Chapter 4: Elaine gets a Kiss

This whole thing felt somewhat strange to me. After all our age difference would put any close friendship out of bounds. Yet without realising it Elaine was starting to flirt, and I was responding. Was I in a most subtle way trying to seduce her? I didn't think so, but just acted on impulse whenever the circumstances dictated. Perhaps I should be a little more distant when next we met, or should I say if we met.

We did meet. A couple of days later Elaine asked me if we could have coffee again. I decided to make a little difficulty, just to see how interested she was.

'Sorry Elaine, I am going out today. If tomorrow or the next day suit, I would be happy to see you.' Did my eyes see a glimpse of disappointment in her face? I don't know as she seemed to accept. Perhaps that was wishful thinking. She thought and then said.

"Tomorrow then?"

"Yes. That's fine."

It hadn't been my intention to go the club that day, but I went along anyway. If I hadn't been there Elaine may have thought I was standing her up. Now that was another strange thought, I hadn't stood any girl up in over fifty years. I didn't see Elaine in the gym, but she was waiting for me in the lounge when I had finished my session. She was in her blazer and another patterned dress, bright yellow this time. She came to me as I came through and linked her arm through mine.

"Careful, Elaine. People will talk you know."

"Do you mind?"

"No I don't mind, as I said last time you are good for my image. But you could mind."

"They can think what they like. I enjoy your company." That seemed to settle it.

When we got to my place I told her that I was going to have a shower and change out of my sweats.

"You are dressed very elegantly, and I am a scruff." Elaine seemed pleased by my comment and then made the usual comments about my sweats not mattering, but she didn't sound too convincing. I quickly showered, shaved and dressed. A Pair of dark grey slacks, and a cream dress shirt. Black socks and a pair of black moccasins saw me sorted. I came down to find that she had made the coffee, and was sitting in the conservatory. Elaine had taken off the blazer, and looked damn good. The dress had spaghetti straps, and her shoulders were enticing.

"Wow." I said. She smiled and looked at me.

"Wow yourself. It's so good to see a man dressed nicely."

"Thank you lovely lady. As we are both dressed so well, would you like to go out to lunch today? Unless you have something else that you need to do later." After some thought she declined.

"Much as I would like to, may we just stay here and chat?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"Whatever you want. Let's just take a rain check on the lunch, as our American cousins would say, perhaps some other time." I paused here not certain that I should say the next words. "Or perhaps you might like Dinner at a restaurant one evening."

"Are you asking me out on a date? James."

"Well we would have to make a date to do that, but it wasn't my idea that it would be a Date, date. Just a couple of friends going out for a meal. Or more probably a father entertaining his daughter." Elaine smiled with pleasure.

"I would like that, James. But I will insist on paying half of the bill. And I don't think of you as a father figure either." That gave me a lot of pleasure.

"Whatever you like, Elaine. I wouldn't embarrass you by making a fuss about it."

"Oh I know you will never embarrass me. You are too much of a gentleman to do that. I haven't been out with a gentleman before. I think I shall like it."

"We are not going out. Just two friends enjoying an evening meal together." I felt it right to emphasise the ground rules.

We relaxed together, talking of many things. I could not recall half the conversation, it covered so many topics. I have often found that. Memory does not file the subjects of a conversation, unless there is a specific reason. One of the reasons I couldn't remember was the sight of Elaine looking so lovely across the room. She laughed and then got serious. She was animated at times and pensive at others. Whatever her mood, she was worth listening to. We didn't touch on the subject of sexual relations at all. This was more about building a friendship. Just before we got up for me to take her back to the town, she turned to me.

"James. I have never had such a chat before. No man has ever been so interested in my thoughts and opinions. Sitting here with you, I have become a person. Thank you very much."