"It's strange what desire will make foolish people do; I never dreamed I'd need somebody like you." 

Song: Wicked Game

Artist: James Vincent McMorrow

If you haven't heard this song, look it up because it's too beautiful not to :) 

It was nearly 10 pm on Sunday night as I soaked in the steaming bathtub, attempting to relax my tense body and distract myself from constantly checking my phone.  I had been a nervous wreck, pacing around my room nonstop waiting for Harry to call and make plans for our date.  My stomach was twisted into knots and I actually was starting to make myself sick because I was so worried he would change his mind and bail, deciding he didn’t have it in him to go through with it or he wasn’t actually interested enough in me to put forth that much effort. 

Maggie had rolled her eyes at me as she caught me several times obsessively checking my phone, practically running from room to room because I had been unable to sit still for more than a few seconds.  I had finally decided to take a bath after she had told me that I was actually stressing her out and that I was going to give myself an ulcer. 

The steaming water was helping a little, but I still found it difficult to sit still as I let the vapor drift up around me as it broke through the thin layer of bubbles that settled on the surface.  My fingers were practically itching to check my phone, which I had been unable to leave in my room as Maggie had suggested.  It was constantly in my line of vision as it sat on the closed toilet seat next to me, and I couldn’t stop my eyes from darting to it every few seconds, begging it to ring.

I closed my eyes and leaned my head back against the wall, willing myself to melt into the tub and release some of the anxiety coursing through my veins.  He’d call.  He said he would, and he’d kissed me goodbye; he would call.  I just had to be patient. 

As if on cue, my phone buzzed next to me, the vibration against the surface echoing around the bathroom.  Water splashed down to the floor as I jumped in the tub, my arms flying up frantically against my will and clutching at a towel to dry them quickly before grabbing my phone.  Adrenaline flashed through me and I almost squealed happily as I saw Harry’s name flash up on the screen.  It wasn’t ideal that he called while I was in the tub, but I wasn’t going to miss his call for anything.  I waited for the water to stop sloshing so loudly before I slid my thumb across the screen to answer.

“Hello?” I said, wincing at the breathless tone of my voice.  Could I for once actually sound like I had it together?

“Hey,” he said, his voice deep and raspy on the other end of the phone.  “What are you doing?”

“Um, nothing,” I lied, not wanting to admit I’d answered his call while I was in the bath.  It occurred to me that we had promised not to lie to each other, but that hardly counted.  I attempted to sit up further, keeping my phone away from the damaging water but slipped, my body sliding down a few more inches in the water, which sloshed loudly.  I cringed and hoped he hadn’t heard.

“What was that?” he asked.

That’s what you get for lying, Halle.

“It was… I’m in the tub,” I admitted, pressing my fingers into my temple, beyond thankful he couldn’t see my face.  He let out an audible groan that made me shiver as the tone worked it’s way through my body. 

“Are you serious?” he said, his voice laced with frustration.  “You’re killing me.”

I laughed guiltily. “How?”

“First you make the no sex rule now you’re talking to me while naked in a tub.  That’s not fair,” he grumbled, his tone growing deeper.  My mouth stretched into a grin, glad that I had such an effect on him. 

“Hey, you called me- I just answered the phone,” I said, holding back a giggle. 

“You made the rule,” he argued playfully. 

“And I stand by that rule,” I replied, grinning like a fool.  He huffed in feigned annoyance. 

“Bulllllshit,” he grumbled.  I could hear him smiling through his tone and knew he was only kidding.  At least, partially kidding. 

“So you called?” I asked, hoping to encourage him talk about our date. 

“Erm, yeah.  Do you… do you still wanna go out on Tuesday?” he asked, his voice even and calm despite the apprehension he surely felt.  My heart leapt in my chest at his words, beyond relieved that he had finally asked them. 

“Yes,” I said immediately, cringing at my obvious eagerness.  I really was awful at hiding my emotions, especially with Harry.

“Alright, cool,” he said casually.  “I’ll… I dunno, pick you up? Is that how it works?” he laughed lightly.  I shrugged before I remembered that he couldn’t see me. 

