"They were beautiful." "Glad you liked them," he answered, simply.
He was thinking all the time that the subject of his desire was being delayed.

He was anxious to turn the talk to his own feelings.

All was ripe for it.

His Carrie was beside him.

He wanted to plunge in and expostulate with her, and yet he found himself fishing for words and feeling for a way.
"You got home all right," he said, gloomily, of a sudden, his tune modifying itself to one of self-commiseration.
"Yes," said Carrie, easily.
He looked at her steadily for a moment, slowing his pace and fixing her with his eye.
She felt the flood of feeling.
"How about me ?" he asked.
This confused Carrie considerably, for she realized the floodgates were open.