Chapter 188: how to show her

Chapter 188: Chapter 188: how to show her

Julian was quiet for a moment.

Then he said,

"Since you want her as a woman, you need to make her see you as a man."

Damian looked at him.

The words settled between them.

A man.

Not her friend.

Not Anthony’s cousin.

Not the familiar person who had always been there whenever she needed someone.

A man who wanted her.

Damian slowly nodded.

"All right."

Julian waited.

Damian frowned.

"What?"

"You agree too quickly."

"I’m listening."

"Good."

Julian leaned forward.

"Then let’s start with the obvious question."

He gestured toward him.

"Isn’t what you’ve been doing supposed to work?"

Damian considered that.

"I thought it would."

"You walked her to her club."

"Yes."

"You carried her bag."

"Yes."

"You told her you were attentive specifically when it came to her."

Damian nodded.

"And?"

"She smiled."

Julian stared at him.

"Exactly."

Damian frowned.

"What?"

"She smiled."

Julian spread his hands.

"She didn’t blush because she suddenly realized you wanted to kiss her."

Adrian’s mouth twitched.

"Julian."

"What? I’m making a point."

He looked back at Damian.

"You’re being a gentleman."

"I am a gentleman."

"I know."

"And that’s supposed to be a problem?"

"Not normally."

Julian paused.

"But you’re trying to make a woman who already thinks you’re a gentleman realize that you’re interested in her."

Damian fell silent.

"She already knows you’re kind," Julian continued. "She knows you’re attentive, that you’ll look after her, that you’re trustworthy."

He paused.

"She probably knows you’re handsome, too."

Damian raised an eyebrow.

"Does she?"

Julian gave him an incredulous look.

"Damian."

Adrian laughed.

"That one is difficult to dispute."

"Exactly."

Julian leaned back.

"None of that tells her what you want."

Damian’s expression became more serious.

"What I want?"

"Yes."

Julian pointed at him.

"You’re thinking about this as though the goal is to make her realize you like her."

Damian didn’t answer.

"But that’s not enough."

Julian’s voice lowered.

"You don’t just like her."

Damian’s jaw tightened.

"No."

"You want her."

"Yes."

"You want to be close to her. Hold her hand. Kiss her."

Damian’s ears warmed.

Adrian glanced at him.

Julian caught the reaction and smiled.

"Exactly."

"Don’t."

"I’m not teasing you."

Julian’s expression turned serious.

"This is the part you’re not showing her."

Damian looked down.

"You want to be the man beside her. You want her to choose you. You want her to look at you and see someone she could fall in love with—not simply the friend who’s always been there."

Damian’s fingers curled slightly.

"Yes."

"Then that’s what she needs to see."

Damian looked at him.

"But how?"

Julian gave him a look of disbelief.

"By acting like a man who wants her."

"I already told her I was attentive."

"That’s not seduction."

Damian blinked.

Julian sighed.

"Being attentive is something you do for someone you care about. Seduction is making someone aware that you’re attracted to them."

Adrian nodded.

"There’s a difference."

Julian pointed toward Damian.

"You’ve been giving her kindness."

"Now give her attraction."

Damian considered that.

"Explain."

"Fine."

Julian sat forward.

"Stay close when there’s a natural reason to. Don’t always leave a polite distance between you."

"Let your hand linger when you pass something to her. Look at her when she’s talking, and don’t immediately look away when she catches you."

"Compliment her. Properly. Tell her she looks beautiful. Tell her when something about her catches your attention."

Damian was quiet.

"Make her aware that you notice her as a woman."

"And proximity," Adrian added.

"Don’t keep stepping away from her," he said. "If she comes closer, let her. If your shoulders brush, don’t immediately move away. If you’re sitting beside her, don’t deliberately leave half a seat between you."

Julian grinned.

"And if your fingers touch when she hands you something, don’t act as though you’ve been struck by lightning."

Damian’s expression remained composed.

But internally, he remembered the faint jolt that had gone through him when he’d taken her bag.

He had barely managed to keep his expression neutral.

"And if there’s a natural opportunity to touch her, don’t be afraid of it," Julian continued.

Damian’s brows drew together.

"What kind of opportunity?"

"She stumbles. Catch her."

"She nearly walks into someone. Guide her aside."

"You’re walking through a crowd. Put your hand at her back."

"Something like that."

Adrian nodded.

"Nothing forced. Nothing excessive."

"Just enough that she becomes aware of you."

Damian thought about it.

Then his expression shifted.

"What if she thinks I’m being a pervert?"

Julian stared at him.

Adrian blinked.

Damian continued, completely serious.

"I’ve never done this before."

Julian’s mouth twitched.

"You’re talking about touching a woman like it’s a criminal offense."

"I’m serious."

"I know."

"What if I misread the situation?"

Julian’s expression softened slightly.

"Then don’t force anything. I said natural opportunities."

He gestured toward Damian.

"You don’t suddenly grab her. You don’t touch her because you’ve decided you need to touch her three times today. You respond to what’s already happening."

Damian nodded slowly.

"And if she moves away?"

"Stop."

"If she stays?"

"Stay."

"If she comes closer?"

"Let her."

Adrian added,

"You’re not trying to make her uncomfortable. You’re letting her know you’re comfortable being close to her."

Damian considered that.

There was a difference.

A significant one.

Julian smiled.

"And honestly?"

"What?"

"If she likes you, she isn’t going to think you’re a pervert just because you touch her hand."

Damian looked unconvinced.

"How do you know?"

Julian laughed.

"Because I’ve had girlfriends."

Damian gave him a flat look.

"Yes. I know."

"And I’ve done this before."

Julian shrugged.

"It’s not complicated. Women aren’t made of glass."

Adrian chuckled.

"Julian."

"What?"

"It’s true."

Julian looked back at Damian.

"You keep treating Vivienne like she’s going to faint because you stood six inches closer."

Damian sighed.

"She might."

"Why would she?"

"Because—"

He stopped.

He didn’t actually have an answer.

Vivienne was nineteen.

She was a young lady. She understood romance. She understood attraction. She had been engaged to Anthony for years. She had loved him.

She wasn’t some innocent child who had never encountered romantic attention.

Julian seemed to read the thought on his face.

"Exactly."

He leaned back.

"She’s an adult. She knows what men do when they’re interested in women."

Damian was quiet.

"And if she doesn’t like it?"

"Then she’ll tell you."

"Or she’ll move away."

"You’ll know."

Damian nodded.

That was reasonable.

Still, deliberately touching Vivienne in a way that made his attraction obvious felt almost absurdly bold.

He had spent so long making sure he never crossed any line with her.

Now his friends were telling him to stop being afraid of the line.

Not cross it.

Just stop standing ten feet behind it.

Julian smiled.

"Think of it this way."

"You’ve spent the last month and a half building comfort."

"Now you need to introduce tension."

Damian’s gaze sharpened.

"Tension."

"Exactly."

Julian nodded.

"Friendship makes someone comfortable."

"Attraction makes them aware."

He held Damian’s gaze.

"You already have the first."

A pause.

"Now you need the second."