More Than Friendship Material Pt. 07

Todd drove them to one of their favorite spots and helped Liz out of the car. She smiled, holding his hand again as they walked into the restaurant. "Two, senor?" The pretty little waitress asked, smiling sweetly. Todd nodded.

"Yes...non-smoking please."

The waitress situated them in a small corner booth. Facing each other, she smiled over her menu, their feet touching as they selected something to eat.

The waitress returned with bowls of chips and fresh salsa. "Are you ready to order, senor y senorita?" she asked.

"Si," Todd answered. "Una margarita col sal para la senorita con pelo rojo, y una Coca Cola para mi. Entonces, fajitas con pollo para dos, picoso. Gracias."

"The waitress smiled. "Muy bien, senior."

Liz looked at Todd like he was a pod person. "You ordered for me, and you speak Spanish!"

"Un poco.," Todd replied. "It's mostly Espanol de los Restaurantes, but I did get an A. You're getting my date night A game, Lizzy. Prepare to be dazzled."

The waitress returned with the drinks. Liz sipped her margarita, still amazed at this new version of her longtime friend. He was the same and different all at once. "So what did you order food wise? I think I understood fajitas."

"Chicken fajitas for 2, extra spicy, for the spicy redhead. Hope you like them, " Todd said with a wink.

Liz blushed and let him grasp her hand that lay on the table, threading their fingers together and giving it a squeeze. She grinned and dipped a chip into some salsa and fed it to him.

"Mmmmmm, nothing like restaurant chips."

"Amen to that."

He returned the favor and she wondered how many people they were making sick right about now. Gushy displays, the stuff of romance novels. But she found it fun and cute. He certainly was showing her a softer side.

A little while later, the waitress brought the sizzling platter of fajitas, along with the accoutrements to build them. "Necesitan algo mas?" she asked Todd

"Si. Mas Coke y mas tortillas por favor," Todd replied.

"Bien." The server returned to the kitchen.

"That one I understood," Liz said. "Are you that hungry or are you trying to fatten me up?"

'Yes, no, and another reason," Todd answered with a smile. "Hold off on eating till she gets back."

"Why?"

"Trust me."

"Implicitly."

Todd smiled at that, and the waitress returned to the table with the refill and the extra tortillas. He opened the foil, tore them to shreds, laid the pieces on the open foil and moved the foil to the center of the table.

"OK, now you can eat, milady."

"Good, 'cause I'm starving," she laughed. Both of them built a fajita and took a bite. Liz's face lit up.

"Oh my god, that's hot!" She reached for her glass, but Todd stopped her and handed her a tortilla shred.

"Try that. Don't drink."

Liz took a bite of the tortilla, and the heat in her mouth subsided. "Much better. Thanks," she said.

"I know how to slay a dragon too," Todd said with a wink.

"Well, I'm glad you know how to put out fires." She purred out and then giggled, blushing at her own come on. She was used to smart ass tongue-in-cheek remarks, but when she actually meant them, it was a totally different ball game.

He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively and watched her turn an even brighter shade of pink. Together they ate their meal, swapping familiar stories and sipping their drinks until they were both full and feeling good. "That was amazing. Why don't we eat here more often?"

Todd pulled her out of her seat, letting Liz lean up against his side, her arm wrapping around his lean waist. "Why haven't we done a lot of things, Lizzie?"

She said nothing, but waited for him to pay the bill before they walked out to the car. "Why thank you, kind sir." she smiled and slipped into her seat, buckling up as he jogged back around to join her, much like Allen had done the previous night.

As they headed back toward the apartment, the conversation slowed somewhat. Part of that had to do with the mountain of food they'd had, Todd's still not complete recovery, and Liz's lightweight status as a drinker. Still, the silence was not uncomfortable. Liz dozed a little, and Todd found a sports radio station to check football scores on. It was nothing different in practice than a thousand other car rides they'd had together. However, there was something different in theory, and Todd thought about it as he drove.

The day had gone fabulously well, both as an outing with one of his favorite people, and as a first date. But, at this point on most dates, he'd be taking the girl home and wondering just how far to press his luck once he got there. This time, her home washishome, and he wasn't sure what was going to happen when they got back. The comic flirtiness that they had enjoyed for years had moved seamlessly into actual romantic foreplay. They hadalmostdone things before. They had seen each other at least mostly naked. Now, he knew that they both wanted to take that next step. Was it too fast though? Should they jump each other like horny weasels when they closed the apartment door, just because they could? On the other hand, taking things slow allowed time for second thoughts, and they had both been bad about over analyzing their relationship with one another.

