How could she stop over-thinking? She needed to honey trap him. These soldiers were critical to the cause.
But wait... Perhaps she had already successfully honey trapped him if he had confessed?
In the Seduction Manual, a kiss was first base, second base was heavy petting, third base was sex, and the confession was a home run.
Would it undo his confession if she was honest with him? Maybe she could walk a very fine tightrope successfully here…
"Delphi! I need an answer!"
"Alright, alright," she said crossly. "Ask me whatever you want, and I'll be as honest as I can be, or I'll pass."
She strolled over to sit at their table, and he joined her there, pouring them both a glass of muscat to help the conversation along.
This offer of hers felt like a breakthrough of sorts, he thought. He would test her out with a mixture of questions he already knew the answer to, and questions he didn't know her true response.
"Do you like me?" he asked her.
"Pass."
Perhaps he should have started with an easier question, he reflected.
"You like my body?"
"Yep."
"Which bit do you like best?"
"Hmm, your chest… and your ab's… and your arms… your shoulders are nice too… and your back."
Okay. That was a good start. She liked his body. He knew that was true!
"Had you ever had an orgasm before I gave you one?"
He knew the answer to this one, too.
"Nope."
"Why not?"
"Too busy? No, I don't know. I guess because I never worked out how to do it. I still can't."
"We'll have to remedy that," he muttered.
"What was that?"
"Nothing. Have you enjoyed our… interactions?"
"Which ones?"
"The ones where you've climaxed." He looked across at her under hooded eyes.
"Pass."
Okay. It seemed like she was being honest with him, or refraining from answering if she didn't want to. That was a good start.
"Have you been honey trapping me?"
"Pass?"
"Delphi, I already know that you have been. You can answer this one."
"Okay, yes then."
"Have you fallen for me, even a little bit, while you've been honey trapping me?"
"Can I pass on this one? It's the same question as 'do you like me,' just phrased differently."
"No it's not. It's by degrees. Liking someone is a lot of feelings, falling for someone a little bit is just the start of a possible something."
"Pass?"
"This is the question I need to know the answer to Delphi. I've got nothing else to work with otherwise."
"No, then," she said sadly.
"You haven't fallen for me, even a little bit?" he was unconvinced.
"Not really, no. You have to see it from my perspective. You've been the leader of the guards that first of all imprisoned and surveilled us, and then chased us across the oceans and the Mainland, then you jumped straight to third base without even getting to know me or asking me what I wanted, and now, after you got the order all wrong, you're wooing me?"
Alton looked shocked, then dismayed.
Okay, she had definitely said too much. She was kicking herself. What an idiot. Just agree with him and simper, girl! Simper!
He put his head in his hands and nodded, like he suddenly got it.
"You're right," he said despondently.
How could he be so stupid… Of course the girl would go along with what he wanted. She was honey trapping him. Just as India and Loveday had used their wiles to escape from Niko and Baer.
Delphi felt sorry for the man now. It hadn't been all bad. In fact there were some surprisingly good bits. It's just that she didn't have any romantic feelings for him.
"Do you think you could fall for me if we started over and got to know each other the old-fashioned way?"
"Maybe."
A little ray of light, he thought.
"Is that true?"
"Yes."
"Okay then, I guess that's something. May I court you formally."
"Yes. Definitely."
Here was the compromise she needed, she thought. It tied him to her, but without the need for her to keep honey trapping the man, and on her terms.
Okay. Here was something he could work with, finally! thought Alton.
"Excellent!" he said. "Let's discuss the parameters of our courtship, shall we?"
"Yes!" she leaned across the table with enthusiasm, exactly like a military leader about to enter a strategy discussion. "You tell me your rules of engagement, and I'll tell you mine. We can thrash out any areas of disagreement."
"That sounds very romantic," he said sourly. "Why don't you go first? It sounds like you already have your rules planned out."
"Okay; one: I'm not making any guarantees I will fall for you. Two: you can't touch me without asking me first, and I have to say 'yes,'" she added for clarity. "Three: You have to join the cause and fight the rebellion with us, and any of your men who agree to come across."
"One: fine. Two: sure, unless you ask me to touch you first," he smirked. "Three: I wouldn't be up here alone with you tonight unless that was the plan."
"What are your rules then?"
"One: you need to give me a fair chance with an open mind and heart. You can't hold the past against me. Two: you can't be with any other men while I'm courting you, including honey trapping another man. Three: I have to be your partner on any military missions."
"One: sure. Two: okay, no problem. Three: I agree so long as that's the sensible outcome for the mission. There might be some missions where that's either not possible or not the right decision for the cause. But I agree to partner with you where it's possible, and to discuss it with you when I disagree, before I act."
"Good enough," he nodded with satisfaction.
Delphi reached out to shake his hand to seal the deal.
"Something a little stronger is called for I think," he said. "Give me your right hand. Unless you want to seal the oath with a kiss?" he asked hopefully.