Strictly Business [Closed] - Printable Version
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RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 05-17-2017
“Is rawness your litmus test for novelty, Dru?” Owen countered looking dubious. He was back to using her nickname with affection. “Because I ordered mine rare. So, what’s your point.” He sipped haughtily at his highball and gave her a look like: checkmate. “Have you never had sushi? Pretty mainstream.” Overkill. Renton was feeling somewhat like a third wheel. He wouldn’t complain. He couldn’t complain. This was actually what he wanted. There was something immensely satisfying about watching the two interact. So perfect for one another. The idiots. Didn’t even see what was plainly obvious.
“Thank God for you honey. Someone’s gotta handle him.” Renton sassed back at Drusilla, “Because this bitch is done trying.” He pointed to himself and leaned back in his seat.
Owen rolled his eyes before adding, “You think I’m charming.”
Renton pursed his lips and laughed a little bit too loudly. “Insofar as a big ego is charming, sure we’ll go with that.” He looked back at Drusilla again and gestured at Owen, “Can you control this man, please? Isn’t that your job?”
The wait time for the food passed quickly amidst their joking. When the server brought their dishes, Owen found that the time for illicit contact was over. There wasn’t really a way he could figure they would be able to eat their food one-handed. He released her hand slowly, uncurling his fingers first from hers, and drawing the digits over the back of her hand.
He picked up his fork and knife with the feeling of her still in his palm.
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 05-18-2017
Drusilla spent the rest of lunch, and beyond thinking about Owen’s hand holding hers beneath the table. She tried to keep it from distracting her from her work, but her duties included spending the rest of the day with Owen. They didn’t talk about it, didn’t acknowledge what had happened once it was over. She was left with burning questions that she didn’t dare to ask, and the hope that it would happen again. She was still considering whether or not she should tell Renton about the secret hand-holding. On the one hand she felt like Renton was the only one she could talk to about it; he’d get bitchy about it sure, especially since it happened right under his nose, but that she could handle. Telling Aphrodite would just make her judgmental, and with the bet in play with Sanders, she’d stopped giving him details lest the already staggering amount climbed higher.
When she got back to the apartment, she showered and laid about on the couch until Aphrodite was towering over here and insisting that she get ready. It wasn’t out of any particular enthusiasm for the outing that caused Aphrodite to hound her, she didn’t like being late for things The blonde woman had made it perfectly clear that she was only going because Drusilla had asked, and she that she couldn’t believe Dru was making friends at the C.A.F.
Drusilla attempted to explain that Sanders and Renton weren’t who you’d expect to work for the Covenant, but she had not been interested.
Since, she’d already worn a fancy dress to lunch, Dru wanted to dress down in something more comfortable. She chose dark blue jeans and a floral patterned camisole. The outfit went better with a bar scene that her previous outfit, anyway. The thin straps and low-cut back of the top left her scars visible, so she covered them with a cute leather jackets. She wore knee high leather boots at Aphrodite’s behest, because she insisted they made her look taller.
“Can I borrow that amber necklace?”
Dite appeared in the doorway of her room. She was wearing a form-fitting wiggle dress with a Queen Anne neckline that was teal and decorated in blue and orange leaves and matching pumps. Drusilla handed off the necklace and tried not to feel under-dressed around the vintage pin-up. She would probably get enough of that from Renton. She just kept thinking about how soft and comfortable her favorite pair of jeans was. Drusilla let Dite chatter on about her day at school while she rode silently in the passenger seat. Everything had been fine before lunch, but now her hand felt like it was incomplete without Owen’s laced over it. Perhaps, it was not knowing if it would happen again that bothered her so much.
Renton was waiting for them outside the venue when they arrived. Drusilla greeted him with smiles, and a hug and kisses on the cheek. A much more casual and friendly greeting than when they’d seen each other at work.
“This is my friend Aphrodite,” she stood between the two friends as she introduced them. “Aphrodite, Renton.” She gestured between the two bodies as one did when giving introductions.
Though, surprised by Drusilla’s handsome friend (but also somehow not. Drusilla’s elegant ways had an ability to attract people) she still was not completely sold on the Covenant business. Nonetheless, she offered a smile and a small wave, and said “it’s wonderful to meet you,” in that modulated and smoky tone that fit her appearance all too well.
