Dash knew my no sleepover rule so I was glad that I found myself alone when I woke up the next morning. I groaned and found out that if I didn't get up and have the quickest shower known to man, I would be late for work.
After zipping in and out of the shower and changing into clean clothes, I zoomed off to work. I was the manager of a clothing store from a major company so I was paid pretty well, received some good benefits and could take holidays pretty much whenever I wanted after my long years with this company.
I opened the store as quickly as possible with one of my employees and was glad to see that business pretty much picked up immediately. I was busy tending to a couple of customers when a familiar scent entered my nostrils and a hand came down on my shoulder.
'Cassidy,' his voice said.
'If you need anything, let me know and I'll be with you,' I said with a smile. I turned around and sure enough, there was Evan in his tall, brooding, masculine-scented aroma. I rolled my eyes playfully and went behind the counter to check the roster for the week.
'How are you?' he asked me kindly.
'I'm fabulous, thank you,' I replied abruptly.
'How was your night last night?'
'Fabulous.'
'What about tonight? Are you free?'
I sighed and finally looked up at Evan who, despite getting the hint that I wasn't in the mood for conversing with him, still had a smug looking grin on his handsome face.
'I guess so,' I mumbled.
'Sweet, I'll see you then,' he said with a wink.
I couldn't really focus on work for the rest of the day. Needless to say, I was very excited for what the night might bring.
Soon, the time rolled around and there was a knock on my apartment door. I opened it and that sweet scent hit me like a bus once again; Evan stood there with that same grin on his face as he invited himself in.
'What are we doing tonight?' I asked him curiously.
He pulled out a plastic bag and emtpied its contents on my coffee table which was revealed to be a bunch of DVDs.
'How about a good night in?'
I was dressed to go out and was looking forward to grabbing something to eat with him but the thought of not leaving the hous ewas so much better. I sat down next to him on my sofa as we slipped in the first DVD which was, in a nutshell, a romantic-comedy ninja movie.
I had little to no interest in the movie but being cuddled up wtih Evan on my couch was worth it. Finally, the silly movie had ended and I was about to pick another one to watch but Evan's gentle hand stopped me.
'Let's go for a walk,' he said.
I followed him out of my apartment building and we walked through a part of town that I wasn't very familiar with.
'Close your eyes,' he told me.
I wasn't a fan of surprises nor closing my eyes whilst someone led me around so I put up a fight but Evan stopped me and said we would go back home if I didn't oblige so I did as he said and Evan had his firm hands on my shoulders as he walked me forward.
'Okay, now open them.'
I opened my eyes and saw the most beautiful garden I had ever seen; we were in what seemed to be a private area because I had never seen this garden before. It was like out of a picture; it had a clear water creek with a little bridge that went over it and an assortment of coloured flowers with other plants and trees surrounding them. It was magnificent.
I looked at the bridge and finally noticed a picnic rug on it with a lamp on it and some other things.
'I had my friends set this up for us,' he explained with a huge grin, 'those DVDs were just a distraction.'
I looked at him in surprise as he took my hand and led me to the picnic rug where I found there was a lovely dinner already awaiting us. He poured me a glass of wine and with his own, we clinged ours together and took a long swig.
He watched me intently as I looked around, viewing the magnificence of the area we were in. I was speechless.
'How do you like it?' he said.
'It's beautiful,' I mumbled.
'I knew you weren't as anti-romantic as you claim to be,' he said teasingly.
I looked at him and felt things in my stomach I hadn't felt before; his arrogant grin had slowly disappeared and he was looking at me the same way I was looking at him. I crawled over the picnic basket between us and, avoiding the plates and other condiments that would get in the way, leaned in to kiss him. I held his face in my hands as he wrapped his arms around my waist as we passionately embraced each other at the romantic setting.
Evan and I had kissed before, but never like this. This time, there were actual feelings behind it. And I was loving every moment of it.
