The flower all the bees prefer.

Chapter 3 : The great escape.

The party was still in full swing. Lavender girl and myself had been speaking for a while now and yet so much about her still remained a mystery. It's as though she held on to information about herself for reasons that eluded me. Perhaps she didn't trust me, which was understandable, we had only just met. There could also be the possibility that she had been hurt before and was just safe guarding her heart. Or maybe to her I was just tonight's entertainment, good sport for her and she had no intention of giving me these details, was this all an elaborate game to her?

Whatever her reasoning is, I am content with just sitting here and looking in her eyes and talking to her. I decided to test the waters. "So what is it that you do professionally?" I asked, testing to see how much of herself she would give away. Surprisingly she replied I'm actually both a florist and a botanist." Well that would explain her appeal to the lavender scented perfume. "That's really interesting. I can honestly say I don't have any friends that are Florists or Botanists for that matter." "Is that what we are Rafael? Friends?" she asked frankly. Needless to say a huge gaping hole formed in the armour of my composure. My heart began to beat frantically and it felt as though it were looking for the quickest exit from my body. Any words that would normally form a witty come back instead became complicated hieroglyphics in my mind of which I couldn't even interpret. I lost the taste in my mouth and it was as though someone had turned the heat up in the mansion.

I eventually opened my mouth and words began to form. "Well ...I think....um. I mean I'd like to think that we are more comfortable with one another than we were an hour ago."  I said, trying my best not to blush. Smooth Rafael. real smooth. My cool points were out the window. She threw her head back and laughed hysterically at the reaction she received from me. It was no doubt the reaction she anticipated. I laughed with embarrassment, she got me good.

Once she had wiped the tears from her eyes she then said. "If  you didn't have a botanist friend before you  do now Rafael." I lifted my glass slightly to her saluting her and said "Greatly appreciated." She then asked, "So what brings you to a charity event such as this?" She  had once again become more serious, folding her legs and leaning forward closer towards me. In terms of body language this was favourable I thought. "Friends have been dragging me to these things for the better part of four years now. Although I haven't been to one this big before. I don't really enjoy them but it's for a good cause and hey here I am." Here  we are." She corrected. "And  here WE are." I emphasised smiling. "Here  we are indeed." She said smiling at her glass of wine. "In  fact lets drink to that!" She added."Let's  drink to children somewhere in Africa benefiting from tonight but also to meeting new people." "Cheers!" we said in unison as we clinked glasses.

After we had finished our drinks I got up off the bar stool, turned to Miss Lavender and said "Well  Miss, I can honestly say that spending tonight with you has been a tremendous pleasure. Thank you for the wonderful conversation and company." Lavender girl stared up at me in confusion from her bar stool. I had figured that nothing more would transpire from tonight and that I should probably quit while I'm ahead. I can walk away proud knowing that I had turned the tables by actually talking to her, a thought that made me feel more confident about myself.

Would you really leave without dancing with me Rafael?" She  was still looking up at me from her bar stool. Her hazel eyes pierced through me and divided my soul. I immediately got goose bumps at the mere thought of our bodies so close on the dance floor. The image painted by my imagination was indeed a beautiful one. The kind of which I wished an artist would visualise so that he could capture such a perfect moment and turn it into something more tangible. This moment so perfect and beautiful and yet it had not happened as yet.

"Where are my manners?" I asked looking down at her with a warm smile. "We  should search for them out on that dancefloor." She responded wittingly. I took her hand in mine and we made our way to the dance floor. Her hands were gentle and soft, they were hands that belonged to a lady of her stature and grace. If I had things my way, I'd never have let go of them or her. As nervous as I was at the prospect of dancing with her, a calm still settled over me. She had been so calm in my company that this in turn made me calm. However, I wasn't out of the woods yet. I still had to dance!

Fortunately, enough for me the party was winding down. People were leaving and the neatly dressed band played their last few songs for the evening. The song we would dance to would always bring this very moment back to mind every time I heard it. The band played their rendition of Mrs. Jones. A really slow song which I found comforting due to the fact that it involved a gentle sway from side to side. I might be a horrible dancer however I'm sure I could manage to sway.

Leading her to the dancefloor I twirled her around from behind me, a move I picked up from dirty dancing just nights before. She was soon positioned in front of me and our eyes would meet for long periods of time without any embarrassment, just a look that conveyed an unspoken understanding. The understanding that this was a little bit more than a friendship. The chemistry between us was so apparent that I'm sure sparks would fly whenever our bodies touched. This moment was just as I pictured it would be.

I soon came to realise that the song would soon end and that Lavender girl would disappear into the great ocean of people that existed outside of the mansion and throughout the country. I flinched at the thought of leaving things as they were. Now was a time for boldness. Victory always favoured the bold.

I gently pulled her closer to me. Leaning downslightly to put a few words in her ear. "I'd like to take you someplace else. Someplace better if you're alright with that?" She  looked up at me "I washoping you'd have asked me that an hour ago." She  gently tucked her head undermy chin and rested on my chest and we continued dancing.