Now it was the night of the dinner, and she was abominably nervous. Should she tell him tonight or leave it a while? He was so understanding she wanted to get it over with and be honest and open about it. But selfishly, she also wanted to get to know him better before running the risk of losing him. Ah well, she wasn't going to make any decision, she'd just have to let the moment take her.
Suzanne slipped into her black dress and watched as the sheer fabric settled round her breasts, clung to her stomach and flared over her hips. The doorbell rang, and she quickly added a choker and shoes before dashing down to answer it.
James' face said it all. She looked a million dollars. He took her hand and brushed a kiss onto the back as they stared into each other's eyes. He looked good too in tailored trousers and open neck shirt.
There's definitely chemistry here, she thought. Then she felt him turn her hand over and brush the palm with another kiss, which sent shivers up her spine and made her traitorous nipples harden again. She knew that they would show through the fabric of her dress, and sure enough she saw his eyes widen slightly and the corners of his mouth turn up.
What she didn't expect, and she thought she could get very attached to, was his quirky remark, "Nice to see you too!"
Suzanne felt herself blush slightly as she grinned at him. She loved the way his remarks were unconventional, and the way he then took her hand and lifted one eyebrow to ask if she was ready to go. She reached back for her purse and followed him out of the door. James opened the door of his car and she was conscious of his eyes on her as she slipped in and pulled her long legs in after her.
When they arrived at the restaurant he had chosen she realised it was the one she had always wanted to go to with the live jazz band. They were shown to a table in the corner near the band, which was playing Norah Jones' "Don't know why". She was telling him about seeing Stacey Kent live, and he commented on how clear her voice and diction was. Norah Jones had opened the restaurant named after her song, and had allowed them to use her song once each night.
While they were scanning the menu, they started exchanging basic information about themselves. He'd been to a private school, university and into computers. His face lit up when he was talking about the changes in direction in his career in computing, and it was clear he loved his job. She told him about her job as a teacher, and realised that he must see her love of the students in her face too.
As Suzanne began to realise that they were not only complimentary, but also had a lot in common, the fear of telling him about her secret grew.
When they were finishing the main course, he suddenly said, "Penny for them."
She was startled, and realised she had been miles away thinking about it. "Can we dance before we order dessert?" she asked.