Aubreys Playground

:Three:

The three-floor lounge on the corner in Hell's Kitchen served as the perfect night out for any celebration, there was no better way to celebrate anything than over an amazing plate of food and an expensive bottle of wine. It was the Kitchen of New York City delivering every sweet and savory dish between every country you could think of. Adjacent from the theater district it was usually filled with late-night crowds of Broadway and musical junkies coming to fill themselves up after late-night shows. A Friday night served to be busier than usual, but in the city what was usual. Everything was busy, every night of the week.

"That loft had been sitting on the table for damn near two years," Lori said while picking up her wine glass.

"Well duh, that's because nobody wants to live next to the damn Hudson River in the winter! It's already cold but you get next to it and feel that wind coming up off that water! Girl, heat bill be through the roof! s**t, you start rethinking some things! f**k around and end up in Harlem living in a walk-in closet. It's small, but the heat fill the whole room!"

Lori covered her mouth laughing. "You do have a point!"

A waiter stepped over with a welcoming smile, he slightly leaned over one arm bent in front of him the other at his side. "How is everything ladies?

"Oh, it's perfect! Thank you so much!" Janet said. Lori nodded in agreement due to her mouth being full of food.

"If you ladies need anything please don't hesitate to let me know."

"Of course, thank you... uh? One thing?" Lori held up her index finger. "What time does this restaurant close? There were two different times and I was a little confused... I noticed people were starting to leave."

"Ahh Yes, the restaurant stays open till 12, the first floor stays open till 3 am, which is why there are two different times. First floor 3 am, second-floor Midnight." He said with a smile.

Lori chuckled waving herself off. "Duh, That makes total sense now... sorry."

He smiled still showing a perfect set of white teeth. "No worries, you ladies have plenty of time, don't rush."

The wine gradually became less and less in the bottle, several plates of food for their personal indulgence. Lori and Janet's conversations had gone from one end of the spectrum to the other, full of laughter and rolling of the eyes, teasing one another back and forth. The people in the restaurant had grown scarce, besides four other couples spaced throughout the fancy setting finishing up their own date nights or possible business accomplishments.

"We gotta get out of here," Lori said waving their waiter over towards them. He crossed the room and stood beside the table. "Can we get the check?"

"It's been handled." He simply said.

"I'm sorry? What?" Lori replied back. Janet frowned and looked around the large restaurant.

"Mr. Graham. He handled it."

"Mr. Graham?... Au... Aubrey Graham?"

"Yes, he owns the building. Would you like me to go get him?"

Lori blinked several times trying her best to understand the current situation, either she had too much wine or Janet was right. "He's here?" She asked pointing her index finger down on the table.

The waiter laughed and nodded as he cleared off the table. "Well, yeah."

Janet smiled, Lori had gone mute unable to get her words out let alone together. "Yes, get him please, we'd like to thank him."

"Of course."

Janet quickly grabbed her purse from the empty chair next to them and pulled her car keys from it. "I am getting out of here! I'm getting up and by the time he gets here I'll be gone!" She grabbed her coat and stood up, rushing to shove her arms through the sleeves. "You are going to sit here and wait for him! Then you are going to get to know him!"

"Janet, don't you dare! You can not leave me!" Lori hissed through her teeth as she watched her best friend and business partner rushing to abandon her.

"Yes, the hell I can! You are going to sit here across from him until this place closes! Goodbye!" She said grabbing her take-home containers filled with leftover food and headed towards the door of the restaurant.

"Janet!" She quietly yelled, trying not to draw any attention to herself. "I can't believe that heffa really left me!" She mumbled to herself. She grew red with anxiety covering her face as she rested her elbow on the table.

"Your friend left you?" Lori jumped at the sound of his voice. He smiled noticing her sudden reflex. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."

Lori forced a small laugh to lighten the mood, shutting her eyes to gather her thoughts, her hand on her chest, she shook her head. "No, I'm fine. You didn't scare me."

"You sure?" He asked walking around the table to take the seat that Janet once occupied. Lori admired his suit, a different one this time from the one he had on a few days go when they had their run-in. Somehow she found herself turned on just by the way he moved, the way he filled out a suit was heavenly, it was almost a talent, a God-given one. He pulled the chair out and unbuttoned his suit jacket then sat down. He leaned back comfortably crossing one leg over the over leaving enough room for what occupied the space between his leg.

"I can pay for this meal."

"I didn't say you couldn't."

"Yeah... but, you comped it."

"Because I wanted to."

"I really want to pay for it."

"It's too late." A blanket of silence covered Lori, she sighed in defeat, yet slightly smiled as she leaned back in her chair folding her arms across her chest. Aubrey glared at her from across the table clearly locked and loaded for whatever she had for him next.

"Well, since I can't pay for my meal. I do want to thank you for the blouse. It was an amazing gesture, wasn't expecting it."

"Never a problem. I ruined something so I wanted to make sure I replaced it." He replied looking her directly in her light hazel eyes, the dim lighting forced them to be darker than he knew they were, the whole scattered conversation he never broke eye contact with her. It was easy for a woman to grow nervous or intimidated by his presence, he placed his left arm on the table and pressed the pads of his middle finger and thumb together and lightly rubbed them in a subtle circle motion. "I see you drink."

She looked down at his hand, his wrist covered by a hefty name-brand watch, she looked at his finger which she assumed to be a simple habit he could have had, yet she couldn't pull her eyes away from his fingers. "A little."

"Preference?"

"Wine." Her eyes still on his moving fingers.

"Color?"

"Red." She quickly answered.

He smirked. "Taste?"

"Sweet."

