The next day, I fingered the card habitually, dog-earing the top edge slightly. Honestly, I had never phoned a man in my life. I never needed to. Usually, the men called me and I�ve never had a problem with that. I actually didn�t even know what to say, or how I would say it. What reason would I give for calling?
Hi Bill, this is Lola�. I was wondering if you�d like to�?I made a face at myself. This is ridiculous. Just call the man. He won�t bite.
But then I realized� he might.
I dialed his home number� most of it� hanging up the phone before pressing the last digit. Then I stared at the phone again, until I could no longer stand it, picked it up and dialed.
�Hello?� He said, his voice slightly hoarse, as if I�d caught him sleeping.
�Hi Bill� this is�uh, Lauren. Have I� Is this a bad time?�
A pause. For one moment, I had a horrible thought that maybe he didn�t remember me, maybe he didn�t recall my name.
�No� it�s fine� I just got out of the shower. I thought you liked to be called Lola.� His voice dropped and I could hear a grin.
I blushed uncontrollably. �Um� well� sometimes� I didn�t know if you�d remember me by that name.�
�Hmmmm�. Couldn�t forget you, princess.� His voice turned into a throaty growl.
I bit my lip. This was so awkward. Who would think that someone who is able to lead large business presentations and speak in front of hundreds of people would have a problem talking to this one man?
�I�I had a great time last night.� I said, slipping into chatty tones.
�Did you?� He chuckled. �So did I.�
�I was�wondering, actually�I�ll probably be out there tonight, and I was wondering if you would be as well.� I exhaled� that wasn�t so difficult.
�Oh? Going to meet friends again?� I could almost feel him looking at me with that dark intensity.
�No�. not really. I mean, if you were going to be there, then I would go.�
�Are you especially attached to that bar?�
I shifted and began to play with the phone cord. �No� not especially.�
�I have something else in mind then� if you�d be willing.�
An alarm went off inside my head. This was a man I met in a bar. A man who seemed to like things a little rough. A little pulled hair was not a big deal, but was it a hint at what lay beneath the surface of his strong exterior?
�Like what?� I tried to sound coy, tried to cover my apprehension, but he immediately read through it.
�You�d have to trust me, princess. If you aren�t willing to trust me, then none of this is going to work out. But if you are� I promise� you won�t regret a single second.�
The way he said that made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. I thought about him standing there, fresh from the shower, wearing a towel, talking to me at that moment. Then I immediately envisioned mind-blowing sex of the type I�ve only dreamt of enjoying. Then I shook it off, stunned at myself for thinking such thoughts at all.
�I�I trust you.� I said, not really certain. My gut instinct told me that he did not have ill intentions.
�Good girl. Wear something pretty for me. Meet me at 7:30 at�. Hmm�. 1720 Riverside Drive� do you know where Riverside drive is?�
�Yes.� This was confusing. I wasn�t expecting that at all. I expected him to pick me up.
�Good. And I expect you to be punctual. See you then� Lauren.� He said my name specifically, making me embarrassed for having used my formal name.
That night, I drove to Riverside Drive, searching for the address. It was an outskirts area, along the river. I was looking for a house, but instead found a very nice restaurant with 1720 written in brass script on the front pillars. I drove in and parked at 7:25 pm. He was already there, just stepping out of his truck when I pulled up.
By the time I unbuckled my seat belt, he was at my car door, opening it for me. He was dressed quite differently than the previous night. Gone were the jeans, denim shirt and workboots, in it�s place a pair of pressed black trousers, a grey dress shirt, open at the neck, and a heather grey sport coat. If I hadn�t seen him look so natural in his casual clothing, I would have assumed that he lived in such clothing, they hung on him perfectly accentuating his tall frame and muscular physique. I, on the other hand, was glad that I had erred on the side of �overdressed� rather than �underdressed�. I was wearing a classic black dress, showing just a hint of cleavage but with a plunging backline, which I always hid with a little black angora cardigan sweater.
He gave me his hand and helped me out of the car. He then looked at me up and down for the first time with my knowledge. The corners of his mouth turned up just a hair and he nodded appraisingly. Apparently, what he saw pleased him, although he did not, to my irritation, compliment me.
He gave me the crook of his arm and together we strode into the restaurant. The maitre�d greeted us immediately, calling him �Mr. Mason� by sight. He led us to a secluded private room where a table for two, set with a pink rosebud, two menus and a wine list, greeted us.
�Hank�� He said to the maitre�d, handing him the wine list �We won�t be drinking any alcohol tonight.� The maitre�d looked a little confused, then took the wine list away without another word.
He wasn�t the only one who was confused. Usually, when a man was doing the �impress the date� thing, he spared no expense. Champagne was de rigueur, especially if they had the ulterior motive of getting the date drunk enough to have sex later on. Of course, one usually never made the date drive themselves to the restaurant either.
I picked up the menu and began to peruse it. Mine had no prices. I had never eaten at this restaurant, but I had heard that it was rather pricey. I wondered if I would need to pay for myself as well. Oh well, that�s why God made plastic, I thought to myself.
He looked over the menu quickly, as though he had seen it many times before. �I would suggest for you the scallops� or the lamb chops if you don�t like scallops.� I looked at him and nodded, reading the menu descriptions for both. He closed his menu, and then watched me read mine. I thought I sensed a bit of irritation.
Our waiter arrived and he ordered first. �Tenderloin� rare.� He said, and then turned his gaze to me. I finally folded my menu and handed it to the waiter.
�I�ll have the scallops, please.�
The waiter smiled. �And to drink?�
�Coke for me� Diet Coke for the lady�.
The waiter smiled and nodded then walked away. I sipped my ice water and looked at him. He had a pleased smile on his face.
He leaned forward and said �Why scallops?�
I shifted in my seat. �Because you recommended them� and you�ve obviously been here before, and I trust your judgment.�
He nodded, continuing to watch me, gauging my expression. �Your natural impulse was to do as I said. Good. You will learn to trust me implicitly as we become closer. You will learn that you will be happiest when you choose to do what I recommend. I want you to trust me.�
I didn�t know how to answer that. �I want to be able to trust you as well.� I finally said.
�You will.� He said softly, with certainty.
