Esme

It’s been about two days since Esme has moved in with me, and it’s been absolutely eventless. Its as if she doesn’t even live here. The most we’ve said to each other was “hello” or “goodbye” in passing.
As I’m mulling over my Cap’n Crunch, I see her strolling in from the hall, well rested and cheery. “Good morning, Sunshine!” she calls to me in that richly melodic voice of hers. “Hey” I crook back, barely looking up. She beams that gorgeous smile at me, more like a smirk or a grin, “I see you’re not much of a morning person.” I glance up at her, slightly embarrassed at being call out. “I was up all night studying, big test today in Chem.”
She walked over to the counter and grabbed a giant serving bowl that she’d bought in and a box of Frosted Flakes. I watched as she filled it with half of the box and just as much milk.
“Jeez! At this rate, I might have to charge you for this month!” I gawk. “Haha, its no biggie.” she smiles at me. I wonder how she is so damned thin when she eats like a ravenous wolf. I stated as she scoffed down spoon-full after spoon-full of the cereal; barely coming up for air. If I ate like that, I’d gain a million pounds.
She smiled at me again when she caught me staring at her and I could feel my face heating up. When she winked at me I just know it got even darker.
“You doing anything today? After the test I mean. It is Friday and you said before that you only have that one class…” she asked, startling me a little.
“Um, no, I don’t think I a,.”
“Cool, I was thinking of maybe catching a movie or something later. Then maybe going to dinner. And if you have nothing better to do, you can come with.” as she spoke she never broke eye contact. Her eyes are always so intense.
“That sounds like fun. Class doesn’t start until four and it shouldn’t take me too long to finish. I can meet you at the theater at 5:30 maybe?”
She smiled at me again, “No, I’ll pick you up at five, consider it a date.” She said as she got up from the table and loaded her dishes in the washer. I watched her saunter out of the room, my eyes automatically gravitating towards her perfectly shaped backside snugly fit into her dark jeans.
As I heard the click of the front door, I realized what just happened. Esme asked me on a date! What the hell was I going to wear?

***

~The Night Before~
“Esme, have you even talked to the poor girl since you moved in?” Saia asked me in a disbelieving voice. “How could I when every time I look at her I think of the smell she made in the shower?” I looked at him in desperation. “Every time I see her, I just want to jump her bones and I think it makes her uneasy.” I sighed.
“She’s your mate, you have a right to lust after her.” he said matter-of-factly “She doesn’t even know me; I don’t even know her for that matter!” the more I talk to him the more of a headache I seem to be getting.
“If that’s your problem, then try to get to know her. Go on a date. Ooo! That’s perfect! Ask her out on a date. Go see a movie, something sappy and romantic. Then go to that new Italian place and woo her.” His eyes lit up as he started to describe his perfect date.
“A lazy grin spread across my face as I considered his words. “Not bad, not bad at all. This could turn out quite well.”
~Present Day~
I cut the engine after I pull into the parking lot of the building I drove Parker to a little over an hour ago. As I sat in my Tahoe, waiting for her to reemerge, I pondered over the events I had planned for us.
First on the agenda: a movie. I’ll let Parker decide which one. If she goes for romance, we’ll have Italian; if she goes for action or comedy (like I pray she will), we’ll get takeout Chinese, my favorite.
A knock on the passenger side door draws me from my musings,, The automatic happy-go-lucky smile I get whenever I see her face has to be getting old. I click the lock on the door and she gets in. “Hey. Sunshine, how’d it go?” She blushed a little but answered “Fine I hope. Maybe even great. Lord knows I’ve studied enough.”

The drive to the movies was short but torturous. We conversed normally, none of the awkward first date small talk. A perk to living together, I guess. But that want the problem. I could smell her form across the truck. The strawberry and cream scent of her shampoo and just a hint of something purely her own-- honey. She males my mouth water. She makes me want to reach over and touch her. And I will in good time. “So, what do you want to see?”
“Me?” she asked cutely. She’d so adorable. “Yeah you, who else?” She giggle at the banter blushed again. “Price of Persia! I’ve been wanting to see it since I saw the first trailer.”
I smiled the most alluring smile I could muster. “Then Prince of Persia it is.”

***

“It wasn’t anything like the game, but I still loved it.” I gushed over the details pf the movie as Esme directed us towards the truck. “What do you have in mind for dinner?” I ask her. She glances over at me and winks, “it’s a surprise.” Intrigued beyond belief, I giggle to myself. I wonder where she’s taking me.
About five minutes into the drive, we stop at Li Hao’s Chinese Restaurant. “I love this place!” I beam at her. “Its my greatest guilty pleasure.” the expression in Esme’s eyes darkened from a friendly smile to something I couldn’t quite put my finger on. Was it lust, passion. Its like she wanted to devour me and I wanted to let her. She males me want things that I shouldn’t want from a complete stranger (well, not complete, we do live together). I feel my skin heat up from head to toe -- my whole body feels as if its on fire.
Suddenly, Esme clears her throat, “Lets go in and order. We can go eat by the lake. Of course, if you want to stay here, we can.”
“No, no” I say in a rush and flurry of words. “I’d rather be home than here. I hate the feeling of people watching me eat even when they aren’t.” Esme let out a loud bout of laughter at my proclamation.
“Sunshine, you’re an odd one.”