Big & Beautiful 13: Ample & Alluring

I still didn’t talk to Vicki by Friday night. She was out with Hunter so I didn’t worry about her when Wyatt showed up to pick me up.

Jeez, the man just got more attractive every time I saw him. Dark jeans with black boots, a gray sweater with a black jacket. And that sexy smile that made me want to kiss him.

He was potent.

“Hey,” he said, his eyes twinkling. “You look great.”

I raised my eyebrows. “I thought this wasn’t a real date. Why are you complimenting me?”

Wyatt laughed. “You’re going to keep me in line, aren’t you?”

I nodded. “Absolutely, Mayor Ramsey.”

He leaned in close, his minty breath warming my cold cheeks. “Well, Dr. Peyton, you look great. I’m not going to refrain from complimenting a beautiful woman just because this isn’t a real date.”

I smiled at him, knowing he was going to test me. Just being with him was already making me enjoy the holidays. And we weren’t even doing anything holiday related.

“In that case, thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Are you ready?”

I nodded and followed him to his black SUV. He opened the door for me, prompting another lift of my eyebrows and a laugh from him, then jogged around the front to climb in next to me.

“I figured I need to feed you first, but then we have something fun planned for later.”

“Should I be worried?” I asked, knowing he wasn’t going to tell me anything.

He smirked. “Always.”

We laughed and slipped into an easy conversation as he drove to dinner. When he stopped at Kobe, I got nervous.

“This place is really expensive.”

He looked at me and grinned. “First, I’m paying. This is my treat. Second, I like it here. It’s one of the places I like to go during the holidays. They decorate the entire place and it’s amazing. I really hope you’ll join me.”

The conviction in his voice took me by surprise. He wasn’t trying to impress me with his money. He was showing me something he loved about Christmas. Following our deal.

“I’m not sure I’m dressed right for this,” I said, gesturing to my black leggings and oversized sweater dress. It was comfortable without being too casual, but it wasn’t Kobe appropriate.

“You look beautiful. Didn’t we already cover that?” he teased.

I rolled my eyes. “Fine. When I walk in there with you, no one’s going to notice me anyway. Our hot mayor will capture the attention of all the women, and the men.”

“Dr. Peyton, are you flirting with me?”

I laughed and shook my head. “Just get your sexy ass inside, Mayor Ramsey.”

“Ooh. I’m not only hot, but I have a sexy ass. This date just gets better and better.”

“I’m happy to help your ego.”

Wyatt opened the door for me to go inside ahead of him. “Having you out with me is enough of an ego boost, Peyton. But I won’t tell you to stop with the compliments.”

We followed the hostess to the table past all the intricate chandeliers and elaborate table settings. My eyes were drawn to the massive Christmas tree in the center of the room. White lights blinked at us, allowing the red and green ornaments and ribbons to be the main attraction. I had to admit, it was stunning.

The hostess chatted easily with Wyatt, as though they knew each other, while I tried to keep my eyes on them instead of the tree. I couldn’t help but wonder if he’d dated her at some point, or slept with her, but Wyatt didn’t seem the type to shit where he ate. It made me think he really did love the restaurant.

Of course, then she grinned at me without a hint of jealousy and I knew that was exactly the case.

“How often do you come here?” I asked when the hostess was gone.

He shrugged. “Probably once a week.”

“Damn. I should have gone into public service instead of becoming a doctor.”

Wyatt laughed. “There are a few perks, but expensive dinners aren’t one of them. I live very modestly. I like food though.”

“Me, too. But it shows a little more on me.”

“Didn’t I already say you’re beautiful?” he teased, again.

“You did. Thank you. Twice. I’m not fishing for compliments.”

“I was starting to wonder. But I’ll hand them out as much as you’d like.”

“Well, thank you.”

