This is a late chapter in a romance story I'm writing, but I've started near the end so it's pretty much all I've got that's currently publishable. I will almost certainly be reuploading at some point, so apologies.
The first half is mostly romance and set up, it's a somewhat slow burner. If you're just here for sex, skip to the cinema...
CONTEXT: Emma was content with her life, her job, and her boyfriend. That was until Kane came into her life. A new teacher at the school she also teaches at, her chemistry with Kane made her realise that her life has been grey, colourless, dull up to this point. Whenever she's with Kane, the colours of her world burn brightly.
After a nearly moment a few days earlier, Emma has made a decision: she will spend some alone time with Kane to see if life COULD be better with him than with her current boyfriend, Dean. They decided dinner and a film would be a good idea. They'll be in public, so nothing untoward will happen, right?
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
As it turned out, Kane was waiting at the bus stop for Emma, umbrella in hand.
"It's not far from here, don't worry", he said with his usual smile, opening it to shelter Emma from the weather. He pulled her in with one strong arm, part hug, part getting her out of the rain. She lingered with her head on his chest for a second. Time slowed as she took stock of her senses. The beating of his heart next to her ear. The smell of his aftershave, strong on his neck. The warmth of his embrace with the spark flowing through her from the thumb brushing the skin of her arm. Damn it, she thought, maybe I should've gone for the long sleeves. Emma felt his head move slightly and she wondered if he was considering kissing her forehead. She pulled her head deeper into his chest, just in case. She wanted to hold onto the lapel of his jacket all evening, but knew she had to let go eventually.
They parted, and Kane held the umbrella over Emma's head.
"Don't want to get your hair wet, I can tell you've put time into it. It really suits you."
Emma smiled at her shoes and brushed her hair over her ear. Her hand lingered on the back of her neck for a moment longer until she was sure he wasn't looking at her anymore. She looked back up at him as he scanned the pavement ahead of them. His hair always looks nice, she thought to herself, I'm not quite sure how he does it.
"I haven't seen the woman on tonight before but she should be good. They always are at La Melodia D'Oro. I had a quick look before I got to you, she's just got a guitar but I think I saw a loop pedal so he should be good."
"Well I've always liked K.T. Turnstall so I like the sound of it"
"Well Suddenly I See we are going to have a good night then"
"...that's such a dumb fucking joke," Emma said, looking away so Kane couldn't see her laughing. She also though his smirk at his own joke was so fucking dumb, but she couldn't help but smile even more because of it.
"Are you going to have a pun for every singer we talk about tonight?"
"Quite possibly. Unless we talk about The Beatles, then I might need some Help!"
Emma considered pushing Kane into the road for that one, but he looked so pleased with himself, it was quite cute. She bit her lip to stop herself beaming.
"You're going to hate me by the end of the night aren't you?" Kane smiled.
Oh quite the opposite unfortunately, she thought to herself.
"Oh I already hate you, don't worry. I believe the next step is despising?"
"Oh, ouch!" Kane responded, faking outrage. "But as an English teacher, you're not wrong. Loathe maybe?"
"Mm, nope: I will positively deplore you."
"Ooft, I am feeling very deplored already."
"Oh just you wait until I am fully deploring you. You have never been deplored like it. You will be begging for me to stop."
"If you want me to beg, I will be down on my knees for you", Kane said, laughing to himself.
Emma tried to stop herself from laughing, but when she saw his face she let herself laugh. His genuine smile and laughter told her that any innuendo she could read into that was accidental. It was refreshing. Though when their eyes met again there was a twinkle in his that told her he knew what he said, and meant it too.
"You don't have to get down on your knees for me," she responded.
"Yet", she finished, in her head as she turned to press the button at the road crossing. As she turned back around she saw Kane's face and realised she may have accidentally said it outloud.
"Are you sure you're okay with me hogging the umbrella?" She said, trying to change the subject to more wholesome, platonic realms.
"Of course! It's barely raining anyway" Kane replied with drops running down his face. Somehow, wetting it made his hair look even more perfect to Emma.
