Just as the clock on the wall of Ebenezers clicked to 11:30 Nicholas walked in the door. Serena had just been about to leave, She had sat waiting for fifteen minutes wrangling with her emotions and why she had actually come to the coffee shop. What was she trying to achieve? Has soon as she saw Nicholas Serena felt both relieved and panicked. Relieved by the fact he had been interested enough in her to actually appear, but panicked by what she was doing meeting this stranger without her husband's knowledge. As Nicholas scanned the room their eyes met and Serena automatically smiled and gave a small wave. With Nicholas walking towards her Serena muttered to herself “It’s just coffee...It’s just coffee…”<br/><br/>Nicholas seemed just as confident as he was the night before. He sat at Serena’s table and beckoned a waitress, ordering for both of them without asking Serena what her preference was. Before Serena could offer a greeting Nicholas gave Serena his appraisal of her issues with trust.<br/>She sat in a state of shock as Nicholas laid out his thoughts, each one ringing uncomfortably true. His opening was like a punch in the stomach to Serena. It was delivered with an aggression that had not been there during their conversation last night, and Serena couldn’t fathom how Nicholas knew so much about her and her life.<br/><br/>Before Serena could react Nicholas had switched back into the charming, disarming persona she had met previously. At that moment the waitress arrived with the coffees. Nicholas thanked the waitress, smiling at her as he did so. Serena could see the young woman’s obvious interest in her customer and wondered if any female was able to resist his charm.<br/><br/>Serena started to reply to Nicholas’ initial comment but got no further than opening her mouth before he continued his assessment of her. Nicholas encapsulated Serena’s life in a single paragraph, leaving her feeling dumbfounded and exposed. She looked at him more intently, trying to see if he was somebody she had met before, somebody from her past, but there was nothing to recall a memory. Then, after a well-timed pause, Nicholas asked her how she would feel being lusted after.<br/><br/>If Nicholas’ opening gambit had Serena in a daze his question was the knockout punch. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing, especially sat in a public place. Serena felt her face burn with embarrassment and she glanced around, sure people were looking and listening to their lurid conversation, but it seemed no one was interested in the slightest.<br/><br/>“I..I..erm…” Serena stammered. She should have ended things there and then. That was certainly not a question that should be asked of a married woman. But it seemed more than just a question, more like a challenge and Serena could never back down from a challenge. She took a deep breath to steady herself and tried to regain some control of the situation. “Well, Nicholas...It seems you have been asking around your workplace about my husband and I. Maybe even taking a look at his personal record?”.<br/><br/>Her comment seemed to had no effect on Nicholas, he sat looking at her with an inscrutable grin. It was not the reaction Serena had expected and the lack of response only served to draw her further into the undignified topic of conversation.<br/><br/>Not wanted to appear phased by Nicholas’ question Serena sat upright, trying to appear as dignified as possible. Looking Nicholas straight in the eye she replied “Yes, I have seen men lure at me, and it is disgusting. Why would any woman want to draw such attention is beyond me. It is so demeaning and only… only… well... only women like Amanda would welcome such advances.”.<br/><br/>Even as her words left her lips, Serena was contemplating what her reaction would be. She had received admiring glances before, but nothing as basic as Nicholas was describing. Even when she and Christian were being extremely passionate he was only ever loving and caring. Serena shivered slightly, it was as if someone had half opened a door and she could feel a strange draft blowing through it, enticing her to explore it.<br/>