13 Accommodate Her Pace.

Breakfast was very lively, and the group of friends ended up spending a long time chatting. Jason and his friends left early because they had plans to attend to, and the others went back to their rooms. Jen and Lucas decided to go take a short walk before they left, and James took Laura with him as well.

The two of them lagged further behind the pair of lovebirds as they took in the whole atmosphere of the impeccably maintained garden.

"Have you really made up your mind about dating me?" James asked Laura, who had been asking herself whether or not it was okay to hold his hand the entire.

"Hm?" Laura asked, not expecting him to ask this.

"Our conversation from last night, do you still stand by your words?" James asked and slowed to a stop. Laura also stopped next to him and raised her head to look at his face. His hair was loosely tied at the nape of his neck, combined with the loose white sweater he was wearing. He looked relaxed and easygoing. It was as if he was planning on spending the day reading a book outside with a cup of tea.

"Laura," James called to her when he realised that she had fallen into a daze again.

"Hm?" she responded and blinked her green eyes at him. James smiled helplessly when he saw her expression.

"Focus," James told her, and pushed a few strands of hair away from her face.

"You don't make it easy," Laura said with a sheepish smile.

"Well?" James asked and pulled his hand back, waiting for her response.

"I have," Laura answered.

"Really?" James asked again, like he was asking her to reconsider.

"How many times should I repeat myself? You were like this yesterday as well," Laura complained, almost losing her patience.

"I need to make sure you are not being impulsive. I don't date often, but when I do, I tend to be very serious and I want to be sure we are on the same page," James said with a smile when he saw her irritated expression.

"Does it look like I'm being impulsive?" Laura asked him with furrowed eyebrows. She didn't know that was how she came across to him. But as she continued to think about their circumstances yesterday, she felt that his concerns were very valid.

"Actually, forget it. Don't answer that," Laura said, stopping him from answering her. She then stepped forward and took his arm, hugging it with both of hers.

"I'm being very serious, James. This is the first time I've liked someone enough to ask them out myself," Laura said seriously. James looked at her, knowing that she was doing her best to reassure him.

"I've never gone out with anyone before, so I'm not taking you lightly, James," Laura said when she didn't get any response from him.

"You really haven't dated anyone before?" James asked, vaguely remembering her saying something along those lines. Laura felt a bit embarrassed when she heard him repeat her words. For some reason, it felt like she has been missing out.

"Why? is it a problem?" Laura asked him, as if she was daring him to say that he was.

"No, not at all," James said and smiled.

"Is it funny?" Laura continued to ask when she saw him smile.

"No, I think it's cute," James said, and used his other hand to brush her flushed cheeks.

"How is it cute?" Laura asked as she tried to feign nonchalance but with the way, her eyes kept shifting around. James used his index finger to tip her chin up so she could look at him and leaned forward to close the distance between them.

"To think that you haven't done this with anyone else," James said, their faces so close that Laura could feel his warm breath fan over her lips, making her heartbeat so fast she felt like it was going to beat out of her chest.

Seeing that he wasn't going to move in to kiss her, Laura looked into his grey eyes and fell into a daze as she became enamoured once more by his face. Seeing her silly expression, James pulled away with a smile. It looked like the new little girlfriend he had gotten was a bit silly. James thought to himself as he put an arm over her shoulder and pulled her closer to him.

"Don't worry, I'll accommodate your pace," James said when he saw the questions in her eyes, and Laura happily leaned against him. She was happy that he was willing to be more patient with her, not knowing that James meant what he said literally.