The instructions for the date were to dress formally, and I took that to mean sexy.
I decided on a midi cream dress with thin straps. The waist of the gown has a corset-like shape that has been achieved with zippers, which means I didn’t need anyone pulling at any ropes to get me into it. I did that all by myself.
To accessorize, I wore gold threader earrings and gold rings. I let my hair fall freely. For makeup, I decided on something light not to take all the attention away from my gorgeous dress.
Everything had to look like it was working together instead of fighting each other for dominance.
And I knew it worked the second I opened the door, and Christian stumbled over his hello. I stood in front of the door, watching him take me in, opening his mouth to say something, only to let out a couple of babbles.
And if I wasn’t enjoying his attention, I would have been in the same mess he was in.
Christian was wearing a three-piece suit, and even though I saw him in a suit every single day - not counting the weekends - I thought this particular outfit was what all the others were trying to live up to.
It was black, a safe color that went with my dress. The suit made sure to highlight the fact that Christian worked out religiously by putting on show his broad shoulders. His shoes had some shine to them, and his hair was slicked back.
Like every woman my age would act in that moment, I took my time fighting the urge to gawk at him. The looks were not subtle in any way, but Christian was looking at me in the same way he didn’t have the chance to notice how I looked at him.
When he finally got some wits about him, Christian took a step towards me and wrapped his arms around my waist. He pulled me closer to him and placed a light kiss on my cheek.
“You look absolutely divine.”
I beamed at the compliment and greedily dove in for a peck on his lips. I would kiss him, but I didn’t want the makeup I spent a lot of time putting on to get wiped off.
“We should go,” Christian said, “before I lose my mind. I almost don’t want to leave and have people look at you in this dress, but at the same time, I want to show you off.”
I giggled as Christian led me to the car. I didn’t miss the way Liam stared at me before nodding and giving me a thumbs-up. An act Christian caught and sent a frown his way.
“Where are we headed?”
Christian took my hand in his and placed a light kiss on the back of my hand. “It’s a secret. You’re going to love it.”
If I was being honest, he could have taken me to the worst place on earth, and I wouldn’t have noticed it because I was too busy being taken by him. But Christian wasn’t one to half-ass on a date, so when Liam pulled up to La Roz Restaurant, I already knew my mind was about to be blown.
It was blown when we were led to the hotel rooftop and sat in what should have been a greenhouse if it didn’t lack flowers and plant life. There was a table in the middle of the glass house, and candles were already lit.
The night sky was already bearing the orange sign of a sun now bidding goodbye to this part of the world. The air should be a little cold, but I was shielded by the protection of the glass walls.
Christian pulled out a chair for me, and I took my seat. I looked around with wide eyes, taking in everything rolled out in front of me.
“This looks amazing.”
“I’m glad you like it.”
I shook my head. “I absolutely love it. When you said to dress formally, I wasn’t sure what I expected, but this is more than my mind can even hold.”
“You have a way with words,” Christian said, the teasing in his voice evident.
I let out a light laugh and shook my head at him. I didn’t know if he knew exactly how much this meant to me.
The first course of the evening meal was rolled out. A type of salad that I wasn’t familiar with. The chef came up with the waiter and explained the meal to us. We both listened intently, but at the end of the explanation, all I got was some type of meat in the meal.
Beef, Christian would tell me later when I mentioned the chef’s accent hindering me from getting all he was saying. I’d also learned that he was Italian and only just started learning English after being hired by the restaurant.
And by the last course, dessert; a slice of red velvet cake with a scoop of ice cream. The cake melted in my mouth, and I wasn’t mad about it.
The date was more than I bargained for, and when I thought it was over, the waiter cleared the table and showed up with two large blankets. One was spread on the floor, and the other was handed to Christian.
“We’re going to stargaze,” Christian said by way of explanation.
“Right here?”
Christian nodded.
I looked up to the sky, but the glass roof was in the way. I didn’t even know how to settle down on the spread-out blanket and enjoy the sky through the glass, but I was certain I could manage. It wasn’t that big of a deal.
But then, the glass roof opened, and I saw a clear view of the sky. The twinkling of the stars and the moon, too, round and perfect up in the sky.
“Pick a star and make a wish,” Christian said as he settled beside me.
I sighed and silently wished that my relationship with Melissa would improve without me having to put my foot down.
“You like it?” Christian whispered in my ear. A shiver ran down my spine as I nodded and looked over to him. I leaned in first and pressed a kiss to his lips.
“This is the best date of my life.”
“You say that all the time.”
“I mean it all the time.”
