Chapter 4
Beth adjusted her sleeves as she parked outside Viv’s place, exhaling slowly. She wasn’t sure why she was nervous—it wasn’t like they hadn’t spent time together before—but this was different. This was a date, and that made it feel heavier somehow.
She barely had time to collect herself before Viv stepped out of the house.
Beth’s fingers tightened slightly on the steering wheel. Viv looked… really good. Too good. She wasn’t overdressed, but there was something about the way the fabric of her top sat against her skin, the way her hair fell naturally over her shoulders, that made Beth momentarily forget what she was supposed to be doing.
Beth quickly averted her eyes as Viv reached the car, opening the door and sliding into the passenger seat. She smelled good too—something warm and clean, the kind of scent Beth could easily let herself get lost in if she wasn’t careful.
Viv smiled at her, soft but a little shy. “Hey.”
Beth swallowed, her grip on the wheel tightening briefly before she forced herself to relax. “Hey,” she answered, her voice softer than she intended.
For a second, she thought about leaning in, about kissing Viv in greeting, something natural, something easy—but she hesitated just a second too long, and the moment passed.
She started driving instead, but her mind was still lingering on the thought of it.
A few moments passed in silence, the kind that wasn’t quite awkward but still sat between them.
Then Beth cleared her throat, realizing something. “Sorry, I just kind of assumed I’d drive us. You could’ve wanted to take your car.”
Viv shook her head lightly. “I don’t really like driving, so I’m actually happy you offered.”
Beth glanced at her, brows raising slightly. “Really? Any reason?”
Viv exhaled, fingers playing with the hem of her sleeve. “Oh, I just get anxious driving to new places. I’m always scared I’ll mess something up. Just that.”
Beth nodded, glancing at her again briefly. “That makes sense. You don’t have to worry about that, though. I don’t mind driving us. Ever.”
Viv smiled a little at that, and Beth caught the way she tucked her hair behind her ear again—a habit Beth was starting to recognize as something Viv did when she was a bit shy.
They fell into another silence, but this time, it felt a little easier.
Beth tapped her fingers against the steering wheel before speaking again, softer this time. “You look really nice, by the way.”
Viv blinked, caught a little off guard, before glancing at her.
Beth smiled before adding, “I mean, you always look nice. But I don’t know—tonight, you look… really beautiful.”
Viv looked away, a quiet chuckle escaping her lips as she tucked her hair again, her fingers grazing over the side of her neck like she wasn’t quite sure what to do with herself.
“Thanks,” she murmured, still not fully meeting Beth’s gaze, though Beth could see the faint color in her cheeks.
Beth, for her part, wasn’t sure what was stopping her from reaching over, from grabbing Viv’s hand or tucking a strand of hair behind her ear herself.
Instead, she just smiled to herself as she focused back on the road.
After a few moments, Viv finally spoke again, her voice a little steadier. “So, this place we’re going to—you’ve been before?”
Beth shook her head. “No, but Keira went with her girlfriend and said it was nice. Fancy, but not too much. Thought it could be a good spot for us.”
Viv hummed softly. “Sounds nice.”
Beth glanced at her again, watching the way she was looking out the window, the way she seemed a little more at ease now.
“I hope you like it,” Beth said, stealing another glance at her.
Viv turned back, lips still curled in a small smile. “I think I will.”
Beth nodded, feeling warmth spread through her chest.
But still, as she drove, all she could think about was the moment she let slip by. The way she had wanted to kiss Viv the second she slid into the car.
Beth parked the car smoothly, glancing at Viv as she turned off the engine. “Alright, we’re here,” she said, a little softer than she expected.
Viv looked out the window at the restaurant, her lips pressing together in quiet thought. The golden glow from the entrance lights reflected softly against her face. “It looks nice,” she murmured.
Beth smiled, stepping out and making her way to Viv’s side. The air was crisp, but not too cold, and as they walked toward the entrance, Beth let her hand drift lightly against the small of Viv’s back. It wasn’t much—just a soft, absentminded touch meant to guide her forward—but she noticed the way Viv’s body tensed ever so slightly before she relaxed into it. Beth left her hand there a second longer than necessary before pulling away.
