Just me and my shadow... (RP for brave-soldier)

[little_leaf]

Chicken Little has flown the coop.

"Great." Jane sighed, hiking up her reading glasses to better see the text message she was reading. All of the triplets had condos in the same building, each of them on a different floor. It let them stay close, have privacy...and watch John.

Who didn't go out alone often, at least not outside of work. As a rule, he could be trusted on his own during cases he was deep into, otherwise he stayed home or at the office by choice. Now that he had a girlfriend, that would probably change...but John out alone and sans a case still felt like trouble.

Jane texted Jock back after a moment's thought.

Your problem tonight, not mine. I have a broken heart to nurse, bugger off.

Jane tossed her phone on the coffee table right after, vowing not to answer another text message for the rest of the night. She knew Jock would at least pretend she was still wounded by Bob's treachery, but she was pretty sure John had told him everything. After all: twins usually did. They all knew what she was really brooding about...at least Jock would preserve the gentle fiction, and her last scrap of dignity.

Men sucked.

That was her story, and she was sticking to it as she burrowed deeper into the cushions of her ratty old sofa with its threadbare maroon cushions, trying to make herself read the deposition for an eviction case she was taking to court in two weeks. She found herself scanning the same paragraph repeatedly, though, remembering the feel of stiff whiskers against her cheek, the sinewy back under her hand, the bright and adorable smile that made her forget everything and feel like she was something rare and amazing...

Why the hell did John have to be...John? She wouldn't blame Paul if he'd deleted her number the second she was out of sight. Bloke like that could have his pick, war hero with an irresistible accent and that lethal grin...

"I do not care." she muttered to herself, trying to make herself believe it and failing. "I don't care...didn't fancy him that much anyway. I can do much...oh, bollocking shitbags, someone just beat me unconscious and leave me to my fate..."

Comments

[brave_soldier]

Paul laughed lightly, loosening himself from her grip to stroke her hair with his fingertips, brushing it away from her face. "I'm flattered. I can think of a great deal of things I can compliment you on, but it would seem brash on my part, I'm afraid. You do, however, make an excellent blanket." His grin showed that he was teasing her, and his other arm curled around her to more comfortably let her rest her cheek against his chest.

A contented sigh escaped him, and his fingers shifted to stroke her back absently, losing himself in thought. "I don't normally do this," he admitted to her. "I figured it happened, but it's never been my thing." He could only hope that this didn't turn into a one night stand. He really enjoyed this evening, beyond the obvious reason. Her company was amazing. She was beautiful, smart (oh so smart), and witty. Somehow, she was also interested in him. He was absolutely chuffed that she was interested enough in him to warrant him doing something that normally he did not do.

[little_leaf]

"Oh, don't be so sure. A girl likes to feel special, even if it's dirty special." Jane giggled, tilting her head to rest her chin on his chest so she could look into his face while he smoothed her hair away. Arching and rubbing her head into his touch like a cat, she grinned sheepishly at his admission.

"I don't either, don't worry." She assured him. "And I don't plan to sleep over...not unless you want me to." She shifted, scooting higher so she could kiss him, slow and warm, running her fingers through his hair and leaving them happily buried at the crown of his head.

"And if I do leave, I won't leave without another dinner date." She narrowed her eyes at him playfully. "I am an evil lawyer, I will secure it in writing if I have to."

[brave_soldier]

Paul's initial response was a crooked grin, and her reaction to his gentle hair stroking only encouraged him to keep going. Not that such a thing was incredibly difficult.

She moved then, assuring him she wasn't planning on spending the night. He was about to protest when she kissed him, splaying her own fingers along his scalp. Oh yes, he could see the attraction in the touch. His response died temporarily, allowing her to continue.

He laughed softly. "I know better than to mess with a lawyer. What's your favorite place? I've shown you mine, seems only fair to see yours." He stroked her back gently, looking sideways at her. "And I won't kick you out if you don't want to leave." He'd almost feel guilty if she left. It'd feel too much like a one-night stand, and he desperately didn't want that impression to take place.

[little_leaf]

Jane grinned, trying not to look as pleased as she felt at his invitation to stay. It was probably a little heavy for a first date...but considering she'd come more that night than she had in the week she'd dated Bob, she supposed there was an argument to be had.

"My favorite place? I won't lie: it's a dance club." she grinned, tucking her head against his neck with a happy sigh. "Samba. I can show you some steps so you can dance with me." She tilted her head up to smile at him. "You'll have to learn to shake those hips...which, based on what I just experienced, won't be a problem."

[brave_soldier]

Paul groaned at the thought of dancing, bringing his free hand run a hand through his shortcropped hair. "Are you certain you don't have a favorite restaurant...?" He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "I just... well, dancing isn't quite something I'm very good at. Clubbing isn't quite my scene, I'm afraid."

