2.
Arabella was enchanting. Intelligent and cultured. Everything Arthur found attractive in a woman. She had traveled all over the world and spoke many languages.
"And so, I found myself in La Rochelle, without a thing to wear." She was telling him about a disastrous trip to France a few months ago. "Lucky for me, there were plenty of nude beaches."
Arthur found himself laughing. Arabella was able to make fun of herself which made her all the more attractive.
"I've been to the nude beaches there." Came a man's voice.
Arabella and Arthur looked up to see a man. Handsome but dressed in a tacky mismatched suite. He clashed horribly next to Arthur's careful appearance. He spoke with a British accent and sat down next to the couple without being asked.
"Got sunburn on all my favorite parts." He said with a wicked little smile. Arabella smiled at the intruder.
"Well that happens... Mr?" She said
"Eames, Darling." The intruder said. Arthur sat up more stiffly. So this was the fabled Mr. Just Eames.
"Arthur." The Point Man said curtly. "I think we know some of the same people." He added.
"Arabella." Arthur's Lady Friend said.
Eames ignored Arthur and focused on his lovely companion.
"Well, I knew the French were famous for beautiful women, but I had no idea." Eames said with a smile.
"The French are famous for a lot of things." Arabella said. Her gaze staying on the Forger. Arthur suddenly felt left out. Forgotten.
"Mr. Eames, Cob and Mal are anxious to meet you." Arthur said hoping to break him away from his Lady.
It didn't work.
"They can wait." Eames said. Putting the Point Man off.
"Tell me Mr Eames, what are you doing in Monaco? Are you hear for business or pleasure?" Arabella asked.
"Anything I do, I do for pleasure, Darling." Eames said making himself more comfortable. "Sufficient to say it's a little of both."
Arabella gave her high musical laugh. Arthur ground his teeth.
"And what is it you do?" She asked.
"Oh... a guess I study a little of human psychology." He mused.
Arthur snorted.
~ Arthur's cell phone rang a sharp, importunate ring. The Point Man and Architect were torn away from his story as he answered it.
"Arthur?" Cobb was saying on the other end. "Where are you?"
"Oh Cobb," Arthur was saying he cast a quick glance at Ariadne's alarm clock. "Oh I guess I lost track of time."
He apologized feebly as Ariadne started kissing him silently on the ear, his neck. Her hand was moving inside his unbuttoned shirt. She was making it difficult for him to concentrate.
"Where's Ariadne?" Cobb asked.
"Oh... I have no idea. She's not there?" Arthur asked innocently.
"You don't know where she is?" Cobb asked not believing him. "The two of you have been joined at the hip for weeks now."
Arthur was in no position to pay any attention to Cobb as his lover's sweet breath was attacking his ears and neck. Her hands wanting to explore him further.
"Your sure the two of you didn't sneak off for a little l'amour l'apres-midi*" Cobb asked.
Arthur, his French terrible, pretend to understand what the Extractor had asked as well as pretend he had been listening the whole time.
"Yeah, sure, I'll stop by there on my way back." He said. He covered his cell phone up at looked at Ariadne.
"It's hard to concentrate when you do that." He whispered.
"I know." She said. An Evil smile on her face.
"Cobb, I gotta go. Traffic." The Point Man said hanging up his phone and turning it off. He rolled over onto his lover as she giggled.
"I wanted you to finish your story." She pleaded as his hand roamed up her blouse. Caressing her breasts.
"You started this." He accused harshly.
"I know, but I just wanted to make things hard... difficult, for you. That's all." She stammered with a laugh.
"Well, you did both." He said kissing her lips.
~ The three of them enjoyed a nice dinner together. Eames, was ever impressive with his charm and good looks. Something Arthur always had a hard time competing with. The Point Man had other attributes that were not as readily visible as the Forger's were. These were things that showed themselves over time.
He could not hope to outshine Eames when it came to first impressions.
Arabella had excused herself for a moment after they had eaten. Arthur used the opportunity to confront the Forger.
"Cobb and Mal will be wanting to meet you." He said in a low tone. Keeping his eyes off the intruder.
"Like I said, they can wait. The mark isn't going anywhere." The Forger told him casually.
"Listen, I was here with Arabella before you..." Arthur struggled to make the right words come. "So..."
"No." Eames said confidently. "I think she likes me." he told the Point Man. "I think I can seal the deal."
Arthur felt his face turn red and go hot. He tried to maintain his manners.
"Mr. Eames, I like... I really enjoy spending time with this girl and I would appreciate it if you would just leave." Arthur said tactfully.
"Not going to happen Mate." Eames said. "Tell you what, we can let her decide." The Forger cast the Point Man a haughty look. "Let her chose me, or settle for you." he laughed.
Arthur, offended, sat up straighter. His face like a mask.
"Listen." Eames interrupted. "There's a craps table over there. Lets play a game. Winner takes the girl?"
~ Ariadne's head snapped up.
"Winner takes the girl?" She repeated.
"It was Eames. It was his idea." Arthur said defensively.
"But you played along?" She accused.
"I never said that."
"So you didn't gamble for the girl?"
"Never said that either."
"So you did play a game of craps to see who would get the girl." She said.
Arthur looked lost for words.
"I can't believe this." She said breathless. "What if Eames had come onto me. Would you have played a game of poker to win me?"
"Of course not." Arthur said honestly. "I'm terrible at poker."
Ariadne gave him an angry look.
"And then I would have beaten him up and stolen you away." He laughed.
Ariadne rolled her eyes and curled back into Arthur's arms. Letting him finish his story.
"It had a happy ending trust me." He said kissing her on the top of her head.
~ "You want to play a game of craps to win Arabella?" Arthur asked. "Like she's some kind of object?"
~ "Yeah, I'm sure that's exactly what you said." Ariadne interrupted.
"Do you want to hear this story or not?" Arthur asked.
~ "Why not?" Eames asked. "It seems just as fair as any other means of winning anything. In ancient times, young men would engage in sparing events to win the girl they both wanted. Were more civilized. A game of craps will do. Loser makes way."
"It's just a game of chance. No skill involved." Arthur protested as the two men walked up to the gaming table.
"That's quitter talk." Eames told him. "It's two grand to play, you in or out?" Eames asked setting down his money.
Arthur, having done well in black jack was anxious to be rid to his new friend.
"Alright, I'm in." He said.
* l'amour l'apres-midi, French, Afternoon Love.
I don't know if any of you have noticed, but I always make Arthur bad a French. I think this is funny because JGL is extremely gifted in French language and culture.