Normally, this would be the time he'd call Ben for advice or just as a sounding board. Further complicating things was that, technically, he wasn't supposed to have sex for another three days. Turning to look at Liz as she slept, Todd decided on a plan of action. He just hoped it was OK with her.

***

Liz thoroughly enjoyed her cat nap. It wasn't uncommon for her to doze during a car ride. It had become a bit of a teasing point with the two of them whenever they took a trip home to their parents or went on any sort of trip. Todd always packed a wealth of music to entertain himself, knowing that within the hour she would be dead to the world.

Stretching, Liz yawned and blinked. Todd looked over at her and remarked, "I'm going to take it personally that you keep falling asleep on me in the car. I can't be that boring."

She grinned and rolled her shoulders. "Not at all, I feel so safe with you driving that I just can't help myself." A few minutes from their home, Liz turned slightly and regarded him. He looked a bit tired himself. "Thank you, for today. I think for our 'first date' we didn't do too badly."

"No we didn't," a smiling Todd replied. "Now are you going to sleep on me again? You may want to rest up for later."

"Oh really?" Liz asked slyly. "Are you propositioning me."

"You'll see. Suffice it to say that this date is going to get even better than it's been so far."

"Color me intrigued, then. Wake me when we get there." Liz grinned and curled back up and into her cat nap.

Todd smiled to himself. "Yes," he thought, 'this ought to be fun."

Liz slept like a baby for the rest of the drive, other than briefly stirring while Todd stopped for gas and went inside to pay. True to form, he came back with a bag of stuff he didn't need.

As Todd got back in, he set a bag in the rear seat, and put a bottle of root beer in the cup holder. "One has to have the staples of life," he said. "We'll be back to the complex in ten minutes or so."

Liz smiled sleepily and reached for his hand. "This couldn't be a better night."

"Wanna bet?," Todd said with a leer.

A few minutes later, Todd turned into the parking lot, with Liz already dozing again. Pulling into an available space, he got out the stuff out of the back and took it inside, turning on the TV and lights as he did. He laid everything out on the coffee table and opened drinks for both him and Liz. He lit a candle, put a disc in the machine, and the music began to play. Everything was perfect. Then he went back to get Sleeping Beauty. Todd opened the car, kissed her on the cheek and said softly, "Wake up Princess."

Liz opened her eyes, and without a word, Todd reached for her hand and helped her out of the car. Taking his arm in hers, he drew her close and led her up the sidewalk. Liz nestled against him and didn't notice as they passed the door to their apartment. She didn't even really notice where they were going, until he opened the door of their destination and proudly announced, "First Date, Stage 2."

There, in front of the giant screen TV in the complex's rec center, was a candlelit display of bottled beer, both plain and root; a bowl of plain M&Ms; and two XBOX controllers. The music from a video game echoed softly around the room. Todd turned to Liz, and said. "Now, if I remember correctly,someoneanswered that everything can be made better with beer, chocolate, nudity, and killer robots. Here, we have all four, So, milady, welcome to our first game of Strip Salvation Point Alpha."

Liz laughed, playfully pushing him aside. "You're on buddy! Lets go."

Situating herself on the couch, she grabbed her own controller and popped a small handful of M&M's into her mouth with a soft moan of pleasure as the chocolate melted onto her mouth.

Todd settled himself next to her and she gave him a nudge with her own shoulder. "So big boy, what are the rules?"

"Nice confidence there, Red," Todd said."OK, since I play this more than you, I'll give you a head start. Ten minute intervals, but I'll give you five minutes to play before I come in. Whoever has the lowest score after each ten minute period loses some clothes. Also, whoever kills a stage boss gets to choose an item of clothes for the other to take off. Sound fair."

"Yep. Prepare for total domination! Fire it up."

After the first few minutes, Todd was beginning to eat his words. He should have known that Liz would have picked up quickly. She didn't play often, but she had already mastered a few skills and was giggling as he groaned next to her. When he jumped in, she nudged his knee and laughed, "Hey, I gotta make sure I win. I'm wearing less than you!"

