“Okay, you were there the other night and that night, Circe really freaked.”
“Yes, indeed, I was there so you don’t have to remind me of this occurrence,” I agreed.
“You think his best play is to get here and come on strong?”
I’d not heard the terminology “come on strong.”
Still, it was not lost on me.
Neither was his point.
I pressed my lips together.
“He’s giving her some space,” Noc told me.
“He needs to stop doing that,” I told him.
“He will, when the time is right,” he said.
“That time was fifteen minutes ago,” I retorted.
“Just let them play it out,” he advised.
“Noc, my darling, if he thinks she’s going to approach, he’ll be waiting until the world stops turning.”
He bent his neck so his face was close to mine.
“He’s not waiting for her to approach, sweetheart, he was waiting for us to check on the potatoes.”
I stared at him.
“You think he’s not in her space right now, or as in it is he can get without flipping her out?” Noc asked.
I leaned a bit to the side to look down Noc’s long house toward the back door. I could see nothing from there. I could hear nothing.
I looked back to Noc. “Let’s go to the window in your bedroom and peer through to check on them.”
More twitching of his lips before he denied, “We’re not gonna spy on them.”
It was then, something else occurred to me.
“You’ve put the meat on the fire. What if what they have to do takes too long and the steaks burn?”
“Babe, do you give a shit you eat a burned steak tonight?”
Of course I did. Steak was delicious, I liked my food and I particularly liked a medium rare steak.
Burned would be abysmal.
Of course, I would eat a burned steak should Dax be seeing to things.
I just wouldn’t like it.
I made a decision.
“You may not wish to spy on them but I’m going to,” I declared, pulled from his hold and moved around him.
“Frannie,” he called.
I kept walking, careful to keep my eyes on the back door should one of them appear in it and see me.
This didn’t happen so I was able to duck into Noc’s room.
I quickly made my way to the windows, and just as quickly—and expertly—situated myself in a location where I could see but it would be difficult to see me.
I lifted my hand and parted the slats on Noc’s blinds.
I peered out.
Noc was correct. Dax was no longer standing by Noc’s grilling apparatus. He’d gone to the table where Circe was sitting.
He’d not only gone to it, he’d pulled a chair around the table so that it was near hers, and sat in it.
And he was not only sitting in it, he was turned at the waist, his intent to share she had his entire attention, as she continued to fidget with her wineglass shyly but appeared to be doing this while speaking to Dax.
This being a Dax who was very much all ears, appearing like every word she spoke was a Sjofn ice diamond dropping from her mouth.
My.
I felt Noc come up behind me, seeing out of the corner of my eye as he opened his own slats to peer out.
He did this grouching irritably, “I can’t believe I’m doin’ this shit.”
I ignored that and whispered, like we were out on the deck and not separated by distance and the outer wall of a house, “He’s made his approach.”
“Told you,” Noc did not whisper back.
“He appears enamored,” I noted.
“Are you surprised?” Noc asked.
“No,” I answered. “Just pleased he’s no longer ‘playing it cool’ and is now showing his interest.”
Circe stopped speaking, Dax’s lips moved as he said something, and we watched as Circe’s body gave a surprised start before her head bowed back in a graceful way and we heard the dulcet tones of her humor drift through the windowpane.
Excellent.
Dax grinned at her as she did this and his grin did not waver, nor did he hide the intensity of his pleasure when she ceased laughing but did so turning more fully to him, adding leaning toward him in her chair.
Dax reciprocated this gesture by leaning toward her.
At this, she seemed to brace but visibly forced herself to relax as they continued conversing.
“The steaks are totally gonna burn,” Noc muttered.
“We’ll leave them be and go buy more,” I suggested.
Dax said something amusing again, for Circe laughed again, this time doing it reaching out a hand to touch his forearm that was resting on the arm of his chair.
He did not grin as he watched her laugh.
He looked down at her hand on him and immediately twisted his arm so he could lace his fingers in hers.
In return, Circe instantly stopped laughing.
I held my breath.
“Fuck, bold move and too soon,” Noc remarked tersely.
I let my breath loose on a chant, “Don’t let her go. Don’t let her go. Don’t let her go.”
Circe stiffened, moving her torso away a bit.
Dax did not let her hand go and leaned in deeper, pursuing her, even seated.
She dipped her chin, turning her head and further hiding her face with a fall of hair.
Dax was speaking to her as she did this and continued to do so as she kept her face averted.
He did this for some time.
Noc and I remained silent and watchful for that time.
And then I drew in a sharp breath as Dax lifted his hand, touched gentle fingers to Circe’s jaw, and forced her to face him.