Post by Aidan Carlisle on Mar 15, 2017 1:42:33 GMT
February 2017
Well, she couldn’t claim that life was never interesting. A long layover, mindless scrolling through social media, and a cheeky comment had snowballed into one of the better weekends in recent memory. It didn’t matter that it had been pouring rain the entire time she had been in Vegas, her flight to Milwaukee rescheduled until Sunday night so that she could partake of a certain local distraction. He had a name… somewhere behind the biceps and smile that just screamed, I’m trouble; Gabriel Laroux.
Aidan couldn’t help but shake her head at herself as they stepped into some bar she hadn’t bothered to look at the name of. A weekend of revelry might not have been the best lead-up to her first Mayhem practice, but she’d never claimed to make great decisions, now had she? Not that Gabriel hadn’t ended up being a great decision. This was all one of those things she was going to have to gossip with a friend about like she was half her age.
“So… what are we drinking?”
A conversation he usually would have ignored. What an interesting twist of fate to see just where everything led to. Gabriel had just finished filming a promotional piece for an upcoming match and found himself enjoying a drink when he heard the sound of that voice. A smirk crept across his features, his head turned enough to get a good view of her, really drinking it in.
“They've got the best shitty Vodka in Vegas. It will make you regret every second drinking it but it gets the job done.” In a show of reassurance, he wrapped those calloused fingers around the shot glass, bringing it up with a nod of his head only to down it without hesitation. A noticeable shudder rolled throughout his body before motioning over the bartender over. ”Two more and keep them coming.”
After the drinks were starting to get poured, Gabriel looked over at her, the look he shot her was laced with a challenge. In spite of the mile-long list of poor ways such a challenge might end, Aidan felt a little smirk spreading across her lips. Closing the distance between them with a few purposeful strides, she hopped right up onto the stool to his right. “You really do like trouble, don’t you?”
They hadn’t yet talked about anything too deep, even after hanging out a few times, like where their mutual unquenchable thirst for things and people that were bad for you came from. Food, motorcycles, other distractions, but nothing heavy. For now, for this, maybe all they both needed to know was that they liked trouble.
A slight shrug of the shoulders, not attempting to deny it in the slightest. “I do. It keeps the mind sharp. Being able to get in and out of trouble has been what's kept me going this long.” He nodded his head slowly, almost acknowledging his own words. “But it definitely makes for meeting some equally, if not more, troublesome people.”
His head turning to look at her, a grin tugging at the corner of his mouth. Those eyes seemingly accusing her of fitting the description he gave. Plucking up one of the newly filled shot glasses from the bartop, Aidan leaned an elbow against the worn edge as she turned her gaze back to him, a smirk threatening to make an appearance on her own lips once again.
“How are they ever going to decide which one of us to call the bad influence then?”
A bit of thought showed as he reached to grab up his own glass, drinking down its contents and returning it to the bar. “I guess that's when they'll have to ask us. I'd have to go with you, to be honest.” Nodding his head as a matter of factly, he continued to speak. “Worst kind of bad influence. Like a siren.”
“Me?” She couldn’t even pretend to be offended. Intrigued, on the other hand… “Well don’t stop there, I’d like to hear the rest of this accusation.” Tossing back the shot, she deposited the glass on the counter beside his. He was right, it was shitty vodka.
”Yeah, you.” He looked almost shocked after answering that question. ”But yeah, just like a siren. Almost supernaturally attractive. Certain to lead to the demise of someone like me. But of course, the reward outweighs the risk.”
He let his gaze wander to the bartender, steady at work to keep up their supply of that rather terrible vodka.
“Supernaturally attractive? That’s a new one” She had to laugh at that as she picked up the next shot. “I could say the same thing about you, you know?” Something about that smirk of his told her that he did know, in fact.
She bit the inside of her lip in that way she had before tossing back the latest shot of regret. If man could distill the definition of ‘unfortunate’ into liquor, whatever they were drinking would have been it. “So, tell me Gabriel. How dangerous are you willing to get tonight?”
That smirk said all he needed to say, but alas that expression was soon washed away by the instant feeling of near disgust brought about by that vodka. ”I don't really have a limit, per say. The real question should be: Just how much can you handle?”
A slight tilt of his head, his curiosity showing clearly as his smirk attempted to return, slowly creeping into view. The obvious challenge made her sigh and shake her head. “If I wasn’t trying to be polite I’d take a handful of what I can handle.” An arched brow and a slight downward glance completed the overt innuendo before she picked up the next shot of self-hatred.
“We drink, I get to ask you a question, and you have to answer completely honestly. Then you get to ask one. Either of us wants another question after, then we get another shot.” Sometimes there was nothing more dangerous than the truth.
Her suggestion ran through his head, not as much as her previous answer did, but it ran nonetheless, leading him to a nod of his head. ”Now that sounds like it could lead to trouble. I love the idea.” He looked to that newly poured shot and just shook his head. ”Though, we may want to switch drinks..”
