Decadent Contrivance
by: raileht
Summary: It should have been awkward when the sound that broke the silence was the zipper of her dress.
Disclaimer: The ones you don't know are mine, the ones you do aren't.
Rating: M
Pairing: Pretty iffy on this front, which was basically my goal so…it's a matter of what you want.
Warning: naughty and I am going to hell.
Note: I've been on vacation, guys. Sorry about that. Been visiting small towns, checking out family and stuff but I've been missing writing like crazy and this was the little ditty I came up with. Credit to the song used in ep. 403—I was listening to that when this started scratching at my noggin'.
-o0o0o0o0o0o-
It should have been awkward when the sound that broke the silence was the zipper of her dress.
"Are you sure?" but even as he asked, his fingers continued on sliding them down, heedlessly belying his effort to at least practice some form of restraint.
The answer should have been 'no' and by then, she should have come to her senses, but instead she found herself saying—
"Yes," and then she smiled as his lips burned a trail from her neck and down below.
And that was all they both needed, it seemed.
-o0o-
The two partners stood at the bar and Diane Lockhart found herself nursing her drink while she watched Will Gardner nurse his at the corner of her eye. She had spotted the couple enter at the same time he had and she'd known he'd been trying to be surreptitious as he watched them. He was failing in that front, of course, but that might only be because she guessed he might react that way.
Chances of the couple arriving was nearly inevitable, she was sure, and she had known they were coming but somehow, she could not be sure if Will had considered it. The annual fundraising event was one of the biggest in the social calendar, a good cause that always generated attention and the names in the city. Diane had the firm and herself listed annually and considering it was an election year, she was sure the guest list itself had to have doubled.
Alicia Florrick had arrived at the arm of who else, but her husband, the candidate, Peter Florrick. They were all smiles when they arrived and considering the coverage his campaign was generating, they'd made quite the entrance. She and Will had the fortunate position at the bar during the arrival, providing the perfect vantage point for the arrivals while she had been taking a break from mingling and he, well, was getting a drink.
The couple had been gracious as they said hello to strangers, acquaintances and friends alike, never quite parting and always within the other's range. If Diane hadn't known any better, she would think that the union had indeed been repaired. Not that she would know for sure nor should she care to, but she was allowed to be curious. Peter was doing very well in the campaign, doing well in polls and people were responding to him better and better and she had no doubt Alicia was getting him there.
Beside her, Will hadn't said a word. He's not overtly jealous, he didn't even look upset but she'd seen him the last few months. He'd been very brave through it all, getting through whatever may have happened between him and Alicia as well as keeping his head above water during the six months he'd been grounded. He kept his dignity on both fronts and she knew the he could have easily have succumbed to the accumulation of one unfortunate event after another, but he kept himself standing. He screwed up, he owned up to it and now he was indeed back.
And he was better than ever.
Diane was sorely tempted to tell him to knock it off, if only because she really did not like the wounded look he was carrying whenever his eyes managed to drift towards the raven haired married beauty, but decided not to intervene. She wanted the night to be a good one because they needed it and she wanted it, broaching the subject of Will and whatever may or may have occurred between him and the senior associate was not a matter she was stepping in on again.
God knew how well that turned out for them in the past.
-o0o-
Diane had been preoccupied with her thoughts regarding her partner, so distracted she had been that she'd neglected to take further advantage of their post by the bar. She'd been looking at the couple, at Will and at her drink in between lazily scanning the crowd, she had nearly completely missed the latest arrivals for this particular event.
She would have missed them had she not looked up at the last minute, her eyes drifting and passing the couple for a brief moment before she did an almost comical double take.
Diane froze for a moment, eyes widening just a touch and her hand curling tighter around the tumbler of half-finished scotch she would be downing in one graceful sweep in a moment. Suddenly, her lungs were curiously devoid of any air she may have been mindlessly breathing in during her perusal. Her back shot up ramrod straight and in the most miniscule manner that at least saved her dignity, her jaw fell in only the slightest of fashions.
For there, walking into the elegant ballroom was Kurt McVeigh himself.
With a raven haired beauty of his very own.
-o0o-
It wasn't too late to turn back, but she didn't.
