supposed to. It was confusing because he had said nothing to suggest otherwise.
What game is he playing?
The waitress returned with our cheese platter. I immediately reached for one of the cubes of cheese and threw it in my mouth. Clint kept his eyes fixated on my movements. I liked the way he looked at me.
“You’re very different, you know that. Very, brazen.” Clint observed, as he watched me pick at the platter.
I took a stuffed olive, and held it to my lips, thinking about his words. “Your point being?”
“It’s unexpected,” he stated.
I shrugged, “That’s not a bad thing you know.”
“Yes, I know.”
This time I watched Clint pick at the plate, selecting a slice of the brie and cracker to go with it.
“So about what you heard. My reputation I mean.”
I felt my stomach churn as he returned to the subject. “What about it?”
I wonder where he is going with this?
“See, I just don’t have time for a girlfriend. I have priorities, directions. Orders. Plus the girls here are all the same. All they want is to be linked to my family name and all that goes with it. You wouldn’t understand what that is like.”
Then at that moment, and I don’t know if it was because I could understand where he was coming from, I looked Clint square in the eyes and simply said, “Yes I would understand that, more than you know.”
He waited for me to continue but I quickly realigned my head back into its safety zone. I kept forgetting myself around Clint and that was sheer stupidity on my behalf. I mentally slapped my face.
“Look Clint, I’m really sorry I mentioned it in the first place. It’s not my place to try and be judgmental. Please don’t feel the need to explain yourself because you certainly don’t owe me any kind of explanation about your personal life.” I tried to end the subject and move on.
“It obviously must be bothering you though.”
He’s thinking I care. Damn it. Did I?
“And I know I don’t have to give you an explanation, but for some reason I want to give you one Norah. You know, it hasn’t been easy for me.”
That made me laugh. “Yeah, I’m sure sleeping with countless beautiful women with no strings attached has been a horrible experience for you.” I rolled my eyes at his lame excuse to play up the ‘poor little rich boy who can’t find real love’ routine.
“You’re being sarcastic aren’t you?” he noted matter-of-factly.
“Look, I don’t how ‘hard’ it’s been for you, but if you are concerned that it puts you in a bad light with me, then don’t worry about that. If anything, I feel sorry for you.”
“Sorry for me?” He bridged the space he had created earlier, leaning in on the table, genuinely intrigued about what I was about to say next.
“Yes, I think it’s sad that you haven’t met anyone you felt you could take a chance on. To me, it would be like being stuck in the shallow end of a pool, scared to jump into the deep.”
His face switched from slightly amused to hard and cold, “Oh well, since we’re speaking in metaphors, I suppose you can say you’ve jumped into the deep end have you?” There was bitterness in the way he questioned me. Perhaps I touched on a sore spot. I shouldn’t make so many assumptions about him, but I couldn’t help but try and draw out the truth in him, even if it meant offending him or pushing his buttons.
“I’ve not only jumped into the deep end Clint, I almost drowned.” I declared.
I was venturing into dangerous territory even hinting at ‘that’ relationship.
“What happened to him then?” Clint looked away like it was going to hurt him to know the answer. The way he came at me and then backed off was very confusing. It was hard to interpret if he liked me or not, especially since he clearly indicated that he was not in the frame of mind to get attached to anyone.
“That’s another story for another day Clint.” My eyes held back tears but I knew they were already
What game is he playing?
The waitress returned with our cheese platter. I immediately reached for one of the cubes of cheese and threw it in my mouth. Clint kept his eyes fixated on my movements. I liked the way he looked at me.
“You’re very different, you know that. Very, brazen.” Clint observed, as he watched me pick at the platter.
I took a stuffed olive, and held it to my lips, thinking about his words. “Your point being?”
“It’s unexpected,” he stated.
I shrugged, “That’s not a bad thing you know.”
“Yes, I know.”
This time I watched Clint pick at the plate, selecting a slice of the brie and cracker to go with it.
“So about what you heard. My reputation I mean.”
I felt my stomach churn as he returned to the subject. “What about it?”
I wonder where he is going with this?
“See, I just don’t have time for a girlfriend. I have priorities, directions. Orders. Plus the girls here are all the same. All they want is to be linked to my family name and all that goes with it. You wouldn’t understand what that is like.”
Then at that moment, and I don’t know if it was because I could understand where he was coming from, I looked Clint square in the eyes and simply said, “Yes I would understand that, more than you know.”
He waited for me to continue but I quickly realigned my head back into its safety zone. I kept forgetting myself around Clint and that was sheer stupidity on my behalf. I mentally slapped my face.
“Look Clint, I’m really sorry I mentioned it in the first place. It’s not my place to try and be judgmental. Please don’t feel the need to explain yourself because you certainly don’t owe me any kind of explanation about your personal life.” I tried to end the subject and move on.
“It obviously must be bothering you though.”
He’s thinking I care. Damn it. Did I?
“And I know I don’t have to give you an explanation, but for some reason I want to give you one Norah. You know, it hasn’t been easy for me.”
That made me laugh. “Yeah, I’m sure sleeping with countless beautiful women with no strings attached has been a horrible experience for you.” I rolled my eyes at his lame excuse to play up the ‘poor little rich boy who can’t find real love’ routine.
“You’re being sarcastic aren’t you?” he noted matter-of-factly.
“Look, I don’t how ‘hard’ it’s been for you, but if you are concerned that it puts you in a bad light with me, then don’t worry about that. If anything, I feel sorry for you.”
“Sorry for me?” He bridged the space he had created earlier, leaning in on the table, genuinely intrigued about what I was about to say next.
“Yes, I think it’s sad that you haven’t met anyone you felt you could take a chance on. To me, it would be like being stuck in the shallow end of a pool, scared to jump into the deep.”
His face switched from slightly amused to hard and cold, “Oh well, since we’re speaking in metaphors, I suppose you can say you’ve jumped into the deep end have you?” There was bitterness in the way he questioned me. Perhaps I touched on a sore spot. I shouldn’t make so many assumptions about him, but I couldn’t help but try and draw out the truth in him, even if it meant offending him or pushing his buttons.
“I’ve not only jumped into the deep end Clint, I almost drowned.” I declared.
I was venturing into dangerous territory even hinting at ‘that’ relationship.
“What happened to him then?” Clint looked away like it was going to hurt him to know the answer. The way he came at me and then backed off was very confusing. It was hard to interpret if he liked me or not, especially since he clearly indicated that he was not in the frame of mind to get attached to anyone.
“That’s another story for another day Clint.” My eyes held back tears but I knew they were already
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