Boys and Girls, Part II: Prince Charming

A/N: Hey guys! Where are the reviews? Thanks to goofycat for your review so far. I hope you're liking it so far...

Chapter 4 - Too Perfect a Moment

“You bitch.”

Stephanie smiled. Jacy hadn’t been happy to learn about Stephanie’s impending date with Jack, but as usual, Jacy had swallowed the bitter pill like the good friend she was. Actually, Jacy had been more upset about the fact that Stephanie’s mother had asked her back for more free performances. Fearing another impromptu concert, Jacy had scheduled an impromptu trip to visit her cousin in San Diego.

As it turned out, Stephanie’s father had agreed to attend the Friday night function in Stephanie’s stead, on the condition that Inge got to tag along. Stephanie’s mother had reluctantly agreed to it because Inge had gladly agreed to bring some famous people she knew.

Stephanie’s smile faded slightly when she realized that her family dynamic was beginning to resemble that of some really cheesy soap opera storyline. That left a really bad taste in her mouth.

“You okay? You were smiling just a second ago,” a deep voice resonated next to Stephanie.

She looked over at the gorgeous blonde god sitting next to her as he steered his silver Porsche. Stephanie looked over at Jack, who looked hot even when he appeared concerned.

“Fine,” she answered. “Just some internal dialoguing.”

Jack look relieved and laughed. Stephanie smiled. They hadn’t even gotten to their intended destination, and Stephanie was already certain that this was the best night of her life. Jack hadn’t filled in any of the details, yet. But as Stephanie glanced over at the hottie seated next to her in a white dress shirt rolled up at the sleeves and gray-green chinos with black work boots, Stephanie was sure she’d like what was coming. She liked to be surprised anyway; it was more romantic.

Jack’s car finally stopped at the beachfront. It was an unusual location for a date that Jack had promised would include dinner. Furthermore, Stephanie hoped he didn’t have a late-night dip in store for them; she hadn’t packed a bathing suit.

Jack got out of the car and walked over to Stephanie’s side. He opened the door and helped her out. As he pulled on her hand, he leveled a sensuous, half-lidded gaze with his blue eyes on Stephanie. She had to keep herself from swooning. He told her to stay put, and he retrieved something from the car trunk. Stephanie nearly swooned again – it was a picnic basket.

Stephanie was speechless. Jack took the basket in one hand, grabbed her with his free hand, and pulled her toward the beach. Even though it was already eight in the evening, there was still a glimmer of sunlight in the LA sky. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore was both deafening and beautiful, and the cool ocean air brushed against Stephanie’s face and lifted at her brown, baby-doll shirt; she was thankful that she wore a pair of white Capri pants underneath. Stephanie saw a few shadowy figures in the distance, but they were all the way toward the opposite end of the shore. She and Jack were completely alone.

Jack took Stephanie about a hundred yards from where they parked and stopped. He knelt down and pulled a small blanket from the basket, which Stephanie helped to spread out. Once he sat down, he pulled out two pre-made plates of food that had been covered. He also sheepishly took out a large glass bottle.

Stephanie sat with her legs folded as Jack handed her one of the plates, along with a fork and knife. He poured the beverage from the bottle into the wine glass, so Stephanie assumed that it was wine. He handed that to her as well, and she took a sip. She was right.

“Mmmm.”

“It’s good stuff, right?”

Stephanie nodded. Jack tucked the open bottle back into the basket. “Now if I get caught for having this stuff at a public beach, you’ll take some of the blame, right?”

Stephanie shook her head. “I never met you.”

Jack chuckled. “You brat.” He grabbed his own plate of food, along with a fork and began opening the lid. He prompted Stephanie to open her lid, as well. It was a dish of steaming pasta and something that looked suspiciously like breaded meat. Worriedly, she raised her head to meet Jack.

“It’s eggplant. Don’t worry. I did a little research before our meeting today.”

Stephanie smiled. “Well isn’t that just wonderful?”

The two ate and chatted as the sun completely disappeared. Jack surprised Stephanie by bringing out a small flashlight that doubled as a sort-of lantern. Allowing themselves to digest, Stephanie decided to learn a little bit more about Jack.

“So…I’ve never seen you at my mother’s parties before.”

Jack sat back on his elbows. “I move between LA and New York a lot. My mom lives there. I’ve been at your mother’s a few times, but we must have missed each other.”

“Are your parents divorced?”

Jack nodded. “Almost eleven years now.”

“And do you have a favorite parent?”

“No,” he said, smiling. “I used to be closer with my mom, but as I got older, my dad and I have really connected.”

Stephanie looked wistful. As she got older, she felt as if she was growing further apart from both of her parents. “My parents are in the middle of getting divorced,” she finally admitted.

Jack looked sympathetic. “It gets easier.”

