#[ i'm gonna have some warm drinks-- have some more of my pasta dish. and wait to heat up. ]

[araneitela]

I'm so cold, I'm going to play through some more Penacony beyond the reception area. It's time.

[itsadamcole]

but ... it’s valentine’s day

fem!reader x jon moxley

reader loves Valentine's Day, but Jon isn't the biggest fan of the holiday and he makes sure everyone knows that ...

word count: 2.2k+

warnings: kinda fluffy, public touching and a little teasing, smut

— we’re gonna ignore the fact that this is being posted almost 2 months late. okay? okay. —

masterlist || request an imagine here

~ 18+ content below - read at your own risk ~

You walk back to your locker room after your match with Britt Baker. You're all sweaty and feel gross, even after you've wiped most of the sweat away. The match was for the number one contender's tournament, and you lost but you're happy for your best friend since she advanced, even if it was because she beat you.

The door closes behind you and you fall onto the little loveseat with a sigh. You close your eyes for a second, literally one second, when the door opens and you hear your boyfriend ask, "Why does everyone make a huge deal about Valentine's Day?"

"It's a day to show some extra love to your significant other," you say, closing your eyes again. "Balloons, chocolates, and romantic dates. You know, it's a thing."

Jon sits beside you and says, "I can give you balloons, chocolates, and romantic dates any day of the week."

You look over at him and say, "You haven't given me balloons or chocolates. Romantic dates, yes, but not the balloons or chocolates."

He blinks at you and says, "I don't have to give you balloons or chocolates. I give you the hottest sex you'll ever have, whenever you want."

"You do," you giggle. "Maybe I'd like some chocolates and balloons today though."

Your boyfriend moves closer to you and puts a hand on your thigh. "Or," he says, kissing your jaw. "I can just give you some hot sex again." A sigh escapes your lips and you smile.

Jon rubs your thigh a bit as you say, "I have to shower and I do want to at least do dinner tonight since it is Valentine's Day. Then after that, all the hot sex you want, baby."

He looks at you and asks, "Can I join you in the shower?"

"As long as you promise you won't try anything and actually let me shower," you tell him, standing up.

Jon nods and says, "I promise, baby."

He doesn't keep his promise. Not at all.

***

You get home after Jon turned a 20 minute shower into an hour-long shower. Dinner is very late because you had a match, and because of the long shower, but you still get dressed up to go out. You dress into a two piece red dress. The top is lacey, almost see through and has long sleeves. The neck dips low, revealing a lot of your cleavage, and it's cut like a crop top. It hugs your body. You know Jon will love that, especially since it reveals a decent amount. He'll also love the fact that the skirt is short and tight. You put on red heels and put your hair up in a high ponytail, adding some light makeup after. Not too much though.

Just so you can use it against Jon later, you don't wear any underwear. You're completely commando.

Jon waits downstairs for you. He sits on the couch and scrolls through his phone. You click into the living room and clear your throat. "Ready?" you ask.

Your boyfriend looks up from his phone and his eyes almost bug out of his head. "Damn, baby," he says. "I don't know if I can make it through dinner with you looking like that."

You walk over to him and stand behind him. He's looking back at you as you lean down, putting your hands on his shoulders. You say, "I have a surprise for you after dinner, but you have to be good. Okay?"

Jon says, "I can't promise you that. Look at what happened last time I promised you I wouldn't do anything."

"Touche," you giggle. "Come on. Dinner then sex, I promise."

Your boyfriend reluctantly gets up and leaves with you to go to dinner.

Both of you decided on the way home that you would just go to a nice place that wouldn't be completely booked since it's late on Valentine's Day. Most couples would be home by now so you're hopeful to get a table pretty quickly.

You do have to wait a little bit. You sit with Jon in the waiting area on a comfortable bench that's cushioned. Jon sits very close to you. You look over at Jon, saying, "You better not do anything, Jon. Or no present for you."

He holds his hands up and says, "I'm not doing anything to you, baby. I promise. See? Hands are up and I'm not touching you."

A smile forms on his lips and you shake your head, a smile forming on yours. "You are really testing it," you say.

"I'm not testing anything," he says. "But I still don't get romantic dates on Valentine's Day. I can take you out whenever you want to. Why couldn't we stay home and have sex or something."

You say, "Because Valentine's Day is about spending the day doing romantic stuff. Not about how hard you can fuck me, Jon. I know how hard you can fuck me and I've learned the hard way just how hard you can fuck me."

He snickers a bit and says, "You really couldn't walk for the rest of the day."

