Mate Bound

I like being a doctor, but it's taken a lot of time. Time other women might have used to date, get married and have babies. I sometimes think I should have used my time like that, too. Instead of long nights studying there would have been long nights with a lot better memories. I'd like to have wasted just one night studying, have just one crazy memory. I didn't succumb and now at 28 it seems like every relationship is about whether or not you are marriage material.

Not that I had a lot of relationships period. My family was small and distant. Working so hard to become a physician hadn't left much time for anything else. I'd moved around a lot for school, residency, and now to a new town for this job. I had a few friends, but they were hardly what I'd call close. Desperate was the word I'd use to describe how I felt about meeting someone.

When the perky drug rep, Katie, started in about how cute and smart her friend was, I listened to her. Blonde, tall, runs his own business, the image screamed dateable and it has been so long. I couldn't believe I was going on a blind date. As I pulled my pickup into the fancy steakhouse, Luna Ferus, I was relieved to at least be trying.

It was Sunday so I'd had time to prepare for this date. I'd taken my long blonde hair out of its usually boring ponytail and curled it cute. I tried to accentuate my green eyes and even had something that might pass for lipstick on.

I'm not bad to look at 5'8 with a size C chest and an ample ass. I spent enough time running the stairs at the hospital I trained at I had become proud of my legs. So to be honest, I was showing them off too. I was wearing the one skirt I owned, a hip hugging black number with a slit up the side of my thigh. I tried not to go overboard with the slutty and choose a tasteful red sleeveless number. In deference to the cold I also threw on a thin black sweater.

I had twirled a couple times in the mirror to make sure the colors didn't wash me out too much. I'm pale to start with and by the middle of winter I start to look a little too delicate. I was satisfied with my appearance though. Not too china doll, not too fuck me; just right to get a man's attention.

My date had arrived before I did and had already been seated. The restaurant was known for its service and style. It was a maze of several smaller dining rooms to give the illusion of a quaint eatery. As I followed the hostess to one of the back dining rooms I noticed most of them were empty, most be off season. I was surprised by the large party of men seated adjacent to our table. Only one other couple dotted the wall of the small dining room.

"Elizabeth," my date said, as I arrived, "so nice to meet you!" he had risen and was leaning forward to grab my hand.

His palm was cool against mine and a little damp. Katie had been right about him. Blonde and tall, but I got the impression he put more time into his hair than I had. He also had the strangest, most perfect tan. I assumed that came from the inside of a lighted box.

"Jeff, thank you so much for the invitation. I've always wondered about this place. Everyone speaks so highly of it." I used my hands to gesture to the surrounding walls. I really did not want to continue holding that hand when we sat down across from one another.