The ticking of the clock, the slow movement of the minute hand across the face of her watch seemed to taunt her. Amanda knew she had started her preparations for her date too early, and now all she could do was pace. She was afraid to sit down and wrinkle her skirt or have a glass of water and mess up her carefully applied lip-gloss.
On her third lap around the house, she laughed. She hadn't been this nervous to go on a date since she was 15. But this date seemed different...she hadn't been able to think about anything else since James had popped back into her life. The last time she'd seen him when she was 18, before she left for college. So when a tall, handsome guy introduced himself at a bar last week as her brother's old high school friend who had just moved back into town, she first struggled to remember him. It took a while to hit her. No longer was he a scrawny, nerdy 16 year old following her around with puppy dog eyes. In that awkward boy's place stood a dark, commanding man whose only resemblance to that teenager lay in his piercing blue eyes. He had about a day's growth of hair on his face, and the dark stubble made him look a few years older than she knew him to be. He was striking, and she couldn't believe that this man who stood before her had anything to do with the boy she used to know.
They reminisced for hours, and when her friends finally decided to leave, she told them she wasn't quite ready. But despite their winks and hours of his undivided attention, she wasn't sure that it was anymore than friendly interest on his part. She had been a swimmer back in high school, and had managed to keep her naturally chubby body somewhat under control with hours of hard exercise every day. Now, almost a decade later, time had caught up to her. Her muscled thighs and biceps had softened and expanded, her always generous breasts had become even more lush and while her swimmers shoulders had narrowed, her hips and butt seemed to gain twice the width. The days of fighting to fit into her size 10 jeans seemed like a distant dream...now her clothes were more than double that number. She was always aware that he bore a silly school boy crush on her throughout their youth, but she doubted the crush would have survived the years and her new extra weight.
When the bar called closing, Amanda's heart fell. She knew she probably wouldn't run into James again, and as they said their goodbyes, no mention was made of seeing each other again. She was shocked, then when she got a call the next day from James. It seemed he had tracked down her number through her brother, and a short conversation later, they had agreed that he would pick her up that coming Friday...tonight!
Finally, the door rang, putting her out of her misery. She ran to the front door and flung it open to find James's smiling face.
"Eagar, are we?" He asked without a greeting. She flushed, and realized she was not playing this cool. But as she tried to make an offhand comment back, she noticed his eyes roaming over every inch of her and the small smile that played over his very sexy, very male lips.
"I guess you could say that," she finally managed. She leaned in to give him a hug hello, and just then noticed two bags in his arms. "What are those for?"
"I thought we had so much catching up to do, we might just be more comfortable staying here and chatting. I thought I might even cook you dinner," he said with a sweet, hopeful look on his face. Amanda paused. Inviting a man she barely knew in for such an intimate dinner was not usually her style, but then, this wasn't just anyone. This was her brother's friend, and that had to carry some weight.
"Absolutely," she finally decided. "A man who can cook is worth his weight in gold. And if you have chocolate anywhere in there, I will do anything you ask."
Another smile crossed his face. "Well, then it's a lucky thing that I came prepared."
* * *
"So, you knew I had a crush on you?" asked James over their second bottle of wine. He had prepared a spectacular dinner, and they talked while eating it, catching up. While a chocolate torte was cooking in the oven they retired to the living room. She was already feeling a little tipsy after a few glasses of wine, and the fact that James was mere inches away only made her even more light headed.
She laughed, "Of course I did. You know, you weren't all that subtle about it."
"Well, how else was I supposed to feel? You were always prancing around in that bathing suit that never hid any of your considerable assets," he nodded, very obviously eyeing her low cut top and over-flowing cleavage. "I see some things never change."
She could feel her face grow red as she giggled again. "Us girls have got to use smart marketing just like anyone else. We advertise what we want you to see and hope you don't notice the other stuff that isn't quite so nice to look at."
"Really? I didn't notice anything that wasn't nice...and believe me, I have been looking." His eyes met hers, and the intense gaze made her stomach flip.
"I've, um, changed a lot since the last time you saw me," she stammered, looking down. "I wasn't sure you'd approve." In that second James closed the small distance between them. He took her chin in his hand and forced her took back up at him.
"Amanda, you were sexy in high school, and now you are even sexier. Every inch and every pound you've added since I saw you last have been running through my mind for the last week." He leaned down and kissed her hard, showing her that he meant every word. She knew she was drunk and should be taking things a little slower, but she couldn't help it. His lips on hers, his tongue invading her mouth, his hands moving down her arms, it was all too good. Suddenly, though, the timer rang for the oven, and James broke the kiss.
"Dessert is ready." He got up and without a backward glanced headed into the kitchen. It took Amanda a few more moments to come back down to earth, and when she finally followed him into the kitchen he was slicing two large wedges.
"Oh, James, I'm so full, I don't think I could-"