If there was one thing Frank hated doing it was grocery shopping. As a divorced man in his mid-30s, he always battled with himself as he went through the store and he also always felt like people were watching him. He knew that was silly but it was still there. On the one hand he wanted to buy all the quick-to-prepare and easy to clean up foods, but on the other hand he tried to pay attention to how he fueled his body because he didn't want to waste his time investment at the gym. Inevitably he ended up with a happy mix of healthy and easy-fix food. As he reached the dairy aisle he saw a petite blond picking through the eggs and her shape caught his eye. Her jeans fit her very well and despite her small stature she was still very curvy. There was a distinct delicious appearing curve between her hips, her tiny waist and her shoulders. From the back he couldn't get an idea of her bust size, but the rest of it looked very sexy.
While Frank was looking the woman turned around and before he realized she'd caught him staring, she definitely had. His eyes had been focused on her backside when she turned and he immediately scanned up to take in her chest and then he looked up further and met her eyes. For a moment he felt like he'd been caught with his hand in a cookie jar, but then he realized the woman looked familiar. This petite blond smiled a huge smile at him and her eyes twinkled... and then he realized why she looked familiar. Her name was Cheryl and she'd once dated a friend of a friend of his. That had been at least ten years earlier and he hadn't seen her in that time at all. He had only met her a few times and even then only when she was ever in her then-boyfriend's company.
Having met her smiling eyes with his own, Frank walked over, doing his best to look casual, to say hi. When he got a few feet away he said, "Cheryl, right?" and put out his hand to be polite.
"Right," she said, still grinning. "And you're Frank? Both in name and attitude?" She took his hand and hers felt very warm to him.
Frank chuckled in response and nodded letting the chuckle flow out. "Wow... and you have a good memory too." Way back in the day, that ten years before, when he'd been introduced to her as Frank, he'd added, "both in name and attitude." She had remembered.
He realized as he held her hand that her eyes were traveling his body just like his had hers, and the smile wasn't leaving her face. He knew she was no longer with the guy she'd been dating all those years ago, but back then he had been married. He also saw her checking his left hand, which was still holding his shopping cart handle. "So... no wedding ring." She looked up at him and asked the obvious question. "Pretending you're not married? Or really not married anymore?"
"Not married anymore," he replied, his smile sagging only slightly. "Got divorced about five years ago."
"Should I say I'm sorry to hear that?" she asked, her smile not shrinking at all.
"No," he answered brightening his smile back up. "It was for the best and we're both far happier."
"So..." she said with a long pause, "no girlfriend?"
"Again..." Frank replied, mimicking her long pause, "nope. I date on occasion but I've been focusing on work, starting up a new business and just disconnecting when I can."
"Sounds smart," she said, finally releasing his hand.
"How about you?" he asked, almost feeling like he'd asked too quickly. "Boyfriend? FiancΓ©? Husband?" He paused and smiled big before adding, "Wife?"
Cheryl laughed in reply but was shaking her head. "No... none of the above. Like you, I date on occasion but nothing steady and no commitments."
Frank thought for a moment and decided to take that step. "It sounds to me like we ought to have dinner together then, don't you think?"
"You think?" she asked, half sounding put off. Frank was unsure if she was being serious or if she was pulling his leg. He seemed to remember that she particularly enjoyed being a smart ass.
"Yeah, I do think," he said with a smile. "The company would be good and I can promise you a good meal."
"Oh, really," she said and was quiet for just a moment. "Sounds like a good idea."
"Tonight?" Frank asked. "Pick you up at about seven if that works?"
"Sounds perfect," she said and then reached into her purse to pull out her cell phone. "What's your number?" she asked. Frank answered as she typed and then felt his phone vibrate as her message came in. He had assumed she was texting him her address and he'd have her number. He pulled out his phone to check and saw his assumptions were correct. Quickly he texted back, "THANKS!" and then pocketed his phone.
"See you at seven then," he said, still smiling and extending his hand again.
"I look forward to it," she said, also still smiling, and ignoring his hand. She stepped in closer, put her hand on his hip and reached up to kiss him on the cheek. He bent down just enough to make it easy for her and felt his body warm as a flush ran through him at the touch of her lips. Cheryl turned around and began walking away, an obvious swish in her hips entertaining his view. She looked back and caught him watching her and smiled even bigger before turning to keep walking... adding even more sway to her hips.
- - - - - - - -
Frank looked in the mirror, being a little self-critical as he examined his reflection. He'd shaved and showered having made sure that his private areas were properly trimmed or shaved as appropriate. He'd spritzed on just enough of his favorite cologne (Obsession) before pulling on a light blue oxford shirt over his favorite pair of freshly pressed khaki pants. His buff-shined black loafers matched his black alligator skin belt and he'd even gone so far as to make sure the shined brass belt buckle matched the metal highlights in his watchband. For 35 years old he was pretty fit. He ate relatively clean and his exercise regimen had him working out five days a week. Even on his two rest days he stretched and stayed active. His narrow waist accentuated his broad shoulders and he had shed enough body fat that his abs were visible... although not as sharply defined as some movie stars or athletes.
Grabbing his wallet, pocket knife, keys and cell phone, he left his house, double checking that the garage door closed as he backed out of the driveway. The drive to Cheryl's was about 25 minutes and thanks to the wonders of modern technology, he pulled up right in front of her apartment building with a few minutes to spare. There was a convenient parking space close to the front and as he walked up the front walk he saw her coming down the stairs toward him. They met about halfway between the parking lot and the building and Frank was quite delighted when she stepped close to him to give him a hug hello.
Before she'd gotten that close he'd visually enjoyed the comfortably fitting blue dress she had on. It was scoop necked, showing plenty of skin and stopped about mid-thigh. He realized that, even as small as she was, her legs were muscular and well-shaped. The short heels she had on helped with making hugs easier. As she hugged him he heard her breathing and felt her torso expand as he returned the hug, but when she stepped back he was surprised to hear her say, "Wow."
He looked down at her with a questioning look she understood and immediately answered. "You're wearing Obsession..." she said. It was both a statement and a question. Frank simply nodded his confirmation. "My favorite cologne," she said before a smile spread across her face and a twinkle sparkled in her eyes. "It makes me think all kinds of things that are inappropriate for a first date."
Franks gut lurched a bit at that. He didn't know how this first date was going to go, but he got that "let's have some fun" vibe off Cheryl. He didn't want to hold back and he didn't want to push too hard. How to respond to her statement? "Well," he replied, "if you start behaving inappropriately, unless you get us arrested, I promise not to complain."
They had turned as they spoke and headed toward Frank's car. Not a new vehicle, it was a Dodge Charger that was a few years old but he felt it suited him. He opened Cheryl's door for her and enjoyed the view as she turned to sit in and then turned her legs, held primly together, in as well. He closed the door and went around to his side, sliding in easily, starting up backing out of the parking spot. "Any place particular you want to go for dinner?"
Cheryl didn't hesitate at all in her reply. "I leave that up to you. I always assumed that any man asking me out on a date would plan the date, where we ate and all that." Frank absorbed that and nodded.
"At the risk of sounding like an uptight parent or something, do you have any food allergies I ought to take into consideration?"