Chapter 13

CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Raven wondered for the umpteenth time how he had ended up here. Of course he knew exactly how how. It had all started with him being angry and had been culminated with his foolishness of being sentimental a few day ago in his decision to have dinner with her which was not in his nature at all, but for some reason, he couldn't help himself.

Now here he was and sitting in front of him was a woman he had once slept with whom he could not feign the little bit of interest in what she had to say then it was no good.
She was watching me, in a way that told him she was admiring his physique. She had always said he looked too gorgeous for his own good, it was her attempt at praise but he didn't want him.

He wanted to leave, he was not in the mood to be having dinner the argument with Fiona was still fresh in his mind.
He was touchy about his family and it wasn't her fault but he did felt too raw to go back and ask
"Are you certain you are up to dinner" she asked and Raven smiled

" And if I weren't" Raven asked
" Then I'd let you go home " she replied pausing at the action of sipping water
" We would have to reschedule but it would work"

" I'm fine you must be hungry so let's eat but this is the last time" Raven said frowning softly and she smiled softly and then seemed to force herself not to do it again.
"Here are your menus,would you like something to drink" a waiter asked once we were properly seated. They must have been super confused with our table during this whole period of us sitting there and not ordering anything.

Raven looked to her and smiled
" Daya is that you" Raven asked and she looked to me with a soft grin
" Yes Mr Cross. How have you been " she asked and Raven smiled.

" I should be asking you that question"
" How's your sister" Raven asked and she shrugged
" She wants to get to work.i told her not until she finishes high school"

" Do one better, make it college"
"I'll tell her that boss" she nodded
" So what will you have " she asked

"We will have a bottle of wine, the best French you have" Raven replied, she nodded as she vanished.
While Raven looked over the menu, Mirabelle glanced at hers and then looked to me
" Can you order for me " she asked and Raven sighed
" Can't you do that yourself" he asked and she shrugged
" I would like you to" she replied and he nodded

"I'll have a steak"Raven ordered,when Daya returned with the wine

"Get her the same but medium rare with a salad " he ordered and she rushed away towards the back

"Thank you,this reminds me of the old times " she replied
" These are not old times " Raven muttered and she sighed

" I just need you to pretend, at least for today" she said sipping her wine and then she leaned over the table
" Can't we do that, pretend" she asked and he huffed

" Fine. How have you been, I heard you went to London for a shoot " he asked and she shrugged
" What do you want to know"

" What do you want to tell" he retorted and she laughed
" Well I came back and went shopping, my father had some men he wanted to impress and his beautiful daughter was needed " she replied.

Raven had always thought her father was a nice man, a little to conscious about what others thought of him to the point where he was willing to use his child to get what he wanted
" You had fun then " he asked and she shrugged
"we went for a musical or two and I enjoyed myself"

" I didn't know you liked those" he muttered and she shrugged
" There is a lot you don't know about me" she said as the waiter laid out out meals.

" My mother sang in the opera and my father liked a lot of dramas and plays. They substituted with musicals " she whispered, her eyes dark with memories, he nodded

" And your mother"
"My mother passed away it's been about, twenty years"
"Oh shit, I'm sorry," Raven said hissed
"And you were an only child" Raven mumbled and she nodded
" Yes, well not really, there was an older brother but he died in the car accident with my mother"
" a drunk driver. "

"I see- " Raven responded,she smiled brightly


" She must be very proud of you then" Raven replied
" You turned out well enough" he muttered and she smiled somewhat sadly
" I'd like to think so" Raven frowned so she continued

" our meal is here" she smiled brightly as the waiter arrived with their meals effectively ending the conversation much to his relief, she thanked him softly.
Taking a bite of the food , her eyes widened in delight, and Raven chuckled

"I know you've been here a lot of times nd you still act like it's the first time " Raven said and she nodded furiously, taking another bite
" The food is excellent" she queried as she swallowed and Raven nodded solemnly, taking a bite of his own meal.

She was right, but it was amusing seeing her like this,in another life maybe we could have had something but not in this one.
We ate all the while talking,and Raven learned more about her than he had known in the two years he had known her.

She tried to learn about him but he refused to give too much away. If he would ever divulge these secrets it would be to his wife. Who was at home alone. Christ what the hell was he doing.
His childhood had not been filled with fond memories.

His father was not a man to have happy marriages, non of his wives could stand him and he had not treated them with anything close to respect.
And he didn't want to treat his wife that way!

"You really don't want to be here do you" she offered and he shrugged
" It is written all over my face"

"Yes, but I'm not ready to let you go" she replied.

" I still want you, we would be a good couple" she asked and Raven stilled
" I don't plan on getting married to you " Raven replied briskly.

" I think your father would disagree,"
" Your influence only goes so far. " Raven said and she nodded
" he likes me well enough "

" Well you can marry him " he replied, done with this conversation and with her. He rose from his seat
" I want to leave"

Raven paid the bill, and escorted her out the building, towards his car, the weather was cooler, and a bit wet.
He needed to get home.

She held his hands tightly leaning into him
" So I'm quite curious what kind of woman would you like to marry " she asked and Raven sighed

"I could give you what you want " she said and he gestured to his car
" Let's get you home" she laughed as she got into the car

Raven drove to her apartment, she came down smiling softly, he couldn't really see her though, all he could think of was Fiona, and the way he missed her
" Are you ok, Raven " she called and he jerked
" Yeah,sorry"

" You've been distracted" she whispered and Raven sighed
"I'm just tired " Raven mumbled and she nodded

" I had a good time tonight" she murmured, coming up to him she stood close enough that he could smell her perfume
" I am glad but this is it" Raven replied

" So if I asked you to come up" she asked coyly and Raven shook his head
" I would have to decline" he frowned, she smiled, leaning towards him,

" Have a good night" she whispered and pressed a kiss to his cheeks softly ,he pulled away from her murmuring
"Good night"

"Good night" she replied,
" Go in I'll watch you " Raven offered
She smiled

" You know that you've just made giving you up all the more difficult to do " she asked and Raven sighed
" You'll have to try" he replied,

Raven watched her go into the house and then got into his car and hit the road, he drove around aimlessly for a while wondering what the hell was happening to him, that he would miss a woman this much, that he would want her this much.

He remembered her face the night before at their dinner,she had looked so happy, smiling softly his throat tightened all of a sudden.
Raven wanted her to be his and his alone.

Raven put the car in park, she was in and he knew that because he had called the hospital. She was making the place a home for her sister as well, he took the elevator to her floor and got in he took out his key card as he walked to the apartment and opened the door.

He met her in the living room, she looked gorgeous the most beautiful thing he had ever seen and that was saying something especially since he was surrounded by women all day.
Dropping his bag on the table he looked to her sad eyes
" Hey, how are you"