Chapter 5 #2
“A private room. The name on the reservation is Nashton Sims.”
The hostess opened the folder to scan it, and with a smile, she nodded. “Okay, Mr. Sims. We have you down. Follow me.”
She rotated around, and we followed her all the way to the back of the place. Once in the designated area, she moved aside and opened the door for us, and we walked in. I gasped as I peered around. The black and red theme inside the private room was beautiful.
“Here is your table. Your server will be with you soon. Enjoy.” With that, she walked back out of the room, leaving us alone.
I took a seat at the table and rested my arms on it. “This is nice. I love it. The theme of it reminds me of romance.”
Nash chuckled. “I think that’s the reason for this place. Did you notice all the couples? This place is only for couples.”
“That was something I didn’t pay attention to, but it’s nice to have a place only for couples.”
I wanted to add that we weren’t a couple, but I decided not to. To know that Nash thought of me as his woman didn’t bother me either.
“Yeah. We won’t have to share a place with anyone else. I know I’m getting a little too carried away with the way I’m handling things, so if it’s a little too much, let me know.”
I shook my head. “No, not at all. You’re just being yourself, and I like that a lot.” And I did. Nashton had a take-charge attitude, but he asked if that was okay.
“Good. I’m happy to hear that. Tell me a little about yourself. I can see sadness in you, and I don’t like that. What happened in your life to bring on that sadness?”
If only Nash knew. A lot brought on this sadness that has overtaken my life. If I could make this feeling of emotion go away, it would be long gone.
“Well, I lost my parents a year and a half ago.” I smiled sadly as tears clouded my eyes.
“Then I ended a relationship of three years because I caught my boyfriend cheating on me. That was the icing on the cake. Now, whenever I see my ex-boyfriend, he always comes up to me wanting to talk. That always messes with my mental. I’m just trying to pick up the pieces in my life, and it’s just hard.
Grief on top of having your heart broken is a new level of depression. ”
It felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders from talking about the pain I had endured back to back. It was too much for little ol’ me. Every day, I got up ready to tackle the day with a smile on my face.
“Aww, damn. I’m sorry that happened to you, and I’m sorry for the loss of your parents. If we’re ever out and he thinks to bring his ass over to speak to you, he’ll have to answer to me. And it won’t be pretty. I don’t like men like that.” The muscles in Nash’s jaw twitched as his eyes lowered.
The door opened, and the server stepped in with a smile on her face and menus in her arms.
“Good afternoon to you both. I’m Courtnei, and I’ll be your server for the afternoon. What can I start you off with to drink? I also see that you’re here for the taste testing, so we will get that to you as well. I just need you to look over the menu and tell me what you like.”
She placed the menus down in front of us. “I’ll give you time to look over the menu to see what you’d like to try out. You’ll also get a free bottle to take home with you.”
“I’ll take water with lemon,” I told her.
“Same for me,” Nash stated.
Courtnei did a small bow before she turned on her heels and walked away. I picked up the menu to scan it. All the selections looked good.
“What are you thinking of getting?” Nash asked.
“Uhh, I’m looking at all the fruit selections they have. The apple and strawberry look good. Oh, and the pear too.” I lifted my eyes to see him nodding. “What about you?”
“The same, but I wouldn’t mind trying the hot ones too.”
I cringed and screwed up my face. “That doesn’t sound like it’s good.”
He threw his head back and laughed. “You never know. You might like it.”
I half shrugged. “Ehh.”
“If we can get separate ones, I’ll take some of the hot ones they have… mismatch them.”
I nodded in agreement. “Do they have anything to eat, or is it only wine?”
“Just wine. After we’re done with this, we can go out to eat. Do you have anything in mind?”
“Not really. Since this date was your idea, do you have any ideas?”
Nash leaned back in his chair and rested an arm on the table. “I could use a steak.”
My mouth watered for a steak since it had been a while since I’d had one.
“I can too.”
The server came back and set the water in front of us with a bowl of lemons. “Do you have the wine selected you’d like to taste test?”
Both of us gave Courtnei the names of the different wines we wanted to try out. After she marked them down, she left.
“Can I ask you a question?” Nash asked, leaning on the table.
I reached for a lemon to squeeze into the water. “Sure. Go ahead.”
“Since you’re a veterinarian, do you own the place where you work?”
I shook my head with a slight frown. “Oh no. I work for someone else. However, in the future, I hope to have my own clinic. That’s one of my future goals.”
He raised a brow. “Oh, yeah? That’s dope. What are some of your other future goals?”
Should I even tell him what else I wanted out of life? Oh, what the hell? “I want to get married and have kids too.”
“Oh, word? How many?”
I smiled. “At least three. I was an only child and was lonely. Now look at me. Still lonely.” Sadness again tried to overtake me, but I wouldn’t let it.
Nash scooted his chair next to mine. “Look at me.” When I did, he cupped my face in his hands. “You’re not alone anymore. If you’re thinking I’m going to walk out of your life, get that thought out of your mind. When you came back to the gym, I knew I had to make my move, and I’m happy that I did.”
