At First Sight

Champagne & Cappaccino

Two days later Sara stabbed at her salad as she listened to Meredith's rant about Derek. Apparently he had called her, begging for her to come home to him. Sara nodded her head a few times and munched on her leafy meal. Looking like she was listening was far more important than acting like she wasn't. As her tirade came to an end, silence fell between them as Meredith began tucking into her cooling lunch.

"So," she slid a full fork into her mouth before pulling it free minus its load. "Where did you go the other night?" She smiled, eyes widening with anticipation. Sara wiped her smile with a napkin and rested it back on her lap.

"Home," her smile let on more than she liked and she busily stuffed more food into her mouth to hide it.

"Alone?" her friend teased, leaning forward on the table, sipping a glass of water. Sara briefly caught her gaze but dropped her eyes quickly as she recalled that night, beaming from ear to ear. "You weren't alone were you?" Meredith deduced.

Sara coughed and they both laughed. "How about you?" Sara tried desperately to change the subject, resting her fork on a now empty plate. Meredith sat back in her chair and pulled a grimaced face, sighing.

"He wasn't Derek," she said forlornly, resting her fork on its plate too, suddenly not hungry. Sara reached a hand across the table and took her friends hand in hers. Meredith looked into her eyes and fought back burning tears that threatened to roll down her cheeks.

"Call him. Let him explain," Sara have suggested, half ordered. Meredith's face flashed with "what ifs" that Sara could clearly see. Sara handed her a tissue from her bag and she wiped her eyes, sniffing slightly to clear her voice and nose. "Trust me, I'm a doctor," she joked finally and they both chuckled out loud.

Meredith gave her a smile of thanks before resuming her meal before her. Without taking her eyes from her meal she asked, "Was he good?" before showing Sara a jovial grin. Sara shot her a look of annoyance but remained silent. The sound of a man clearing his throat at her 2 o'clock made Sara look, here body reacting instantly to his sight.

She continued to glare into his beautiful eyes across the restaurant, blushing under his ocean deep stare. He sat with his legs crossed over one another, his powerful frame resting lazily in the chair. A folded newspaper was held in one hand and a half empty cappuccino sat in front of him. A blue shirt complimented his beige suit, and a neatly completed tie rested languidly on his chest.

Without taking his eyes from hers her motioned for the waiter. The man scurried towards him and asked him for his order. Sara watched as he motioned for the waiter to come closer, whispering into his ear and pointing a finger towards Sara. The waiter's head whipped around to follow his finger and Sara gasped as she swung her head back around.

Her heart pounded in her chest and her cheeks flushed with pink. Meredith looked up from her meal and frowned. "Are you ok Sara?" she asked but before she could answer the waiter came up beside her and placed a pair of fine crystal champagne glasses before them.

"From the gentlemen over there," his flat hand extended in Michael's direction. Meredith and Sara both looked towards him. He smiled at them, raised his cappuccino mug in a toast and pressed it to his lips, his eyes never leaving Sara's over the rim of the beverage. Again, she tingled all over and could feel his eyes on her as she turned back to thank the waiter.

Meredith gasped in delight and toasted Michael back with her champagne. He smiled at her friendly before returning to his newspaper, slyly keeping an eye on Sara over its rolled edges. Her smile was divine, gracing her features in a heavenly manner.

"How wonderful!" Meredith expressed, taking a sip of the bubbly liquid. "Mmmmm," her eyes closed in pleasure. "This is good," she pointed to the glass in her hand. "You must try some," she picked up Sara's glass and handed it to her. Sara placed the glass back on the soft, white tablecloth and excused herself from the conversation, smiling at her friend in reassurance as she made her way to the back of the restaurant.

Michael watched her go, taking another long drink from his mug. Sara was heading towards the back of the restaurant when he placed his newspaper flat on the table and rose himself. He smoothed his tie to his abdomen, holding it there as he made his way through the crowded tables towards the toilets.

Sara burst through the doors into the empty toilet foyer. To her left was a pink door with a skirted stickman decorating a brass fixture. To her right was a blue door, the stickman on that one simply addressing the world seemingly naked. The heavy door behind her creaked open and Sara smelt his masculine scent on the gust of blown in air.

"Dr. Tancredi," he addressed her, his voice deep and full of happiness. She turned to him with a seductive smile.

"Michael," she took a step towards him, lunging into his arms for a kiss. His arms encircled her as their eyes closed and their lips met. It was long and romantic and there was no tension from either one of them. She tasted sweet in his mouth, a perfect compliment to his cappuccino tang. Michael's eyes fluttered open and he sucked in a welcome breath through gritted teeth. Sara smiled up at him, loving the way she made him feel.

Michael's hands ran down her arms and took hers in his. She gripped at his fingers as he ran his thumbs over her knuckles. "Come out with me," he asked her "Tonight".

"Are you asking me on a date?" she enquired, finding the whole situation a little humorous. He laughed a husky laugh back at her.

"I know we are doing this all in the wrong order," he beamed. Sara nodded a smile to him. She wasn't going to disagree there. "But I want to get to know you more" Sara placed her hand over her mouth to hide her wry smile. He cocked his head at her reaction and asked her, "What?"

"You've seen me naked Michael," she told him without humiliation. Michael smirked as images flashed before his eyes. Images that were imprinted on his mind and invaded his every dream.

"True," he agreed with a laugh. "Shall we say I'll pick you up at 8?" he released her hands from his grip, reaching to pull down the door handle behind them.

Sara wrapped her arms around herself, not knowing what to do with her now cooler hands. She nodded as he pulled the door open where bustling kitchen sounds filled the tiny lobby. "At 8," she repeated with a smile. He flashed her one more toothy grin before letting the door close behind him, leaving her feeling warm from his touch and melted by his charm.