Inside, the restaurant was even better than Beth had imagined—warm lighting, soft instrumental music playing in the background, an atmosphere that struck a perfect balance between elegance and comfort.
The hostess greeted them with a polite smile. “Table for two?”
Beth nodded, giving her name for the reservation. As they followed her through the restaurant, Beth couldn’t help but glance at Viv, trying to read her expression. She seemed calm but quiet, her fingers brushing the hem of her sleeve as she took in their surroundings.
When they reached their table, Beth instinctively reached for the chair before Viv could, pulling it out slightly. “Here.”
Viv hesitated for a second before sitting down, her eyes flicking up to Beth’s briefly, something unreadable in them. “Thanks.”
Beth smiled, then moved to her own seat across from her.
The menus were placed in front of them, and as Beth scanned hers, she kept sneaking glances at Viv, who seemed oddly focused—her fingers tapping lightly against the table.
Beth tilted her head. “You alright?”
Viv blinked up at her, hesitating. “Yeah… just—haven’t been on a date in a while.”
Beth’s lips curled slightly. “Me neither.”
Viv exhaled a quiet chuckle. “Right.”
There was a pause, then Beth added, “So, no pressure. We can just… eat some good food and enjoy each other’s company.”
Viv hummed softly, her fingers tracing the edge of the menu. “Yeah. That sounds nice.”
Beth let her gaze linger on Viv for a second longer, taking in the way she absentmindedly traced the menu’s edges with her fingers. There was something about her quietness, the way she was both here and a little bit elsewhere, that made Beth’s chest feel tight.
She cleared her throat, letting a teasing lilt slip into her voice. “You know, if you keep looking at the menu like that, it might start blushing.”
Viv blinked, then let out a soft chuckle, her eyes flicking up to meet Beth’s. “What?”
Beth smirked, tilting her head slightly. “You’re staring at it like it’s the most fascinating thing in the world.”
Viv exhaled a small laugh, shaking her head as she finally set the menu down. “Just trying to decide.”
Beth hummed, resting her elbow on the table, chin in her hand. “You always take this long to pick, or are you just trying to impress me with how much thought you’re putting into your order?”
Viv rolled her eyes, but there was a flicker of something else in her expression—something fond, something soft. “I didn’t realize my dinner choice was a high-stakes decision.”
Beth grinned. “Oh, it is. One wrong move, and I’ll have to question everything.”
Viv let out a breathy chuckle, shaking her head. “Good to know.”
Beth watched her for a beat, then softened slightly, voice dipping just a bit lower. “For what it’s worth, I already know you’ve got good taste.”
Viv stilled for half a second, her fingers tensing slightly against the table before she picked up her wine glass. “Oh?”
Beth shrugged, a small smile playing at her lips. “Yeah.”
Viv glanced at her, something unreadable in her gaze, before she took a slow sip of her wine. When she set the glass down, she tilted her head slightly. “You don’t know what I’m going to order yet.”
Beth’s lips twitched. “I wasn’t talking about the food.”
Viv inhaled softly, and Beth saw it.
Beth glanced at Viv as she took another bite, watching for any reaction. “Are you enjoying it?”
Viv swallowed, nodding. “Yeah, it’s really good,” she said, reaching for her wine glass. She took a sip, then glanced around the restaurant. “The lighting in here is really… dim, though.”
Beth smiled, leaning forward slightly. “I think it’s supposed to feel more romantic.”
Viv let out a quiet breath of amusement, shaking her head. “Yeah, I figured.”
Beth tilted her head. “Too much?”
Viv hesitated, her fingers tapping against the stem of her glass. “No, no,” she said, shaking her head. “I just… haven’t really been to places like this before.”
Beth hummed, considering her. “Not even with…” She trailed off, catching herself. “…with your exes?”
Viv smirked faintly at Beth’s hesitation. “You can say her name, you know.”
Beth exhaled through her nose. “Right. Lisa.”
