imagining that, but to me, it didn't matter. I could see it.
I liked what I saw, and so I smiled again.
"Well, come in, Sable," she said. She held out a hand, and I gave her mine as I stepped over the threshold. With her other hand, she closed the door behind me, and then, my hand still in hers, we gazed at each other.
Finally I broke the silence. "Unless you're disappointed, I wouldn't mind a warmer welcome than this." I squeezed her hand.
"How could I be disappointed?" she asked with a smile, pulling me to her. We wrapped arms around each other.
Josie was taller than me, although not by a lot. I lifted my chin just slightly to look over her shoulder, and we held tightly for a moment. Then I turned and kissed her cheek before whispering in her ear, "I'm happy to be here with you."
She released me but slid her fingers down my arms as we separated, capturing my hands and then holding my arms away from me. "Let me get a look at you." Her look was deeply appraising, and we both smiled. Finally her eyes settled exactly where I had intended, on the cameo nestled just above the black camisole peeking out from behind the dress. "Tell me that's not the same one."
My smile broadened. "Of course it is." Then the smile broadened into a grin, and I whispered conspiratorially, "So are the undies."
"Sable, you are a very naughty girl!"
I said nothing, but I pulled away and slowly turned around, looking about while allowing Josie to look at me. I came to a stop facing her again, and I could tell from the way her eyes darted back up just where she'd been looking.
"Oh, I'm not sure I'm the only naughty one. Care to tell me what you were just looking at?"
She began to blush, and I barely stifled my laughter. "Like you weren't inviting such an appraisal."
I stepped marginally closer. "You told me to dress to impress. I was only obeying your instruction."
She barked a laugh. "I suppose you were."
I looked around briefly. "Do I get a tour?"
"Of course." She took my arm, and I let her pull me through the house. She gave me a lingering tour of an absolutely lovely house. It, like it's occupant, was quite striking, with tasteful decorations and lovely artwork. There were three bedrooms, one of which was set up as a home office, two and a half baths, and all the other spaces one would expect in a house in this neighborhood. Not a pin was out of place, and I wondered if it always looked like this, or if she'd had to hire a team of cleaners knowing I'd be here this evening.
I put on a playful look. "Tell the truth. Does it always look like this?"
"What do you mean?"
I waved. "Everything is perfect."
"Oh. Yes. Clutter makes me uncomfortable. I'm not a pack rat, so it only takes a few minutes a day to keep everything where it belongs."
Standing in her great room, I gave one more turn around before turning to face Josie. "Well, I like it. It's lovely and suits you."
"Thank you. I've been happy here. Well, we have reservations. Let me collect my purse."
I waited for her. She was gone a moment then returned, collecting my arm and leading me to the front door. Just as we arrived, I stopped her and turned her towards me. "Josie, this is going to be a little awkward, but there's something I want to say."
"Oh, dear," she said, her hand creeping to her throat. "Should I brace myself?"
I smiled. "No. I just want to be clear." I offered a frank, appraising look, maintaining the smile. "You're very striking and lovely. This is a date. I hope you'll treat it like one."
"Oh, dear," she said again. "Haven't I been treating it like one?"
"You know how you feel about clutter?" She nodded. "Well, for me, it's ambiguity."
"Well then," she said. "We can't have that. Let us erase any possible ambiguity." And with that she stepped into me, wrapped one hand behind my head, and pulled me into a kiss.
I wasn't expecting it, and she caught me by surprise -- pleasant surprise. I wrapped my arms around her and enjoyed the kiss. When she released me, we
I liked what I saw, and so I smiled again.
"Well, come in, Sable," she said. She held out a hand, and I gave her mine as I stepped over the threshold. With her other hand, she closed the door behind me, and then, my hand still in hers, we gazed at each other.
Finally I broke the silence. "Unless you're disappointed, I wouldn't mind a warmer welcome than this." I squeezed her hand.
"How could I be disappointed?" she asked with a smile, pulling me to her. We wrapped arms around each other.
Josie was taller than me, although not by a lot. I lifted my chin just slightly to look over her shoulder, and we held tightly for a moment. Then I turned and kissed her cheek before whispering in her ear, "I'm happy to be here with you."
She released me but slid her fingers down my arms as we separated, capturing my hands and then holding my arms away from me. "Let me get a look at you." Her look was deeply appraising, and we both smiled. Finally her eyes settled exactly where I had intended, on the cameo nestled just above the black camisole peeking out from behind the dress. "Tell me that's not the same one."
My smile broadened. "Of course it is." Then the smile broadened into a grin, and I whispered conspiratorially, "So are the undies."
"Sable, you are a very naughty girl!"
I said nothing, but I pulled away and slowly turned around, looking about while allowing Josie to look at me. I came to a stop facing her again, and I could tell from the way her eyes darted back up just where she'd been looking.
"Oh, I'm not sure I'm the only naughty one. Care to tell me what you were just looking at?"
She began to blush, and I barely stifled my laughter. "Like you weren't inviting such an appraisal."
I stepped marginally closer. "You told me to dress to impress. I was only obeying your instruction."
She barked a laugh. "I suppose you were."
I looked around briefly. "Do I get a tour?"
"Of course." She took my arm, and I let her pull me through the house. She gave me a lingering tour of an absolutely lovely house. It, like it's occupant, was quite striking, with tasteful decorations and lovely artwork. There were three bedrooms, one of which was set up as a home office, two and a half baths, and all the other spaces one would expect in a house in this neighborhood. Not a pin was out of place, and I wondered if it always looked like this, or if she'd had to hire a team of cleaners knowing I'd be here this evening.
I put on a playful look. "Tell the truth. Does it always look like this?"
"What do you mean?"
I waved. "Everything is perfect."
"Oh. Yes. Clutter makes me uncomfortable. I'm not a pack rat, so it only takes a few minutes a day to keep everything where it belongs."
Standing in her great room, I gave one more turn around before turning to face Josie. "Well, I like it. It's lovely and suits you."
"Thank you. I've been happy here. Well, we have reservations. Let me collect my purse."
I waited for her. She was gone a moment then returned, collecting my arm and leading me to the front door. Just as we arrived, I stopped her and turned her towards me. "Josie, this is going to be a little awkward, but there's something I want to say."
"Oh, dear," she said, her hand creeping to her throat. "Should I brace myself?"
I smiled. "No. I just want to be clear." I offered a frank, appraising look, maintaining the smile. "You're very striking and lovely. This is a date. I hope you'll treat it like one."
"Oh, dear," she said again. "Haven't I been treating it like one?"
"You know how you feel about clutter?" She nodded. "Well, for me, it's ambiguity."
"Well then," she said. "We can't have that. Let us erase any possible ambiguity." And with that she stepped into me, wrapped one hand behind my head, and pulled me into a kiss.
I wasn't expecting it, and she caught me by surprise -- pleasant surprise. I wrapped my arms around her and enjoyed the kiss. When she released me, we
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