I really am sorry I left things as I did with the last chapter. Truth be
told I didn't post more because I had written about three more paragraphs
and found myself really hating the story. So instead of canning the whole
chapter I just posted up to where (I thought) it took a wrong turn and made
a deal with myself not to post any more until I could get a fresh look at
it. For the right price I might share the original direction this story
was going to go from here but for now... here's the continuation of that last
scene.
"It's just that... I just... Bollocks." She too struggled to clarify. "Can we just forget I asked?" It was juvenile. Even as she said it she felt like the words were coming from some teenager with a crush. Might as well drive it home. She winked and whispered, "please?"
"No Lizzie." Robert laughed. "Not even with a 'please' am I going to be able to forget what you asked." After a beat he finished, "but the real question is why did you ask?"
From there Elizabeth and Robert's flowed quickly, as if a well rehearsed script. "Did you know it's impolite to answer a question with a question?"
"You're stalling."
"I'm aware."
"I'm not letting it go."
"I figured."
"Say it."
"You're an ass."
"And yet still... you want me and my ass to come home with you tonight."
"... in a way."
"In the you-are-practically-begging, sort of a way."
"Is it getting warm in here?"
"No."
"You sure?"
"Want to ask me again?"
"Definitely not."
"Your loss."
"So you won't?"
"Actually, no."
"No?"
"No."
"Wait." Elizabeth was confused, "What?"
"As kind as it was for you to offer, and as much as I enjoy you trying to back peddle your way out of the offer, I am going to have to decline your invitation."
Elizabeth was stunned. She tried to recover, "Oh, okay, I understand."
"I sincerely doubt that." He picked up his shelling tools and began again at working on his dinner. "I didn't really give you a reason to understand."
"Well that's true." She replied still confused. She was let down with his answer but curiously drawn into continuing with the conversation.
"You see, the thing is I have a much more comfortable couch. And, unlike you, I don't live in housing for those below the poverty level. So if you would like my company after dinner tonight I am afraid it going to have to be on my terms, or at least on my turf."
"I see." Elizabeth answered. She was elated but she answered as it she were merely considering it. "You drive a hard bargain."
"I'm afraid it's my way or the..." he trailed off shifting a bit uncomfortably. "So what do you say? Will you be..."
Robert was interrupted as the waiter came to clear the plates. "Are either of you interested in desert this evening?"
"Lizzie? Answer the man."
"Yes." She turned to the eyes of the waiter, "please." As he walked away from the table she dropped her gaze down to Robert. "On both counts actually."
"It's just that... I just... Bollocks." She too struggled to clarify. "Can we just forget I asked?" It was juvenile. Even as she said it she felt like the words were coming from some teenager with a crush. Might as well drive it home. She winked and whispered, "please?"
"No Lizzie." Robert laughed. "Not even with a 'please' am I going to be able to forget what you asked." After a beat he finished, "but the real question is why did you ask?"
From there Elizabeth and Robert's flowed quickly, as if a well rehearsed script. "Did you know it's impolite to answer a question with a question?"
"You're stalling."
"I'm aware."
"I'm not letting it go."
"I figured."
"Say it."
"You're an ass."
"And yet still... you want me and my ass to come home with you tonight."
"... in a way."
"In the you-are-practically-begging, sort of a way."
"Is it getting warm in here?"
"No."
"You sure?"
"Want to ask me again?"
"Definitely not."
"Your loss."
"So you won't?"
"Actually, no."
"No?"
"No."
"Wait." Elizabeth was confused, "What?"
"As kind as it was for you to offer, and as much as I enjoy you trying to back peddle your way out of the offer, I am going to have to decline your invitation."
Elizabeth was stunned. She tried to recover, "Oh, okay, I understand."
"I sincerely doubt that." He picked up his shelling tools and began again at working on his dinner. "I didn't really give you a reason to understand."
"Well that's true." She replied still confused. She was let down with his answer but curiously drawn into continuing with the conversation.
"You see, the thing is I have a much more comfortable couch. And, unlike you, I don't live in housing for those below the poverty level. So if you would like my company after dinner tonight I am afraid it going to have to be on my terms, or at least on my turf."
"I see." Elizabeth answered. She was elated but she answered as it she were merely considering it. "You drive a hard bargain."
"I'm afraid it's my way or the..." he trailed off shifting a bit uncomfortably. "So what do you say? Will you be..."
Robert was interrupted as the waiter came to clear the plates. "Are either of you interested in desert this evening?"
"Lizzie? Answer the man."
"Yes." She turned to the eyes of the waiter, "please." As he walked away from the table she dropped her gaze down to Robert. "On both counts actually."