“Four starting next month.”
“Do you know how rich you are?”
“Is that a question or a statement?” I raised my eyebrow at him. I didn’t have a problem with telling him my net worth. I had learned a lesson with Stephen, but he had come to the table with nothing. Aaron was highly successful without me.
“I think it was a statement.” He looked at me somewhere between shock and awe.
“Then yes, I do know how rich I am.” I laughed at his wonderment. “At least you didn’t say anything bad about the big-shot construction company.”
The alarm on his phone went off. “Dinner is ready. We can eat out here since it’s more comfortable. Want to watch a movie or binge a series with me?” He was shaking his head, chuckling to himself. “ThatGentry Construction.” He handed me the remote and went to the kitchen.
I turned on the TV and started looking for something to watch. I found a romantic comedy that I hadn’t seen and started it. I got up and grabbed the bottle of wine, setting it on the coffee table. “Go lay down, you two,” I said to the dragons wrestling on the chair. Daisy looked at me, not sure where to go. I tapped the box behind me. “Charlie lay down.” He flew across the room and climbed in. “Go ahead, Daisy, if he will let you.”
She flew across the room and stuck her head in the box. I heard a bunch of chirping and chittering. Then, I watched her step in. There was a bunch of shuffling around, then silence. I assumed they were comfortable together.
River walked back into the room carrying two plates. I had no idea what he had made, but the look on his face told me he was pleased with himself. He handed me a plate and then sat next to me.
“Sir, I bring you. Pizza rolls with ranch dressing and mozzarella sticks with marinara.” Bon Appetit’.
I started to drool. I loved this trashy food but had an internal dialog that said I was too old to eat food like this anymore. I took a pizza roll and dipped it in the ranch. I popped it in my mouth. “Oh shit. Hot. Hot. Hot.” I opened my mouth, fanning it like it made some difference to the burning. I grabbed my wine and quenched the pain. “Those things hold molten lava inside.”
“Yeah. It’s clearly been a while since you enjoyed this level of cuisine.” He then bit the corners off of several pockets on the plate. He then picked up his wine. “You must let them vent a little before you put them in your mouth. We don’t want you to burn your tongue.” He looked at my mouth. We both were thinking about using our tongues for other things.
“How do you keep looking like that.” I waved my hand up and down his body. “Eating like this?” I pointed to my plate.
“Oh, do you like this?” He mirrored my hand movements. I nodded my head up and down enthusiastically. “To answer your question. I work out every day, even when I travel. Sometimes, I run, but I do my core daily. You might have noticed that I have no problem with my body. I eat what tastes good to me. I don’t care what other people think.”
I realized he was right. It was his life and his body. Letting society dictate what he consumes is ridiculous. I realized it wasn’t all that different than coming out: I was authentic in my sexuality but lived a lie in other ways. I resolved then to change that.
“One more thing to add to why you are amazing.” I ate another pizza roll, but it didn’t scald my mouth this time. I loved these things. I chastised myself again for not eating them. “I was thinking I couldtake you out next Thursday since we have a date this Friday. I have a busy week, but would you let me?”
“You are asking me on a second date before our first official date even happens?”
“I suppose I am. I know that I will have a tight schedule next week. I have meetings with several contractors, a meeting with the city council, and dinner with the mayor.” I realized I could take a date to that dinner. “Wait!” That came out way more aggressively than intended.
He stopped with his mozzarella halfway to his mouth, the sauce dripping on his shirt. “Is there something wrong?”
“Sorry.” I blushed a little. I reached over and wiped the drop of sauce off his chest. “I realize I always attend these dinners solo or with my sister. I thought maybe you would like to be my date?”
“Are you asking me on a sub-date before our second official date?” I nodded my head up and down. “How about we count all these meals as our first two dates? Then Friday is our third date?”
“I completely support that idea.”
“Yes. I will join you for dinner with the mayor, which we will call date two and a half, and I will go on a third date with you Friday.”
I leaned over and gave him a quick kiss without even thinking. “That’s great. Dinner is on Wednesday. I’ll pick you up at 6:30 p.m.” He shook his head and stuck the gooey cheese in his mouth. I watched his lips wrap sensually around it—what he does to me.
We watched the movie, commenting on how we would do things if it were us. I finished my dinner and wine, grabbed the plates, and entered the kitchen. “Do you mind if I feed Daisy the fresh meat and vegetables? She hasn’t had her dinner. I’ll make some for Charlie, too.”
“Help yourself. I can take care of Charlie.”
“Don’t be silly. I’ll feed both dragons.” I pulled out the meat and veggies, putting everything in small piles. “Daisy, come eat.”
I vaguely sensed her entering the room before she landed on my shoulder. Charlie stood on top of his box, looking towards the kitchen.
“Charlie, go eat,” River told him. He flew into the kitchen and landed on the counter. I put their meals down, and they happily started their dinner.
There were only a few dishes, so I filled the sink with soapy water and washed them. I wiped down the counters and did the dishware the dragons had used, then stacked everything neatly on the counter. I had a dragon on either shoulder, so I turned off the light and returned to the living room. The whole thing seemed very domestic and made my soul feel good.
