3:35 PM 8/16/2019:
Hi! This is Emery, we met at Jagged Peak on Wednesday. I was wondering if you had plans tonight? I know it’s short notice, but I was hoping for that “second date.” 😉
3:46 PM 8/16/2019:
Hello Emery Parker 🙂 I have nothing after 7, would that work for you?
3:47 PM 8/16/2019:
Perfect! How about Black Shirt Brewery at 7:30?
3:50 PM 8/16/2019:
I will see you there. 😉
The exchange was short but Emery was glad she didn’t call. She hated calling people and she was nervous just sending the text. She did have to laugh at the old people version of emojis that Cora seemed to be fond of, but it was endearing. Now that the date was settled, she had to pick out her outfit and get ready. She wasn’t a really girly girl by any means but she still wanted to look nice and 3.5 hours to stress out about something like this was plenty. She slipped on some black jeans, a grey tank top, and a black and grey checkered button up. Satisfied with this, she then slipped on her black slip on Vans, put her purple and blue hair up in a cute ponytail with some clips, and then sat on the chair in her living room.
“Okay. Only 3.25 more hours to stress out.”
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Meanwhile, a few miles away, Cora was finishing up her workout at the gym. She was far more relaxed about the whole endeavor, but she did have a few butterflies bouncing around in her stomach. She cleared out her stats from the treadmill and grabbed her water bottle, hand towel and phone before heading off the showers. She was excited to see Emery again, and something was making her palm itch just thinking about the girl.
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Cora had arrived early to the brewery, finding a small table against the wall just after 7:15. She was perpetually early to everything, even when she didn’t want to be. She knew there was a general rule about timing when it came to dates, something about not arriving too early. But she never could remember what the saying was, nor did she particularly care. Early was always better in her book. She sat patiently waiting, watching the other patrons as they loudly enjoyed their evening.
She’d chosen to wear her favorite pair of khaki jeans, her Timberlands, and a white t-shirt. She didn’t want to be overly dressed for a brewery but she still had wanted to look nice. It felt appropriate, if not slightly butch.
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Emery rounded the corner to the brewery, her heart pounding a little, for more than one reason. Mainly, she was still coming down off the terrifying high of having had a man following her the last several blocks before he gave up. He had started following her near Curtis Park, making literally no effort to hide the fact that he was watching her. She crossed the street, and so had he. She made a random path through the 711 parking lot, so had he. He eventually backed off after she’d turned and yelled “hey fuck off man, I have a weapon!”
She was only about a block from the brewery when that had happened, and Cora had actually heard the distant yell (though she didn’t know what words were said or who they belonged to). As she walked in the door, she was relieved to see Cora sitting at a small tucked away little table, already sipping on a beer. She sidled up to the table and tried to pull off a casual “is this seat taken?” Move, but the words got lost on her wobbling lips. To her own horror, she was about to cry.
Cora experienced an entire range of emotions in milliseconds, going from excited (to see Emery) to confused (why did she look like that?) and finally, to worry. She didn’t know what was going on, but she turned to the side, still seated in her bar stool at the table, and enveloped the standing girl into her arms. Emery leaned into the embrace, silently thankful that since she was standing and Cora was sitting, she could bury her face in the other woman’s shoulder to hide. She stayed there for only twenty to thirty seconds before pulling away and wiping her face.
“Oh my god. I just…I just cried on you on our second date. I’m so sorry, I just-“ Emery started, gathering her composure. She glanced up to see a smile on Cora’s face, and the almost imperceptible notch of a worry line on her forehead.
“It’s okay. Please, sit down. I’ll get you some water, okay? And a drink. Don’t go anywhere, I can see you from the bar, and you can see me.” she said with a wink as Emery obeyed, sitting in the chair. She very much wanted to duck out and run, having just done one of the worst things she’d arguably could have done on a second date. But she could see Cora up at the counter, her long legs crossed over one another casually as she leaned her elbows and forearms on the bar. Her well toned forearms. And her strong, sexy legs. Her mind was wandering now, and before she realized it, Cora was back at the table with her, sliding a glass of water and a light colored beer towards her.
“Okay. So, let’s start this over, shall we? Hi, Emery. I’m so glad to see you again!” Cora said with a slight chuckle, watching the girl turn bright red in the face.
“Right. Um, hi! I would ask if this seat is taken but it does seem rather occupied at the moment. Don’t mind if I do” she said, wriggling a little as if to hunker down into her chair.
“I absolutely would welcome the company of such a gorgeous girl, so I can’t complain.” Emery blushed at this again, and cleared her throat.
“I’m really sorry for crying. I um, I just hadn’t had a second to calm down when I got here. But there was a guy following me for a few blocks and I guess I didn’t realize how scared I was until I realized I was safe. I’m seriously so sorry, I promise not to cry again” she said with a laugh and a gentle smack to her own forehead.
Cora, however, wasn’t smiling.
“There was a man following you? Are you okay? Why were you alone? You could have called me!” She said, the crease of concern back on her face. “Emery, you shouldn’t have walked here alone in the dark!”
“It’s fine! I live downtown, I do this all the time. I just panicked I guess. I’m not always down this way so I didn’t know where to go if he attacked or something. But it was fine. I told him I had a weapon and he ran away!” She said, rather proud of herself. Cora sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose between two fingers.
“I don’t even know what to say to that. But you really shouldn’t be out here at night by yourself. Even if you live downtown, that doesn’t mean you’re invincible. Please tell me you’ll at least call me, or someone the next time you’re planning on being out at night by yourself?” Cora said, the tone of authority creeping into her voice.
