A Dozen Dates (4 page)

Gemma looked at him smiling, “Yes.”

“Well then, I guess it will have to go...”

Gemma smiled and asserted, “Good!”

“So what happened with that loser last night,” Michael interjected to Gemma’s surprise.

“Huh?”

“Your boyfriend...” Michael continued.

Gemma’s expression twisted from soft to hard, from hurt to defensiveness before her voice became monotone and she started twisting her hair around her finger. She answered Michael’s question, “He dumped me for someone else.”

“What a loser... When you came in the room I was happy to see you - I had heard that you busted up,” Michael turned to her, but she couldn’t look at him. “Rob and Sandi are friends of Nathan’s...”

“Sandi’s nice... I only just met her, but she was really nice to me.”

“Yeah, she is... I wanted to make sure you were okay... Anyway, I knew you were in good hands...” Michael’s voice drifted off, and then he came back and added, “And then you came into my room...”

“So-so what colour are you painting the kitchen?” Gemma interposed, staring indomitably at her feet as she swirled them in the clear, cool water.

Michael caught her frightened tone and promptly attuned his conversation to what she was comfortable with, “Not sure... We have someone coming to work out a scheme for the interior.”

“Oh... Okay.” Michael looked at her and smiled to himself at the effort she put in to appear at ease.

“So do you live by yourself?” Michael inquired.

“No, I’m sharing a house with three other girls... It only costs me a hundred dollars a week and two of the girls are air hostesses and are away a lot. Most of the time it is just Lana and I there,” Gemma’s voice began to trail and she allowed her eyelids to shade out the sunlight, its presence still warming her face.

Suddenly Gemma jerked and Michael noticed how she quickly grasped the predicament around her, before gently nodding off again. “Come on - you’re tired... I’ll take you home now.”

On the trip home, they discussed utility vehicles, Michael being extremely impressed that an attractive young woman would drive a work vehicle similar to his – by choice... He pulled up out the front of Gemma’s home and insisted on getting her mobile phone number, and she happily gave it to him. Then before she had time to get away, he leant over, clasped her face in his hand and gave her a peck on the lips. She felt that strange sensation wash over her again, that sensation that leaves her breathless and misty eyed, and her heart beating just a little more frequently. Her lips parted slightly, and upon noticing, Michael looked into her gentle grey eyes and moved in to kiss her again, tenderly wrapping his lips around hers. A small noise gurgled up from her chest and her eyelids sank under their own weight and she kissed him back. It was just a quick kiss, but it left her dizzy.

She climbed out of the Michael’s Ute and managed to giddily stumble half way up her footpath, her boots tucked under one arm, before her phone rang... It was an unknown number. “Hello...” Gemma greeted the caller.

“Hi! Umm... Would you like to have dinner tonight?” the familiar sounding caller asked. Gemma frowned in confusion – it couldn’t be! She spun around and saw Michael sitting in his Ute with his phone to his ear, grinning at her. Gemma’s expression rested somewhere between amusement and accusation of idiocy...

“Huh?”

“Would you like to have dinner with me tonight?” Michael repeated the question.

Gemma teasingly brushed him off and claimed, “I’m washing my hair tonight,” then she grinned at him daringly.

“Oh... Okay,” Michael said, and he hung up the phone, and waved her goodbye. Gemma waved back, turned around and kept walking. Then her phone rang again, “Gemma?”

She spun around again, “Yes.”

“Gemma, will you have dinner with me tomorrow night, please?” Gemma was silent... She knew he was only asking her out because he felt bad about taking her virginity while they were both alcoholically prejudiced – he was nice like that. He was nice... and funny, and he didn’t need to feel guilty – it might not have been what she would have done if she was sober, but she knew what she was doing. Truth be told – she was glad! Glad about everything... “Gemma..?”

“Yes, okay..!” It was just dinner... What harm could come from one date?

Michael grinned, satisfied, “Okay. I will pick you up at seven!”

“Okay... Um..?”

“Um..?” Michael imitated.

“What should I wear?”

“Something low-cut...” Michael stated and chuckled as he saw her deplored expression, “Just joking...” he saved himself from retaliation just in time, “No, wear something nice... We’ll go somewhere nice...”