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 05-21-2017
Renton met the girls out on the sidewalk in front of their first bar stop of the night. As he approached them, he had occasion to size up the blonde friend Drusilla brought with her and he liked what he saw. Gorgeous, well-dressed, and elegant. Everything he’d come to expect from a friend of Drusilla’s. Admittedly he was disappointed she hadn’t found a nice very single man to bring with her for himself.Oh well, a guy could dream.
They were in the middle of introductions when a familiar rumble drew Renton’s attention. “Wonderful to meet you, Aphrodite.” He sang her name over the growl of a truck engine. Renton couldn’t stop himself from rolling his eyes. “That’ll be Sanders.” He complained about the sound.
The driver whipped the truck around on the narrow streets and slid it with skill into a tight spot along the curb across from where the group was making introductions. It was obvious that he had practiced parallel parking the over-sized vehicle many times. The door opened and a cowboy dropped out of the truck and slammed the door closed.
“Hey!” He called to the group as he jaywalked with any easy-going gait across the downtown streets. The coat of his black blazer flapped as he picked up his pace when a car turned up the lane towards him. Sanders hopped onto the sidewalk and approached his friends.
“You clean up nice.” Renton complimented Sanders who stuck his thumbs into the front pockets of his jeans beamed at him. The gesture perfectly framed his decorative belt buckle.
Sanders moved out of his momentary pose to pull Drusilla into a hug. “Hey there girl, look at you!” He pushed her away to admire her outfit from arms length. Before waiting for anybody to introduce them the gregarious cowboy turned a sparkling blue-eyed smile on the blonde woman accompanying Drusilla. “Hi, I’m Sanders.” He stuck his hand out for a shake. “Pleased to meet a friend of Drusilla’s. We are desperate to expand the friend network aren’t we?” He laughed the question and directed it at Renton who bobbed his head enthusiastically ‘yes.’
Sanders held his elbow out one for each woman. “Let’s drink.”
The action of Sanders claiming both woman would have left Renton out. He pushed himself between Sanders and Drusilla to claim the catgirl for himself. “Uh uh uh,” Renton tsked at Sanders, wagging his index finger. “You have to share.” Renton was already playing matchmaker. He kind of liked the way the curvy blonde looked with the broad-shouldered and tanned cowboy.
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 05-21-2017
Drusilla’s ears perked to the sound of Sanders’ truck, like a housecat who could hear their owner coming down the read. Renton rolled his eyes at the noise, but the kitten giggled, excited at the idea of having all her friends in one place. It was the first time they had all be out together, and she was eager to enjoy the night with them. She didn’t know what Renton had planned, but she was sure it was going to be great. She was giddy and grinning by the time Sanders joined their little group and all but scooped her up in a hug. She couldn’t help but pose a little as well, when he pulled back to admire her.
Aphrodite had never seen Drusilla so excited to see anyone. She wondered what it was about these two men that had her so endeared to them. There was no denying that they were very, very attractive men, but Drusilla wasn’t known for being particularly shallow. Perhaps, the rest of the evening would reveal their more hidden charms to her. That was not to say she was not briefly distracted by the tall blonde cowboy. More specifically, by the ornate belt buckle. His hand crossed her eye line and she quickly looked up, knowing full well that her faux pas was politely being ignored. “Aphrodite,” she replied, in a firm but friendly handshake. “I’m certainly happy to be here,” she continued with a bubbly laugh. “I was wondering when Drusilla was going to introduce me to all the mystery men in her life.” Sparkling violet eyes made obvious tracks between the two men.
Drusilla linked arms with Renton, smiling mischievously up at Sanders, as if to imply he was missing out on sweet, sweet arm candy. He really wasn’t, since Aphrodite had no problem taking the arm that was offered her. They made a very attractive group; people milling on the sidewalk seemed to be enthralled by them.
“So, I know you have a plan, Renton,” Drusilla prompted as they headed towards their first destination. “Are you going to let the rest of us in on it?”
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 05-23-2017
“Mysterious?” Sanders queried as he linked arms together with Aphrodite who had been staring very obviously at his belt buckle. He'd never seen eyes like hers and she had a sultry accent. Sanders found himself immediately attracted to her, though certainly her gaze pointed towards his belt line had helped encourage him. He frowned at Renton who all but stole Drusilla away from him. “Is that what Dru has been saying about me?”Renton laughed and pulled Drusilla along to catch up with Sanders and Aphrodite. The four of them owned the sidewalk. An attractive line of individuals walking arm in arm. “I’ve got a wonderful evening planned for us. First stop, small plates and cocktails at Vim. After that we’re heading to that new distillery Immortal Spirits. They have over fifty different flavors of infused vodkas, you have to try. Oh and tonight there will be some live music out back on the deck. After the show we can walk up west tenth street and bar hop. And if we get too drunk, at the end of west tenth, there’s a cute little Greek place open until four a.m. that serves gyros out of a walk-up window.”
