California Dreamin 2

*Ding! Ding!*

"Well, Frank, it was nice to meet you," I say as I stand to shake the short, balding man's hand across the table from me.

"It's was great to meet you too, Cecelia! Hopefully we can see more of each other again sometime, eh? I have a thing for blondes." He gives me a little wink and a wide grin.

I let out an uncomfortable laugh and smile a little bit too big for the occasion. "Yeah, maybe!" I say a little bit too loudly. As Frank walks off, I sit back down and take out my pad of paper. 'Number 4, Frank, no way in hell you're getting a second date with me!' I think to myself.

I had never gone speed dating before. My friend, Kara, suggested I try it out after my boyfriend, Chandler, of two years broke up with me six months ago. I mean, it was more like I told him we should get married and he told me he wanted to become a polygamist. Kara was there to hold me while I sobbed, dry my tears, and throw me back into my life when I thought I couldn't get it together. "It's time to get over that dickhead, CeCe! The best way to get over one man is to get under another."

"Kara, your only solution to any problem is to get under a man," I said as I gazed at her through puffy, wet eyes.

"Well that's because it's the best solution!" Kara smiled at me and I laughed. A small laugh but it was the first wisp of happiness I had felt in weeks.

So despite my hemming and hawing, I am speed dating on a Friday night with some of LA's finest bachelors. Kara is a few tables away from me, probably using her charm and huge breasts to win over every guy here. She said she was here for moral support but I know it's just an excuse to flaunt herself. I take out my phone and text to her, 'Is it over yet? Frank just told me about his upcoming dental surgery...' I click send and watch Kara's face as she reads the text. She bursts out laughing and shakes her head at me. Everyone turns and gives her horrified looks but she ignores them. I feel a vibration in my pocket and read, 'It will get better. Just relax and have fun!'

I sigh and move to put my phone away. As I grab my purse, my hand slips and the bag tumbles to the floor, spilling the contents everywhere. I mutter something under my breath and drop to my knees to collect my things. I grab various tubes of makeup, my phone, wallet and gum but as I try to come to my feet, my head slams on the underside of the table. I drop back down to my knees I feel as if I am about to tip over when a pair of strong hands grabs my shoulders to steady me.

"Whoa there! Are you okay, miss?"

I look up to see a tall, dark, and very handsome man staring down at me with a worried expression. His eyes are a deep hazel brown, his lips are thick and firm and I cannot stop staring at him. "Um...yes, I'm fine thank you." I manage to tear my eyes away from his strikingly handsome face and touch my fingers to the small lump on the back of my head. "I just hit my head under the table. I'm okay now, really."

"Let me help you to your seat. And if this is your table, I believe I'm your next date."

'Oh God,' I think as my face turns beat red, 'this God-like creature is my next date!' I slowly get up from the floor and sit down in my chair. I take a sip of my water and watch the man sit down across from me, giving other patrons silent nods to indicate that I am going to be fine. He must be at least six feet tall, about half a foot taller than my five feet, five inch frame. He smiles and leans back, resting one arm over the back of his chair and the other in front of him on the table. His dark mocha skin looks warm and soft and his shaved head reflects the dim light of the ceiling. I hear him laugh and realize I have been staring at him dumbly for the past thirty seconds with an empty glass at my lips.

"Are you sure you're okay, dear?"

My eyes widen and I close my lips as I place the glass back on the table. A waiter immediately comes over to me to refill my glass. "Yes. I'm sorry, I...you're just very handsome." I confess as my cheeks blush deep crimson.

The man lets out a deep, booming laugh the causes Frank to glare at my table. "Well thank you. You're very beautiful as well. And your name is?"

"Oh, sorry. My name is Cecelia." I stick out my hand to him and he accepts it. His hand is large and wide, like a lion's paw, and equally as warm and soft.

"I'm Rich. It is a pleasure to meet you." He leans forward and kisses the top of my hand. A shiver floods my body as his lips brush my knuckles. "So, Cecelia, what do you do here in LA?"

"You can call me CeCe. Or Cecilia. Or whatever you want." My eyes are showing how intimidated I am by this God of a man while my flushed cheeks admit how flustered by his presence. "And I'm a dance professor at UCLA. I moved here four years ago from Boston."

