Iniquity: Book One

Chapter Nine

The next day was amazing. I slept so well after taking the new pill I was prescribed. It just worked. I wasn’t groggy the next day and I woke up, finished editing the wedding photos, emailed some teasers to Ralph and Stacy and got their disc ready, as well as worked out. I went for a brisk three mile run down a trail by my house. Everett truly was beautiful in the morning with all our tall evergreen trees. The smell of them was invigorating to my senses. I even had a smile on my face. Life was good. Life was so good in fact that I decided to put on my big girl panties and text Steven and ask him what he was doing today. I didn’t have anything really planned, and I was supposed to be shooting with him, so I pulled the trigger. I texted him and asked if he had any free time to talk about his shoot. I did it right after my run.

“Want to grab some coffee and talk about your shoot? If you are free?” I messaged, with a hopeful smile sprinkled with some longing thrown in for good measure.

I prayed he would be. I honestly didn’t know him that well because he was Tony’s friend and not mine. I also didn’t know his schedule. He was taking some acting classes though, so hopefully he wasn’t at them today. I definitely wasn’t used to being around solid guys like him. Plus, he was smoking hot.

My phone buzzed while I turned onto my street. I stopped by my neighbors house and leaned on their chain link fence and pulled my phone from the pocket in my leggings.

“When and where?” he asked.

He messaged me back! My heart leapt and I damn near laughed, but I had to maintain my composure. I was in public after all. I thought about coffee, but I decided that I wanted to meet him somewhere a little more fun. I also needed a little liquid courage in my life. It was still super early for drinking, with it being about five in the afternoon, but I figured we could meet in an hour or two which would give me ample time to get presentable.

The perfect spot was close by my house, which was Sally’s. Sally’s was a little hole in the wall bar about two blocks away. They also had the best ribs in town and the thought of them immediately sent my stomach into a frenzy. It was my favorite place to let loose. Hopefully Steven didn’t mind this quick change of venue. I messaged him and he messaged back that he was okay with Sally’s as well as having a beer over some ribs. This was working out beautifully. If he still liked me with barbecue sauce all over my face then he was a keeper. Now I just needed to get ready.

With speed that would make The Flash jealous, I entered my house, showered, shaved my legs, did my makeup, and selected a little black dress and matching pumps. I didn’t want to go too over the top, but my little black date dress was usually a winner. It conformed to my curves and was my favorite dress in my closet, hands down.

“I hope he likes what he sees,” I purred, while checking myself out in my vanity. I looked good.

Sally’s parking lot was packed. I didn’t remember what kind of vehicle Steven drove so I sent him a quick text asking where he was. I stood out front of the restaurant scanning the parking lot. He texted back quickly telling me that he saw me causing me to grin from ear to ear. I looked and saw him emerging from the nearby plush confines of an all black Mercedes. I definitely didn’t expect that.

What got out of the car was not the Steven that I remembered from the parties. This wasn’t Steven from those drunken nights playing Cards Against Humanity. No, this was a polished, calm, and collected man in a stylish black suit with dark sunglasses hiding those coppery eyes that I did remember. The sleeves of his button down black shirt were rolled up almost to his elbows, showing off some pretty well muscled and veiny forearms. The black slacks he wore fit well and made me wonder if he had his own personal stylist. If not, this man was destined to be my hero. I couldn’t suppress my smile. Things were going right in my universe for a change.

I was glad I wore the black dress because it showed off my legs quite nicely. My face had a cute impish smile on it as I watched his eyes travel from my heels, up my legs, to my face. They wandered slowly, driving me nuts.

“Hi,” was the only word I could come up with. It was one of those moments when you are totally speechless.

His smile was wide and filled with those pearly whites I also recalled with vivid clarity. Headshots with him would be amazing.

“Why hello to you too,” he replied casually. “It’s good to see you again.”

Dusk was here and the yellow neon sign for Sally’s flickered to life above us. Stars were starting to make their presence known in the heavens above, and here I was, with Steven. Steven reached out to hold my hand.

“May I?”

I admit that I blushed like a schoolgirl right then. “Of course.” He was so unbelievably perfect in every way.

He held my hand and led me into the building that smelled of delicious barbecue. It felt so good to be on a date again. This was living. This was better than running from your nightmares. My stomach growled in anticipation of things to come as we waited for the hostess to seat us. To be perfectly candid, I would be lying I said if my stomach was the only thing hungry tonight. Oh my. Sally’s wasn’t nearly as packed as I thought it would be. The cars in the parking lot were probably mostly overflow from the mall that shared the parking lot. Steven looked relieved.

“It’s not too bad tonight,” I said under my breath. It’s usually packed at the start of the weekend.

The hostess, a blonde, smiled. “I’m so glad too. It’s gonna pick up though as the night drags on. I’ve been here since noon.”

“I definitely don’t envy your job,” Steven said with a smile that drove me nuts.

It apparently drover her nuts as well because she turned scarlet. “What’s your day job?” she asked.

Steven shrugged. “Actor in training?”

God, this chick was cramping my game! “I’m doing his headshots,” I chimed in.