Sanders’ eyebrows lifted towards his hairline as Renton described the night's’ festivities. Sanders hung back, letting Renton and Drusilla pull ahead. The line the made trying to walk side-by-side had gotten awkward with some of the incoming pedestrians, so Sanders chose to walk behind with Aphrodite so they could stop forcing others to squeeze around them. Damn, Sanders mouthed. “Pardon my asking, but do you have the stamina for all that drinking?” He asked his walking partner with a charming smile. "Renton can be ambitious. We usually have to rein him in. Unless Owen is around and then it's a shitshow, every time."
Renton turned around and made a playful face at Sanders. “The only one I’m worried about here is Dru. She’s so teeny tiny. We’ll fill her up with small plates first.” Renton gestured to the restaurant and bar they were to start at and led them inside and straight to a circular high top table so they could all see one another and converse easily.
“So what’re you having?” Sanders was asking the group generally, but directed the question more at Aphrodite. His eyes returned to the extensive cocktail menu. “First rounds on me.”
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 05-24-2017
Aphrodite laughed pleasantly as she easily fell in stride with Sanders. “It’s what she isn’t saying,” the blonde explained, wrinkling her nose at Drusilla when the smaller woman rolled her eyes. Aphrodite’s shoulders shook as she chuckled again. She pat Sanders’ forearm gently, when the hand that was lazily draped over it. “She was telling me about the friends she was making, but not a single detail about them. I knew it was just a plot to pull me away from work so I’d have to meet you for myself. So here I am.” She beamed for the trio that walked with her. The tall blonde had a much more charismatic way of attracting people than Drusilla. Aphrodite made friends much more intentionally than the Veridian woman who most often was timid and adorable and suddenly found herself with an influx of new acquaintances. Aphrodite was sure that Sanders and Renton were they types who’d just decided they were going to be friends with Drusilla one day, and she had just gone along with it.
“Fifty flavors,” Drusilla repeated. One of her ears went limp off the side of her head. “I have to try some of them or I have to try all of them.” She asked, even though she knew what the answer would be. Joking or not the technician was sure to insist that she would be sampling fifty different vodkas. Her tail swayed behind her knees.
Aphrodite exchanged glances with Sanders. She was mostly impressed by the plan that had been laid out. There was no denying that it sounded like a great, albeit drunken, time. “It’s been a long, long time since I’ve drank like this,” Aphrodite admitted, grinning up at him. “But, I know I can hold my liquor better than Drusilla.” Aphrodite had pulled away from Sanders momentarily to close the distance between herself and her friend, to poke the woman in the side just as she said her name. Drusilla jumped and turned to swat at Aphrodite’s hand, but she’d retreated to join up with Sanders again. “I hold my liquor just fine,” she sounded pouting after Renton called her teeny tiny, but the playful twitch of her ears displayed that it was all harmless fun.
Besides, she was just tall enough to rest her elbows on the tall table Renton had chosen.
Aphrodite cocked her head, and looked at the trio in spread out around her. “Owen?” she repeated having heard him mentioned a few moments ago. “Owen, like your boss, Dru?” Her brow pinched together in the middle, and there was something disapproving in her violet eyes.
“I think I’m going to have a White Russian,” Dru announced as if she hadn’t heard the very pointed question.
Undeterred Aphrodite let her gaze swing between the two men. “Is that how you all met? Drusilla’s job?” Dite didn't know much about Owen or the work Drusilla did for him, but she knew that she did not like him, and for a moment she was lax to like his friends.
