"It's a good night for a drive-in," her mom said.

"I know," Chris said. "I can't believe how nice it was out today."

"You even got some sun," she said. As soon as the temperature had hit seventy at about ten o'clock, Brenda came over and they laid out in the backyard all afternoon. "It looks nice. Just be sure not to overdo it tonight."

"Mom. It's just a couple of movies. We're not doing anything else."

"Do you need money?"

"I have some, but Erik's never let me pay for anything anyway."

"Okay, well, just making sure."

"I've got it covered."

"Have you picked out a car yet?"

"No," Chris said frustrated.

"You'll find one. Your father trusts Erik will pick one out that is reliable."

"I know. I'm glad Erik talked to Dad because I know Erik buying me a car wouldn't have gone over well."

"No, it wouldn't have. He said he comes across some good cars, though, that have been impounded for various reasons."

"Yes, usually he buys cars that need some work that he can do for cost and sell at a profit when done. So this is kind of new for him."

"Well, he obviously enjoys doing it."

"Yes."

"Well, I'll see you in the morning," she said as the doorbell rang.

"Thanks, Mom. Have a good night."

She answered the door, eyes widening at the car on the driveway. It wasn't his usual car. "Wow," she said at the impressive Mustang convertible.

"Where'd you get that?"

"I stole it," he said with a chuckle. "Where'd you think I got it?"

"I don't know. I didn't know you had more than one car," she said, shutting the door behind her.

"I only drive it on days like this."

"Oh."

"I figured it'd be great at the drive-in."

"It might get chilly."

"Well, then I'll just have to do my best to keep you warm, unless you'd rather wear that jacket."

"No, I wouldn't. I just brought it in case."

"Besides, the top isn't that difficult to get back up. I could just put it up before the movies start if you're worried."

"It's gorgeous," she said once she'd gotten to it.

"Yeah?"

"Yes! I love the interior."

"Really? I've gotten more than a few laughs at the red."

"No, it's beautiful compared to the black paint."

"I slaved over her."

"You did all this?"

"Yes, not that it needed a lot of work. I found it at an estate sale. Old widow had no idea what she had. You wouldn't believe what she was willing to sell it to me for."

"You didn't let her?"

"No, I paid her a fair price. It was pristine. It really just needed a new paint job from sitting in a garage for fifteen years, a little buffing out from a couple of pings, things being dropped on it over the years, and a tune up and stuff."

He opened the door for her and she slid onto the passenger seat.

"You didn't even update the radio?"

"No, it's WBBM, WGN, or WLS. Or talking to one another," he said, getting in and starting the car.

"Talking to you is fine."

"You laid out today?"

"How did you know?"

"Sweetheart, I don't think you realize how much about you I pay attention to. I see the sun on your cheeks and arms," he said, grazing a finger along her forearm. "It looks nice, glad you were able to relax."

"What did you do?"

"Mowed the lawn, did some laundry, washed my dishes."

"Wow, sounds exciting."

"It is what it is when you're a bachelor who owns a house."

It took them about forty-five minutes to get to the drive-in that was playing the double feature of Creepshow 2 and The Gate. Chris wasn't huge into horror movies, but she didn't mind them, and The Gate actually looked kind of good. The other option was a drive-in that featured Ishtar and neither of them had any desire to see that. She'd never ridden in a convertible before. It was a great way to ride around on an eighty degree day.

He got them some food from the concession stand, kind of surprised when he got back to the car she was talking to someone. There weren't that many drive-ins around anymore, so he imagined it wasn't that out of the ordinary for her to know someone who had the same thing on their mind on a day like today.

'How is Aaron anyway?" Erik heard the guy ask.

"He's good."

"I heard him and Jen broke up."

"Yeah, a couple of years ago now."

"That's too bad. I liked them together."

"I guess they started fighting a lot or something, I don't know."

"I saw you at Baskin Robbins, didn't I? You're visiting Cindy, right?"

"Yup," he said. "I'm surprised you remember."

"I didn't recognize you at the time. It'd been years since I'd seen you, but now that you're talking to me tonight I remember."

"Hey," Erik said when he got to them.

"Nice car, man."

"Thanks," Erik said. "I came over to compliment it and realized it was Chris standing here."

"You know Chris?"

"I went to school with her brother, Aaron."

"Oh."

"Sorry," Chris said. "Chad this is my boyfriend, Erik."

"Chris said you did all the work on her."

