Look but Don't Choke

Chapter 5

            Naturally I overslept, so when I woke up I only had time to do the essentials and run the flat iron over my hair. It’s a shame too, I’d picked out this really cute skirt but, well, you know I was too damn lazy to shave my legs today.

            Instead I tried to overcompensate for this by putting on my most booty shaping jeans to hide my lack of a badonkadonk. I swear to God every woman in my family is notorious for her curves. Nothing but hourglasses and pear shapes. Then I come along and its Like God said, ‘Evie Harper I shall bestow upon you the hips of a boy-child. Mwahaha. Try and get ye groove back with that, missy!’

            But hopefully my date will be satisfied with a big smile as opposed to a big butt.

            I finished the look with a nice dress shirt and heels, styled my hair, and did my make-up. I was just putting on lipstick when the doorbell rang. He was standing in the hallway wearing a crisp white collared shirt and khaki slacks. It was the most casual I’d ever seen him.

            “You look great,” he said from the doorway.

            “Thank you.” We smiled at each other, holding eye contact for a little too long. I grabbed my purse and locked the door.

            “So,” he said as we walked down the hall. “I was thinking we’d see ‘Peace and Punishment’.”

            “Is that a cop movie?” I couldn’t help but laugh.

            “I like to count all the inaccuracies. What do you want to see, a chick flick?” He gave me this cute little lopsided smirk as we stepped into the elevator.

            “Why don’t we compromise with a horror flick?”

            “Are you trying to scare me into your arms?”

            “Am I that obvious? And I was trying to be so smooth.”

            When we got downstairs and to the parking lot he walked ahead and opened the passenger side door of his pick-up truck; an unnecessary gesture but too cute and much appreciated. We kept on with the casual flirting all the way to the theatre.

            As we were standing in line, me hugging my sweater closed against a slight unexpected chill, he said, “I can’t believe you’re an only child. I have three older brothers and one younger brother.”

            “Four? Seriously? I couldn’t even imagine.”

            “I couldn’t imagine being an only child. It must have been lonely.”

            “Naw, I spent a lot of time at Henry’s house anyway.”

            “You talk about Henry a lot. You two must be close.” The atmosphere grew tense for a moment as he cocked his head slightly, his eyes searching. I’m not sure if I like him trying to use his cop powers to read my reactions.

            I spoke deliberate and measured. “Yeah, like brother and sister.”

            The air around us calmed and his smile returned, pacified. When he saw me shiver he removed his jacket and wrapped it around my shoulders.

            “Thank you,” I said. As he pulled the jacket around my shoulders his arms lingered. His face softened and he stared with pointed attention at my lips. From that intense but brief moment I knew he was contemplating whether or not it was too early in the relationship to kiss me.