The Art of Life (63 page)

               
“Oh, no, if I am taking you out
on a date, you are wearing this.
 
It will
make you blush all night long.”

               
Walking over, I snag it from
him.
 
“You are such an ass.”

               
“An ass that you love,” he quips
back.

               
“Well then, there is matching
underwear, if that trips your trigger.”

               
That sends Jeremy roaring.
 
“That is awesome!
 
Oh
my gosh
, you
rock.
 
Now, get dressed.”
 
He leaves the room, and I slam the door
behind him.
 
Even with his comments, I
smile.
 
I do put on the bra and
underwear.
 
Why, I don’t know.

               
When I walk
into the living room, Jeremy smiles.
 
“You look very pretty young lady.”

               
“I still don’t know why you are
taking me and not a real date.
 
I
mean……don’t you want a real girl?”

               
Jeremy stops and gives me a
look.
 
“I have seen you with barely any
clothes on.
 
I do not remember you
looking like a guy.”

               
“That is not what I meant,” I
laugh, walking over to him.
 
I fix his
shirt a little bit.
 
“I have never even
gone to a nice restaurant, like ever.
 
I
will probably just embarrass you.”

               
“Isabelle, you are not going to
embarrass me, stop being so silly.
 
We
are going to enjoy a nice meal and good conversation, as a date should be,”
Jeremy retorts.
 

               
My cheeks blush.
 
“Stop calling it a date.
 
You are taking me out for dinner.
 
That’s it.
 
Saying it’s a date is making it sound like there is something going on.”

               
“Nonsense,” he murmurs.
 
“I am taking you on a date, even if it
a practice run
.
 
Do
you not want to be associated with being my date?
 
Is this a bad thing?”

               
“Gosh no,” I gasp.
 
“Please, really?
 
Going on a date with you, uh okay, twist my
arm.”

               
Jeremy’s eyebrows go up.
 
“Wow, I didn’t know I was that hot of a
commodity.
 
Aren’t I special?”

               
“You are a hot guy, who has a
great sense of humor and a stellar personality.
 
What girl WOULDN’T want to go out with you?”

               
 
“Well, the one standing in front of me is sure
putting up a hell of a fight.
 
I didn’t
say I was going to feel you up under the table.
 
I just want to take you on a date,” Jeremy states with a smile.

               
Now, my cheeks are on fire.
 
“I would stab your hand with a steak knife.”

               
“No, you wouldn’t,” Jeremy
whispers, stepping closer to me.
 
“You
know you would love the touch of my hand on your skin.”

               
Fiddling with his button, I
reply, “You know what I would really love the touch of?”

               
“What’s that?”

               
I flick him on the
forehead.
 
“I would love the feeling of
my knee between your legs!
 
Feel me
up?
 
I will break your hand!”

               
Bursting out laughing, Jeremy
kisses me on the forehead.
 
“That is what
I want your reaction to be to other boys.”

               
“Yeah, well, it will be a long
time before a guy tries to feel me up.
 
I
don’t see Eric being that type,” I articulate smugly.

               
“I would break him in two if he
did,” Jeremy says, going to get my jacket.

               
With a raised eyebrow, I spin
around and look at him.
 
“Someday, I am
going to want a guy to touch me.
 
You
have to realize that.
 
What if it was
Eric?”

               
Jeremy grips my coat and holds
it open.
 
“Well then, I am not your
keeper.
 
I can’t expect you to stay a
virgin forever.
 
If it were my choice you
would be.”

               
That makes me giggle.
 
“I don’t plan on having sex with anyone
ANYTIME soon.
 
I think I want to
wait.
 
I mean really wait, until I find
the person I want to spend the rest of my life with.
 
I know boys think that is dumb, and maybe it
makes me uncool, but I really feel like I only want to be with one person.”

               
“Remember when you said you
would never talk about sex with me,” Jeremy chuckles.

               
Sliding my arms in my jacket, I
reply, “We aren’t actually talking about IT, like in detail.”

               
“Someone probably should with
you,” Jeremy sighs.
 
“I don’t think you
had the best examples from your mother.”

               
“Jeremy, what is there to talk
about?
 
I know what happens.
 
It’s covered in health class.
 
Did someone have that talk with you?” I
inquire hotly.

               
He snorts.
 
“Okay, no, so good point.
 
I just want you prepared.”

               
I hang my head.
 
“Jeremy, I don’t plan on having sex anytime
soon.
 
I am NOT a hot commodity, so it’s
not like we have to worry about that anyway.”

               
His arms wrap around me and he
whispers, “You are beautiful and the guy you save yourself for is going to be
really lucky.
 
