Katelyn don't know when the third date became the benchmark for having sex, but her next date with Brice would be their third. He'd already texted her every day that week to tell her about the rapidly expanding plans. The original dinner and a movie had become a romantic dinner on the river, followed by a horse-drawn carriage and then a night at a locally produced play.
The night of the date arrived, and Katelyn met Brice at the dock. He was wearing a great outfit, a pair of linen pants and loose-fitting shirt that was buttoned down just enough to show off a bit of chest hair. Katelyn had worn her infamous little black dress that her friend envied and men stared at. Her long dark hair was curled and fell lightly on her shoulders.
The evening started off well as the couple sat at a table on the edge of the river. Katelyn looked overhead and counted the stars around her. The night was beautiful, and she was beginning to enjoy the evening rather than dread it.
That was why she missed the waiter when he clipped the table with his tray. Their table slid to the edge of the deck, and then with almost slow-motion timing, tipped into the river along with their food. Well, nearly all of their food. The gravy from Brice's Beef bourguignon landed on and in her shoes.
Brice looked at the waiter, who shrugged. The manager came over quickly to apologize and offered them a free meal, but given that they had definite plans that started in an hour, the couple had to decline the offer and leave.
They trod back up the pier to the waiting carriage. Brice helped her up into the carriage and sat next to her, facing the driver. They trotted off in the direction of the theatre. The night was cool, and Brice played the part of the dashing gentleman. She almost forgot about the gravy in her shoes as she looked into his eyes.
He leaned in for a kiss, but the horse stopped and began to do his business. The smell and sounds were not helpful to the thoughts of romance, and they sat and waited as the horse finished and began to move again. Brice leaned in for a kiss, but the carriage stopped again and the process was repeated.
He drew a dramatic sigh and pulled back. This night was not going at all the way that Katelyn had expected it to. This was more farce than the fantasy.
Katelyn had just about given up hope of a romantic evening when they arrived at the theatre. Brice stepped down first so that he could help her down. In alighting, he caught his shirt on a nail, and his shirt ripped. Not a small catch, but a wide swath of cloth that now hung down, fluttering in the night air.
Without being conscious of the action, Katelyn took in the sight. Brice had a nice mid-section, just a bit of hair trailing down into his pants and nicely defined abs. She was more intrigued by this man who had never mentioned any exercises or workout routines.
Still the well-formed body on display would mean that the couple would not be able to attend the theatre. They would have been slightly underdressed as it was, but now with a ripped shirt, Katelyn was uncertain that they would even be admitted to the show.
She walked out to the curb and hailed a cab. Brice held the door for her and started to close it. "What are you doing?" she queried. "You're going with me. We're going to get you a new shirt, and me some new shoes and then we're going to have some fun."
Brice's face appeared startled. Apparently he'd though the date, and likely the budding relationship, was over. He slid in next to her and gave the cabbie the address of his home. His doe-wide eyes tried to make sense of the situation.
The address he'd given the cabbie dropped them off in front of a sleek new apartment building down by the river. Katelyn slipped her shoes off before entering the building. She didn't want the spoiled shoes to ruin the carpeting. She was amazed again at the things she hadn't learned about her date. He pressed the 17th floor once inside the elevator, and they whooshed quickly up the building to their destination.
Brice opened the door to a stylish, if modern apartment. The thick carpet was luxurious as she ran her toes through it. How could he have not mentioned his living arrangements either? He'd just said that he had an apartment, true, but incredibly understated.
He turned down the lights. Katelyn first thought this was a rush to intimacy, but instead she began to discern the lights of the city sparkle below her. Brice twisted a key and a fire roared into being. After the hectic, slapstick evening, the ambiance here was refreshing.
She leaned against the window and watched the city. She heard noise in the background and looked up. Brice was in the kitchen, making something.
"Don't tell me that you're a chef too?" she asked.
"Too?" Brice asked, meeting her gaze for a minute before glancing away. He looked like he might be blushing a little.
"Also - as well? You're a bundle of surprises tonight. The apartment, the -," she trailed off.
"The what?" Brice asked lightly.
"You have a rocking body. You don't talk about working out or the gym. Most guys do."
He shrugged. "I do it for me. Not anyone else. My health, my self-esteem." He glanced over at me and winced a little. "I hope that didn't sound selfish or self-absorbed, but I don't like to brag about things like that."
He held out a glass. I could see now that he'd been making drinks. "It's a raspberry cocoa. You can kind of guess what's in it. I remember you saying that you liked raspberries."
Katelyn nodded and reached forward to take the glass. It sloshed in her hand and succeeded in splashing onto both of them. She moaned. "This has been a hell of a night."
Brice took a deep breath and removed the remains of his shirt. The rest of his chest was as nice as the glimpse Katelyn had witnessed earlier. He had firm rounded pecs with dark quarter-sized nipples. He had a light dusting of hair across the top of his chest, and then the trail of hair she'd seen before dinner disappear into his pants.
He didn't flex or try to suck in his gut. He didn't have to - and she didn't think he would have even if he did. Brice was comfortable being himself.
Katelyn looked down and saw that the drink had stained her dress as well. Given that the fabric was black, the alcohol wouldn't show on the fabric. Still at this point she was intrigued by this man, a feeling she hadn't started the date with. She knew it was real, because she hadn't even had a sip of her drink yet. Katelyn remedied that by taking a mouthful. The raspberry liquor had to be top-shelf because it slid down her throat so smoothly. She felt warm inside.
Katelyn took her courage and undid the zipper for the dress and shrugged her shoulders. The dress slid down her form and to the floor. She stepped out of it, picked up the glass and had another sip of the drink.
Brice didn't speak for a second. She knew he was interested; his gaze was intense, hypnotic. She could almost feel the desire between them. He took a gulp of his own drink, nearly downing the glass. He approached her slowly, almost timidly. She could see his ribcage rise and fall as he moved nearer still.