First Date

My heart was racing. I glanced at the clock on the wall; he should be here soon. Wringing my hands, I paced back and forth across the small space of my room. My stomach fluttered and I exhaled loudly. Again I checked the clock. Only a minute had passed.

I decided that I need to look over myself once more before he arrived and headed into the bathroom to gaze on the mirror. A girl stared back at me, pale from shot nerves, yet flushed from anxiety. Bright, endless blue eyes set wide and looking frantic. The light dusting of charcoal eye shadow brought out her inner maturity, turning this nervous little girl into someone that resembled a woman. Her soft brown hair hung straight down her back and shoulders straightly, catching light fragments as she turned. Her light pink lips sure to be swollen from rubbing in her chapstick nervously.

She was me.

I brushed my bangs aside before straightening out my shirt. “I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.” my voice shook as I spoke to myself.

I nodded once before turning and walking back into my room.

After slipping on my Converse, I reached for my house key, knowing I’d be out late. Then my dogs started to bark. I stopped dead in my tracks, straining to listen, though I could hardly hear anything over the sound of my heart beating wildly in my ears.

“Jess,” my mom called from the living room, “Ryan’s here.”

Oh god, I thought, this is it.

“Coming!” I called back.

I inhaled deeply and tried to stop the shaking of my breath. My throat felt tight and closed off and I hoped I didn’t pass out.

Are first dates always this nerve wrecking?!

I reached for my phone and stuffed it along with my keys in an over the shoulder purse I’d decided matched my outfit. One foot in front of the other, I made it out of my room and closed my door behind me. Before rounding the corner, I nodded reassuringly to myself and then moved.

There he was, looking as gorgeous —if not more— than the first time I met him. Dark blonde hair kept short so he never worried about styling it. His warm brown eyes pulling me into him with ever second he stared. Clad in worn blue jeans held in place with a belt adorned in a buckle the size of my fist. His boots added a good two inches to his 6 foot tall, muscular frame. His back t-shirt fit him just right and he let the hem of it hide behind the shining belt buckle. His copper toned arms looked as if they’d feel amazing to be held in. Then he smiled.

My God, I’ve fallen for a Cowboy.

I mentally shook my head and refrained form laughing as I returned his smile.

“You ready t’go?” he asked, his accent dripping thick off every word.

“Yea.” was all I could say, though I was thinking something more along the lines of, ‘Hell yes, let me get you alone!’

He turned to my mom before we left, saying, “It was nice t’meet ya ma’am.”

We walked side by side until we got to his truck then got in and slowly pulled out of the drive way.

He was taking my to see a movie and said we’d stop and grab a bite afterward. Had I been a little older, we more than likely would’ve gone to a bar in the city. He was 22 while I was mere months from my 20th birthday. He seemed ok with it though; I wasn’t that much younger.

Once we got to the theater and went up to buy our tickets, he playfully refuse to let me pay my way in on a date he asked me on. We compromised and he let me buy the refreshments.

We talked for a while until the lights dimmed and the movie started. It was super loud and kept your attention, well it kept mine at least. I could see him in my peripherals glancing over at me occasionally. I kept my eyes on the screen since I was nervous as hell.

About an hour into the film, the popcorn had been devoured and the empty container set on the floor. I saw him reach for the drink but when he didn’t drink it, and moved it into the cup holder on his other side, I couldn’t help but become curious.

He moved the armrest the was in between us so that it sat between the backs of the chairs and left an open space between us. My heart threatened to pound right out of my chest. I saw him move his arm and I frantically glanced over at him in time to see it disappear behind my head. He sled it down around my waist and pulled me closer to him, filling in the gap with my body. I sat rigidly next to him until I felt his breath hot against my ear.

“Relax.” he whispered before kissing my jaw softly. I felt a sudden rush of heat across my face, but couldn’t help but obey his playful command.

About 20 minutes later I found my head resting against his shoulder and our left hands laced together, his holding mine from behind. I couldn’t help but grin a little.

Then after the movie we stood and moved slowly through the crowd, him holding my hand and leading. Once outside, I came to walk by his side and he continued to hold me hand, rubbing his thumb smoothly over my own.

