An open flame by Shanice, C Ward (essential reading .txt) 📕

contain my excitement, I had to see him again, had it really been two days since I last bumped into him, I should tell Leila about him, maybe he just wants his jacket back, wait, he never said anything about his jacket, just me, oh I have to meet with him again. Suddenly I felt very nervous like I did when I was 17 going on my first date, feeling giddy I sat on my bed and clutched my phone in my hand thinking of the right response so not to seem too excited. After a while I typed a reply,

‘Hi Toby, sure, It would be really nice to see you again, we definitely should meet up some time, when would be the best time for you? I am free tonight if that’s soon enough. X’

 

I felt nervous as soon as I sent the message, I felt like I was 15 again, I turned the volume up on my phone and put it on my bedside table as I stalked off back towards the balcony to return to my drink it was just after four and the sun was still out, the sky still lightly lit, blue with a few scattered puffy clouds. It was beautiful, the air warm and breezy, it was perfect to relax in. Leila returned with a smile on her face, ‘Mom and dad are taking me out for a meal this evening to celebrate so I was just heading off for a quick shower and to get changed into something more appropriate as I can’t imagine walking out with them in these shorts and belly top, they’d have heart failure, see you in a bit Lottie’’ I laughed at her as she trailed back in the direction she’d just came from, mm, peace and quiet, definitely a perfect day. She left at around 6:15 and her parents driver had picked her up, lucky girl, her parents were very rich, both high up in society her parents both into publishing, although they were CEO and chairman to a publishing company in Birmingham, Seycole publishing, which branched out from Birmingham, to Bristol, Devon and Nottingham. It’s why Leila had a passion for publishing although she didn’t want to live off her parents and go into the family business so she wanted to make it on her own and start off her own company when she is around 24.She told me not to wait up for her, so I locked the balcony doors even though it was still rather early and still very bright out, I suspect the sun wouldn’t set till around 8-9 so I left the curtains open and headed off to my bedroom to find a decent dvd. My phone was flashing indicating that I had a text message, I headed over unlocked my phone to see that the message was from Tobias, I opened it and read,

‘Hey, glad you remember me, was a bit worried that you would have forgotten, tonight is perfect do you want to go out to grab a bite to eat or catch a movie, I can pick you up? X’

I quickly typed my response,

‘Food is perfect, I’ll meet you at 8, and how does the Bodega bar sound? It’s on Bennett’s hill by new street, I heard they do great Latin American food there, could be good x’

Almost instantly my phone signalled a text message,

‘That sounds perfect, meet you at 8, I can’t wait x’

I grinned at my phone, I had to get ready, and it was now 6:35 so I had an hour to get ready. I ordered a taxi for quarter to 8. Sorting through my wardrobe I picked out a knee length halter neck royal blue dress with silver heels and a silver hoop earrings I put them on my bed along with nude stocking, and a pair of lacy black French briefs, I didn’t need a bra as I had chosen a halter neck dress, so I hurried off for a shower, washing my hair re-shaving and using several body washes to ensure I smelt nothing less than a female I dried myself and then sat naked on my stool whilst I blow dried my hair I watched my reflection in the mirror, staring back at me was a girl who looked nothing less than over confident but that was just a shell inside I was very timid and I got nervous over very little things, like meeting Tobias, he was so perfect even though I’ve only seen him once, yet I was so shaken up to meet up with him, I continued getting ready applying mascara and blusher I left my inky black hair to spill naturally over my face and shoulders. Heading off towards my bedroom I began clothing myself. I’m probably making way too much effort, it’s just a bar why am I dressing up so much, shaking off my thoughts I continued dressing, starting with stockings, then my heels, panties, dress and hoops earrings I was finished by half 7 so I went into the kitchen to pour myself a cold glass of water and drank it very quickly to calm my nerves once I was finished I pressed the cool glass against my forehead, I returned to my room to collect my purse, bag, keys and phone and went outside to meet the taxi and headed off to my destination. What if I don’t make a good impression, last time I was way too drunk. Maybe I should just go home- No, stop being a wuss, you’re going to meet this sex god.

