He probably would never admit this to Walter, but he was really enjoying getting back to painting. It was kind of like riding a bike once he had been to a few classes. Still life. He was enjoying it. fruit and flowers, not what he used to paint but it was nice to start with something easy and unmoving. He was getting back into the swing of colours and breaking them down to add the right ones together to obtain the intended shade and the use of light and dark. Few weeks ago they were using only black and white, boy that was a challenge and there were far more shades of grey than 50. his pear was too dark, and he couldn't get the shine on the apple just right. But this week they were to have a new subject. Figure painting. People. It was a very long time since he had touched on people in his artwork, usually they were just lingering colour in the background that he didn't have to worry to much about. They were never really the focus of his work. He had liked capturing life as it had moved. Streets, the city, wide open spaces. He had once done a picture of the basset hound of an old neighbours when he was 15, she had loved it so much she gave him 25 bucks for it. He immediately went and bought himself some new brushes.

They were all gathered outside the room, he spoke to a few of the ladies who had been there from the start, there was a real mixture in the group, he was one of few men, the majority were retired women dotted with a few students of whom were interested in art as a subject. He fitted in surprisingly, he had been afraid at the start that he would be an oddity. He was glad he had reconnected with his old hobby.

They were all settled in front of their easels, low chatter amongst them as their teacher came in with a couple other ladies. Of whom were in bathrobes. One of whom he recognised instantly.

Allie.

"Ok, so gents don't get to flushed but tonight we have some volunteer models of whom will be nude. This is Susan and her friend Allie"

It was suddenly very warm in the open space that was usually so cool. He should have guessed the moment he saw the bed and lights in the corner. As Happy would put it. Not good.

Had she seen him? Would she be mortified? One date. They had only had one date and it had ended with a kiss on the cheek. He was good with that. He was happy with that. Slow and steady. This felt like a rather large spanner in those works. Dear god he was about to see the woman naked. The entire room was but.. what was this he was feeling? Part of him wanted to leave, let her retain her dignity and the ability to look him in the eye again. Would she be embarrassed? This was obviously her choice, but to be naked in front of him, she didn't know that's what she was walking into by coming here tonight. What if she was hurt by his leaving? What if she wanted to leave when she realised he was there? The last thing he wanted to do was make her uncomfortable. Crap, this felt like a serious invasion of privacy on someone who he really rather respected.

He missed what else their teacher had been saying to distracted by the situation presented in front of him. If he was going to do something he had to act fast. He stood as he watched her approach the bed set out, her friend was set in the chair in the other half of the circle. Life had no mercy then. Maybe he could switch out with one of the ladies on the other half.

"Cabe" her mouth was a little agape in her shock, she tugged at the robe around her. He sucked in a breath, "Allie, I.."

"You paint?" She didn't look mad at least. A little surprised but he couldn't see anything else jumping out at him, maybe a little flustered. There was certainly a touch of blush across the tops of her cheeks. Gosh she was lovely.

Maybe if he smiled it would break the slight tension, "I do, I do, er, yep getting back into the swing of it at least. It's been a while...Walts idea..."

She smiled in return, that had to be a good sign. The awkwardness was beginning to settle again when Allie spoke up. Cabe was quite grateful "I don't usually do this. Susan she does this, she just asked me and in light of being spontaneous I said yes. So,eh, do you mind this?"

She really didn't seem to be as affected by this as he was. She seemed rather calm. Maybe that came from her time in politics. "what? No, no. not an issue, so long as it doesn't bother you...I mean I don't want to make you uncomfortable, I can-"

"No! No it's fine, I'm fine. You can have me, I mean you, can paint me I don't mind"Yep, defiantly a little flustered, but she was smiling earnestly. That sweet smile that had Cabe forgetting his own name.

He couldn't help but chuckle, he was as bad as Sly with the anxiety over the situation. The saying making a mountain of a molehill came to mind, but It had been a long time since he had been made so nervous by a woman, he really didn't want to ruin it.

She glanced at him before tugging at the end of the robe tie, Cabe quickly busied himself with sorting his paints, he dared a glance around the edge of his canvas but quickly averted his eyes, her top half was exposed. So maybe those darn kids weren't the only risk to his blood pressure any more.

He watched as Helen the teacher came back over, addressing Allie, "yeah, that's great, you just get yourself comfortable. Just let them know when you are ready, ok?" He heard the polite softness of Allie's voice, like the sweetest of honey, "mhmm yep, thank you"

Blowing out a sharp exhale and gathering himself he counted to ten before sitting back in his chair.

She was lying down on her side, legs slightly pulled up as to cover for the most part, the most intimate of areas, her breasts however were exposed as she came to rest her head on her arm, the other resting on the bed, fingernail tracing a indistinguishable pattern on the bed. When her gaze lifted to meet his eyes he was glad he was on those blood pressure tablets. He pulled away his gaze clearing his throat. He liked to think himself as close as an American man can come to a gentleman. He was respectful of women and their bodies, they were to be appreciated. Not oggled. She was however beautiful, the curve of her hip, the line of her neck, sure the elasticity of the skin maybe was not what it may have been in her twenties but she was still stunning, ageing with fine grace that was for sure. Those ringlets of hers that fell from that bun were rather distracting, but those eyes. She was watching him, and that kind of had him wishing he could sit by an open window. So warm in their depth of brown, and sparkled with such kindness. Gosh, she was so kind, so lovely. He had expected some kind of battle axe as the opposition and she was the complete opposite and he was a complete bumbling fool around her. It made it all the more difficult, he wanted Sly to win but he didn't want her to loose. There was no success to be had without failure whatever the outcome.

He didn't know where the hour went. But he was glad there was to be a few more weeks to complete the pieces. He would however be wearing some cooler clothing.

"Hey"

She was stood outside, it was drizzling slightly so she was easily spotted by the dotty umbrella.

"Oh, hey" He truly hadn't expected her to have waited on him.

"so how did that go, did you get a good start." She was smiling in that way again.

"yeah,yeah. A reasonable start to be had"

hope you won't go into to much detail, there are a fair few flaws that I could live with being smoothed out."

"oh well I think you look great." aw snap. "what I mean is..I didn't see..I mean your body is...you looked nice, you looked really pretty."

she gave him that forgiving smile, "I'm sure the lighting helped"

"no, well maybe but even before. You looked good. Really nice." He must be beet red. He could practically feel his ears burning.

"Thank you Cabe, that makes coming back next week a lot easier. And thank you for not making a fuss, I'm sure neither of us was expecting to see the other tonight. Especially in my state of undress"

That made him laugh, "No, no you were no what I was expecting for my evening. But it was nice, I mean seeing you..not seeing you naked..but that wasn't bad! I mean it was great, but I just didn't expect...I mean we have only had one date and I'm not sure if you want to go out again maybe-"

"yes"

"yes?"

"Yes, I would like to go out again, if that's what you want, If this has made it to weird I completely understand-"

"that would be great, I mean I'll call you and we can arrange.."

"Yeah?"

That smile of hers would melt icebergs.

"yeah, tonight was really great Allie. I enjoyed painting you"

"I enjoyed being painted, by a room of people. I might worry about the angles but it was oddly

liberating"

"Well, I look forward to seeing you next week, and if I see you before that then even better"

"Yeah, see you soon Cabe, get home safe"

With those parting words she darted to her car and Cabe watched as she set off with a short wave. It wasn't till he was sat in his own car the realisation of the past couple hours really hit him. "I'm a need to up those meds"

If tonight ever got back to that damn group of geniuses, he was never going to live this down.