Their Paid Girl

Their Paid Girl - Part 41

[Re-cap]:

            “I’m a man of many skills,” he replied almost cheerfully. “And now, Shawna, it’s up to you to fill in the missing pieces.”

            I took a deep breath, feeling my heartbeat spike. This was my moment of honesty. Pulling myself together, I looked into Adam’s eyes for reassurance, ready to let him see me. Ready to show him my heart.

***

            Adam stared at me expectantly, the amazing colour of his eyes – I will never get over them – looking even brighter in the muted atmosphere of the café. I inhaled, breathing in the subtle yet strong flavour of coffee in the air. I felt the remnants of heat from my mug of tea, seeping into my hands.

            I looked at everyone around us, identified every smell, twisted the handle on my cup, and let the silence drag on.

            Adam quietly cleared his throat after several very quiet minutes had gone by. I couldn’t look up at his eyes anymore, digging inside me, trying to find the courage that I’d felt only a few moments earlier. But of course it deserted me a few seconds later, leaving me withering in sudden shyness and terror.

            This can be so easy, I told myself, this is Adam. He knows how to listen. He understands you. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Start saying something and let the words flow out. It will be a relief. You owe him this much. Ugh, honestly Shawna, why are you such a wuss. I’m going to kill you. Wait, no, that would be suicide and I just told Adam I’d never do that. What am I even thinking, oh Lord, this silence is getting really bad.

            I chanced a peek up at Adam and he was smiling at me. I could tell that he’d just been watching me, observing me as I sat across from him, and his smile was such a beautiful thing.

            “Adam,” I said his name in a moan as I buried my face in my hands. “This is so scary.”

            He didn’t reply, not with words, at least. He reached over and took my hand, pulling it across to his side of the table where he held it, one thumb repeatedly caressing my skin.

            I couldn’t quite suppress the shiver that went through my body at how pleasant it felt, having him touch me like that, skin on skin.

            He seemed to know how I felt because he glanced up at me, blue eyes sparking at me through his fringe of black hair, and the look on his face was a little bit too wicked to pass for innocence.

            I promptly went red and tried pulling my hand out of his – an automatic sort of reflex reaction – but he held me tightly. The next thing I knew, he was ducking his head to my hand, planting first one soft kiss, then another, covering my hand with blazing kisses.

            I stared at him in shock. “Um, Adam?” I asked, a slight tremor shaking my voice. “What are you doing?”

            “Amusing myself,” he mumbled against my skin, peeking up briefly at me with what was definitely a wicked look. “While you convince yourself to start talking.”

            I felt simultaneous annoyance and pleasure, that Adam could read me that easily.

            “Well could you amuse yourself some other time? Because this really isn’t helping me concentrate.”

            I winced as I realized what I’d said, just as Adam grinned mischievously. “I’m already looking forward to this “other time” that I’ll be amusing myself,” he looked at me suggestively.