Not that she could even if she tried with the way he had her practically pinned against the seat of the limo, leaving no room for escape. Or rational thought.
"This…this is insane."
But she tried anyway to make one last stab at rationality though because even while he pressed his lips underneath her ear that almost had her eyes rolling to the back of her head, the tips of her fingers itched to pulled her dress up and gather her decency.
"Yeah?" he laughed against her skin, causing the vibration to travel from her neck down to the rest of her body.
She shivered, damn it, she shivered.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Because."
She grunted, pushing him slightly as her eyes drifted close, breathing in deeply as the weight of his body left hers, "Not good enough."
"Is anything?" she heard the rustle of clothes and before she knew it, he was kneeling on the floor in front of her. Jesus.
"Wh-what?" she choked out, breathing heavily though she kept her eyes closed, feeling him instead of seeing him. Maybe it was easier to let him do and not watch.
"Is anything good enough for you?"
"What do you mean?" her eyes shot open at the question, this time watching him but he seemed to know what he's doing because—
"Shh…" he distracted her once more, sitting up and pulled her down, pushing a harsh kiss on her lips that took her breath away and this time, her eyes really did roll to the back of her head and she fell back against the seat.
Palms curled upon her knees and then thumbs trailed along her skin, pushing underneath the fabric of her dress, burning hot against her skin. He's persistent and he isn't shy. She couldn't deny she didn't like it if she tried.
Thumbs became hands—incredibly warm hands, running over her skin without hesitation.
Suddenly, she wasn't sure what she was just saying or if she'd been the one talking, "I'm…sorry?"
He laughed again and this time, the vibrations were edged along hem of her dress, following the trail of those warm hands.
-o0o-
She'd had invitations to dance and she took them, not all but she danced some.
Truth was, she liked to dance and enjoyed it especially when she had a good partner. When she was younger, back in those days when her mother insisted she take the lessons with the whole debutante mess she despised so passionately, her height had been her problem. At that age, no boy wanted to dance with a girl who was taller than him and she knew very few boys she did not at least have a few inches on. She was, in her head, a Sasquatch and fact of the matter was, no one wanted to dance with a Sasquatch. But her mother's word was law so she bitterly went on with the lessons and hated it, cursing at her mother in the most unladylike manner in her head even as the madame counted, one, two, three, one, two, one, two, three...
But that was a long time ago. She knew a lot of tall men now and there were some boys who grew up into men who didn't mind a tall woman. And she picked the ones who paid attention to those lessons and they, as far as she could tell, enjoyed dancing with her, so she did.
Plus, the fact that she knew her dress was a hell of an excellent choice that night did not hurt either. No stuffy long gowns for her tonight, as opposed to most of the women present. No, she wanted to have a stress free night so she went with a tastefully elegant, if not daring, short dress that did the most amazing job showcasing her legs. She no longer cursed at her mother—at least in this particular matter—because she knew how to dance and she had the legs for them.
The part where dancing was a good distraction in terms of avoiding the man in the suit with the dark haired woman that was not Alicia Florrick was entirely irrelevant, of course.
Diane Lockhart just naturally liked to dance.
"Does she—"
She still had enough wits about herself to remember one niggling little fact in this whole—whatever this may be.
He pressed his lips on hers, "Shh…"
She placed a hand on his chest, momentarily stopping him and their eyes met. Their pupils are both dilated by unmistakable arousal, that much was clear but she managed to wade through the cloud of lust in her eyes long enough to look him in the eye, "If you're using me to—"
"Don't even dare think that," the cloudiness in his eyes didn't desipitate but the gruffness of his voice and the kiss that followed were enough to get his message across. His lips pressed against hers again, harder with more force as if punishment for even considering such a thought.
Carelessly, his tie was left discarded, his shirt unbuttoned, followed by her hands roughly pulling the back of his stark white button down free from where it was tucked behind him. Her knees lifted higher around his waist, giving him further space in between and pulled him closer to her. The kiss deepened, growing more intense and their eyes are both shut tightly. She might assign meaning to that later, but not in that moment. There were more important matters to attend to.
He groaned into her mouth as tongues dueled for dominance.
-o0o-
"May I cut in?"