Viv leaned back slightly, twirling the glass in her hand. “Not really. I mean, when we started dating, I was barely eighteen. I wasn’t exactly… put together yet. I didn’t really know what I was doing.”
Beth ran a thumb over the edge of her plate. “She was older, though. Didn’t she take you to places like this?”
Viv’s lips parted slightly, like she wasn’t sure how to answer right away. Beth quickly realized how that sounded and cringed.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that—”
Viv waved a hand. “No, it’s okay.” She hesitated, thinking. “I mean… yeah, she was older.”
Beth hesitated too, then asked softly, “How old?”
Viv glanced up at the ceiling as she counted in her head. “I was seventeen when we met, eighteen when we started dating. She was probably… twenty-four?”
Beth nodded slowly, letting that sit between them. Viv shifted, her fingers tightening around her glass.
Viv shifted slightly, her shoulders tensing just a little. “It’s not like that,” she said, almost quietly. “Or at least… I prefer not to think of it like that.”
Beth nodded slowly, offering a small smile. “I’m no one to judge. At all.”
Viv exhaled, her shoulders relaxing slightly.
After a pause, she tilted her head slightly. “What about you?”
Beth raised an eyebrow. “What about me?”
Viv smirked a little. “Have you been to places like this before?”
Beth let out a soft chuckle, reaching for her wine. “A few times.”
Viv nodded, looking down at her plate.
Beth hesitated, then spoke again—softer, more certain this time. “But this has been the nicest.”
Viv blinked, caught off guard, her fingers stilling around her glass. A faint pink dusted her cheeks, and she ducked her head slightly, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
“…Yeah?” Her voice was quieter now, hesitant, almost unsure.
Beth’s lips curled into a small, reassuring smile. She reached across the table, fingers brushing lightly against Viv’s hand before settling on top of it.
“Yeah,” she said, voice warm. “I have this really beautiful girl in front of me.”
Viv swallowed, her lips parting slightly. She glanced at their joined hands, as if debating something, then slowly—shyly—turned her palm, letting Beth’s fingers slide properly into place between hers.
Her grip was light at first, tentative, almost like she wasn’t sure if she should. But when Beth gave her hand a soft, encouraging squeeze, Viv exhaled, something small and nervous breaking into a smile.
She ducked her head again, shaking it slightly, before murmuring, “You’re—” She stopped, biting her lip, before laughing softly. “…You’re going to make me all flustered.”
Beth grinned, her thumb brushing absentmindedly over Viv’s knuckles. “That’s not the worst thing in the world.”
Viv groaned under her breath, squeezing Beth’s hand briefly before letting go, cheeks still faintly pink. “God, stop.” But she was smiling, and Beth saw the way she kept sneaking glances at her from beneath her lashes, her fingers brushing absently over the place Beth had just been holding.
Beth wasn’t sure how they got here—how the space between them had become so small, how the warmth of Viv’s skin was just within reach.
Viv had been looking at her. Really looking at her.
Beth felt it—the weight of her gaze shifting between her eyes and her lips, like she was caught in indecision, like she wasn’t sure if she should stay still or move closer.
Beth swallowed, heart hammering, fingers itching with the need to do something. So, before she could overthink, she reached forward, her fingertips catching the edge of a loose strand of Viv’s hair, gently tucking it behind her ear.
She felt Viv still slightly, her breath catching just enough that Beth noticed.
Beth’s fingers lingered, brushing against Viv’s cheek for half a second longer than necessary. Her skin was warm beneath her touch, and Beth watched as Viv’s lashes fluttered for a moment, her lips parting like she was about to say something—but she didn’t.
Neither of them moved.
Beth could feel it—the pull, the air between them shifting. Viv’s gaze flickered downward, her eyes settling on Beth’s lips before meeting her eyes again, something unsure yet inviting in them.
Beth barely breathed.
“Beautiful,” Beth murmured, the word leaving her lips so softly, so naturally, she didn’t even think before she said it. It was barely a sound—more like an exhale, a thought slipping out into the space between them.
