A drink before dinner

"Can I get you something to drink, Jack?" Julia asks, straightening her dress demurely.

You agree and take a seat on her sofa whilst she prepares your choice, sitting beside you with a drink of her own in her hand when she's finished.

"To colleagues becoming friends," she says, raising her glass.

"And friends becoming something more?" you ask hopefully, in return.

"And friends becoming something more," she confirms happily, clinking glasses and sipping at her tipple, while you take a deep draught of yours.

You chat for a few moments, trading compliments back and forth. Julia's foot brushes your leg and you lay your hand on her knee once or twice, but before you can attempt to take things further, she tells you she needs to serve up and hurries back to the kitchen. You finish your drink and take a look around the room at the art (little) and books (many) on the walls, before sauntering over to the table to be seated in plenty of time.

You don't have to wait long. Julia provides a sumptuous repast and you're suitably impressed by her culinary skills (or her skills at deception if the meal was prepared by someone else and she's just taking credit for it), but to your surprise, she doesn't sit on the chair opposite you to eat.