HOW TO BE SINGLE | SIDEMEN

THIRTY TWO

t h i r t y t w o
" trying too hard "
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Adela Chase was over the moon.

She hadn't anticipated Lewis being so at ease with the new turn their friendship had taken. Taken them onto a much more intimate path. And, while Adela's hand rested in his across the table for two, she couldn't even think about what could be at the end of that road.

Whether it be disaster or something beautiful, she didn't think about it. Didn't let those worries consume her and found her thoughts filled with the feeling of his warm hand around hers, watching the candle light dance across his brown eyes, now molten in the dim light and boring into her as if she were pure diamond.

As he dragged a thumb across the back of her hand, he asked, "Is this too... predictable?"

Adela rested her chin on her free hand as she looked at him with those doe-like eyes. Surprisingly sultry between long, dark lashes and sparkling eye-shadows smeared across the plains of her eye-lids in the way that told of a girl who had little love of make up, but enjoyed making an effort. It was enough. She looked effortlessly beautiful and incredibly enticing for a girl who always seemed to be reserved.

She held his gaze as she replied, "What? A romantic meal?"

"Yeah." His accent coming out as he spoke. She liked his accent. "A little cliché, don't you think?"

A smile swung onto her lips as she drew her hand back from him, picking up the wine glass. She paused before taking a sip, letting the scent slip into her nostrils, and said, "It's been a long time since someone took me out for a meal like this. As common as it is, I couldn't ask for anything better."

Adela kept her eyes on him as her lips closed around the edge of the glass, drinking the cool wine.

"So, I did well?" He too sipped his wine, meeting the challenge of her. He liked a challenge, he had to confess.

It surprised him how forward she was being, how open. But it was a change he grasped with both hands and refused to let slip away. She would not cower from his advances now, he hoped, because all he ever wanted to do lately was be around her.

It was driving him insane.

In truth, she surprised herself. She'd felt nervous about the date all day, but, now that she was sat across from him, the nerves scuttled away. And Adela was left with a sense of comfort, revelling in his company.

"Very well," Adela confirmed, smiling at him, even daring to show her teeth through her fear that she'd end up with her lipstick on them.

"Oh, good," Lewis said, sounding relieved, shoulders relaxing slightly. "I thought you might hate it."

"Why would I?"

"Because it's, y'know, full on. I thought you might think I was trying too hard and get... scared away."