Tanner and Esme

Chapter 28 (Tanner): Disney Songs

I managed to keep my mouth shut until we took Jude and Liora from the car, played with them on the apartment swings, had a quick snack, brushed their teeth, did bath time, read to them and put them to bed.

Hard to do, but I forced myself to keep it light and focused on the children. Esme seemed normal, as if she hadn't just dropped that dating bomb and then run for cover by immediately playing some Disney songs and singing along with Jude to them, while Liora added in the occasional squeal. I love Jude and Liora, so I was good with whatever made them happy, but I wouldn't be opposed to some heavy metal band writing even a few children's songs. Something that didn't make my ears bleed with fucking happy happy happiness. 

Especially when I wanted to corner Ez. In a lot of ways.

I came out of Liora's room about the same time Esme came out of Jude's room.

"Only eight-thirty and they're both down," she said, so cheerfully that I knew she was avoiding a certain subject as she brushed past me.

I grinned at her ass hurrying away from me and followed her into the living room at a more leisurely pace. She'd walked into the kitchen and was busy getting herself a drink of water. Leaning over the counter, I caught her eye.

"Let's talk about what you said, Ez."

"I said a lot of things tonight. You're going to need to be more specific."

Absolutely.

"The answer to your question is no, not all of our dates are going to be as dramatic as tonight. But that's because," I said as I rounded the end of the counter and walked toward her, "tonight wasn't a date, Ez. It was the four of us going out as a family, for pizza. That is not a date, Ez."

Stopping right in front of her, I made sure I had her attention, and I put my hands on either side of her on the counter. No escaping, no spilled milk this time to save you.

"When I take you on a date, it's going to just be the two of us. I love our children, but they aren't conducive to the kinds of dates I'm going to have with you. They're family time and craziness and that has its own special place in our lives. But our date is going to begin when I call you and ask you out for a specific time and place. And when you say yes, the next step will be me picking you up for our date, and we're both going to be dressed a bit nicer -- you'll still smell just as delicious, though, as you do right now -- and we're going to eat at someplace a lot nicer than the place we were tonight, and there's not going to be one fucking Disney song playing."

I definitely had her attention as I got just a little closer to her.

"Then we're going to sit across from each other at a table with an actual tablecloth you can't draw on and not a damn crayon in sight. You're going to have a glass of wine, and I'm going to watch your lips on that wine glass and think about your lips being on mine. We're going to talk until the waiter comes to take our order and get just a little annoyed that he broke into our little bubble. We'll order, he'll leave and we'll jump right back into the conversation. We're learning all sorts of things about each other. And once again, we're going to forget where we are because we're so wrapped up in each other, talking laughing, wanting -- until the waiter brings us our entrees."

I leaned forward, my lips next to her ear. "We're going to eat slowly because our conversation is that good. I'm going to feed you bites from my plate that I think you'll like, and you'll offer some to me from your meal. And every time you put your lips on your wineglass, I'm going to get so fucking jealous of that damn glass, wishing you were leaving your lipstick on my lips. What color are you wearing, Ez?"

"Red," she said unhesitatingly. 

Maybe we were both thinking about the time she'd come out for a wedding we were going to, and she was wearing red lipstick. I never even made it to the dress she was wearing because I'd gotten stuck on her lush red lips, so I pushed her up against the wall until I was wearing more lipstick than she was by the end of that kiss.

"So after watching your gorgeous red lips all night, we'll order coffee and dessert, something chocolate and decadent, just the way you like, and we'll share it, but you'll get more of it because we're still busy talking. And, honestly, I can't be bothered to eat any because I'm just enjoying the hell out of watching your eyes close and hearing your soft moans with every fucking bite."

"You know how much I like chocolate," she murmured.

"We'll force ourselves to leave once we realize we're almost the last people in the place. You'll let me hold your hand in the car as I drive you home, walk you to your door and kiss you like I wanted to all night."

Leaning back from her, I liked that she looked a little flustered.

"That's the way I want to date you, Esme. That's how our date should go."

She nibbled at her bottom lip for a second. "I don't know that I'm ready to date you exclusively," she said.

"You don't have to. I'll be exclusive," I said. "You can date whoever you want. Just know, Ez, that I'm going to do my best to make it so you don't want to date anyone but me pretty damn quick."

"That's pretty presumptuous of you," she said.

"No, just hopeful," I said honestly. Hated that she'd date other men, but it had to be her choice, on her time, with no pressure from me. I was just grateful to be on the rotation. With luck, that'd be out the fucking window soon.

We said good night, and as I walked out of her place and hurried to my car, I told Siri to call Esme.

"Tanner?" she asked, no doubt confused since I'd left her less than thirty seconds before.

"Hi, Esme," I said. "I was wondering if you're free this Friday by any chance because I'd love to take you to dinner at Donatello's."

Her breath caught at that. It was a newer restaurant getting five-star reviews and had a long waiting list. Fortunately, I knew the owner -- the father of one of my team members, and I'd helped him secure a loan he needed, and he'd promised to give me a table any time I wanted.

"Well," she said and I could hear the playfulness in her tone, "I don't know if I can get a sitter."

"I already have it covered," I assured her. I hadn't cleared it with mom yet, but knowing I had a date with Ez? She'd check herself out of the hospital five hours after open heart surgery to watch the children if she had to in order to ensure the date happened.

"Pretty presumptuous of you," she said.

"No, just hopeful," I corrected, wanting to laugh at her teasing. "Can I pick you up at seven thirty, Esme?"

She didn't answer for a minute, and I wasn't entirely sure if it was because she was playing with me or because she still didn't know how she felt about dating me. Either one was a distinct possibility, but I was hoping it was because she was yanking my chain.

"Yes," she said after a minute.

"Then I'll see you Friday at seven thirty," I said. "And Esme? I'm looking forward to it like you wouldn't believe."

"Tanner," she said then stopped.

"What is it, Ez?"

"I'm looking forward to it, too."

She hung up, maybe shy.

"Good night, sweetheart," I whispered even though she wasn't on the line.

I drove home humming fucking Disney songs because I was feeling happy happy happiness.