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 05-24-2017
Oblivious to the tension that had settled over the blonde and the cat at the mention of Owen, Sanders nodded his head enthusiastically as he continued his evaluation of the menu. “Yep. I’m in the CAF Air Force, but I’ve known Owen for as long as I can remember.” He’d made his selection and slapped the menu closed with the finality of it. “I met Drusilla a while back when I came to see Owen after he got hurt on a job. And of course we clicked.” He winked at Drusilla remembering. “She was a very good sport when I lassoed her in the yard.” Renton had been much more attuned to the awkward way that Drusilla had dismissed Aphrodite’s almost complaint about how her friend had come to meet them. He just couldn't parce out what she didn't like about it. He assumed it was the CAF. Those three letters came with their own connotation and usually it wasn't positive. But luckily the good-natured cowboy prattled on happily about their meeting.
Renton chirped at laugh at the mention of the lassoing. “I met sweet Dru here just recently when I came to do work on the server hosted at Owen’s house. I guess it goes without saying I’m the CAF computer guy.” Computer guy was the way he described his job to people when he was uncertain of whether they would be interested or care about the nuances of his position. He did things with computers that was usually enough. “And how did you two meet?” Renton asked politely of Drusilla and Aphrodite.
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 05-24-2017
Aphrodite’s lips pursed slightly as Sanders went on to mention how far back his acquaintance with Owen ran. She was being an unnecessarily harsh judge for a man she’d never met and wasn’t around to defend himself. And it was equally unfair to condemn another just for his association. Her gaze had settled on Drusilla, whose ears twitched as she smiled and conversed like there was nothing out of the ordinary about hanging out with her boss’ friends. “Of course,” the blonde repeated, her mouth quickly splitting into a smile as she remembered she was supposed to be personable and not ruminating over Drusilla’s employer. “She’s so cute and charming, who wouldn’t want to just lasso her up?”Aphrodite, who always ordered the same thing for her first drink of the evening hadn’t bothered to look at a menu, so she could watch the way Drusilla turned red when there was even the vaguest hint of a compliment in her direction.
“So lassoing isn’t the usual approach?” Dite teased after Renton quickly explained how he’d met her roommate. It was easy for Aphrodite to tell that Renton and Sanders genuinely liked Drusilla, and that there was something strictly platonic in their affection for her. Sanders was all winks and smiles to the smaller woman, and Renton was quick to pay a compliment. With Renton’s preferences being somewhat obvious, Dite wondered why Sanders hadn’t pursued Drusilla romantically.
Aphrodite laughed again, and pushed hair over her shoulder with the back of her hand. An elegant and practiced gesture like something out of an old movie. “Well, six years ago I had an advertisement in the local paper for a roommate. My preferences were entirely too specific and picky and daunting, but somehow, Drusilla here, found herself meeting all of them. If anyone is a mystery, it’s probably her.”
Drusilla’s ears pushed to attention, and she was blushing redder now. Which was unfortunate because it would only get worse as they filled her with alcohol. Her tail was swaying behind her shoulders. “What does that even mean,” she asked quickly, wishing she had a drink to hide behind.
“Well, I can’t be the only one that thinks you’re entirely too wonderful to be real, right?” Violet eyes darted between the two men to back her up. “Entirely too thoughtful, and sweet, and patient.”
“You’re exaggerating.”
“I consider myself lucky to have had such a perfect roommate all these years.”
Drusilla was starting to wonder if Aphrodite was deliberately trying to embarrass her. The blonde was usually content to have the spotlight on herself, but she kept pushing it in her direction. Drusilla wondered if it was some sort of test and if they ones being tested were Sanders and Renton.
“Anyway,” Drusilla nervously drummed her hands on the table. “She's my best friends" Aphrodite beamed and preened, pleased to have the title among others Drusilla considered her friends.
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 05-24-2017
“Exactly.” Sanders agreed emphatically with Aphrodite’s claim that Drusilla was entirely lassoe-able. It was so true. She really was.The boys listened thoughtfully while Aphrodite described how she’d met Drusilla. A shadow of a frown crossed the cowboy’s face as he considered that this beautiful blonde had placed an ad out in the paper for a roommate. That seemed dangerous. Inadvisable. He didn’t express as much, finding it would probably be rude to scold a grown woman for her own choices which turned out in her favor anyway.
The spotlight was pushed on to Drusilla, so both blue eyed boys focused on the blushing woman.
Renton reached over and pinched Drusilla’s cheek gently, “Look at her blush.” He cooed. “We just love you to death. I’m so glad we met.” He sidled closer to her and pulled her in for an affectionate one-armed hug. It turned into two arms and Renton planted a kiss on her temple before moving away again.
