"Try a Little Tenderness"

As she walks beside you, do not be afraid to look at her occasionally. She’ll see you, even without looking at your face. She’ll feel your glance, your gaze, rest upon her attempted poker face as she walks beside you.

 

As she lets her arm hang loose beside her, do not be afraid to brush her hand, her fingertips. She will not retreat from your grasp, she will let you touch her softly. She will not acknowledge this however, as she does not wish to have it lost.

 

As her step falls with yours, do not be afraid to walk a little closer. She’ll feel you there, and move with you in one motion, it will not be immediately obvious and nor does she want it to be. Keep with her, she will not walk far ahead nor fall behind so long as you stride by her.

 

As she stops suddenly to look at something in a window, wrap your arm around her waist to ‘see better’. She may flinch or startle, but this is not a rejection. It is merely because she does not allow just anyone to touch her so intimately.

 

As she turns to continue walking, be sure to block her from moving ahead too quickly. Pause, look into her eyes, fold her hair behind her ear and smile a small smile only she will understand. Do not say a word, silence is far more powerful at this time.

As she stops because there’s a red man at the traffic lights, stand so you are facing her, even if you are on the road. She will pull you in, pull you back to her, and hold onto you as you stand there waiting. Look at her again and you will see her melt a little, just because you are there, and know that that feeling is not one to be taken lightly.

 

But instead of crossing with the moving crowd, let them pass.
Embrace her wholly and completely, feel her squirm before she ceases and looks at you exasperated. Smile that little smile again, and kiss her so deeply and genuinely that she can do little but blink and collapse into your kiss. Do not let her go. Do not stop kissing until you can no longer breathe, give her everything. Everything you want to say but cannot, everything you want for her but cannot give, everything you wish to apologise for without doing anything in the first place and every little ounce of love that she’s known you had for her all along, but was too afraid to acknowledge for fear of losing it.

 

As she finally pulls away to smile an unconsciously wide, beautiful and true smile;
just kiss her.