Arnett: wanna meet me before we head over?
Me: of course. What sort of a person happily walks into a stranger's party?
Arnett: I mean I'd probably be ok with that!
Me: and you are a very special kind of person. You gonna pick me up?
Arnett: I will indeed. See you about 8? x
Me: perfect! x
He was in fact a little early and insisted on seeing my place. It wasn't anything like his amazing house. I'd bought the apartment a few years ago when I had to spend more time in LA, it wasn't where I had planned to spend most of my time or where I'd imagined settling, but then I made friends and living with my housemate, Jess, made everything easier.
"It's cute" his gravelly voice made it almost sound sincere.
"Cute?" I questioned.
"Yeah." He smiled and wrapped his arms around my waist. "Like you" he winked before pulling me close for a kiss. We were stopped my Jess coughing to announce she was there.
"Sorry to interrupt" she raised an eyebrow.
"You must be Jess," Will let me go and headed over shaking her hand and kissing her cheek. "I've heard lots about you" he smiled that dashing grin.
"Same" she said, as dry as anything. "You kids off out?" She sat at the counter of our kitchen.
"Yeah, it's Will's friend's birthday thing"
"My pal Chappy is turning 40+5"
"What?" Jess asked.
"Well he's never really been around to celebrate his 40th like with work and shit, so it's a fortieth, but a few years too late" he clarified.
"God your friends are old" she teased.
"Yeah, I mean, I'm old" he added looking soppy.
"You're perfect" I stroked his cheek with my thumb and kissed him quickly. "I've seen pictures of you like 15 years ago, and you got way hotter in your 40s" I smiled.
"Yeah? Is that all I am to you? Good looks?" He joked.
"Pretty much" I bit back and he chuckled. "Come on we'd better get going." I gathered my bag and coat and we headed for the door.
Jess: he's even hotter irl! Have fun tonight. I don't want to see you back until tomorrow! Xx
At the party Will took control, he knew I was a little nervous but he held my hand and walked us confidently into the bar. He found Mark and introduced us handing over a gift before asking if I wanted a drink.
"What do you fancy?" He asked "wine or something better?"
"I'm happy with a Diet Coke" I looked up at him.
"Don't be silly - we're out! Don't you worry about me, I'm a big boy who's been sober a good while. What'll it be?"
"Tequila and coke?"
"Good girl" he growled and I felt a little weak.
He ordered a soda and we set off with him introducing me to all of his friends.
If I'm honest it was a little overwhelming. I mean I knew some of the people already, so that wasn't too bad but it was a lot. We'd only really had like two dates and I was basically meeting half of his life in a friendship group!
"You ok?" He asked as we found a quieter corner.
"Yeah fine" I lied "you?"
"Bullshit! What's up?" He span so I was pinned a little to the wall behind me, his arm leaning on the wall by my head.
"Do you introduce a lot of girls to your friends?" I asked looking up at those blue-green eyes.
"Not recently. No. Why?"
"No reason, just you were very quick to bring me here, it's only been a few weeks."
"Ouch!" He grabbed his chest playfully "I brought you here cos I thought you'd get along with my friends, because I like hanging out with you, and because I've missed you when I've not been able to be with to you" he traced his fingers down my side and pulled my waist close to him "yeah a few years ago I hit bottom and I fucked about a bit with too many girls I guess. But I've not dated anyone for months. I resided to saying life was easier without someone else, I could just look after me and the kids, but I wasn't happy. Then Amy gets talking about this girl she's shooting with, who is fucking awesome, and hot as sin and that she thinks the two of us would hit it off." I tried to talk but he kissed along my jaw and down my neck. "I feel like I've been talking about you for months, not a few dates. And then when I met you I felt like my heart fucking stopped and I had the best night and couldn't wait to do it again. I couldn't wait for you to meet my friends, to spend more time with you" he looked me in the eye. "So, no - I don't bring lots of chicks to meet my friends, and it may only be a few dates but it sure as shit doesn't feel like it."
I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him, pulling him close. "You know all the right things to say" I smiled.
"Course I fucking do. Right, we're gonna dance and you're gonna have another couple of drinks and then I'm gonna make an excuse to take you home because after all - this is date three" he leant and growled in my ear "and I've waited long enough to get you into bed!"