"I prefer to call you Cecilia. It is such a beautiful name, but I'm sure you hear that a lot. And that's pretty exciting, although LA is nothing like Boston, especially in the fall. I'm sure you know that as well."

I smile at the thought of my hometown in the fall; the red, green, and yellow leaves blowing in the wind, carving pumpkins with my younger brother every Halloween, warm clam chowder and Dunkin Donuts iced coffee all year round. "Yes, fall in Boston is wicked nice. But my birthday is in the spring and I love fresh flowers so it's a toss-up as to which is my favorite season. What about you, Rich? What are you doing here in LA?"

"Well, I'm a..."

*Ding! Ding!*

"Damn, that's the bell. I suppose I have to switch tables." I let out a soft sigh and nod. "Cecilia, it was really great to meet you. I would like to get to know you better and I hope you feel the same way. Enjoy the rest of your dates." Rich stands and grins, picking up my hand and giving it another light kiss. I can't seem to find the words to say so I just smile and nod and watch him walk away toward the next table.

I snap back into reality when my phone buzzes. I open my purse and see a message from Kara, saying, 'Holy shit girl! Get that fine chocolate ass!' I just shake my head and give Kara a 'behave yourself' look. The rest of the dates pass by, but I don't really pay attention. I go through the motions, not because the men are ugly or boring or bland, but because all I can think about it Rich. At the end of the fifteen dates, I give over my evaluations. The only person I have requested a second date from is Rich. I give my sheet over to the girl at the desk, who says I will be emailed in a few days with my results.

* * *

Waiting for anything is the bane of my existence. Many times I drink cold tea because I just hate waiting for water to boil, so waiting for the email from the speed dating service is my worst nightmare! I check my emails on my iPhone every fifteen minutes but I there is nothing except Amazon.com promotions and spam letters about new erectile dysfunction pills. When I wake up Sunday morning and check my phone, the e-mail has arrived! I see that quite a few of the guys asked for a second date, including Frank, but the only name I care about is Rich's. I scroll half way down the list and squeal like a school girl, kicking off the covers and flailing around when I see Rich's name and email address. My cat, Dante, jumps off the bed with a displeased look from being disturbed. I sit up and call Kara immediately and tell her the good news. "Girl, I'm so excited for you! He was funny and polite and damn, he was fine! E-mail him ASAP!"

Just as she says those words, an e-mail pops up in my inbox from an unknown email address. "Hold on Kara." I click the message and when it opens, my jaw drops. I read it out loud to Kara. "Hello Cecilia, I hope your head is okay from the bump the other night. Are you still up for a second date? I look forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Rich."

I squeal again. "Kara, he already emailed me! He really wants that second date!"

"Go for it girl! You deserve it. Got to run but give me all the details later, okay? Kisses!"

"Okay, talk later. Kisses." I hang up and lay back on my pillows. Giddy with excitement, I open a new email and type a quick response to Rich, suggesting the following Friday night for dinner. I spend the rest of the day with a bright glow across my face, eagerly awaiting Rich's response.

* * *

As the week progresses, my excitement builds. It is obvious to everyone at school that something good happened over the weekend. My students ask me what is going on because I have not been this happy since I won a hundred dollars on a scratch ticket last September. My barista at Starbucks gives me a little wink and draws hearts on my chai tea latte in sharpie. She has a sixth sense for these kinds of things. Dante seems more playful than usual. My movement is more fluid, my body relaxed and at ease. My choreography is lively and fun for the first time in months. Rich and I exchange a few texts during the week. Rich is always very busy during the day but he tries to find time to send me at least one text or email to let me know he is thinking of me.

On Friday, after the long, painful week of anticipation, I relax with a hot bubble bath. I inhale the scent of my almond and aloe body scrub as I the soapy water run over my D-cup breasts. I rake my hands through my thick, dirty blonde hair and trail my fingertips down my neck, over my breasts, down my stomach and stop at my hairless pussy. It has been a long times since I have pleasured myself, or had anyone pleasure me for that matter, but I feel a deep fire burning inside me when I think about spending an evening with Rich.

I tickle my clit, warming it up with the heat from the water. I close my eyes and think of Rich, imagining that this is his hand teasing me. I feel his index and middle fingers slip inside me and I purr from the touch. His fingers move slowly, in and out, taking their sweet time to explore me. I run my other hand over my hard nipples and pinch them, which sends sparks of heat to my pussy.

