Looking down I spotted the sauce covered dish. It was simple. Just boiled spaghetti noodles served al dente with tofu-balls covered with a tomato puree, with a little luck I could have cooked it. I took a bite from the bitalian dish trying my best not to slurp the noodle that didn't quite make it into my mouth. It dangled from my lips tickling my chin.
"Your so cute when your being messy, Darling," said the silky voice of my date.
Looking up I saw that the white unicorn was wearing the same expression my mother used to give me when I was little. The look that just screamed, let my clean you up sweetie. With a quick, "Slurp!" I sucked the offending object into my muzzle and swallowed. Still wearing the ridiculous look I watched her as a napkin floated my way cloaked in her blue magical aura. Flashing her a smile, I reached out and snatched the napkin and wiped my chin. Stealing from her the chance at such an intimate gesture. Her lips drew into a pout,
"You don't give a lady a chance to treat you like the gentlecolt you are."
"Nope, I'm not going to give you the chance my lady," I teased.
The waiter interrupted us to refill our glasses. She looked at the red liquid in her glass with a greedy glint in her eyes. Looking down to my own I couldn't help but entertain a similar thought as I raised the fluted glass to my lips to take a sip. Swishing the wine around in my mouth I delighted in the faint flavors of black cherries and plums. As I sat my glass down I noticed that Rarity had already set her's down and had taken another bite of her dish.
"How do you like the wine?'
"Oh, it is just marvelous! I didn't know expect you to have such a fine taste in wine. It is a merlot is it not?"
Shooting her a coy simile I couldn't help but tease her,
"Yes, it is." After waiting for few moments I added,
"I don't know weather to be insulted or flattered about your off hooved comment on my tastes."
Squirming in her seat she gave me a faint almost apologetic smile,
"I didn't mean to insinuate that you were uncultured or anything of that nature. You just don't strike me as the type that would be a connoisseur."
Laying my chin on my hooves I watched her take another sip of her wine. I could tell she savored the flavor. After she sat the glass down, I let out a small giggle. Perking up she had to ask,
"What so funny?"
"Nothing really, I was just thinking how scandalous you are; saying a prench world like, connoisseur in a bitalian restaurant."
She let out a courtly laugh at my joke. I would be lying if I said I didn't like her because I do. She wasn't like any mare I have ever dated before. She wasn't even like any of my friends. Rarity was an aristocratic kind of lady without the pomp that usually accompanied those used to the finer things in life. My friend Flitter could be as cultured as Rarity but she had a tendency to push the envelop too far.
After dinner I escorted the mare to her home which was also her workplace. Carousel Boutique as it was named was a interesting building. At one time it was an actually working carousel that foals of all ages enjoyed riding but years of disrepair had cause the town to condemn the property. Just when they were about to bulldoze the eye sore; Rarity and her parents bought the property. The breathed new life into it and they removed the innards making it into the grand building it is today.
Rarity stood there in just a step away from her front door. The light of the waxing gibbous danced across her ivory coat its light was also throwing delicate shadows across her face. Her mane seemed to glow as if it had a light of its own. Looking in her eyes I watched her well practiced act melt away. She wasn't Rarity the esteemed fashion designer. She wasn't Rarity barer of the Element of Generosity. She wasn't even Rarity the mare. Her eyes looked like the eyes of a filly a moment before her first kiss, full of hopes and dreams. I couldn't not kiss her goodnight.
Leaning in I brushed her mane aside and gently placed my hoof under her jaw pulling her lips towards mine. I watched as her eyes closed in anticipation. Her hot breath washed over my muzzle and tickled my face. She smelled faintly of lilac. Inching forward I planted my lips on hers as I closed my own eyes. It was warm and comforting. I had expected that she would be forward and I patiently awaited for her tongue to bush my lips as if it was asking for permission, but it never did. Her heart sounded like a jack hammer beneath her breast. The kiss broke and I heard her take a breath as if I had left her breathless. Well maybe I had because I had to take a breath myself.
I noticed that she hadn't yet opened her eyes. Focusing on her relaxed facial features I realized that I hadn't removed my hoof from her jaw so I pulled back and set it on the ground. She shuttered as she came back from where ever she had gone opening her eyes, first one and then the other. Her soft beauty had caused a warmth to flow into my face. I knew I was blushing but that didn't matter because she was blushing too.
We smiled at each other and then I leaned forward to give her a hug. Urging my wings to wrap her in a feathery embrace I could tell they were angry at me. I had focused so much time and energy trying to keep them tame that now they weren't obeying me at all. I still managed to get them around her. We broke the hug and said our goodbyes.
She turned to her door and went in leaving me to fly home. Just before I took off I thought I heard a faint fillish squee come from somewhere inside her house. It was a welcomed sound. It had made the night worthwhile knowing that I had made her so happy. I just hoped I could keep it up.