Viv’s lips parted slightly, her fingers tightening around her wine glass. She didn’t say anything, didn’t move away. If anything, she leaned in, just slightly, just enough that Beth knew she wasn’t imagining this—this thing between them, this undeniable, fragile moment where she could just—
"Here’s the check," a bright voice cut in.
Beth practically jolted back, heat rising to her face immediately as the waitress appeared beside them, placing the bill neatly between them on the table.
Viv inhaled sharply, blinking rapidly as she leaned back, reaching for her wine glass in an attempt to act normal—like they hadn’t just been seconds away from kissing.
Beth could barely get words out, her fingers gripping the edge of the table for a moment before she grabbed the check, pulling her card out too quickly.
"I’ve got it," she said, too fast, her voice slightly uneven.
Viv didn’t argue, just nodded quietly, bringing her glass to her lips.
Beth handed the card to the waitress, her pulse still racing.
They stepped outside together, the restaurant’s warmth fading behind them as the cool night air wrapped around them.
Beth walked slightly ahead, but she didn’t open the car door right away. She hesitated, glancing to her side where Viv was standing, hands tucked into her coat pockets, her expression unreadable.
She was waiting for something.
Beth turned fully toward her, suddenly hyper-aware of how close they were, of the way the dim streetlights cast soft shadows against Viv’s face. They weren’t touching, but it felt like they were standing on the edge of something.
Viv shifted slightly, her fingers tightening inside her pockets. Then, finally, she spoke, her voice quiet.
“Thank you for dinner.”
Beth smiled softly. “Of course. I wanted to.”
Viv hummed, nodding, but there was something in her posture—something hesitant, like she was holding onto words she wasn’t sure she should say.
The silence stretched between them, not uncomfortable, but thick with unspoken things. Beth could feel the way her heart had started to pick up speed, the way something inside her told her not to break the moment just yet.
Then Viv exhaled, a little uneven. “Did you mean it?”
Beth blinked, tilting her head. “What?”
Viv glanced away, just for a second, like she was second-guessing even asking. Beth caught the faintest dusting of pink on her cheeks, barely visible under the dim glow of the streetlights.
“When you called me beautiful,” Viv clarified, her voice quieter now, softer.
Beth felt something tighten in her chest. She didn’t hesitate—not even for a second.
She reached up without thinking, fingertips brushing gently against Viv’s cheek, her touch light but certain.
Viv didn’t pull away.
Beth’s thumb traced just beneath her cheekbone, the warmth of her skin sending something electric through her. Her voice, when she finally spoke, was soft—softer than it had been all night.
She swallowed before speaking, her voice steady but impossibly soft.
“I wasn’t just saying it, Vivi. I meant it,” she murmured. “I meant it this, and I’ll mean it every time after that.”
Viv inhaled, just barely, and Beth felt it—felt the way she leaned into her touch, just a fraction, just enough to let Beth know she wasn’t imagining this.
And then, slowly, cautiously, Beth leaned in.
She let her gaze drop for just a second, watching as Viv’s eyes flickered to her lips, then back up again.
A silent permission.
Beth closed the distance, brushing her lips against Viv’s in the softest, most careful kiss.
It was tentative at first, like both of them were afraid of pressing too hard, of moving too fast, of shattering something delicate. But then Viv exhaled, her lips parting just slightly against Beth’s, and Beth felt herself melt into it.
She tilted her head slightly, deepening the kiss just a bit, her hand sliding from Viv’s cheek to cup the nape of her neck.
Viv’s hands, which had been tucked into her coat pockets, hesitated before one of them finally moved—pressing lightly against Beth’s side, fingers curling just enough to hold onto her.
Beth felt dizzy with it, the way Viv kissed her back just as softly, like she wasn’t sure she’d ever get the chance to do this again.
And Beth—Beth wasn’t sure she could stop.
But she did.
Just for a second.
She pulled back slightly, her forehead still pressed lightly against Viv’s, her breath uneven.
And then, just because she could, just because she wanted to, Beth leaned in again—this time pressing a lingering, tender kiss to the corner of Viv’s mouth, something so impossibly soft it almost wasn’t a kiss at all.
