Page 21 of When Sinners Rise
“Well,” I push her coffee over to her. “He might have more experience than me. Might be better at flirting, and then I’ll lose, and you’ll be gone, and I’ll die of a broken heart.”
She snorts and leans in to pick up her coffee. “You flirt just fine.”
“I do?”
“Yes, Shaw. And you already know that.” I smile and take a sip of my own drink. It’s surprisingly good. “In fact, I doubt you’ve ever had a problem with women. If anyone should be worried about experience, it’s me.”
“Well, now I’m intrigued. How have you not got experience? You’re cute as hell.”
She reddens slightly and looks downwards. “I just haven’t gotten involved with many people. Trust issues, I suppose. My life shifted a while back, and I’ve just been concentrating on myself since then. New job – new life, really.”
“What was the shift?” I know damn well what the shift was, but I wouldn’t mind hearing her talk it through before I start making it happen all over again.
“Just stuff.” She shrugs and reaches for her coffee again. “Things happen, right? Life. Perspectives change, and we all have to make adjustments.” I keep staring. “Anyway, let’s talk about you. How did you get into your job? Being over here must be a change from back home. We’ve got that in common.”
I lie to answer that, and we end up talking about random crap that means nothing to either of us. No real feelings involved. Nothing of consequence either. It makes me wonder, while she’s talking, when the last time I talked to a woman regarding anything of consequence was. Maybe never, other than Mother or Mariana. One’s dead now, killed by the other. We do have that twin thing, though. I feel her, and she does me. Maybe that’s what fucked up the past for me. Everyone changed after what happened to her. They were pissed and hostile, but all I felt was sad. She was sad, so I was sad. She hurt, I hurt. Never did get the balls to ask her to show me the scar, though. Couldn’t stomach it.
“Shaw?”
“Sorry, what?”
She smiles at me. “Am I boring you?”
“You? Never. I was just wondering if maybe you wanted to take a walk?”
“A walk?”
“Yeah. We could ease out those trust issues, and maybe you could think about the next date and what you want to do with it.”
“Another date? This is a lot of dates.”
I stand and put my coat on, grabbing hers to hold it up for her. “You don’t want another one?”
“Yes. I just. Wow. You’re like the perfect gentleman.” No, I’m not. She gets up and puts her coat on with my help. “Guys are usually after one thing, you know?”
I offer her my arm as we walk out into the fresh air again. “Well, don’t worry, I’m not halfway finished with you yet, Miri, and, believe me, I won’t be saying no to that thing when the time’s right. You’re getting harder to resist.”
The afternoon eases slowly into early evening. We’ve walked, we’ve talked, and we’ve engaged in civil, flirtatious conversation like any other dating couple would do, I guess. It’s been a long time since I’ve had to bother with crap like it, and, in reality, I didn’t need to this time either. I could have just stolen her a few days ago and got on with the thing I’m here to do. I’ve enjoyed playing with her, though. I’ve even enjoyed her learning to trust me in some fucked up way. It’s been amusing, sweet-natured, nourishing. She’s giggled at things I’ve said and slapped my arm in some show of disapproval when I’ve cut close to the bone on subjects. Felt almost scolding, like I should take her thoughts seriously. Cute.
“So,” she says as we get close to her place. “Do you have any plans later?”
“No. Just work.”
“That doesn’t sound very exciting.”
“No.”
“This is me.”
I look up at the building we’re outside of, knowing that already. “Nice place.”
She backs off a few steps. “Yeah. Comes with the job. Kind of.” Her hands twist around in each other. “You could come up, if you want. If you’re not busy. We could get around to that coffee?”
My tongue runs over my teeth. “Are you asking me up there for what I think you’re asking me for?”
“Well.” She blushes and takes a small step backwards again. “No, not if you don’t want that. I just didn’t want the day to end. It’s been wonderful and-”
“I can guarantee you it’s not going to end at all if I come up there. You won’t get rid of me.”
