Picture This

I felt like I was on cloud nine for the rest of the week. Amy had seen a difference in me, I even saw a difference in myself. I was beginning to prepare things for the studio. I had gotten my equipment in, posted some job listings and began looking for furniture, decorations and which photos would make it on the walls. It was a good distraction. It had been a few days since hearing from Sebastian, but I didn’t fret over it, I had confidence I would hear from him soon.

As I was at my new desk, computer and all, and was sifting through a couple of resumes that had come through, hoping to find a few suitable people. I heard the door open and realized that I had forgotten to lock it. I peeked around the corner and met his gaze. He immediately smiled at the sight of me, and I was lost.

“Hey” he said, “It’s starting to look pretty good”

“You think so?” I asked, looking around, “Still a long way to go”

He nodded, “I think it will look great”

I smiled, “Thanks. So what’s the meaning of this surprise?”

He shrugged, “Just that. Hoping to surprise you, I wanted to ask you to dinner tonight”

I cocked my head to the side, “Me?”

He looked around, “I am in the right building right? You’re Anna Lee?”

I rolled my eyes and he let out a laugh, “You’re hilarious” I said.

“I always thought so” he gave me a huge grin and I couldn’t help but let out a laugh, but he spoke again, “It’s dinner, at a fancy restaurant, with me”

I want to, obviously, but the whole possibility of there being a camera or two hiding in the trees, especially if it was a popular restaurant among other celebrities, “I like that idea. But is it just you and me?”

“Of course” he replied, “Why?”

I shrugged, “I like to be behind the camera, not in front of it”

I noticed his jaw clench a little and then he slid his hands in his pockets and looked at me, “Trust me, it’s not like they follow me around you know.”

“I understand that” I replied, “But it only takes one picture. And I don’t want to be that girl”

“I won’t let that happen” he said, his eyes narrowing a bit, “It’s just dinner, I promise. The chances of someone else being there, or a bunch of paparazzi being there, in the entire city of New York, is pretty slim”

He was right, we are in a big city, “You’re right” I let out a long breath, “Sorry, this is just really new to me. Whatever this is”

He nodded, “I get it. But I think you’re pretty tough, you could handle it”

I smiled at his comment, “So what time?” I asked.

“I’ll come by around 8?”

“Okay. What should I wear?”

“Whatever your heart desires m’lady. I’m sure you’ll look beautiful in whatever you can muster up” he leaned in and gave me a quick kiss on the cheek.

I smiled, “I’m going to hold you to that”

He started to leave and then turned, “I wouldn’t expect anything less”

He left the building and left me standing there, dumbfounded. Just the sight of him was enough to knock me on my ass half the time, but when he joked like that, smiled like that, he had a way about him. Confidence but not cocky, he didn’t overdo himself in his humour, flirting or any of it. He was almost cautious, but in a good way. Like he knew what he was doing. I had no doubt he was.

I had Amy come over for an emergency closet raid, trying to find the perfect outfit for something like this. She even brought over some of her things that she was starting to outgrow because of the pregnancy. After an hour of “no’s” and “ew’s” and “hell no’s” I finally found the right outfit. It was a simple red dress, sleeveless, with a bit of beading down the front and black heels. I let my brown hair fall in waves down my back and red lipstick. I also had a black trench coat, considering the weather.

“It’s perfect!” Amy beamed, “You look gorgeous. And if a camera or two happens to find you, you’ll look fine”

“I don’t want that” I replied, “I don’t need that right now”

She sighed, “You understand who you’re going out with right?”

I nodded, “A human being, who happens to be in a business that doesn’t give him a very private life. I treat him like a human, not a movie star, he likes that about me.”

She shrugged, “Okay, just don’t worry about it then. Go have fun, enjoy his company, okay?”

“I will” I said giving my lipstick a light touch before walking out to the living room. I checked my phone and it was getting close to eight, and I heard a buzz at the door. I held the button down, “Who is it?” I sang.

“Sebastian” he said with a chuckle.

“I’ll be right down” I replied and took a deep breath before opening the door.

“I’ll stay here until you get back, so I can get all the details later” she said.