Stephanie lay down on her stomach and rested her head atop her forearms. “I hope so.”

Jack looked at her for several long seconds – his clear, blue eyes peering into her very soul. He reached out and ran his hand through her wavy hair. Stephanie regarded him with all kinds of admiration.

“Steph?”

“Yes?”

“Can I kiss you?”

Stephanie sucked in a silent breath. Hell yeah! she thought. She didn’t want to appear overly eager, so she nonchalantly nodded her head. Jack got up and crawled over to Stephanie. He turned her around so that she was lying on her back. Jack leaned over to kiss her.

Stephanie sighed inwardly – he even kissed like a prince. His warm lips pressed softly against hers. Stephanie’s heart quickened as she heard his breathing quicken and the felt the warmth of his breath on her skin. When he kissed her for the second time, he urged her mouth open so that he could push his tongue through. Stephanie let him. His tongue contacted hers, eliciting a small moan from her. They continued to tongue-wrestle for a few more minutes, and then, Jack casually let his hand slip under Stephanie’s top. His large hands moved upward until it made contact with her bra. Stephanie gasped. This time, Jack didn’t ask her permission and moved his hands under her bra. He grabbed at Stephanie’s small breast and squeezed. Stephanie let out a breathy moan. Jack continued to intimately kiss her and moved his fingers so that they pinched her nipple.

Stephanie gasped loudly.

Jack pulled himself back from the kiss and regarded Stephanie thoughtfully.

“Do you want to go for a walk?”

Huh? Stephanie nodded, hoping that that wasn’t code for something else. She was fine with the kissing and the fondling, but sex on the first date was a big no-no.

“B-by ‘going for a walk,’ you mean –

“Going for a walk, Steph,” Jack answered firmly but nicely.

“Okay,” Stephanie answered.

Jack rose to his feet and helped Stephanie to hers. As he pulled her up, he planted a chaste kiss on her forehead. “You’re too perfect, Steph.”

Stephanie didn’t say anything back but was thinking the same thing about the golden boy standing in front of her.

****

“Is this guy for real?” Jacy’s angry voice demanded as Stephanie recanted the previous evening – except for the really juicy details – over the phone.

“In the flesh,” Stephanie answered, taking a bite of her toast with jam.

“Damn,” Jacy started on the other end. “I thought you were nuts for wanting some rich prince on a white horse, but who knew?”

Stephanie smiled. See? Not all unions were destined to end like her father and mother’s.

“So Delaney called me last night to know that she wants to arrange a dinner with some people,” Delaney said, changing the topic. “Talk about bad timing. Lani’s in Hawaii, and I’m in San Diego.” Jacy paused. “Delaney’s got to make some more friends who are from North Mission.”

“Well, I’ll be there,” Stephanie responded, somewhat indignantly. “Why didn’t Delaney call me?”

“She did,” Jacy answered, “but you never picked up your phone.”

Oops. She’d turned the sucker on ‘silent’ last night.

“And she left you a message.”

Oh yeah….uh, she’d forgotten about that too.

“You better call her soon because if it’s just gonna be her and the boys, I think she’s gonna cancel,” Jacy advised.

Stephanie agreed, and hung up after exchanging good-byes with Jacy. She phoned Delaney’s apartment number.

“Hello?” a deep male voice answered.

“Hey, Jason,” Stephanie began. “Is Delaney there?”

“Yeah, hold on a sec.” From the other line, Stephanie could hear Jason call for his fiancée. She was so jealous of the two. They were such a couple. Stephanie wished for what they had every day of her life.

“Hello?”

“Hey D,” Stephanie answered. “Sorry I missed your call last night.”

“Calls,” Delaney corrected. Stephanie knew Delaney wasn’t mad but that she was waiting for an explanation.

“I had a date last night.”

“Tell me everything,” Delaney ordered. Stephanie told her exactly what she had told Jacy – again omitting the juiciest of details – and had Delaney giddy with excitement by the end.

“You’re telling me the rest over dinner,” Delaney demanded.

Stephanie agreed and dinner plans were finalized.

****

“You look very nice, Steph.”

Stephanie smiled at Jason’s compliment. She had worn her tropical print halter and banana yellow skirt ensemble in front of him before, but that was part of Jason’s charm. He was pretty good at laying down the compliments.

“Thanks. You don’t look bad yourself.”

That got a laugh out of Jason. He planted a quick kiss on Delaney’s cheek before turning around to look for his friends. Just then, Joe walked into the restaurant. He was in a green and white rugby tee and khaki pants. He looked as if he had just showered.

“Hey man,” Jason greeted, standing up and exchanging a high-five with Joe. “Where’s Ryan?”

“He can’t come, man,” Joe answered a bit regretfully. “He’s got an extended date with the twins.”

