The Roué and His Spinster (The Lifetime Series I)

Chapter six

Nelie

I sat rigidly on the chair inside the restaurant, alertly waiting for Matthieu to appear. I, then, leaned my elbows on the table and massage my throbbing temples. Gosh, Marinelie, why are you so tense? Just relax and talk to him like an adult. You are not a teenager anymore. Be calm. You can do this.

I took a deep breath and grab a glass of water, had a sip, putting it back on the table and almost tip the glass over when I heard his baritone voice. "Have you ordered yet?"

I corrected the glass from slipping and sat rigidly on the chair again. He had a smirk on his face when he sat down opposite me, looking so fresh and handsome. "Nervous, Nelie?" He asked.

"Of course not!" And smoothen my skirt, hiding my quivering hands. He just smile at me knowingly and made a signal to summon the waiter.

We ordered and he proceeded to stare at me with that amused smile on his face that I wanted to wipe out while we were eating. I just lowered my eyes and ignore him, ate daintily, cutting my beef tenderloin precisely into pieces.

"Hmmmm, do you always do that?" He asked suddenly, not taking his eyes off me.

"What?" I looked at him and stop my cutting. "That!" And he pointed with his knife of what I was doing with my food. "Do you always cut everything first before eating them?"

I looked at my food and said, "Yes, why? Is there something wrong with it?" I asked back and proceeded with what I was doing.

"Nothing really. I am just curious. I've almost finish my food but you're still in the preparation process."

"I don't want to be interrupted savoring the dish by eating and cutting and eating again. I want to enjoy thoroughly its taste without the interruption."

"Hmmmm.....that makes sense." And continue eating his food while still observing me.

I tried not to squirm under his scrutiny and be conscious of my table mannerisms.. I never met someone except Lissa, my best friend, who seem to notice the way I eat and be curious about it.

After we ate and the waiter cleared our table, he leaned his elbows and laced his hands on top, staring at me again.

"Why do you keep on staring at me?" I snapped at him, couldn't pretend anymore that I wasn't affected by his intense observation.

He pursed his lips and then answered me, "I am just wondering if you will only loosen your buttons from your blouse down to...." he pointed at my neck and made an imaginary line down the place just below my collarbone, ".....you wouldn't be too rigid....and letting your hair down.....you will be more beautiful."

I fidgeted at the buttons of my neck unconsciously and looked at him. "It's none of your business!" I irritatingly told him.

He gave me a lopsided grin and I melted when I looked at him and snap out of the trance he inflicted on me when I noticed him smiling smugly. Stop it Marinelie. Don't you fall for his charm. This is serious. Be mean.

I cleared my throat and straighten my back. "We need to talk about what happened six months ago and put a period on it. Never to dwell again, ever!"

He leaned back on his chair and placed his right arm at the back rest while slowly and quietly drum his left fingers on the table. "What if I don't want it to end? What if I want us to continue?"

"We can't! I won't!" I stated protestingly, pounding my fist lightly on the table to get my point.

"Why can't we?" He leaned towards me.

"First of all," I placed my right arm on the table and tick my left pointer finger, "We don't know each other. We're practically strangers. We just happen to have one night of.....you know.....Se----"

"Then, we get to know each other. That's not a problem."

"Secondly!....." I unfolded my middle finger along with the pointer one, "I am older than you for ten years which means you're too young for me....Third-----"

"Who says thirty-eight is old. I don't think so. You look young and age is just a number."

"Will you please stop interrupting me? I am making a point here." I stated impatiently.

"Waiter! Yes, you! Please come here!" And the Waiter he called came to our table. I looked at him in puzzlement.

He read his nameplate, "Donald, How old do you think is my beautiful date?"

"Oh my gosh, Matthieu, this is so embarrassing." I glared at him and lowered my head in humiliation, feeling warm all of a sudden.

"No, Donald, answer me honestly, I can assure you she won't get mad. I just want to end her argument," as the waiter hesitated, "Twenty-eight, sir?" I suddenly snapped my head and looked at the waiter. "And how about me? How old do you think I am?"

"Thirty, sir?" And Matthieu smiled. "Thank you for answering correctly." The Waiter sighed with relief and excused himself to tend to the other customers.

"See?" He said smugly.

"That's not the point, Matt." His smile widen when he heard me shortened his name affectionately. I just ignored him and my slip of a tongue. "I think you are interested in me because of what happened to us and you just want my body." My face redden more when I blurted it out without thinking.

"Don't flatter yourself, Nel. I've seen so many bodies of women, perfectly formed and you are far from that. You have so many imperfections but I like you anyway."

"Oh, gosh!...." I lowered my head in embarrassment and cup my too hot cheeks with my hands. I've been startled when Matthieu suddenly grasped my hands and placed it on top of the table. I looked at him and he seriously looked me in the eye. "No alibis of yours can make me change my mind. I like you and I want to continue my relationship with you. I mean it."

I wrenched my hands underneath his hands and stood up, gathered my handbag and told him, "Then, I will resist you until you get tired of me.....Please pay the bill. Ciao!" I turned around and bumped on the table but corrected myself before I make a fool of myself again and proceeded to walk away from him with dignity.

I heard him chuckle and said at my back, "See you tomorrow, baby for dinner and love you, too." I almost tripped on my heels and grasped the wall to steady myself. Drat the man!