“Wish me luck”

“Luck!” she said as I shut the door and locked it behind me. It felt like forever just getting down the stairs. I knew I should have taken the elevator.

I walked out the front door of the apartment building and he stood at the bottom of the steps in dark jeans and a dress shirt, covered in a longer black coat. It was simple, and I liked it.

“Not all black for a change” I told him, “I like it”

He looked up at me, and his eyes widened a little. He didn’t say anything, so I spoke, “Did I muster up something good enough?” I asked.

He nodded as I walked down the stairs and then stood in front of him, nearly getting to his height, “I told you you’d look beautiful in anything” he said.

“Thank you” I replied, “It’s my sister’s dress actually”

“Well you made the right choice”

I pressed my lips together, trying to hide the smile. We started walking and then he stopped me, opening the back door to a big but sleek black car.

“Really?”

“It’s a little far to walk” he confessed, “I hope that’s okay”

I shrugged, “Okay”

I climbed in and he climbed in on the other side, sliding close. It’s the closest I’ve ever been to him, my whole right side touching his left, and I felt my stomach flip. I took a deep breath and then he looked over at me, “You okay?” he asked.

“I’m okay” I replied with a quick smile. He didn’t argue, he just gave me a nod and a small smile.
It was a silent ride but before I knew it, we arrived. I opened the door and I looked around. We weren’t in my part of New York anymore, but when I stepped into the restaurant, I felt even less like I was. Like he said, it was fancy. It was unlike any restaurant I’ve ever been in, or could afford. There was a lounge to the left and then dining tables to the right and there were stairs that led to another level, which more than likely had private dining. I heard him talking to someone, hostess I assumed, but I never heard a word as I eyed every detail of the restaurant. Finally, we were led upstairs and to a small table in the corner. It was quieter, although you could still hear the chatter and music from downstairs and there were only a few other lucky people to be up here, at their respective tables.

“You outdid yourself” I told him, “You’re making it hard to forget you’re a celebrity”

“Well, I thought I might get this out of the way early. The fancy, expensive dinner, wine and all that jazz”

“It’s just such a step up from a coffee date” I smirked.

He laughed, “It certainly is”

It was certainly a night of fine dining, wine drinking and a lot of laughter. I started to forget the venue I was at and just focus on the person I was with, which almost helped me forget who he was to the rest of the world.

As we were leaving, I began to walk down the stairs and I felt the smallest touch on the small of my back, which almost startled me. I looked up to see him there, like he was leading me. I felt on top of the world at that moment, and my heart raced a bit faster.

We stepped outside and I felt a small chill from the Fall air. We decided to start walking and he kept close, his head constantly looking over his shoulder and around.

“Looking for someone?” I asked.

“The car” he said, “Thought it would be here by now”

We kept walking, while he looked at his phone, sending a couple of texts, “We could get a cab you know” I told him, “It is New York”

He looked around and then nodded, “Okay, let’s do it. He can find me later” He stepped out onto the street and immediately hailed a cab. I slid in first, and he slid in after me, feeling a lot more close in the tight backseat of a cab compared to the car we were brought in. I gave him the address of my apartment and then laid my head back as the cab pulled out.

“Tired?” he asked.

I nodded, “And full. But it was an amazing night”

He smiled, “I’m glad you thought so”

“Were you trying to impress me?” I asked, “Cause you certainly did a good job”

“Good” he answered, “I’m honestly just glad you enjoyed it. I just wanted to take you out on the town, you know?”

I turned my head to look at him, still resting back, “I did. It was great.” I smiled. He didn’t respond, he just smiled back, his blue eyes locked with mine before I caught them take a subtle glance at my lips, and he was thinking the same thing as me.

“What are you waiting for?” before I could even take another breath, his hand rested on my cheek and his lips locked with mine. It was like a breath of fresh air as my head jerked up and my hand gripped his wrist as it stayed on my cheek. My entire body burned while I started to lean into him, and his hand moved from my cheek to my waist, starting to pull me in and then he took a breath and stopped, “It’s a little fast, isn’t it?” his breathing was a bit heavier now but I could barely hear it over my heartbeat in my ears. I felt my face flush and then I sat back, “Sorry” I said.

