Disclaimer: Ok everyone this is the last section in the Pug series to tie things in before the stag party. I wouldn't want any of ya'll to think I'm a slut. *evil grin* Reviews always welcome and this is a pretty much G or PG section. Thanks, T! One warning in advance, it's kinda long.

The workweek finally crawled to an end. Every night I left I found some kind of gift on the Blazer. After the single rose there was candy, more flowers, and stuffed animals, each accompanied with a card containing short sweet incantations that made me tingle just to read them. The funniest, and my personal favorite, was a small demon looking doll wearing red heart covered boxer shorts and holding a pitchfork. I nearly fell onto the parking lot pavement with laughter. It made me wonder if Pug was really this sweet or if he was just trying to seem that way so I wouldn't be tempted to call off the date.

It was Saturday afternoon and I was trying to get ready for my big date. What exactly do you wear when you're going out with a demon? I had no idea. He hadn't said anything about a formal dinner so I thought casual but a bit dressy would do. I called up Lyza, who is always handy when it comes to picking out just the right outfit. She brought Brian and Shanice, her Godchildren, with her. They kept Ashley occupied while we tore through my closet in search of something spectacular.

Once again she came through. I was looking at my reflection in the mirror and had to admit that I liked what I saw. I was hoping Pug would too. My hair was pulled back in a ponytail. Lyza had used the curling iron to put big Shirley Temple curls through it and even curled a few strands that were left loose around my face. My shirt was a deep red that wrapped around my body and tied at the waist. It was stylish and sexy. It was hot outside but I didn't want to look too casual by wearing shorts so we decided on a white skirt that were really shorts underneath, this way I looked dressy but i was still comfortable. Pug had given me no clues on what he had planned for us tonight. White strappy sandals complaeted my outfit. I kept my make-up light except for the red lipstick I used to match the shirt, I had the pale coloring to pull that off. Lyza was gathering up her godchildren as the doorbell rang. I was putting on a bit of shiny lip gloss over the lipstick as I heard the door open. I could hear Lyza's voice as she spoke. "Come on in." Then she called out to me. "Tanya, your date's here. I'm going to go ahead and head out. Ya'll have fun and don't do anything I wouldn't do." I could hear her laughing as she left.

I felt the butterflies in the pit of my stomach. I was nervous about tonight. It has been a long time since I've been on a date...nevermind the fact that the choice of babysitters was still bothering me. I grabbed the small white purse that matched my outfit and headed towards the front room where Pug was waiting. I suddenly had the urge to go hide under the bed and call the date off.

Pug smiled when he saw me and I spoke a quiet "hello". Ashley ran out of her room to see who I was talking to. She stopped in her tracks when she saw Pug, she's very nervous around strangers. She cocked her head to the side for a minute and I watched as she looked him over from head to toe, then ran to my side. She pointed to Pug and asked in a loud voice, "Mama, whose dat?"

Pug bent down and held his hand out to her, "I'm Pug. I'd like to take your mom out tonight if that's okay?" It felt weird watching someone that I knew worked in hell for a living asking a two-year-old permission to go on a date with her mommy. I had to admit how cute the sight was though.

Ashley didn't respond at first, she just wrapped her arms protectively around my leg and stated "My mama." Then she looked up at me and noticed my clothing. She patted the edge of my skirt. "Mama pretty!"

Pug nodded his head in agreement. "Yes she is pretty. Would it be okay with you if a took YOUR pretty mama out to dinner tonight? I promise to bring her right back, and Kash and Luce said you could come over to their house and play." His last sentence caught Ashley's attention and mine. Ashley was jumping up and down, tugging at my hand. "Wanna see Kash! Wanna see Wuce!" Pug laughed at her pronunciation of Luce's name. I was used to hearing it said thet way so it didn't phase me, but I was bewildered about the sudden change in plans, he must have noticed my puzzlement.

"I could tell you were still uncomfortable with the previous arrangements. I thought you might like it better if she stayed with one someone you both know and are comfortable with. I already talked to Luce about it and Kash agreed as well. They'd love to keep her tonight." Ashley was still chattering on excitedly about going to stay at Kash's. Pug laughed, "Ashley seems to like the idea, what about you?"

I wasn't sure what to say, so I said the only thing I could think of, "Thank you." He just shrugged, as if it was no big deal. But to me it was, it was a very big deal. He was looking out for Ashley's welfare, something I had been worried about, up until now. Ashley became restless with our lack of movement. She grabbed my hand and then, in a motion I couldn't have seen coming, she grabbed Pug's hand and began trying to pull us out the door. I couldn't help but smile. "Ok honey, hang on and let me get your bag." I looked down at her impatient little figure. "Are you sure you don't mind staying with Luce and Kash while I go off for a while."

Her response was enthusiastic. "I wanna go bye bye." That was all the confirmation I needed.

I grabbed the bag I had packed for Ashley and the three of us walked outside. I locked my door and when I turned around and expected to see another vehicle parked in one of the allowed spaces for my apartment. There wasn't one. I looked over at him and asked, "Where's your car?"

"I didn't drive here."

