20
O lani looked herself over one last time in the mirror.
It was almost six-thirty, and Elion was due to pick her up any minute.
They were going dancing, followed by a late dinner.
It was the date she had planned the weekend she’d gotten sick.
She hadn’t been dancing in a while and was itching to go; she wanted to see Elion’s moves on the dance floor and if they’d hold up to the ones she knew he had in the bedroom.
When she told him she wanted to go dancing and to dinner, he asked her if he could choose where they went for dinner. She’d had no problem with that. His choices hadn’t steered them wrong yet, and he constantly found some new way to surprise her. She was excited to see where he’d chosen.
At six-thirty on the dot, there was a knock at her door, and she grabbed her purse, ensuring everything she needed was in it, including her house keys, and went down the hall.
She opened the door to find Elion dressed in a white button-up, the top two buttons undone, and the sleeves rolled to his elbows, displaying the tattoo on his left arm with a pair of khaki pants.
“Sweetheart, why are you doing this to me?” he groaned, and it seemed she wasn’t the only one admiring what they saw.
Olani wore a sleeveless, plunged mauve blouse with a faux leather skirt that stopped mid-thigh. Her pumps were the same color as her blouse, and she’d paired the outfit with silver accessories—her hair in its natural curled state, with deep wine purple lipstick that popped against her skin.
Elion placed his hand on her waist and pulled her to him, leaning down, but she put a finger against his lips and shook her head.
“You’re going to get lipstick on you,” she stated. He wasn’t because it was smudge-proof, but she couldn’t help teasing him.
He grabbed her hand, kissing her palm before releasing it and placing his hand behind her neck. “I don’t give a damn.”
His lips slanted over hers, and he kissed her slowly.
Olani followed his lead and wondered if he was trying to get them to skip dancing and dinner for another kind.
They could dance between the sheets and have each other instead.
The way he kissed her, you would think he hadn’t seen her in months, and he’d just stopped by her office in the middle of the week to bring her another beautiful bouquet.
They pulled apart with a final peck, and he ran his thumb over his lower lip. When he found it void of lipstick, he glared at her playfully, and she laughed.
“Cute, baby,” he told her, smacking her ass and cutting off her laugh with a little gasp. “Are you ready?”
She nodded and stepped outside, closing and locking the door behind her. Elion opened the door for her, and when she slid in, he walked around and got in himself. She gave him the name of the dance spot she wanted to go to, and they headed in that direction.
“I’ve been thinking about vacation places since we only have a couple of weeks to plan it,” Olani stated when they were halfway there.
“How do you feel about letting me plan it?” he asked, glancing at her before focusing on the road again.
“I don’t mind if you’re sure you want to.”
“I am. I have a place in mind.”
“Care to share?” she inquired, turning in her seat.
“I’d rather it be a surprise until the day of.”
She pouted. “How am I going to know what to pack if you don’t tell me where we’re going?”
Elion reached over and ran his index finger under her chin. “I’ll come over and pack for you.”
“I guess that works.”
She straightened in her seat as they fell back into silence. The closer the trip got, the more anxious Olani became. It meant they were approaching the end of their twelve weeks, and they would have to decide on their relationship, where it stood, and where it was going.
They pulled into the parking lot of one of her favorite dance spots ten minutes later, and Elion helped Olani out of the car.
She left her purse under the seat and took out her ID and debit card.
They showed their identification when they reached the door and were waved inside.
She asked him to hold on to her cards since she didn’t have pockets, and he placed them in his wallet.
Sensual Latin music was playing when they stepped inside, and she took his hand, leading him to the dance floor. Her hips undulated as she found a spot and pulled him in. His arms wrapped around her waist, and he moved with her, following her rhythm.
When that song went off, and a more upbeat tune came on, Elion turned her in his arms, took one of her hands in his, placed the other on his shoulder, and placed his free hand on her lower back.
He began moving them in time to the music.
It reminded her of bachata. She’d never danced it, but she had seen enough videos to recognize it.
She followed his lead, laughing when he spun her out, only to pull her back in and dip her before placing a soft kiss on her lips as the song went off.