I felt a little more at ease, though I was never good at keeping up a conversation with someone when I was nervous and didn’t want to mess things up, though my silence seemed to do just that. Thankfully he turned on the radio as we pulled out onto the main street and it was something I could sing along to.

Before the song ended, we pulled into a Taco Bell and went inside to order. He again, insisted on paying and I only laughed a little. We sat at a little table in the corner and ate slowly, talking between bites of food. He seemed to feel my apprehension and it helped that he had plenty of things to talk about. The movie being one that I had a great opinion on. He was a great listener too, and found it easer and easer to hold up on my end of things.

After we finished we walked back out to his truck and started heading home.

“Hey, since it’s only like 8:00, you wanna go t’my place?” he asked.

He lived alone and I knew that in turn we’d be alone. But I also didn’t want to go home just yet.

“Sure, that sound good.” I smiled.

We passed my exit and got off at the one after, he only lived about 15 minutes from me. In a matter of ten minutes, we’d pulled into his driveway. He shut off the engine and waited for me as I rounded the front of the truck. He reached for my hand as we made it to the front door.

Once inside he told me where I could set my stuff and then pointed me in the direction of the bathroom when I asked.

I had to pee like crazy after all that damn soda, so I did that and then went to the sink to wash my hands. I ran my fingers through my hair and straighten out any smudges in my makeup.

When I came out he was standing in his kitchen, looking out the window, with a beer in his hand.

He turned when he heard me and smiled.

“Ya want one?” he offered.

“No thanks.” I smiled and shook my head.

“Ya don’t drink?”

“Not regularly.” I shrugged.

“I bet you never even had one before.” he chuckled and gestured to the bottle in his hand.

“I have, I just don’t like beer.” I laughed and he cocked an eyebrow at me as if to say he didn’t believe me.

I rolled my eyes and walked over to him taking the bottle from his hand and tilting it to my lips. The cold liquid ran down my throat and left a bad taste on my tongue. I handed it back though without making a face. He just smiled.

“You know you just condoned under aged drinking, right?” I laughed.

He shrugged and wrapped an arm around my waist pulling me with him. We sat on his couch and started talking, about what always changed. Work, family, things we wanted out of life, people. The list went on.

The whole time though, he never did more than hold my hand or wrap me into his side. I didn’t know if I should be impressed or worried.

When 11:30 rolled around he suggested he take me back home so I met curfew. The ride there was like the ride to his house, pleasant and at ease.

We pulled up in front of my house and took notice of the only light on being one on the porch. He walked my to the door and we turned to say our ‘Good night’s’.

“I had a great time with you.” he’d said.

“Me too, thanks for taking me out.”

“Anytime.” he smiled. “In fact, lets do this again, soon.” he laughed softly and I joined in.

He smiled and looked down into my eyes. He reached out and I felt his finger tips brush against the side of my face before working slowly into my hair. He pulled my into him and our lips met. He kissed me slowly at first, nothing more then a good night kiss. And then as if I could feel a switch turn on, his mouth began to move against mine eagerly. I followed suit and wrapped arms around him. His tongue slid across my bottom lip and I opened up to him willingly, allowing the kiss to deepen. After a few more seconds he pulled away and stepped back to look on at me.

“I like you. Like, I really like ya’ Jess.” he said softly.

“I like you too, Ryan.”

He smiled and leaned in again, this time only kissing my lips once. before hugging me close. I hadn’t realized till now that he smelled amazing.

I tried to keep from laughing as I realized that his arms really did feel nice to be wrapped up in.

“G’night.” he said.

“Night.” I replied and then stood and watched as he drove off.

I let my parents know I was home before I went into the bathroom to wash my face and pin up my hair. In my room, I sat down and slid my shoes off, leaving them at the foot of my bed.

I could still smell him on me and smiled as I decided to just sleep in the shirt I was wearing. I changed into my shorts and turned the lights off before crawling under the covers.

I played out the day in my mind as I dozed off, only to be awoken my the ringing of my cell phone. I reached for it on my desk and saw that it was a text message.

Can’t wait to see you again. Sweet dreams, beautiful.

A wide grin spread across my face as I replied, :] same here, Goodnight.

I fell asleep happily, knowing that somewhere across town, Ryan was falling asleep to thought of me, and hoped that in the morning I’d still be on his mind. ‘Cause he was always on mine.