It was a nice car, handled well, he could drive a little faster than he would have (with her in the car) and one couldn't
feel it. Also helped the speedometer was in miles, not kilometers, so she'd have a little less of a clue. Not that she
was in danger from his driving, but it was always amazing to him the little things people would freak out about.
Andi watched his hand shift gears and glanced absently at the dash. It was - a very smooth car. Tommy had good
taste. You didn't get to drive things like this in the middle of a desert. Or even in London for that matter. It was the
kind of car that needed long stretches of empty road and no speed limit. Since she was day dreaming anyway...
She glanced out the windshield. Watching the scenery sliding past.
"So where are going?" She asked. Though the tone of voice said she wouldn't have minded just driving, possibly
forever.
"Next town over. I know a little Italian place." He said with a grin and glanced over at her. "I think you charmed him."
Not that he was hard to charm. "Might be able to get the car again, as long as we don't desecrate it." He said with a
chuckle.
"I don't know, once the guys leave tomorrow," since Tommy already said they were coming over. And it would be
good to see friends again like that. Just to mess around with and goof off. Weren't many friends he had that were like
that. "Might be able to sneak out of town on the bike. Or at least fast enough that no one can catch up."
"Yeah?" Her eyes lit up when she asked it. The way they did whenever she wasn't expecting something and he gave
it to her anyway. Then her face softened and she reached over to gently tuck his hair behind his ear. "I'm feeling
very spoiled." She admitted softly. "And I feel a bit guilty about it but I'm enjoying it far too much to protest." She
leaned over and lightly kissed his cheek. "I do love you."
"Good, don't complain." He said with a grin. "I like spoiling. Gives me something to do, or I'd be bored. And when I get
bored, well, the whole neighborhood will have new roofs soon." He reluctantly turned his eyes back to the road as he
entered another town and navigated the streets and roads until he pulled into a parking lot.
"Mm." She hummed her comment and her eyes laughed. "Yet another reason for the neighborhood to want to get rid
of me." But - it made her feel warm in her chest, deep inside. That Hector wanted to when he truly didn't have to at
all. Than she made a pleased sound as he pulled into a parking lot. Because the restaurant in front of them was
perfect. It reminded her of Italy with its metal wrought tables and chairs outside on the patio to the striped awnings
and the flowering bushes it had climbing along its railings and one of its white washed walls.
"It's perfect." She announced, delighted as she got out of the car and she turned to wind her arms around his
shoulders. Almost as eye level thanks to the heels and that was saying something. "Just perfect." She repeated
softer with the smile still as bright before shifting forward to kiss him.
"You haven't even seen the food yet." He said with a chuckle. That was his private mission, spoiling her included
getting more than a few really good meals into her. He led her inside, where he wasn't as well known as he was in his
own town, but recognized with a smile and given a quiet table. That, and it was a quiet night.
Andi looked around as they were led to the table. It was a nice quiet restaurant. Or at least a nice quiet night and she
appreciated that. The inside, in contrast to the monochrome and bright color of outside was golden. Soft lighting and
warmly polished wood and rich wine colors. A soft, unconscious pleased sound escaped her as they were seated and
given their menus. It was more than just the visuals. This place felt welcoming and warm. She could see why Hector
had chosen it and she gave him a soft smile.
"Very nice." She agreed softly. "Though I won't believe you on the food until I know whether you left the tabasco
bottle at home or not." She added as the smile spread and then asked: "So how did you find this place?"
"I swear, no tabasco sauce." He said with a chuckle as he looked the menu over, deciding what to order. "At least,
not on me. It’s a southern delicacy and I'm sure they have it in the back on request."
"I stumbled upon this place when I was in high school, just got my license, went out for a joyride in my Grandfather's
Caddy, and then got hungry twenty minutes after pulling out of the driveway." He said with a laugh. "So I pulled up to
the first joint I saw that was open, and wallah. Fan for life."
Andi's quiet laughter came easily and she smiled at him over the menu. Enjoying the sound of his laughter, the way
he looked, and the stories of his 'adventures' here.
