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Doorman leans closer where they are seated together on the couch. Paige leans back, still not accustomed to his constant invasion of space. It was like he didn't comprehend the concept of personal space- Honestly, maybe he didn't. “I would like to learn,” he says, voice smooth but earnest. “If you would be willing to teach me.”
Paige makes a noise that isn't quite words and sounds more like a startled animal. She doesn't know how she's supposed to respond to that. She's not used to this sort of undivided attention from someone. She's not the type of person who gets attention like this. She's a librarian, she's the person who cares for books, who summons the words off the page in a flourish of magic but she's not the person anyone pays attention to. She's not special. She is the one unnoticed, the one who fades into the background. She hosts a reading event and everyone who attends forgets about her after, because it's not about her it's about the books.
She doesn't know how to handle being pinned down under someone's stare so directly. Doorman's uncannily blue eyes don't waver, staring directly into her own as he awaits an answer. That's the thing with Doorman- He doesn't hesitate, he doesn't waver, he doesn't talk too much or stammer or embarrass himself. He's charming, he's pleasant, and he always gets straight to the point. He was nothing like her. She doesn't understand why he would be so interested.
He leans even closer and Paige leans back again. She feels her back hit the arm of the couch. “Miss Paige?” He prompts, tilting his head ever so slightly with that ever-present smile on his lips. Damn that smile. He was so charming it made her head spin.
“I- Um-” She begins to stutter out, trying to get a handle on her thoughts. Doorman didn't feel real. He felt like one of her book characters leapt straight off the page and into reality. The type of person who would be this interested in her wasn't real.
She thinks she should be more scared of him. Ever since they met she'd learnt he was a lot more dangerous than he seemed. But instead of fearing him, instead of running away, it was- kind of exciting? Was that wrong? Was she completely insane to feel a small thrill every time Doorman stepped close to her, leaned his face into hers until there were merely inches between them like he was right now, knowing he could easily kill her if he really wanted to?
“Will you kiss me?” She blurts out. She immediately wants to smack herself. Was she stupid? But Doorman wasn't her- He didn't hesitate, he didn't get anxious, he didn't question his decisions.
She wants to apologize, say he doesn't have to, that she wasn't thinking- But he's already closed the distance before her brain can catch up. It's a chaste kiss, a simple press of the lips that is short-lived, almost stiff- But her heart pounds so hard she can hear it. Doorman pulls back only a few inches, bright blue eyes catching hers as that maddening smile graces his lips again. “Satisfactory?”
She loses all words and only manages to rapidly nod, eyes still wide in shock and unable to look away from his steady stare.