Malachi looked down at her as he tried to keep the frustration from his face. When she dropped her hands it just increased, making her decision to say no all the more real. It wasn't that he couldn't stop or even that he shouldn't, but he didn't want to. His body and mind had been gearing up to finishing what they were starting, to not being teased and getting his end, but no. Tonight apparently he wasn't going to get the end he wanted. At least he'd given her credit even now for stopping quickly and not waiting until they were both naked and on the bed before saying no. That would have been torture and he was sure he couldn't have hid the frustration then.
Reaching up. he gently stroked her back, trying to be more comforting than sexual, and said, "Of course." He wasn't against dating; he was against saying no, prolonging something just for the sake of whether one person felt more than the other or not, or saying the words 'I love you' without meaning it. He had a feeling most people, especially women, didn't understand that. "Tarot card reading this time... maybe we can get something to eat somewhere later this week or next... or whenever you are free." To him it was a bit obvious he was free; he just moved to the country, toting around a last name that half the population hated. There wasn't exactly a line of people waiting to hang out with him in a normal situation.