The Dating List by Jean C. Joachim

dinner,"
Carrie shot a sly smile at Grey who blushed a brighter red.
    "A woman who can make Grey blush…now that's news!"
Colin punched his brother in the shoulder.
    "So, we shouldn't wait up, eh?" Grey asked.
    Colin shook his head.
    "That's pretty bold…pretty confident." Grey stared at
his brother.
    "Hey, if I get lucky, great. If I don't, I'll sneak
in quietly. I hate to disturb noisy lovers…"
    "Noisy? Really? Do you hear…"
    Colin put his hand up. "TMI, Grey!"
    "What are your plans for dinner?" Carrie asked,
deftly changing the subject.
    "Leah said she has something at the apartment for us.
Then the comedy club."
    "Have fun tonight. Happy Valentine's Day," Carrie
leaned over to peck Colin's cheek.
    Colin reached in his pocket to check if the small box
was still there. He put on his new overcoat and the three of them
left the townhouse. The air had warmed up some, melting the snow
off the plowed streets. They squeezed into Grey's sports car and
headed downtown.
    Colin got out at 77 th Street and walked
East to the building where Leah was staying. He nodded at Lance,
who smiled at him before calling up to alert Leah, then motioned
for Colin to proceed. Nerves made his palms sweat. Again he
fingered the box, wondering when to present it to her. The shirt
collar rubbed a little though it wasn't too tight. Calm down!
You're not sixteen anymore. Colin hadn't been nervous much with
women. Perhaps it's because he'd never met one who mattered so much
to him before.
    He stepped out of the elevator and turned to find
Leah waiting at the open door. She wore a winter white wool dress,
trimmed in ornate gold ribbon. The neckline was low enough to pull
his gaze. The short hemline drew his gaze down to her shapely
legs.
    "You look gorgeous," he said, leaning down to kiss
her.
    "So do you."
    She took his arm and guided him into the apartment.
Colin looked around, amazed to see what must have been twenty
candles of all sizes and shapes blazing. Places were set on the
coffee table and a mouth-watering aroma wafted in from the
kitchen.
    "Veal stew, one of my favorites," she said. "Please
open the wine. I'll be right back with the food. I know we have an
eight o'clock show. Will you tell me now where we're going?"
    "Nope. After dinner."
    "I love surprises!"
    Leah disappeared into the kitchen. He attacked the
bottle of Chablis, easily removing the cork and poured out two
glasses before placing the small box that was in his pocket on
Leah's plate. She returned carrying a tray with two steaming bowls
of veal stew resting on a bed of brown rice. Colin helped her place
the bowls on the plates as a low rumble tiptoed through his belly.
Suddenly starving, he eyed the stew with a hungry smile.
    "What's that?" She asked, referring to the box on her
plate.
    "Just a little something for Valentine's Day," he
said, removing the box.
    She put the plate down and he handed the box to her.
After removing the top, she fished out a beautiful solid gold heart
pendant on a gold chain. Her sudden intake of breath and big smile
warmed him.
    "It's beautiful! Oh you shouldn't have."
    "I'm giving you my heart."
    Leah shot a warning glance at him, accompanied by a
frown. "Don't go there."
    "Put it on." Colin ignored the painful twinge in his
heart.
    She turned her back to him so he could fasten the
delicate chain. The heart nested at the cleft of her breasts, near
her own heart.
    "I love it," she said leaning toward him to plant a
kiss on his lips.
    "Good. I'm starved. Let's eat."
    They tucked into their food leaving unspoken words
hanging in the air. Leah's negative reception of his declaration
kept him from saying the "L" word, though it was on the tip of his
tongue. Though the food filled his stomach and nourished his body,
his heart needed mending.
    When they finished the stew, he refilled their
glasses and they sat back on the sofa.
    "So now can you tell me where we're going?"
Leah put her wine glass on the table.
    "Stand Up and Laugh…comedy club around the