He shook his head, “No I kissed you, it’s just—I just don’t want to jump into this that quick, because I really like you. I have a lot coming up and I just don’t—“ the cab stopped and the driver told us how much. I gave him cash before Sebastian could and climbed out of the car. He followed me and grabbed my wrist before I could start climbing the stairs, “I don’t want to get really serious and then end up having to go away for God knows how long. Do you get it?”

I did understand. His life was busy, he had a lot on his plate and he doesn’t want to hurt me, but for some reason it still felt like a kick in the gut, and I just wanted to go home to my bed, “I get it” was all I said.

“You’re mad”

“No, it’s fine. We were in the back of a cab anyways. It’s not exactly classy” I tried to take the stairs again but he got my wrist again, “I’m sorry” he said.

I sighed, “The moment I met you, I knew who you were. You were a movie star, who dated other famous people, ate at expensive restaurants, had cars drive them around, with no private life and I found you attractive and the way you talked to me made me feel like I had a shot. And you didn’t flaunt your status with me. You didn’t say ‘Sebastian Stan, Hollywood actor’ you said ‘Sebastian’ and you immediately started in about me and my pictures. You weren’t the type of guy Hollywood makes you all out to be. But I knew you were still in Hollywood, I knew what your life was and I still gave you my number. I knew what I was getting into. I just didn’t expect it to actually happen”

He ran a hand through his hair, making me slightly lose my composure but held it to just flushed cheeks, which he didn’t notice. Then he moved a bit closer, and I was taller than him, standing on the first step, “I looked you up, after we met” he said, “Your photography, I mean. It was really good and your card sat in my wallet and stared me in the face every day and I didn’t think I should do it. And when things ended with Jennifer and I, I felt like it was the perfect opportunity, because it sat there in the front of my wallet. I know you made the move, but I wasn’t sure if you wanted a guy like me barging into your quiet life, so I didn’t do it. I guess you could say that I chickened out. I never forgot about you, you should know that”

His words caught me off guard, and I searched his face, trying to find words of my own to form, but nothing came out so I kissed him. And not softly either, I wrapped my arm around his neck and pressed myself against him, nearly falling off the stair in the process. As it slowed, my hand gripped the collar of his shirt, and our eyes met again, “You’re starting to sound like a movie again” I said, nearly breathless.

“It looks like it worked”

I smoothed down his shirt and then looked up at him again, “You’re good at that. Did you have a lot of practice?” I asked, with a hint of sarcasm.

“It comes in handy, don’t you think?”

He got me to smile a little and then he leaned in, and the kiss was softer this time and it was getting harder to have to say goodbye to him, “It’s too early for you to go, isn’t it?” I whispered.
“It is only the second date miss”

I knew I wanted to wait, but in the heat of the moment, I couldn’t help myself, “And I already like you”

“I like you too” he said, “A lot. And I want to see you again”

“Then you can”

We were still close together, and I could feel his breath on my skin. It’s like he knew the effect he had on me, “Okay, a week from today, Friday.”

“What are we doing?” I asked, still trying to compose myself.

“You’ll have to wait and see” he said.

I saw a car pull up and he moved away, “I’ll call you in a few days. I’m going to be out of town, but we’ll talk soon”

“Okay, see you soon”

He gave me a reassuring smile and climbed into the dark car as it pulled away quickly. I grabbed onto the railing, trying to keep my balance, the effects of the kiss still taking its toll. I took a deep breath and then grabbed my key out of my clutch, unlocked the apartment door and decided to take the elevator, allowing me to take my heels off.

I don’t know what the time limit is to feel like this about someone, but I was quickly feeling a lot of things I was unaware existed. I hadn’t felt like this about any previous boyfriend in the short list of them, no matter how long or short the relationship. It scared me a little bit, in a good way. I had my nerves and doubts, but I just pictured his reassuring smile and then touched my hand to my lips, still reeling from the contact they had a short moment ago. I was higher than cloud nine now, and there was nothing that could bring me down.

Until my stomach began to turn.