She was relieved for the chance for escape but she didn't show it as she politely smiled at—what was his name? She almost flushed when she could not remember then decided it was because he was incredibly dull and she was only human. She'd danced with quite a few people already and law of large numbers dictated she was bound to get one bad egg at least, wasn't she? Nevertheless, she'd been saved and she could not be more pleased.
"My hero," she smiled.
"I thought your face was going to crack from all that smiling," he grinned. "Fake smiling."
"There wasn't much else to do," she rolled her eyes, "And he almost stepped on my foot."
"I saw," he smiled, the first she's seen that was real that night.
And it was then Diane realized just why so many women fell under the charms of Will Gardner. The bastard knew how to smile, the kind of smile that was dark but not dangerous, alluring but not sleazy. She'd always known he was a charming man and had, in the past, been subject to it especially whenever he needed something or felt playful enough, but she'd never quite seen him smile in that light, whatever that may be. It was different from the past and it left her a clearer picture of the Will Gardner women fawned over.
Not that it mattered. Will did what he wanted and got what he wanted, as long as he kept it out of the office, she was fine. She didn't need to think about his conquests or anything in relation to the subject. There were lines after all.
Well, that and the fact that she hasn't had sex in, oh…well, safe to say her libido was making itself known these days. She didn't need to think about that while dancing with Will Gardner. She did not need his input on this matter or whatever asinine remark he might find himself unable to help sharing with her.
Diane rid herself of those thoughts and instead, continued her dance with her partner. She was taller than him but he could dance and he led her effortlessly in the sea of dark suits and beautiful dresses.
"I'm going on a hunch and assume, alright?"
"Huh?"
"Dance lessons. Who made you take them?" she couldn't help the curiosity after dancing with him so many times before and now. He was no Fred Astaire but then again, she was no Ginger either, but she's always liked the way he could move whether it was just playful dancing or something more formal.
"My mother," he grinned, "And for a while, I played lab rat for my sisters."
She laughed at the imagery her mind easily came up with. She could just imagine those torturous years for the young boy he had been. Little boys did not usually like to dance, especially with their sisters and even with a stubborn streak a mile wide like his, she was sure he barely had a chance against his strong-willed sisters.
"I was the golden boy but whenever they made me dance with them in the living room to prepare, I'd always step on their feet until they gave up," he chuckled, "Sara used to smack me on the side of my head because she knew I was doing it on purpose but mom put a stop to that."
She grinned, "I just bet she did."
It was no secret Will, unico hijo as in the only son, was indeed the golden boy. His mother adored him as did his sisters and he reveled in that. It might also explain why he was the way he was with women but Diane was not about to delve into that. She was leaving that with Freud and would, instead, continue the dance.
"He's here," Will said after a moment.
"I know," was her simple reply. "I saw him coming."
"Thought I'd step in," he shrugged, "You don't mind?"
She didn't say anything and instead, gave him a small smile.
-o0o-
"God, I've lost my mind."
He grinned, "I'm enjoying it."
She gave him a sly grin, thoroughly amused by his candor and decided she was better off playing this all the way through, considering she'd taken leave of her sanity already.
"I'd just bet you are," she pushed at him suddenly and he fell against the seat on his back. She didn't waste time moving until she had both knees around his hips, straddling him with one shoulder bare from where he had helped slip her dress off. He gave her a dark smile, not at all affronted at being overpowered, "Always gotta be on top."
She gave him a wicked smile, "Always."
He laughed and reached up to pull the rest of her dress down.
-o0o-
She didn't react when he turned them but she also didn't miss how the Alicia and Peter Florrick were suddenly in her line of view.
"We're not talking about it," it wasn't a question, she knew him too well.
"No," then his eyes moved to the side, "We're not talking about that either."
Her eyes followed his carefully and she also did not miss him standing at the edge of the dance floor, alone. She looked away, thankful he wasn't looking their way and missed her looking at him but then she also tramped down the feeling of disappointment for the same reason. Disappointed why? Her jaw tensed slightly at that.
"Relax."
"Easier said than done," this was as close as she was going to get to admitting anything. If he's allowed to not discuss things, so should she, damn it.
"She's dancing with Mark Hamilton."
