Samantha.
We sit at the restaurant awaiting the waiter. I can't help but look away from the beautiful man in front of me. He is intimidatingly handsome. Eli is wearing a dress suit, black on dark blue. He apologized for being overdressed, which I didn't think he was. I am the one under dressed. I am wearing a long-sleeved swoop neck hunter green skater dress and tan moccasins. I haven't gone on a date in a long time and decided to go for comfortable. Maybe I dressed a little too comfortable.
The crystal chandeliers and high ceilings tell me I did. This restaurant is fancy. The way the waiters look at me confirms there is definitely a dress code for this place. Eli must have pulled some strings.
"We can go." He motions his hand towards the door.
"No, I'm fine." I waved him off. "Besides, I've never eaten at such a fancy restaurant before. Once in a lifetime."
"I will take you everywhere fancy if that's what you want." He reaches over the table and rests his hand on top of mine.
"No, once is enough." I laugh. "This place is overwhelming."
"Then taco trucks it is." He squeezes my hand, and I laugh.
"Dang, that's romantic."
We make small talk until the waiter shows up. Everything on the menu is so expensive. I am going bankrupt just looking at it. It doesn't seem to faze Eli. He must be used to eating fancy meals.
"Can I get the mango glazed New York steak with wild rice." Eli speaks, no longer looking at the menu but at me. Must be his go-to dish here. "Will you make that two."
"Rare?" The Waiter asks, sounding more like he was confirming the obvious rather than actually asking.
"You know me well."
"And for the lady?" I look up at the waiter nervously. The prices are making me sweat, even though I am not the one paying. I feel bad ordering anything over the top.
"Salad." I blurt out. Both Eli and the waiter raise an eyebrow at me.
"And?" The waiter wiggles his pen.
"Water?"
Eli snorts, bringing his free hand to his mouth, covering up his amused grin.
"Bring her the steak with garlic mash and grilled esparagus. Well done. Also, a pitcher of sangria, red." Eli sits up, retracting his hand from mine and smoothing out his suit jacket.
"Right away." The waiter smiles, shoving his pen and pad into his shirt pocket and walking off.
"I usually order 2 steaks because their portions are ridiculously small here." Eli says non shalontly.
"Mhm." I humm awkwardly.
"So," Eli's lips quivers with amusement. "Salad and water?" He explodes into laughter.
"Shut up!" I can feel my face burning 10 shades of red with embarrassment. "I was trying to save you an arm and a leg. These prices are mad!"
"Don't worry about that." He laughs. "This dinner won't even cost me a toe."
"Still, no matter how rich you may be 'Alpha', I'm still not ok with you spending hundreds on a crumb."
"Not a gold digger, I like." I roll my eyes at him. "You know, a Luna is expected to be spoiled and draped in the best silks and to the drink the finest wines."
"Another reason I'm not fit to be Luna." I say without consideration. Eli's eyes saddened as he picked at the tablecloth. "I mean, I wouldn't mind being spoiled once in a while." I offer him a small smile, which he returns.
"I'm nervous." He admits.
"That makes two of us."
"I've never really dated." He surprises me. A handsome man like him, not dating?
We pause our conversation as the waiter comes rushing out with our sangria and food. That was extremely fast, and I can sense it is because they are serving Sir Eli Romano. I wonder if they are werewolves too and serve him as their Alpha or just humans who know him for his money.
The steak looks and smells amazing. I am glad Eli ordered for me. It is definitely better than a salad. We both dig in as our conversation picks up right where it left off.
"I just want this to work out. I don't want to scare you off, you being, uhm-"
"Human?" He nods. "Human or not, as a living being, I have feelings, and I have to admit I have some for you."
"You don't understand how intense it is for me. How unnatural this whole dating thing is for us werewolves. Especially when we've found our mates. You're supposed to be -"
"A wolf?" I ask slightly offended.
"No, not at all what I was going to say. You're supposed to be marked by now. It's driving me crazy that you are walking around, Goddess knows where, without me and without my mark." His eyes flicker black for just a second.
"Mad?"
"Stressed." He unbuttons the top two buttons of his shirt before continuing to eat.
"If it helps, if it was up to me, I'd already be 'marked' as you put it."
"Really?"
"Yeah," I blush. "But you're a momma's boy." I shrug.
"I am not!" He argues.
"Totally are."
"How so?"
"Does your mom know you're seeing me?"
"No." He looks away ashamed.
"Why not?" He doesn't answer. "Because you're afraid she'd be upset with you considering mating a human." My mouth salivates as I take a fork full of creamy mashed potato.
"Not true. I just don't want her to worry."
"About what, half human pups?" I giggle.
"You want to carry my pups?"
I look up from my plate almost immediately.
Did I?
"I've considered giving Alex a sibling. Whether they have paws or toes depends on you playing your cards right."
He licks his lips and smiles.
"And get approval from your mom." I tease, sticking my tongue out at him, and he grunts.
"I don't need approval. I am 26 and Alpha."
"You don't say?" I laugh.
I must admit a man who treats his mother well is charming.
"Seriously," He stares at me straight faced, "I am trying my best to do what is right. Fate is not as simple as I thought it would be. Happiness doesn't just fall in your lap. Fate gave me the tools to make it happen, and how I use them depends on me. I have never been handy, so I'm trying to make the best decision for myself and everyone involved, including you."
I can now tell the stress and burden our bond has had on him. It is not easy for him and I can see the situation in a new light. His world is different from mine, and I can only assume that his decision is his alone but one that will impact thousands.
"I understand." I say, but do I really? I want to be selfish and tell him I want him for myself, and I don't care about his werewolf laws. But, for him, I'll be considerate. For my sake and Alex, I will not rush. My decision will change lives as well.
We stare into each others eyes. I'm drowning in his blue sea. The clink of a plate being placed on the table yanks us from each other's gaze, and we look down to see the waiter placed my salad and water on the table. We look at each other again but can no longer take hold of the intense moment and begin to laugh.
We laugh and joke throughout the rest of dinner. It is nice to be out and with a handsome fella at that.
As a mother, sometimes we forget that part of self-care is letting someone take care of you for a change. Him buying me dinner, opening the restaurant and car door for me, all of that was simple but nice. He even ordered desserts for me to take home to Alex and Kimberly. I could get used to someone treating me this way.
We got in the car with his intentions of driving me home. The ride is quiet but peaceful. He double parks in the street in front of my home. I stare up at the stairs, and my stomach twists at the thought of saying goodbye. Will I see him again?
I feel his hand on my cheek, and he turns my gaze at him. His lips land softly but hungrily on mine. His kiss is soft, sensual, and passionate. I want them often. He pulls away from the kiss to wrap me in a warm embrace, and we sit like that for a moment.
"When will I see you again?" I ask, dreading what might be the answer.
"Whenever you want." He says breathily into the crook of my neck.
My heart beats faster with excitement. That's going right to be a problem. I will always want to see him.