 

The taxi pulled up outside a light blue building, the exterior looked like it could be a local chippy not good, I was definitely overdressed, what is wrong with me, I paid my taxi fayre got out and headed inside the interior was well lit with a scatter of tables across the room, there was a café fell to the place and overhead lighting, tile floor and brick walls with a few potted plants scattered along the walls. The chairs were mostly plastic, greens, whites and a few metal silver ones although nearer to the entrance there were cushioned stools. I regretted the decision to come here almost instantly I turned to leave and bumped into a suited figure, I looked up into those perfect stormy grey eyes, my breathe hitched and I stumbled back, my cheeks instantly reddened with embarrassment, ‘Sorry, I didn’t realised how casual this place was, I’ve never been here before, I’m-we’re totally overdressed for this place’ I stated very apologetically, he smiled at me and flashed me his perfect white teeth. He looked so much different in his perfectly ironed grey suit black shirt and tie, the last time I’d seen him he was wearing ripped jeans and a tight black muscle shirt, his thick brown hair had been gelled back in the most beautiful way his facial stubble so neat and tidy, again I found myself wanting to kiss his perfect lips, ‘it’s fine, we can stand out together, I’m sure nobody will mind’ he said with amusement in his tone, he turned to place his hand to the small of my back, I felt the electric charge when he placed his hand on my back and felt myself leaning into him, stop it I warned myself, only going to embarrass yourself, he guided us to the far back tables by the fire exit and took two menus for us to order from. We both opted for tortillas, and Tobias insisted on buying a bottle of Veuve Cliequot Ponsardin for £49.50 for a café looking place it was sure expensive, we talked the night away laughing and joking about the pictures on the walls and talking about how it could have been worse, that they could have actually turned up at a chippy. The place was very busy, quite a few people were looking, no, staring at Tobias and sure he was beautiful but seriously keep an eye on your own companions ladies. I couldn’t believe how jealous I was getting even though he was watching me like I was the only person in the room, I loved that. ‘So how was your day? We’ve chewed over little things for well over an hour now and we still don’t know anything about each other’ I looked up from my champagne into his eyes, ‘Well, today has been kind of perfect, I successfully passed my college course, I received my results this morning A*AA actually so I did really well, weathers been great, and now I’ve spent my evening with you, not to be corny but yeah my evenings been perfect’ I sipped at my champagne not taking my eyes off his, ‘How about yourself’ I asked after I’d swallowed my drink. He smiled, took a large gulp of his drink and neatly placed his glass down, ‘My day has been perfect too, this morning I successfully made a profitable deal with a large overseas company in Seattle which I have been trying to close for the past three months, and now im spending my evening with the most beautiful girl I have ever laid my eyes upon’ his words were like silk across my bare skin his voice so soft and fluent, I blushed once more at the compliment, ‘ I raised my glass in the air towards him ‘To our success’ he grinned at me and we clinked glasses. ‘So how old are you? I’m 19 I’ll be 20 in four weeks or so’ I asked him with curiosity in my tone. What if he’s really old, I mean if he’s closing business deals what if he’s in his thirties, he is so boyish and care free though- ‘I’m twenty four’ he stated interrupting my thoughts, I flashed him a warm relieved smile, thank god.  We had finished eating at half nine but had continued to talk over little things like the weather, fruits that we liked, we continued to drink the delicious fruity champagne that Tobias had purchased...’I became a marketing director through being a secretary for my dad’s friend when I was your age and then I stepped up the ladder when I was twenty two, got my own office in stratbern industries, I’d like to go out and start my own marketing company within the year, that’s what my Seattle deal was for, to buy a large building that they own in London, that way I own my own business and they will be my largest shareholders as they will invest in me and my business.’ I was mesmerised by his eyes and lips, watching the way they moved as he performed his words, ‘Wow, I envy your passion for your work the ambitions you have and that you’re actually reaching for them, the only ambition Ive ever had is to work in London, just to make it out in the big wide world all by myself, I haven’t even began reaching for that yet’ I shrugged and shook my head circling my glass with my fingers as I spoke ‘It’s just I don’t know what I want to do yet, everybody else has it figured out..’ he was gazing at me, I could tell he was concentrating on me, nodding in all the right places, his expression barely readable it was just obvious that he was watching me and listening because he brows were fused together, I continued to look into his eyes as I spoke ‘My best friend, she has always wanted to go into publishing and she’s doing it she’s got a job for Blackwell in Oxford and I’m so psyched for her you know but I can’t help but feel a bit lost..’ I looked up and laughed pulling myself away from his eyes ‘Sorry, I must be boring you, can’t help myself’ He took my hand and fused his brows tighter and shook his head, ‘No it’s okay, I didn’t even know what