Chapter Two

Gemma came in from college and flicked through the clothes in her wardrobe for something to wear... She had put away quite a bit of money to help her settle in to her new life and so for somebody who had only recently moved to the city she had quite the collection of garments – she had done a lot of shopping.

The thing is... She was actually looking forward to going out to dinner with Michael... On the one hand, she knew it was a “penance” date, but she quite liked Michael’s companionship. He was nice, and funny, casual... and very hot! He had dreams and was hard-working... Actually, there wasn’t much wrong with him at all. Actually... there wasn’t anything wrong with him... And if she wasn’t in such a state of perplexity Gemma could like such a man. It’s just with Greg leaving her like he did, because of her overcooked sexual morality... And the general unfamiliarity and clumsiness she experienced within her peer group... New landscape, new home – her college was the first real school she had ever attended... Her whole world was just so overwhelming, and even Gemma didn’t appreciate quite to what extent. She didn’t really even know who she was; which is why she bought so many clothes – an outfit for every face! Eventually she would work out which one was hers... Besides... Michael was just being polite.

Well, at least for a while Michael thought she was sexy... Though Gemma was aware that he now knew that she wasn’t the wild and confident sex kitten that he thought she was when she entered his room. She pondered how it must have been such a letdown for him to discover the truth... Oh well, at least she got to be sexy for a while... And a least she shed that shackle that was her virginity – tying her to a life of exile. Now at least her relationships could be simpler!

She flicked through her clothes... Well, no use going for sexy – Michael would just laugh. Goth..? No, he seemed to think her and Goth were a strange mix... He had suggested something nice... all of a sudden her long, light dusty pink beaded dress came to the fore. It was simple – lines that followed the contours of the body without being tight. It was long but had a small split up to just below the knee on the right side. It had short sleeves and a round neckline that sat halfway up her chest, well above her breasts. But, it did have a diamond shaped window cut out below the neckline which intended to stylishly frame a woman’s cleavage. Gemma smiled as she contemplated, “That ought to get under his skin – sex kitten or not!” Gemma then set out to find her similarly coloured high-heeled shoes and her small silver evening bag.

She showered and blow-dried the natural wave back into her hair, and pinned it up on one side with a pink flowered hairclip, put on simple gold earrings and a gold locket her parents had given her and applied soft make-up. Gemma slid into her dress and did up the zip, put on her shoes and handbag and stood in front of the mirror – she looked pretty, she thought, but the ebony undergrowth of her hair was kind of hard against the pink... Oh well, it was ten to seven – not time to change now!

One thing Gemma really liked about Michael was his lack of false chivalry... There was simply no need for him to come up to her door when blowing his horn could get the same result... He did however walk around and open the passenger’s door for her – this was after all a semi-formal affair. Michael smiled and then quietly cleared his throat before uttering, “You’re really pretty...”

Gemma smiled delicately and expressed, “Mm, thank you.” Gemma thought he looked good, too, in his loose-fitting casual black slacks with an overhanging slim-fitting dress shirt made from a shiny fabric and sporting what resembles brush strokes in black, cobalt and powder blue.  The cuffs were done up but the top couple of buttons at his neck weren’t and Gemma couldn’t help but notice his stupendously man-scaped chest.

Then Michael helplessly peaked at the window in her bodice for just a second before looking accusingly into her eyes, “Nice dress too...” then he smiled and looked up to heaven – he raised his hand and shook his head. Gemma wasn’t sure if he was thanking or cursing the all mighty, but she did get under his skin – she wasn’t an over-virtuous “Plain Jane” in his eyes on this evening, and she was pleased about that... She climbed as elegantly as she could into his ute and he closed the door, then she watched amused as he walked around to the driver’s side shaking his head and waving his hand at God. He was a funny man and he made her smile rosily.

The restaurant was upmarket yet friendly and sat overhanging the beach. Michael requested a table outside and then he instinctively took Gemma’s hand and followed the
maitre d’ as he escorted them to the balcony. The balcony hung about six foot above but directly over the sand and gave them full viewing access to the medium-sized waves tumbling in towards them about twenty-five metres away.