Sanders bobbed his head agreeing to the general consensus about Drusilla’s qualities. He was a little delayed in agreeing having been caught up with watching the alluring woman next to him. Aphrodite was like something out of a dream. Gorgeous, poised, stylish, and charming. He pulled himself out of his thoughts which were occupied with her velvety accent.
“It’s true Dru, you’re a catch.” Sanders agreed with a handsome smile in her direction.
Drusilla was remarking about how Aphrodite was her best friend, but Sanders wasn’t done with his thought. “I would have dated you myself if Owen didn’t have his eye on you already.” He said in follow-up, shrugging as if he were helpless to change an undeniable reality. Once the words were out he glanced over at the blonde trying to read whether she’d picked up his hint on his availability. I'M AVAILABLE. He wanted to scream at her. SUPER SINGLE. WIDE OPEN HERE.
Renton rolled his eyes, “Oh my God, don’t even start about those two.” He groaned dramatically. “Drove me bonkers having to watch them make goo goo eyes at each other over lunch. All that unnecessary suffering.” He nudged at Drusilla playfully. “And what was that move you did, tying that man’s shoe? Girl, I could’ve pulled your hair. He doesn’t know a good thing when she’s on her knees at his feet.”
Sanders’ eyebrows climbed towards his hairline, “Wait what happened?” Bright eyes flicked between Renton and Drusilla waiting for the explanation. He felt he was on the brink of winning the kissing bet he had going.
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 05-24-2017
Drusilla tried to push Renton’s hand away from her blushing cheek, but she was too slow. “I’m not blushing,” she insisted lamely as she turned at the waist to hug him back. She wrapped her arms around his middle and her tail was swaying happily near her feet. She giggled when his lips met her temple, and she was somewhat overwhelmed by the influx of positive attention. She pushed at her bangs nervously. “Okay thanks everyone. We can totally talk about-”“What?”
Sanders had said something about Owen, and Aphrodite’s sharp reply punctuated his words and cut her off. An angry splotch of sparkling magenta diluting an oceany blue-green. The blonde woman was looking up at the blonde man in a way that demanded explanation. Drusilla’s ears pinned backwards.
“He’s joking,” she answered, quickly, and Aphrodite focused on her instead of Sanders. “These two like to joke that Owen has feelings for me or something.” Green eyes rolled dramatically as she grinned at her friend. “It’s a game they play to tease me. Besides, Sanders just wants you to know he's single.” Her brow lifted and her gaze darted to the other man.
Aphrodite tilted her head to look up at Sanders in her periphery as if to ask if that were true. A coy and flirtatious smile had reappeared at the corner of her mouth. She'd been aware of his attention of her throughout the short evening, but she'd assumed it been a general sort of interest. She was used to the looks. It hadn't occurred to her that Sanders would also be single.
Drusilla’s victory was short-lived, because Renton felt the need to chime in with what had happened earlier that day. Drusilla made a face and pressed her hand against her nose. Aphrodite was glaring at her again.
“What do you mean?” Dru asked with a breathy nervousness, she moved slightly when Renton nudged her. “It wasn’t a move I just did it. I didn’t really think about it.” It was true, she hadn’t, it was just one of the many mindless and accommodating things she would do for Owen.
Sanders was asking for details and Aphrodite was frowning. Drusilla was starting to feel overwhelmed, and she wondered when the spotlight would be off of her. They seemed determined to make her the focus despite her offers otherwise. Her eye roll could rival Ren’s when he referred to their interactions as suffering. In truth, she was.
“I was helping with his tie and I noticed his shoe was untied, so I fixed it,” she explained in an abridged fashion quickly for Sanders and Aphrodite to be caught up. Her ears were twitching at erratic intervals. If Renton wanted to pull her hair over that, she couldn’t imagine his reaction if she told him about their clandestine hand-holding.
"And I certainly wasn't making goo goo eyes," she lied.
Someone finally came by to take their drink order and Dru was happy for the distraction. “It was certainly not a kiss,” she continued, waving a finger at Sanders who looked hopeful. A Sanders who also didn’t know about her having cuddled with Owen after her incident at the C.A.F. A Sanders who didn't know she had almost kissed him. “You haven’t won yet.”
“Won what?” Aphrodite insisted. Drusilla delayed in answer by busying herself with her drink, forcing Sanders to explain their ridiculous wager.
