Manly and rugged
This morning on the train I looked at W as I often do, noting the line of his cheek and chin, the light in his eyes, the soft joy that suffuses his face. I snuggled in closer against him and said "You are so adorable." And then I've pulled away a little and said hastily "In a masculine kind of way of course." He's laughed at me and said "That's OK. When you say 'adorable', what I *hear* is 'manly and rugged'."
So then just now we were on the train coming home together after work. The seats were spread out - one here, one there, and the person just before us sat down in the middle seat of three. I've taken one of the empty seats, and invited W to sit on my lap. He's looked at me and with pure body language said "No". I've looked up at him and said "I don't suppose I could convince you that sitting in my lap was manly and rugged?"
"No."
"That sounds like a challenge."
"I think you'd be stretching a bit."
"See, I said it sounded like a challenge."
So then just now we were on the train coming home together after work. The seats were spread out - one here, one there, and the person just before us sat down in the middle seat of three. I've taken one of the empty seats, and invited W to sit on my lap. He's looked at me and with pure body language said "No". I've looked up at him and said "I don't suppose I could convince you that sitting in my lap was manly and rugged?"
"No."
"That sounds like a challenge."
"I think you'd be stretching a bit."
"See, I said it sounded like a challenge."