Laughing, you say, "I couldn't. That was your fault."

Jon smirks, proud of himself. You take his hand and rest your head on his shoulder.

Soon after, your name is called. A table is ready, and the hostess leads you to the table. Jon sits adjacent to you and you begin looking over the menu.

Younger couples surround you in the restaurant. The couple that are parents are probably home with their kids at this point.

A waitress comes up to you and Jon, saying, "Hi, my name is Andi and I'll be taking care of you tonight. What can I get y'all to drink?" She has a slight southern accent.

Jon says, "A bottle of your finest wine for the table, please."

"Anything for you, darlin'," the waitress says, writing down Jon's request. You blink at the waitress as she walks off.

You continue to look over the menu, trying to find something to eat. It's a fancy restaurant so there are steaks and there are pasta dishes. You're not really in the mood for anything specific.

The waitress comes back with a bottle of wine and two glasses. "Okay, what can I get y'all to eat?" she asks.

You say, "I'll have the broccoli chicken alfredo. Can I get some extra alfredo sauce on that please?"

She nods and asks, "And for you, handsome?"

That little comment made you a little angry, you won't lie. You stare at Jon and he says, "I'll take a 12 ounce sirloin steak with mushrooms and onions. And for the sides, I'd like a loaded baked potato and french fries."

He got french fries. He knows you love french fries and he knows you'll snack on them. A smile forms on your lips.

The waitress nods and walks off. You pout a bit at Jon.

"What's wrong, babe?" Jon asks, looking at you. "Are you feeling okay? Sore from your match?"

You say, "She was flirting with you."

Jon reaches out and tucks a piece of loose hair behind your ear before he says, "I didn't notice. My girlfriend is looking sexy right beside me."

Blood rushes to your cheeks, warming them. Jon laughs as you blush. "It's not funny," you say.

"You're cute," Jon says. "And I love you."

You smile a bit and say, "Okay, fine. I love you too."

He leans over and pecks your lips. When he pulls back, you lean into him and press a longer kiss to his lips. One of Jon's hands slip between your thighs under the table. You put your elbows on the table and put your head in your hands. You look at Jon as his fingers slip further up your skirt.

A soft gasp leaves your lips as Jon surprisingly discovers you're not wearing any underwear. A mischievous smirk forms on his lips. "You're leaving yourself vulnerable to me, Y/N," Jon starts.

"You are not fingering me in the middle of a restaurant," you loud whisper at him. "So help me, Moxley. No surprise for you."

Jon chuckles and he just plays with your clit under the table. You have bite your lip to stay quiet. You feel yourself getting more wet with every movement of his fingers. This goes on until your meals get to the table.

Both of you are very turned on at this point because of him teasing you and touching you under the table so after you're done eating, Jon pays the bill and quickly leaves with you. You get in the car, and Jon gets in too. He drives to your shared house. You've taken off your heels by this point so you can get inside quicker.

It takes about two seconds for Jon's lips to find yours as soon as the door is closed. He presses your back against the door as you start to unbutton the buttons on his nice button-up that he wore to dinner. He quickly sheds the shirt and it drops to the floor. Your tongue slides into his mouth.

Jon's hands are on your thighs before he picks you up. You wrap your legs around his waist as Jon walks into the living room. He drops you on your back on the couch, breaking the kiss. You sit up and undo the button on his pants. You can see the very obvious bulge in his boxers when you pull his pants down. You trace the print of his dick for a second before you pull the boxers down.

You gently begin to stroke his member. Jon sighs softly before grabbing a handful of your hair. "Be nice and suck it," he almost commands.

"I didn't hear a 'please'," you say, smirking.

Jon says, "The only time you'll hear the word 'please' tonight is when I'm fucking you and you beg me for more."

The dirty talk is definitely a turn on for you. You bite your lip and take his dick in your hand before you take him in your mouth. You begin bobbing your head, using your hand for what can't fit in your mouth. Jon's hand is still in your hair as he begins to thrust into your mouth.

You hum around him. You know that drives Jon crazy. Your hands are on his thighs and you grip a little bit. Jon grabs your ponytail and tilts your head back after a moment, his member sliding out of your mouth. You stare up at him and wait for him to do something.

Jon takes off the top of your two piece dress before taking the skirt off. He smirks when he sees that you’re now completely naked. He knows you went completely commando under your dress.

“You’re so bad, Y/N,” Jon tells you.

You grab his wrists and pull him onto you. He braces himself on the back of the couch and looks at you. “I had to learn from someone, didn’t I?” you say innocently.