Those eyes shot a near glare to that shot glass. ”Too many more of those and the truth won't be the only thing you'll get. Then again, I don't think you'd be against that.”
If that didn’t sound like a dare, she didn’t know what did. Picking up the glass, she downed it and looked to him to follow suit. “I’m not opposed to switching to something that doesn’t taste like childhood trauma, but don’t start what you won’t finish. Now… as for the question, I’ll start gently,” she all but purred the challenge. “You know, since you’re so fragile.”
She couldn’t help grinning at the obvious goad. “In your little comparison to the siren there, you said the reward outweighs the risk. So, in that pretty head of yours, what are the rewards and risks?”
His eyes widening a bit once he heard her question. Blunt and straight to the point, he dug it, clearly showed in his look of impression. ”The risk is as clear as day, I mean if you consider your body mangled by sharp rocks a risk. But the reward..” Those intense eyes looked her up and down, taking in the sight of her.
”The reward..though..is just as clear but so inviting. Tempting.” Those drinks were starting to come into the equation, Gabriel’s gaze lingering over her figure.
Aidan’s smirk grew, but she managed not to laugh. “I like how you’ve managed be simultaneously overt and vague. I’d almost say you weren’t being entirely honest, but I promised to be gentle with the first one.” She gave him a goading look. “I suppose that makes it your question, doesn’t it?”
A growing look of impression began to show from Gabriel as he heard what she said. ”That's a very interesting theory.” Reaching up, he ran his hand through what hair covered the top of his head. His brow lowering showed he was thinking deeply about something. ”An easy one to start. Why are you holding back?”
Aidan laughed at that, amused at getting caught rather than at the accusation itself. She didn't bother asking him what made him think she was. “Because I’m enjoying myself, and I’d hate to scare you off. Too many men have claimed they could handle it if I didn't, only to find out that they couldn't.”
He wouldn't have bothered trying to hide that smirk as he shook his head. ”That's their loss. I don't need to stand here and say I can handle it. I would much rather show it.” His attention moving back to that bartender. “Make it something different. Whatever she wants.” Returning his attention to a much better place, Aidan. ”Been a long life. Desensitized at this point.”
Switching them to a whiskey of at least marginal flavor, she was quick to take the shot, what with another burning question already lined up in her mind. All the while her dark brown eyes remained on him. “So, are you holding back?”
”Yes.” No hesitation, no second guessing, just yes. Picking up that whiskey shot, he drank it down, a content nod of his head to follow. ”That's pretty good.” His eyes drifted to meet hers. ”Would you rather I keep doing so or should I open it up a bit more?”
She was at least impressed that he was entirely honest that time, as evidenced by the smirk that remained upon her face. “No reason to keep holding back,” she replied, twirling the empty shot glass around on the bar top for a moment. “What was it you said… ‘Closed mouths don’t get fed.’”
Moving off of that stool, black boots thudding against the floor, he turned his back to the edge of the bar, turned to face her. ”You're right.” Fidgeting just enough to get a bit more comfortable against that bar. ”Glad I didn't brush this off.”
Having counted his inquiry as to whether or not he should keep holding back as his question, she slid another shot of whiskey in his direction and picked up her own. She made no secret of letting her eyes roam over him for a moment, before tossing back the latest glass and redepositing it upon the bartop. “So, why were you holding back? I didn’t take you for the type.”
”I've been trying this whole new sociable thing. Not threatening people until the third or fourth encounter. Not telling the story about my missing pinky when I first meet someone. Things like that.” A slow nod of his head as he reached for that shot, taking a moment before downing it. ”What made you decide to speak up?”
“‘The third or fourth encounter,’” she repeated with a smirk. “I like that, sounds more predatory than a chance meeting.” The smirk seemed to suggest whom she thought was the predator and prey in the equation. As for what made her decide to speak up… “Y’know, I’m not entirely sure. The easy answer would be to say you’re pretty and I like pretty things, but I’m not sure that was it.”
”Maybe that's the kind of person I am.” His words rolled off of his tongue smoothly as he tilted his head to the side, listening on. ”I don't think I've ever been called pretty before, a first. But a compliment none the less.” Intoxication seeped in, not to an extreme, but a definite loosened up vibe. Moving forward just enough off of that bar, he leaned forward, his hands coming to rest on her knees, almost propping himself up. ”I do believe it's on you.”
If Aidan was at all bothered by the change in proximity, it didn’t show on her face. All that remained there was the ever-present smirk. The heated tension had a few moments to grow as they waited on the next round from the bartender. She didn’t help the situation, keeping her eyes locked on his. When at last they had a set of shots to toss back, she had her query ready. “Alright, you wanted to know why I spoke up… how about you tell me why you answered?”
A bit of skepticism showed on his face upon hearing her words. Straightening up, he turned to grab those shots, offering one of them to her. ”Look at you. Who wouldn't have answered if they were in my shoes?” Bringing that drink to his lips, he shot it back before turning his attention to her once again. ”Hm..how do you feel things are going?”
