A gentle knock raps against my door. I spin to my mirror one last time, studying my nut-brown curls and dark-rimmed doe eyes. I inhale deeply as the sense of giddiness and anxiousness bubbles up in my chest. 'It is just Sebastien' I chide myself. I turn forward and swing open the door revealing his tall, striking figure. He is casually leaning against my doorway with one hand in his black bomber jacket and a gray henley underneath. Bash meets my eyes and a breath-taking smile flashes across his face.
"Hey." He breaks from the wall stepping forward.
I look up at him. "Hey, Bash."
"As always, you are absolutely beautiful," he tells me and pulls out a single, soft-budded rose. He twirls it a little before handing it to me. My chest flutters and I force my shaky fingers to grab it. I am such a lovesick moron. I bring it to my nose sniffing it softly.
"Thank you," I murmur my cheeks flushing.
His smile never breaks and he steps closer scooping me up into his arms. He tightly hugs me in the air and I break into giggles.
"This is going to be fun," he says into my neck.
"Yeah?" I respond as he settles me down and I begin to relax.
"Yes. I am going to woo you." He winks.
I snort rolling my eyes. "You don't need to woo me," I reply softly laughing. I grab the empty mason jar on my dresser and gently slip the pretty rose into it.
He smirks. "I am absolutely going to do everything in my power too." He lightly grabs my hand his small layer of scruff tickling my fingers as he kisses my knuckles. I bite my lip to restrain my smile.
He cocks his head to the side. "Are you ready to go?" I nod. "Awesome. We have a train to catch." He bellows out his arm to follow and I smile locking my door behind us.
***
We are standing in Rockefeller ice skating center. Yes, this gorgeous idiot dragged me to New York City.
Blades slice against the ice and laughter rings in the air around us. Somehow, Bash managed to find an activity we have never done together before, but when he said cold I didn't expect ice.
I grasp the low railing of the smooth egg-shaped rink trying to move my feet in coordination with each other. I have always had an irrational fear I will fall and impale myself on the ends of my skates. As I am furiously hugging the railing, Bash glides a few feet to my left.
Suddenly, his hands go around my waist pulling me into his side. A squeak escapes me and a speedy guy flies in the spot that was just between us.
"Thanks, Bash," I say out of breath and subconsciously huddle closer into his arm. I inhale a whiff of him and close my eyes with a sigh. "Have I ever told you how I really love how you smell?" I murmur softly, totally not thinking at all before I speak.
"Do you?" I can hear the smirk in his voice. "I guess I'll always have to remain close to you to glorify you with my scent."
I laugh giving him a hard shove forward. He drifts ahead his mouth open in mock dismay.
I snicker but without having his presence holding me, my skates lose balance and my eyes go wide as I fall backward. "Oof" I sputter my butt slamming against the cold, rock-hard ground. Dammit, that hurt. Stupid karma.
Bash five feet ahead of me witnesses the whole thing. "Emma, I leave you for five seconds," he jests.
"Oh, you shut up," I grumble my butt now sore from the impact. Luckily my skate blades did not come anywhere near my face.
He chuckles and skids to a stop before me. "You are literally adorable," he murmurs looking down at me.
"Yeah me ass-planting is just the cutest thing ever. Help me up?"
He reaches out his hands and I grab them allowing him to pull me up into him. I collide into his body nearly toppling him, but he grips my hips to hold me in place. I freeze instantly not moving away from the close distance of us. Our breath swirls between each other and his smile slowly falls. He tucks a piece of hair behind my ear and I hold in a breath. I don't even know who leans forward first to close the distance, but our lips meet making my entire body go warm. His thumb curves my face and I twist my arms around his neck kissing him back curling my body to fit perfectly into him. Everything around us begins to fade away until a tiny voice interrupts. "Ewww they're kissing mom!"
We immediately break apart to find a little boy pointing and staring up at us on his tiny, green skates. I gasp horrified at our display of pda while Bash just winks at him. I immediately dunk my face into Bash's chest to hide. I am so embarrassed, I didn't even think about who was around us. It just felt so natural. Bash automatically wraps his arm around me securing me to him and I faintly hear the little boy ride away to his mother.
"Is anyone else looking?" I say mortified into his chest.
"No, we're in the clear."
I gently pull away and catch his eyes full of laughter. I huff annoyed at his indifference. He grabs my now freezing hands with his and kisses the roof of both our hands joined together.
"Come on I know a place that has killer spring rolls and egg drop soup to warm us up."
***
We reach the top level of the building following the host to a high-top table. I slide into the metal seat our spots overlooking the towering and billboard rimmed city. He hands me a menu.
"I want to try something different. I couldn't decide on a restaurant so let's do a 3-course meal but at 3 different restaurants," he retorts casually.
