What was Still is

Chapter 2: Ely

I don't know what I have done right recently to have the stars and planets have aligned for me but whatever it was must have been pretty damn good job. Driving down the freeway on the way to dinner with my incredibly hot girlfriend riding next to me with her hand dancing in the wind that rushes past her open window. She is carefree and it is stunning on her.

"What is with that grin, I thought I was the one celebrating a promotion" I yell out over the wind from her window, she turns to me and her green eyes sparkle from the head lights of the cars passing us going the other direction.

"You" she clips back with her perfect smile, her teeth are naturally straight. You can tell when a smile has been aligned by braces versus naturally straight teeth, mine are aligned by braces which I had to do twice.

"Me?" I say as I shoot her a quick glance with my eyebrows furrowed not understanding what I did, even if it was right what did I do? She doesn't say anything, she doesn't have to she simply lifts her shoulders ever so slightly as to say I don't know. I exit the free way just before the restaurant, eager to show her just how special she really is to me, who knows maybe I'll get lucky twice and wake up to her tomorrow morning again.

I pull into the dimly lit restaurant, The Waterfront is a quant little restaurant that is on the out skirts of town sitting on the bank of the lake that is usually buzzing with tourist but not during this time of the year, but is the perfect location and atmosphere to have a romantic dinner and that's just what they were going to do. I was bound and determined to show her that I wanted more out of her than a wife. I wanted a lover, someone I could share his life with, she is the missing piece to me.

As I maneuver into a parking spot I give her the devilish look that I know makes her squirm, and as if she could hear my thought she did just that. The sparkle that was in her eyes just moments ago is replaced with a fire that he has seen many a times right before she takes me to bed. Shit! Just the thought of us going to bed was enough to start the blood flow to my pants, I quickly exit the car and rush to open her door before she does but also to adjust myself. Even though I would like nothing more than to feel her come apart now was not the time nor the place.

"The Waterfront is my favorite!" James breaths as she steps out of the car adjusting that gorgeous black and red dress. Some how we managed to match even though I know neither of us had planned it. Even though there isn't a dress code, during off season the locals dress in their Sunday best or in a little black and red dress sure to be the death of me.

"I know it's your favorite, hence why we are here" I say offering her the crook of my arm. This may be a family owned restaurant but I will always offer her the crook of my arm, or wrap my arm around her as if we were dining at the hottest spot in the world. She fits so perfectly there, like she was made specifically for me. One of these days I am going to wear her down and I won't have to play the lottery every night hoping I can convenience her to let me stay the night. Her staying at my place is out of the question, she said she doesn't feel comfortable staying there knowing that I share an apartment with my older brother, Emerson.

Emerson isn't like me, he doesn't work for our father's firm, he isn't as good with numbers as us, so he says, but he is still a Sackstin and we don't go down with out a fight. If I could only get him to stop traipsing women through the apartment all the time maybe James would feel more comfortable staying the night.

"Right this way" the hostess says as we make our way through the sea of table to the table that I have claimed as ours. The first time that I brought James here I was sure it had been her first, but Mario one of the waiters recognized her and asked if I was the new boyfriend before giving us the table with the most privacy. I smile as the image of James pops into my head when Mario called me her boyfriend on our first date, that was five years ago. Most women want to be married with a kid in three years, much less five , but not James she is not like most women. She is dead set of taking care of herself first and then the rest of life will fall into place. My girl is more ambitious than I can ever be.