I broke eye contact and looked at the menu. Really, I just needed a minute to remind myself that Wyatt was a friend and that he was being nice, not hitting on me. I had a tendency to cross that line when I had male friends. Especially when they were as attractive as Wyatt. I knew my figure wasn’t what it should be. Not from a being attractive standpoint, but from a healthy standpoint. I was a doctor. I knew I needed to lose weight. But salads didn’t appeal to me as much as the thick steak with burgundy glaze and a side of garlic mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables that I was trying not to drool over on the menu. I loved food. I loved bad food. And I didn’t exercise enough. But I enjoyed life. And I figured that was the best I could do.

“Are you up for some wine tonight?” Wyatt asked when I set my menu down.

“Definitely. Do you like red or white?”

“Usually red with a steak. What are you getting for dinner?”

“Steak.”

His eyes sparkled. “Good. I was afraid you were going to try to eat a salad or something like that.”

“I don’t think I could sit here with the scent of steak all around me and not eat one. My mouth is already watering and I haven’t even ordered.”

Wyatt laughed. “I feel the same way.”

The waitress came over and took our orders. She promised she’d be right back with the wine. She obviously knew Wyatt, too, but she didn’t seem as friendly to me as the hostess.

“I think she has a crush on you,” I teased when she left.

Wyatt nodded. “I know. I’ve tried to ignore it, but she’s persistent. If she’s rude to you, please let me know.”

I shook my head, a little surprised he brought me somewhere knowing the waitress had a thing for him. It made me wonder if he was trying to scare her off or trying to show me he was wanted. “She’ll be fine. I know how to deal with women.”

“How did you get into your job?”

“I went to college. Then medical school. Then a residency program,” I said slowly, as though he were truly asking that stupid of a question.

“Alright, smart ass. You know what I mean. Why did you choose fertility?”

I didn’t want to tell him the whole story, but I could share part of it with him. The only person who knew the whole story was Matt. My ex and now patient. Or patient’s husband. That was one drunken confession I always wished I could take back, and one lesson I learned the hard way.

Don’t get into deep discussions after you’ve been drinking.

“I always wanted to help people. Being a doctor was the epitome of that in my mind. Dedicating my life to the care of others. When I was in med school, I really enjoyed my ob/gyn rotations. I decided that was what I wanted to go into. I worked in an office for a few years, but quickly moved over to the fertility side. I realized those women were the ones I had a real passion for helping.”

“That’s really admirable. I would think it would be tough to be surrounded by so much pain all the time.”

I nodded. “The sad times are hard, but the happy ones make up for it. When a woman finds out she’s pregnant after six years of trying. Or a husband hears the heartbeat for the first time. Or a family comes in for a consultation only to find out they’re already expecting. Those are the times when it’s all worth it.”

“That’s pretty amazing. You don’t really think about the good times. Or I never did. The good times definitely make the bad times easier to handle.”

“You sound like you’re speaking from experience,” I said. I realized I didn’t know much about Wyatt. Just that he was the mayor. And liked candy cane cupcakes.

“I’ll share my sob story another day. I think we all have our bad times and the good times that make them better.”

“True,” I admitted, wondering about the glimpse of depth I got from Wyatt. There was definitely a lot more to him, and I wouldn’t mind learning about some of it.

“If you weren’t a doctor, what would you be?” he asked.

I laughed. “I wanted to be a firefighter when I was growing up.”

“Seriously?”

I nodded. “Absolutely. I thought it was the coolest job out there. The big, red truck. The gear.”

“The cute guys?”

“When I got older that was something to consider. It always seemed like such a great job.”

“What changed your mind?”

“The whole running into burning buildings thing. I wasn’t so sure about that.”

Wyatt laughed and sipped his wine. The waitress dropped off our steaks, smiling broadly at Wyatt and glaring at me. I leveled her with my own look that had her running back to the kitchen.

“You put her in her place,” he said with a snicker, his eyes focused on only me.

I shrugged. “If she’s not going to take the hint from you, she might as well get it from me. Of course, when you come in here next week alone, she’ll be all over you again.”

“Probably. But for tonight, I can enjoy my steak without a side of way-too-young-for-me.”

“She’s not that young. Early twenties?”

