explore further…
She was aware that she probably seemed like a different person; the last time they had communicated she had been in the depths of a man-hating inner rant following a disappointing sexual exploit with Daniel; whereas now…well, she could still feel the glow of her most recent encounter with Daniel and his girlfriend.
Edwin seemed to read her thoughts, commenting softly:
"You are having a better day today, aren’t you?"
Lily nodded, grinning. "I've never been in this place before - didn't even know there was somewhere like this in London! It's beautiful." she enthused. "You want to try this tea?"
He nodded, and she picked up the silver teapot by the little cushion which was thoughtfully placed on its handle, pouring what to her surprise turned out to be a deep red liquid into the two glasses.
"Oooh, looks interesting", she said.
"What is it?" inquired Edwin.
"I have no idea", she admitted.
"Ah!" said Edwin, pleased. "Good. It’s always healthy to embrace the unknown". He picked up his cup and lifted it, raising it to Lily in salute. She raised hers to him, and looked into his eyes as they said "cheers". It reminded her of the first time she had tried Daniel's herbal tea, and memories of that glorious erotic time filled her with pleasure and arousal. She lifted the tea to her lips and sipped. It was sweet and a little spicy, with a deep flavour that seemed to penetrate her entire body with soft warmth.
"Wow!" she breathed, closing her eyes to really take in the flavour. Edwin did the same, clearly enjoying the tea as much as she. They opened their eyes at the same time, and Lily felt an electric schock as they locked gazes again.
"Sayeed has really given us a special one,” noted Edwin, with pleasure.
"You know what it is?" asked Lily, intrigued. Edwin sipped again, exploratively.
"There is definitely hibiscus in there,” he noted. "But…I don't know what else…"
"Hibiscus! Wow. I've never had hibiscus tea before". The word evoked in Lily strong images of tropical islands and steamy jungle nights; pure exoticity. Edwin smiled at her, appreciating her child-like pleasure.
"So, you have been here before?" asked Lily.
"Oh yes. I love it in this place.”
"Somehow it doesn't seem to…suit you", pointed out Lily. He laughed.
"Ah yes, you mean my suit doesn’t fit in here?” he laughed, playfully brushing the sleeves of his woollen suit in a faux-businesslike manner, continuing, “We always have the surface image to consider.”
Lily fidgeted, confused; not at all sure how serious he was being.
"But…Who you are inside is reflected on the surface", she pointed out; "unless you are lying to yourself".
"Aha!" breathed Edwin, leaning forwards, his eyes shining at her as if she had just made a very important discovery; "but who are you?"
Lily laughed. "So you're a philosopher!"
Edwin sat back, delighted. "Isn’t everyone? But like everyone, I'm also… many other things…"
He smiled enigmatically and Lily, helplessly intrigued, prompted, "I'd love to hear all about them…"
"That makes me feel incredible", admitted Edwin, "but sometimes, words are inadequate. These things are always best when we…. show them".
Lily looked down, tongue-tied. What can you say to a comment like that? Still she was feeling very comfortable in his presence. She was surprised how different she felt from when she had seen him in the coffee shop. She had marked him down then as an inconsiderate businessman; lost in the world of money to the point where he could not see any other way of getting things.
"I suppose it doesn't really make sense to judge on first appearances", she mused slowly, sipping the delectable tea again.
"A quick recognition of a person’s character can be very useful, though", pointed out Edwin. "How many areas of life do you know where people use their clothes to their
She was aware that she probably seemed like a different person; the last time they had communicated she had been in the depths of a man-hating inner rant following a disappointing sexual exploit with Daniel; whereas now…well, she could still feel the glow of her most recent encounter with Daniel and his girlfriend.
Edwin seemed to read her thoughts, commenting softly:
"You are having a better day today, aren’t you?"
Lily nodded, grinning. "I've never been in this place before - didn't even know there was somewhere like this in London! It's beautiful." she enthused. "You want to try this tea?"
He nodded, and she picked up the silver teapot by the little cushion which was thoughtfully placed on its handle, pouring what to her surprise turned out to be a deep red liquid into the two glasses.
"Oooh, looks interesting", she said.
"What is it?" inquired Edwin.
"I have no idea", she admitted.
"Ah!" said Edwin, pleased. "Good. It’s always healthy to embrace the unknown". He picked up his cup and lifted it, raising it to Lily in salute. She raised hers to him, and looked into his eyes as they said "cheers". It reminded her of the first time she had tried Daniel's herbal tea, and memories of that glorious erotic time filled her with pleasure and arousal. She lifted the tea to her lips and sipped. It was sweet and a little spicy, with a deep flavour that seemed to penetrate her entire body with soft warmth.
"Wow!" she breathed, closing her eyes to really take in the flavour. Edwin did the same, clearly enjoying the tea as much as she. They opened their eyes at the same time, and Lily felt an electric schock as they locked gazes again.
"Sayeed has really given us a special one,” noted Edwin, with pleasure.
"You know what it is?" asked Lily, intrigued. Edwin sipped again, exploratively.
"There is definitely hibiscus in there,” he noted. "But…I don't know what else…"
"Hibiscus! Wow. I've never had hibiscus tea before". The word evoked in Lily strong images of tropical islands and steamy jungle nights; pure exoticity. Edwin smiled at her, appreciating her child-like pleasure.
"So, you have been here before?" asked Lily.
"Oh yes. I love it in this place.”
"Somehow it doesn't seem to…suit you", pointed out Lily. He laughed.
"Ah yes, you mean my suit doesn’t fit in here?” he laughed, playfully brushing the sleeves of his woollen suit in a faux-businesslike manner, continuing, “We always have the surface image to consider.”
Lily fidgeted, confused; not at all sure how serious he was being.
"But…Who you are inside is reflected on the surface", she pointed out; "unless you are lying to yourself".
"Aha!" breathed Edwin, leaning forwards, his eyes shining at her as if she had just made a very important discovery; "but who are you?"
Lily laughed. "So you're a philosopher!"
Edwin sat back, delighted. "Isn’t everyone? But like everyone, I'm also… many other things…"
He smiled enigmatically and Lily, helplessly intrigued, prompted, "I'd love to hear all about them…"
"That makes me feel incredible", admitted Edwin, "but sometimes, words are inadequate. These things are always best when we…. show them".
Lily looked down, tongue-tied. What can you say to a comment like that? Still she was feeling very comfortable in his presence. She was surprised how different she felt from when she had seen him in the coffee shop. She had marked him down then as an inconsiderate businessman; lost in the world of money to the point where he could not see any other way of getting things.
"I suppose it doesn't really make sense to judge on first appearances", she mused slowly, sipping the delectable tea again.
"A quick recognition of a person’s character can be very useful, though", pointed out Edwin. "How many areas of life do you know where people use their clothes to their
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