0 seriously?!

"Seriously?" She looked at him in a bit of disbelief. For one, something like this never happened to her. She just wasn't the type of girl to catch someone's eye. Secondly, she just couldn't imagine that someone would have the gall to ask out a perfect stranger after only a five minute conversation.

He shook off her puzzlement and leaned back in the chair. "Why wouldn't I be serious?"

She stared at him for a moment taking in his casual mannerism and his confidence. The two qualities were an attractive combination, not to mention the fact that he was positively gorgeous. She pushed her thoughts aside and focused on the question at hand. "Look, disregarding the fact that we just met and know nothing about each other, I am not interested." She could see him beginning to lean forward and open his mouth to day something. She raised her hand to stifle his rebuttal. "Seriously, I appreciate the offer, but in case you didn't pick up on it from what I said before, I am not really a people person."

His gaze penetrated her for a while as he contemplated how to proceed. "First, I find our meeting twice quite serendipitous. Neither of us looking for anything in particular, yet finding each other seems like a sign. As for not knowing each other, having dinner would most definitely remedy that. As for not being a people person, you seem to be managing my intrusion into your little solitary lunch with much class and little signs of stress." He leaned forward again. "Have dinner with me."

"Coincidence," she answered as she leaned back increasing the distance between the two of them. "There is nothing clandestine about us meeting twice."

"I disagree whole heartedly. It is more than coincidence. This is a big city. The chances of us bumping into each other is quite small." He reached across the table toward her hand, stopping just shy of touching her. "Would you find it more clandestine if we were to meet three times?"

She smiled and let out a small sigh of a laugh. "Are you hoping I'll say yes so that you can orchestrate our next meeting and thus trap me into having dinner with you?" She shook her head. The words that came out of her mouth next were a bit of shock to her. There was no doubt he presences was playing on her emotions. "How about this I'll promise to consider having dinner with you should we by chance meet again. That is the best you are going to get from me."

"So then, you'll have dinner with me."