Booking Glory-Chapter 87: [Bonus - ]Second Date - Dacey’s POV

Heading into this date, her expectations were not high. Rob had repeatedly snubbed her off twice to take care of other business two days in a row. And his lack of preparedness in the morning was also very evident.

While they had made plans to meet up in the morning, Rob had not given her any fixed time. So, she assumed that he would pick her up at 10. But, when she had called him to confirm that at 9 AM, learning that he was still sleeping was a bitter pill to swallow.

By then, she was already ready and prepared to head out.

Ever since she divorced her ex-husband, her life has been on a downward spiral. The same thing had happened with a few other men she had dated over the years. First, they would reduce spending time with her by citing other businesses, then their interest in hanging out with her would become low, and finally, they would start avoiding her altogether.

She had seen this pattern repeat a couple of times before.

When Rob started exhibiting the same pattern, all the memories that she had buried deep inside her came back like a flood. Anxiously waiting for Rob for that two hours for him to pick her up was the worst she had experienced ever since she moved away from her hometown.

She hadn’t been on a proper date ever since she shifted here. Her concentration had all been on getting her life together and making some sense of the mess it had turned out into. She didn’t have time to waste by going on dates or something similar.

Until that moment, she had thought she had moved past her past experiences and was healing a bit. But, Rob’s actions once more brought up some unwanted memories.

Looking back, she wouldn’t be surprised if Rob decided to ditch her. Her actions have been erratic of late. Ever since that article came out, she just couldn’t get the thought of Rob leaving LWC out of her mind.

There was a reason that the article bothered her that much. Her marriage had gone off rails because of one such incident where her ex-husband had come home one night and announced that he was switching companies out of the blue.

Initially, she hadn’t minded it that much as she didn’t care much about where he worked, as long as he came home to her at the end of the day. But, things started changing once her ex-husband shifted companies. He found a pretty girl there and started having an affair with her behind her back.

That experience had left her with a permanent mental scar. It was like a poisonous whisper that kept telling her that Rob was going to move out of LWC and find another girl in his new company, just like what her ex-husband did.

Moreover, her loyalty to LWC was beyond doubt. The bond that she had with LWC and Mr. Gibson wasn’t something that could be bought out by money or promises. She naturally wanted LWC to do well and knew that Rob was an integral part for that to happen.

Hence, she had been a bit short with him ever since that news came out.

After talking to him today, her worries were gone. If Rob has espoused something righteous like loyalty and shit, she wouldn’t have bought it. She had been in this industry for some time now and she knew that those who spoke righteously are the ones whom you couldn’t trust at all.

Rather, Rob had been frank with her. He had revealed his reasons without batting an eye and they were believable too. Which booker would shift promotions and agree to become a commentator? That was too bad of a deal for anyone. So, it wasn’t surprising that Rob gave it up.

Even after that, when she revealed to him the offer she had gotten from the movie crew, he had initially assumed that she was shifting and was worried about her absence in the company. That wasn’t the attitude of someone who was biding their time to leave.

So, she was confident that Rob didn’t have any plans to shift companies soon. It alleviated a lot of her anxiety, to be honest. From then on, the entire date had been an enjoyable experience for her.

Even that mishap with the pickup’s fuel meter had ended up being a good thing. That walk they had to and fro from the gas station had eased up the slightly built-up tension between them. They had discussed various stuff and she began to realize that Rob’s ideas may not stop with this new way of storytelling.

Hearing him speak about how he would book her if he wanted her to become a crowd favorite from being reviled only made her reaffirm her opinion that he was the best thing to happen to LWC.

She could also feel his passion for the business from the way he got excited every time he spoke about how to change the industry. By the time they returned, she was completely sure that he wouldn’t leave LWC unless someone else offered him a booking gig.

It was nice to hear him speak of his aspirations and how he would go about doing them. The fact that she could somewhat understand his ideas only compounded her attraction to him more. It was nice to have someone who had a vision and was willing to share it with her.

The best part was she could also play a pivotal role in helping him achieve his vision. She hadn’t had such an inclusive opportunity with her previous relationships. The men she had dated had always kept silent about their work around her as if she was some porcelain doll that would break at the mention of hardship.

After spending time with Rob for the past week and getting to know him, she was confident that he too had an interest in her. It was in the way his eyes would light up when he saw her and the small smile that hung on his lips whenever she was talking to him.

It made her feel appreciated. After suffering from insecurity issues for a long time, having someone appreciate her presence in their life made it even better for her.

