38. CLEAR
He is halfway home from the bowling alley when he pulls into a layby and subsequently, in the absence of his right mind, turns around and heads back on himself, towards her house.
When he arrives on the road outside her driveway, he goes straight up and rings the doorbell, without stopping to ask himself if this is wise or even at all necessary.
She opens the door looking beautiful. Of course she does. She always looks beautiful. But perhaps appropriately, this is a beauty he hasn't been treated to before now. Her evening wear is coloured in soft pastels and is all faux furs and silk. She has taken off her makeup, which he already knew she didn't really need. She leans against her door as she opens it and coyly smiles at him, as if she had known, as if she had been waiting.
"Hey, I - "
She slowly drags her teeth over her bottom lip. He is trying not to think about her lips.
"I just thought it might be productive to -"
She raises her eyebrows in amusement.
"I just wanted to make sure we were on the same page here."
"Okay."
He used to be good at this. God, he used to pride himself as a mathematician on his ability with words when he spoke to women. On his coolness and eloquence. Until her. Until she turned him verbally incontinent. He can barely remember why he is at her door, nevermind how to string together a coherent sentence.
"I…Well I…I want to be with you. If that's on offer?"
She gives him a calm smile. Like the smiles she gives Bolton Smilie everytime he stumbles into the office with a bunch of flowers for her. In complete contrast to him, her reply is succinct, collected, and so straightforward it almost turns him to a puddle on her doorstep.
"It is on offer. I want to be with you too."
For a few moments, he gapes at her. For some reason, it had seemed so outlandish, he had never fantasized past that first sentence. Finally, he flashes her a dazed smile.
"...Grrrreat."
The door is swung open. She pulls him towards her with a fist in the front of his t-shirt. She kisses him again until he is raw. It hasn't gotten old yet. By the time she pulls back he is seeing stars.
"Are you coming in, Tony the Tiger?"
"Umm. Yeah. I mean, sure! Of course! Why not? I mean, If you don't - I mean I just wanted to make sure I was being clear-"
She grins.
"You're being very clear. Let's go upstairs."