16 First Date

Shen Shu arrived at a five-star restaurant wearing a crimson dress for a date she had that evening. She had never worn something so bold, but she was going to meet the man she interacted with on the dating app.

She hoped he was a decent person, or at least, not lying about his profile. Shen Shu had Ting on speed-dial if she needed someone to save her from a potential disaster. There was no telling where the night would take her, and she wanted to be as secure as possible.

Once Shen Shu stepped inside the restaurant, she searched for the man who looked like his profile. She saw him, and he looked like his picture. Thank the heavens.

The man smiled at her and made his approach, shaking her hand. "Hello, I am Wu Meng."

"Shen Shu," she responded with a smile.

Wu Meng pulled a seat for her. Shen Shu sat down in front of him.

"You can order as much as you want," he told her.

Shen Shu smiled as she gazed at the menu. She then made her choice and ordered the food. Wu Meng made his order and purchased some expensive wine.

"So, Mr. Wu, may I ask about your work occupation?" Shen Shu questioned.

Wu Meng smiled. He had dark hair and kind brown eyes. "I am a surgeon."

Shen Shu's eyes widened. "How do you have the time to meet with me?"

"I don't have a shift tonight," he explained. "Though I am on-call, so I apologize in advance if I have to leave our date abruptly."

Shen Shu shook her head. "No, that's not a problem with me."

Wu Meng's lips curved into a smile. "This is the first time I have been out with a beautiful woman in a long time," he admitted.

Shen Shu blushed.

"But I have to admit that I am still getting through a heartbreak," he said. "But I am ready to start a new relationship."

Shen Shu understood him. She liked that he was honest and in no rush for anything. She was not in any hurry, either.

"Though I have not experienced breaking off a relationship. I, too, know how you feel about heartbreak," Shen Shu admitted aloud, even though she had never admitted it to herself before.

"Then you understand the pain of not being with someone you love anymore?"

Shen Shu forced a smile. "Something like that."

"Then we have more in common than we think," responded Wu Meng.

The food came, and they both ate dinner while engaging in a different small conversation. Shen Shu learned a great deal about his job, and she explained what she did with her life. When it was over, Wu Meng said to her, "I hope we see each other again?"

"Yes," Shen Shu said.

Wu Meng's pager buzzed, and then he said, "Sorry. I have to go now. It was nice to meet you." He then paid the bill and left abruptly.

Shen Shu drove back home, where Niko was deep in his work. Once he looked up, he gazed at her intensely, and she shivered.

"Where did you go?" he asked.

"On a date," she told him casually.

Niko stood from his seat, and Shen Shu suddenly felt tiny compared to him. He was tall, his presence strong and powerful. He stalked toward her slowly until he stood by the kitchen island in front of her, crossing his muscled arms over his chest. "How did it go?"

"Well," she answered. "He works at a hospital."

"Do you like him?"

"I suppose," she answered. She only went on one date, and it was too early to tell. "He was nice."

"He didn't want anything from you? He didn't force you into doing anything?"

"No, Niko," Shen Shu responded. "He didn't. He was a decent guy, and he had to leave early because he's committed to his job."

Niko observed her intently. He stared at her features, and wherever his eyes raked, her skin burned.

"As long as he doesn't hurt you, I have nothing against it."

Shen Shu swallowed thickly, bringing a forced smile to her face. "Yeah, well. I am going to see him against soon." She then turned to head back to her room, but Niko gripped her wrist, stopping her. Her heart pounded.

Shen Shu turned her head, facing him. His head hung low as if he was fighting some internal battle.

"Niko?"

"Do you want to watch a movie tonight?"

"Sure."

Shen Shu went to wash up and change first before she joined Niko. She stopped paying attention to the plot of the films Niko put on. Some were interesting. Others were hard to focus on when she only paid attention to the way he draped his body around her.

Shen Shu knew they convinced themselves that this was something innocent when it wasn't. This is how far she or Niko would go, though she knew it'd be seen as inappropriate if anyone were to walk in.

"Niko," Shen Shu whispered.

He looked at her, and their faces were so close she could feel his breath brush against her skin.

"What are we doing?"

"Watching a movie," he said.

"With your arm wrapped around my waist?"

"This is what we used to do."

Shen Shu flipped her body to face him fully, chest against chest. She lifted a hand and placed it on his face, caressing his jaw. "Niko…"

"Yes?"

"Do you think we're normal?" Shen Shu questioned as she brushed his black hair away from his face.

He took a moment to answer. "We're different," he responded, low. He held her waist tighter.

Shen Shu then pulled him against her body, fitting snugly. One of her legs was around his waist, her arm around his middle. "I like that we are different."

"Me too," he responded.

Even though Shen Shu was already close enough to him as humanly possible, she kept inching toward him.

"Don't move," he stopped her.

Shen Shu froze. She then realized her knee was right below his waistband, and she had accidentally brushed his cock. Niko then carefully grabbed her knee and placed it right above his hip.

"Sorry," Shen Shu breathed.

"It's fine, Cat. Just get some sleep."

She cuddled against him. She wondered if she'd stop waking up to pillows. She wondered when they wouldn't be able to do this anymore.