He pushes you onto your back and puts your legs over his shoulders. “I know you learned from me, Y/N,” he says.

A smile forms on your lips as Jon lines himself up with your entrance. Without warning, he slams into you. It’s not as painful as it used to be because he almost always starts out like this when you have sex. You’ve gotten used to it, but it feels more pleasurable than painful.

“God, fuck,” you cuss. “Do it again.”

He listens to you and thrusts hard into you again. You moan out his name and grasp onto the couch cushions. Jon hovers above you as he begins to repeatedly slam into your core. Your moans are loud almost from the start.

Jon goes harder and harder every few thrusts. You gasp and moan. When he finds your g-spot, you scream, “Jon! Right there! Please don’t stop.”

Your moans and the sound of skin slapping fills the house. You grasp onto Jon’s arms, digging your nails into the skin as he fucks you.

A pit forms in your stomach and you know you’re close, but you still need to give Jon his Valentine’s Day present.

So, much to Jon’s surprise, you roll so you’re straddling his dick, which is still inside of him. Jon stares up at you and you begin to bounce up and down on his member. Your moans are loud and his hands are on your waist.

The pit in your stomach explodes without warning and you release around Jon, moaning his name. Jon cums inside of you, not wanting to dirty the couch cushions. You’re okay with it.

You collapse onto Jon’s chest. You bury your face in his neck and he wraps his arms around your shoulders. Both of you lay and catch your breaths.

“Best Valentine’s Day sex we’ve ever had,” Jon pants. “You need to top me more often, Y/N.”

A smirk forms on your lips and you say, “With pleasure.”

[outoftownagain]

The best restaurants in Santorini, Greece

This, of course, isn't a definite list. We didn't even try a fraction of what the culinary world of Santorini has to offer and I am sure there are plenty of equally fantastic or better places. But by these 5 restaurants stood out for us and came recommended by other travelers and locals.

Hope you're not hungry!

---

1. Μεταξύ Μας / Metaxi Mas 9FQ5+H2 Exo Gonia, Greece www.santorini-metaximas.gr

Metaxi Mas is a must whether you take a taxi, rent a four-wheeler, or simply walk from the charming village of Pyrgos. (We were advised very strongly against doing the latter by a very nice lady at a souvenir store: "It's not possible to walk, it's in the next village! But it is a wonderful restaurant, you must make it there regardless," she said. We did it anyway and it took about half an hour of walking downhill.) And just like pretty much everyone we spoke to about Metaxi Mas promised, it is absolutely amazing. You won't find your regular horiatiki and moussaka here, but by the time you make it here, you've most likely had enough of those and will be excited to take a quick break. You'll also have a change of view, because the cozy terrace is overlooking the airport and the less photographed side of the island, which may be slightly less iconic but gorgeous nonetheless. We started with Smoked Fish in a Chickpea Stew and the moment we tasted the dish, we knew that it would be the best meal on the island. We continued with Shrimp saganaki finished with ouzo, tomato sauce, fennel and feta cheese, which I will remember for a long time. And then, for a finale, a Spicy fried pork with Assyrtiko Santorini wine (which we were about to learn all about at a nearby winery, Santo Wines) with peppers, onion, garlic, Santorini cherry tomatoes, feta cheese and boukovo—red pepper flakes. Were we full? Of course. Did we want more? Absolutely! It was our last day on Santorini, so we knew we wouldn't have time to return to Metaxi Mas, so we asked our lovely waitress if she could suggest just one more, small dish, simply because everything was so delicious that we'd love another bite. She said that her favorite thing on the menu was Oven-baked asparagus with Cretan graviera cheese and estragon, and we thought that a little asparagus appetizer would be a perfect finishing touch to this feast. Little did we know that the "small dish" is in fact a huge plate filled with lots and lots of hot, melty, delicious cheese (with a little bit of asparagus buried deep under). It was way more than we wanted but way too delicious to leave behind and a taxi to take us to the wine tour at Santo Wines was already waiting. We might have burnt our mouths a little but we finished the asparagus and our wonderful waitress brought us a dessert packed to go because she knew we had to go. If you're in Santorini right now and looking for some delicious food, I couldn't be more jealous of you!

