Chapter Two -- I don't want to taint you.
Colette June Emerson's Point of View
"You trust him?" Scarlett frowns at me, and I bite my lips as I think about Louis.
"I don't trust him, of course, because I don't know him quite well, but today, I get to know him, not just those lingering glances and silent moments. He seems so amazing and I want to get to know all of him." I ramble and Scarlett grins and wiggles her eyebrow "All of him, eh."
I flush and flip her off "Why does everything have to be a sexual innuendo, to you?" I look through my closet, trying to find the perfect dress.
"Where is he taking you to?" Scarlett asks and I look at her. Scarlett and I have been friends for the longest time, we grew up together, and I always wonder if she was named after her dark red hair, but none of that matters, because she is the best friend I have ever had, she is practically my sister.
"I don't know. Do you think it will be weird to call and ask?" I whisper and she shakes her head "Better safe than sorry. Imagine turning up to a night out in a romper."
I smile and call him, he picks almost immediately and my breathe hitches at the depth of his voice, he is masculine in every way possible.
"Hi, June." He says and I swoon, Scarlett shoves me lightly and I awaken "Hi, Louis. Are you having a nice day?" I ask and he responds "I am. Are you?" "Yes, I - where are we going?" I blurt and there is a pause, I wonder if I messed this up.
"I have a reservation at a restaurant." He says, telling me the name of the restaurant and I smile, relieved, then remember something "You said you live in Queens, right? Can I stop by your apartment? My best friend will drop me off in her car, or I can just wait at the restaurant." I suggest. I have trust issues, and I would like to make sure I am not setting myself up for failure or worse, heartbreak, and you can tell a lot about a person by their apartment.
"Alright, I will text you the details and see you soon."
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I'm in a beautiful corset top, and formal pants, I prefer to dress elegantly and at the core, it is a weapon, I prefer to be detached. "Text me, loser." Scarlett calls as she drives off and I smile and turn to Louis, who is standing before me, dressed in a button-down shirt and brown slacks.
"Hi." I say, a little breathless and he smiles at me "Hi, Colette, you look wonderful." He compliments and I flush, and gesture to his attire "You look really nice too."
"Do you want to come in? I need to grab my keys and we will be on our way." He asks and I nod. We take the elevator and walk into his Condo, it is big, clean and wonderful, I like clean and masculine men. I gasp when I catch a glimpse of something, I walk forward and find myself in his library, where there are so many books, old and new, more old books than new.
"I see you found my treasure." I hear and I turn to see him leaning against the wall, watching me with an amused expression "You have so much books."
"I do." He nods and suddenly there is a thunder strike and I frown as heavy rain starts pouring, I walk to the window and glance outside, to see the rain falling heavily, out of the blue. "One second." I excuse myself and walk to the living space to make sure Scarlett got back to her apartment safely, and she has.
"So, the - the rain." Louis speaks and I nod, the rain. There is no way we are driving out in this rain, I could never risk it, and I'm not in such hurry to leave, he has a nice apartment, but this is supposed to be a date.
"I know this is not what you were expecting and I am so sorry that this is ruining our plans, but I can make you something wonderful, I'm a really good cook, or so I've been told." He grins and I chuckle, walking to him.
"I can help, chop the onions, or something. Unlike you, I am not a very good cook." I shrug and he nods, staring at my face like he is trying to memorize it, he has dark clouds in his eyes, like he has gone through something he does not want to talk about and I want to know everything about him, I want him to know everything about me, this is the first time I am willing to be all in for a man I don't even know, I feel insane.
"You don't have to, you are dressed so amazingly and I don't want to taint you." He points out and I shrug "I don't mind getting dirty, but you are right. I do think it is rude to do nothing while you toil away in the kitchen." I frown, the rain does not look like it is stopping anytime soon.
"I could give you some of my clothes, maybe a sweat pant and a tee, if you don't mind." He suggests and I nod. He leads me to his bedroom, asks me to take whatever I need, then he walks back to the living room.
I'm not a person who snoops, so I pick out a simple tee and black sweat pant, I frown when I see a picture in the pocket, he must have forgotten it in there, I pull it out and stare at it, at an exact replica of a man that looks exactly like Louis, dressed as a German soldier, with some other people, except it can't be him, because this picture has a date written on it -- 1940.
I put the picture between one of the books and I walk out, trying to shake off the bad feeling I have.