"Yeah, she was in pretty good shape, so not a whole lot needed to be done. Just some TLC. She hadn't been driven since seventy-three or seventy-four."

"Wow."

"I bet she hauls."

"She does at that. Great thing about being a mechanic, I have access to all the goodies."

"I bet."

"Well, I'll see ya later. Say hi to Aaron for me."

"Sure," Chris said.

"Small world."

"Right?" Chris said.

"He seems all right," he said, holding out the carrier to her so she could take a dog. He set the carrier on the hood.

"No pop in the car?"

"No."

They ate their hot dogs, watching as people arrived and walked around the area.

"So, is popcorn in the car out of the question?"

"Maybe I could be persuaded."

"Hmm. How much persuading are we talking?"

"Sit in the backseat with me?"

She glanced at the seat in question. She'd fit just fine. He on the other hand was like a foot taller than she was.

"That won't be very comfortable for you."

He stepped toward her, sliding a hand to her hip and tugging her toward him a bit. He leaned down and kissed her. "Let me be the one to worry about my comfort."

"I didn't say no, I was just saying."

"You look nice by the way," he said.

She laughed lightly. "I do? I don't look any different than I do any other night."

"The sun, it agrees with you. Some color on your cheeks and arms. Now that you're standing and with the skirt you're wearing I can see you got some on your legs, too."

"Well, sure, I wore my bathing suit."

He shook his head slightly.

"What?" she asked. "What's wrong with that?"

"Nothing, just envious."

"Of what? The bathing suit?"

"Well, that, too, but just that I missed it. Next time you get a desire to layout you should come to my place."

"I'd have to know where you live."

"That can be easily arranged. You're the one who's avoided getting that information."

"I know. I just thought it was too soon."

"I understand. Notice I haven't mentioned it until now."

"Yes," she said, shivering lightly as he ran a thumb across her thigh just under the hem of her skirt.

"I like the color, too," he said.

"Yeah, I kind of match your car, don't I?" she said.

"You do," he said with a bit of a chuckle as he heard the song The Lady In Red playing on a nearby car radio. "Nothing wrong with black and red."

"I probably would have rethought the top if I'd known."

"You're beautiful," he said, leaning in to kiss her. She slid her arms around his waist, keeping him from pulling away from the kiss. She didn't have to hold him too tight to keep him close because he had no plans to go anywhere.

"So is that a yes to my proposal?"

She slid an arm out from around him and took his hand in hers. He loved when she touched him, reached for him. She wasn't real comfortable doing it, so it always made him feel extremely good when she was assertive like that.

"I think I can do that."

"You're sure?"

"Positive. So be sure to get lots of napkins."

"Well, isn't this cozy."

"No way," she whispered, resting her head against his chest.

"Chad said he saw you here, but I couldn't believe it. Chris Parker coming to a drive-in on a date has to be the eighth wonder of the world."

"Let me guess," he whispered back.

"What do you want, Mike?" she asked.

"Just verifying with my own eyes that you're actually here. Who's this?"

"His name…"

"I'm Erik."

Mike took him in. Erik did the same. There wasn't much resemblance between them. Actually hardly any at all, and that made Erik wonder a little about her swaying so far from a type between the two of them. Not everyone had types, he imagined.

"You two look pretty close. Am I interrupting?" Mike said.

"What do you want?" Chris asked. She hadn't stepped away from him or stopped touching him. In fact, her grip on his hand had tightened a bit.

"I was just wondering who you were with. Chad said he saw you with a couple of guys a few weeks ago, I found it hard to believe you would do something like that."

"Go out on dates? That's not a crime."

"So, how'd you two meet?"

"That's none of your business."

"So secretive. Hair's a little long. I can imagine what your dad thinks of that."

"Leave my dad out of this."

"Have you met Mr. Parker?"

"I have," Erik said.

"Wow, she's moving pretty quickly if you're to that point already."

"Actually, not that it's any of your business but I sought him out when I saw a car I thought would be good for Chris."

Mike took in Erik's car and Erik couldn't help but chuckle. "No, this one's mine. She does look pretty good riding around in it, though."

"Who is this guy, Chris?"

"He's my boyfriend. What more does it matter?"

"You know, she's not nearly as good of a catch as she seems to be."

"Come again," Erik said.

"She's about as clueless as they come. Be careful if you try to move past first base she might just pass out on you."

"Mike," Chris said, but Erik squeezed her hand.

"Funny, I have absolutely no complaints on anything to do with Chris and I can assure you she's never passed out on me."