Viv let out a small breath, something between a sigh and a quiet laugh, and before Beth could pull away completely, Viv did something Beth hadn’t expected.
She wrapped her arms around Beth, pulling her into a tight, warm hug.
Beth held onto Viv for a second longer than necessary, unwilling to break the warmth between them. She could feel Viv's breath against her neck, the steady rise and fall of her chest. Eventually, though, Viv shifted slightly, loosening her hold, and Beth took it as her cue to step back just a little.
Their eyes met again, softer this time.
Beth let out a quiet breath, her voice barely above a whisper. “I’ve been wanting to do that all night.”
Viv swallowed, her lips parting slightly, eyes flickering over Beth’s face. Then, after a beat, she admitted, “Me too.”
Beth reached up, tucking a loose strand of Viv’s hair behind her ear before letting her hand drop. She exhaled, offering Viv a small smile. “Let me drive you home.”
Viv nodded, still a bit dazed, and followed Beth toward the car. Beth moved ahead slightly, reaching for the passenger door handle. She pulled it open smoothly, stepping aside and gesturing toward the seat. “Go on,” she murmured, waiting for Viv to sit before carefully closing the door behind her.
Beth walked around to the driver’s side, fastening her seatbelt just as Viv did the same. As she adjusted her hands on the wheel, she heard Viv’s voice—soft, almost hesitant.
“I like how caring you are.”
Beth turned her head slightly, brow raising. “Yeah?”
Viv nodded, looking ahead at the dimly lit street, as if collecting her thoughts. “With the door, the chair earlier… your hand on my back.” She paused, biting her lip before adding, “It’s just… very reassuring.”
Beth felt something warm settle in her chest. She smiled, letting it stretch slow and easy across her face before she replied, just as softly, “I like taking care of you.”
Viv swallowed, her lips pressing together briefly, and Beth didn’t miss the way her fingers lightly fidgeted with the hem of her sleeve.
Beth hesitated for just a beat before reaching out, brushing her fingers gently over Viv’s hand, letting them linger there for a moment. “I mean it.”
Viv nodded, glancing at her briefly before looking back down at their hands. Then, slowly, she turned her palm up, letting her fingers thread lightly through Beth’s.
Beth gave her hand a small squeeze before finally starting the car, the moment settling between them like something steady, something sure.
As they pulled up in front of Viv’s house, the car slowed to a gentle stop. Neither of them moved right away. The air inside felt warmer than it had before, something quiet but charged lingering between them.
Almost at the same time, they both reached for their seatbelts, the soft click of them unbuckling filling the silence.
Viv turned to Beth first, hesitating for just a second before she said, “I should probably go.”
Beth nodded, her voice softer. “Yeah.”
But neither of them moved.
Viv’s gaze flickered down to Beth’s lips, then back up again, searching. And before Beth could think, before she could say anything else, Viv leaned in.
The kiss was slow, gentle—just like the first one had been, but this time, there was something steadier about it. Beth felt herself melt into it, her hand instinctively reaching for Viv’s wrist, holding her there just a second longer.
And then, just as softly as she had leaned in, Viv pulled back. She didn’t go far. Instead, she pressed a kiss to Beth’s cheek, her lips lingering against warm skin as she murmured, “Thank you. I had a lot of fun.”
Beth felt herself smile, slow and warm, the kind that reached her eyes.
“Me too.”
Viv’s lips twitched, her fingers toying with the edge of Beth’s sleeve like she wasn’t quite ready to let go.
Beth exhaled, voice quieter now. “We should do it again.”
Viv nodded, the smallest hint of pink dusting her cheeks. “Yeah,” she said, just as quiet. “We should.”
For a moment, they just sat there, suspended in something neither of them seemed willing to break just yet.
Then, with a final squeeze to Beth’s wrist, Viv pulled back, reaching for the door handle. Beth watched as she stepped out, hesitating just before closing the door.
She glanced back at Beth one last time, a small, almost shy smile pulling at her lips. “Goodnight”
Beth’s fingers curled lightly around the steering wheel, her chest feeling a little too full.
“Goodnight, Vivi.”