"Do you like my long, thick fingers inside of you, Cecelia?" Rich asks in my fantasy.

"Yes Rich, I love them inside me." I groan out load. I reach for the removable shower head and submerge it in the tub, sending cool streams of water shooting at my lady bits. The mixture of hot and cold is a wonderful sensation. I picture Rich leaning over the tub with his hand between my legs, watching my expression of pleasure as his fingers continue to work their magic all over my body. I moan for more and whisper Rich's name as I get closer to the edge of climax. When it hits me, my body shudders. I float in the bathtub for a few minutes, enjoying the feelings of warmth and joy before I fall back to reality.

I drain the tub and towel off. I stand naked in front of the vanity in my bedroom as I comb my long wavy hair. My breasts sway from side to side and my wide hips look fuller and wider. I turn my behind to the mirror and stand on my tiptoes to admire my curvaceous ass then turn back around and face the mirror. "Cecelia, you are beautiful," I declare. I always like to pep myself up before a big event. Dante meows in agreement from on top of my dresser.

I walk over to the dresser and give him a little nuzzle and scratch on the head. I open a drawer and chose a matching cream colored lace bra and panties. I pull on a pair of black jeans with a tucked in cream blouse, top buttons undone to as to show off the girls a little bit. I add a coral blazer, black kitten heels, and a long gold necklace. My hair falls over my shoulder, curling around the curves of my breasts and I decide to leave it down instead of pulling it back into a low pony tail.

I arrive at the restaurant right on time and find our designated meeting place at the bar. Sheer panic washes over me when Rich is not there. I walk to the bar and order a martini because even though I do not like vodka, my mind can't form the words of anything else. 'Oh God, he bailed on my. Or worse, he forgot! Oh no, this is the worst day of my life.' When the cocktail arrives, I down half of it, grimacing at its sharp taste in the back of my throat. I put the glass down, take a deep breath and regain my composure. "Okay CeCe," I say softly but aloud, "Stop overacting. This cannot be that bad. He's just running late. It's not like you're some swamp monster, you're a beautiful woman." I bring the glass to my lips and finish the martini.

I feel hot breath on my neck. "Yes, you're a very beautiful woman indeed." A coughing fit ensues as I literally choke down the rest of my drink and I turn around to see Rich giving me a concerned look.

With tears in my eyes, I try to speak and wave Rich away. "I'm fine, *cough cough*, no really *cough*, I just *cough* need one *cough cough* minute." After I get a good breathe in my lungs, I wipe the tears from my eyes and try to smile at Rich. "Sorry about that, you just caught me off guard when you snuck up on me."

"I'm the one who should be sorry. I almost killed you on our first real date!" And there's that warm, infectious smile again. Oh I could get lost in that smile... "And no, you are most definitely not a swamp monster."

My face burns hot with embarrassment. Thankfully, at the same moment, the waiter comes over to show us to our table. He brings us to a booth in a dimly lit, secluded corner of the restaurant. We settle in opposite each other and take our menus. "Do you like wine, Cecelia?" Rich asks, opening the wine list.

"Yes," I say, trying to hide my face in my menu while my blushing continues from my earlier coughing fit. "I prefer reds, usually Merlot or Cabernet but I will drink anything you order."

"A bottle of red Merlot, please." Rich tells the waiter. "I happen to love Merlot." I can hear the smile in Rich's voice. "So Cecelia, tell me a bit more about yourself."

I look up from my menu. "I already told you a bit about myself," I say as I relax a little bit and lean back against the leather seat. "You were the one who got cut off during the speed date, so why don't you tell me about yourself."

He follows my movement and relaxes against the booth. "Well, I am a lawyer. That's why I was so busy this week at work; big trial coming up. Anyway, I moved to California when I got accept into my top law school after college. I've been living here for about ten years and I've loved every minute of it."

The wine arrives along with a basket of fresh artisan bread, whipped butter and seasoned olive oil. The waiter pours Rich a small glass of wine to taste. He takes a sip and nods in satisfaction. The waiter tops off his glass and fills mine. Rich raises his glass and asks, "What shall we toast to?"

I raise my glass to meet his. "Here's to actually meeting a decent person on a speed date."

Rich laughs heartily. "I will most definitely drink to that."

