The sky couldn't be any bluer and the weather couldn't be more perfect. Doug and Melissa had been looking forward for weeks to a double date with their close friends, Tom and Janine. Both couples had dropped their kids off with a babysitter, a mutual friend who agreed to watch all the kids together, and since it was a summer Friday night, there was no need to be back until late. They had chosen to meet their friends at Bar Lentill in Houston, a place that Doug and Melissa had fallen in love with for the secluded and adult atmosphere and for the incredible food and drinks.
Parking on a Friday night was always a challenge. Since they dropped the kids off together, the two couples had car pooled which made it a little easier to find a spot. Doug found a four-hour spot on the street, only three blocks from the restaurant, but the walk would be enjoyable on such a fine evening. The four climbed out of the car and gathered on the sidewalk while Doug started the meter on his phone. Taking Melissa's hand, he started up the street, Tom and Janine following a few feet behind, also hand in hand.
"So how did you find this place?" Janine inquired.
"We were walking around Houston on a date night last summer and passed up several other places that were too busy before we made it into Bar Lentill. The food was spectacular!"
"I hope so. I'm starving to death!" Tom joked. Janine smacked him in the butt and told him he'd better behave.
The couples had decided to dress up a bit for the night. The guys were both in khakis and dress shirts while the ladies were both in nice summer dresses. Enjoying the chance to adult for an evening, both ladies were treating their husbands to a little more cleavage than normal. While waiting for a table, the couples stood next to each other watching the activity of the restaurant. Doug put his arm around Melissa's exposed arms and pulled her close in a half-hug and kissed her gently on the top of the head. Tom and Janine were still holding hands.
Finally, the waitress came to seat the foursome, introducing herself as Heidi. They wound up in a back room which could probably seat ten to fifteen people, but they were the only ones there, in a back table with high booths. "Is this okay?" the waitress asked cheerfully.
Tom responded first, "This looks great." The ladies sat down and scooched into the seats and the men sat down on the outside. The waitress handed each of them a menu and a drink menu and said that she'd be back in a moment to take drink orders.
Sure enough, Heidi returned a moment later with four ice waters and took their drink orders. Janine and Melissa both ordered moscatos while Doug ordered a local stout and Tom asked for a red wine. When the drinks arrived all four ordered their food.
Heidi collected the menus and left the room. The four sat there for a moment staring at each other until they all started chuckling. Melissa was the first to speak. "I thought it was just Doug and me that run out of stuff to talk about when we actually go out on a date."
Doug added on, "Yeah, I always have things to talk about the next time we're alone together, but then we actually sit down and there aren't any kids and and it's just the two of us and my mind goes blank!" Taking only a second sip of his beer, he added, "It's probably just the alcohol."
Everyone laughed and Janine responded playfully, "Yeah, Doug, you're such a lightweight with your beer. I'm sure that's what it is."
Tom finally piped in. "Yeah, we have the same problem. We always have so much to talk about and nothing to say. Of course with me, I think I just stare at my beautiful wife and want to take her back to an empty house and get that dress off her!"
Melissa shot back, "Hey now! What you two do after your date nights is up to you, but right now the dresses are staying on." Looking over to Doug, she half-whispered, "So sorry; I'm sure you'd like nothing more than to get this off, but it's not gonna happen. You'd have to get a lot more wine in me than this." And with that she took a large sip of her moscato.
Grinning at Tom, Doug responded, "I'll find Heidi. I'm sure that could be arranged!" Melissa responded this time by smacking his leg and again, the whole table laughed.
Heidi arrived again, this time to take the food orders. They decided to skip appetizers in hopes that they'd all have room for dessert, but it still seemed like a long shot. Melissa and Janine were both making good progress with their glasses of moscato, while Doug and Tom were downing more water than anything. Silence covered the table once again and Doug was the first to break it this time. "We should have brought a deck of cards; we could have gotten a Euchre game in before the food arrives." Looking around the table, he then noted, "Of course, I'd be stuck with Janine, and we don't do so hot together."
"Yeah, that hasn't worked out well for you guys," Tom put in. "But Melissa and I could rack up another win!"
Janine laughed, then quipped, "I know! We can play truth or dare! It'll be like high school... only the answers might be a bit more risque." Again, the whole table chuckled, uncertain how serious she was. "Melissa, you're first. Truth or dare?"
Melissa suddenly felt a little uneasy. Taking another sip of wine, she hoped the alcohol might settle her nerves a bit. She grabbed Doug's leg under the table for some moral support and finally answered Janine. "I'll take dare, I guess, but it can't be too bad."
"Bad? You think I'd give you a bad dare?!" Melissa couldn't tell how to take that. "Fine, we'll go easy on you this time. I dare you to kiss Doug. French kiss, right here at the table."
Well that didn't seem too bad. Somewhat jokingly, Melissa puckered her lips and straightened her hair out, then adjusted her dress a bit. Looking over at Doug, she gave him a longing stare and in her best lustful impression said, "Kiss me!"
Doug didn't mind in the least. He laid his hand gently on Melissa's cheek and their lips met. The kiss only lasted about ten seconds, but there was certainly tongue involved. Melissa slowly pulled away and turned back to Tom and Janine, blushing a bit. "Well, that wasn't so bad."
Doug looked back at her. "Wasn't so bad? I'll say. I thought it was pretty nice!" Looking back across the table, Doug jumped in. "Alright, Janine, since you went there, truth or dare?"
"Oh, I think I'll go with truth. I'm scared to think what kind of dare you might dream up in here."
"Hmm. Alright. Where's the weirdest place you and Tom have ever made out?"
"Oh, I know. Well, it's not as bad as it could be, but it was pretty awkward at the time. We were in a doctor's office; it was my annual checkup at the OB's office. Tom had come with me because I was a bit uncomfortable with my new - male - OB, and he agreed to come along. I had to change into my gown and take everything off, but before I got the gown on, Tom came up from behind and turned me around and just started kissing me! We giggled like a couple of school kids, but I went very quickly from awkward to wicked turned on, so I just let him keep going. Hands were all over the place..." Janine paused for a moment and, realizing what she was saying, backed things down just a bit. "Well, the doctor knocked on the door and I gasped and almost shrieked, 'Not quite ready! Just a sec!' I quickly got dressed and ready for my exam, but I giggled through the whole thing. I'm sure the doctor knew we'd been up to something because when he started... I mean, I was... Crap. Enough truth! Your turn, Doug!"
And with that, Janine took a huge drink of wine while everyone else at the table bust up laughing. Doug gave Tom knuckles for a job well done, resulting in more laughing. This time, Melissa spoke up. "Alright, my love. Truth or dare."
