Shallow Love (6 page)

As midnight approached
she had been as gregarious, as she could ever be on the night making small talk, with as many people in the industry, as she had time for and thanking her staff and employer, for a wonderful night.

She actually did feel a tad bit like Cinderella, almost losing her shoe, as she stepped outside in the freezing cold, to walk to her car. However the question, that had remained unanswered in her head, did she finally meet her Prince?

Chapter Five

T
he following day when she got out of bed, her phone rang, it was a text message from David, she smiled as she read it.
“Hey Jackie, so glad we met, you free tonight, I would love to see you?”

“Me too,”
she replied her eyes sparkling.
“How does seven thirty sound at Splash?”

“Awesome,’’
David text back,
“see you then.”

Splash was a popular restaurant in the outer suburbs of West Sydney, it was always busy and bookings were essential. There was light entertainment and the atmosphere was full of buzz. Jackie had been to dinner there, several times with her sister and had often had drinks with friends from work. She had been looking forward to going out on a date with a guy that she fancied. She knew it was hard to find a good looking, single guy who would be interested in dating. This generation of men were often into sports, going out drinking with their mates and booty calls, most lacked a vision for the future.

It wasn’t about meeting the person you wanted to be with for the rest of your life and creating some kind of future with them. Men didn’t think that way anymore, it was a male syndrome, that Jackie had read about recently. Most of them didn’t even picture a steady girlfriend in their minds, they just preferred to have sex and dating was something, that made them cringe. The gentlemen who were born in the early sixties and seventies were likely to date you. But if you preferred someone younger born in the eighties, you would have a tough time, trying to find someone to date. The majority of men had no class and many, had rejected the idea of courting a woman.

Jackie was impressed with David’s keen interest in her, considering he was much younger than her. She was planning the date in her head and what she would wear and was getting butterflies thinking about it. She was attracted to David and she had hoped to impress him on the first date. She hadn’t dated a man for over a year and she was really excited to be dating again. He was twenty-six and she was thirty-eight, but she had hoped age wouldn’t be a barrier in their relationship.

She had arrived
ten minutes earlier at the restaurant and decided to go straight to the rest room to tidy up her hair, as the ferocious wind outside, had knocked it to one side of her face. That was her worst nightmare, she was lucky it hadn’t rained, which often happens, when she straightens her hair. The gush of wind tonight, didn’t seem to do her any favours, she tried sweeping it with a hairbrush back in place and re-applied a bright pink lipstick, that had faded from her lips. She was wearing a pair of white skinny pants, with a transparent cream blouse, it was off the shoulders with a baroque pattern and she looked classy and sexy. When she made it down to her table, David had just arrived, as he turned and smiled at her. Jackie’s gaze was fixated on the sexy young man, who was wearing black pants, a plain white t-shirt and a tailored jacket. He was to die for as she looked at him, almost slipping, on a pair of high stillettos. She regained her composure and her step and walked towards David. And in an almost embarrassing tone in her voice, she leaned over and kissed him, “good timing.”

David grinned as he pulled out a seat in front of their table and she sat down, she was impressed by his kindness and good manners.

“Indeed good timing,” he said in a deep, masculine voice, not that of a younger man’s.

The waitress walked up to their table promptly, as she passed on the menus to each of them. “Can I get you something to drink, before you order your mains?”

Jackie looked at David and his eyes were fixated on her and he didn’t bother to look at the menu,

“I’ll have a glass of Shiraz.”

Jackie felt almost seduced solely by his voice, “make that two,” she added.

When the waitress left, there was a pleasurable silence between them and David stroked his chin thoughtfully, while Jackie gazed at his hazel eyes for a long moment.

“I love your sexy body.” He winked at her.

Jackie couldn’t help hiding behind the menu, in between intervals of conversation, she wasn’t shy, but she could easily get nervous, if she was in the company of the opposite sex and fancied them.

“Really is my body, what you like most?”

“Absolutely I do, I love it.” He reassured her.

Jackie took a sip of red wine, staining the glass with her pink lipstick, “thankyou sweetie,” she smiled ecstatically up at him.

The waitress came back, slightly interrupting the tender moment between them.

“Are you ready to order now?” She said in a hurried voice.

Jackie hadn’t studied the whole menu, she had been too busy fixated on David, “I’ll just have the Chef’s special thanks.”

“Make that two please,” broke in David, with a twinkle in his eye.

The waitress, took the menus away then left.

David gazed at Jackie, like a hungry puppy ready to devour her. “You are so hot,” he said out aloud.

“I’m okay,” she said timidly, the corners of her mouth lifting up into a smile.

“No you are and I can’t believe a hot woman like you, isn’t attached?”

“Well, I am now,” she said with cheek in her voice.

“Too right you are and I am one lucky boy,” he said mischievously, grabbing her hand almost on impulse and stroking it with his.

David moved a fraction closer and for a split second, Jackie thought he was going to lean over and kiss her, but he leaned back in place again as the waitress cut in, “Serving roast lamb with baked mash and diane sauce, enjoy!”

David’s face dropped looking slightly embarrassed, that the waitress had stolen his moment of pleasure. Jackie was struggling to regain her composure, as she played with her food. David was very much a young boy in age, but his experience with women, seemed to be that of a much older man. He seemed charismatic, with a slightly wondering eye, but someone who seemed like fun and was by no means pensive.

“Hmm, this lamb is delicious, considering I haven’t had a proper meal in days, so excuse me if I stuff my face with food?”

Jackie laughed, “I’m glad you like the food, but why haven’t you had any dinner for days?”