We touch glasses and I let the warm, red liquid run down my throat, coating my mouth with the sweet sour taste of grapes. I close my eyes and savor the flavor. "I love the first sip of wine." When I open my eyes, I see Rich smiling with his glass in hand. I give him a shy smile. "I went to Tuscany with my ex, Chandler a couple years back. I tasted some of the smoothest and most delicious wines of my life on that tour. My ex was a total douchebag...but that's a story for another occasion."

Rich sets his glass back down. "I would love to go to Tuscany. I've heard beautiful things about it."

The waiter comes back to take our orders. Rich orders a roasted chicken breast stuffed with rosemary and goat cheese and a medley of vegetables. I order braised rack of lamb with a red wine reduction, whipped garlic mashed potatoes and asparagus. Rich breaks open a roll and steam rises up to meet my nostrils. The scent makes my mouth salivate and I reach for one as well. "You like lamb?" Rich asks as he butters half of the bread.

"Oh, yes. I love lamb! Only if it's cooked well, though. This restaurant's lamb is absolutely to die for." The salty hot bread mixed with the creamy, sweet butter tastes delicious. "And their rolls are really good," I say as I stuff my mouth. "Sorry, I haven't eaten since lunch. I teach late afternoon lessons on Fridays." I swallow and continue, "I may be a dancer but I have this crazy passion for food and I really love to eat."

Rich swallows his bite and smiles again. "Good. I love a woman who loves to eat." We munch on our rolls and sip wine as I tell Rich about my job as a dance professor. We talk about our families, our passions and about traveling the world, which seems to be a commonality on each of our bucket lists. We both enjoy good food and wine, traveling both alone and with friends, and each other's company. When dinner comes, the lamb is cooked to perfection and Rich agrees; its best lamb he has ever tasted.

We move back to the bar after dinner for drinks. He tells me more about his family in Georgia and I elaborate on mine in Boston. We discuss sports, food, politics, and love. We exchange heartbreaks and heartfelt moments, stories and experiences, and before we know it, it is one in the morning and the bartender is making the last call. I turn around and look at the clock. "It's already one! I completely lost track of time. I hope you didn't have another date after mine." I raise an eyebrow and then wink. Rich laughs and shakes his head.

"I had nowhere to be, but here with you. And it has been a wonderful evening, Cecelia." We both stand and I wobble a bit from all of the wine, not to mention my pep talk with my martini before dinner. Rich leans over and holds me by the arm to steady me and softly kisses my cheek. It surprises me but it is a sweet gesture and of course I blush uncontrollably. "It has truly been a pleasure. Did you drive here or would you like a ride home?"

"I drove here. Thank you though."

Rich helps me into my light jacket and we walk out to the parking lot together. We hug and he kisses my cheek again. When he starts to pull his face away, a mix of the cool air and alcohol kick in and I grab his cheeks in my hands and pull his lips to mine for a fierce kiss. I can taste the rich red wine on his tongue. We break our kiss, both breathless and smiling. "Wow, Cecilia. You are full of surprises."

"Thank you for a wonderful evening, Rich." He opens the driver's side door for me and I step in.

"It was my pleasure. Have a good night, drive safe." He shuts the door for me and I start the car. I watch Rich get into his car, start the engine and pull out of the parking lot. As I drive away in the opposite direction, I can't help but smile.

* * *

I have not been this frazzled since I moved to California. The weekend was blissful after my date with Rich. I slept in on Saturday morning, waking feeling happy and refreshed. Kara and I got pedicures and coffee and I told her all about my date with Rich. She scolded me for keeping my hands out of his pants but I don't want to rush things. I Skyped with my mom back home and she made my younger brother try on his suit for his senior prom for me. Sunday I woke to a 'good morning Cecelia' text from Rich and the day followed with a lot of relaxing with Dante and preparing some notes and ideas class this week. Then Monday morning hit me like a sack of bricks.

The department head called to tell me she hates my upcoming showcase performance pieces. This means I have to change everything within the next three weeks. I have an email from a very angry, very rich parent of a student who I didn't put in my showcase. My boss told me I have to appease them because they are paying for the showcase. My mom called because my dad ruptured his Achilles tendon and will be in a full leg cast for at least two months. Rich has a big case and is in court all week so he tells me we won't have much time to talk. The icing on the cake was forgetting to pay my lighting bill last month. Therefore, I have no lights at home until my payment kicks in. And unlike Dante, I do not have night vision.