I gave him an odd look. I couldn't believe this. He's here to pick me up for a date and he doesn't drive. "No offense but I hope you don't expect to take my vehicle. My Blazer is a mess. Ashley has taken it over as her own personal taxi."

He laughed. "We don't need a car to get where we're going. I can 'pop' us there."

"Oh." It wasn't the most dignified response but it was the only thing I could think of. Ashley seemed excited about whatever 'popping' was. "Wanna pop. Wanna pop" Pug took my hand so that the three of us formed a circle and then we were gone. I certainly hope none of my neighbors had been watching.

We materialized in Kash's living room. When we appeared, her and Luce didn't even jump. Maybe after a while you get used to people dropping in on you like this all the time, though I wasn't sure I ever would.

Ashley let go of our hands and ran over to Kash. "We popped. We popped!"

She laughed and ruffled my child's hair. "Yes you did." While Kash escorted her to the kitchen for milk and cookies Luce stayed seated. I dropped Ashley's bag on the floor next to his chair. He was looking us over and the feeling made me uncomfortable. He smiled and then headed towards the kitchen where Kash and Ashley had gone. Just before disappearing into the other room he turned his head back towards us and spoke. "If something should come up and Ashley needs to stay overnight, it won't be a problem," and then he was gone. What was he trying to say? This was my first date with Pug. I was so not sleeping with him after the first time we went out. I started to follow after him and straighten him out but I didn't want to fuss in front of my daughter.

Ashley ran back into the living room holding a large chocolate chip cookie and a juice box. She settled herself in front of the TV and Kash flipped it to The Cartoon Network. She seemed content and relaxed enough for me to slip out the front door without throwing a fit. So Pug and I did just that while she wasn't watching. As long as I didn't tell her goodbye and she didn't see me leave, she wouldn't get upset.

As soon as the door was shut behind us Pug chose that moment to put his hands over my eyes. It startled me, he'd caught me completely off guard. He wrapped his other arm around my waist and when I pulled away I realized we weren't on Kash's porch anymore. Instead we were standing on a bridge overlooking a waterway. A man in a gondola floated under us and I knew we weren't in St. Louis anymore. "Where are we?" I asked as I turned to face him.

He smiled that smile that I knew I was going to grow to love. "I told you I was taking you out to dinner. What better place to get good Italian food than to go to Italy?" His face grew serious. "Do you like it?"

"You mean we are actually in Italy?" He nodded. "It's beautiful." I couldn't believe this. Most of the guys I usually dated took me out to a movie and a fast food restaurant. Pug had taken me to another country for dinner. Talk about first impressions. He gave me that breathtaking smile again. It was official, that smile was going to get me in trouble, I could sense it already. "You told me to surprise you."

I couldn't help but grin back at him "You definitely did that."

He seemed pleased with himself as he began leading me away from the water and towards what looked like the heart of the city. Everything looked old fashioned as if we had taken a step back in time. We stopped in front of a small restaurant with elegant iron tables for two outside the windows. The name on the marquee read Den Dei Diavoli and by the look on Pug's face, I wasn't sure I wanted to know what it meant. He held the door open for me and I stepped inside. The restaurant was dimly lit. The soft glow of candlelight made the place seem very intimate. Off to the side was a young man playing soft music on a violin. I was suddenly very aware of Pug's warm hand clasped in mine. The Maitre d' approached us and began speaking in Italian. Shit, I didn't have the slightest clue what he was saying.

Needless to say that I went into shock when Pug replied to the man as if he'd been speaking the language all his life. Soon we were being seated at a small table near the back of the restaurant. Pug scooted closer to me as we shared the menu, I couldn't read a bit of it. He began pointing to different things and explaining what they were. I told him what sounded good and when the waiter came to our table he ordered for us.

I didn't stray too far from what I was used to so I picked out a pasta dish topped with grilled chicken and covered in tomato sauce, it was excellent. I'd eaten until I was sure I was going to explode. I decided to indulge in one more glass of wine since I didn't have to worry about driving anywhere, it was my third glass of the evening. I was feeling a bit giddy when Pug suggested it was time to go. I wobbled a bit as I stood and Pug wrapped his arm around my waist to steady me. I hiccuped and he laughed. "You don't drink often do you?"

"Not really. I had a couple drinks at the bachelorette party, but I'm usually with Ashley and I don't drink when I'm with her." He nodded his head in inderstanding and paid the bill. We began strolling back towards the waterway when I spoke. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure", Pug replied. "Anything you want to know."

"Where did you learn Italian?"

He laughed before answering. "I know lots of languages. Hell isn't just for the English speaking you know? We are an Equal Opportunity Torture Establishment. You learn a lot when you have to travel all over the world. I can speak every language there is, including a few dead ones."

"Could you teach me some of them?"

"Sure." He wiggled his eyebrows. "I know quite a few erotic little phrases I could whisper in your ear too." He leaned forward and placed a light kiss against my earlobe. I pushed him back gently.

"Stop that." I said a bit breathlessy.

He shook his head. "You can't blame me for trying." That seductive smile appeared again.