---

2. To Psaraki Vlichada Marina, Vlichada 847 00, Greece www.topsaraki.gr

Near the southernmost tip of Santorini, at the end of Perivolos beach you'll find the charming Vlychada port. Arguably the best place to view it from (and definitely the most delicious one) is To Psaraki taverna. You'll have to drive or take a taxi there but the place is worth the trip. The actual restaurant is very nice but you really want to sit at the bright blue terrace across the street, which overlooks the port and the sea. Eating at To Psaraki feels like finding a hidden gem andt also like being on a Greek postcard at the same time.   The food is delicious and it starts from the very beginning—each table receives a bread basket and a portion of Santorini tomato paste with olive oil and oregano. (There is a tomato paste museum down the road, but it was still closed due to Covid when we visited.) We continued the feast with Fresh Greek mussels steamed with wine and spring onions (it's hard to imagine a more perfect dish to go with the view of sea and a distant smell of a seaport) after which a gorgeous Grilled Octopus arrived. Can't say that we were hungry anymore, but our main dish — fresh and homely amberjack was only about to be served. Accompanied by vegetables, tomatoes and a lemon, it was wonderful.

The restaurant overlooks the port and a short walkaway is Vlychada Beach with black sand, a beach bar and some amazing view of the cliffs, which makes it easy to spend a whole day in this small area.

---

3.  Kokkalo 25is Martiou 25, Thira 847 00, Greece kokkalosantorini.com

We arrived in Santorini midday and after the initial shock caused by the overwhelming beauty of the view from the plane, then the taxi and finally from our suite, we were ready to eat. We picked Kokkalo purely because it was the closest recommended restaurant from our suite. It did take some climbing (everything in Santorini involves countless stairs and hills) and then a short walk along a busy, narrow street, but the place was 100% worth it.

We were greeted by a very friendly and quirky lady with a very particular sense of humor and a tray with 2 glasses of strong, local liquor. Day drinking it is! After hearing that we just arrived on the island, she was quick to recommend a local specialty—Santorini tomato fritters. "If you're going to have them, you need to have them here," she said, "we have cooking classes and we teach how to make them here." Tomato fritters are very tasty, but to be completely honest, it is one of those dishes that you try once and don't necessarily need to order again anytime soon.

We also got the Santorini Greek Salad and Chicken Souvlaki, which were both absolutely delicious and anyone could eat them every day for a long time. The presentation of the chicken deserves a special shoutout—it is definitely an attention-grabber when it arrives at the table.

Kokkalo is totally a great spot—it may not overlook the volcano, but staring into the flat side of Santorini with Anafi island in the distance is a pure pleasure! Mix that with great food, chilled wine and lovely service and you have a fantastic experience!

---

4. Roka Mpotsari 6, Oía 847 02, Greece www.roka.gr

I'm not gonna lie, Roka was a bit of an accident (a great one though!) We hiked from Fira to Oia and we completely underestimated the time it would take us to complete the hike considering all the stops for wine, snacks, photos and views. They say that the hike takes from 3 to 6 hours and it did take us 6 hours (we're fast hikers but we stopped A LOT along the way to enjoy the views and wine) so when we finally got to Oia, we needed to eat before the sunset and most places were either booked or still closed because of Covid. We basically ran to check out Roka and it is semi-hidden in a maze of small, charming alleyways so we got a little lost trying to find it. We were greeted by a man who looked like he could be in a movie about a mafia-ran restaurant: white shirt and a tie, a sceptical gaze, a cigarette hanging from the corner of his mouth, and a brutal silence. He turned out to be our waiter and luckily he turned out to be very friendly, much contrary to our first impression of him.

We were seated at the small back patio lit by the setting sun and overlooking the sea and some less touristy parts of town and the island. The food was absolutely delicious yet presented in a slightly pretentious but cheesy way. It is not taverna food and obviously the chef is aspiring to a higher level of a dining experience. To start we were served rusk with olives and delicious tomato paste, which we learned was typical of Santorini, famous for its cherry tomatoes. Then we continued with ‘Imam Bayaldi’ with eggplant, shrimps, ’Oyzo’ glaze and chilli garlic mayo and Mushrooms Ragout on a sourdough bruschetta with caramelized onions, cream and gruyere sauce. Those two appetizers were quite Huge And Totally Satisfied Our Post-Hike Hunger, But We Had Two More Dishes Coming - Main Courses This Time.

Skioufikta - Traditional Greek Handmade Pasta with Caramelized Onion, Eggplant, Zucchini, Tomato and ’Xinoturi’ From Ios, which was light, delicate and delicious. The shape of pasta is a bit like cavatelli and is a perfect vessel for the summer flavors of this dish. Fresh Dorado Fillet came with fantastic Parsnip Puree, Braised Leek that melts in your mouth with Hazelnuts and was topped with long, thin crisps that gave it an additional texture. Satisfied and excited, we ran to the nearby Castle of Agios Nikolaos for a spectacular and unforgettable sunset.

