California Dreamin'

It's Wednesday afternoon and I am lying on the floor of my office, meditating and practicing deep breathing to keep myself from crying, when there's a knock on the door. I take one last breath and get to my feet. My head pounds and I rub my temples to keep the impeding migraine at bay. I open the door to see a man dressed in white with the fakest smile plastered across his face holding a massive bouquet of flowers. "Hello! Are you Miss. Cecelia Warner?"

"Yes, I am."

"Well, these are for you." The man pushed the bouquet of flowers forward and into my arms. Orange sunfowers, dark magenta lilies, yellow chrysanthemums, and donut sized Gerber daisies in pastel colors are all tied together with a thick white ribbon.

I cannot think of the words to say. I am shocked and surprised that someone would send me this gorgeous arrangement. "Wow! Thank you so much." I take the flowers from him and go back into my office. I notice a small white envelope hiding between the thick stalks. I peel back the flap and read the small, typed print. It reads, 'You don't strike me as a rose woman. I hope I was right. Dinner with me Saturday, 8 o'clock?'

There are so many thoughts running through my mind and so many emotions flooding my body. I say out loud, "A man actually bought me flowers! My douchebag ex never bought me anything that was a surprise in the two years we were together." I grab my phone and punch in Rich's phone number. I know he won't answer his cell if he's in court but I hope they are on a recess and he can talk for a minute.

When the phone connects, I hold in a school girl scream of excitement. "This is Richard Sands."

"Hi!" My voice squeaks a bit and I clear my throat. "Hi, Rich. It's me, CeCe. Thank you so much for the flowers! They are absolutely gorgeous."

I can hear the happiness in his voice when he speaks. "You are very welcome, Cecelia. So what do you say about that date?"

"It sounds wonderful. I can't wait! But listen, I have to get back to work. Thank you again and I'll see you on Saturday?"

"Sounds great. Text me your address and I'll pick you up around seven thirty. Good luck with the rest of your week, hun."

When the phone clicks off, a sense of emptiness fills my body. Just hearing his voice fills me with love and hope and I wish I could listen to his voice all day. I place my phone on the table and sink down into my plush desk chair, clutching the bouquet to my chest. I close my eyes and pull a lily to my nose and breathe deeply, the scent of pollen and fresh water filling my nostrils. Then inspiration strikes me. I decide these flowers will be my inspiration for the showcase! It's perfect. I arrange the bouquet on the floor and set myself down next to it with my writing pad and assorted pens and colored pencils. "This is it, CeCe. This is where you're showcase is going."

* * *

"You look absolutely stunning."

I smile and my face turns bright pink at the compliment. I am standing in the doorway of my house and I watch as Rich's eyes scan up and down my body. The cream colored pumps elongate my legs while the black dress is like a second skin, hugging my curves. Kara insisted I wear it. "Trust me, Rich will be drooling over your goodies before you even get to the restaurant." I grab a light cream colored jacket and my purse and lock the door behind me. We descend the stairs and Rich holds the door to his Lexus open for me. "So, where are we going?" I ask curiously after we settle into the car.

"Do you trust me, Cecelia?"

This is only our second date but I would trust this man with my life. He makes butterflies flutter in my stomach and when he smiles, he smiles with his entire body. I feel completely open and relaxed with Rich. "Yes. I trust you."

"Good. Then you don't need to worry about where we're going."

I turn my face to the window and smile. We pull out of the driveway, drive a few miles down the road, and then merge onto the freeway. The L.A. skyline comes into view and we sit in comfortable silence as we cruise down the highway. After a short fifteen minute drive, we pull off the highway and wind through the streets. We pull into a small paved parking lot in front of a building shaded by a few palm trees. The humming of the car engine settles and I unbuckle myself and turn slightly in my seat. "Opaque? What's that?"

Rich unbuckles himself and turns to me, smiling. "You've never heard of Opaque before? Do you live under a rock, Cecelia?"

"No! I just...I don't get out much. My ex liked to stay at home and watch movies on Netflix."

"Well this is really going to be something then." He gets out of the car and comes around to open the door for me. As we walk, Rich places his hands on my lower back. I get goose bumps from his touch, but I smile from the feeling.

The interior of the restaurant is dimly lit. Candles send flickers of light dancing across the walls of the bar where other guests sit, waiting to be seating. Rich and I walk up to the hostess desk where there is a strikingly beautiful woman taking names. She is slender with long blonde hair, dark glasses and a warm smile. "Reservation for Sands, please." The woman begins typing and I notice she is not looking at the computer screen. After a few seconds of watching her, I realize the woman is blind. Another woman walks over to us, her hair a captivating shade of burnt orange that is pulled back into a low pony tail. She has similar dark glasses and is waving a white stick in front of her. When it touches the maître d's table, she reaches out her hand.

