A case of nerves combined with sexual tension settled upon Tracy as the cab pulled up in front of an industrial building that had been converted to residential lofts. William put his hand on the Tracy's back and guided the way, even though it was obvious which way to go.
As he led the way to the front door, it was now Tracy's turn to curious about William's living space. She had a few of her own hang-ups, but they mostly had to do with taste. On the ride up the elevator, she prepared herself for the worst. She didn't think William could not possibly be a slob, but what if his home was cliché or gauche? She once met a man she really liked until she saw his apartment which was overly decorated in a Goth manner that resembled a Hollywood set. She smiled at the memory of the tacky apartment, and William, not knowing the reason for her smile did not respond. He was not one to fill in silences; to him they were just another part of the conversation.
When he opened the door to his apartment and held it open for Tracy, she entered and almost teased him by speaking her assessment out loud as he had done earlier that morning. Instead she simply stated, "Very nice place, William. Not what I expected at all."
"Oh?"
"Well, no. If asked to predict what your apartment would look like, I would have guessed very modern. Sleek. Minimalism. Your home has a very comfortable and warm feel."
"Why thank you Tracy. I admit I do not have your way with color, but I do feel very comfortable here. "
William took her purse and sweater and put them on the table, "What can I get you to drink? Wine?"
"That would be really nice, thank you."
"Red or White?"
"Red. Do you mind if I check my email? I want to see how the girls did today at work."
"Of course not. You may use my computer if you wish."
"Oh, that's okay. It'll be faster on my phone."
"Then you won't mind if I do some quick reading?"
"Of course not," Tracy smiled. She wondered if William would always remain so gracious and polite, or if he was merely trying to impress her.
She surprised William by lying on his couch with her feet propped up on the arm. He was pleased that she felt relaxed enough to do so, and the sight of her crossed ankles was titillating. He picked up the stack of papers from his desk and sat on the chair perpendicular to Tracy.
"Oh, I didn't mean to hog your whole couch. Please, sit here," Tracy said as she kicked off her shoes and bent her legs, turning on her side to make room. William was tickled by how feline she seemed, how comfortable in her own body. And she looked incredibly sexy on her side. The position made her hip curve out and her bent legs made an 'S' shape leading down to her gorgeous ankles.
He fought the urge to tell her how beautiful she looked on his couch. He felt he had already revealed too much and he was somewhat rattled by the intensity of feeling he was having towards her in such a short time. So, instead he sat down at the end of the couch and stared at the papers in his hands, but he was not reading, he was thinking. He realized most people are not accustomed to a person saying, "Excuse me for a moment, I would like to think and not talk. I will join you again shortly." But that is exactly what he wanted to do.
Tracy sent a text to Rachel to make sure everything went well at the shop, but she was also using the opportunity to look around William's apartment. It was tidy and masculine, not overly decorated but with a few pieces of quality furniture. It was decent sized, but the high ceiling made it feel larger. The loft was one narrow rectangular room, so from the couch Tracy could see everything except the bathroom. She could see where he sat, where he ate, and where he slept. The bed was covered in a simple white comforter and pushed up against a brick wall that was painted a dark color with a few areas of red brick showing through where paint had rubbed off. Wood floors contributed to the warm masculine feel, and the neat kitchen with an island for eating made it seem homey. A desk perpendicular to the couch divided the living and sleeping areas.
"Where are all your books, William?"
William looked up from his papers and said, "Excuse me?"
"I assumed you would have a lot of books?"
"I would if I allowed myself to," William laughed. "I refrain from buying or saving books, although I still have a large collection at my parent's house. I do have a few here, but I keep them in the closet."
"Tell me about them."
"My books or my parents?"
Tracy laughed and said, "Parents."
William said, "Oh, well my book collection is much more interesting."
"Oh William! That's mean! Are your parents boring?"
"Ah, I wouldn't say that, but there is not much to tell. My father is a structural engineer, self-employed so he works from home. My mother was a stay-at-home mom. I have an older sister who remained in St. Charles and I will probably see them all for Thanksgiving. Oh, and my sister is married, with a two-year-old boy and another on the way."
"Are you close with any of them?"
"I would say my sister and I are very close. We don't talk very often, but we have a strong bond and understand each other."
Tracy sensed that he was not that keen to talk about his family, so she asked, "May I ask what you are reading?'
"Oh, just a little something by Cami Wright."
"What? You can't read me when I'm sitting right here!"
"Why not?"