"Well, it’s not McDonalds." She teased about his comment in the airport in France, eyes sparkling. "But if you come
here that often I can hope for something just as good." She glanced down at the menu, looking for what she was
hoping to find.
"There used to be a small old Italian woman that lived one flat down from my Grandda. She had a key to the
apartment after I moved in and she would stop by randomly to keep an eye on him while I was out. Somehow... she
always knew when my day was going to be particularly long and winding because she'd show up just as I got home
with a plate of something warm and wonderful. Apparently she always cooked 'too much for just herself' on days like
that." She grinned at Hector. "She was forever threatening to introduce me to her grandson who lived in Tuscany.
Last I heard she'd moved in with him there in fact. So I suppose I should have married him. If she was the one
cooking dinner for us every night."
"Sounds good, except I bet she can't make gumbo." He said with good humor, though that thought bothered him
deep down, just like that thought of an anonymous Swiss banker. Some things were just too hard to shake, he
supposed, though it wasn't due to lack of faith in her.
Just he knew from experience how persistent men could be. He was after all, and at the end of the day, he had won
the race so far. Of course he hadn't been running a race against anyone, not really.
"The lasagna is good, they give you very big portions. Sometimes I even feel full leaving here."
"Then that should make two and a half meals for me." She teased, setting aside the menu. Almost unconsciously,
she slipped her hand under his on the table, turning hers palm upward so she could rest her fingertips against him.
"And no," she admitted with a fond smile, "Mary couldn't make gumpo. I would have been chained to a gumpo-less
life. Which would have been a monumental tragedy. And that's even before I call into account freckle counting, kisses
that sometimes taste like tabasco, driving a friend's sports car over the speed limit and roof repairs." Her eyes warm
and laughing at the same time met his.
"The roof was your idea." He said with a chuckle, playing with her palm with his fingertips. The waitress came over
and Hector, without taking his eyes off Andi, ordered pasta and a Pepsi. He liked the way the golden lights played off
the highlights in her hair, catching sparks in her eyes.
"You know, you're beautiful." He said with a soft smile, the waitress forgotten for a time as she decided what she
wanted.
His touch had been sending pleasant ribbons of shivery heat and pleasure through her already but now everything
about her seemed to soften somehow even more as even her eyes changed over his last sentence. He thought she
was beautiful...
Her own fingers curved slightly, brushing soft over the pad of his palm.
"I'm only half a second away from coming over there and settling in your lap." She warned softly. And completely
serious.
The waitress, waiting as patiently as humanly possible, raised an eyebrow, catching that comment. "I'm about a half
second away from curling up on his lap." She quipped. "It looks like such a nice lap, and who knows how long I'm
going to be here." The middle aged woman winked at Hector at her comment as she got her pen ready, sure this
would at least give her the order, then she'd be more than happy to leave the two alone for a bit.
Though the woman sitting across from the man certainly had good taste in laps.
Andi laughed quietly and looked over at the waitress.
"It is." She agreed. "A very nice lap." Hand still against Hector's she stood up. "But I'm sorry for keeping you. The
stuffed shells and water? Please?" She gave the woman a smile as she moved past. Knowing dealing with flighty
customers probably wasn't one of the highlights of her night but she'd been very nice about it. And then she was
looking down at Hector and forgetting everyone else in the room and possibly the world as she slipped sideways into
his lap.
"Sorry." She apologized softly. "It wasn't quite half a second after all."
He chuckled and wrapped his arms around her as she slid into his lap. "I think the poor waitress is going to ignore us
for the rest of the night." He said as the waitress moved away to put their orders through. "But between the two of
you, I'd much rather have you on my lap. Planning on spending the rest of the evening here? I wouldn't mind."
"Considering we've both ordered food that requires a bit of attention to keep on our forks that could be a challenge."
She warned with a smile. Eyes softening as she gently slipped the backs of her fingers down his cheek. Leaning
forward she rested her forehead against his.
