Mood: swipe left and tap the media box above to listen to Mine by Bazzi.

Lydia

"Lydia, you look beautiful," Carrie gushed.

She and Lindy came over to help me get ready for my first date with Jacob Somersby.

"She's gonna knock that poor boy's socks off," Lindy said.

"Saph gave me this dress," I said, smoothing out the red skin-tight dress that revealed my figure. Red was my favorite color, as it contrasted nicely with my dark eyes and hair. I wore ruby-red lipstick to match the dress.

"Jake's here for Lydia!" Kath hollered from downstairs.

"Now's your cue! Go get 'em, tigress," Lindy cheered, while Carrie signaled two thumbs up.

I walked down the stairs, with Carrie and Lindy behind me. Jake was there, talking with Kath, who asked how Kessler was doing. She hadn't heard from him after the swim team party, despite exchanging contact details and following each other on Instagram.

Jake turned to me and let out a wolf whistle. He held a generous bouquet of fresh, scarlet, fragrant roses. His hair was slightly tousled, and he sported a short beard growth. He wore neatly pressed slacks, a brand new belt, polished Italian leather shoes, and a crisp, light-collared shirt with sleeves rolled up (the Jake signature). He had a matching jacket too.

"Hi, handsome," I greeted him, taking the roses. "Oooh, I love roses! Red roses are my favorite!"

"This gorgeous, sexy woman is mine," he replied with a grin, hugging me and planting a kiss on my lips. That kiss turned into something more passionate.

"Stop playing tonsil hockey," Carrie quipped.

"I couldn't have said it any better. Oh, by the way, Jake, you've got red lipstick all over your face," Kath commented.

"Do I?" a red-lipstick mouthed Jake asked.

"Here, let me fix you up," I replied, taking out a tissue and wiping the lipstick off his face. I then reapplied my lipstick and fixed my face, looking into my compact mirror.

Kath burst into giggles while Carrie smiled proudly at us.

"Let me take the roses and put them in a vase," Kath suggested.

"You crazy kids go have some fun. Lindy and I are going to hang out with Kath tonight," Carrie said and waved as we left the house.

---

Jake took me to a beautiful Italian restaurant overlooking the riverside in the city. It was breathtaking to see the city through the large glass windows.

"Jake, this place is amazing," I gasped.

"I know," he said, smiling at me.

After we sat down at our table and the waiter took our orders, Jake took a good look at me.

"I'm one lucky guy," he stated, beaming at me.

"I'm one lucky girl," I replied, returning his smile.

"Missy, you're my best friend," Jake began.

"You've been by my side from day one when we met in the library. You're one of the most loyal, kind, forgiving people I know."

"I'm not that forgiving," I shot back.

"Sure, you are. Remember detention with Mr. Stevenson?"

I rolled my eyes.

In eleventh grade, Jake kicked me hard under the desk during social studies class, and I retaliated by whacking him on the shoulder with my book. Our teacher Mr. Stevenson put me in detention after school for hitting Jake.

"How can I forget? I sat after class that day and missed my favorite episode of Friends!" I gave Jake the stink eye.

"I waited for you. I drove you home," he said.

"That was the least you could do. It was the first time I had detention. Ever," I stared at Jake.

"But not the last," Jake commented.

"Oh yeah. The time we were caught out in the closet by Mr. Camden. That went down really well with my parents," I said.

We both looked at each other and laughed. Life was fun with this guy. He brought out an adventurous side of me that I didn't know I had.

"Before you came along, I played everything by the book. I didn't dare break or bend any rules. It was school, homework, poetry club, and hanging out with friends at the mall or the skate park," I said.

"So you're saying life was boring before we met," Jake teased.

"Not boring. Just different." I caressed Jake's hand with my thumb, then looked into his eyes. He had the most beautiful violet-blue eyes that could seduce an army of Amazonian glamazons.

Our dinner was exceedingly rich and filling. I ordered oysters to share with Jake for starters-he didn't like oysters very much. I loved them.

"Oysters are supposed to be an aphrodisiac," I said and winked at him.

"I don't need aphrodisiacs to get turned on, Missy," Jake suggested temptingly, enticing me into a seductive dream.

A small piece of his brown hair fell on his forehead, which he brushed away. My fingers were burning to touch him, so I reached out to smoothen his silky hair. My boyfriend emanated both seduction and pure, unsullied sex in one serving.

We both had filet mignon dishes for our main meal and chocolate cake for dessert. By the time I got through dessert, I only managed to eat half my cake. I was stuffed with good food, especially the oysters and chocolate cake.

Jake ordered coffee for us before we paid the bill and left the restaurant. We went for a pleasant stroll on the boardwalk along the river, with his arm wrapped around mine.

"Jake, why did you pick me? Why didn't you stay with Elsie? I mean-" I started saying before Jake interrupted me.

"Lydia, what the fuck? Why are we even talking about this?" He let go of me, then stood in front to face me.

"I... I've seen photos of you and her together, and you looked both looked perfect. I feel inferior like I shouldn't even be with you," I stammered.

Jake put his hands on my shoulders, then looked directly at me. He sighed. I tried to look away, but his head moved in sync with mine, so he could continue to hold my gaze. Just as I was about to say something, he pulled me close to him and hugged me.

"Missy, you have no idea how fucking beautiful, clever, and sweet you are. Every guy wants you, and every girl wants to be you," Jake said.

"But Devon said-"

"I don't give a fuck about what that asshole said," Jake replied.

My head rested on his chest as my arms were wrapped around him. I could hear his heart beating.

"You're smart and easy to have a conversation with," he continued.

"I think the same of you too. You're loving and kind, Jake," I said.

We both breathed in and exhaled at the same time. His eyes then looked down at mine.

"Elsie was always jealous of you, you know," Jake confessed.

"Really?"

"Really." Jake kissed my forehead. "I want you to promise not to talk about our exes tonight. Tonight is about us."

I smiled. Jake knew how to put a warm feeling in my heart.

"I want this to be exclusively ours. What we have," he continued.

"So... Do you see the potential for marriage and maybe even kids?" I grinned at him.

He looked at me and tapped my nose with his index finger. He called it the ski-jump nose.

"I can imagine our kids having your ski-jump nose," Jake replied, gently kissing my nose. He looked at me again with loving eyes.

"I would marry you in a heartbeat," he continued. "This relationship is for keeps."

I looked up at him and pressed my lips on his. He kissed me back, passionately and with insatiable love. He grabbed my waist, then worked his large hands to caress the sides of my breasts. His right hand then moved to my buttocks, pressing me closer to him. I felt his hard bulge.

"Lydia, are you on the pill?" His voice was deep and heavy with lust.

"No. I went off it after Christmas." After breaking up with Marc was what I meant to say. Jake understood what I meant. "I don't sleep around, Jake," I explained after a silent pause.

"I know. I was just asking," he said.

"Would you like to come back to my place for a nightcap?" I asked.

He nodded.

"Want to sleep over?"

"Yes." His eyes were full of hunger. Full of need.

A/N: Please vote and/or comment if you like this chapter. ⭐️