"Like you." He whispered to himself. He stopped the subtle circular motion of his middle finger and thumb. Aubrey grinned at how easily she was distracted, hypnotized by small simple gestures. She blinked multiple times and smiled putting her attention back on his face, she grew hot in embarrassment of how shy she was acting around him for absolutely no reason. "Please excuse me, I'm going to grab something for you."

"Oh, ummm.. ok?" She fumbled over her words watching him get up and walk across the room, he was so smooth it was like he floated, every stride was even, almost calculated. She looked around the restaurant realizing it was now empty, only bussers left walking around cleaning up tables, placing used dishes in large black tubs for easy carrying, waiters picked up leftover checks and physical tips left on the tables.

Aubrey appeared with two full bottles of wine in each hand. He set them both on the table and pulled the metal casing from around each lid. She watched him with a frown, pulling the wine opener from his pocket to pull the crock out the tops. "These two are my favorite red wines. Both imported from Italy. He informed her as he poured the first glass. It was a deep crimson, she had never seen a wine so rich in color, it almost looked like blood as it filled the glass. He pressed two fingers at the base of the glass and slid it across the table in front of her. She grabbed the glass and pulled it to her face, first smelling the liquid. He watched her tilt the glass forward, a sip of the contents fall into her mouth. His jaw twitched at the sight of her trying to figure out the flavor.

"Oh, ok so this is a Port... it's a fruit... Uh... cherries?..." Lori said dissecting the wine.

"Correct." Aubrey stood up to begin opening the next bottle. "It's Dolcetto. On a five and six scale. It pairs best with dark chocolate desserts. I've discovered you can get away with drinking it while eating a seafood-based pasta, excluding Alfredo." Lori shifted in her seat she let out a low breath as she listened and watched him, aside from only knowing his name and what he did for a living she now knew how badly she wanted for him to lay her across the table and have his way with her, she frowned having no idea wine talk could get her as wet as it did.

"So you're a wine expert as well." It was less of a question and more of a statement.

Aubrey pulled the cork from the bottle and placed it on the table, he smiled, smoothed the front of his shirt then sat back down, he let the open bottle breathe before pouring it. Instead, he pushed her glass of half melt ice water towards her. "Drink, clear your pallet." He advised her. She chuckled and grabbed the glass taking a sip to wash the sweet wine aftertaste from her mouth. "I own a string of very successful business that carries a wide selection of wines... and other liquors so it's imperative that I know all aspects of what I'm involved in, even the little things." He eyed her, still refusing to break contact with her. "About three times a year I take a trip to Italy to visit The Old Frascati Vineyard to check on the process."

"I bet it's gorgeous..."

"You're more than invited to find out on your own." He paused staring at her for several seconds, she easily grew speechless not knowing how to reply to his sudden invitation, instead, she nervously looked around the restaurant, as if there was something to see. He grabbed the second bottle and began pouring the liquid into a clean glass, this time it was a lighter red, transparent. He set the bottle down and pressed his fringes to the base of the glass and slid it across to her. She grabbed it and swirled it around the inside walls then finally took a sip.

"Uh... I don't know? Maybe a Malbec or Merlot." She squinted her eyes and took another sip. "Uh... like... hmm I don't know... like a plum or a peach flavor?"

He smirked. "Take another sip of water." Lori laughed but did as she was instructed. She grabbed the glass taking down a hefty amount of water. Aubrey admired how easily she listened, how easily she trusted his advice. He clicked his teeth behind his closed lips as she watched her, wanting to see just how much she listened, he added a tiny test for his own amusement. "Take another sip." He instructed to her, Lori paused she eyed him for a split second but did exactly what he asked, he smiled, but that smile came from ill intentions, she did exactly what he said and took exactly a sip. She placed the glass back on the table. "Try it now." She pressed her lips to the rim of the glass and took in the wine once more, she sat silently thinking to herself dissecting the flavors once more. Her eyes widened in slight excitement.

"It's peach! Yeah, peach!" She finally replied, he smiled at her confidence.

"Correct. It's a Malbec, a three and four scale, perfect with cream-filled desserts. It doesn't pair well with any heavy foods, pastas or meats. Do you like them?"

"I do. I'm surprised I'm usually very picky about wine so thank you for getting me to try something new."

"Of course, new things can be good things. You can take them home if you'd like."

"Oh, no no..." She said leaning back and pulling the napkin she had forgotten was still in her lap and placing it on the table shaking her head. "I have gotten enough... gifts from you... the shirt alone was waaaaay more than enough."

"Those weren't gifts. The shirt was me replacing something I damaged, these wines. No. I can show you what gifts are, though." He said, his voice calm almost to a low growl, it was enticing, the way he said it made her shift in her seat again, she swallowed the thick lump of emotions in her throat and forced a playful smile letting out a small giggle to break the intimidation she was feeling from the awkward silence.

"Thank you for the wine and the dinner obviously." She finally said.

Aubrey smiled and nodded his head, he stood up and began walking around to her side of the table. He pulled her chair out helping her stand up. "How are you getting home? You're friend left you."

She rolled her eyes remembering Janet's actions, she'd surely give her a mouth full of cuss words tomorrow when she speaks to her. Aubrey picked up her long coat that draped over the top of her chair and opened it helping her put it on. "Yeah I know and to my luck, I rode with her this time." Lori shook her head as she slid her arms through the sleeves. "I'll order an Uber, no big deal."

"No." He simply said. "I'll have my driver take you home."

"No! No!"

"Lori." He stooped her. The first time she heard him say her name and it sounded like pure s*x to her. "My driver will take you home." She was silent, she couldn't speak, she was so stuck on him and the way her name dripped from his bottom lip, how close he was, the way he smelled and just how good that smell smelled on him, the way he towered over her as he helped her with her coat, how masculine he was. All she could do was shake her head up and down as she looked him in the eyes.