Jackie forked a few pieces of roast lamb which she chewed slowly, showing far more interest in David than dinner, she wasn’t a big eater and nor a fast one. She liked to savour her food in her mouth and always preferred to go slow, enjoying every mouthful.

“Well I had a falling out with my mother, who usually has me over for dinner, I would rather not talk about it.”

“That’s okay, I understand, don’t worry about it,” Jackie said warmly. But she couldn’t help wonder, what the falling out had been about.

“All I am going to say is my mother has a new man in her life,” he looked deeply remorseful, as he said it, “and I don’t like him.”

“I’m sorry to hear that,’’ she reassured him, “we won’t talk about it, if you don’t want to?”

David was devouring down chunky pieces of food in his mouth and he looked as hungry as a bull. The falling out with his mother, must have been hard and Jackie didn’t want that conversation, to spoil their first date.

After dinner was over they went for a stroll to the Lakeside, David was holding her hand and they sat down on a park bench and he leaned in for a kiss. It was seductive and sweet and she enjoyed his lips on hers, they felt rugged and in charge.

Later they walked to an outdoor cafe nearby, all the time smiling.

“Take a seat gorgeous,” he pulled out her chair as he whispered into her ear.

“Thankyou sweetie, you are such a gentleman.”

David’s face beamed, “I only give special service, to the select women I fancy most,” he smirked.

“Really? So I guess you fancy me then right?” Jackie teased.

“You bet I do, you look like a woman who takes pride in her appearance, you look after yourself and I admire that.”

“Thanks sweetie and I am not going to keep it to myself either, I love your handsome face.”

“Are you flirting with me sexy?” David asked with sudden interest.

“No I don’t think so,” she chuckled, stroking his hair with the back of her hand.

Jackie liked everything about him, to her he seemed like the perfect man, young, hot and energetic. She had often run away in her fantasy, about sleeping with a man like him. Most men were mediocre in looks, short or too tall, bald, unkempt, fat or way too hairy for her taste. Whereas David, had no issues plaguing him, he had a perfect set of teeth, a lean body, chest free hair and he was a good dresser. There was definitely nothing about David, that needed changing or needed to be fixed. He was the Prince, that she had been waiting for her entire life and she wanted to pinch herself in his presence, to validate that he was real.

“What is your favourite beverage babe?” He asked pleasantly.

“I’ll have a vanilla latte with skim milk thanks?” She smiled as she said it.

“Well I’m a cappuccino man and I work out enough to afford full-cream.” He quipped.

“Indeed you do and I am so glad you are exclusive to me,” she teased him.

She wanted to be exclusive to him, she needed to be with him, he was what she needed right now, her ex-boyfriends, didn’t even come close to his calibre. She had dated many men in the past, but they were not as flawless as David.

She felt like the most luckiest woman on earth, to have met him. The only thing that bothered her was, that he had a slight wondering eye for the ladies. Those super blondes really annoyed her, he must have had a thing for them, she was now a caramel gold, with a plus for intelligence. The fact that blonde chics seemed to turn heads worried her, when she was in his presence.

As they were drinking coffee, a blonde woman walked in the cafe, immaculately dressed with a husky voice. Jackie noticed David’s disraction and she interrupted him.

“So do you have a preference for hair colour?”

David stroked her new, caramel highlights, grinning at her.

“No not really.”

Jackie wondered if he was telling the truth, but he was clearly focused on her and had shifted his attention away from the blonde woman.

“Actually caramel gold,” he said with a giggle in his voice, “that’s because I like your hair colour now, bleached blondes are more for fun.”

“Smart answer, you know, but I must tell you the truth, I love tall, dark and handsome?” Jackie pronounced with enthusiasm.

“What! You kidding right?” David looked defensive and almost hurt.

“Yes I am kidding, don’t worry.” She said leaning over and planting a kiss on his mouth. He had big lips and they felt warm, when they touched hers and she could smell a hint of French aftershave on his neck.

“Thank heavens for that,” he reassured her, “because I am totally into you girl.”

Jackie wanted to give him a taste of his own medicine, in case he was diverting his attention away from her.

“Well I am glad for that you know, I wouldn’t want you to be into anybody else,’’ she said, smiling openly at him.

The waitress brought the beverages over, while Jackie was fixated on David’s buff body. “So I can see you workout?” She asked him.

“You bet, I workout babe, why do you think I look this good by eating?’’ He added cheekily, as he removed his tailored Jacket and placed it on the back of his chair.

“No I didn’t think you were a big eater,” she said laughing. “Well I enjoy the gym too, when I have enough time to go, but I haven’t been for over a month, with the hectic overtime at work.”

“Well I enjoy a cardio workout, early mornings and when I knock off work, I sometimes go back to the gym.’’

Jackie admired men who worked out. David was lean but toned and had a sexy torso. He was a spunk, if she had ever saw one and she couldn’t help but gawk at him.

“So you like men who work out?” He asked with a curious look in his eye.

“Well it’s not like, I was purposely looking for someone who does, but it’s a bonus,” she winked.

“Hmm, so you do like my muscles babe?”

“You bet, I do, can I touch them?’ She flirted with him.

“Absolutely gorgeous girl you may,’’ David said as he flexed his arm for her to feel.

“Love it honey,” she responded, her face beaming at the hunk, who was now her boyfriend.

“I love your smooth skin, it’s like baby soft to touch,” he said stroking her hand.

“Oh thank you, what a sweet thing to say?”

“I am not being sweet, I am just honest, you have a baby face with beautiful skin, I am attracted to you babe.”

Jackie wished he would stop calling her babe, she was much older than him and it felt a bit monotonous, hearing it so many times. Although she enjoyed his attention immensely and didn’t complain.