And considering she's seen Alicia, she didn't have to ask who the she dancing with Mark Hamilton, Esq. is.
"Should it matter?"
He looked at her and quirked an eyebrow, "You tell me."
-o0o-
The temperature had risen considerably and she wasn't in the frame of mind to ponder how or why nor did she care to.
She had all but shoved his pants down to his ankles and couldn't remember if he had kicked them off or not, she didn't care about that either. Instead, she concentrated on his open mouth against the rapidly thumping pulse point closest to her throat, his hands digging into her flesh and her nails buried deep into his skin. There's one hand on her thigh, fingers imbedded on her slick flesh as her skin had grown moist.
"I think…I think I underestimated you."
"Let's not finish that thought," he ground out, the hand on her thigh moving to her hip, fingers curling into flesh to hold on to her better, a groan escaping both their lips as he eased her down upon him maddeningly slow.
"Jesus," she moaned, deliciously pressed against him in an angle that nearly made his heart stop. "God, god, god…oh, my god."
He pulled her closer until she was against him fully, breathing heavily against her ear, his fingers slipping easily through her hair until it rested upon the nape of her neck. Bare skin against bare skin, both hot to the touch and slick with the sheen of sweat. His other hand moved up her bare back, tracing along her spine, eliciting a shiver that reverberated from the inside out and whispered hoarsely, "Again."
She didn't deny him.
-o0o-
The music stopped and so ended their dance.
Diane gave Will another smile, silently thanking him before moving out of the dance floor.
She decided she'd been seen enough and she didn't have to look at her watch to know it was alright to leave already. The night, for her, was over and she'd enjoyed herself. Thankfully, she hadn't needed to confront things she did not feel inclined enough to deal with. Will was alright, it seemed and if he wasn't, then she'll find out tomorrow or the day after or whenever he was ready. He didn't need pushing and neither did she. They both knew their places in each other's lives and that was enough.
That and she thought she had taken enough chance tonight concerning the other thing she was decidedly against facing. He and his raven haired woman seemed fine enough—not that she was looking much—and she didn't see any other reason to explore this particular front more. She didn't need whatever drama/non-drama might be possible. She didn't need any of that, period.
She barely reached the doors before it opened as someone else left ahead of her, the wind blowing in and she felt the crisp wind sweep into the lobby. She shivered for a moment, but refrained from rubbing her arms as her instincts dictated. Instead, she steeled herself, moving towards the door with her clutch in hand and stepped outside to wait for the limo that would bring her home. The night had grown colder as the party wore on, it seemed and while her dress was still sufficient enough not to let the weather seep into her bones earlier, now it did little to service her need to be protected against the elements.
Diane breathed in, slightly invigorated by the cold as it enter her lungs though that only made her even more eager to return the call of her warm bed.
Winter was coming to Chicago early this year.
-o0o-
Her eyes were closed again.
And this time, she was breathing against him, ungracefully slumped over him, waiting until her heart stopped trying to slam its way out of her chest as their thrumming bodies calmed. She took a moment before taking a deep breath, forcing herself to move off of his lap and settled next to him, mumbling an apology.
"I wouldn't have minded if you stayed a little longer," he said instead, bare chest heaving and hair mussed.
They both continued to breathe heavily, their air was heavy with shared oxygen but it was also slowly thickening with the traces of guilt. She felt it but did not know what to do with it. She was the kind of woman who always knows what to say and do, equipped with the quick mind but for this moment, she was at a loss.
He must have felt it too because, without looking, he reached out to her, his warm hand settling against her bare thigh and began to move gently. It was intimate but not one meant to for seduction, no. This was a gentle touch meant for comfort, to ease the situation he could feel she was not entirely sure how to proceed with. He could be a gentleman when he wanted to be.
It wasn't until they both realized they were nearing a stop when they began to move in a sudden frenzy, reaching for clothes and other particulars. The limo moved to a crawl as if the driver knew they needed more time and thankfully, they were readily decent by the time it came to a full stop. To try and look as if nothing happened was laughable, the best they could do was at least be presentable—or anything but appear as if they were sex crazed lunatics with no sense of self-control whatsoever.