She totally ignored what I had said. “Well, with a face like that I am sure you will make it in the `biz.”

Bitch.

I decided to assert myself. “Is our table ready?” I asked with a dash of impatience. “Since it isn’t crowded, maybe you could get us a booth?”

She was now back down to earth. “Yah, of course. Of course.” She grabbed two menus. “Just follow me.”

Steven laughed. “Way to go,” he said. “Take charge!”

I smiled back. “I want my ribs.” Thankfully the hostess was far enough ahead that I could talk s**t. “She needs to back up. This is our date.”

Oops. I said it. What if he didn’t think this was a date. I may have just shoved my size seven foot in my mouth.

He nodded. “Best date I have had in a really long time, so far.”

It was a date!

“Me too.” I couldn’t agree more.

“Thanks for coming out,” he said.

I just became aware that he had taken hold of my hand. My heart immediately started having palpitations.

He

Held

My

Hand.

I really needed to practice some self control over my anxiety. My other hand swirled my clutch nervously. I felt like my insides were on fire.

“Your welcome,” I replied as cool as I could. “It’s not like I had anything going on. I just wish I was as pretty as these booty short wearing waitresses.”

He shook his head, and said in a stoic voice, “They have absolutely nothing on you, Amber.” This was a date.

“You know how to make a girl feel appreciated,” I said with a smile of my own as the waitress, who was now very jealous, seated us in our booth.

His hand traveled to the small of my back as he helped me into my side of the booth. He then seated himself. Everything was so right. All my recent problems were washed away in the tide of this experience.

The hostess left and was replaced by a waitress who took our order for two beers, and right after she did, Steven leaned over and said, “I’ve been needing headshots for quite some time.”

“What have you been using?” I decided to ask. I knew he already had done some commercials and small bit parts here and there, so I wondered what kind of photography he already had done.

“Just some old photos I took with my cell phone.” He laughed. “I know, I know, so not professional.”

I agreed. “Now you are in good hands.” I watched his hand grab his beer and pick it up to take a drink. Was that a shake? Was Steven nervous underneath that cool exterior?

“You know, I have been following your work online for quite some time,” he said with a softened look. “It’s really spectacular.”

“Thank you,” I said. It was nice to be appreciated.

“Ever since that party last summer at Tony’s I have been meaning to ,” he began in an unsteady voice, then adding after a deep breath, “I have been meaning to hit you up. I follow you religiously. I was initially attracted to your devotion and the heart that you put into your work..”

“Initially?” I couldn’t help but blush. He was flirting. This felt amazing. “Go on,” I urged him. I was enjoying this one hundred percent.

“Well I need pics for the acting and stuff, but it’s more than that.”

“More?” The entire place grew quiet except for us. The world could have ended right then and I would not have noticed.

He nodded slowly. “I like you, I like who you are, and I am very attracted to you and what you are about.”

I could feel my temperature rising. “What do you think I am about?”

“Well, I can tell how hungry you are for life, and your craft. You are also beautiful as hell. I remember being at that party and listening to you talking to a blonde girl..”

‘Lindsey.”

“Right,” he said gratefully. “Lindsey. Yeah I can remember that look in your eye when you talked about being behind the lens, capturing beauty, being a part of something greater than yourself.”

I recalled that conversation clearly, besides the mimosas I was drinking that evening. “Lindsey was interested in photography, I was just telling her about my work.”

He shook his head. “I disagree.”

He disagreed with what? “What do you mean?”

“You called it work.”

“I did.”’

“It isn’t work,” he started, in a small voice, then added more confidently, “To you it is art.”

Right then I could have grabbed him by the collar and kissed him. I actually should have. However, good sense kicked in, as well as a good dose of anxiety. He really liked me for me. I had never had someone speak to me in such a way. No other guy had ever rang my bells like this.

“Thank you.. Steven.” My voice was little more than a whisper, but he could hear me loud and clear. “That’s truly the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.

“I should be better at this,” he said with a growl. “I’m an actor but I am falling apart right now. I don’t usually ever reveal my feelings like this.”

I wanted to do one of those viciously loud girl squeals but I forced myself to hold back. Calm and collected. I needed to maintain. This wasn’t the time to get all crazy.

“You’re doing just fine, Steven, I mean you are fine.” I just stuck my foot in my mouth. “I feel the same way.” s**t. There went my control.

“You can just call me Steve,” he said while telling the waitress who walked up without me even noticing that he wanted two orders of ribs and two more beers.

I nodded. “Thanks for ordering Steve.”

Our waitress came back shortly with the small red basket of peanuts that Sally’s gave to customers at their table. This was the perfect place for a first date and this would be one first date that I would never forget. However, it wasn’t the peanuts, beer, or amazing atmosphere that made the date unforgettable. It also wasn’t the amazing ribs we were about to eat, or the fact that Steve was the perfect gentleman. It wasn’t even the fact that he was hitting all my major girl buttons and telling me the most flattering compliments I have ever had in my life. It was none of that. What made this an unforgettable evening was what happened next. No, what I will never forget was the next few words that came out of Steve’s mouth.