Evander truly was fortunate to have stumbled upon a young woman who was clearly able to be enchanted by anything. Who seemed to have endless patience, even with him. Especially with him. She was not quite the person he had once imagined himself courting, but - mercifully, as things had worked out this year - he had given up those expectations of courting long ago.
Caroline was being as warm as ever now, full of lightness and smiles and a playfulness that didn’t wound him quite as much as mockery usually did. Frankly, it was more difficult to be defensive or thorny about anything she had said when, practically in the same breath, she had confessed to wanting to be kissed again. He had not been expecting so much, and it buoyed him beyond the worst discomfort of it, saw his mouth curve into another smile.
But no, spontaneity was not his strong suit, and nor were parties or picnics or being caught in the rain, and certainly not being romantic about language: if he wasn’t careful, everyone would forget he had any strong suits at all. Although pedantry was probably one of them, so, in something near to amusement, he countered: “And what would you venture to call it, then?” An exercise, an activity, he didn’t see the problem in a little dry euphemism - but if she gave him another chance at kissing her, he would call it what she liked.
Caroline was being as warm as ever now, full of lightness and smiles and a playfulness that didn’t wound him quite as much as mockery usually did. Frankly, it was more difficult to be defensive or thorny about anything she had said when, practically in the same breath, she had confessed to wanting to be kissed again. He had not been expecting so much, and it buoyed him beyond the worst discomfort of it, saw his mouth curve into another smile.
But no, spontaneity was not his strong suit, and nor were parties or picnics or being caught in the rain, and certainly not being romantic about language: if he wasn’t careful, everyone would forget he had any strong suits at all. Although pedantry was probably one of them, so, in something near to amusement, he countered: “And what would you venture to call it, then?” An exercise, an activity, he didn’t see the problem in a little dry euphemism - but if she gave him another chance at kissing her, he would call it what she liked.