I blink staring at him absurdly. "You are crazy Bash," I mutter amused.
He quirks an eyebrow. "But are you in?"
I roll my eyes. "Of course I am in. So just an appetizer here?" I reply averting my eyes back down to the menu.
"Yeah exactly. I am going to get some dumplings."
I shake my head smirking and get an order of egg drop soup and a cup of tea. When the food arrives I take a spoonful bite and catch him staring at me. I grab my napkin and dab my face.
"What?" I say hoping there is nothing in my teeth. I never have thought about how I looked eating until now.
"Eating out with you knowing it's a date is so different," he answers.
I still, my hand freezing around the napkin. "Different good or different bad," I ask cautiously.
"Different mind-blowing. Incredible."
My face is full-on tomato now. "I feel the same," I reply shyly smiling.
He crookedly smiles back and looks down to scoop up a dumpling. "Which is the most surprising and best part of it all," he murmurs under his breath.
He has got to stop saying stuff like that. My heart is literally going to jump out of my chest straight into his hands.
Refusing to let me open my wallet he pays the bill and grabs my hand.
"Where to next?" I ask grinning, excitement flowing through me as we emerge into the bustling streets.
"You pick. Little Italy, Greek, or Mediterranean?"
"Hmm. Okay, this way." I tug his hand in the opposite direction to take the subway.
***
We sit down at the white linen table at the soft Italian music filling in around us. Waiters rush by with steaming trays of food and I tuck a tablecloth into my lap.
Bash hands me a menu and I laugh at the repetition of the night. I flip open the menu scanning the contents.
"Ooh! They have marinara gnocchi or a five cheese ziti. I cannot decide," I murmur staring at the menu my mouth watering.
"Okay I'll get the ziti and you get the gnocchi and we'll share." He puts down the menu snapping it closed.
"What? But what about what you want?"
"I can honestly eat anything off here and be good. Let's share, this way we can try both."
"Are you sure?"
"Hell yes."
I smile cheekily. "Okay. That sounds great."
The sizzling of food forms behind me and the waiter comes to our table placing our dishes down. I take the first bite, the roof of my mouth burning to shreds but it's totally worth it.
"This is really good Emma. Nice choice. I don't think I want to share anymore," Bash mumbles as he eats the ziti.
My mouth drops. "Bash!" I whisper shout. He's lucky we are in a nice place or I would kick him.
He devilishly grins. "I'm joking. Here, pass your plate."
We finish eating and he stubbornly pays again. After leaving, we stroll back down the street the mix of honey-roasted nuts, garbage, and vent fumes surrounding us. Ahh, the lovely smell of Manhattan. I glance around at the bright billboards and Bash tucks me into his side.
"Thanks for coming out with me tonight Emma," he tells me kissing the side of my head.
I bite my lip a bubbly feeling arising in my stomach. "Thanks for inviting me."
He groans. "Since we are revealing our secret things about each other, I have to admit you kill me when you bite your lip."
"Oh um sorry." I bite my lip again. "Damnit sorry."
"Don't apologize." He stops moving, stopping me with him. His thumb drops to my lip. "It's the sexiest thing ever."
My cheeks warm. "Really? Huh." He pulls his thumb away and it takes everything in me not to grab it back.
"Mhm," he murmurs. I peek up at him. The city light reflects off his sharp jawline and dark eyelashes that don't need fake ones to look alluring.
"I don't know if I can fit dessert," I confess begrudgingly. "But tonight was great Bash."
"Are you sure?"
I nod.
"I had a good time as well," he responds.
"I was um, really nervous. I am not going to lie." I tuck a brown curl behind my ear.
"I was too," he admits a small pink rising to his cheeks. I stare astonished. I don't think I have ever seen him blush in my lifetime.
"You were?" I ask. "What were you nervous about?"
He runs his fingers through his soft hair and I itch to do the same. "Because if I lose you I won't just be losing a girlfriend, but my best friend. And I cannot imagine a life without you in it."
I swallow deeply as the truth rings within me as well. I place my hand on his arm. "I was afraid of the same Bash. But I think now we have more to lose if we don't go for it."
He glances down at me his eyes glittering. "Well said. I promise you won't lose me no matter what happens. I won't let you get rid of me that easily."
I grin. "Me as well. Let's try and catch the next ferry back. I want to see the Statue of Liberty at night-time."
"That's an awesome idea Emma." He grins taking my hand to twirl me and I laugh into the night.
***
*author's note*
Was that too cheesy? Too much going on? Lmao, it probably was, but I thought it was cute! Send a vote if you enjoyed it 💗
Thank you for reading! Let me know what you thought of the date ☺️
P.S. I can't ice skate for the life of me haha I tried once a long time ago but it wasn't at Rockefeller. Can anyone skate?