They danced to another song before going to the bar and ordering drinks. She hadn’t eaten yet and opted for something she knew would be easy on her stomach. He did the same, but she was sure his choice was because he was driving.
“Where’d you learn to dance?” Olani asked as she sipped her drink.
“My sister took ballroom dance when we were younger, and I was forced to be her partner when she practiced at home. I hated it, but when I got older, I realized women liked men who could dance.”
“Yes, we do, in more ways than one.”
Elion smirked at her before taking a drink from his glass. “I don’t think I’ve told you how beautiful you look, Sweetheart.”
“You haven’t, but your reaction when I opened the door said it all,” she replied.
“Actions do speak louder than words, but I’m always going to tell you. You look absolutely gorgeous.”
Olani leaned over to give him a soft kiss. “Thank you, baby, and you look handsome as always.”
“I can’t very well step out with you and not match your energy. Admittedly, it is hard not to look like a peasant when I’m standing beside a goddess.”
She let out a short laugh, a smile forming. “If you’re trying to get into my panties tonight, it’s working.”
He chuckled. “I was being honest, but that’s good to know.”
They finished their drinks, went back to the dance floor, and he led her in another dance. The surrounding people seemed to enjoy the song as they switched partners every few seconds, but she ignored them as he tapped out the rhythm just above her ass.
The song morphed into something slow and sexy, and Olani wrapped her arms around his neck as his hands went to her waist. He followed her this time, conforming to the slow winding of her hips.
From the corner of her eye, she saw someone approaching them, and when she glanced over, she saw it was one of the women who’d been switching partners during the last song.
The brunette gyrated over to them, and she placed her hand on one of Elion’s arms as if she was about to snake her way into the mere four inches between them; Olani removed it.
“No, ma’am,” she told her over the music because she wouldn’t share her dance partner to a song this intimate, and she wouldn’t share this man at all.
She knew her man was fine and was aware of women looking at him when they went out. That did not bother her. She had a look but don’t touch philosophy, and as long as it was adhered to, they could look all they wanted. She couldn’t fault them; hell, she stared at him too sometimes.
Her attention turned from the brunette to Elion, an unmistakable dismissal, and she ran her fingers over the hair at the nape of his neck. One of his hands slipped down to grip her ass, pulling her closer and eliminating the small space between them.
They danced to several more songs before ordering another round of drinks. She knew it would be her last. She didn’t want to get sick from drinking on an empty stomach. She figured they would stay another hour, and then she would see where he planned to take her for dinner.
O ne of Elion’s hands rested on Olani’s thigh as he drove them to their dinner destination.
They’d left the dance spot a little before eight, and he was glad she’d agreed to a late dinner.
They were minutes from their destination when she sat up in her seat, trying to make out the passing scenery in the dark.
“Are we having dinner at the vineyard again?” she asked.
He glanced at her before turning his attention back to the road. “No, we aren’t.”
He turned off onto an unmarked dirt and gravel road surrounded by trees a mile before the vineyard. They drove another two miles down, and he made a right onto another unmarked path. They continued a few hundred yards, and the trees opened to a dock.
“I’m going to make you dinner on my houseboat,” Elion informed, putting the car in park and turning to watch her lean closer to the windshield.
He killed the ignition, got out of the car, and dropped his keys into his pocket. He went around and opened her door, helping her out.
“It’s pretty. I like the exterior color,” Olani stated, as he led her toward the boat. “But aren’t you afraid someone will try to steal it?”
“They can try, but it’s too wide to get through the path we took, and trees surround the lake,” he responded, helping her off the dock and onto the boat.
Elion keyed in the numbers on the digital lock, and it clicked open.
He reached in and turned on the lights, stepped aside to let her in first, and closed the door behind them.
“There aren’t too many people who know about this little lake. ”
He watched as she looked around the space.
They’d entered the living room, which also housed the navigation controls.
He’d wanted to utilize the area as much as possible when he’d chosen the furnishings and opted for a couch against the right wall, with a desk and chair against the left wall.
The desk doubled as another place to eat if he felt inclined.