Tanqueray, Kissing Wrists and Cupcakes

Nigel glanced at the drinks menu, this was an Emily suggestion, it was modern, sleek and located Midtown and busy tonight, and now getting quite late, and it had been a long and frustrating busy workday, for him and all involved staff sidestepping Miranda's mercurial mood since returning from Paris, especially with Six gone.

God, she'd actually did it, she got out, it was something Nigel had to admire about Andy, Miranda needed that lesson taught to her, yet Nigel saw it, Miranda was just lost every day back.

The Dragon Lady was pining for Six. He knew it.

Miranda was going through le divorce, Stephen's lawyers bombarding her every day, Nigel was savagely pleased for a few days but he gave in, and left a truce treat along with research on a profile on Jacques Fath for Miranda to cheer her up to show her it was water under the bridge about Holt.

Catching the bartender's eye, his glass was now empty just with cut ice, it was time to go home, as he motioned for the check.

To go home to what exactly?

Home was to an empty apartment he wished he wasn't going home to, to an furnished place he felt alone in, lately all the time, it was a beautiful home he'd chosen everything with the same sense of style for fashion he had as for interiors, it was remodeled and perfect and a space that he once happily habituated in that his last partner months ago took three hours to pack up and leave it and him.

He certainly had no time to get a pet. Not with Miranda's unpredictable schedule.

Nigel, normally most late evenings was working on next month's edits, Nigel didn't look forward to that, not at all, not after two of this bar's signature mixed cocktails, sliding his credit card into the book.

A palm slid, brushing his knuckles, Nigel's eyes flicked up to hold theirs.

They were beautiful eyes.

Her palm slid to rest on his.

"Hi." Softly, as her long fingers slid hair behind her ear.

"Hello." Nigel got out in greeting as he held her eyes.

Her eyes were gray, under thin arched black brows, so lovely in shape that they might have been designed by Leonardo, and her fine nose had a delicate arch. Her mouth was gentle, excellently formed, and untouched by lipstick. She had little color in her exquisite face; the fascination was in the contrast of the darkness of her black ebony hair, the whiteness of her delicate skin and the clear, exceptionally light gray of her eyes.

Parenthetically even her earlobes were perfect.

Noticing a septum ring, and a tongue one along with a silver barbell on her left inner forearm, all modern edgy and pierced.

"Suggest a good one for me." Indicating the drinks menu.

"What?" Nigel blinked.

Her eyes almost were softer on his, and flirty, waiting for him to say something back.

Nigel just stared at her.

It happened so fast, her mouth just pressed to his, flicking her tongue to his upper lip as she tasted him, slicking his lips more in a gentle kiss as then she pulled back from him, taking in his shocked expression.

"Now I've got your walls down."

Nigel went rigid, he didn't react, or respond like that, not with someone like her.

His Visa card was given back, as he took in the bartender, in a tight black fitted shirt, that was what he reacted to, exactly like that, his eyes scanned back to her.

"Is this a joke?" Nigel breathed hard. "A bet?" Seeing her shake her head bemused at his words, her fingers were still clasping his sleeve reassuringly.

"Guess I just wanted to kiss you tonight …" Clasping something metal in his hand. "here I'd like to give you my key, and I'd very much like for you to accept this and spend the night with me."

Nigel was just looking in their eyes, blinking and apparently a first for him, losing his ability to speak.