Later, they traveled to a park and spent some time there chatting with each other under the setting sun. She would have preferred if it was a beach, but a park was a good alternative too.

The pleasant greenery all around them, the clear air, the serene atmosphere, his laughter, and that damn smile that hung on his face when she spoke, all of it made her want to kiss him then and there. But, she restrained knowing that the day was not at an end yet.

They had gone to a movie theatre from there. As she expected, this time picked a horror movie. Well, the joke’s on him. She was an avid horror film fan and she wasn’t afraid of seeing blood on the screen.

The way he fidgeted when he realized that she wasn’t screaming and hugging him like other females typically almost made her laugh. But, she held it in. The pout he had for the entire first half was adorable if she had to be honest.

As much as she would have liked to watch him pout and fidget more, she knew that he would completely forego movie dates if this continued. So, after the intermission, she snuggled into him and took comfort in his presence.

The way his eyes lit up when she snuggled into him alone was worth it. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

It didn’t take long for them both to forget about the movie and start kissing and whispering to each other after that. They spent the rest of the movie cuddling and kissing each other. It was great if she had to say so herself.

His lips were soft, a firm contrast to his rugged facial features. Due to his young age, it wasn’t that apparent how ruggedly handsome he was. She figured that by the time he turned 30, his face would mature a bit more and that ruggedness would become more prominent.

Yet another thing that surprised her about Rob was his patience. Unlike the other 21-year-olds, he was patient to wait for her to make the first move. He didn’t obsess over kissing her or feeling her up. He patiently waited for her to initiate contact. And she appreciated it.

Heading into this relationship, one of her biggest worries was the age gap between them. She remembered how her ex-husband used to be when they were in their early twenties. He was constantly horny and always wanted to have some form of physical contact.

Not that she minded it at that age. She was also in her early twenties at that time. And she ate up all the attention he lavished on her body. That was until he found an even younger girl. After that, she hadn’t been comfortable with having too much physical contact at the initial stages.

Luckily, Rob didn’t seem to mind her reserved nature. But, it didn’t mean he didn’t thirst after her body. She had caught him looking in her direction whenever he thought she wasn’t looking. The sheer amount of want in those eyes always made her feel giddy.

The way his eyes would light up when she initiated contact was also a good indicator of how much he wanted her. The way his eyes would rove over her assets sometimes was also a pretty good indicator of his interest in her.

Especially, when he would playfully say the words "My Goddess", it always sent a jolt of pleasure into her loins whenever she heard it. So, she was pretty sure that he was interested in her physically at least.

What made her impressed with him was his persistent patience with her despite his interest in her body. He had never stepped a single toe out of line in the past ten days since they started seeing each other frequently. That must take an enormous amount of willpower.

The only time he had been a little forward with her was when they met with his friend Brent. She had been initially shocked when he had put his arm around her hips and held on to it in a possessive manner.

Despite her shock, she didn’t object to it because of how good it felt. Rob’s hand around her waist didn’t feel restrictive. It felt comforting to her. And possessiveness in his manners also made her feel a little giddy. Too bad he didn’t hold on to her waist once they boarded the taxi.

While she rolled her eyes at the dick measuring he did with his friend, she would admit to herself that it had felt good that he used her to posture. In a way, it made her feel more appreciated than he could ever realize.

All women yearned for their men to take pride in them. And him showing her off to his friend in that manner only showed how proud he was of going out with her. It made her happy in a way few things did.

To someone who had suffered from insecurity all her life, someone being proud to go out on a date with her was quite the ego boost. And the way his eyes had narrowed while talking about her poster in his friend’s room almost made her chuckle. She could feel his possessiveness over her already in that gesture.

Normally, such possessive behavior would turn her off. But, the thing with Rob was that his possessive behavior didn’t arouse any disgust or anger in her. His behavior seemed natural and somehow adorable. Never once had she felt uncomfortable when he touched her body. It only made her feel appreciated, to be honest.

"I had a great time today," Dacey said looking at Rob as they both came out of the theatre. "Thank you, Rob."

It was already nearing 9 PM at this time and she knew that it was time to part ways with Rob. She had so far enjoyed the day she spent with Rob more than she thought she would at first.

She could feel his reluctance to part with her in the way he still held her hands. Reaching out, she pecked him on his cheeks and looked at him in the eyes. When their eyes met, she felt a strange attraction as they held their gaze.