“Yeah, that works,” I answered, grinning at his lack of knowledge on the subject.  It was endearing. 

“Okay, I’ll come get you at seven then.”

“Okay,” I said, biting my lip to control my grin. 

“Well you get back to your bath, let me know if you change your mind about that rule and need someone to join you,” he said deeply, his offer extremely tempting.  I almost caved at the tone of his voice.  My legs pressed together at the thought of Harry in the tub with me, his chest pressed into my back as his fingers worked into my skin, dipping lower with every movement.  I shook my head before I let out an audible whimper, the dirty thoughts doing damage to my self-control.

“I don’t think so, Harry, but thanks for the offer,” I said, giggling. 

“Your loss, baby,” he purred. “Talk to you later.”

“Bye Harry,” I said, a smile pulling at my lips once more.  A dull tone told me he had ended the call and I couldn’t stop smiling as I set my phone back down and sunk back into the water.  The warm water crept over my skin and I couldn’t stop imagining what it would be like if it was Harry’s hands instead.  I was already having regrets about making that rule, but I knew it would be important if we actually wanted to pursue anything farther than what we were now.

My stomach fluttered as his words echoed in my head, finally calling like he had said he would and setting an official plan for our date.  It occurred to me that I had no idea what we’d be doing, but I didn’t mind.  In all honesty, we could sit on the bench outside my apartment for three hours and I’d be happy as long as I got to see him.  It hadn’t even been a full day since I’d seen him but my body already craved being near his again.  

Twenty minutes later I gave up on trying to relax and climbed out of the tub, the tension relieved by Harry’s phone call simply being replaced by an impatient anxiety for Tuesday night.  By the time I got out, Maggie had retreated to her bedroom for the night, so I chose to head to mine as well.  After climbing into bed, it quickly became apparent I wouldn’t be getting much sleep, my eagerness for the next two days to pass keeping me wide awake. 

Several hours of fitful repositioning and fidgety movements later, I finally fell into a light sleep.  Harry’s face was featured prevalently in my dreams that night, his smirk and blazing green eyes searing through my brain even when I couldn’t consciously think of him.  My classes the next day were as unproductive as ever, my mind nearly incapable of focusing on anything other than our date the next night.  As I walked through campus, I found my eyes searching for his face among the students I passed, but his tall frame was never found. 

I was surprised when the rest of Monday and most of Tuesday passed quickly; I had been expecting them to drag by torturously slow, but before I knew it, I was dressed and waiting nervously for Harry to pick me up.  I hadn’t spoken to him since Sunday night, so I was a little afraid he’d forget or not show up, but I knew I was just anxious.  Sure enough, a glance out my window at 6:54 pm showed his black SUV pulling into the parking lot.  My heart sped up at the sight of it, minutes away from finally starting our date. 

I was surprised when I saw him park and turn off his car before getting out.  I sucked in a breath when I saw him, his hair pushed back messily but perfectly off his forehead and his hands pushed into the front pocket of his black jeans.  His dark grey henley was covered by a blue button up that flapped a bit against his flat stomach, none of the buttons actually done.  He looked amazing. 

His eyes darted up to my window, catching me staring at him.  I squeaked as I jerked back from the window too late, but not fast enough to miss his smirk he sent my way.  I could feel a blush creeping across my cheeks as I gathered my purse, deciding to meet him and not pretend like I didn’t know he was here.  I just had locked my door when he came down the hall, a grin stretching across his lips and denting his dimple into his cheek. 

“Hi,” I said, returning his grin. 

“Hey,” he said before coming to stop in front of me.  His arms rose from his sides before falling back down, unsure of how to greet me.  He settled his arms by his sides as he leaned forward and pressed a somewhat awkward kiss to my cheek.  I couldn’t help but giggle at his uncertainty on what to do. 

“You ready?”

“Yeah,” I said, nodding.  His chin jerked up as he turned on his heel to retreat back down the hallway, glancing back quickly before realizing he should wait for me instead of just assuming I’d follow.  He stopped walking until I drew even with him, glancing guiltily down at me.  I smiled, not minding because he had remembered and it was pretty much his first date ever. 