And so the generation gap strikes. Of all things to make him feel old. Dammit.

[little_leaf]

Jane laughed a little as she stretched up to kiss him again, smirking mischievously against his mouth.

"Well for one, it's not exactly that kind of club." she assured him. "Lot of my dance classmates go there. And for another? Where the Latin dances are concerned, it's not really about the dancing, if ya know what I mean."

[brave_soldier]

He laughed at that. "Well, that explains your own hip movements. And 'dance classmates'? You take dance lessons, then?" Interesting, because that would explain her lovely figure. She kept in shape by dancing. "What sort of dancing do you do?"

[little_leaf]

"Told you, ballroom." she replied, pressing her forehead against the curve of his neck, liking the way it fit there as the foot hooked around his ankle slid away to trail one big toe up his calf. "Took classes in high school, picked it back up a few years ago to learn some of the new competitive styles that came out when the TV show got popular, ya know?"

She paused, grinning and blushing as she hid her face against him, muffling her words.

"Don't laugh...but I competed regionally when I was a freshman."

[brave_soldier]

"Yes, you mentioned that you did ballroom dancing. I meant more along the lines of you possibly doing other types of dancing." He listened as she explained about restarting the high school interest in response to the show, finding himself chuckling. "You're going to make me start watching this thing with you, aren't you? All the married cops talk about it, how their girls make them watch it." He already knew that he was utterly willing to do just about anything for this woman. He'd end up watching this if she wanted him to.

He smiled. "Why would I laugh at that? You know what clubs I was in while I was in senior school? Chess. And archery. I'm not one to tease about clubs," he remarked with a warm chuckle.

[little_leaf]

"Ballroom dancing was not a club." Jane replied through a fit of giggles. "It was me, willingly shaking my groove thing in scraps of fringe and sequins just so I could advertise for a boyfriend by doing the cha cha in a school talent show."

She suddenly stilled, lifting her head to grin at him brightly. "Wait...did you say archery? Oh my God, will you teach me to shoot an arrow? That is so freaking cool!"

[brave_soldier]

A warm laugh escaped him. "Oh, the chess club didn't impress you? Well, that's reassuring, since it was an utter lie. I'm afraid I was the typical jock in secondary. Played rugby for a short while, when I had the time. Work or school took up most of it. But archery... That really was fun. I had a target set up in our yard that I would use sometimes. I didn't ge to go to the meetings very often, which confused the bloody hell out of people because they couldn't understand why I was so good. I would love to teach you, though. I have a friend who owns a gun range. I'm certain I can ask him to convert it for a short while, if you would like me to."

He didn't dare tell her that the reason he'd joined the club was because of a cute girl who was a member and that it had been an excuse to get close to her to teach her properly. It had worked, and he was far too chuffed to see it possibly work in his favor once more.

[little_leaf]

Looking him over, he didn't need to. Jane cocked her head to the side with a tiny smirk, a look he would come to recognize as her 'deduction face,' reading his facial cues for some sign of what he was thinking.

"Hmm. Who knew archery was a sure fire way to get laid?" she quipped, scooting up a little and shifting so she could idly drag both her hands through his hair as she kissed him again. "For the record, though, you should've used the line before getting me in the sack. It's redundant after. Unless that's code for 'fuck me again, pretty lady, you're hot and I'm horny.'"

[brave_soldier]

Paul found himself grinning at that. "You know, just because you can read me like an open book doesn't mean you have to." He leaned in and returned the kiss, happy to do so. She was a cuddler, that much was certain. He didn't mind a little affection after the fact. "And no, no such code. I'll admit, I'm floored that I'm even awake right now. I'm normally pretty tired afterwards. Especially when it was as good as it was." Good was an understatement. Amazing, fantastic... those were much more accurate.

[little_leaf]

Jane huffed at him incredulously, but her expression was one of approval. "Well, at least I know you're human now...too good to be true, but you conk out after sex. At least normally."

Teasingly trailing her toes up his calf, she kissed the corner of his mouth, then his jaw before nipping playfully at the soft skin just between jaw and ear. "Everyone knows that the better the sex is, the less sleep you need. A proper shag's as good as recharging the old batteries."

[brave_soldier]

He laughed, shaking his head in disbelief. "There is no way I'm capable of round two just yet, doll." His eyes widened at the use of the pet name and he brought his free hand up to cover his face, trying to muffle his laugh. "Oh for God's sake. I'm sorry, I don't know where that came from." British pet names were limited, but of all of them, he had to call her doll? It sounded like a Mafioso gangster.