---

5. Naoussa Fira Santorini Next to the Central Orthodox Cathedral of Fira Town Mitropoleos Fira Town, Thira 847 00, Greece naoussasantorini.restaurant

When we arrived at this gigantic taverna, it was empty, with the only two guests eating at a table near the windows. We decided to sit at the other table with a view—right next to the couple finishing their dinner. It turned out to be a quite an unfortunate choice because those guests were an extreme example of a married couple who goes out to talk to other people in bars and restaurants. We spent the entire dinner listening about the wealth, success and amazing life of our co-diners, all the houses, apartments, businesses and countless trips all over the world were described in detail whether we wanted it or not. We also learned the history of their relationship including tidbits like: "Would you believe that after not seeing me for 2 weeks my husband chose to take me out to eat sushi instead of taking me to the bedroom straight from the airport?"

But back to the restaurant, the food was delicious and the sunset view (when we managed to look away from our interlocutors) quite terrific. We started with Dolmades, which are vine leaves stuffed with lemony rice and happen to be one of my favorite small dishes. The leaves are the best when they're delicate and not veiny, the rice needs to be moist and the entire thing is best served room temperature or slightly warm. So good! We also had a tuna salad with hard boiled eggs, which looked a bit like mess but was packed with unexpected flavor. We finished with a whole fish, which was absolutely perfect.

We did drink a lot of wine and we took our time eating, listening to the forced stories and admiring the sunset. At some point the initially empty dining room filled up completely and then it emptied again. It felt like we experienced the whole circle of sunset dining crowd.

[thadelightfulone]

Keep Me In Mind

Part Two of my submission for the Quarantine Writing Challenge hosted by @shaekingshitup​ and @chaneajoyyy​. [PART ONE]

Took this as an opportunity to write for someone new...ENJOY!

Pairing: Thick Black!OC - Lexi Washington and Rome Flynn

“One night, Rome! That is all I asked for. Was that too much? I just don’t understand how he could do this to me again.” She cries into the phone.

“Hey, hey, hey.” She quiets down, “Just breathe,” and he can hear her inhaling deeply on the line, “Where are you now?”

Lexi called Rome crying about Drew again. Last night, he once again ruined her plans for the evening. Drew knew she wanted a night to herself, and she even told him to go out with his boys. All she wanted was a few hours to relax and unwind from the bullshit week she had. And he couldn’t even do that. Drew was there when she got home, yelling, screaming, and acting a fool with the guys online instead. Rome knew this already because he was online with them.

Rome waits a few moments, then repeats his question. Lexi takes her time answering him as usual, knowing that she is going to tell him so he can pick her up. This has become a routine for them. She calls him complaining about her boyfriend, he listens and then offers to take her out to get her mind off things. It shouldn’t even be a part of their relationship, but it is; this is what they have become.

“At the house.” She steps out of the kitchen into the doorway to grab her coat and purse, “I’ll be on the steps.” Opening the door to go out, she slows once he speaks.  

“Nah, stay inside. I’ll let you know when I’m there.” Lexi closes the door, turning on her heel and heading past the kitchen.

Lexi walks to the office and sits down at the desk, “Ok, text me, so you don’t have to come inside.”

“Lex, relax.” He jumps in his car, starting it up. “I got you. You just choose where you want to go, ok. That’s all I want you to worry about.”

“Yeah, ok. I’ll see you when you get here.” They end the call, and Lexi looks at the picture frame on her left. It is a photo of Drew and her in better times, enjoying the natural beauty at her favorite park. Before things became so strained that they could barely talk to one another without it turning into an argument - he makes a demand of her, and she wants him to ask respectfully. She makes a simple request, and he fights her tooth and nail just to avoid doing it.

Lexi closes her eyes, she is so sick of the fighting and his treatment of her and their relationship, but she doesn’t want to leave. She loves him, and she believes somewhere deep down, he loves her, too. She has no idea how they got to this point, but she has hope it’ll get better.  

Folding her arms on top of the desk, Lexi puts her head down and nods off. Only waking when she hears voices coming down the hall towards the office. She sits up and tries to wipe her face of any sleep real quick. A short knock precedes the door opening, and she sees Rome walk in with Drew behind him. He stays at the door.

“Yo man, the next tournament is in a week. You playing with us, right?” Drew asks, clapping him on the back.