The maitre d’ held out a chair for Gemma, and she removed her small handbag and sat down, placing the bag on the floor beside her. Michael, of course found his own way to the seat opposite her and helped himself. Their host handed them a menu each and informed them, “Your waiter will be out to collect your order shortly... Can I get you something to drink?” Michael ordered them a glass each of sparkling house wine.

“Michael, this is a beautiful place...” Gemma offered as she looked about her. The chairs were dark wood and comfortable, the tables all dressed in long white cloths and each adorned with a long vase containing a single orchid and a beaker containing a flickering candle and protecting it from the ocean breeze which threatened to snuff it out... There was calming, un-intrusive classical music tuning in the background, and melding perfectly with the sound of the crashing waves. But of course, the most amazing feature of all was the proximity to the beach itself, bathing them in its delicious scent and freshness.

“Yes... I’ve always wanted to come...” Michael told her.

“Oh, you haven’t been here before?”

“No. I’ve seen it advertised and I’ve driven past it...” Michael said and then he smiled and pointed to the ocean, “I’ve even swum past it.” Gemma chuckled as she pictured him splashing in the surf. “But I’ve never been...”

“Well, now you have...” Gemma offered and they smiled.

The maitre d’ returned and placed a couple of flutes on the table and proceeded to pour each of them a glass. “Can I get you anything else?” he asked. Michael declined, and the man left.

Gemma lifted the glass to her lips and took a sip. “Mmmm..!”

Michael too, sampled the swill, “Sweet and fruity!”

“Just like us!” Gemma declared with a grin, and Michael observed her surprising sassiness, his caterpillars once again wriggling across his brow.

“What? Wait, who is sweet and who is fruity?” Michael inquired and Gemma giggled.

“Well, I definitely think I’m sweet...”

“Which leaves
me
with fruity..? Cheeky...” he accused as he raised his glass, “Hmmm, to the sweet and the fruity!” Gemma giggled again as she raised her glass and Michael chinked his against it.

The waiter came and they placed their orders. Michael chose a Reef and Beef Platter, Gemma selected a dish of Creamy Garlic Prawns and for an entree they ordered a plate of Oysters Kilpatrick to share.

Michael picked up one of the marinated oysters from the bed of sea salt and dug the meat out with the small fork, holding it out for Gemma to eat, before picking up a second for himself and simply slurping the treat from its jagged shell.

“Mmm, yum! I haven’t tried oysters like this before,” Gemma shared.
 

“Really..? They are good aren’t they? And you know what they say about oysters...”

“No, what do they say?” Gemma inquired. Michael stopped eating and stared at the oblivious expression on her face, contemplating whether or not to enlighten her; but, after considering her recent jumpy reactions to some of his flirtations, he thought it best to keep that information just to himself for the present.

“Just... that they are good for your... health,” Michael added, carefully guarding the small smirk which was threatening to expose his untruth.

“Oh, well they are seafood...” she said as Michael held out another for her, this time still in the shell, “Thank you.”

“Just suck it straight from the shell.”

Gemma copied what she had seen Michael do earlier, and a look of ecstasy came over her face, “Mmm, they are even yummier like that.”

Michael cleared his throat and thought to himself, “Yes you are...” He couldn’t work her out... She didn’t seem to be stupid – quite the opposite; but some of the things she said and did... She seemed to have no clue as to the stir she caused – her naivety seeming strangely out of proportion to the rest of her, and it was more than a little intriguing... and most delightful.

They were both enjoying the main course when Michael embarked on a most captivating topic of conversation, “Gem, Nathan and I were talking, and we decided we would like to offer you a job – landscaping...”

Instantly Gemma’s ears pricked up and she looked directly at Michael, eager to hear more, “Oh?”

“We really have no idea what to do with the yard at the house, and thought you might like to get the experience, anyway... We’d negotiate a reasonable budget for what we want to achieve and pay you a modest salary – you know... mate’s rates type of deal,” Michael smiled at her and noticed her extraordinarily sunny smile beaming back at him. “But it’s a little more than you earn cleaning, and it’s what you want to do.” Michael paused, again taking in her capturing radiance, “Is that a yes?”