“I’m happy you did too. Since I’m telling you about my goals, what about you? Do you have any future goals?”
Nash pulled his hands from my face, and I felt the loss. “Oh yes, ma’am. I do. My future goals are to have more gyms around the world, and like you, I want to get married and have kids. One day, I hope to see that happen.”
“I believe you will. Whatever you set your mind to, just reach for it.”
With our eyes locked, he licked his lips. “Oh, believe me when I say I’m going to reach for it. And that ex of yours who cheated on you? Fuck him.”
I reached for my glass of water and took a sip. “Both of us can agree on that.”
The server came back with the different wines on a tray, and they were in shot glasses. I had a feeling this would put me on my ass, but I’d see.
“Enjoy!” Courtnei said and turned to walk away. Once we were alone again, we looked at each other and laughed. I didn’t even know what we laughed at, but I guess it was needed.
Nash picked two of the same ones up and gave one to me. “Cheers to something.”
I laughed. “New beginnings.”
He nodded. “New beginnings. I like that.”
We touched our glasses to each other before we threw them back. We then did the same thing to the others. He saved his hot one for last, and I saved my apple-flavored one.
Nash chuckled. “I guess we saved the best for last.”
“For me? Yes. For you? Eh, I’m not too sure. That looks really nasty.”
He grunted. “Don’t knock it ‘til you try it.”
I scoffed with a roll of my eyes. “That’s not something I’ll be trying, but cheers to a great date.”
He smirked and clicked his glass against mine. “Cheers.”
We sat in silence for a while, and I could feel the wine getting to me. I felt good too.
“How do you feel?” he asked me.
I glanced over at him and grinned. “Great.”
“Good witcha pretty brown ass.”
I giggled, loving the compliments he gave me. “Thank you. You look handsome, too, witcha handsome, fine ass.”
We looked at each other and laughed loudly.
“Yeah, you’re feeling those wine shots a little too much.”
I enjoyed my time with Nash and knew when it was time for me to go home, I’d be sad again. I didn’t want my time with him to end.
“Are you ready to go?” he asked moments later.
I nodded slowly. “Yes. I’m ready for that steak.”
He snickered. “I bet you are.”
Later that night, Nash pulled into my driveway and shut the car off. Today had amazed me. Nash had taken great care of me and made sure I didn’t need anything. After those wine shots, I was tipsy and needed water before we left. As I told him, I wasn’t a heavy drinker, and he soon found out.
“Today was fun,” he stated, grabbing my hand to hold in his. It felt right.
“Yes, it was. I truly enjoyed myself with you. I know I said some off-the-wall stuff earlier.”
He laughed a little. “Nah, it’s all good. It was cute. You were being yourself, and I like that.”
I wanted to snatch my hand away and bury my face in my hands. “Please stop,” I groaned.
He kept laughing at me, and soon I did as well.
“Maybe you need to drink more often. You break out that shell you place yourself in.”
I frowned. I had never heard that before. “A shell?”
Nash’s thumb caressed my hand soothingly. “I can feel that you do. I just need to break you out of it. It’s okay though, and I get it. You don’t know me, and we’re getting to know each other, but hopefully soon you can fully be comfortable with me.”
Little did he know I was on my way to being fully comfortable around him. He made me feel protected when I was in his care. When we were out, if someone got too close to me, he’d pull me back to him. Even with Jonathan, he never had a hold on me this soon like Nash did.
“Let’s get you inside.”
I was a little disappointed. To me, it seemed like I could sit in this car and talk to him all night, but I knew both of us had to work in the morning. Nash had a gym to run, and I had animals to see.
Nash let go of my hand and opened his door, while I waited patiently for him to open the door for me.
When the door opened, he held out his hand for me to take it.
I placed my hand in his, and he helped pull me out of the car.
He draped his arm around my shoulder, and we walked like that to my porch.
I was glad to have left my porch light on.
After I unlocked the door, I turned back to him. He lifted my chin with his index finger and peered into my eyes.
“Have a good night, beautiful.”
I smiled. “You do the same. Make sure you text me when you get home.”
Nash smirked. “You’re using my line on me. I like that.”
I chuckled. “Yep, I am.”
“I need something from you before I go.”
“Just go ahead.”
He laughed lightly and swiped his tongue across his bottom lip.
Lowering his lips to mine, Nash took my bottom lip between his teeth and sucked on it.
I moaned as he cupped my face and deepened the kiss.
When he slipped his tongue in my mouth, I shuddered and moaned much more.
His lips and tongue moved with mine in a soothing manner.
He took his time arousing me in a way that shook me to the core.
When Nash pulled his lips from mine, I felt the loss and sighed in disappointment.
“Good night, Kenzlee.”
The way my name rolled off his tongue caused me to shiver.
“Good night, Nashton.”
With that, I walked inside my house and closed the door behind me. I leaned against it and closed my eyes.
“Gosh, I want that man.”