Shrugging him off, “Of course, you know you need me.” Rome looks over at Lexi, who is fluffing her hair and rubbing her eyes before standing up, “Ready to go?”

“Yup,” she walks over to Drew and kisses him on the cheek. “I’ll see you later.”

“Yeah, sure.” He steps back into the main hall, then turns around, walking backward as he faces them both, “Oh, and can you bring me back some chips and ice cream? I finished both earlier.”

“Really, Drew? You were just out, why didn’t you get some?”

“It’s not my job to make sure the pantry stays full.” Rome shakes his head while Drew smiles at her, “Besides, I didn’t say anything about you finishing off the rest of the Crown last night.” Turning back around, he makes a left down the hall. Lexi groans.

“Come on, let’s go,” Rome interjects before Lexi can follow after him just to say something back. He has been here when one of their arguments started, and he does not feel like playing referee today. Grabbing her shoulders, he leads her away in the opposite direction towards the front of the house.

Walking to his car, Rome opens the door and lets her get settled as he makes his way around to the driver’s side. He watches as Lexi leans back in the seat, closing her eyes and rubbing her temples. They both sit there quietly. Rome’s eyes on Lexi taking in the view from the bottom up. Lexi is wearing classic white slip-on Vans with some dark denim jeans and a pink and purple ombre peasant top. Her burgundy and dark brown natural curls twisted out, framing her face. Rome smiles while staring at her when she removes her hands from her face.

“Can I get my face back?” Big black eyes behind rose gold-rimmed glasses along with the deepest dimples he has ever seen laugh at him. Her laughter causes her cute chubby cheeks to rise and her eyes to flutter. "I hate when you do that, you know?" She pushes at his arm.

Shrugging the push-off, Rome looks over at Lexi, "Do what?" Starting the ignition to warm the car up, he sits back in his seat, waiting for her answer.

"That!" Lexi points at his face, "That right there." She grabs her phone and tries to snap a picture of him. Rome turns away before the flash, and she catches a perfect profile shot of him. He is looking out the front of the car, his 5 o'clock shadow appearing between his mustache and attempt at a beard. Spotting a new short cut, she can see the waves coming in. And she knows he is smiling at her even while he faces forward. The beautiful bastard. She saves the picture and puts her phone away.

"So, you don't want me looking at you?" Quickly turning her way, he sees her slowly nod at him before nervously biting her lip. Putting the car in gear, he begins to laugh, "Not gonna happen." They pull off, and Rome grabs her left hand with his right, squeezing it before settling it on his thigh.

Lexi looks down at their hands intertwined; it's not a new sight because they do it all the time. But for some reason, today, it just feels different and not necessarily in a bad way. "Where are we going?"

Focusing on the road, "Have you eaten today?" Rome inquires. Lexi rolls her eyes, focus outside of the window while mumbling the answer. "Lex?"

"No," she huffs out.

"When was the last time you ate?" He stops at a red light to look at her fidgeting in the passenger seat.

Groaning, she finally looks back at him. "Not since lunch yesterday." He squeezes her hand on his lap. "I did- I did have food to eat last night, Rome, but I was so pissed off about Drew being home and fucking up my evening-" she sighs, "I couldn't bring myself to eat it. So, I let him have it."

"And drowned your sadness in that bottle of Crown I left at the house?" She nods her head in response, "You don't even drink whiskey." He proclaims.

"I know.” She whines, “Why do you think you didn't hear from me until this afternoon?" Lexi rolls her eyes, "On the plus side, I did get to soak in my bathtub and woke up there, too." She starts laughing, and Rome can't help but join her.

"What am I going to do with you, Lex?" What am I going to do about you? He thinks to himself.

The light turns green, and Rome takes off. The car is quiet again except for the radio in the background. Everything I Miss At Home by Cherrelle is playing softly. Rome peeks over at Lexi, who is quietly singing the song. Loud enough that she didn't think he would hear her.

Rome pulls up in front of a restaurant. He parks the car and gets out to catch the passenger door before Lexi does. He didn't need to rush because she is dumbfounded, looking up at the familiar place.

Hearing her door open, Lexi looks up at Rome. "How did you know?"

"Know what?" he replies, helping her out of the car and closing the door behind her.

"Italian, Rome?" He is still confused by her comment as they enter the restaurant. They are greeted by the owner, who remembers Lexi from the previous evening and shakes her hand, welcoming her back. Rome looks at her as she nervously says hello to the man. "This is my favorite Italian restaurant.