Wyatt nodded. “I’m almost twice her age.”

I thought about it for a minute. “Damn. I am, too.”

“How old are you?”

“I thought you weren’t supposed to ask a woman how old she was or how much she weighed.”

“I figure I can ask since you said I’m hot.”

I laughed. “You’re not going to let that go, are you?”

He shook his head. “Never.”

“Fine. I’m thirty-seven. And you?”

“Forty-one.”

“Damn, you really might be twice her age. At least she’s legal.”

“We think,” he said.

“God, I hope.”

We dug into our dinners with gusto. My steak was perfectly cooked and the glaze gave it just enough of a sauce to make the steak even more juicy and delicious. Wyatt reached over and stole a bite of my garlic mashed potatoes and offered me some of his sweet potato.

“Should we be this comfortable with each other?” I asked, feeling oddly relaxed with him.

He shrugged. “We’re friends. The rules of dating don’t apply to us.”

“Works for me. I hope whatever you have planned after this involves a couch and no movement. I don’t think I’m going to be able to do anything when I finish this dinner.”

Wyatt groaned. “I know. I always tell myself I’ll take half my food home but never do.”

“Steak isn’t as good warmed up the next day.”

“No, it isn’t. But sorry, no couches are in our immediate future.”

I patted my belly. “Glad I wore my stretchy pants then.”

Wyatt laughed. “I should have done that.”

“Oh, please. You probably burn all this off in an hour.”

Wyatt chuckled. “If I tried hard enough. You know what the best exercise is?”

“Dear, God, if you say sex I’m throwing my vegetables at you.”

He laughed harder. “I was going to say walking, but sex works, too. Something tells me you hear that answer a lot.”

“I work with women’s reproductive health. Some of their husbands think they’re funny when they tell me they burn more calories than they take in. I really love it when they try to give me tips about what positions are the most aerobic.”

“As long as they don’t offer to show you, I think you’re safe.”

“Ha! None of them have been that stupid yet. Their wives are always in the room. God help the one who propositions me.”

“I think you can handle yourself. Any man who says the wrong thing to you will definitely regret it.”

“Yes, he will.”

Wyatt paid for our dinner, even though I offered, and helped me into my coat. He guided me out of the restaurant with a hand low on my back. “The waitress is watching us,” he whispered in my ear as we walked.

I leaned into him, gazing up at him with a look I hoped was convincing enough to get her to back off for at least a couple weeks.

He smiled at me. “Remind me not to mess with you.”

“Ah, Mayor Ramsey, you’re safe. For now.”

He held the door for me leaving the restaurant and again at his SUV. When he got in, I asked, “Where are we going?”

“You really like being the one in control, don’t you?”

“I am always in control. Except in the kitchen. You’ll quickly learn that I am not skilled when it comes to anything in the kitchen.”

“Really? That surprises me.”

“Why?” I challenged. “Because I’m a woman?”

Wyatt snorted. “Not even a little. Because you’re so determined. And you said you like food. It fits that you would not only want to cook but also enjoy it. The creation of food, like the creation of life, is half art and half skill.”

“I don’t know that the creation of life is half art or skill. I think it’s more science and faith.”

“Are you saying you can’t get pregnant if you don’t believe?”

“It definitely makes things harder when the couple has doubts. Mindset matters when you’re talking about getting something inside to work.”

“That’s interesting. I never would have thought about that.”

“Have you ever wanted something really bad? Something you thought was out of reach?”

“Of course.”

“Did you tell yourself it was never going to happen, or did you boost your own confidence with expressions and good thoughts? Maybe even prayer if you’re into that.”

“Definitely the latter.”

“It’s the same thing when someone is trying to get pregnant. I tell them to believe it’ll work every time. If it doesn’t, it’s painful, but it’s painful whether they believe it’ll work or not. It isn’t easier to not get pregnant just because they were prepared for it.”

Wyatt nodded. “True. Whenever we don’t get what we want, it sucks. No matter what.”

“Exactly. And I’m thinking right now is one of those moments for me.”