Simmer.

I hope by now that you've noticed that these titles aren't a recipe -- just cooking terms vaguely related to the direction! Ha, not sure what you would make if you followed it. Jake & Jules go out to dinner

 

            It was ridiculously easy for him to get an appointment. One of the benefits of owning things, she thought. He could probably buy this restaurant with what was in his savings account.

            ‘Jacob,’ the maitre d had a voice that was thickly accented and enormously unidentifiable. ‘Hello.’

            ‘Hello, Stefan.’ Jacob shook hands with him. The transfer of a bill was almost unnoticeable. ‘A table for two, and your finest champagne. We’re celebrating.’

            She wasn’t Mr. Slater’s usual, Stefan thought. His tastes normally leaned towards the cool blondes. This brunette had natural warmth that he thought would do Mr. Slater well, ‘Our finest champagne and our best customer for you and your lovely date, sir.’

            ‘Thank you.’

            Julia picked up the menu as soon as they sat down. Jake smiled. ‘Particularly hungry, are you?’ She shook her head. ‘You know, it’s the ambience you pay for, and you seem to be completely ignoring it.’

            She didn’t lower the menu. ‘I’m considering what to order. I need time.’

            ‘Are you a picky eater?’

            She shook her head. ‘On the contrary. I need time to mull everything over, and narrow it down. I’m a sucker for anything edible.’

            She looked edible. The dress was a silver blue with a neckline that plunged down daringly, and her hair curled temptingly over shoulders that were mostly bare.

            ‘You look beautiful.’

            Finally, the menu lowered. ‘Slater – ’

            ‘Take it with the spirit in which it was intended,’ he replied, smiling up as their waiter approached with the bottle.

            ‘You’re my boss,’ she said.

            ‘And now I’m the boss of almost a hundred more people. Hence the celebration,’ he said mildly, pouring. ‘Tell me about your family.’

            She blinked. ‘I’m an only child. My mom is a nurse, and my dad is a general practitioner. My maternal grandmother is the one who got me interested in cooking. She’s French and glad about it.’

            ‘You’re close to her.’

            ‘I was. She passed away four years ago.’ The pain had been blunted warm memories and a hole where she had been.

            ‘I’m sorry.’ His hand covered hers, squeezed and let go. ‘It’s always difficult to lose family.’

            ‘Yes. Yes, it is.’ She sipped, letting the bubbles dance over her tongue before swallowing. ‘What about you?’

            ‘What about me?’

            ‘Tell me about your family.’

            ‘I have three sisters, all younger than me, all pains in the a*s, all happily married and settled down with various amounts of children.’

            ‘I bet you scared the heck out of their husbands.’

            ‘Amelia married a close friend of mine. She’s the oldest of them. Sandra married a friend that I’d marked off as safe. Phillipa married her high school sweetheart.’ He grinned. ‘So yes, I scared the hell out of them.’

            ‘I would have liked an older brother. I wanted siblings. I got a dog.’

            ‘Probably less trouble.’ She looked back down at the menu.

            ‘I’m stuck between the braised beef with pears and the linguine. It’s a French restaurant, but I really like linguine.’

            ‘Get linguine and you can make braised beef tomorrow,’ he reasoned, gesturing with his glass. ‘I like braised beef too.’

            ‘You know what, that’s not a bad idea.’

            She ordered the linguine alfredo, and grinned widely when it was served. He picked up a forkful of his salmon nicoise, and had to put it down with a hand that was shaky as he watched her eat.

            She scooped up a tiny bite and chewed it slowly, her eyes drifting shut as she savoured the flavour. She took another bite, letting out an involuntary moan as she did. Her eyes finally opened, and latched onto Jake’s.

            She blushed, delighting him. ‘I’m sorry. Uhm, it’s really good.’

            ‘I can tell.’ He cleared his throat with a sip of his champagne. On impulse, he leaned forward and tucked a loose strand behind her ear. She jolted. ‘You know, if you jump every time I touch you, divasdude94 is going to think that either we’re not really a couple or that you’re extremely attracted to me.’

            ‘That’s ridiculous. And I didn’t jump.’

            ‘You did, and your eyes went all big.’ He laughed quietly as her brow furrowed.

            ‘You’re so full of yourself,’ she replied. ‘You think you’re so irresistible just because the makeup artists swoon every time you aim that dimple at them.’

            ‘They do? Even that little redhead with the big...personality?’

            She bit her cheek to stop herself from laughing. ‘You’re a pig.’

            ‘I’m not the one dying over a plate of linguine, darling.’ She finally laughed, and his lips twitched.

            ‘Okay, I’m done. How’s your fish?’

            ‘Delightful. Do you want dessert?’

            ‘Oh,’ her face fell. ‘You should have offered before. I couldn’t possibly fit anything more in. But you go ahead.’

            ‘No, that’s alright.’ He signalled for the cheque. ‘You can make up for it tomorrow.’ She smiled at him. She was lit with gold in the candlelight. Ambience, he thought, swiping his card. It was really worth it.

            ‘Here.’ He grabbed her hand as they left the restaurant. She stiffened, looking up at him, and slowly relaxed. Her hand fit so perfectly in his, they realized at the same time.

            The drive home was silent.

            They stood on the porch as he searched for his keys. ‘You know, we look like an average couple coming home from date night.’

            ‘Do we?’ he asked, patting his pockets.

            ‘Yeah. I had a good time tonight.’ She lifted herself to her toes and pressed her lips just right of his mouth. It was a friendly kiss. She’d exchanged kisses just as mild with guests on the show, casually pecked friends and family in the same way. She pulled back enough to catch the way his eyes sparked before his hand found the back of her neck and pulled her back.

            This wasn’t friendly – it was passion, desperate passion that left Julia both baffled and aroused. She gasped, and he took the invitation, tasting her even as she strained against him.

            Her fingers, crushed between them, shifted. As if she had triggered something, Jake pulled back.

            ‘Wow.’ Julia breathed.

            He didn’t hear her, just saw how wide her eyes were, how used her mouth looked, and her hands, her little hands that fit so perfectly in his, were clasped.

            ‘I – I apologize.’ He managed. His head was still spinning, but that was no excuse. ‘That was inappropriate of me. I’m sorry.’

            He reached into his pocket, located his keys and let them into the house, avoiding his eye contact.

 

 

Author's Note

Do-do-do-do. Uhm. Read, review. Danke.

Reviews

[Jules]

do-do-do-do indeedie! more please!!! that was an amazing first kiss ooo the tension :D darn i have to go wash up :S i'll be back!!!