Stephanie scrunched her face. She always thought that Ryan was pretty hot, but his tastes were way too kinky for her.

Delaney noticed Stephanie’s disapproval and clarified. “The twins are sisters.”

“Duh,” Stephanie answered, as Joe took a seat next to her. “All twins are related.”

Joe and Jason exchanged glances and laughed. Stephanie scowled. “What’s so funny?”

Jason explained. “Delaney means that the twins are Ryan’s sisters.”

“He has a date with his twin sisters?” Stephanie asked, mortified.

Now, Delaney was laughing. “Oh my God, Steph. Joe just meant that he has to baby-sit his little sisters.”

Oh God. Why did she always seem to embarrass herself when she was around these guys? Stephanie blushed. Joe handed her a tall glass of ice water. “Here, it’ll help with the embarrassment.”

She blushed even harder.

The quartet ordered their food and chatted away with each other for about twenty minutes. Then, the conversations inevitably divided into a boy and girl’s camp. Jason and Joe began talking about football camp and the draft, while Stephanie began recanting her earlier story to Delaney.

Delaney kept requesting more details, but Stephanie continued to withhold the juicy parts. Finally, Delaney excused himself to use the washroom and Jason excused himself to make a quick phone call home, leaving Joe and Stephanie decidedly alone.

“So,” Joe began, leaning back in his seat and looking over at Stephanie, “I heard you went on a date.”

“Who told?” Stephanie asked taken aback.

“I just heard you guys talking about it,” Joe shamelessly admitted.

“That wasn’t for you to hear,” Stephanie scolded. “Weren’t you supposed to be listening to Jason?”

“I’m a multi-tasker,” he said with a grin. Stephanie rolled her eyes and began sipping on her iced tea when Joe continued. “He sounds like a total wuss.”

Stephanie’s head snapped indignantly. “He was a gentleman.” Well, except for the boob squeezing and nipple pinching.

Joe threw his head back slightly. “Oh, that’s right. You’re into that dandy prince type of guy, aren’t you?”

Stephanie glared at him. “The heart wants what it wants.”

“I’m just saying…” – Joe added – “…that guys like that end up going gay or going nuts.”

“Or being happily married with a doting wife who appreciates that she’s respected,” Stephanie retaliated.

“Honey,” Joe began, “that’s just wishful thinking.”

“So what? Real men are supposed to fight to get sex on the first date?”

“No,” Joe answered. “Sex on a first date means diddly. I’m saying that a guy who has things as perfectly figured out as this alleged prince did…they hide things from you.”

“So a ‘real’ man is clumsy and unprepared?” Stephanie asked incredulously.

“Let’s put it this way,” Joe started. “A real man doesn’t need to plan picnics and predetermine how he wants to win a girl over. That should come naturally.”

“I see,” Stephanie grumbled. “And how many women are in your life?” She just couldn’t resist.

Joe’s brown eyes looked down as he played with his napkin. Still, he didn’t look fazed by Stephanie’s question. “I haven’t been trying.”

“Uh-huh,” Stephanie said skeptically. “Well, until you do start trying, why don’t we mind our own beeswax and let the good man do his wooing.”

“I’m just volunteering an opinion,” Joe said, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Just don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

****

What the hell had that been all about? Joe hadn’t meant to listen in on the little princess’s courtship with some rich pussy from LA, but he couldn’t help it. Joe had always been interested in the things that Stephanie had to say; her strange mumblings and truant revelations always got a smile out of him. And then, after admitting that he’d listened in on Stephanie and Delaney’s girl talk, he had to open his big, fat mouth and give Stephanie Kaelin some advice from the male perspective…now that made him a total pussy.

Sure, he liked Stephanie as a friend and he thought she was a hot little number, but he had never seriously considered dating her. He had bigger fish to fry. Work – and by work, he meant Peter Garrett – was going to kill Joe sooner or later – if he wasn’t the one who killed Garnett first. And, of course, Joe had his own family to put before he added another female into his life. Besides, dating Stephanie Kaelin would be like having another full-time job. That girl was seriously high maintenance – Joe’s worst nightmare.

Joe opened the doors to his small apartment. It was the most he could afford because his scholarship was only for academic purposes. He lived on the dingier side of campus, where all of the other poorer college students lived. He didn’t mind though; he was used to living modestly – or at least more modestly than guys like Jason.

Joe dropped his keys on the coffee table and threw himself on the small couch in his living room. He lay back and tried to clear his mind for the first time that week. He tried to clear thoughts of that bastard, Garnett and of his mother and sister back in Fresno. Most importantly, he willed himself to stop allowing his minds to drift back to Stephanie Kaelin and her silly, impossible dreams.

****

A/N: I know, I know...the first "love-type" scene and it's b/t Steph and Jack. Don't worry...we'll get to some juicier parts w/ Joe, I promise!