Chapter 8: Skylar

I was very nervous about the date, so I thought about leaving early. I had already spoilt my first impression, and I did not want him to think that I was lousy with time. Being such a successful business owner, he would always like to be on time for everything. So I arrive fifteen minutes early, but I see him already there. I look at my watch in confusion and see that there was still time for our date.

He looked handsome as hell. He was wearing a black suit which made him look like James Bond. I looked plain in front of him. I have worn a simple white summer dress which fits well and is not loose. He gets up and comes to me, and I say, "Hi Cole, you look very handsome today." He looks at me and takes my hand, and kisses it. He says, "You look very beautiful yourself." He leads me to our table and pulls my chair.

I feel a blush forming and couldn't stop myself from saying, "You are a true gentleman. Were you waiting too long?", He shakes his head and says, "No, I just got here early as I had some work. In the business department." I just nod. Of course, he had some work here.

The waiter comes to get our orders, and Cole tells him to get us two mochaccinos, please. I see the waiter leave to get our orders. I take this time to check Cole out. He has a 4:00 look on his face which makes him look hotter. He probably caught me staring at him because he says, "I am so sorry for ordering for you. It's just the way I have been brought up. You can change the order if you like."

I smile at how considerate he is and say, "No, that's what I usually order here. It's very famous. Plus, I find it hot when someone takes charge." Why did I say that? He will feel that I am desperate for his attention.

He reaches for my hand and says, "I aim to please." a hint of humor playing in his eyes.

"So, Miss Skylar, how can I help you with your business plan he asks." I get flustered and think, isn't it obvious that he would want to get straight down to business instead of making small talk.

I squeak and say, "Yes, so I was thinking about making enough money at the restaurant and for one year and then taking some land here on rent to open my restaurant."

He looks at me as if trying to read me and then says, "I guess that could work, but you would need more capital to purchase land here."

I nod and ask, "Tell me about your company? How exactly was this idea of owning an automobile company come up?"

"Skylar, you don't really want to know about the company?"

"Yes, I mean, I want to know what inspired the idea? It's not every day that you meet a billionaire."

"Skylar, I don't like talking about the business. I have come here for you. I prefer talking about you and not my business."

"Of course, we can talk about it next time. I mean, not that you would want to meet me next time."

"I would love to meet you next time. In fact, I was hoping that there would be a next time. Tonight my entire time is yours. I would want to spend it just discussing about you and to get to know you."

The waiter brings our drinks. I take a sip of the coffee, and Cole laughs. I look at him confused, and he just takes a tissue, reaches towards me, and wipes the foam on my lips.

It was a very subtle moment, but the jolt of electricity when he touched me reached my core.

I am surprised that I could have an easy conversation with him. He does not look like a person who would enjoy coffee with a farm girl like me.

Time flies by, and the sunsets. Cole says, "It's almost dinner time. Let's go for dinner. Would you want to go to your restaurant or someplace else?"

"Let's go someplace else. I know a very amazing sizzler place just around the corner. Though it's not like the regular places that you must be visiting, but the cheesy fries sizzlers are just mouth-watering."

We get up, and the waiter gets the check. I reach for my purse, but Cole just puts down a 100$ bill and takes my hand. " I am not allowing a beautiful woman to pay for her own drinks."

Cole leads the way to his Mercedes Benz C- Class. He opens my door and holds it for me. Once I am in the car, he shuts the door and walks over to his side. He slides in elegantly and then drives to the place I suggested.

Once we reach, he again comes to my door and opens it. These small gestures show me that he has a romantic side to him, or probably that is just basic manners for him.

We enter the place, and Cole just seems very uncomfortable. This time I take his hand and lead him to a small table on the side so that it gives us privacy. A woman comes to our table, eyeing Cole from head to toe. She tries to gain his attention by pushing her breasts towards him while placing the menus down. But Cole's eyes never leave mine. It's like we are trapped in our little bubble.

The waitress comes again and clears her throat breaking our bubble. We look at her, and I say, "Get us a bottle of champagne and the Cheesy Fries Sizzler. We will order the rest later."

I look at Cole and say, "I am sorry for ordering for you, but I really want you to try this dish. It is super delicious. I have tried making it at home, but the taste is never the same."

He laughs and says, "This is the first time I have laughed so much. I never knew I had it in me. Thank you for bringing this side of me out. Going back to the order, I like it when women know what they want."

The way he says the last line makes me wet in my core. It just sounded so dirty.

"So where are you from, Skylar?", He asks.

"I am a Texas farm girl. My parents own a small dairy farm there."

"I have always wanted to visit Texas but never got the chance."

I blush when he says that. He lifts my chin up and asks, "Why are you blushing?" I say, "Because a lot of people seem to make fun of me when I say that I am a farm girl. The judge me thinking that I am just a small-town girl with big ambitions but without any capability."