"You make me so happy." She sighed, a whisper. "I'd forgotten what that felt like."
"Then the big challenge is to forget what it doesn't feel like." He said. "Besides, I like challenges." Both the possibility
of eating without wearing the food, and making her forget what it felt like not to be happy.
The restaurant was a family run operation, and the waitress had her husband, the head chef, by the swinging door of
the kitchen, pointing and smiling at the couple.
She hummed her laughter and relaxed in his arms. Right where she was supposed to be. And more - the only place
she wanted to be. Ever. It was quite possibly the only time they'd ever had together that one or the other of them
hadn't had a deadline they had to leave by. Oh, there was a deadline. This couldn't last forever. But - that end was
dim and off in the distance right now.
"You're going to make me insufferable." She laughed quietly.
"Promise?" He asked with a chuckle. "Everyone needs a life mission, right? Guess that's as good of one that I've
found so far."
The waitress cleared her throat when she came back with the drinks and salads. "You're right. He does look comfy."
"I think I might abandon chairs all together." Andi agreed with a soft laugh. Though she hadn't missed Hector calling it
a 'life' mission. It sent something strong and steady deep into her heart.
"Just take your time." The waitress said with a smile and a wink and then headed off to the next table. She'd seen
young love come in here before. Just - not like this. It was strange to feel included whenever you got in range of
those two instead of the usual exclusion couples in love seemed to emanate.
Andi arched her slim eyebrows at Hector and gave him a soft kiss.
"Are you sure you want to try eating with me here?" She asked with a crooked smile.
"Actually it’s the safest place." He said, dark eyes laughing. "Not like whatever I drop is going to land on me after all."
Not the way she was sitting! "Besides, we're not in a rush. I don't have some lieutenant screaming that I've got thirty
seconds to eat, and no one's bringing in any one sick to take care of, so...let's just....linger."
"Mm." She pressed a light kiss to his jaw. "I like that." She tapped his chest lightly with a finger and added: "Though if
we ruin this dress, Suz is going to kill us both."
"Dry cleaners. There's the solution." Hector said with a grin. "Though, then again, we might have to steal a table cloth
when we leave, can't have anything as damning as tomato sauce in Tommy's car. Or maybe we should just ask for
one?"
She chuckled.
"Asking would insure you were allowed to come back here sometime." She agreed with a grin. Automatically crossing
her legs as she reached across the table for her own fork, which was still on her 'side'. "And I was wondering what
exactly would be considered 'desecration' of Tommy's car. I don't know that I'm charming enough to make up for
tomato stains. So be careful." She warned, touching his nose lightly with her own. Far from worried. "Because I'm not
wearing a table cloth out of here."
"Between Suzette and Tommy, you've got me convinced." He said with a chuckle. "If nothing else, if those two
decided to somehow join up forces, the world would be doomed. Damn, does that mean you have to sit in your chair?
Or are we postponing dinner for a while? After all, we should let it cool and everything."
Andi hummed her laughter as she looked down at the salad.
"We could let it cool." She agreed, eyes laughing. "Though we might get into trouble in the meantime. Trying to find
something to do while we waited and all of that." She slid her fingers gently down the lapel of his jacket, edge of her
lips quirking. "Or I could just put one of the cloth napkins in my lap and we could promise not to make each other
laugh too hard while we're eating."
"I am a very neat eater." He said with a laugh and proceeded to spear the leafs of his salad and eat it. "See? Nothing
on the sacred dress. Though if you did get something on it, I guess I could drive you home in your underwear. The
neighbors would LOVE that."
"Well, depending on the neighbor - " she agreed with a quiet laugh. "Though Tommy would definitely let you take the
car out again. Of course," she pressed a soft kiss to his temple and, voice lower and against his skin, murmured:
"You're assuming I'm wearing underwear."
He looked at her in jolted surprise for a moment then grinned. "Well, damn, might make a mess after all." He said.
"You just hit upon one of the most distracting things you can say to a man. The others are the big game is on, and
whoa did you see that Corvette?"