With the haste to cloth themselves again, of course, came the thoughts she'd been pushing from her mind, accompanied by a new set that sent her mind reeling into a new level of panic. My god, had they just done that? What was she thinking? They hadn't made enough effort to be discreet, she was sure, even though she had tried to muffle her own cries by sinking her teeth into his shoulder, but who's to say they hadn't given themselves away somehow? The driver had to have some inkling. My god.
She suddenly felt like crawling into the nearest hole.
The car stopped and it did not take long for the door to follow.
-o0o-
"Diane."
She looked up, startled for a moment as she turned towards the source of the voice.
"Kurt."
He looked quite dashing in a tuxedo, she thought, managing a gracious smile that she wasn't entirely feeling. She would have been worried if she didn't know she had that smile down pat already that only the ones who knew her best—Will included—would be able to tell otherwise.
They stood there for a moment before the corner of his lip turned up, "Hi."
"Hello," she returned and resisted the urge to slap herself then. How would it look to be caught by an ex-lover catch you doing something entirely questionable, sanity-wise?
"I saw you in there," he tilted his head towards the doors she just exited, "You didn't say hi."
"You didn't either," she shrugged, "I was…busy."
"I could see that," he smirked and this time, she could have slapped him, "Heading home?"
"Uh, yes," she looked around for the limo she begged to come already. Awkward.
"I wanted to talk to you but…" he stopped, "Well, I wasn't sure you wanted to see me."
"It's fine," she smiled but it was brittle, which she only a second after she flashed it. Damn it. So much for not obviously faking.
"You look beautiful."
"Thank you. You look good too," she smiled, this time a little more real. Don't. Don't. Don't. Do not even think it. "Your date looked lovely as well."
No! She did and it was amazing she didn't really slap herself this time as her fingers itched to do so.
"Uh, right," he looked at the doors, ducking his head low a little before looking at her again, "She was just a friend of mine. She's going through a divorce and…well, she needed a date."
"How nice," this time her smile was obviously fake. Where the hell was that goddamned limo?
"Diane, I—"
She gave him a look that she intended to be one firmer yet it came more as a gentle request and her voice followed the same tangent, "Kurt, please?"
Diane hated herself for sounding sad, which was something she was not entirely willing to feel. She was not sad. She was just surprised to see him after so long.
"What?"
She looked away, getting herself together and gave him a more serious expression that somewhat belied the sadness she might have conveyed, "Nothing. Uh, so where's your date?"
"My friend left," he answered, "They used to attend this thing together…she wasn't feeling too good so she went home."
"Oh," she nodded, "Alright, I…are you alone?"
He shrugged.
"Are you waiting for your car or…?"
"I was waiting for a cab, actually," he grinned. "I'm staying in another hotel."
Then, as if from nowhere, the limo finally pulled up.
Diane stopped, looking at the driver who briefly apologized and explained about a small accident in the garage as he opened the door for her. She gave him a nod before turning to Kurt again, an apology from herself at the tip of her tongue. The words, she found easily but as she spoke, something else came out instead.
"Would you like a ride home?"
Surprise was evident on his face and had it been a more proper moment, she would have laughed at the comical expression on his face, "Uh…"
"It's late," she offered, suddenly feeling very stupid for offering, "But if you—"
"No, it's fine, I…" he stopped, "You don't mind?"
Diane stared at him for a moment, "No, no…not at all. I'm just heading home and it's paid for, why not?"
For a moment, they stared at each other until a slow smile appeared on his face.
"Thank you," he said sincerely.
"Good, alright," she smiled too and felt the wind blow again, "But god, we have to leave now. It's freezing out here!"
She liked to think she could be friendly or at least be civil with some of her exes. She did not harbor any ill will against Kurt McVeigh, after all, so she didn't see the need to be anything but civil with him. She was more mature than that, thank you.
They both moved towards the door and the waiting driver. She was getting ready to step in until they heard another voice call out her name, louder and more pronounced.
"Diane!"
-o0o-
She shivered as the wind swept through, pushing its way into the warm interior of the vehicle.
"Goodnight," she said though it was softer than the voice she normally used. She began to moved out once more into the cold air, leaving already when she felt a hand close around her wrist. She stopped, turning towards her companion with a questioning look.
