Only You Give Me That Feeling

Brian’s POV

“Stefi! C’mon dinner’s at nine” I said staring at my watch. After a long time, I was already back in the living room, pacing around, waiting for Stephanie to get ready.
“I’ll be down in two minutes!” I heard her yell
“Stefi, we’re late!”
“Two minutes I said!” She yelled back. I sighed and plopped on the armchair. ‘She’s acting weird’ I thought to myself. ‘She’s not been herself since she’s moved he-, no, she’s not been herself since Michelle came back’ I sighed, resting my head on my hands. ‘I need to fix this’
“I’m ready” I heard her say. I quickly stood up and turned around to face her. I stared at her as she walked down the stairs, she looked beautiful. The dressI got for her looked really good on her. She looked really petite and her legs looked really long. I sighed and smiled
“You look beautiful” I told her, still staring at her.
“Thank you” she replied seriously, walking straight to the front door. I stared at her confused, not really understanding why she was acting that way. I walked behind her and closed the door. I turned around and headed to the passenger’s door, to open it for her, but before I could reach the door, she opened it and jumped in. After a few seconds I headed to the driver’s side and jumped in as well. I started the car and headed to the restaurant.

I talked to the host who led us immediately to the outside deck. The view was spectacular. The ocean and the shinning moon were in perfect view.
As we sat down, a waiter gave us the menus. I had not much experience with eating out at fancy restaurants. The only restaurants I attended where the dates I once was with Michelle. I sighed and scanned the menu, observing everything I was so unfamiliar with. I looked up at Stephanie as the gentle breeze ruffled by her, when she noticed me watching her. Her brown eyes were so beautiful, she started smirking at me that I could not help but become curious.
“What?” I asked for the first time since we left my place
“Huh?” She asked confused. I stared at her and she started to giggle “You have no idea what to order do you?” she laughed
“I do” I said staring down at the menu
“You don’t” She paused taking away my menu “You choose the restaurant, let me pick the food” She smiled and started scanning it.

A few minutes went by when a waiter came. He stood up next to our table waiting for me to say anything
“What can I get for you to drink?” he asked pleasantly. He was quite young.
“Red wine, please” Stephanie said
“I’ll have the same,” I said. Making Stephanie laugh
“A Cabernet Sauvignon, 2001, Bordeaux, please” She told the waiter. “I would also like to order a Filet Mignon, 12 oz and a Yukon gold mashed potatoes, please” She smiled
“I’d like to order the only thing I understand in the menu, spaghetti please” I said looking down, I heard Stephanie laugh
“He’ll have the strube ranch wagyu beef, please” She smiled “and sweet potato mash and haricots verts” she said and closed the menu. The waiter bowed slightly and walked swiftly away. I thought I could hear him mutter something that sounded like, “Synyster fucking Gates,” as he walked away.
“You know about wines?” I asked her a little surprised. She shrugged her shoulders and looked down at the menu “And you surely know about food” I said
“I love to cook, I only know a little bit” She said staring at the moon.
“You call that a bit?” I said laughing, she shrugged. “The only thing I could understand about that menu were the spaghetti and scotch” I laughed.

The waiter returned in two minutes with a bottle of red wine, he poured just a bit in Stefi’s glass and waiter beside her. I turned to look at her as she smelled the wine in the glass and shook it before smelling it again, I stared at her surprised she knew so much about this stuff as she took a sip of the bottle, she swallow it and smiled at the waiter “Perfect” She said. The waiter placed the bottle in what looked a cooler and walked away.

“Just a bit?” I asked “That seemed more that just a bit” I said
“I told you, I love everything that has to do with food” she said and turned away once again
“Stefi, what’s wrong?” I asked her after a few minutes of silence. She looked at me as if she didn’t know what I was talking about “Why are you acting this way?” I asked, she shrugged
“Like what?” She said looking at the ocean
“Like this” I replied, she shrugged once again “Stefi, please tell me what is wrong, you’ve been acting different, just with me. What did I do to make you act this way?”
“Nothing, you did nothing” She sighed
“Then, why are you acting this way” I asked again
“That! You did nothing” She paused and sighed “It’s just that”
“That what?” I asked “You need to tell me so I can make things right”
“In Sacramento you were the sweetest guy ever, I really liked being around you” she paused “But since I came here, I don’t. At first I did, I loved hanging out with you, I really did. But since someone is around, I really don’t like you”
“What, why?” I asked confused
“You let her screw with me, that’s why. Friends stand up for their friends, and you don’t. You let her mess with me, call me names, she treats me like crap. And you do nothing to stop her”
“I’m sorry”
“I could just beat the crap out of her; I could stand up for myself and make her shut the heck up. But I don’t, because she’s your girlfriend, and I don’t want to lose my best friend, over that tart, but apparently, you do” She sighed “And most important, you let her treat you like crap, whatever she says, whatever she does, you’re okay with it”
“I’m sorry”
“When we get back home, she’s gonna find out about this dinner, she’s gonna call me a whore, a skank and she’s gonna be mean, and what are you gonna do? Nothing” she sighed
“I’m sorry” I said for the third time “I didn’t know” I paused “I’m gonna try to make this right, I promise”
“Brian, I want to move out. I can’t stand being there anymore”
“No, let me talk. I’m really sorry. I know Michelle can be a pain in the ass sometimes, always. I understand how you feel. I’m gonna try to stop Michelle when she’s bothering you. I’m sorry, you’re my best friend. I don’t want to lose you because of her. I don’t. And you’re not moving anywhere, you’re staying” I paused “And you can kick her ass or yell her back whenever you want” I laughed
“Promise?” She said laughing. I smiled that’s the Stephanie I loved, the happy one,
“Promise” I smiled “You look so much better with a smile on your face” I told her making her blush
“Thank you”
“Are we okay now?”
“We’re okay” she said as the waiter stood besides our table and placed our dishes in their place “Hope you enjoy your meal” He said and bowed slightly again, before he walked away.

