Author's Notes:

We're back to young Dimitri's perspective again, folks.

-=o0/&\0o=-

I shook my head as I closed the door to Randall's house. I set my car keys and cell phone down on the table in the entryway, kicked off my dress shoes, and loosened my tie.

"Randall!" I called out, "It's Dimitri. I'm back." No reply.

For the first time in weeks, Randall wasn't there when I had returned, possibly because of how early I had come back from my date with Rose. I was so thankful for that. I needed to be alone with my thoughts.

When Rose began stroking me under the table for the first time, I thought I'd explode right there. Honestly, if not for the four times today that I'd already climaxed before then, I probably would've. She was nearly relentless as long as the waitress was at the table doling out her ridiculous flirtations. I almost began to wish that Natalie would come back again so that Rose would just finish me off.

When Rose whispered in my ear again, I felt like that was the final kick I needed. I knew I was going to have to do something about it - and quickly. Feeling her push me up against the wall and kiss me, her hand stroking me, telling me she was going to get rid of her panties, was all the inspiration I needed to make quick work of things. I still managed to take longer than she did in the bathroom, but knowing that she had gotten rid of her panties almost had my hardness right back to where I was once I got back to the table.

I didn't know if I was in heaven or hell when Rose placed my hand at her waiting core. I honestly had no idea what to do to pleasure her and the timing could not be worse than while we were at dinner with Christian, but I definitely wanted to explore her body.

If Christian knew what was happening under the table, I'd be so busted. Or he would kill me and get rid of the body. And the erection was going to be turning painful soon. And the questions from Lissa and Christian were becoming harder and harder to focus on with Rose so tempting right beside me.

But ... this was something I'd never had the chance to do before, with the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen, a woman I loved. I would take this opportunity and enjoy it as long as I could handle it. When my fingers began probing her damp folds, I tried not to hiss in a shuddering breath. I could hardly believe how tight or how turned on Rose had been. And I was the one who had made her this turned on.

Feeling the tightness of her entrance and the muscles clamping down on my finger, I was so close to just picking Rose up and banging her on the table right there. It didn't matter that we were in public or who else was watching. I could almost imagine just how perfect it would feel to sink into her body and finally be inside her.

When Natalie came back again, I'd hoped I'd imagined it, but it all started to become clearer. Rose's muttered comments under her breath and asking for the second drink ... which would eventually later lead to a third, and then a fourth drink. I frowned now at the thought.

I primarily took my hand back so that I could have my hand free to eat, but I also needed to stop all of the touching by then so that I could think with a clear head - and also so that I could eat my food. When she tugged back on my hand, my brain clouded over with a lust-fueled haze. Her kiss seconds later only intensified that. And I couldn't help but to taste Roza on my finger. Heaven. I would definitely need her core directly at my mouth later on. Definitely. If I ever had the chance. But not tonight.

After she let go of my cock for the last time at the restaurant and we finished the rest of our meals, I thought, "This is the way I could see the rest of my life going." Dinner and effortless conversation with a beautiful woman I love by my side. She was funny, and interesting, and just great to be around. We didn't even have to talk for the time together with Rose to be pleasurable. Just being there with her was enough.

But then Christian was there to question whether we had known each other well enough. Did I love her? Yes, without a doubt. Did I know her well enough? I had thought so before everything happened with Natalie later on tonight. Roza was brave, fierce, radiant, kind, and just beautiful inside and out, but not this childish little girl I was seeing who was so petty and willing to drink herself under the table like my father or fool around just for the sake of jealousy. I didn't want my first time to be with a girl who was drunk. And I didn't want my first time to be out of jealousy that had nothing to do with me and everything to do with another girl and another guy. I wanted it to be out of love.

For two weeks now, I'd kept my feelings to myself. And then, I opened my mouth tonight and told her.

It's too soon. I know it was too soon. I shouldn't have said anything. Especially with the way I left things tonight.

It doesn't matter, though. I don't think Rose loves me back yet. And now she probably won't love me back. I don't even know if she would want to see me again.

It was probably better that I didn't get to have sex with her than that I did and then she broke my heart.

I ran my hand through my hair again and heard my phone chime. It was the sound of a new text message. Before I could get to my phone and open it to look at the message, three more chimes came through.

Rose: I'm really sorry, Dimitri.

Rose: I really like you.

Rose: Could we please go out again tomorrow? I promise I'll take you somewhere that I can't grope you in public or drink. ;-)

Rose: Since I'm the one who asked you out, I'd really prefer to pay, though, if it's OK with you.

I smiled and typed back 'Sure'.

I hit send and thought about how her hand was caressing me through my pants so much tonight, along with all of the other things I'd seen and felt from her. Was it 'groping'? Sure, I guess. Was it unwanted? Not at all. Although it hadn't been the best of timing, the feel of her had been so exciting. I'd never been so turned on in my whole life. Just thinking about it was getting me erect again. I headed upstairs to shower and rid myself of my latest viagra- and Rose-induced erection.

