E
than takes Stella to a little café and orders them French onion soup, a sandwich to go with it and a glass of Riesling wine for each of them. Captivation holding her visual attention, Stella drifts into more private thoughts in her mind as her eyes sensually travel over his face caressing each line and plane of its strong features. She watches as his lips form each word of the order he places, hearing the tone of his voice but lost to the exact words they spoke. Who was this man who seems to know so much about her, her every move, her likes and apparently her dislikes? He was astonishingly handsome and the perfect gentleman, the man she had always dreamed of meeting. Ethan intrudes on her thoughts with a question, “Will that be fine with you Stella?” Jolting from her intense examination of the stimulating man just an arms length away from her, Stella just blushes and says, “Yes, that will be just fine Ethan, Thank you,” she smiles nervously. She was embarrassed by the fact that she was caught busily daydreaming about him. “So…” she rushes to fill the silence, a quivering smile on her face. “So… he lingers a bit then says softly, quietly, where were you just now, Stella?” he echoes her word with a mocking smile lighting his eyes, yet his smile was confident, unlike her own. Stella undetectably shakes the lingering daydream from her conscious thought and asks him a question of her own, “Tell me Ethan Daniels, How is it that you have come to know so much about me?” she asks.
“Well Stella,” he begins slowly, measured as he sums her up with an easy stare that unnerves her, “I have watched you and studied your habits, fascinated by what excites you and have been deeply moved by the passion you display on your face for quite some time now.” “I must say you intrigue me dear lady,” he says, a matter of fact tone to his voice. “Every Friday, you visit the market for cheese and a fresh loaf of bread, adding fruit from time to time, just as I do,” he smiles. “It’s kind of endearing to me to know we have so much in common. And, The roses were just a guess. Did you like them, he asks?” “Oh yes, very much,” she replies as she looks down and smells the rose on her lapel then smiles, blushing as she looks shyly up at him. “But I suspect that roses are not the only flowers that mirror those carefully hidden fires inside of you lady,” he says. The words he was divulging a mere breathless whisper, almost as a spoken engrossing secret thought, which was slipping from the circle of his private observations past his, strong sensual lips, as he gazes studiously into her eyes. He was thoroughly searching her soul for an answer that did not have its question yet. In spite of his keen probing into what felt like her very soul, without a waivering change in his voice, Ethan flows masterfully into his next sentence. “I figured as I had robbed both of our lunches from us, that I would bring you here and share with you my favorite French lunch. Still the cheese, and still the fresh loaf of bread,” he chuckles lowly, “I did however, add two more of my own favorites Stella, two that I hope you will appreciate as much as I. But they do come together and they do come after the meal,” he smiles teasingly. A wickedly delicious thought dances through her mind and Stella cannot help but smile a slow sultry smile as determinedly she looks up to meet his eyes. There it was again, those surging fingers of electricity that stroked their way through her body. Limb for limb, appendage after appendage, they light her every nerve on fire with longing, causing the desperate need for her to breathe in slowly … deeply to steady her heart that was already racing all to swiftly toward loosing every modicum of control it possesses as it fights to maintain control.
Stella’s heart may have been loosing control, but something inside of her stood in firm determination, demanding that she get a hold on herself or loose all dignity that remain. She was not only intent on keeping any part of her body from shaking due to the surges of excitement he was sending through her, but she was also committed to appearing calm and collected on the inside as well if it was the last thing she did. For once in this short time since she and Ethan had been face to face, she swears to herself that this moment, she will appear normal and in control of her senses. Yet, Stella felt her resolve slipping fast and realizing that she was going to have to try with every ounce of conviction she has within her to remain dignified before him. She takes a deep breath and stretches to relieve the tensions of the moment. Instead of the real reason, Stella pretends that she cannot resist stretching after such a long busy day. She yawns slightly and hopes that she has succeeded in concealing the true reason for her stretch from him. Stella meets his eyes looking for evidence that he has seen through her flimsy veil of deceit and that he had realized what she was really trying to hide from him. But she finds none so that helps her relax a little more.
They eat their meal sharing ideas on the latest book to be released and the Opera’s opening night for the latest production. They spoke of the erratic rise and fall of the Stock Market that had taken place within the last two months. When they had eaten their portions of bread and cheese, Ethan motions to the waiter, and as if he already knew what Ethan wanted, the waiter nods and turns to the kitchen and disappears behind the doors. Strange, Stella thought to herself, but she could not deny the fact that it had filled her with excited curiosity and anticipation just as much as everything else he had already done concerning her. But alas, like each time before, she would just have to wait and see what wonderful surprises he has planned for her now.
