Taking Strides

Boston - 1. Every other location - 0.

Adam's perspective:

The two of them rode together in complete silence, beyond him asking what she was in the mood for. They ended up driving around for awhile before ending up at a smaller restaurant, and finding themselves in a more secluded table near the back. Both of them couldn't exactly figure out what to say, so they instead browsed the menus, as if they weren't able to decide. Sarah's hand worked its way into her hair, twirling small strands of it, absentmindedly. When she looked up when the waiter came by, she realized that the waiter had been there awhile, and both guys were staring at her. Her eyes widened slightly and she stumbled a bit before finally getting out her order, and after the waiter left, she found her herself still trying not to look at him. He sighed.

"I feel like you want me to apologize for what I said last time we tried this.." He started, before trailing off. She looked up slightly at him as he continued, "I can't say that I didn't mean what I say. You just, seem different. A good different, I mean though. You're certainly not a bad different, but I mean I didn't mean to say that just out like that." Sarah let out a bit of a smile, then bit her lip slightly.
"It's not that I minded what you said, I mean, it was nice.." She paused.
"But?" He asked, softly.
"But I've been called that before and it never ended well." She admitted reluctantly.
"Maybe it was just the wrong guy." He said, reaching over and placing his hand over one of her small, delicate ones.
"And what if it still is?" She asked quietly, almost a whisper.
"Does it feel wrong?" He responded. She looked up and shook her head gently from left to right. "Then why treat it like it is?" He felt her fingers lace themselves between his, and could see her relax more.
"I don't even know you though. At least not beyond what the hockey world knows." She said, looking up at him.
"Well then let me introduce myself?" He said, chuckling. "Adam Mark McQuaid, otherwise known as Sir McQuaid, at your service."

They were interrupted by their food arriving, but luckily their water didn't stay long. When the waiter left and they looked down at their plates of food, they realized what they were getting into.

"I'm pretty sure that plate of pasta is larger than you." He stated, poking his fork at it.
"Ay, ay, away from my food mister." She swatted at his fork with hers.
"En garde?" He joked.
"I think I'd rather eat than swordfight. Besides, your plate is rather gargantuan too." She said.
"But I did just come off a pretty good game, I think I can handle it."
"Uh huh." was the only response from her, as she started to eat.

The rest of the dinner seemed to go by faster than they thought, and even though they ended up spending close to three hours in the restaurant, neither of them seemed to mind. And most importantly, he had gotten the chance to learn about her more.

She started had been watching hockey for about eight years.
Her favorite team besides the Bruins was the San Jose Sharks, which he didn't quite understand, but was happy that it wasn't Montreal.
Her laugh seemed to sound like it had little bells ringing in it when she found something particularly funny, and she found him particularly funny.
She loved comedy movies, and had never seen nor wanted to see The Notebook.
and most importantly, she would be working with the Bruins for at least three years.

However, she didn't let him off that easily, and would have gotten to have him talk more about himself, if they both didn't keep getting distracted. She was easily amused at times, and when he was around her, he felt himself getting amused just from seeing her amused, which was a rather strange feeling for him.

"I suppose I should get you back to your hotel." He said, trying to hide his disappointment.
"Places to go, people to see, plus Bruins personnel to impress." She joked.
"Well you've impressed quite a few from the looks of it." He remarked.
"You included?" She said, fluttering her eyelashes.
"What? No, of course not." He sarcastically replied.
"Oh, darn, I was hoping to take you back to my hotel and have my way with you." She said, walking in front of him towards their way to the door. He stopped in his tracks for a minute, making her turn back and look at him, laughing. "I'm joking!" she added.

'Not that I would have been disappointed if you weren't.' He thought to himself. 'Wait, no. Can't, she's just, you're not anything yet. You're not a guy to do that, why are you turning yourself into that guy..'

"Are you coming?" She said, holding open the door. He walked a bit faster and caught up with her.
"Where are you staying?" He asked.

They got back to her hotel, him dropping her off at the front entrance. She was about to get out of the car, when he grabbed her arm and pulled her back into her seat gently.

"Do I at least get some way of talking to you?" He asked, still holding on to her arm.
"Do you deserve it?" She asked.
"Have I not done you enough noble service, fair maiden?" He said, before opening his own door and getting out. He walked around the side and opened her door for her, getting on one knee and holding his hand out to help her out.
"..I suppose you have." She said, smiling, before holding out her hand. She added her number in, and handed the phone back. "And thank you, again, for dinner, and well, the company."
"Any time." He flashed one of his grins at her.

He had driven back towards his apartment within a short while, and walked in the door when he realized. He'd never signed her jersey, never given her his number, and stupidly, forgot that he had the day off tomorrow. It was too late to text her now though, he should probably wait for the morning, at least, he thought so.

Sarah's perspective:

Groaning, she rolled her covers off of her and reached for her phone to shut off her alarm, before realizing, it wasn't actually her alarm. She unlocked her phone and read the message she had.

- - I know it's early, but stupid me forgot to ask if you'd be up for lunch today?

She smiled to herself before taking the time to respond, then putting down her phone and getting ready for work. While she was a bit earlier than she normally would be getting ready, she knew if she went back to bed, she'd only struggle to wake up again in an hour. Besides, she could use a shower, and the extra time could always be used for browsing some apartment listings, she had originally hoped to set one up for her lunch hour, and was going to see if she could change that. She really hoped she could.

Adam's perspective:

He walked back into his room after his shower, following his morning run, and saw that his phone was blinking. It had been pretty far fetched to think that she might be up this early, but he knew he ought to give it a shot, and could only hope that it was Sarah responding to him. And it was.

- - Hmmm, maybe maybe.

'Only a maybe?' He sighed, sending a response, then getting dressed so he could go whip up some breakfast. Or maybe run down the street and have some, they had really good pancakes.

Sarah's perspective:

'Well that's grand. If I can't move the listing then I can't do lunch, and that means I can't see Adam. Should I even be seeing him? I mean we just had dinner.. wait was that a date?' She cursed in her head. Of course that had been a date, it just felt so much more comfortable than the others she had been on, that she hadn't even realized it. Her phone lit up next to her, taking her away from her thoughts.

- - I have the day off, so if you can, or even if its brunch or linner.

'Did he really just say linner? I don't think I've honestly heard anyone use that word..' She laughed a bit, before typing up another message.

- - Slightly jealous, though my job is pretty fantastic. I don't think I can, I'm sorry. Rain date?