"Good evening, Mr. Sands," the maître d' says sweetly. "This is Leanne. She will be your server tonight. Have you been to Opaque before?"

My mouth falls wide open. I stare straight at the hostess and grip Rich's arms as if I'm going to fall over. "I've been here before but my lady friend here has not."

"Excellent. Well, Leanne is going to take you to the bar and she will explain how it works here at Opaque." Leanne takes our menus and begins to walk toward the bar, using her stick to guide the way. We sit down at a three person table together and begin to look over our menus.

"Welcome back to Opaque, Mr. Sands."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Rich gives her a soft hand shake then slips his hand from hers.

"I'm Cecelia." I reach out my hand and see that I am shaking. When Leanne takes my hand, she notices.

"Don't be nervous, Cecelia. This is going to be a wonderful, new experience for you." She smiles at me and releases my hand. "Here at Opaque, we offer a unique dining experience: Our guests dine in the dark. This allows our guests to use their other four principle senses to experience a meal. Our servers are all blind or visually impaired and have been trained to serve in this environment. You will choose your main entrée now and I will take your coats and bags to the coat room before entering the dining room. Do you have any questions?"

I stare at my menu as I try to grasp the concept at hand. 'Eating in the dark?' I think to myself. I shake my head, only to realize again that Leanne is blind. "No, thank you," I manage to respond, out loud.

"I'll give you a few minutes to look over the menu. Please let me know if you have any allergies." Leanne gets up and heads back to the hostess desk.

I am so nervous I can hardly form coherent words, let alone read a full menu. I go with my gut and decide on the chicken menu while Rich chooses the beef. Leanne comes back to the table and gives us directions for the next part of the evening. "Rich, please stand behind Cecelia and place your hands on her shoulders. Cecelia, I am going to walk in front of you and you can put your hands on my shoulders." Rich walks behind me and places his paws on the sides of my neck. His hands are warm and he runs his thumbs up and down my collar bones, causing goose bumps to dot my skin. I place my hands on Leanne's back. "Okay, follow me." The blonde hostess opens a curtain and we walk forward.

I cannot see anything. I have never been enveloped in so much darkness before. My breathing starts to speed up and I feel like I am going to have a panic attack but Rich's hands instinctively tighten around my shoulders. "I'm fine," I whisper in the darkness.

"Stop now." I stop in my tracks and Leanne steps away from my hands. I instantly start to panic again. A bead of sweat drips between my breasts and I can hear my heart pounding in my chest over the low murmur of other conversations. "Cecelia, turn to your right. Take a small step forward and you will be standing behind your chair. Rich, take my hand." Rich drops his hands and I begin to inch forward.

There are so many thoughts running through my head. What happens if I spill something? What if I can't find my mouth while eating? What if I have to pee? "Oh God, do not fuck this up, CeCe," I whisper to myself. I take a small step forward and my knee bumps the chair. I grab my seat and pull myself towards it as relief slowly replaces the fear coursing through my veins.

I inhale deeply and listen to the soft murmurs of conversation around me. The smell of curry powder stings my nostrils. I stare straight ahead of me, looking for Rich's warm smile and caring eyes, but only find darkness. "Rich. Rich, where are you?" I ask with panic rising in my voice.

"I'm right here, Cecelia."

"Well, where is right here?" I say with a quiet but sharp whisper.

"Right here." I feel a hand on my left thigh. Rich's fingers brush over my leg and up the side of my body. I shiver at his touch. His hand finds mine and the warm, wetness of his lips make contact with the dry skin of my knuckle. I bring his paw to my face and run his smooth, chocolate fingers over my cheeks, lips, nose, and chin, letting my head rest in his hand. Rich holds my chins and pulls me forward.

"You are beautiful, Cecelia. Even in the dark," he whispers. I hear a chair squeak and feel hot breath on my forehead. "I'm right here to your left. Don't worry; you are going to be fine." When he kisses me, all my worries and reservations melt away. I close my eyes and tilt my head up and he kisses my nose, each cheek, and finally my lips.

This kiss is different from other kisses. It fills me with warmth that spreads through my entire body. I bring my hand up and feel his face. I feel how his ears are perfectly symmetrical, his chin is strong and sharp, his nose smooth and long. When we part, I bring his hand to my face and guide it over my lips, which are curled up into a smile. He takes my hand and reciprocates, running my fingers gently over his own beaming grin.