He looks at me and says, "What they say should not matter. You should be proud that you are a farm girl. You have thick skin because of the farm work. You should make them realize that you are just as capable as they are or probably even more."

"I have never heard anyone put it that way before, thank you. It means a lot coming from you."

"So, what was it like growing on the farm? Did you like it?"

"I would rather not talk about it. It's not a topic of discussion for today." Talking about home just makes me think of my overprotective mom and miss my sister. To change the topic, I ask him, " So, did you grow up around here?"

"Yes, I have grown up in Charleston only. My parents and I still live here, but I stay in a separate bungalow from my parents. I prefer staying alone."

"So, tell me more about your parents. Do you see them every day?"

"My father is the CEO. Hence I see him every day at the office. Outside office, not so much unless there is some event."

"How is it working for your father?" I ask. He says, "Let's make a deal. The day you tell me about your parents, I will tell you about mine."

"Agreed," I say.

He takes my hand and holds it, resting it on the table. He seems so calm when he does this, but my heart beats like crazy. Our hands remained joined as we continue our conversation. We talk about each other's colleges. He talks about his journey at Oxford, and I tell him about Trident.

"Skylar, are you nervous around me?" I hesitate before answering, "Yes, but seeing you laugh tonight actually helped me with my nerves. But do you have to wear a suit always and be formal always?"

He gives me a boyish smile and says, "These manners are taught to us from a young age. Now they have become a habit. But, you are right. I should have changed first and also shaved. If my mother saw me like this on a date, she would give me an earful in front of you."

"I like your unshaven look, though," I say boldly.

The waitress arrives with our sizzler, and Cole looks like he is a lost child. I could not help but laugh. "The look on your face after seeing so much cheese was too hard to resist," I say, taking a fry full of cheese and eating it.

He looks at me and then at the platter. I serve him the fries on his plate, and he still looks unsure about it. I ask him, "Have no never had anything with cheese in it?" He just shakes his head in a no. I laugh and say, "I will start making you try stuff that you have not done before. That's my goal."

"So, what are you doing this Thursday?" He asks. I say, "I have my cooking contest at college."

"Wow, I will be there to support you. When does it start?" He asks, his voice full of enthusiasm.

"Are you serious? You want to come to visit my cooking contest?"

"I wouldn't miss it. How long will the contest be for? So that I can clear my schedule accordingly," he says, smiling.

I don't answer immediately because I am still in shock. He wants to be there for me and is clearing his entire schedule for me? Wow.

"Skylar?"

"Yes. Sorry. The contest is during the first half of the day. Mostly it lasts for three hours."

"Great, I will be there, plus it will be the first time that I will get to taste your food."

"I would be honored."

We relax around each other, and he never misses to give me subtle compliments, which do weird things to my heart. The conversations flow from childhood memories to how I got interested in cooking and why he went to Oxford.

By the time we are done with our dinner, it is almost 10:00. We get up to leave. We walk to his car, and I say, "I had a great time tonight. Thank you for dinner."

He takes my hand and says, "I had a great time too. I can not wait for Thursday."

I blush at his boldness. I am very eager to make him try my dish. Now I will make it extra special just for him. I tell him that "I will walk home from here. You don't want to drive too much. Your house will be closer from here."

I am about to leave when he says, "No, I would love to drop you off. Plus, I can not allow a beautiful girl like you to walk alone in the dark." He holds my hand and pulls me close. Our bodies are almost touching. He still has kept a small distance between us so that I don't feel uncomfortable. My heartbeat picks up at our proximity.

He leans in and brushes his lips lightly on mine. He then slips his hand around my waist, closing the distance between us, and kisses me with a passion unknown to me. His touch is gentle, his lips soft and warm. The heat sizzling around us. He then steps away from me as if trying not to break me.

I can see it in his eyes that this was not just a good night kiss or a first date kiss, it was much more, and I can feel it too. The kiss did not involve any tongue, but still, it was perfect the way it was. It ignited a desire deep within me. The chemistry between us making the slightly cold atmosphere around us hot.

I feel that if we were not standing outside the restaurant, but outside one of our places, we would have gone ahead and done more than just kiss, something that we don't do on the first date.

He opens the door to his car, and we drive to my place. I am embarrassed that he would get to see my neighborhood, so I tell him to drop me off at the college, making an excuse that I need some ingredients for the contest practice.

He drops me off, and before I can get out of the car, he pulls me in for another feather-light kiss and says, "Good Night, Skylar."

Breathless, I whisper, "Good Night, Cole." and I see him drive away. I take a cab home with him on my mind. That's the best date I have been on. Cole was not only handsome but kind as well. He was a great dresser and kisser, gorgeous, generous, a gentleman, and an amazing listener.

It's only the first date, and I am falling hard for this guy. I never imagined that I could fall for someone again, and it was not meant to go like this, but the kiss was something that I can not seem to forget, and he is the only one on my mind.

I never thought that it would go anywhere, but after today, I hope it does.