"Are you sure? Because there's room under here for two."
"I don't want that dress getting rained on. Besides, we're nearly here now anyway, it's just over there" he said, pointing at a fairly nondescript door. He was right, she wouldn't have thought to go in if he hadn't pointed it out.
She made sure to walk slightly quickly to the door to keep him slightly more protected from the weather. He reached the door first and opened it for her. She thanked him and entered as he closed the umbrella. She felt his hand on the small of her back, guiding her inside. His fingers stroked her back slightly as he removed it to take off his jacket. She wished it had stayed a little longer. She wished it even more when she realised that taking off his jacket revealed his white shirt was slightly wet. She wished it even more when she realised that that wasn't the only thing that was slightly wet.
She was starting to realise this was probably a bad idea.
The hostess smiled at them as she guided them to their table and handed them their menus. Kane smiled back at her. It relieved Emma slightly to see that his smile was that warm and genuine to everyone, though it tugged on her gut slightly that it wasn't reserved solely for her. The hostess lit the candle in the middle of the table and informed them that the music would be starting in about ten minutes.
"So, are you thinking wine?" Asked Kane, "You said you liked Italian reds, I think this place has some good ones."
"My Italian uncle regularly tells me off for my regular choice of 'whichever red is on Clubcard prices this week' so he's given me some nice ones before, I think I saw one of them on the menu."
"Awesome, I was going for steak anyway so I'll get a bottle for us both."
"You don't have to", Emma tried saying, though enjoying that it wasn't posited as an offer or question.
"I know, but it's easier than me giving you my bank details and working out how much money to send and all that jazz. You can get the popcorn later if you really want to."
Kane looked down at the menu as Emma looked around the restaurant. It somehow had a homely feel while still feeling like somewhere cool. It felt like if the lights were on a bit brighter and there were some sofas, it would make the sort of coffee shop a budding young writer would spend hours in trying to find their muse. The fireplace and plants gave it a welcoming feel, while the impressionist art on the wall made it seem slightly more upmarket. The denim jacket-wearing woman in the corner setting up her guitars and mic just completed the look.
Their table felt very secluded. Behind Emma was a large plant and then the doors to the kitchen, nobody was sat on the table next to them, and behind Kane was a group of women with enough cocktails to keep them occupied all night. They were as alone as you could be in a public restaurant. Emma was glad they had already bought their cinema tickets because she imagined as the night wore on, the candles and extensive wine collection would make this place feel very intimate.
A waiter came over and gave them a jug of water and collected their food and drink orders. Emma decided a light pasta dish would be good, filling enough but not something that usually makes her feel too full or tired. She knew how much she was going to overthink the rest of the night anyway, she didn't need the added discomfort of food. Some light chit-chat later and the waiter was back with the bottle of wine. He gave it to Kane to taste, then poured them both a glass.
"I always feel so awkward when they ask me to taste it, what am I supposed to say?" Kane whispered as soon as the waiter was out of earshot. "I see them sniff it and swill it about on TV so I just do that too and then make a face that makes them think I know what I'm talking about"
"Ah I thought I recognised that face, it's the same one I made when I teach my year 9s about fucking glacier formation. I've never understood that."
"I will happily drink to that! To not understanding half of what we teach our students" he said, raising a glass. Emma clinked his glass and they both took a sip. Neither of them broke eye contact as they did so until their smiles made them both look away.
"I wouldn't have thought you don't know what you're talking about when you teach though. I've seen you teach" she said "That lesson I overheard. You seem so passionate about it, and that flows into the kids too. I've never seen a group of year 10 lads so actively engaged in poetry."
"What's not to love about poetry? They think they don't like poetry because it's too difficult to understand or because it's too flowery or because it's inaccessible, but it is..." he paused, looking the for words. He sighed slightly "I wish I could express myself as accurately as those poets do. Because feelings can't be easily explained by single words or phrases. The important feelings, they need something deeper, more meaningful. I've never been able to connect with my own feelings in a more real way than I have from reading poems."
"Do you have a favourite?"