Emery visibly squirmed and looked down at her hands. It was weird to be cared about like this so immediately, especially by someone she literally was on a second date with.
“I um-I’ll do my best. But like I said, I do this all the time. It’s really fine.” She said, taking a large gulp of beer so she wouldn’t have to see the look on Cora’s face.
“We’ll discuss that another time then. Let’s just relax and enjoy the evening, okay? Tell me about yourself” Cora said, leaning back slightly in her chair to drink her beer as she listened.
“Well. You know my name. I’m 26. I’m from Colorado Springs originally but moved to Denver a few years ago. I work at a used bookstore in Capitol Hill. I have a cat who is also basically my child, his name is technically Sir Todrick Kensington the Mighty but I call him Todd. And um…yep, that’s me!” She ended with a wink and another big gulp of beer.
Cora was absolutely thrilled with all of this information, particularly Todrick. She smirked and said “well that’s not nearly enough information but it’s more than I knew before. Perhaps I could meet Sir Todrick one of these days.”
Emery grinned and nodded enthusiastically.
“He’d love you! He’s very regal and a bit of a priss but he knows good company when he sees it. Now tell me all about Cora Delaney” she added, tapping her fingers on the table eagerly.
“Well, I’m a bit older than you I’m afraid. Thirty years old, to be exact. I’m from a small farming town in Illinois. I’ve been here in Colorado for 6 years. I live in Westminster though, not here downtown. I work for a tech company as an analyst. I have no children, nor fur children but I do have three fish who I’ve somehow kept alive for a few years. I’m not as creative as you in the naming department, though. Their names are red fish, blue fish and blue-ish green fish” she said, laughing. Emery laughed too, craning her neck back.
“Oh no. That won’t do! I simply must meet them and rename them. They need to know they’re loved and cared for, at least enough to have names!” She said, in mock indignation.
“It’s a deal” Cora replied, winking.
They spent two more hours that night discussing their jobs, their pets, homes and lives. Getting to know each other better than most people know some of their best friends. Emery shared that she no longer spoke to either of her parents, after a nasty fallout over her coming out at 19. Cora assured her that should they become “serious”, her own family would envelope her in an other-worldly level of familial love, and apparently, suffocating over-involvement. They swapped stories about worst break ups, biggest embarrassments (Emery’s was her crying episode earlier that evening), worst fears, and future dreams.
Eventually the night had to come to an end, as the bar was getting more and more rowdy and they could barely hear each other. They each paid for their own beers (after some grumbling from Cora) and headed outside.
“Seriously, this has been the best second date I’ve ever been on. Actually the best date, period!” Emery said, grinning at Cora under the dark summer night sky.
“It has been for me, too. I would very much like a third, if you would be up for it? Maybe a movie night at my place next week?” Cora said, taking one of Emery’s hands in hers gently.
“Yes! A million times yes!” She replied, squeezing Cora’s hand and doing a dorky little dance on the sidewalk. Cora laughed and pulled the girl close to her, their bodies touching suddenly. She put one arm around Emery’s lower back and kissed her softly, the world seeming to go silent all around them. She pulled away a moment later and released Emery, smiling.
Emery had a look of woozy shock on her grinning face, which had nothing to do with the two beers she’d had inside. “Wow” was all she managed to say.
“Come on, I’ll drive you home. Don’t worry, I won’t ask to come in. But I won’t have you walking alone in the dark again tonight” Cora said, taking the girl’s hand and walking towards her parked Tacoma. Emery followed, but couldn’t help saying “if you insist, but I swear it’s fine. I do it all the time. I don’t even need to call you for help, ya know.” Cora stopped in her tracks and turned towards her.
“I’m not kidding, Emery Parker. If I knew your middle name, I would use it, little one. You should not be outside alone at night. You’re small. You’re attractive. You are not invincible. Don’t tempt fate. If I find out you went out at night without calling someone or getting someone to walk with you, I promise you, I will paddle that little butt of yours. Do you hear me?” She said, waiting for an answer. Emery stood there stammering, her face bright red and her body vibrating with a mix of emotions. She then stared straight at the ground, the tumbling feeling in her stomach clearly not going away any time soon.
“Emery, do you hear me? I’m not playing around.”
“I um. I… heard you” She replied quietly, peeking to her left and right, making sure she was the only one who had. She might be simultaneously thrilled and terrified, but she didn’t need all of Denver hearing her being threatened with a spanking.
“And?” Cora said, putting one finger under the girl’s chin and tilting it so she had to look up at her.
“And…I won’t go out walking without calling or having someone walk with me” she said softly, obediently.
“Good girl. Now come on. Let’s get you home” Cora said, smiling down at Emery before taking her hand and helping her into her lifted truck. She took Emery home with no further complications, and unfortunately no more kisses. They hugged goodbye and Cora said she’d text her the address of her place for next week’s date, and they parted ways. Cora felt somewhat guilty for being so jarringly dominant at the end of the night, but she needed to make it clear that she wasn’t playing around, and she took Emery’s safety seriously.
Emery was all aflutter with the complicated feelings that go with being someone like herself. She felt giddy at the thought of being in trouble with Cora, but also scared. She hadn’t been in a domestic discipline type relationship for two years now, several girlfriends ago, so it was all a little rusty. But she was hopeful that they were on the same page, and could maybe discuss things further soon.
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Over The Knee Society 