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 05-26-2017
“Damn!” Sanders complained dramatically. He made a good show of looking bummed out. “Dru and I have a little bet going. A kissing bet. That Owen will kiss her on the mouth.” Sanders turned to explain the bet to Aphrodite, the only one of the group that wasn’t in on the whole joke. “And I’m gonna fleece you!” He shot across the table, jabbing his finger at Drusilla.Renton lifted his index finger, indicating he had more to add. “And, by the way, it so was a move.” He was harking back on the shoe tying episode. Renton was determined to have the last word on it. He gestured aggressively at Sanders. “You there, tall cowboy. Stand there and be Owen.”
Being the fun-loving, good-natured cowboy, Sanders was always up for games. He was already in character before he left his spot at the table. A withering frown had settled on his brow and he sauntered over to Renton in the exact way Owen would. Having been long-time friends, Sanders had observed and knew his friend's gait and how to imitate it perfectly. He stopped where Renton indicated and folded his arms across his chest and tried to look as much like a bored, yet disapproving Owen as he could. The poor cowboy wasn’t suited to it though. His eyes twinkled with amusement. The corner of his lip twitched with a smile that threatened to burst through.
“Not bad.” Renton critiqued, taking Sanders’ performance very seriously. “More frowning.” He then gazed over at Aphrodite, the show was really for her and Sanders too. “I’m Dru, okay? Okay.”
Renton did a little shimmy of his shoulders and stared up at Sanders. He took a moment to get into character. Then the show began. He sighed dramatically and pretended to adjust an invisible tie that was around Sanders’ neck. Renton’s hands smoothed sensually down the cowboy’s front.
That caused Sanders to break character for a moment. A big look of shock spread across his face and he looked like he might laugh, but he straightened himself up as best as he could.
Renton had begun to pant. It was all too sexual for the scene he purported to be mimicking. “Oh, sir, your shoe.” He then fell to his knee and pretended to tie a shoe while gazing seductively up at Sanders. Renton’s lips were even pursed a little bit. Just the right amount of pout.
The show was over. Sanders laughed his way back to his spot and Renton sashayed back to his. “And that’s how it went.” The techie announced to the table before he snatched up his cocktail and took a long drink as if he’d earned it.
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 05-26-2017
“That seems a little weird,” Aphrodite was replying to Sanders’ but her glare was all for Drusilla. The feline woman shrugged. A helpless gesture. A what do you want me to do gesture. An I’m just playing along gesture. She knew that she was going to have a lot of explaining to do the next time she and Dite were alone. Drusilla sipped at her drink and cursed those loose-lipped boys in her mind. Her ears fell off either side of her head. The drink she’d been using to busy herself was quickly diminished and she didn’t hesitate in ordering another. “It was not,” she snapped again, childishly, but the retort fell on deaf ears. Renton was already pulling Sanders away from her table to re-enact the scene as he claimed to have seen it. Dru leaned one elbow on the table and lifted her hand to her face to tub at her temple and obscure Aphrodite from her vision. She didn’t want to see what she would think of Ren’s little show. Her tail curled close to her spine.
Aphrodite looked less entertained by the display than Drusilla, but that was for entirely different reasons. Drusilla possibly could have been more amused if the entire scene wasn’t specifically designed to call her out.
It didn’t help that Renton looked like he was portraying something straight out of a pornographic movie. “Renton,” she scolded sharply, when he’d taken to panting. Her face was flushed from the liquor and the show.
“That is not how it went,” she insisted as the men returned to the table. She dropped her hand and finally looked over to Aphrodite who not pleased, in her own special way, which meant she wasn’t smiling. “That seems quite outside the realm of your duties, Drusilla,” she commented.
Drusilla opened her mouth. Closed it again with an audible click of her teeth. She hummed and took another swig from her drink because the other woman wasn’t exactly wrong. Drusilla placed another empty glass on the table.
“That’s enough about me, I think,” she emphasized this with a tone that was perhaps too loud but indicative of her desire to cease talking about Owen. “How was class Dite? Did you get that grant for that uh, thingy you wanted?”
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 05-26-2017
Sanders was looking quite amused with himself regardless of whether the scene was an accurate portrayal or not. It was just fun for him. Plus, even if there was only a little nugget of truth in the scene, it seemed as if things were heating up between his friend and his friend’s lovely assistant.“Okay, fine, it was a dramatization,” Renton conceded before taking a pointed sip at his bubbling white wine sangria. “But you get the gist.”
