She's A Lady

7

I looked perfect and I was terrified. My hair was pinned back to one side and flowed in waves over my shoulders. Max was a demon with a curling iron and I loved the result. My makeup was understated, just a smoothing of blush, a soft smoky eye and lip gloss. A small silver chain with a crystal heart dangling in the hollow of my neck complimented the two crystal earrings I chose. Subtle and sweet. I wore black hose with a pair of killer stilettos that I knew were going to be killing my feet by the end of the night but made my calves look so great.

I flinched when the door bell rang out, shaking my head at Max's worried offer to get it for me. I made the walk to the front hall with care. He rang again, because I was taking so long. Couldn't be helped if I didn't want to fall over in these heels. When the door swung open to reveal him standing with a small handful of roses and a half-glazed looked on his face, I made sure to straighten up my back. His glazed look flew away in a split second, replaced by a somewhat passionate one.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked in a husky tone. I smiled. It was empowering to know what effect you had on another human being like that.

"One second." I turned, leaving the door open, to grab the small purse I had packed and left on the table nearby and place the roses there instead. I closed the door behind me and really took in the man I was going out with. He was wearing a finely tailored, button-down shirt with a pair of dress pants in a dark shade of grey. The shirt was subtly striped when you looked closer, shimmering in the light of the hallway.

He looked put together, really hot. As we rode the elevator, he used it as an excuse to put his hand on my waist in a rather possessive gesture. I was grinning like an idiot. The way he opened doors for me and kept looking over when he thought I wasn't looking was so sweet. I was as smitten with his good manners as I used to be with his good looks.

Not that I wasn't still attracted, just that I wasn't so silly with it as I first was. I only felt a warm feeling in my chest and limbs when I looked at him. No longer the jelly legs, which was a good thing considering the height of the heels I was wearing. The car ride was quiet, and if it wasn't for the previous trip with little conversation I might have been worried about the lack of small talk between us. He didn't do small talk. I knew that, but I was still nervous about what was going through that head of his.

"Here we are." He said in a quiet voice. We were parked in the private underground for one of the high rises that housed a very popular restaurant. The trip to the top floor was silent and near excruciating.

"Do you have a reservation?" The woman in a crisp white shirt and black pencil skirt stood behind a podium in the entranceway. Her name tag proclaimed her as the floor manager on duty.

"Yes. Two for Carter. Our reservation is for 5 p.m. I believe." She nodded and checked us off the list. We were seated near a window where the sun slowly sank in the city sky, shining off the windows of nearby buildings like towering disco balls. The sparkle of the landscape reminded me of jewelry. I took my menu and tried not to worry at the lack of prices printed next to each dish.

"It all looks so good." I was distracted by the background music as Soundgarden came on. The melodic strains of Black Hole Sun gave the place an edgy vibe. In the bright light of early evening the restaurant gleamed with clean place settings and black linen table cloths. The tinted windows cast grey rectangles of light over the cushioned red fabric chairs. The serving staff worked quietly, composed as they walked between the occupied tables.

"It's usually this busy." He said, watching me take in the room.

"I'm going to have chicken. Do you want to share some wine?" I closed my menu and watched him look over the choices.