Their second date was a quiet walk and an old movie playing at one of the local theatres. Lydia's smile never seemed to fade; Steve's nervousness did, though. She wanted to tell him she didn't need the bumbling knight in shining armour act, but it was nice to be courted. It made her feel special
When she felt him touch her hand in the darkened theatre, she felt sparks. She turned her hand over and their fingers slipped together. She caught his shy smile and felt her stomach tighten. When she could feel his eyes on her, the knot seemed to double in size.
"That was a nice movie," she said quietly as he walked her to her door at the end of the most quiet, yet comfortable, drive she had ever been out on.
He smiled and nodded. "it was."
Lydia shifted her weight twice after they stopped before her porch. After a beat, she blurted out: "Do you want to come in?"
Steve cleared his throat. "Ah. Um... well, yes, but---"
"It's not too fast," she assured him quickly.
"What about your daughter? Halley?"
Lydia blushed. "Oh. Right. Yeah."
"She might not like you bringing a guy over for coffee," Steve reasoned, brushing his fingers over the back of her hand.
She blinked. "Coffee?"
He coughed. "Wasn't that why I was being invited in?"
"Um... no."
Steve blushed as he caught on. Lydia laughed. He cleared his throat and softly said, "We could go to my place."
She smiled. "That would be nice. Really nice."
He squeezed her hand and they took off for his car again. The drive was quiet again; Lydia wondered if she startled him, ruining any chance of a real relationship. However, when he looked over at her under a red light and smiled, she felt reassured.
His apartment was tidy. She had feared he would be a messy bachelor, or entirely too neat and organized to handle. But, she was comforted by the living quarters he showed her.
"This is my place."
She nodded. "I like it."
"We can sit and talk, if---"
Lydia's hand snaked out and grabbed him by his shirt. She pulled him close and kissed him soundly. She hadn't initiated too many intimate encounters; with Steve, though, it felt acceptable. She felt his hands hold her, securing her to his body. She smiled as the kiss deepened, seemingly on its own; when it ended, he was grinning.
"No talking, then."
She shook her head. "No."
He swallowed. "I... I have a bedroom."
She flashed him her brightest grin. "That sounds like a good place to start."
Steve put a hand out. "Just hold on, okay?"
Lydia raised an eyebrow. "Out here?"
He nodded. "Yes. Please."
She nodded, too. "Okay. You have five minutes."
He smiled and kissed her again before disappearing down the hall. She chuckled to herself and tried to wait as patiently as possible. By the time he returned, she was pacing nervously.
Steve cleared his throat. "Lydia?"
She glanced up. "Hi."
"Are you okay?"
Lydia nodded. "Yes... I just couldn't stay still."
He chuckled. "Oh."
"Am I allowed to see your room now?"
He chuckled and gestured for her to join him. "Yes, I hid the dirty clothes."
She laughed softly, but didn't say anything until they were inside. She gasped softly at the sight of the candles. He smiled. "I would have had rose petals if I had known tonight was the night."
She blushed. "I don't need candles."
"You should have them."
Lydia couldn't keep her eyes from watering at the earnest tone in his voice. "Steve..."
He took her hand. "I mean it."
"I know you do," she whispered.
"We don't have to---"
"I want to," she said quickly.
"Alright."
She chuckled and reached out to unbutton his shirt. He swatted her hand away. "Not so fast."
"But---"
He tugged her to the bed. "We have all night," he pointed out as they sat down.
She nodded. "I guess we do."
Steve smiled and pointed to the alarm clock on the nightstand. "We definitely do." He cupped her cheek with his free hand. "So, let's just take our time."
"Okay."
"Okay?"
She nodded again. "Yeah... I..." she sighed and shrugged, deciding to admit the truth. "I'm actually a little nervous."
"Why?"
She raised an eyebrow. "I'm an old mother of two who divorced her husband because he was cheating on her... and you ask why?"
He smiled after a quick sigh. "I think you're incredible."
She rolled her eyes. "I don't need---"
"I mean it, Lydia."
She blushed. "Okay then."
"Don't just brush it off. It's a good thing," he said, rambling a little. "It deserves a---" Lydia effectively cut him off with a kiss. Startled, he backed away. "A kiss... unexpected, but good."
"It is," she murmured. He smiled and ran his fingers through her hair before dragging her in for another kiss.
Lydia remembered feeling the mattress under her, supporting her, but she didn't recall how she came to be reclining. She did know that it felt good to have a man leaning over her. There was something comforting in the weighty sensation.
Kissing Steve was overloading her senses. He tasted incredible. He smelled... delicious. She hoped those were signs of good things to come. She remembered reading in one of her daughters' magazines that scent was an important component of attraction. At the time, she thought the notion was silly. But, then, she also thought dating was silly.
In Steve's arms, though, she didn't think any of it was silly.
The End!