Rich sits back down and I find the arms of my own chair to settle myself just as Leanne brings our starter course. I run my hands up the table until I touch the cool porcelain plate. I move my hands left and right and find a fork and a knife, but when I touch them, I freeze. "Rich," I whisper. "Can I use my hands? Like, is that...allowed?"

"Yes, Cecelia. I think that's allowed." I can sense the playfulness in his voice. "Just be careful you don't burn yourself on anything or stab yourself."

"Oh, thanks," I respond playfully. I touch the sides of my plate and lift it to my nose. I inhale deeply, smelling an exotic mix of lemon, olive oil, vinegar and sweet tomatoes. I place the plate back down and slide my index fingers toward the middle of the plate. I pick up a piece of lettuce and a sliver of tomato and put it in my mouth. The dressing is light but has spicy and tangy notes from pepper and the vinegar. The tomato is cool and sweet, the lettuce crisp and fresh. As I eat, I taste pieces of sweet fennel, slices of tart apple, salty olives and creamy goat cheese. I eat the salad slowly, enjoying every bite that I put in my mouth.

The second course comes and I use the same technique as I did with the salad. The scent of the dish is rosemary and garlic with a creamy and buttery undertone. I explore the plate with my fingers, careful not to burn myself on whatever is in front of me. I feel the crispy skin of half a roasted chicken and something soft. After I taste it, I realize it's whipped mashed potatoes with butter, sweet cream, and roasted garlic. I let out a moan of enjoyment as I suck the smooth potatoes from my fingers.

"Enjoying your dinner?" Rich asks, placing a heavy hand on my leg.

"Oh yes, very much. Would you like a taste?"

"Yes please."

Holding the chicken in one hand, I tear off a piece of the tender meat with some of the skin and swirl it around in the potatoes. I take Rich's hand from my leg and lift it up. I feel him lightly grasp my wrist and I tell him, "Now bring my other hand to your mouth". I give him my opposite hand holding the morsels of heaven and it feels like it's floating in air until my fingers touch his lips. "Open up," I say playfully. I feel his lips turn up and open. I slip my fingers in his mouth and let him suck the food off.

"Good?"

A groan escapes Rich's throat. "Oh my God, yes! That was delicious." There is movement in the darkness and Rich pulls my arm toward him. I lean forward and feel his hot breath on my neck. "Maybe I could taste you later." I blush and giggle to myself as I pull my hand away and turn back to my dinner.

"How are we doing over here," Leanne asks.

"Great. Could we have dessert to go, please?"

"Yes, of course. Are you both all set with your dinner?"

"I am," says Rich. "Are you, Cecilia?"

"Yes, thank you."

I hear shuffling and someone takes my plate away. I feel Rich's palm on my thigh again and I take his hand as he leads me to my feet. I follow him behind Leanne and she takes us into a very dimly lit room to let our eyes adjust to the light. Rich sits down on the red leather couch and pulls me down next to him. He casually drapes his arm around my shoulders and we kiss a light but affectionate kiss. "How was dinner?"

"It was amazing! Thank you so much for taking me here, Rich."

"Good, I'm glad you enjoyed it. You seem to be a very passionate person, especially when it comes to food so I thought you would appreciate the experience. What would you like to do now?"

I look up at him, taking in his dark skin and warm brown eyes. I can feel his muscled arm resting lightly across my shoulders and I notice how well our bodies fit together. His wide and welcoming smile is so sexy and the words come out of my mouth before I can stop myself. "You," I state simply.

Rich's eyes narrow and his smile broadens, giving me a smolderingly sensual look. "Me what?" he asks playfully.

I bite my lip and look away. "You asked me what I'd like to do now," I say before I turn back to Rich and meet his gaze. "And right now all I would like to do is you."

Rich gives my shoulder a gentle squeeze and looks me up and down, drinking me in. I stand up from the couch and reach down to pull him up. He places his hand in mine and he stands up. We walk to the coat check and get our jackets and pick up our dessert. We leave the restaurant hand in hand and make our way to the car.

Once we are outside of Opaque, Rich grabs my face in his hands and kisses me hard on the mouth. I drop the dessert on the ground and wrap my arms around his neck to pull him in and kiss him back passionately, with lips, teeth, and tongue twisting together. I have to pull away from him to catch my breath. "Maybe we should take this back to my place."

