Cocktails & Emotions ~ [DR3]

13. Sloe

"I need a giver, not a taker,"
-Worth It, Raye

"You are..." Daniel's eyes are a little wide as they take me in. The hand he was using to strap the silver Rolex to his left hand stalls - the accessory is so un-Daniel that I find myself staring at it the exact same way he's staring at me. My eyes get lost on the dark ink on the tanned skin of his forearm, taking in the sketches I've seen at least twenty times, somehow with the silver accessory they hold a different look.

"Overdressed?" I choke out in question. My eyes are still on Daniel's arm, gaze shifting only when his hand moves to run an awkward hand against the back of his head. Overdressed had been the whisper in the back of my mind when slipping into the elegant black dress that brushes against the top of my feet when I take careful steps. Daniel had told me the dinner was at a fancy restaurant, I had convinced myself that (even with the panic) this was fitting.

"No, not that." He's quick to dismiss. And for the first time I take in Daniel's outfit - smart navy slacks paired with a short sleeved dress shirt. It's multicoloured and when I focus my eyes I see that the pattern is busy with small adidas logos, not the small flowers I initially thought. On anyone other than Daniel it would look cheap and ill fitting (I'm sure of it) but somehow, with his gentle smile, golden skin and dark hair: it works. His words plus his own outfit put my mind at ease that I'm overdressed and I feel my chest sag in minor relief.

"Late?" I question, again Daniel shakes his head then hums, grabbing a blazer jacket and closing the door to his hotel room behind him. It snaps closed the same way mine did ten seconds before greeting Daniel at his own door. Our rooms are next door to eachother, I'm not sure how he pulled it off but I'm grateful. It's meant that whenever I'm left with any questions I can easily pester my very busy friend.

"A little." Daniel admits with a small wince that has my cheeks flushing. In my defence, Daniel told me to be ready for 'six-ish' this afternoon, at 6.15 I think this makes the cut. "I was too so we'll blame it on some fans, don't sweat." I smile and nod without a word as we head towards the elevator at the end of the hallway.

The distance isn't large, but it's long enough that I feel the stretch of silence tick between us. It leaves me space to be nervous, for my fingers to anxiously bite into the material of my small purse which hangs from my shoulder and to focus too much on the way my high heels feel against the thin carpet of the hotel hallway. When we stop I can think about how the point squeezes my toes slightly, I already know my feet will be aching by the time I unstrap the pointed sandals from my feet.

"You look stunning G." Daniel admits into the quiet between us. The compliment catches me off guard and forces a sharp inhale through my lips. My cheeks begin to glow a light pink that I'm sure Daniel can sense even with my makeup and my hand skims nervously against the silky material of the dress as the elevator dings with arrival.

Stunning is so...

I've been fortunate to always be given so many compliments from those close to me. Stunning has never been one. The word in itself makes my heart flutter. It feels like something you would use to describe a tropical sunset, or view from a boat in the middle of glassy Greek seas (both of which I'm certain Daniel has experienced). To receive the compliment from Daniel, who has no doubt, seen so many stunning things in his lifetime. It leaves me breathless, which judging by the winded smile on his face (when I eventually bring myself to look at his face) is exactly how he feels too. Stunning doesn't feel like a word that should be said about me, especially not with as much truth to the word as Daniel made it sound.

"You don't look too bad yourself." I eventually muster, the sentence a pathetic jumble of words compared to his compliment. I'm immediately cursing myself for not commenting on the stylish outfit of his own. How I doubt anyone but him could make the outfit look easy and comfortable. I should've said how his smile is once again shiny from being around race cars and that the joy radiates from his body in a glow. I should've said more.