Rescued by Mr. Armitage

Just got an invitation to Paris. Not that it had especially something to do with Paris, just - you know - for the other stuff.
Why do men doing business with a woman think that is included - after one (business-)meeting?
And I must add, I am not someone sending out those relevant signals lightly or - in my perception - even at all. I am down to business to a fault. Friendly, effective, stiff as a stick ;o)
And men telephoning me on Sunday of all days because of a previous business meeting, already raise my suspicions to high alert (even without mentioning Paris).

As I mentioned in the discussion following my last post, I am not good at small talk, though I already know this man's biography and today, on the phone, just heard the rest, the small parts he had left out the first time.
This time he came prepared to crush my reservations to talk about myself, so he tried to openly and repeatedly get some answers from me, especially to my relationship status. He was quite inventive and certainly 'prepared' for this talk. Nearly double my age (though that might be a slight bit exagerated ;o), and after one meeting, he has no chance whatsoever with me - oh, and my business offer to him just was withdrawn in a very unobtrusive way, covered up in a business advice, so that it took him a while to figure out that he was out of it entirely with no return-ticket in, and I assure you, he tried. I certainly don't do business on such a basis, not if someone thinks he can get my work and expertise for free, appeasing me with a lousy affair.

Do you think I am totally mad and tell someone who lives in the close neighbourhood to me openly that I am single?

Oh, that leads me to - why did RA do it and state it openly? I had not expected that, at least not any longer after "The Hobbit". Good, perhaps it is different for men and women? But the question 'Why?' certainly gets on my 'undoable list of questions' [ULOQ] ;o)

For me, RA in today's situation on the phone posed the best excuse ever! With my engagement 'for' him, I am in good, very good hands ;o)
That thought gave me the strength and humour to remain patient, and helped me greatly with answering the questions quite convincingly and navigate through all the man's trick questions and angles.

Thank you for the rescue, Mr. Armitage!

I imaged RA looking like this at his 'rival' over my attention and my inner smile helped me to be convincing:

Source: RACentral.co.uk from FAULT Magazine
(excerpt)

Preparing to ...

Source: RANet.com from GLAMOUR Macazine
(excerpt)

Sorry, just could not resist ;o)

Still it is very reassuring to have such an effective protector at my side ;o)