Page 68 of The Perfect Deception
He sighed. “Can we talk about this later?”
She nodded. “Come over tomorrow and we’ll watch a movie at my place. I’ve got the perfect one.”
The next evening when Adam entered her apartment, she held up a DVD. “I just came across this again and it’s amazing.”
“Mr. Smith Goes to Washington?” Adam frowned as he read the back cover.
“Have you seen it?”
He shook his head.
“It’s about a naïve politician battling corruption. It’s great.”
A strange look crossed his face. “Sure, if this is what you want to watch.”
She ran her hand up and down his arm. Beneath the cotton shirt, tension hardened his muscles. “I thought you’d enjoy this, but if not…”
“No, it’s fine. Sit with me.”
She put the movie in and sat next to Adam. He put his arm around her shoulders and drew her close to him, so she was leaning against his chest. His fingers played in her hair.
“I like what you did with this,” he said.
She’d had about two inches chopped off, and the rest of it shaped. She smiled and turned her face into his hand, kissing his palm. “I’m glad.” Against her back, she could feel him exhale, as if he’d been holding his breath. Something was bothering him, but she had no idea what. His list of secrets was getting longer and she wasn’t sure how much longer she could wait. Maybe if she could relax him with the movie, they could talk.
It didn’t work.
Dina wasn’t sure if it was the specific movie, although his attention and focus indicated he liked it. Maybe it was the time of day, although a Saturday night didn’t usually bother him. Perhaps it was her, yet he hadn’t once moved or suggested she sit further way. Whatever the reason, he remained as tense as when he arrived.
Watching the movie hadn’t achieved her goal.
She wished she knew some obscure fact about keeping secrets from your girlfriend. Maybe that would help break the ice. Because he’d walled himself off from her and it was starting to make her nervous.
“Good movie,” he said, stretching.
“I love Jimmy Stewart. My grandmother used to watch his movies all the time and I remember sitting with her on Saturday afternoons. Did you know that the word ‘Philadelphia’ was misspelled on his Oscar?”
Adam laughed. “I’ll bet you were adorable as a child.”
She shook her head. “No, I had these huge glasses, I asked tons of questions and drove everyone crazy. Except her. She would answer anything I asked.”
“Is she still alive?”
Dina shook her head. “No, she died a few years ago. What about your grandparents?”
“They died before I was born, although I was named after my mother’s father.”
“Did your mother ever talk to you about him?”
He leaned back and took her hand. “Not that I can remember. There wasn’t a lot of conversation in my house.”
That explained a lot. Maybe he just didn’t know how to open up.
“That’s a shame. Talking keeps the bad things from festering and creating more stress.”
“I seriously doubt that.” He’d pulled away from her and there was a wariness about his face.
She wanted to draw him close and reassure him that whatever was bothering him would be easier shared, but she didn’t want to spook him.