“Really? That sounds awesome, I love chocolate fondue!” Rachel answered.
“Well, then chocolate fondue it is!” Brian said, as he shut her car door.
“When did this place open?” Rachel asked, trying to put the pieces of her amnesia puzzle together still.
“I think it opened at the end of the summer, but I’m not sure. I haven’t been there yet,” Brian said.
“Really? Why not?” Rachel asked.
“Guess I didn’t have anyone special to go with!” Brian answered smoothly.
“Aw! Well, thanks for waiting for me!” Rachel added.
“Anytime!” Brian said, as the drove off.
When they arrived to the café, Rachel looked around at the dimly lit, romantic ambiance of the place. There were plush couches that lined the walls, and curtains up for privacy between them. There were comfortable chairs that surrounded a large communal table where people were working on laptops and writing in journals. Then, sitting on the couch, she saw couples snuggling up to one another, sharing hot coco or making s’mores over an open flame on their table.
“This is the coolest place I’ve ever seen!” Rachel said, looking around.
“Yeah! Isn’t is great?” Brian said, looking for a hostess.
“Hello there, can I help you?” the hostess asked.
“Yeah, two please,” Brian, said. “For dessert!”
“Where would you like to sit?” the hostess asked. “A couch or chairs?”
Rachel was hoping he’d say couch so they too could snuggle up to one another.
Brian looked at Rachel and then back at the hostess, “A couch, please!”
“That cool with you, Rach?” Brian asked.
“Yeah!” she said, smiling.
The hostess took them to a quiet couch in the back of the café. It was in the corner and cordoned off by beautiful curtains. It was a private couch, perfect for a first date. She was excited that they’d left the movie and even happier to be spending the rest of the night here with Brian.
The two sat down next to each other on the couch and opened their menus. The server came over and lit the candle that was sitting unlit in the middle of their table.
“Can I get you two started off with anything?” the server asked, looking at Rachel first. “Miss?”
“Oh, I’ll have a hot chocolate with whipped cream, please!” She said.
“An you?” the server asked.
“I’ll have the same,” Brian added. “Thank you!”
“Do you know what you’d like for dessert this evening or do you need a few more minutes to look over our menu?” he asked.
Brian looked over at Rachel and said, “Chocolate fondue?”
Rachel nodded and smiled. “With extra strawberries, please!”
“Can we do the chocolate fondue for two, with extra strawberries?” Brian asked.
“Sure thing! It’s fantastic, have you had it here before?” the server asked.
“Nope, first time!” Brian said.
“Well, you two are in for a real treat,” he said, as he jotted down their order and walked away.
“It’s nice to be here with you,” Brian said, turning to her. “It’s refreshing to finally go out with someone who’s down to earth and everything.”
“Oh, well, thanks,” Rachel, said. “It’s nice to be here with you, too!”
“So, why’d you start this year now?” Brian asked. “I mean, where were you the past few months?”
Rachel dreaded that question, but knew it was inevitable that he’d ask it. She didn’t know how to address it either. She didn’t really know where she was, but she’d look like a total freak if she said she forgot. What did that mean anyway?
“Well, I was away,” Rachel, answered vaguely.
“Yeah, I heard you moved! How was that?” Brian asked. “Apparently not so good if you and your bro are back here so fast!”
“Yeah, we are happy to be back, that’s all I can say!” Rachel said, trying to dodge the question.
“So, what’s new with you? How’s the ski team doing this year?” Rachel asked.
“Oh, ski team is number one this season. It’s so nice to finally be back on the slopes. We’ve been lucky the weather got colder this year than last. Last year, we weren’t able to hit the slopes until January, so we had indoor practice all the time. It was a drag. But we get to the mountain at least 3 days a week now!” Brian said.
“That’s awesome, I’d love to be on the ski team!” Rachel said. “I’m not the best skier, but I love it!”
“You should so join, there are a few spots still open, and the season just started a few weeks ago!” Brian said.
“Really?” Rachel asked, sounding interested.
“Yeah! Totally, come tomorrow, Coach Croak will be happy to have you, I’m sure of it!” Brian said.
Rachel thought about it for a moment and then said, “I guess I could come and check it out. I mean, I don’t have any equipment or anything.”
“That’s fine. A lot of us rent at the mountain. They have good deals on season rentals and you don’t have to wait on long lines,” Brian answered.
“Ok, I’ll go. You convinced me!” Rachel said.
“Great!” Brian said, smiling at her and inching towards her to put his arm around her.
A moment later the server came back with their chocolate fondue. “Here it is!”
“Thank you,” they said in unison.
“Can I get you anything else for the moment?” the server asked politely.
“I think we’re ok for now, thank you!” Brian said.
The two sat there, eating dipping their fruit and marshmallows into the fondue. Brian dipped a giant strawberry into the chocolate, then turned to Rachel and said, “Open up!”
Rachel opened wide and ate the strawberry off of his fondue fork. She returned the gesture by dipping a marshmallow and feeding it to him. A bit of chocolate dripped down his lip and she moved it with her finger.
Brian laughed and said, “Thanks, sweetie.”
A moment later, Brian scooted closer to Rachel and then, for a moment, she took a whiff of his body and found it to be irresistible. It wasn’t a specific cologne smell; it was the scent of his skin, of his body odor, of his inner workings that turned her on. It was a strong smell, like nothing she’d ever experienced before. It was strange, but she wanted to taste him. She wanted to taste his body right then and there. He moved even closer, their bodies touching, and she looked him up and down, focusing on his neck, and watching his pulse go in and out. His large adams apple, protruding out of his neck, made him even more desirable. She couldn’t resist him. It was a feeling foreign to her and she didn’t know what to do. Her heart was racing as she sat there, staring at his body, watching it come closer to hers. She could feel her body changing and her mouth watering. Brian leaned in towards her mouth to kiss her and the second his lips touched hers, she felt a protruding in her mouth. It felt like her teeth were growing or something. It was scary; she didn’t know what to do or what was happening to her. She quickly jumped back and moved away from Brian hoping the distance would calm her down.