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As we walked the short distance to my apartment, we made small talk about work and life in general. I found myself getting lost in his eyes more than once, and I could tell he was attracted to me too. When our hands accidentally brushed together as we walked, I felt a rush and wondered if he felt the same thing.
When we finally arrived at my apartment, I invited him in, and he took a look around. "This place is amazing, Ariel. You have great taste." He said, genuine surprise in his voice.
I blushed, feeling proud of myself. I had worked hard to get where I was, and it felt good to be recognized for it. "Thank you, Guy. I'm glad you like it." I smiled at him before leading the way into the kitchen, where I began unpacking the sushi the Uber driver had just dropped off.
"Oh, wait. The landlord gave me a bottle of Clemandet Chablis when I signed the lease, and it's still in the wine cooler." I walked over to the cooler, pulled out the bottle of white wine, and held it up. "Would you like some?"
Guy smiled. "Yes, please. Goes perfect with the sushi."
I grabbed two wine glasses from the cabinet. "The corkscrew is in the drawer." I giggled and pointed to where it was. "I'm a klutz when it comes to opening wine bottles."
Guy didn't miss a beat. "Your wish is my command," he said, reaching for the drawer.
While Guy uncorked the Clemandet, I handed him a glass and we clinked them together before taking a sip. The cool, crisp liquid slid down my throat, and I closed my eyes, savoring the flavor. When I opened them again, Guy was watching me intently.
"What?" I asked, self-conscious all of a sudden.
He grinned before focusing on me again. "I'm curious, what's your favorite pastime outside of writing?"
I sipped my wine and thought for a moment as we ate our sushi. "I love animals and dancing."
Guy's eyebrows lifted in surprise. "You like animals? What kind?"
"All kinds." I shrugged. "I've always loved going to the zoo when we lived in LA. And I took dance classes when I was younger. But I haven't been in a while. Well, honestly. My ex and I used to dance a lot when I lived in London."
Guy nodded, looking thoughtful. "Your ex?"
I blushed and took another sip of my wine. "Off-limits. I don't talk about that jerk."
Clearing his throat, Guy changed the subject. "Dancing, huh? That's really cool, Ariel. I'm sure you're amazing at it."
The alcohol was already starting to go to my head, and I could feel myself getting more relaxed by the minute. "So what about you?" I asked, eager to learn more about him. "What do you like to do for fun?"
Guy leaned back in his chair and took a sip of his wine before replying. "I'm a big fan of basketball. I used to play in a few different leagues around town. But not too much anymore, I'm too busy with work. And I like to travel when I can."
"That sounds like fun," I said, picturing him playing the game. I could easily imagine him sweating and breathing hard, his muscles rippling with the effort. It was a hot image and one that made my heart rate spike slightly.
"It is." He smiled at me before taking another sip of his wine. We sat in comfortable silence for a moment before he spoke again. Then he touched my hand. "So, Ariel. What made you become a writer?"
I shrugged, not quite sure how to answer that question. I had always been interested in story telling, but I wasn't sure how to articulate it. "I've just always loved stories," I finally said. "As a kid, I would make up my own stories to tell my friends. And then, in high school, I started writing them down. It was just something that came naturally to me."
Guy nodded, his eyes filled with understanding. "I can see that. You're very talented."
I blushed again and looked down at my hands, not quite sure how to respond. His words meant a lot to me, but I wanted to know more about him. "So, have you ever gone to the San Diego Zoo?" I asked, eager to change the subject.
Guy laughed and shook his head. "No, I can't say that I have. But I'd love to go sometime."
"I haven't either. Meagan has been begging me to go with her and some of her friends." I shrugged, "I'm just not sure I'm ready for that yet. But, you know, she is much more social than I am… and thinks I need to get out more."
"I understand," Guy said sympathetically. "It can be overwhelming, especially if you're not used to large crowds. Never mind my pushy sister."
I chuckled and took another swallow from my glass. The alcohol was hitting me hard now. "What genre of music do you usually go for? I have all sorts of playlists on my system." I gestured to the audio system in the corner of the room.
Guy thought for a moment. "I'm a big fan of rap and hip-hop, but I also like some rock and alternative music too."
"Oh, cool," I said, pleased that we had something in common. I got up from my chair and walked over to the audio system. Scrolling through my suitable playlists, I finally settled on one with a mix of songs and hit 'play.'
I grinned and shrugged. "What can I say? I like a little bit of everything."