He didn't say a word and instead, slipped out the jacket he had hastily put on, placing it around her shoulders and a gentle caress followed once she was ensconced in the warmth and scent of him. She smiled at him and nodded, moving towards the door once more and finally stepped out.
She knew she smelled of sex, that even with the wind, it was possible she might have brought the scent that covered the confines of that car with her. She was paranoid and somewhat ashamed enough to let the guilt make her reach into her clutch for a generous tip, sliding it into the pocket of the driver's jacket. She avoided looking at him and instead, headed up the steps to her home. Whether or not he smelled the evidence of the carnal acts they'd committed in that vehicle, she felt he needed to be compensated for it at least. God, what was she thinking?
Diane ignored the fumbling of her fingers as she opened her front door, not daring to look back as she moved. She heard the door close just as hers opened, breathing in deeply once more before walking into her home.
She'd been about ready to close the door when she felt a hand smack against the wood heavily, making her jump and drop her keys and clutch.
"Wh—?" she wasn't able to speak further when she felt his lips press against hers.
It wasn't like any of their other kisses, it was softer and it lasted longer than any other and by the time he pulled away, she was breathing heavily once more, head nearly dizzy and her eyes heavy. He smiled, placing his hand against her neck gently, the pads of his fingers pressing against the pulse point at her throat. He looked at her, even as he moved his hand to her shoulder, only then making her realize she had dropped his jacket. His hand moved from her shoulder to her arm, his warm touch moving along her skin until he curled his fingers around her wrist once more.
Neither said a word as he lifted her hand to his lips, brushing them against her knuckles, his thumb tracing patterns on the inside of her wrist.
And with his other hand, he closed the door behind them both, shutting out the brittle winds and the cold night.
No words were needed as he pressed another kiss upon her lips.
-o0o-
Will came bundling out, looking just as dashing in his tuxedo as he hurried through the exit.
Diane looked puzzled for a moment, "Will?"
"Yeah, hey," he said, letting out a puff of air, "You forgot."
"Forgot?" confusion was evident on her face.
He grinned, "Me. I'm riding with you. We came together, remember?"
"Oh, my god," Diane flushed, a laugh escaping her for a moment, "I forgot. I'm sorry, Will. Are you ready to leave?"
"Yeah, actually, I am," he nodded, straightening himself up as if the short run from the doors had ruffled him so.
"Alright," she smiled then turned towards Kurt and the driver, "Oh, uh, would you mind…? Kurt's date left and he's staying at a hotel. I thought I'd give him a lift."
"Oh?" Will stopped, turning towards Kurt and gave a man a friendly nod, "I mean, oh…uh, I could just, you know, cab it if—"
"Don't be ridiculous," she huffed, rolling her eyes before nudging him towards the open door, "Get in, it's freezing. I'd like to get home before I turn into a human popsicle!"
Will laughed, "That's Chicago for ya!"
Her partner slid in first, followed by her and then Kurt. She gave Will a look as he slid across the seat from her, grinning at her as their guest settled next to her. They gave the added destination for the new inhabitant and they were off.
Diane tried to ignore the looks she was getting from Will, tried to ignore the warmth she could feel coming from Kurt beside her. She looked out into the window, into the night that was steadily growing colder. It was warmer inside, easing the cold from her bones from where they seeped in during her stay outside. She let out a soft sigh, leaning back and allowed herself to calm despite the awkwardness she'd brought upon herself.
"So," Will began, sounding casual as he addressed the two across from him, "Great night, huh?"
Kurt looked across from him, nodding, "Great night."
And somehow, both men found themselves unable to say anymore while Diane did not so feel inclined to start some small talk. Left to themselves, they shared a brief look, one that could not easily be labeled but it was a look meant for two men trying to come to an understanding. They might have, they might have not though they did not have much chance to find out as their equal reluctance to delve into whatever territory they were now finding themselves took over. They looked away and out of the windows, doing as the woman in their presence was doing, watching the world they were passing by.
Onward the limousine drove into the night and it dropped off one of the passengers and left the two for the remainder of the journey.
And it was some ways to go until the next stop was set to come.