-=o0/&\0o=-

When I got to Rose's door again on Saturday, she had told me to dress for being outdoors, so I had worn a black tank and some tan cargo shorts. She told me the location was a surprise, so I left it up to her.

When I saw Roza, she was as sexy as she had been in the wrap dress the previous night, wearing a red halter top that showed her toned abs and just enough cleavage to be enticing with a pair of loose-fitting, short shorts that flared out at the sides, looking almost like a tiny little skirt, and a pair of leather sandals that had straps wrapping around her ankles. Her hair, pulled up in a braid on each side, was hanging long and soft along the back of her otherwise-bare shoulders. I was glad that the viagra was gone, both because I was absolutely sure that seeing this outfit on her would've caused another unwanted erection with it and because I feel like taking it yesterday had been a good exercise in self-control and restraint - albeit one that I would never want to repeat.

"Dimitri," she said, with a smile, "I know we had been texting back and forth, but a part of me still wasn't sure if you were going to come - after last night, I mean. I'm glad you came. Could you come in for a minute while I get my things? Lissa is home right now."

I nodded and we headed inside, mentally laughing a little at the fact that I'd almost forgotten Lissa lived there because she had been gone the last few times I'd visited. Rose ran up the stairs and Lissa was sitting on the couch flipping through movies on the TV.

"Hi Dimitri," Lissa said as I walked inside, "Thanks for coming out with us last night. I know Christian can be a little intimidating, but he means well. For what it's worth, we all had a really nice time." She smiled at me and quickly appended, " - well, except for Natalie."

"Thanks, Lissa," I told her, "I had a nice time, too. Rose is very special and I always enjoy being with her. Even last night. Most of it, anyways."

Lissa said, "You know, Rose feels really bad about the way things went last night. She's hoping to make it up to you tonight. We even got my sister Jill to help with the date."

Rose walked back down the stairs and said, "Don't go spoiling any surprises now, Liss."

Suddenly, something in my brain clicked and I began panicking. Jill. I knew those green eyes of Lissa's looked a little too familiar. "Lissa, is your sister's name Jill Dragomir?" I asked, hoping against hope that I was wrong about who Jill was.

Lissa nodded, saying, "Her name is Jill, but her last name is actually Mastrano. She has a different mom than me and her stepdad had adopted her when she was little. She is a junior in high school at St. Vladimir's right now. Why do you ask?"

Oh shit. My ex-girlfriend is Lissa's sister. And she helped plan our date for tonight. At least we parted on good terms.

"I was thinking you looked familiar. I think I might know Jill. Will we be seeing her tonight?" I asked.

"Actually," said Rose, "I'm not sure if Jill will be there, but she did seem to recognize your name when I mentioned it. You ready to head out, Comrade?"

Just then, I got a text message. "Do you mind if I check this?" I asked.

"Go ahead, Comrade. I'll wait."

Jill: Are you going out with Rose Mazur?

I knew she'd find out sooner rather than later, so I bit the bullet and texted back:

Me: Yes.

Jill: She doesn't know how old you are, does she?

Me: No. I'd like to be the one to tell her, but I just haven't found a good time to do it yet.

Jill: If you are both happy, I won't be the one to tell her.

"Should we head out, Dimitri?" Rose asked, sliding her cell phone and a credit card into her shorts pocket and grabbing a car key off of a hook by the door, "And do you mind if I drive?"

"Go for it," I told her.

Rose picked up a cloth bag next to the door and we walked out to her car. She put the bag in the trunk while I buckled into the passenger side, then she got in and buckled up.

"Before we go, Comrade, do you trust me?" Rose asked.

I swallowed deeply. "Yes. I think," I told her with a slight crack in my voice.

"Open up the glove compartment," she said.

Inside it was a quilted, silk-covered, black-out sleep mask. "Put it on," Rose said. I did, and she started the car.

-=o0/&\0o=-

Author's Notes:

So, now we have one more person in on Dimitri's secret. How long do you think all of these people are going to be able to keep the secret from Rose?

I really had a big internal battle with myself about how much punctuation to use on the text messages and how long to make each one in the text messages, especially from Rose and Jill. I am an oddball in that I tend to be pretty thorough on the punctuation within text messages and sometimes write things that are way too long for a text, but I know that a lot of other people aren't like that, especially millennials and younger. Finally, I just tried to write it like I would and then do a few minor edits. I hope it doesn't seem too out of character.

If, by chance, you log in to FanFiction dot net, check your PMs. They stopped sending email notifications of new messages in November and haven't since then.

P.S. In my mind, Rose would be driving a Nissan Juke here. I really love the Nissan Juke. It just seems like a cute little car. Personally, I'd go emerald green on that, but since it's Rose, I'm imagining it would probably be either red or black (or the Juke actually has a "Nizmo" package model that is a combination of the two colors. There is a little video of what the Juke Nizmo looks like that I posted on my Facebook page back when I posted this chapter originally (look for it around January 1, 2020, if you're interested).