Her White Wolf

Chapter Six

That kiss had lingered warm on Cleo's cheek after James had left her that night. The flush of a beautiful yet dizzying thrill she felt was hard to shake. A man that good looking and that protective? Who wouldn't want a kiss on the cheek? She'd been reluctant to even wash the makeup from her face, knowing that she'd be washing away that feeling. The man she'd met at the Royal dinner was an entirely different one than she'd first met. He was funny and sweet and chivalrous. His eyes sparkled. Cleo understood that every moment wouldn't feel like that for him, that he had a lot to work through, but the potential for it was there and that gave her hope for him.

The following day Cleo had laid low, her head a little swimmy. She slept in and stayed in sweats for the day but the day after, she was out and about again. She had responsibilities to keep up with.

As Cleo walked, she pulled her hair up high on her head and put it in a ponytail as she headed to the facility where they treated the injured animals. Her own little veterinary clinic... well, her fathers, and now hers. As she rounded the corner that would take her past James's house, she couldn't help herself as she slowed her pace. She hadn't seen him since the night of the party. She... wanted to see him. But as she made her way fully past his house, a small frown crossed over her face. She wondered where he was, what he was doing. She hoped he was happy somewhere.

Meanwhile James sighed as he stood in the window of his house, looking outside. "You think I'm stupid, don't you?" He asked, then turned to look at Steve sitting at his table. "Should I talk to her?"

Steve's eyes were already on his friend, a slightly smug smirk tugging at his lips. "The answer to both of those questions is yes," he said, nodding surely. "She isn't avoiding you, why would you need to avoid her?"

"Ugh," James rested his head against the wall. "I told you! I kissed her cheek and now I... I feel weird about it I guess."

"What feels weird?" Steve asked with a one shouldered shrug. "Are you worried she didn't like it? Or that she did?" he questioned, raising a brow.

James sighed and ran his hand over his face. "I don't know. I think... I'm worried I liked it and she didn't."

"You saw how red she was when she was talking to you, right? She blushed when you danced. She let you walk her home," Steve laid out, sitting back in his chair to stretch out his long, thick legs. "You're overthinking it. I get it... I do. You don't wanna be wrong." He understood that feeling, not wanting to put yourself out there to be let down one more time. "I just really, really think you should talk to her."

"What would I even say?" James let himself slide down the wall until he was sitting beside the pile of blankets that he used for a bed.

Steve sighed quietly, feeling for his friend. He'd been so confident once. Maybe too confident, though, at times. Maybe now he could find that balance. He stood up from the chair at the table and he lowered himself down onto the floor across from the dark-haired man. He considered his advice for a solid moment, but eventually he nodded lightly. "I'm telling you man, just start with hi," he suggested. "She'll smile, you'll smile. And that's the look you want to try to keep on her face."

James grinned just barely as the image came to his mind. "She has a nice smile," he commented. A really nice smile.

"Yeah, she does. And the one she has for you is even nicer than the rest," Steve observed as objectively as he could. He truly wouldn't want to set Bucky up for failure. If he thought there was a chance at this point that this whole potential with Cleo might end up in flames, he wouldn't encourage him.

"I don't know where she is to even go see her right now. Cleo does stuff around the village and in the clinic." James knew he was making excuses. But he felt... scared. Eighty years was a long time without dating anyone. He didn't think he could even remember how.