Stefi took a bit of her meal and popped it into her mouth. I watched her chew it and a dribble of sauce hung at the corner of her mouth and I licked my lips unconsciously.
“Stefi” I whispered, pulling her chin up towards my face. “You have something on the corner of your mouth”
She put a finger to the left side of her lips. “Here?”
I shook my head. Then unable to resist, I lowered my head. “I’ll get it,” I murmured. The first touch was electric. My body reacted with waves of passion and physical want of the woman in front of me. Her lips were soft and so beautiful. “Done” I said snapping back to reality.
“Thank you, she smiled and kept eating”

“Did you like it?”
“What?” I asked
“The food, did I choose correctly?” She smiled
“It’s perfect, you do know about food. The steak it’s just juicy and delicious. I’ve never tasted the sweet potato, and its good” she laughed “And the wine, great” I said staring at our empty plates.
“I’m glad you liked it” She smiled and the waiter came back

“Mind if I clean off the table?” he asked
“Sure, go ahead” I said and he picked up the empty dishes.
“Want to order a dessert?” He asked once he came back after taking the dishes away, holding up two small menus
“Sure” I said. The man handed us the menus, then he stood there waiting for us to order “Want to share something?” she nodded “You pick”
“We’d like the white chocolate crème Brule” she said handing him the menus
“With strawberries” I added smiling
“Better yet, raspberries, please” she said. The waiter nodded and left “You’re gonna love the raspberries, they’re delicious” She smiled

Soon, the waiter came back holding our dessert. He handed us two spoons and headed back. I took a spoon and scooped some of the crème Brule
“Delicious isn’t it?”
“Best things I’ve ever tasted” I laughed. She laughed and ate some. “Stefi, now I need to tell you something”
“what?” she asked curious “Is it something bad?”
“No, not at all” I laughed “You know we’re recording the new album, right?” she nodded “Well, we have to go somewhere else to finish the last details and shit”
“Why?”
“They have the technology we don’t”
“Okay. So when are you leaving”
“We are leaving the day after tomorrow. We as in the guys, the girls, you and me ”
“What? Why?” she asked surprised
“We want you to come with us, so tomorrow you’re gonna start packing, not much, we’re gonna get you new clothes over there” I smiled waiting for her reacting
“Where?” she asked “You haven’t told me where” She asked suspicious
“That’s not important; you know when we get there”
“Brian, where are we going?” She asked a little hard
“That’s not imp-“
“Brian, where?”
“London”
“No”
“Why not?!”
“Well, because I don’t want to” She said
“It’s just gonna be 10 days”
“No it’s not about the time. Its about the place and the way to get there. So no, thank you but no. I don’t want to go, I won’t go”
“Stefi”
“Brian”
“C’mon” I pleaded “Besides, we already bought your ticket”
“Well you should take Michelle with you, because I’m not going”
“Stephanie!”
“Brian, no. There’s no way I’m getting on a plane.”
“Please”
“No”
“Alana is going”
“And what did she say about me?”
“That you wouldn’t want to go”
“Exactly”
“Are you sure?” I asked defeated
“Yeah, don’t worry” She smiled and checked her phone “Brian, it's almost two am"
"Shit, we lost track time" I replied as I pulled my phone out, but it didnt turn on
"Damn!"
"What?"
"My battery just died. Let’s go home now” She said. I nodded and called the waiter and asked him to get us the bill.

“I nearly forgot” I said “You look beautiful in that dress” I smiled and kissed her cheek
“Thanks, you have really good taste in women’s cloths” She laughed and looked out the window as it started to rain. “Thank you for tonight Brian” She said smiling, a genuine smile on her face “C’mon, it’s starting to freeze” She said as a shiver ran through her body.
But fate didn’t want us to reach home that night. My car skidded to a halt and spluttered for a while before dying. I slapped the dashboard in frustration.

“I’m sorry, Stefi. I forgot to refill the fuel,” I said apologetically.
“That’s okay. We’ll stay in the car for the night and get some help tomorrow morning,” she said, hugging her knees to keep herself warm.

“No. It’s too dangerous. You stay in the car while I go to the nearest gas station” I decided, opening the car door.
“You’re kidding me, right? It’s dangerous! It’s dark! It’s cold!” She protested.
“So is pending the night in the car”
“But not as dangerous as walking out in this weather” She argued as it started to rain harder
“Fine” I said
She smiled and I hugged her closer, trying to keep her warm. We talked for a couple of hours until we fell asleep.