#with:annabelle cummings

[stcygcld]

swords-before-words​:

She was surprised by the compliment, and she hesitated for just a moment before widening her smile. “Thank you. So do you.” He certainly seemed to be in a better mood today than he had been the last few times they met. If he kept this up, their partnership may even be pleasant. 

Annabelle had to stifle a giggle at his questions, reminding herself that he had never been furniture shopping and had no reason to know these things. “Yes, it is definitely allowed,” she assured him. “It’s actually encouraged. There’s no point in spending money on a couch you don’t want to sit on. Personally, I have a full battery of test positions to evaluate furniture for my own use,” she admitted. “But you’ll mainly be trying different firmnesses for the cushions today,” she attempted to put him at ease. 

Annabelle watched closely, smiling when he turned toward her. “I did,” she confirmed, tucking a bit of hair behind her ear. “I took your grandmother’s blanket as inspiration. It’s a beautiful color palette to work with. And I thought it would suit you. Do you like it?” The small smile he shot her made her think that he did, but she wanted to be sure. 

Clayton noticed the hesitation in Annabelle’s expression, which he figured was a natural response considering his behaviour. But when she smiled and thanked him, he just returned her smile. “You’re welcome.” He told her with a nod of his head, biting his lip for a brief moment as he hesitated. “I... I think I owe you an apology. I know I haven’t been the best client, considering how I’ve been treating you since we first met, and I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have done that.” 

“Really?” Needless to say, Clay was surprised by that response. He still could not believe that people picked out their own furnitures, that was a start, but testing them out in the showroom? Now that was something he had never even heard of, at least not until now. “Well, in that case... why don’t you enlighten me? What are these test positions exactly? He asked her, quite seriously. It was clear to him that this woman took her job quite seriously. No wonder Kit had been keen on hiring her. “Okay...”

Stepping into the mock room, he looked around for a moment and took in the colour palette, the smile on his lips not fading when she spoke up. Looking over at her, he just nodded. “Thank you. I love it.” He admitted, clearly surprised by the recent turn of events. But seeing the blues and the greys that matched the colours on his blanket, he felt right at home in this mock up room. “Um... may I?” He looked over at her for a moment before he made his way over to the couch, hesitantly taking a seat before feeling the leather with his hand. All he could think was that his blanket would look perfect draped on it, and for some reason, he could not help but also think that he would look perfect laying on this couch, with the woman who stood before him.