Promptly after that, she won the first ten minute round and Todd kicked off his shoes and socks. Liz laughed and rolled her eyes. "That's weak!"

"Game's still early," Todd growled in mock irritation. "Get ready to flash skin, baby."

Many a robot bit the dust, and the next 10 minute session was close, but Todd pulled ahead near the end of the period. Unfortunately for him, while his score was higher, Liz hit the killing shot on the level boss. She kicked off her shoes playfully, then winked.

"Snack and Potty break while I decide what comes off," she said with a grin. "I'm starting to see why you like this game so much."

Todd laughed and took a swig of root beer, as Liz went off to the lady's room, smiling.This is going well.

In the ladies room, Liz found her cheeks were hurting from smiling so much. She contemplated what she wanted him to take off while she refreshed herself a little and washed her hands.

She hadn't expected him to be so sentimental and sweet, tugging at her heart strings even more. If she had thought she loved him then, it was clear now that she was treading extremely deep waters. It gave her a rush with a twinge of fear that things wouldn't work out, but after everything they had shared, she knew that some way, somehow, things would work out for the best.

Taking a deep breath, Liz returned to him, giving him a little sashay and laughed. "Okay pretty boy, take off your shirt." Oh yes, she had always loved his shoulders and chest and wanted them bare to her eyes and touch.

Since he was all dressed up, Todd made a show out of removing the shirt. He loosened the tie, then flipped up the collar. He slowly unbuttoned every button, including the ones on the sleeves. He untucked the tails from his pants, then pulled off the white shirt leaving the tie dangling from his neck. The multicolored garment looked silly against his hairy, muscular chest, and Liz giggled at the image.

"What?" he asked. "The tie's still in play, and if I'm getting hustled I might need it."

"Damn straight, you will," Liz teased.

The next round commenced, and as the game got a little more difficult, Todd's experience began to catch up to Liz's natural ability. This time around, he was the victor and gave a happy cry as the clock ticked down. They did not get to the level boss this time, so it was Liz's choice as to what she took off.

"What's it gonna be, Princess?" Todd asked with a mock leer. Liz just smiled,reached behind her back, and made a few slight wiggle. Then reaching through the sleeve of her dress, she pulled out her bra from the hole and threw it at him.

Todd stared a little longer this time. Suddenly, the game was stepping up a notch. "You just gonna sit there?" Liz asked. "Works for me. I'm happy to let you while I kill some more robots."

The game was on and Liz bit down on the tip of her tongue as she concentrated. Todd growled and she laughed victoriously as she made progress. "Haha! Eat it!" she yelled, and giggled as he leaned forward and cursed. "Woooo!" She yelled and giggled as he lost.

Setting her controller down she turned and wiggled her brows, watching as he took off his tie and threw it her. She caught it and grinned wickedly, slipping it over her own neck and poking out her tongue. "Ready? Think you can take me?" she teased.

"OK sweetheart, from what I can tell we both have two things left on," Todd said slyly. The next boss will be coming up this round. If one of us wins and kills him, it's game over. You ready for that?"

"Born ready," Liz replied, sticking her tongue out at him.

"Me too. Game on!"

As Liz started dismantling robots left and right during her head start, Todd watched admiringly. She had really picked the game up quickly, and she'd make a fine addition to the squad if she wanted to join him and Ben later. He had originally planned to take it easy on her and had sandbagged a little at first. But, her obvious knack for the game kept him from doing that again. The head start was enough. Five minutes ticked away, and he picked up the controller for the next five. The battle raged, robots exploded, and finally a huge lumbering battle mech entered the screen to signal the end of the stage. The couple and their avatars whooped and laid into the ominous hunk of metal. Just before the timer clicked, the battle mech disintegrated into shrapnel and parts. The action had been fast and furious, but the final blow was Todd's. It wasn't by much, but he had the high score, the kill shot and the game. He sat the controller down, turned to Liz and said with a grin. "Nice game, Red. Ready to pay up?"

She chuckled and threw down her remote, "I think you cheated, but I can't prove it, so...I suppose fair is fair."

Standing up, she faced him squarely, blushing slightly, but ready. He looked yummy, sitting there in only his dress pants with his chest and shoulders bare. Her fingers itched to caress his pecs and play with his chest hair. He had just enough to make it look sexy and not like a walking carpet.

