STEP SIX AND SEVEN: Be Sincere... But not too sincere, lest you be labelled forever-more "friend"
Oh dear. He was already her friend. She had said so. Granted, it was a while back. And his other reading material had highly recommended becoming friends with the lady of your desire, that it would promote longevity in the relationship.
He reviewed the past in his mind. He was always sincere, so he had that covered. Leonard, on the other hand was overly sincere, so that would be why that relationship had failed. He understood it now. The step should read, be sincere, but don't bend over backwards or let her think she's right when she's wrong.
He already did that. Excellent.
He finished jotting down his notes about their date, which had ended with a sort of kiss, as protocol for first dates directed, it was light, and quick, and then he had run away, because his heart was pounding he felt sure he was going to have a heart attack, but the nurse on the nurse hotline had assured him that it was merely excitement brought on by the kiss, and that he might want to take up meditation if he planned to repeat the activity.
Meditation was hokum.
He had settled for tea instead, and then laundry. Laundry was very therapeutic. By the time Penny had joined him, he was happily sorting his laundry, bleachables, lights, brights, darks...
She smiled at him nervously from the doorway. "You alright now?"
He nodded and carefully measured fabric softener and laundry detergent into his machines.
"Are you going to run away again if I come in?"
He looked confused. "Why would I do that?"
"Because we kind of kissed, and then you were gone, like flash!" She looked at him with wide eyes. "Did you forget? Oh god, did I break you?"
"I thought I was having a heart attack." He said simply. "Turns out I wasn't. The nurse recommended meditation, but that's hokum, so I had tea."
"Nurse?"
He nodded. "From the nurse hotline."
"You have them on speed dial don't you?" She grinned knowingly.
"Of course. Number four, for future reference."
Penny dumped her laundry in a machine. She had changed from her dress to pair of shorts and a tank top, he was still dressed as he had been, minus the coat. "Whats the other three?"
"1 is 911, 2 is my mother, 3 is you, 4 is the nurse hotline, 5 is thai, 6 is chinese..."
"I'm on your speed dial? That's sweet!" Penny smiled at him.
"Is it?" He said blankly.
"Yes, I'd kiss you, but I don't want you to have another near heart attack." She teased.
He raised his eyebrows. "The nurses recommended that you do so as much as possible actually, in the hopes of the effect reducing due to exposure." He said sarcastically, so that he wouldn't twitch.
"Either you're being sarcastic, or you're telling the truth." She narrowed her eyes.
He looked at her from the corner of his eye, and waited.
She was smirking.
Drat.
Suddenly her arm slid around his waist and she peeked up at him. "Well, I suppose if the nurses said so, I should follow their orders."
"They do prefer it when their orders are followed." He hedged. "Preferably, it appears, without questions being asked, because they always threaten me with hypodermic needles and say that they could make it look like an accident, which plainly it wouldn't be.."
She went on tip toe and kissed him.
He froze.
She waited.
He didn't run.
"Pulse check?" She said seriously.
His hand snapped to his neck and after a few seconds, he blinked. "Rapid."
"Heart check?"
His hand went to his chest. "Rapid."
"Numbness in the arms?"
His eyes moved slightly. "None."
She smiled. This was kind of fun. She kissed him again.
"Pulse check?"