"In less than two months? No way. I don't believe it."

"Nothing for you to believe or not."

"What was her price?"

"I'm sorry?"

"You know how much money I shelled out on her and got nothing, barely a peck on the cheek."

"Maybe it's not about money, did that ever occur to you? Now why don't you go back to wherever you came from and leave us alone. The sun's about down so the movie's about to start."

"So, I guess it's my turn to say I thought you loved me. You move awful quickly for someone so hopelessly devoted to me."

"You lied and cheated, pretty easy to get over someone who does that." She drew away from Erik, reaching for the car door. "Good bye, Mike," she said, climbing into the backseat.

"Enjoy the movies," Erik said to a retreating Mike. He saw her take off her shoes and get comfortable on the seat before he turned away, though.

"You know he's going to think…"

"Let him think what he wants, I don't care. Maybe he won't be so cocky all of the time if he thinks he actually did something wrong that prevented him from getting laid."

He laughed.

"What?" she asked.

"It's just very wrong hearing those words come out of your mouth."

"Why?"

"Because I've never heard you say something like that. Hell, you still blush when I kiss you."

"Maybe I blush because I like when you kiss me."

"I think you'll like everything I do to you, Chris."

"I think you might be right."

"So, he's not going to come back here with his friend and threaten me or anything, is he?"

"No, he doesn't really care about me."

"Just that I might accomplish what he couldn't."

"Now who's being cocky?"

"From his viewpoint, that's what he's going to see."

She settled against him so he could put his arm around her. And he loved that she did that. He was no randy teenager, but her being this close to him for the next four hours or so alone was a bit of a turn-on.

"Besides," she said.

"Yeah," he said.

"I have to admit it doesn't bother me he might think that."

"No?" Erik asked.

"No, not with you."

"Why not?"

She shrugged. "I need a reason."

"No, just curious."

She leaned in to kiss him, catching his jaw instead of his mouth because he wasn't expecting the kiss.

"You ready to get scared?" she asked.

"You still want popcorn?"

"Maybe later," she said, settling her head against his shoulder. He arranged the blanket he'd brought along around them. It was still pretty warm out, but now that the sun was down he knew it would get cool pretty fast. He'd probably have to put the top up in between the movies. She said she wanted it down for now, though, so he'd left it down.

"Does he come here often?"

"How am I supposed to know? I wasn't dating him last summer."

"Just seems strange."

"They probably picked this one for the same reason we did, it had the better choices in movies. I guess I didn't realize Mike and Chad were still friends, but if they're both here chances are there's a group of them here together so it's just a coincidence."

"Maybe so."

"He's not following me."

"I wasn't suggesting that, just seems strange. I do have one question," he said, kissing the top of her head.

"I probably have an answer."

"Just how close did he get to getting beyond first base?"

"You expect me to kiss and tell?"

"I'm just curious how close that slime ball got to touching parts of you he obviously doesn't deserve being able to touch."

"Not close."

"Hmm. Any touching?"

"Erik!"

"I take that as a no."

"Once," she murmured.

"Once?"

"Once, over my shirt, but it was only for like thirty seconds and I pushed his hand away."

"Why?"

"Why?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Because it didn't feel good."

"What?"

She shrugged. "I don’t know, it didn't. He groped me too hard out of nowhere, it just didn't feel good."

He sighed softly.

"What?" she asked.

"That's all he did?"

"Yes. He never tried again after that."

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked. It's none of my business."

"If you think I'm lying about what I let him do to me it is."

"I know you're not lying, I was just curious I guess what you have to compare me to."

"I don't compare you."

"You say that, but now that I've met him. I just wondered."

They stopped talking as soon as the trailers stopped running and the first movie started. She sat with her feet sort of curled under her on the seat so he could stretch his legs out by the other seat. She was right, it wasn't too comfortable back here, but it beat sitting in the front seat with her with the bucket seats and everything.

She reached across him, gripping the hand not around her pretty tightly a couple of times during the movie. After the third or fourth time she didn’t let go of his hand and he couldn't say he minded. She stopped watching to kiss him once in a while, which he definitely didn't mind. And then she did something with maybe fifteen minutes left in the first movie that he knew he'd never forget. She took his hand that she'd been holding and settled it over a breast.

"Chris," he whispered.

"Shh," she whispered in return. He wasn't quite sure what to do or what she was inviting him to do exactly. He left his hand where she'd put it, not daring to move it. Except his thumb. He couldn't help it. She'd set it over herself in just the right way that his thumb was right over her nipple. He didn't even bother trying to resist the temptation of finding out what she'd feel like.