He looked very pensive and she shifted from one foot to the next, "Come on buddy, panties or dress...unless you count the tie I'm now wearing." she teased. Suddenly the idea of her in nothing but a pair of silky panties and a tie straddling his body seemed too sexy for words. She wondered if 'lil' Todd would appreciate that sight.

Todd slowly stood to his full height, his eyes warm and darker than they usually were, looking down at Liz. "Oh no, little girl. Someone's forgetting the rules. The tie doesn't count since you put it on after we started, and you only had two things on. It's dressandpanties, sweetie.Unlessyou're...oh what's the word? Oh yeah...chicken!"Todd started strutting and imitating a rooster all around Liz. "Oh wait, I guess you do have an out though. If you want you can count the chain with the ring as an item of clothing. My choice is dress. I'll let you make the decision on panties versus chain."

Liz blushed a little, but smiled and danced as sexily as she could to bumper music from the video game. Just as Todd had done when taking off the shirt, she made the disrobing a show. She unzipped the dress holding it to her chest as she pulled each arm out. Finally she let it slip ever so gently to the floor. Todd had seen her breasts in all their glory before, but still his breath caught in his throat. This time seeing them was markedly different, and he noticed that the blush continued down her chest, coloring the swells of her cleavage. The chain with his grandfather's ring nestled between them, the light occasionally glinting from the gold and drawing his attention to her pink nipples. An unintended "mmmmmmmm" escaped his lips.

She smiled as she moved to take off the item she had chosen. This was what Liz had been secretly hoping for. The chance to stun him into silence, only a tiny moan of appreciation passing his lips as he took in her near nude body. She basked in her womanly power over him, feeling sexier than she ever had in her life. She watched as his eyes did a slow trail from the tips of her boobs, gliding down slowly and when he reached her hips, she did a little wiggle and slipped her fingers into the sides of her panties.

He actually licked his lips, making her insides quiver as she ever so slowly pushed the flimsy material off and playfully kicked them at him. He caught the fabric without blinking, his eyes settling on smooth bare flesh of her mound and when he pressed her panties boldly to his nose and inhaled, she gasped, moaning softly as she breathed out his name.

***

The cool air of the rec room made her already hot body shiver. Biting her lower lip, she extended a hand out to him and smiled shyly, "You going to make stand here all night?"

"No." Todd replied. "We're done in here. Time to go somewhere more private." He picked his suit coat up from the chair where he had hung it, opening it and moving slowly behind Liz. He wrapped it around her, grazing her breasts as she put her arms through the sleeves. He kissed her neck and buttoned the coat and turned her to face him. The coat covered everything it should to allow her to walk back to the apartment, but still showed enough glimpses of flesh to entice a dead man. He leaned in and whispered. "Now it's time for what I've been waiting for. I'll walk you back, then come back for this stuff. Wait for me in my room."

Liz nodded and he took her hand, walking her back to the apartment. His lips kissed the tips of her fingers, his breath warm on her skin, his gaze promising things that made her insides clench. With a swoop of his arm, he ushered her inside, taking in her pretty smile as she passed him by and walked to his room.

Her pulse hammered like crazy, her fingers tingly after his sweet, soft kisses. There was no telling what he had planned for her. All she knew was that so far, this had been the best night of her life yet. Smiling, she slipped into Todd's room and sat on the edge of his bed, fingering her hair into place and reaching down to fiddle with the gold ring that lay between her breasts.

Before long, she heard him return to the apartment, shutting and locking the door behind as he returned everything to it's rightful place and then entered the room. He motioned for her to stand and she did, gazing up into his handsome face. "We have one tiny problem here, but I think I have it all figured out."

"Oh?" She responded softly and watched him nod. His fingers unbuttoned the jacket and slid the material off her bare shoulders and body, tossing it aside. Her breath hitched as his hands slid along her bare arms and his mouth dipped to nuzzle her neck again.

"Lay down." He murmured, inhaling her scent and moaning softly.

Sliding up on the bed, she lay back, giving him a full view of her lush curves and intimate places. Her breathing was a little off as she watched him join her, still practically clothed. "This isn't very fair," she complained lightly, as his face hovered over her own. "You still have pants on."