Part One, Chapter 5

Same as Part One, Chapter 4.

Chapter 5:

I escorted Rosemary out front, where my car had been parked at some point prior. It was a 1978 Pontiac Firebird with a golden sheen, silver and bronze stripes along the sides and down the hood, as well as whitewall tires. My taste in cars was yet another trait I had gotten from my dad, but I considered it more of a blessing than a curse. I gently opened the door for my date and after she got situated, I entered the driver's seat and put the car in gear.

The drive towards the restaurant I intended for us to eat at took about twelve minutes, extended bit due to the wait for a valet spot. Along the way, "Take Good Care Of My Baby" by Bobby Vee played on the radio.

"Er, Junior? I, uh... this song kinda' makes me uncomfortable," Rosemary said awkwardly.

I remained silent for a moment, taking in the lyrics as I then recalled what she had told me about her past. I immediately realized what exactly she was referring to.

"Okay, no problem," I replied.

I ended up switching to another station, one that was currently playing The Carpenters' "We've Only Just Begun", an oddly fitting song for this very moment. Eventually, we pulled up at an Italian restaurant in the town square by the name of Vicciotelli's, a must-go for anyone who was new to the area. As with every other restaurant in town, my connection to the richest family around had earned me a reserved table and the privilege to skip the line. And this especially came in handy tonight, given how the line was wrapping around the block.

"Welp, here we are," I said as I watched the valet driver take my car away. "The finest eatery in all of Kicksburg. It's where I learned from the best."

"You know the chef here?" Rosemary asked.

"Yup, he's my grandfather. Not only is he the chef, but also the owner. He currently lives over in Florence, but he manages this business from overseas and occasionally drops by for a visit," I explained. "Now c'mon, I got the best table reserved for us."

---

The table in question was located near the back of the dining area. It wasn't too far from the window into the kitchen, allowing us to take in the delightful scents of food that wafted through it. But the thing I liked most about this table was the large framed photograph on the wall right next to it, showcasing my mother's side of the family.

"I see your point." Rosemary looked around the place as I helped her into her chair. "I take it one of those women is your mother? I see they both have your hair."

"Yeah, she's the one with the green eyes." I nodded. "Though I'm surprised they haven't hung up any of her wedding photos in here yet, let alone pictures of me or my sister."

That night's meal went by without a hitch. We shared a salad and some fresh, made-to-order focaccia rolls, before Rosemary and I ordered carbonara and lasagna respectively; the latter was topped with marinara, pesto, and alfredo in order to resemble the Italian flag. Capping off the meal was a gelato sundae alongside a few complimentary mint-chocolates that came with the check.

---

Following the saccharine dessert course, we took a stroll over towards the park in the center of Kicksburg, holding hands all the while. Seeing how the sun had already gone down, every last tree in the vicinity was aglow with holiday lights that were never taken down, and the fountain in the center was lit up as well. On the side of the park opposite to us, we could make out a stage that had been set up, where the local teen band had booked a gig. After briefly looking at each other, Rosemary and I quickened our pace and headed over to get a closer look.

Tonight, it seemed that the band had taken up a retro soul-revue style, complete with gelled-up widow's peak hairdos and matching shark-skin suits, as well as flashy Vegas-esque lighting on the backdrop behind them. Right after we arrived, they started to play a cover of "Tell Her About It" by Billy Joel, complete with full-band choreography that matched the upbeat, old-school style. Everyone in the audience immediately started to dance, with most of them pairing up, and Rosemary and I decided to do the same. For some reason I just couldn't explain, I couldn't bring myself to feel nervous about dancing with a partner for the first time in my entire life. The two of us ended up having an absolute blast as we danced there, stepping in unison to match the tempo of the current song.

"Alright, folks! That'll be a wrap for tonight! Good night, Kicksburg!" the lead singer crooned as the playlist wrapped up.

As the staff began to clean up after the show, Rosemary and I made our way back to the fountain and sat down, catching our breaths after having danced for such a long time.

"Y'know, I don't think I've ever had so much fun in such a short time before," Rosemary commented.

"Really?" I asked.

"Yes, really. Before I made my way here, just about every day was evenly spent working and goofing off. I hardly remember a day where I was allowed to not work," Rosemary explained. "So, uh, thanks for that."

"No problem." I smiled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"It's not just that, though," Rosemary continued, nervously running a hand along her opposite arm. "See, I... I dunno how else to put this, but it's like ever since we met at the beginning of the summer, I... I've fallen head over heels for you."

"Well what if I told you I've been feeling the same way?" I asked in response, my smile widening uncontrollably.

"You... you have?" Rosemary's eyes widened.

"Yeah. In fact, I'd say it happened the exact moment I laid eyes on you." I rubbed the back of my hand as my date's cheeks flushed. "Look, I might as well just say it. I love you."

"D'aww..." Rosemary cooed. "I love you too."

Before I knew it, the two of us were leaning in and locking lips as tightly as we possibly could. My memory of what happened between our brief exchange and that very moment remains fuzzy to this day, but all I know is that I wasn't complaining one bit.

---

I don't know if it was the amount of wine we had with dinner or what, but the two of us just couldn't stop making physical contact for the rest of our outing, whether it be a mere brush of a hand against an arm, or a follow-up to our initial kiss. I was able to calm down a bit as I drove us home and locked us inside the manor. My heart rate had finally reverted to a normal level by the time we parted ways and went to our respective bedrooms. I hurriedly stripped off my formal wear until I was in nothing but my undershirt and boxers, before lazily tossing my outer garments aside as they landed just outside the hamper. I then collapsed backwards onto the king-sized bed and let my mind wander for a while, thinking over everything that had led up to this point in time... that is until the sound of screaming abruptly shattered the silence.

"Aagh! Junior! Come quick!" Rosemary's panicked cries rang out.

"I'm coming!" I shouted back.

Not wasting another moment, I bolted up from my bed and hurried towards the guest room she was staying in. As was the case with the other guest rooms, it had a layout much like my master suite, though it was far less personalized. The only thing this one had over the others was the aforementioned large window, allowing for the entry of natural light.

Opening the door, I found a situation that certainly didn't call for yelling, but I wasn't even mad about having been lied to. Instead I just stood there in awe at the sight before me. Rosemary was sitting up on the side of the bed, leaning back a bit as her slightly-parted legs swayed slightly. Her hair was free from her bandana for once, and her golden cross necklace glinted on the nightstand beneath the glow of the lamp. As for her body, it was covered in nothing but a lacy gray lingerie set, consisting of a half-cup bra, a garter-belt, thigh-high stockings and crotch-less panties. It was all worn under a loose-fitting minidress, made entirely of transparent silk in the same color.

As I took in her beauty, Rosemary remained silent, one end of her mouth curling up even tighter with time as she seductively gazed at me, her inner thighs looking noticeably shiny. My tongue was tied as my eyes popped out in both shock and arousal.

~ ~ ~ End of Part One ~ ~ ~