She gasped softly. He loved the sounds she made. Until now it'd always been when he was kissing her, but she made some very arousing ones just from his kisses. It made him wonder what she'd sound like otherwise.

The movie ended and he moved his hand away begrudgingly. It was dark and they were covered by a blanket, but it wasn’t pitch black to where people couldn't see into his car as they walked to get food or to use the bathrooms.

She leaned up and kissed him, stopping him from asking what that had been about. Maybe he shouldn't ask. It was the first time they'd been alone like this since they'd been dating so maybe she was feeling daring. He didn't take her to public places to avoid being tempted, but it was helpful to be around people most of the time to keep temptation at bay.

Tonight, though, it'd been too nice not to agree with her that a drive-in would be the perfect thing to do.

"Warm enough?" he asked.

"Yes."

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"I'll put it up before we leave, though, for sure."

"That's fine. Can we do this again?"

"Uh yeah," he said quickly. "All of it?"

She laughed softly. "Maybe."

"Maybe she says."

She didn't wait long into the second movie to put his hand back where it'd been. He liked it there, so he certainly wasn't put off by her assertiveness. He got a little bolder this time, moving his hand between both of her breasts. She was way shorter than him and pretty thin, but there was nothing lacking at least for him in her chest. She wasn't huge, but she had more than enough to give him pleasure when he touched her.

She made no effort to touch him, which he was okay with. It would've been nice, but he realized this was a huge step for her. There were certainly worse things he could think of doing than spending close to ninety minutes feeling her up.

She drifted off to sleep somewhere near the end. He wasn't sure how he knew she had, but he did and he slid his hand away once he realized that was the case. Even though she'd been awake when she initiated the contact it felt wrong somehow to keep doing it when she wasn't awake to enjoy it with him.

"Chris," he whispered once the movie finished. He couldn't wake her up, but the sound of hundreds of car starting up simultaneously woke her up pretty quickly.

"Oh my God. I'm so sorry."

He chuckled. "It's okay. I don't mind. You can fall asleep on me anytime."

"But that's rude."

"Maybe, but I take it to mean you're comfortable around me or you wouldn't let your guard down enough to drift off. I could think of better places for you to fall asleep on me, though, than back here."

"Yeah?"

"Mm hmm," he said, kissing her ear, which she really seemed to like a lot just then. She usually did, but she got all giggly from it this time.

"Let me guess. Your house."

"Or yours."

"My parents would kill us."

"I'm not talking clothes off or anything, though I wouldn't say no to that as an option."

"You wouldn't huh?"

"No, and on that note before I say anything to get myself into trouble I need to put the top up so I can get you home before you turn into a pumpkin."

"I think it's the car that would turn into a pumpkin. My clothes would just turn into rags."

"It's been a while since I've read Cinderella, so I'm pretty rusty."

She got out and walked toward the concessions area. He'd have to use the bathroom too before they left. He put the top in place and started the car, letting it warm up for a bit while he waited for her. She could wait in the car while he used the bathroom.

"What are you doing tomorrow?" The question at her front door surprised him because Sunday's were usually out of the question as far as seeing her.

"Tomorrow? I don't know. Why?"

"I don't know."

"You don't know. I guess I don't plan on seeing you on Sunday's. You go to church and have your brunch and then it's only a couple of hours in between that and your sit down dinner. So, if there's something going on or you had something in mind you'd better fill me in."

"Want to come pick me up in the morning?"

"I can, sure. What time?"

"Around ten o'clock."

"All right."

"Okay," she said, leaning in to kiss him. "I had fun."

"So did I, I'm still not quite sure if I should ask about what you did there or just enjoy it. You're okay, though, right?"

"Yes, do I seem like I'm not okay?"

"I'm just making sure."

"I'm fine, Erik, thanks. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Okay. Are we doing anything I should dress for? You're not surprising me with eighteen holes of golf or anything, are you?"

She laughed lightly. "No! Maybe sometime this summer we can do that, but I wouldn't surprise you."

"So…"

"You'll find out tomorrow." She kissed him again as a light inside the house went on. "Good night, Erik."

"Good night. See you then."

"Yup," she said, opening the door. She closed it, but he knew she'd go to her bedroom window and wave to him so he waited to pull out of the driveway until he saw her in the window there.

Story ©Susan Falk/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com