The question made her laugh under her breath. A dozen cheeky answers came to mind, all of which she was sure he might appreciate. After a few moments of consideration she glanced down to where he had braced himself on her knees. “Well, your hands are on me, so that’s a good start.”
”A more modest place than I want, admittedly.” A sly grin slowly surfaced, those hands moving upwards just enough. ”I'd follow up with a question but it's not my turn and I'm all about fairness.”
The liquor was beginning to set in, the first few clouding her mind and loosening muscles she hadn’t known were tense. Of course, that meant judgment was becoming skewed as well, but that was the fun part, wasn’t it? And the dangerous part. “Well now I just want to know what the question would have been. But I’ll give you an easy one to go with that last bit. Where would you like them to be?”
”Higher, definitely. More straightforward for sure.” The slyness plastered over his expression simply grew after saying that. ”I think that's one of the better places they could be. Top three. But as for my question..you stole it. Now I have to think of another.” Raising back to a straight stand, he looked down at her with an exasperated sigh. ”Can't be anything that I can find out on my own so there goes the position question. Something about yourself. Not necessarily a secret but something that's not exactly public knowledge.”
Oh she just knew he was hoping to get a rise out of her with that ‘can’t be anything I can find out on my own’ comment, but she didn’t take the bait. It was too much fun watching him squirm, even the tiniest bit. He was remarkably comfortable with the banter, which was refreshing, and more than willing to keep it going instead of rushing, which was intriguing.
“Nothing says you can’t ask the same question in return,” she said with an overly casual shrug. “Pity, too, because I was going to show you instead of tell you.” Yes, that was bait. “Let’s see… what to give away…”
He couldn't hold back the laugh that forced its way out. A bit of disappointment showed, causing him to shake his head. ”I'm on board with the showing part, if you can't think of anything. I'm on board with it either way, actually.”
Aidan laughed in return, trying not to let too much bleed into her expression and reveal itself. “Because you’re such a generous guy, right?” She didn’t force him to come up with a quick-witted response to that. Instead her fingers found his wrists, drawing his hands around her waist in just such a fashion that pulled him up against her. She didn’t stop there, naturally, but moved his hands lower until he got the picture—and a grip.
“Now… if you can manage to keep at least one in place while we pay and get out of here, we can see about making the other two of your top three, yeah?” She arched a brow at him after the challenge.
The assertiveness she showed was a refreshing change. His hands took a firm grip upon reaching that final destination. ”Now who's being generous?” A playful tone laced those words as he motioned his head backwards slightly. ”I believe I can manage to keep both there. Just reach behind me, get my wallet, and we’ll be on our way.”
He was terrible really. Then again, they both were. She could only imagine the annoyance they were causing in the other people there in the bar. Not that she particularly cared at the moment. “Access to the wallet, eh? Now we really are in dangerous territory.”
She snickered before finding his back pocket, though it seemed to take a moment. After tossing enough cash on the bartop to cover the bill and tip, she returned it to his pocket and looked up at him, curious to see what he would do next.. “That takes care of that.”
Terrible, maybe. A good time? Bet your ass. Speaking of, his hands still gripping their spot, he began to think of his next move. What to do next. ”You don't seem like the type to blow money.” A grin teased his features, showing the obvious urge to follow up. ”Other things though..” A wink given after he spoke.
”Alright, let's get out of here.” That grip tightening just a bit more, he brought her up off of that seat, holding her steady. Tilting his head to the side as he looked down at her, an inquisitive expression growing. ”Shall we?”
If the way he picked her right up off the barstool wasn’t an invitation to wrap her legs around his waist, she wasn’t sure what was. It was probably a good thing they were leaving, because it looked like they were on the verge of getting kicked out the longer they went on. “Let’s go,” she agreed.
If he thought he was going to get to have all the fun, however, he was wrong. With his head tilted to the side it gave her the perfect angle to lean up and offer a teasing bite to the side of his neck. She’d test him first, but if he accused her of holding back again…
Gabriel wasn't the type to shy away from an urge and this woman was bringing about several. The way her teeth bit into his neck had a chill running down his spine. ”Much more of that and we won't make it out of the parking lot.”
The expression on his face showed a slight devious grin. Almost challenging in feeling. Still holding her steady, he led her through the crowd and into the night air. ”We might not even make it to the ride.” The lust in his eyes was as clear as day while he looked down at her.
The more he challenged, the more her grin turned from devious to predatory. He kept throwing down challenges, and she certainly wasn’t one for backing down. “Mmm, poor thing,” she cooed. “I never would have taken you for a man with self-control issues.”
Of course, she wasn’t precisely innocent when it came to challenges. She let it hang for just a moment longer before leaning in to slowly bite his neck a second time, much more firmly. Neither of them had to look up to know they were getting a handful of dirty looks as they stumbled into the side of Gabriel’s Jeep, but hey, it was Vegas, and you know what they say about Vegas.