As they exited onto the bustling city street, Brenda found herself unable to shake a lingering sense of disoriented bewilderment at the rapid sequence of unexpected events. Alex turned to face her, seemingly utterly unruffled, and favored her with a warm, inviting smile that crinkled the corners of his strikingly handsome eyes.
"So..." he began casually as if they had simply been continuing an everyday conversation without interruption. "Dinner this Saturday at 8 pm? I'll make all the arrangements for a wonderful evening, you have my word."
Brenda opened her mouth automatically, an emphatic refusal on her lips - the response that came as naturally to her as breathing in most social situations. She was an intensely private person by nature, her past disappointments with the frivolous dating scene leaving her tremendously guarded when it came to romantic entanglements these days.