"Ahhhh, so your dinner last night was from here?" She mouths yup as the owner leads them to a table. Rome follows behind Lexi, eyes roaming her body and especially those thick hips swaying in her jeans. He inwardly groans as she slides into the booth.

"Well, I knew you loved Italian. I just didn't know you knew about this place." He finally replies while sitting down.

"Yeah, I love this place. It's actually where Drew and I first met." Lexi ends that statement, gently realizing how awkward this must be. "I'm sorry."

Rome taps the table before looking up at her, "No need to apologize for that."

"But I mean, he's -" Lexi stops speaking as Rome shakes his head.

 "I know who he is." He cuts her off, "And I know who you are. There's no need to say any more than that." Rome picks up the menu, sighing behind it.

He didn't mean to act like that towards her, but he didn't want to talk about Drew. He didn't want to talk about anything that reminded him that Lexi does not belong to him even if that is part of a long-overdue conversation between the two.

Putting the menu back down, "I should be the one apologizing to you." Lexi looks up from her menu, confused. "Why don't we get something in your stomach first, and then we'll talk?" Like it was planned, Lexi's stomach answers for her, and they both laugh, erasing the quickly rising tension at the table.

Lexi orders her favorite dish from the night before, Stuffed Chicken Marsala, and decides to get it over mashed potatoes tonight. Rome orders Chicken Florentine over Angel Hair pasta. They both order different flavored Italian sodas and Minestrone to start.

Their food arrives, and they eat in comfortable silence. Lexi sneaking peeks at Rome since she can’t figure out what he wants to talk about with her. They have always been able to talk with one another about everything, so this doesn’t make any sense. He looked so serious when he brought it up, too. He cut her off when speaking, and he has never done that before. If she is honest with herself, Rome has always been there for her in ways that Drew never has. Finished with her food, she drops her fork on the plate and openly scrutinizes Rome, hoping he will look up from his plate so they can start this conversation.

Rome senses Lexi’s eyes on him and pays so much attention to his food that he scrapes the plate while cutting his chicken. He completes the task at hand and puts the knife down. It feels like he is under a microscope, and Rome doesn’t understand where this nervous energy around Lexi is coming from. He has always been her sounding board and a voice of reason for when she wants to just talk in a judgment-free zone. And she has been that for him on occasion as well, so what changed?

His phone vibrates against the table, and he looks down at it. Drew. The unspoken matter between them. Why is he calling him now? “It’s your man.” He tells Lexi.

“He’s your best friend,” she declares. “I’m gonna go to the bathroom while you two talk or whatever.” She sets her napkin beside her plate and gets up from the booth.

Rome watches her before picking up the phone. “Yeah, what’s up?”

“When are you guys coming back? I want my ice cream.” Drew complains into the phone.

“Are you serious? As long as we have been gone, you could have went and got some.” Rome states matter-of-factly.

“I know, I know. But I asked her to get it for me. So, I expect her to do that.” Rome pulls the cell away from his ear to look down at it. This cannot be the same dude he grew up with acting like this. “Can you make sure you stop before bringing her home?”

“Yeah. Bye.” Rome ends the call, not wanting to entertain him anymore. The waitress appears as Lexi makes her way back to the table.

“Would you like anything else?” She asks them. Rome nods at Lexi, who shakes her head.

“No, that’ll be all. Thanks.” The waitress drops off the check and collects their plates before leaving them alone.

“What did your bestie want?” Lexi smirks at him.

“Stop that mess.” Rome waves her off as he takes cash out of his wallet to pay for their meal. “He wanted to know when his ice cream would be making it home.”

“The ice cream? But not me?” Lexi questions.

“I was kindly asked to make sure we stop before bringing you home.” Rome stands and takes Lexi’s hand, helping her up.

“Wow, ok.” They wave goodbye to the owner and waitress on their way out. “You are just taking me straight home, right?” She asks as they get into the car.

“Is that what you want?” Lexi shrugs as Rome goes on, “Is it worth the argument?” He starts the car, heading back towards their house.

“No, but I am over whatever game he is playing.” She crosses her arms over her chest. “I just want to be respected and treated as an equal. Something he stopped seeing me as a long time ago.” She grabs his left hand, linking their fingers before settling them in her lap, “Why can’t he be more like you?” Under her breath, why can’t he be you?

Rome is quiet until George Duke’s No Rhyme, No Reason plays on the radio. He starts singing along, knowing exactly how the man feels except he isn’t married, but he definitely finds himself wanting the woman next to him. Lexi smiles in the dark while listening to him sing.