Saving yourself does not
make you uncool and boys won’t look at you like you are dumb.
 
They will have respect for you.”

               
“That’s good to hear,” I
exhale.
 
“Maybe, when that day comes I will
talk to you, but I swear if you make it dirty and try to give me pointers, I
will hurt you.”
            

               
Jeremy doubles over.
 
“I would never.
 
Isabelle, oh
my gosh
,
who do you take me for?”

               
“A guy,” I reply, trying not to
smirk.
 
“Let’s go before we are late.”

               
We drive to the restaurant just
laughing.
 
Jeremy does his hardest to
embarrass me.
 
I just choose to ignore
him.
 
That makes him try even harder.
 
When we get to the restaurant, there is an actual
valet service.
 
That makes me
nervous.
 
A guy, not much older than me,
comes and opens my door.
  
I awkwardly
get out.
 
Turning, I stand there waiting
for Jeremy.

               
A gust of wind passes by and
makes me shiver.
 
I pull my coat tighter
around me.
 
Jeremy walks up, “Are you
cold
hon
?”

               
“Yeah, this isn’t the best
winter jacket,” I reply.
 
A woman passes
us in a wool pea coat.
 
“Now, that is
nice jacket to have.
 
Too bad they are
super expensive.”

               
“Ready for a great night,”
Jeremy says, opening the door for me.
 
              
I smile as I walk past him.
 
“Yes.”

               
He takes my hand and we walk to
the hostess stand.
 
You can tell there is
an air of sophistication here.
 
The
hostess looks at us, and asks, “Your name please.”

               
“Stoll,” Jeremy replies.
 
“Reservation for two.”

               
She nods her head and says,
“Right this way.”

               
When we get to the table, Jeremy
pulls out my chair for me.
 
“Thank you,”
I whisper.
 
“Always so
gentlemanly.”

               
“I was taught strict
manners.
 
You open a door for a
lady.
 
You pull out her chair.
 
You treat her with respect.
 
There are many more things I was taught.
 
Table manners were a big one.”

               
“Well, I was never taught those,
so sorry if I embarrass you.
 
Just kick
me under the table when I do something stupid.”

               
Bending over my shoulder, Jeremy
says, “I want you to relax and enjoy yourself.
 
We are here to have a good time.”

               
“That doesn’t make me any less
nervous,” I whisper back.

               
Jeremy pulls out his chair and
sits down.
 
A waiter dressed in a tux
comes over.
 
“Good evening,” he says,
“May I get you something to drink to start off your meal?”
 
Jeremy nods to me.

               
“Oh, I will have whatever white
soda that you have,” I reply.

               
“And for you
sir?”
The waiter asks.

               
Grabbing a little menu, Jeremy
replies, “I will have a glass of Riesling please.”

               
“Very well, I will be right
back.”

               
I pick up the very fancy heavy
menu.
 
Opening it up, my eyes drift to
the choices.
 
It doesn’t register right
away and then I gasp.
 
Bending over to
him, I hiss, “Jeremy!
 
You could feed a
starving child for a month on just one meal!”

               
He chuckles.
 
“Will you relax?
 
I want you to enjoy this.”

               
“I will have a side salad,” I
state, looking at him in disbelief.

               
Jeremy sets down his menu.
 
“I will order you something if you do that,
and I make no promise on what that will be.”

               
“Fine,” I mumble, picking my
menu up.
 
“Most of this stuff I haven’t
even tried before.
 
I mean, I haven’t
even really had steak.
 
So, what do I
pick?”

               
“Well, to not scare you
completely, I would suggest going with a steak, or you could go with escargot,”
Jeremy notes.

               
Frowning, I ask, “What is
escargot?”

               
“Snails,” Jeremy replies, not
even looking at me.
 
My jaw drops and I
get a horrified look on my face.
 
He
looks at me out of the corner of his eye, and grins.
 
“I would go with steak, or you could do
lobster.”

               
“I have never had seafood.
 
I am not sure if I would like it, and I don’t
want to order something I won’t eat.”

               
 
With a nod, Jeremy says, “Well, I am getting
steak and lobster, so I will insist that you try it.”

               
“Okay,” I sigh.
 
“How about you order my food for me?
 
I trust you.”

               
A devilish smirk passes over his
face.
 
“Are you sure about that?”

               
“Yes,” I state.

               
Suddenly, I feel a hand on my
knee.
 
I glare at him and reach under the
table.
 
I squeeze his hand as hard as
possible.
 
That seems to just make him
laugh.
 
“Oh, you are so much fun,” he
chuckles.
 
His fingers tickle my knee and
then he brings his hand back up.