"You read my mind, baby," Rich says with a smile.

We quickly get in the car and drive back to my place, the sexual tension rising with every mile. When we pull off the highway and I see my house in the distance, butterflies swarm in my stomach with anticipation. Rich pulls into my driveway and parks the car. Before he can even get the keys out of the ignition, I jump over the center console and devour his mouth. He pulls me onto his lap and I straddle him, my dress riding up around my waist. He grips my ass with his hands and pulls me down onto his growing cock. I paw at the car door and finally manage to get it open. I practically fall out and flash the neighbors, pulling him behind me towards the front door while I tug down my skirt. I fumble for my keys in my purse but Rich pushes me up against the door and closes his mouth over mine again. I moan with pleasure and try desperately to feel for my keys while Rich's teeth graze my jaw and down my neck. Once I get the keys in my hand, I turn in Rich's arms and jimmy the lock so the door springs open and we fall into the entrance way.

We are a tangle of bodies hot with passion. Rich tries to take of my jacket while I to kick off my heels and my hands work the buttons on his shirt as our lips intertwine. We move into the living room to continue our ravenous undressing but I lose my balance. I land on Rich and we both fall onto the couch laughing, breaking our kiss for the first time since we put the car in park.

Rich pulls my head down to kiss him but I stop him. "Wait. I don't want you to get the wrong idea. I don't usually do this on the second date. But I just...I don't know. There's just something about you and this feels right."

Rich puts a finger on my lips to silence me. "Please Cecelia, you don't have to explain anything. I know what you mean and I feel it too; this connection between us is unreal. But if you want to wait, I respect you for that."

I smile and part my lips to let my tongue dart out to his finger. Rich bites his lip and groans as I flick my tongue over the pad of his finger. "No," I say with confidence as I straddle Rich's lap. "I want you right now, Rich. I need you right now." I pull Rich's face towards me and kiss him. Rich puts his arms around me and stands up from the couch. I cross my legs behind his back and smile through the kiss. "Bedroom. Second floor. Don't trip on Dante. He likes to sleep at the top of the stairs when I'm not home."

We make our way up the staircase slowly, paying close attention not to disturb Dante all while staying interlocked in every physical way possible. Rich cradles my behind in his hands as I run my fingers over the smooth skin of his face and scalp. I am drunk on happiness as we enter the room and Rich drops me down on the bed.

I stare up at Rich, giving myself a moment to take in how he looks right now. He is standing tall and confident, his legs shoulder width apart and arms open at his side. His shirt is half untucked and half unbuttoned, giving him a sexy air of disorder. I can see how big his muscles are; every contour is defined, from his toned abs to pectorals and shoulder; everything is hard and pulsing with need. The top button of his pants is undone and I love how his cock looks inside his trousers, how it is pulling at the fabric to break free. I can feel him doing the same for me: noticing how my contoured legs hang off the bed, seeing my knees parted slightly, how I lean back on my arms with my chest out, my breasts falling out of the top of my dress, my hair off my shoulders and down my back.

I slide myself forward to the edge of the bed and I am at eye level with his cock. I reach out finish unbuttoning and untucking his shirt. I run my hands over his abs, feeling every fiber tense under his chocolate skin. I lift myself up, run my thumbs over his dark nipples and begin kissing him. I start with a passionate kiss on the lips, then move to his cheeks, chin, soft nibbles on the neck, and trail my way down his body with my tongue.

Rich's body is hard with eagerness and when I look up from his lower abs, his eyes are closed, lips parted slightly. I unzip his pants and pull them down, taking a few minutes to tease him through his black Calvin Klein boxer briefs and giving me a better look at his throbbing member. Once I tuck my fingers in the top of his briefs and pull them down, I see the thing I have been dreaming about, and it does not disappoint.

His cock is big in every sense of the word. It is about ten inches long with a girth I can barely fit my hand around. His balls are very hefty, hanging gauntly down under his shaft. Just like Rich himself, his dick gives off a confidence as it stands straight ahead. "Do you like what you see?" Rich asks in the velvet smooth voice that haunts my fantasies. I grab his dick with both hands and start to move them up in down his shaft in twisting, rhythmic motions. He purrs from my touch and when I take the head and whatever else I can fit into my mouth, Rich lets out a barbaric grunt. "Oh my God, yes. I can't tell you how badly I've wanted to feel your mouth on me since the moment I met you." I suck on his cock, using my hands to explore his shaft and balls and see what he likes. By the guttural sounds Rich is making, I don't think I am doing anything displeasing.