“So what are we doing?” I asked as we exited the building and made our way to his car. 

“Um, go eat somewhere? Are you hungry?” he asked uncertainly. 

“Yeah, that sounds good,” I said.  He nodded at me as we split and got in our respective sides of the car.  I had never really been that nervous around Harry, but now my entire body felt jittery, the prospect of spending the evening with him making my nerves skyrocket.  I glanced tentatively across the seat at him, taking in the sharp line of his jaw as he started the car and started to pull out of the parking spot. 

He didn’t say much as we drove, and I struggled to find something to say, the proximity of him fuddling my brain.  His eyes darted toward me before returning to the road and I realized I had been staring at him.  Again.

“Something wrong?” he asked, lips pulling to the side in a self-satisfied smirk, fully aware I had been staring. 

“No,” I said instantly, whipping my face forward again and trying to calm the furious blush creeping up my cheeks. 

“Hmm,” he hummed, raising an eyebrow skeptically at me and pushing his lips together. 

“Shut up,” I said, grinning guiltily out the windshield.  He knew I was extremely attracted to him because that’s technically what started this whole thing so there was no point in hiding it.  I decided to change the subject.  “Where are we going?”

“Have you heard of Birchwood?”

“No.”

“It’s this really old little dive grille place but the food is amazing,” he said.  I nodded, intrigued.  As soon as he said it, I realized it was exactly the type of place I imagined him to hang out at.  He didn’t strike me as the type to hang out at fancy restaurants or prestigious bars, so I already knew this place would suit him. 

“Sounds perfect,” I said.  Just as the words left my mouth, he turned into a tiny parking lot for an old building I had never noticed before despite being on the main drag of our small town.  I blinked as Harry parked, shocked that I had managed not to notice this place ever before now.  I jumped when my door opened, Harry’s face appearing in the gap as he gave me a confused look.

“You gonna sit in here all night or what?” he asked, leaning through the space with his hands on gripping either side of my door.  His face was the closest to mine since besides when he’d kissed me on the cheek and I found myself struggling to breathe. 

“No,” I said breathlessly, biting my lip into my mouth.  His jaw flexed as his eyes flitted to my mouth.  His hand left the frame of the car to rise to my face, his thumb tugging my lip from between my teeth.  My heart sped up when his thumb touched me, heat radiating from the point of contact.  I couldn’t look away from his eyes as they slowly traveled back up my face before locking back on my own.  The sizzle between us was just as strong as ever, the tension palpable in the small, enclosed space and I found myself struggling to resist closing the gap between our lips. 

He inched forward, the space between us disappearing as he drew closer.  I held my breath as I waited, every muscle in my body stilling, freezing me in place.  He was less than an inch from my lips when he paused, my heart accelerating dangerously.  His breath washed over my face through the small part in his lips and I had to stop myself from begging him to kiss me.  The second I moved toward him, he pulled back, retreating from the small space and offering me his hand. 

Air whooshed out of my lungs, disappointed he had pulled back at the last second.  He smirked at me as I frowned, accepting his hand anyway as he pulled me from the car.  I huffed.

“Not funny,” I said before he slammed my door shut behind me. 

“It wasn’t funny when you told me you were in the bath, either,” he replied.  His hand lingered in my mine for a few seconds as we started walking before he released it, another wave of disappointment flooding through me at the loss of contact.  We crossed the small parking lot to the building where he opened the door and let me through before following me inside.

The inside of the building reflected the outside; it was dimly lit, small, and had a distinctly worn-in feeling to it, but it was cozy and quaint.  And, in my opinion, perfect for a first date.  Music played quietly from a lone stereo in the corner, the sound too soft to distinguish the song but loud enough to cushion the quiet environment.  Booths lined the walls, cracks reaching across the leather and dents dipping into the seat from years of patrons using them, and a small bar lined the other wall.  A few tables were scattered in the spaces between, where a few people were scattered around. 

I followed Harry as he wove through the tables to a booth in the corner, where he slid his long frame into the bench.  I sat down across from him, the small table only separating us by about two feet. 