There was no point in arguing it anyways, Drusilla was looking highly embarrassed and changing the subject. It sent a pang of guilt through Renton’s stomach. He really thought she would have taken it better. Perhaps he misjudged. It seemed to have something to do with the disapproving looks that came from Aphrodite though. Renton let the topic slip away. He could interrogate Drusilla later if they got a few moments alone.
For now it seemed the cowboy had picked up on the line dropped by Dru.
“You’re a teacher?” He asked with curiosity pitching his voice higher. “Where and what do you teach?” He was turned towards her, more facing Aphrodite than anyone else at the table. His full attention was on her. Sanders leaned easily against the table and occasionally brought his beer up to his lips for a gulp or two.
While Sanders had occupied Aphrodite’s attention, Renton reached over and squeezed Drusilla’s hand under the table. He gave her a look asking for her forgiveness if he’d pushed her too far on the Owen topic.
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - megs - 05-26-2017
Aphrodite made a face at Drusilla. “It was a bifocal microscope,” she corrected in an accented monotone. “And yes, I did, thank you.” She sipped at her Manhattan, delicately. She straightened the napkin it had come with meticulously, before settling the martini glass back upon it. The blonde seemed to lose interest in her friend when Sanders turned the whole of his attention on her. Which had been Drusilla’s intention so she was fine with it as she ordered another drink. Her mood was not Renton’s fault. As he correctly surmised internally it was Dite’s doing. If it had been the three of them she would have laughing and playfully trying to defend herself, but Drusilla knew that Aphrodite didn’t like Owen, and didn’t like Drusilla working for him.
Drusilla turned her hand over and laced her fingers with Renton’s. She turned her face to smile at him, to let him know that she was okay. She knew he was dying gossip with her, so she squeezed his hand and winked, before releasing him. She was still unsure on whether she should let him in on the hand-holding incident. Aphrodite was still occupied, chatting away with the handsome cowboy. “I’m a professor at the University of Colorado,” she explains, pushing hair over her shoulder with the back of her hand. “I teach morphology with a hard focus on epigenetics” All her annoyance with Drusilla had dissolved and she was all bright eyes and coy smiles for the cowboy.
“What do you do?”
Still holding Ren's hand, Dru turned away from the blonde couple and simultaneously moved closer to the technician. She pressed against his side, "let's ditch 'em," she suggested near his ear.
RE: Strictly Business [Closed] - saronym - 05-28-2017
Sanders mouthed a ‘wow’ at the revelation of the blonde’s vocation. Intelligent and gorgeous. What a catch indeed. And that accent that melted him from the inside out. He didn’t know what to do with himself. He scratched the back of his neck idly and his face screwed up into a ruggedly handsome frown. “I admit I don’t know what those subjects are but it sounds impressive.” He laughed at himself and shrugged helplessly. “I’m just a cattle rancher and I’m in the CAF Air Force. I’m a helicopter pilot, usually. Sometimes I fly other things.” He said these things matter-of-factly not out of a false humility, but because he believed them to be quite ordinary things to do for a living.
He picked up his beer and finished the last bit of it before ordering a shot and another beer. "Since you're a professor and all, should I be calling you doctor?" He asked with a flirtatious look in his eyes. His head was half-cocked towards her and he was smirking.
Renton could tell Drusilla was quickly becoming a buzzed. There was a devilish little look in her eyes as she pressed against him and suggested they bust up their plans to leave the two burgeoning love birds to themselves. That was fine; he could be flexible.
“You got it, sister.” He whispered back into her ear speaking close enough that the hairs lining her ear tickled at his lips. Renton casually picked up his drink from the table. His hand curled around Drusilla’s back to rest in the middle of her spine. “Wait, a minute. We’ll make it look natural.”
He was feeling playful now. “You walk towards the bathroom, I’ll blend in with this group of dude’s coming here and we’ll rendez-vous at the bar and take some shots.”
It was entirely unnecessary to do it this way. They could have simply walked away from the table. Neither Sanders nor Dite would likely have noticed. And even if they did, the pair likely wanted to be alone to flirt, anyways.
But a drink in and Renton was feeling frisky, so he put his skills on display for Drusilla and practically floated away from the table, slipping seamlessly into a group of people that were moseying past their table. He slipped through the group and made a B-line for their rendez-vous location on the bar which was out of sight of their friends.