation in his eyes I would’ve refused and told him where to go.
“Well when we first met you kind of intimidated me and to make you less scary I called you fish”.
“But you could’ve called me anything, why fish”?
I sighed leaning my head down on my arm but peeking over at him still. “Have you ever seen the movie Finding Nemo”? I asked sheepishly.
“No, why”?
“Well there’s a fish in it called Dori and well, Dorian Dori - but I didn’t want to call you Dori so I called you fish”.
He sat there across from me in adorable bewilderment still holding my hand it was hard not to lose my grip on the conversation altogether.
“Oh” was all he said. I leant forward across the table and pecked his cheek because we both know that if I’d gone for the lips we’d be making out again except this time with room full of witnesses and where that made me cautious it made Dorian eager but he let it go.
“Don’t worry it’s not because you look like a fish” I laughed.
“I hope not”.
“I want to know more about you too” I told him seriously, but I was nervous because I wanted to know about him when he was human. Half of me thought it was stupid to be worried because I was only asking of him what he was of me but there was just this feeling I got about Dorian’s past that made me want to leave it alone.
“Like what”?
“Well, everything”.
“That’s a lot of ground to cover” he chuckled lightly.
“I know but it’s important to me, I want to know you too”.
“I know but, there are going to be a few decades that I’m going to be a little more guarded with, there were very dark times Emma, times that I’d rather you not know but I’ll try my best if it’s what you want”.
“Thank you”.
“You know I’ll give you anything if I can" he murmured softly reaching his other hand forward to stroke my cheek "what would you like to know”? I could tell he was getting a little uneasy about it so I decided that I'd let it rest for a while.
“We don’t have to go into that now, there’s no need to rush I just wanted to know that I could ask”. He lightened considerably and smiled.
“Ok, so do I get to ask more”?
“I suppose”.
Dorian laughed and stood holding out his hand for me.
“We’ll talk more on the way to the surprise” he beamed.
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Thank you for reading - not really sure how I feel about this chapter... but the next one will be better I'll make sure please vote and comment I really like to hear what you think and you wouldn't believe how much it helps.
lildaydreamerxxxx