The car stops in front of the house, and Lexi mentally prepares herself to deal with whatever mess Drew is about to start. Rome comes around to her side as she gets out. He grabs her hand in his as they walk up to the front door. Turning her around before she goes inside, he sees the tears start to run down her face. Rome leans over and kisses Lexi’s cheek, “Just keep me in mind.”

[princegastronome]

THE FIRM LOUNGE & GRILL

Talk about imprudent timing, opening at the sunrise of the pandemic, and having to writhe and wriggle from the gate. Thankfully, the Firm did so within the hull of a sunken juggernaut, the revered Copper Pig. Alas, schedules and the aforementioned writing career prevented me from visiting The Firm until now, a fact I now regret, as it impeded my efforts to ridicule and oversexualize its name. That being said, it was a great film with Tom Cruise.

Where was I?

Erections?

No. The Firm, right. No sex jokes.

The first real surprise upon entering was how much they adopted their own personality within the old location. I was half expecting the often used Hannibal Lecter metaphor of walking around in another restaurant's skin, but they really took the effort to stamp their own identity, with the only fragment of the previous Pig being the exposed wood of the ceiling. And while the tables are in the exact location, it feels entirely new, dominated by that bright blue underlit sign slapped under the bar. Patrons even enter through a different door. The booths are generous, shockingly to the point that the more rotund members of our party had no issue wedging ourselves into place around a table that could easily hold eight.

And for some reason, we decided to spend a week's wages here. Not sure why…maybe it had been a while since we'd all been out together and ended up throwing caution to the wind. The alcohol flowed quickly and consistently, not in any way prompted by the unforeseen reunion of my wife with an old friend she hadn't seen since my wife's breakup with her ex.

Not. Awkward. At all.

I'm sure the sudden ordering of a double shot rum and coke was not at all a consequence of that encounter. It prompted a round of fruity and convoluted concoctions mixing bumu, triple sec, empress, mirtillo, vodka, and various berries (not all in one drink; who do think I am, David Hasselhoff?)

After ordering the full order charcuterie, I had considered that we would follow that with a series of smaller appetizers, which I assumed after the wife ordered both the bruschetta and the elk carpaccio. A friend tackled the stuffed yorkie (the pastry, not the dog) while another accepted the hot wings challenge.

Ordering just appetizers is a practice I enjoy as it really shows off the talent of the resident—

--Oh, we're all still ordering mains?

…Okay, I didn't see that one coming.

I guess that means buffalo chicken pasta for me, top sirloin for the wife (not sure where she's gonna pack that), and a pair of Wagyu beef steaks for my two friends.

It's shocking how much different a Wagyu tastes compared to top sirloin. They were both fantastic but in different ways. Both the elk carpaccio and the bruschetta were, admittedly, conventional but a perfect encapsulation to why those two dishes are popular in the first place.

If there was any criticism to be had, it laid with the charcuterie. There were two options, a single and a group, but I felt the selection was lacking with the latter with only two meats, two cheese, and a trio of sauces with other condiments. If ordering a group charcuterie, I'd want a few more options. What we got was great; I was just expecting a bit more selection; that's selection, not quantity. I'd have taken a reduction in each if it meant more variety.

And that was it, a fantastic—oh wait, dessert?

You can't seriously…fine, I guess we're ordering dessert. I could say no, but…of course, I didn't, and there arrived a warm chocolate brownie and a pair of fried ice-cream dishes dusted with cinnamon sugar and resting on a fried bowl sitting on whipped cream.

We shared, just FYI, but thank god I wore the big pants.

I admit that The Firm is conventional, if not a little predictable. But it's far from humdrum, banal, or lethargic. It plays the notes to perfection, a situation where they play a cover song and end up making it better.

The Firm is…well… It's like that song, "Nothing Compares 2U". It's a Prince tune, but it was Sinéad O'Connor that made the song a legend. It's not about who does it first, but who does it better.

I just hope The Firm doesn't tear up a picture of the pope in front of me. 5/5 (And yes, I'm back. What can I say? It's been nearly three years, and I found some time between my three successful Kickstarters, which I only mention for the sake of the haters. Thankfully, new businesses have emerged in the interim, with many unfortunately within the carcasses of failed predecessors. Another reason for my return is to encourage people to support local in this time of division, fear, and ignorance. Know that my goal is to convey positive energy to these struggling restaurants, most of which, like many, don't require my review for validation. The Firm is one such location.)