“Oh My!” Stella exclaims as a slice of truffle cheesecake topped in whipped cream, a cherry sitting atop the peak of the white fluffy mound and a bubbling glass of champagne are set before each of them. “What an excellent finish to a wonderful lunch,” she smiles looking at Ethan. “ The lady is pleased,” he asks? “Oh yes, very much so,” she beams. “It pleases me that you like it so much,” he chuckles as he motions for her to take a bite and proceeds to take a bite himself. As Stella places the morsel in her mouth and tastes its decadence, her eyes roll slightly and close, Mmmm, she moans in satisfaction. “This is positively Decadent,” she laughs, but I love it,” she admits exuberantly. “A luxury I rarely afford myself to partake in as well,” she laughs. “Oh but why?” he asks her. “ Because such wonderful delights are not so good for the thighs,” she blushes and laughs, disbelieving that she actually said that. Ethan’s eyes dart quickly down as he looks quickly under the table as he brings his eyes back up to rest on hers. “I see nothing to fear there, Stella,” he says with a long slow smile. She Blushes and he Chuckles. “No need to blush sweet lady, Merely an observation, I am sorry if I embarrassed you,” he says. “Oh No problem Ethan,” she laughs admittedly as she shakes her head No. “I just cannot believe I said that,” she laughs. “Well, I think my own addition to this meal has proved to be a hit,” he smiles. “Oh most definitely,” Stella adds with a smile. The desert proved to be as excellent of a choice as was his choice of cafes. “Thank You for the lunch Ethan,” she says. “Think nothing of it Stella, I have waited to share this with you for quite some time now,” he admits, “I am just glad that you like my choices.” “Oh Most excellent choices indeed sir,” she smiles and winks at Ethan. At that, “Ethan raises his glass in a toast.” Following suit, Stella raises her glass and he proceeds to make his toast. “To An excellent time with a beautiful woman who is not only Lovely on the outside, but just as lovely on the inside and he tips his glass forward to touch hers but as he does she holds hers back and raises hers higher indicating that it was her turn to toast before they drank. “And to you Mr. Daniels A man of excellent taste in more areas of life than I could have ever imagined,” She smiles back at him as she tilts her glass to meet his. They end the toast with the clinking of their glasses and a sip of the intoxicating liquid. The strawberry in the bottom of her glass rushes forward and splashes her face with champagne and they both begin to laugh heartily. “How graceful of me,” she giggles. Ethan leans forward with napkin in hand and slowly, softly wipes the droplet of champagne from her nose hesitating momentarily as he holds her eyes with his. “Lovely,” he says almost inaudibly then repeats the word again, “absolutely lovely,” he finishes. Reclining back in his chair, he stretches out his legs and studies Stella as he dabs his mouth dry. Her nervousness returning quickly, she shuffles slightly in her seat and finishes her slice of cheesecake being careful not to allow her eyes to meet his once again so that she could regain the composure that has so quickly fled her. “This we shall have to do again,” he says to her then he finishes his drink. At a loss for words, Stella just smiles and nods affirmatively. “But I do fear,” he says looking at his watch, “that I must scurry back to work.” “I understand Stella,” says in agreement. “But I, on the other hand, am off for the day, so I will just take a taxi back to my car and let you return to work,” she says. “Oh No, he intercedes. I will take you back in my car,” he says as he signs the tab and guides her to his car. Never once did it dawn on her that his car had been there waiting for them before they had even arrived.
Once at the car, Nathan reaches out and opens the door for her seeing her safely into the seat beside his. As he strolls around to the opposite side of the car, Stella’s eyes follow him watching his every move. He opens the door and slides in beside her. He puts the key into the ignition and sits back. “This has been a wonderful time with you today Stella and I must admit that I hate to see it end so soon, He smiles softly, looking at her searchingly, gauging what her reaction might be if he ventured a kiss. Deciding that it may be a little presumptuous of him to ask that of her so soon. He decides not to and he just smiles instead. Her heart jumps as she wonders if he is going to kiss her. The air between them is so electrically charged with attraction, yet she detects his hesitation about what he should do. A little disappointment rushes through her and her heart settles down once again when he turns back to the ignition and turns the key. He drives with precision as he drives her back to her car. Getting out he rounds the car to open the door, and he takes her hand in his to help her from the car. The connection of his hand with hers sends the familiar surges rushing through her and her breathing picks up pace. “May we do this again soon Stella,” he asks? “I would be delighted to Ethan,” she replies. “Then I shall call you to arrange that later this evening” he says with a nervous smile that was asking for agreement. “Perfect, you have a great ending to your workday Ethan,” she says and Thanks him again for the lunch and turns to walk to her car. “Stella,” he calls after her, looking down in deep thought as he walks to her. “Yes, Ethan?” She asks as she turns back to face him. He reaches forward and takes her hand in his and raising it to his lips he lays a kiss softly on the back of her hand as his thumb caresses the top of her fingers. He steps back, still holding her hand. “Thank You for allowing me the pleasure of dining with you this afternoon.” he says smiling deeply, the thrill of having kissed any part of her rushing through him. Stella smiles, and before she realizes what she is doing she moves to him and Hugs him and says ‘No, Thank You Ethan,” she says as she turns in the direction of her car and walks dumbfounded to her car. Once in her car, she scolds herself for having hugged him so spontaneously but smiling to herself, she realizes that she would not change having done it if she could.
Back in his car Ethan thinks to himself, “YES!” A hug was better than he had hoped for at this point in their relationship, but he was elated that she had made the move, though spontaneous and unplanned it may have been. He starts his car barely able to contain his anticipation of talking with her this evening, and he hurries back to finish his day at work so that his evening call to her would soon take place. Ethan felt like a teenager the rest of the day as he watches the clock, and he finishes his paper work. When he had signed his last paper of the day, he thinks about the call that was soon to take place, and as he does, he feels slow warmth radiate through him as he realizes that this was to be the beginning of a wonderful relationship. Ethan quickly makes his way home to the phone that would bring her sweet voice to his ear once again.