All the way to the bridge he kept his arm tightly wrapped around my waist. He hadn't tried anything else so I let him keep it there. We finally reached where we had first arrived and i stopped to peer over the side at the water. He withdrew his arm, I though it was to stand by my side, but I was wrong. I knew it the minute he covered my eyes from behind. I tried to push him back but he held me tighter. Then just as suddenly he released me and I realized we weren't on the Italian bridge anymore. We were back in St. Louis in a playground several blocks from Kash's house.

I spun around to face him and he had that mischievous gleam in his eyes. "I thought you might think a boat ride was a bit too intimate for our first date so I figured you'd like this better." He gestured at the park with a sweep of his hand.

"What exactly are two grown adults supossed to do in a child's playground in the middle of the night?" I regretted that question the moment it came out of my mouth.

He laughed and I knew what was going through his mind, cause the same wicked little thought had just passed through mine. His laughter faded and he took my hand. "Come on I'll show you."

He led me to the swings and once I sat down he began to push me into the air. Within minutes I was soaring back and forth as Pug pushed me higher and higher. I forgot how stupid I thought this idea had seemed and began to giggle like a young child, like the children that had probably graced this swing during the daylight. We played like this for hours, chasing each other, sliding on the sliding board, playing on the seesaw. Finally we ended up sitting on a bench, just talking. I was leaned up against his shoulder, more relaxed than I had been in a long time, when I noticed the color of the sky beginning to lighten. I jumped up. "Oh my, it's almost dawn. We need to get back to Kash's. I hope Ashley is okay."

Pug stood and put his arms around me. "Relax, I know she's fine. Luce said she could spend the night if need be, remember?"

I turned around to face him and the look on my face must not have been pleasant cause he let his arms fall away. "What is Luce gonna think?"

He smiled light heartidly, trying to get me to relax. "I hardly think playing on a playground all night qualifies as hot sex."

I felt the blush creep up my cheeks at just the thought of him pressed against me and naked. I turned to hide my face until the thoughts subsided. When I turned bacto look at him he was grinning from ear to ear as if he'd read my mind. "Besides, Luce will know we didn't sleep together."

"How?" I asked, not sure that I really wanted to know.

"He’d be able to smell it." He smiled widely and I groaned inwardly. Isn't there anyone I know that can't smell sex the way humans normally smell perfume?

"Let's just get back, I want to check on Ashley." He took my hand and the world dissolved into a mist around us, then reformed itself in Kash's kitchen. I heard the sound of the TV coming from the living room and decided to go inspect the noise. I found my daughter still awake and sitting in the floor watching The Cartoon Network. She finally pulled her eyes away from the TV, saw me and ran into my arms. Luce was sitting on the couch watching but Kash had fallen asleep with her head in his lap. Guess even Kash's stamina can't outlast my daughter's. I scooped Ashley up and showered her with kisses.

Luce smiled as he stood and walked towards us after placing Kash's head gently on a pillow. Pug was standing just a few steps behind me. "I see you took me up on my offer, to have the little one spend the night." He raised his eyebrows and continued. "I trust you two enjoyed yourselves?"

"We lost track of time. I'm sorry. It seems Ashley kept you up all night."

He ruffled her hair. "We didn't mind, she was no trouble at all."

I glanced around Luce to Kash's still sleeping figure. "It looks like YOU had to do most of the watching. I really didn't mean for us to be gone this long."

"If you enjoyed yourselves then it was worth it." We offered no explanation of where we'd been and what we'd been doing.

Pug touched my shoulder. "I'll take the two of you home now if you want."

I turned to him and nodded. "That would be nice. I'm sure Ashley is tired and I could use some sleep myself." I grabbed Ashley's bag and walked back over to Pug. Ashley was already yawning. I couldn't believe she had stayed up all night.

Pug transported us to my apartment and Ashley fell asleep in my arms. I opened the door and went to lay her down. I came back to find him standing in my living room. The situation suddenly seemed awkward. He made his way towards me until we were standing very close. "I enjoyed being with you." His words were softly spoken as if he were unsure of what to say.

I was just as clueless. "I had fun too."

"Would you be willing to go out with me again?"

I was startled for an instant. I hadn't really expected that question so soon. My hesitation must have made him think I was going to say no because he turned away and headed towards the front door. "No, wait!" I reached out and grabbed his arm.

He turned back. "Did you change your mind?"

"I never said no." I smiled at him shyly.

His eyebrows raised in shock. "So does that mean yes?"

I thought about it for a moment. Did I want to go out with him again? Would it be as much fun as last night was? The answer was a definite. "Yes" I replied and he came towards me with a with a devilish look on his face and a wicked gleam in his eyes.

"I hoped you would say that." He glanced in the direction of Ashley's room. "Maybe I should go and let you get some sleep. I'll call you later." He darted forward and his lips touched mine. Just as soon as I closed my eyes the tingling pressure on my mouth dissipated. I opened my eyes and he was gone. I sughed as I walked to my bedroom. I changed into my nightgown and went to bed. Sleep eluded me, as I tossed and turned. All I could think about was Pug and the feeling of his lips against mine.