10. The Date

Brice's POV

"Brice, you know you're going to trigger your stalker by giving her the heart emoji."

Clara Sherman, my agent was warning me not to poke the bear.

"But it is good work, I'm actually impressed. And she's not a bear, you should consider her as your little helper. She helped you with the fan group, right?"

She sighed and reminded me about what happened last month when the woman sends me too many emails.

"I know I might overreact sometimes, but I was in a bad mood that day and her emails were bugging me,"

"Yeah, and who's fault is that? we have people for that, you don't have to open your fan mail if you don't want to."

"Look, can we not talk about this? you said you're here about our plans for the book signing tour?"

Clara sat to my front and took out sheets from her neatly packed folder.

"Yeah, here's the itinerary, my office will email you the flight tickets and hotel accommodations once we have it, but the date is set."

"Okay."

"Look, Brice...is there something wrong? you look like you have something on your mind?"

"No, it's just that...I just met someone and now I have to leave because of the book signing tour."

"Yeah? well, it's not going to be that long, you can still video chat. But anyway, good for you Brice. You deserve to be happy, you've come a very long way."

Clara knows about my past and she knows I haven't dated anyone seriously in a while. She's the one who has kept my dark past hidden from the public.

And it was also the reason why I kept on opening my fan mail, I need to know if someone finds out, or even worse it might happen again.

"When when you kill someone it takes a part of your soul with you. I don't know how long this is going to last, I kept on thinking to end things before it started, but I can't seem to help myself with her."

"Brice, don't say that. You're clear of the charges."

"But still, a woman is dead because of me..."

"Look, do you want me to vet this woman for you? I can have someone look into her background and give you the report?"

"No, I'll be gone for a couple of months anyway, we'll see how it goes from there."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm sure, Clara,"

We talked more for another half an hour, where she was also asking if I want to start talking to my psychiatrist again to which I didn't say no but just not yet.

After Clara left, I spend the rest of my afternoon drafting the sequel of my ongoing book up until it was time for me to prepare for my dinner date with Ella.

I set up the table then get two bottles of whites into the wine cooler after plating the lemon butter chicken for later. The salad was set, and the cake dessert I ordered earlier was in the fridge. I quickly change my shirt and went out the door within minutes. I was too excited to pick her up and nervous about the date.

All the signals were there, I know we're going to have sex that night and it has been a while for me for that kind of sex. I can tell that she's not one of those casual one-night stand kind of women, there were times where we can go further and do it but opted not to.

Finally, my mind was back to our date when Ella and I arrived at my place just after seven that evening.

"You look beautiful," I complimented her when she handed me her coat.

"Yeah? maybe it's the lighting, mm...this is a very nice place."

"Thank you,"

"You live here alone I assumed?"

"Yeah, no roommate for you to compare me with, I'm not good with competition,"

"Said the man to managed to put his book up and made it to the bestseller list."

"You've been checking up on me?"

I swear my heart skipped a beat when I saw her smiled as she reached the dining area, but I remain calm and pull a chair for her.

"You've been busy too, oh my, Brice...I hope you didn't cook all of these, now I feel bad that I can't return the favor. I'm a terrible cook."

"So there'll be a next date?" I grinned and start pouring the chilled wine.

"Eh, as long as I don't have to cook? I really don't want to poison you," she stated while looking uncomfortable with the situation.

"Relax, Ella, you know... I can teach you,"

"My mom gave up on my cooking skill, I'm not sure I want you to undergo the dreadful experience." She sighed, making me laugh then told her to stay right there while I re-heat the chicken that I've prepared earlier.

"Yeah, she told me that too."

I laughed again at her little remarks, and we talked more about her family as we eat and have our intimate dinner date.

"My family? well, I have two brothers, they're two years older than me and act as if they're ten years older by telling me off like I'm still in elementary..."

"So, you have twins older brothers?"

"Yeah twins," she spooned the buttery chicken as I watched her chew while admiring her little quirks.

"Mm...my parents are living their second honeymoon away from the kids in the suburbs hours away from here, Oh...my, this tastes so good, are you sure you're not a chef?"

"No, but I enrolled myself in a short culinary class when I was writing about my book," I explained while washing down my food with the white wine.

"Wow, is it the chef who kills his victims in his Michelin star kitchen?"

"You know that book?"

There was a fraction of a second where she looked flustered but I just thought it was the seasoning when she replied smoothly to my question showing off her beautiful smile.

"Yeah, snippets of it, I like the cover, maybe I should buy your book after all." She teases and hides her smile behind the glass while drinking her wine.

"Only if you want, but I can give you my copy if you want?"

"Oh no, I can't do that, you've cooked me dinner, and now you're giving me freebies? what will people say?"

I laughed while telling her I haven't had this much fun on a date night before.

"Well, I'm glad that I've entertained you, but maybe it's time for another glass?"

"Sorry, you've been such a distraction, but in a good way and that's beside your beauty," I smiled looking at the faint blush on her cheeks while I poured her another glass of wine then moved to get our dessert.

Ella helped me by putting the dishes into the sink when we ended our dinner. "Just leave it there and I'll make us some coffee, why don't you pick the movie?"

We were planning to watch a movie after dinner but ended up sitting on the sofa talking some more and she looked nervous when I put my hand on hers as if she didn't want us to stop talking.

"Ella, is everything okay?"

"Yeah, I'm just nervous about..."

I didn't give her a chance to explain, we've been laughing and talking and getting to know each other throughout dinner. And I can't help myself that I wanted to kiss her when I took her cup and put it down next to mine on my side of the table.

"Brice," she moaned my name the moment I leaned in and deepen our kiss.

"I'm a virgin,"

I tensed the moment she slipped in the words in between our kisses, I was hard, rock hard, from just that last kiss but I managed to pull myself back and looked into her big brown eyes and asked her.

"Do you want me to stop?"

She shook her head and let out a soft no and it was flattering to the point that she was making me feel not sure about myself.

We just had a couple of dates, I didn't want to push her to do the thing that she might regret in the future.

"Maybe we should wait? we don't have to rush into anything you're not comfortable with."

But she was unbuttoning her sheer cardigan and peel it off sexily from her body. I've seen her bold and intricate tattoos underneath it and can't wait to see as the tats unveil in front of my eyes. But my mouth was contradicting my thoughts when I asked her if she's sure.

Ella was still not answering when she got up and unzipped her sexy black dress and reveal the burgundy-colored lace underwear. I didn't think I can't get any harder when she put her hands on my knees and lower herself down showing me her ample cleavage, just like those sexy women in porn.

Damn it!
Why am I comparing her to porn women?
Focus, Brice!