Unknowing to her, her body moved close to him and her breath began to come a little faster. Right now, they were both standing outside of the theatre, gazing into each other’s eyes and the urge to kiss him only increased with each passing second.

"Man, this film was such a bore. How dumb could those idiots be? Each and every one of those dumb idiots always split up from the group and ended up getting killed. Why can’t those morons stay with the group?" a loud voice disrupted their gazing, causing her to startle and move back in a hurry.

Realizing that she was almost close to making out with him right in the public, she blushed and looked away from him. She could hear Rob’s groan quite clearly and couldn’t help but smile at that.

"Yeah, how come all these people end up doing the same mistake?" another voice asked as the crowd moved past them.

"That’s because they want to keep you blockheads occupied with violence, you idiot," she heard Rob mutter angrily and chuckled.

Hearing her chuckle, Rob turned and smiled at her a bit awkwardly.

"Don’t mind them," she patted his hands consolingly. "Why don’t you go and bring your pickup over? I will wait by the gate," she said smiling slightly, and took her hand out of his causing him to look at the crowd in the distance sullenly.

"Go on..." she urged him trying hard to stifle the giggle that was coming out.

Rob let out a sigh and nodded. Dacey watched him go with a small smile on her face. She was already missing the warmth his body gave her. Tucking the hair that had fallen off behind her ears, Dacey made her way to the gate to wait for him.

The ride home was relatively serene. While they didn’t talk much, Dacey could feel a kind of comfort sitting there beside him in his pickup. Once upon a time, her life had been about such moments entirely. Now, it was rare to have this kind of comfort these days.

She looked out the window and saw the passing lights. Her mind traveled back to her parents, especially her father. She had taken for granted these kinds of quiet moments when she was a kid. Now that she was an adult and had gone through a bit of shit life could throw at a person, she was missing those simple days.

Her relationship with her parents wasn’t on good terms anymore. They didn’t approve of the idea of her marrying, divorcing, moving out, or even starting a wrestling career.

To them, she was a big disappointment these days. Thanksgiving dinners were really not comfortable ones now. Veiled insults, disapproving looks, and irritating tuts were the norm these days.

She was still in her own mind when Rob stopped the pickup in front of her home. Coming out of her mind, she gave him a chaste kiss and got out. Turning to look at him from outside, she felt a kind of calm come over her.

"Rob, thank you for today," she said sincerely looking into his eyes. "I really liked what we did today. I wouldn’t mind doing it again."

She saw Rob’s eyes light up when she said that. A genuine smile hung on his lips as he nodded happily. Seeing that smile, butterflies emerged in her stomach and made her feel a little flushed.

Not wanting him to see her embarrass herself, she hurriedly turned around and walked to her door. Halfway there, she heard his car door shut and footsteps followed after her.

Turning to look at him in confusion, she saw him hurrying to catch up to her. She raised her eyebrows and waited for him to explain himself.

"Ummmm, sorry, but I just wanted to ask if you have any plans for dinner?" Rob asked a little hesitantly.

"No, I was planning to cook in my house," she said not thinking much about it.

"Then, how about you invite me over? I would love to eat something you cooked," he said eagerly.

Dacey paused as her mind caught up to what he was actually getting at. Her face flushed and she chuckled internally. This was a good way to get her to invite him into her house.

It was good to see him acting his age for once. Looking at him mischievously, Dacey didn’t reply. She simply turned around and opened her door. Stepping in, she looked at Rob.

Rob eagerly came towards the door, only for her to stop him at the doorstep by pressing her hand against his chest.

"Not today, Rob. Maybe, next time," she said mischievously and tried to close the door.

"How about I buy you dinner? Come on..." Rob pleaded not allowing her to close the door.

"If you behave, I will let you buy me dinner next time," Dacey chuckled and closed the door causing Rob to grumble.

She waited beside the door and heard him grumble a bit. Eventually, his footsteps started moving away. For a second, a part of her wanted to open the door and invite him in.

But, she knew full well that inviting him for dinner wouldn’t just end there. She was not ready to go the distance with him yet. It had only been ten days since they started dating. She felt it was too soon for it.

She controlled her urges and moved to the window. She watched him forlornly get into his pickup and drive away. She chuckled seeing him act like that. At that moment, she felt like she was a teenager again.

Dacey shook her head with a soft smile and moved away from the window. She started humming an old song and skipped into the kitchen to make her dinner.

*****

A/N: Hey folks!

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