‿︵‿︵୨˚̣̣̣͙୧ - - ୨˚̣̣̣͙୧‿︵‿︵

AZARIA'S HOME
los angeles, california
wednesday
june 26, 2024
6pm

as i waited upon drew's arrival, i looked at the plated bowl of spaghetti that i had just prepared for the two of us.

i had spent most of the day prepping spaghetti for my dinner date with drew. i couldn't wait to see the expression on his face when he took that first bite.

i anxiously checked my phone for notifications, my mind racing with anticipation as i awaited that 'i'm outside' text from him.

just as my phone buzzed, i heard a knock at the door. my heart skipped a beat at the sound. i took one last look at the spaghetti on the counter, gave it a final stir, and made my way to the door.

when i opened it, i was greeted by the sight of him, standing in the doorway with his signature charming smile on his face.

"hey." he greeted, his voice holding a hint of excitement.

i smiled at him, taking in every inch of his appearance. his blonde hair was styled perfectly, his blue jeans hugging his legs in a flattering way, and the plain black v-neck he wore showcased his muscular arms.

he held up a bottle of wine, the smile on his lips growing even wider. "i bring an offering." he joked, his eyes glancing at me.

i let out a soft laugh, my gaze flickering from his face to the bottle of wine. "well i guess i can't say no now, can i?" i teased, opening the door wider to let him inside.

he chuckled quietly and stepped into my home, his free hand brushing against my hip as he passed by me.

i couldn't help but shiver at his touch, my body immediately reacting to his presence.

he took in the surroundings of my home, his eyes roaming over the modern furniture and decorations. "nice place you got here." he commented, setting the wine bottle down on the kitchen counter and turning to face me.

i smiled at his compliment, feeling a tinge of pride in my home. "thanks, i've worked hard to make it look nice." i said, walking up to him and playfully nudging his arm.

"trust me, it shows." he responded, his gaze lingering on me for a moment before breaking away to look back at the bowl of spaghetti on the counter.

i couldn't help but let out a laugh, knowing that i had caught him staring. "looks good, right?" i said, picking up one of the two wine glasses on the counter and pouring a bit of the wine he'd brought in.

he hummed in agreement, his eyes flickering back to me as he accepted the glass of wine i handed him. "looks and smells delicious." he replied, the corners of his lips tugging into a charming smile.

i took a sip of my wine, feeling the tension in my shoulders slowly start to relax. "so, how was your day?" i asked casually, leaning against the counter and staring at him.

he mirrored my stance, leaning on the edge of the counter and taking a sip of his glass. "oh, it was pretty average." he responded, his eyes fixed on mine. "did some house chores and ran some errands. how about you?"

"pretty normal day for me too," i said, setting my wine glass down on the countertop. i took a step closer to him, my eyes locking with his. "although i spent most of the day thinking about tonight."

he raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "oh really?" he said, his voice taking on a lower, huskier tone. he placed his wine glass down as well, closing the distance between us.

i nodded, my heart racing at his proximity. "really." i responded, my voice dropping almost to a whisper. my hands found their way to his hips, resting gently against the fabric of his shirt.

his hands found their way to my waist, his grip on me firm yet gentle. "and what exactly were you thinking about?" he asked, his voice deep and smooth as he leaned in closer.

"just how tonight would go." i murmured, a hint of a smile on my lips as i looked up at him. my fingers traced smallpatterns against his shirt, my body craving more contact with him.

"and how's it going so far?" he asked, his thumbs rubbing small circles on my hips. his eyes darted down to my lips for a split second, then flicked back up to meet my gaze.

"even better than i imagined." i responded, my voice coming out more as a breathless whisper than words. my body was on fire, reacting to his touch and presence. i moved a step closer, our bodies now pressed against each other.

a smirk tugged at his lips once more, and his eyes glinted with a mixture of tenderness and desire. his hands slowly ran up my sides, leaving a trail of heat in their wake. "good." he murmured, leaning in closer until his lips were just inches from mine.

my breath caught in my throat at the proximity of his face, our lips so close and yet so far apart. i tilted my chin up slightly to close the gap between us, my eyes fluttering shut as i closed the distance.

his lips met mine, soft and gentle at first, but quickly growing more demanding. his hands moved to my hips, pulling me flush against him as he deepened the kiss. his tongue traced my lower lip, silently asking for entry.

i parted my lips, granting him access and allowing our tongues to mingle together in a slow, passionate dance. my hands tangled themselves in the fabric of his shirt, pulling him closer as i got lost in the sensation of his kiss.

he let out a low hum of approval at my action, his hands moving to my thighs and lifting me up onto the counter. my legs instinctively wrapped around him, pulling him in even more as our kiss grew more urgent.

after what felt like an eternity of our passionate kiss, we finally pulled away, both of us panting softly and trying to catch our breath. "we don't want the food to get cold," he managed to say through heavy breaths, his eyes still shimmering with desire.

i let out a breathless laugh, my heart still racing from the intensity of our kiss. "right, yeah." i replied, my fingers still clutched tightly to the hem of his shirt. i hopped down from the countertop, my legs slightly unsteady from the rush of adrenaline.

he took a step back, running a hand over his head in an attempt to compose himself. "i'm starving." he announced, his gaze flickering to the bowl of spaghetti on the counter.

i let out a soft laugh, my cheeks still flushed from our embrace. "then we should probably sit down and eat, huh?" i said, grabbing the bowl of spaghetti and bringing it over to the dining table.

he followed behind me, taking a seat across from me at the table. i handed him his silverware. "bon appétit." i said, a smile on my lips as i watched him eagerly dig into the food.

"mmm." he muttered around a mouthful of spaghetti, his eyes flickering up to meet mine. "you're a great cook, y'know that?" he said, already reaching for another forkful.

i felt a warmth spread in my chest at his compliment, my heart swelling with pride. "i'm glad you like it." i replied, taking a bite of my own food. i watched him eat, a small smile on my lips as he enjoyed the meal i had prepared.

after he had taken a few more bites, he noticed me watching him. he raised an eyebrow, a grin on his face. "what?" he asked, setting down his fork and meeting my gaze.

i shrugged. "i just really like you." i said softly now avoiding eye contact.

his expression softened, a tender smile tugging at his lips. he reached across the table and placed his hand over mine. "i really like you too." he replied, his voice filled with sincerity.

"i have a question, and call me out if this is way too early to ask this but i can't put myself in a position where i'll be used again." i said referring to my previous relationship with amo.

he furrowed his eyebrows at my words, his gaze fixed on mine. "ask away." he said, his hold on my hand neverwavering.

"is this serious?" i paused and reworded my question, "are you genuinely seeing me because you see something with me or am i just a casual thing for you?" i asked cautiously.

he immediately picked up on the hesitation in my voice, his expression now one of seriousness. he pulled his hand away from mine and sat back in his chair, his eyes not leaving my face.

"azaria," he began, his voice firm yet gentle. "i don't see you as a casual thing. i wouldn't be here if i did. whatever this is between us...it's real for me. it's not just some fling."

my heart fluttered at his response, a sense of relief washing over me. i held his gaze, searching his eyes for any sign of deception. but all i saw was sincerity.

i took a deep breath and smiled softly. "okay good, i'm glad." i paused and spoke again, "you remember how amo said he never saw me as anything serious after four months of dating so, i just want to be cautious and smart with you."

his expression hardened slightly at the mention of my ex. he knew the history i had with amo and how it had left a wound in my heart. "i'm not him," he said firmly, his voice leaving no room for doubt. "i never will be."

i smiled and smiled and rubbed circles on his hand that i was still holding. "i'm counting on that."

~~