Inclination

Countless Beers, Claustrophobia, Concerned Calls

He was anxious when he showed up at your place. Cordial at the door and friendly to your roommate, he complimented your dress and your makeup before tossing an arm around your shoulders and guiding you to his car. Clean on the outside and slightly unkempt on the inside, the royal pine smell of the interior wasn't your favorite but you didn't mind that so much. He opened the door for you and guided you into the seat, waiting until your leg was tucked safely inside before closing the door behind you.

He brought you to see The Crow and purchased you Kit Kats, he held your hand during the movie and respectfully kept his fingers to himself otherwise. He checked in with you during the scary parts and threw your garbage away at the end of the film. He watched your ass and legs move in your tight and short long-sleeved dress as you walked up the aisle ahead of him, licking his lips at your curves and high-fiving a stranger when you weren't looking.

He took you to dinner; a restaurant just a couple miles from the movie theatre, upscale Italian, ritzy and on the costly side. He drank one beer, then two, then three, then four and when the server came around to see if you wanted anything else, you piped up to ask for the check before he could order another one. He was shocked that you didn't want to split the tiramisu with him but you lied and said that you were stuffed from the Kit Kats earlier.

He tried to pay the entire bill on his own, but in all honesty you didn't want to feel like you owed him anything, so you split it against his wishes. The sheer sherbet lingerie digging into your ribs and your hips felt itchy and tight and suddenly you were reminded of Harry last weekend.

After Harry saw you in this particular set, it was clear that he was eager to view more. He had jumped to his feet and dug his index finger underneath the strap against your collarbone, dipping his nose into the crook of your neck and inhaling deeply before drawing back to look into your eyes. He whispered into your ear about how lucky this person was if he played his cards right and got to see you in this rig but asked you to try to be discerning.

He stepped back and dropped his eyes to your chest and inhaled sharply through his teeth as if he were in pain, his hands curling into fists at his sides as he battled internally with something. He told you once more that you were pretty before dragging his knuckle across your stomach above the waistband of your panties and forcing himself to leave you to change back into your clothing.

He grabbed the identical set that you had decided on from the rack and brought it to the counter to pay for it while you were getting ready. He waited for you by the stiff tufted couch and extended his arm when you opened the dressing room door, the pink bag with matching tissue paper hanging from his index finger upon your exit.

You gasped and covered your mouth with both palms, reaching forward to smack his shoulder before sliding the bag from his finger, sniffling as you peered inside and nuzzling your nose into his neck when he hugged you and told you not to cry. He had wanted to do something nice for you but mostly he wanted you to remember him when you wore it. And it worked.

Your date convinced you to grab cocktails and dessert after dinner, claiming that there was a place close by that made delicious chocolate cream pies and after you glanced at your watch, you decided that another hour wouldn't kill you.

As soon as you were sitting down at a circular, white-lacquered table in the cozy french café, your date orders himself another beer and normally you don't mind alcohol in the slightest but his speech seemed to be slowing down and his attitude taking a turn for cavalier. You chalked his quick consumption up to nerves and decided to let it go, already internally choosing to take a cab home if he wasn't able to drive or if you felt unsafe.

He flicks his head in a gesture for you to come closer, "hey, doll face. Why don't you get comfortable?" You raise your eyebrow at him and correct him with a reminder of your actual name, re-crossing your legs so that you're closed off to him. You glance at your watch one more time before deciding that you're ready to catch a cab home.