“I know it doesn’t look like much but I swear it’s great,” he said, his tone indicating he felt he had to defend his choice for our date. 

“It’s perfect, Harry,” I said honestly.  The different colored fairy lights that twinkled above the bar gave the place a soft glow, and I instantly loved it.  He pulled a menu from a holder on the edge of the table and handed it to me, which was really just a laminated sheet of paper with options on both sides of it. 

“You’re not a vegetarian, right?” he asked suddenly as he realized that the menu consisted mostly of burgers and other forms of meat. 

“No, I’m not,” I said, smiling.  He looked relieved. 

“Okay, good.”

“So I’m not failing too miserably yet, am I?” he asked as he grinned sheepishly at me, his green eyes twinkling in the dim lighting of the restaurant. 

“No, you’re doing great actually,” I answered honestly.  So far, he had showed up on time and chosen the perfect place.  “Very impressive.”

“Yeah, sure,” he said, rolling his eyes. 

“I’m serious!” I protested, my hand reaching across the table to land on his forearm before I realized what I was doing.  It was so weird now that we’d decided to actually give this a shot- the smallest of touches seeming like they were against the rules when before we could literally touch anywhere with no inhibition.  My hand jerked back as if his skin had sent a shock through my arm, and his eyes dropped the place on his arm where I’d touched him.  I sucked my lips into my mouth to absorb the awkwardness. 

“Um, sorry,” I said, a blush darkening my cheeks for what felt like the thousandth time already that night. 

“It’s alright,” he replied, his eyes raising from his arm to look me in the eye.  He surprised me when he reached across the table and let his thumb trail lightly down the knuckles on the back of my hand.  The contact only lasted a few seconds before he pulled his hand back, the appearance of a middle aged waitress causing him to divert his attention.  My heart pounded in my chest, wishing he’d touch my skin again.  He ordered us two beers, the woman walking away without even bothering to check our IDs. 

“So you’ve seriously never gone on a date before?” I asked, clearing my throat before I spoke.  He shook his head slowly.

“Never.”

“Why not?” I asked, genuinely curious as to how he’d managed to make it to age 20 without having gone on a date.  Actually, it occurred to me that I had no idea how old he was- I had just assumed he was my age. 

“Wait, how old are you?” I asked curiously, tilting my head to the side.

“21,” he replied.  “How old are you?”

“20.”

“Okay,” he said, nodding thoughtfully.  “Thought so.”

“Yeah, but why haven’t you been on a date before?”

He shrugged, the corners of his lips pulling down briefly before speaking.  “I dunno.  I’ve never had any interest in it.”

“Never?  There’s never been anyone you wanted to take on a date?” I asked, finding it hard to believe that I was the first person he’d ever wanted to take out.

“Nope.  Not until you,” he admitted, his gaze burning into mine.  I swallowed harshly.

“Why?” I pressed, determined to discover his blatant disregard for dating in the past. 

“Why what?” he asked.  It occurred to me that I could either be asking why he’d never wanted to take anyone on a date, or why he wanted to take me on one.

“Why haven’t you ever wanted to date someone else?”

He sighed heavily. “I don’t know, I’ve never been interested in seeing anyone for more than a night.”

I tried to ignore the clenching of my heart as he said that, reminding me of his colorful history.  My eyes dropped to his hands on the table in front of me.  “I see.”

“Like I said, until you,” he replied, making my eyes dart back up to his to find them intently staring at me.  “Even thought I still don’t really know you.”

I grinned, happy he had said that.  “What do you want to know?”

“Everything.”

I sucked in a breath, surprised by his honesty.  I felt like entire room had blacked out and all I could see was him across from me, his intent expression commanding my full attention. 

“Everything, huh?” I asked breathlessly, the sudden intensity of the conversation stealing the volume from my voice.  His gaze burned through me, searing through my body and setting me on fire, just as he always did.

“Yeah, tell me who you are, Halle.”

"What a wicked thing to do, make me dream of you; and I wanna fall in love, I wanna fall in love with you." 

 As always, please vote and comment! I really, really appreciate your feedback and predictions :)