His hand was still stroking her hair and she gave in to his touch. It felt good.

"Thank you." She said, finally able to smile at him. "Really, thank you. I'm not sure you're right, but that really helped."

He smiled back at her and she allowed her head to fall onto his shoulder. It was a lot to process, the first time she had ever told anyone about her doubts, about how she felt, the fact that he didn't judge her and had actually listened. She knew she had to make a decision but she also knew that he was right, she had needed this more than anything. She moved her head a little, her nose now softly touching his neck. God, he smelled good. He felt good. And a decision didn't have to be made tonight, had it? After all, such decisions shouldn't be rushed... She couldn't help it, but thoughts about his lips crossed her mind and the temptation to run her hands over his body and help him out of his clothes began to grow with each second. She had no idea what was going on with her, but as wrong as these thoughts were, they made her feel good, feel alive. Just when the temptation became almost irresistible, she raised her head from his shoulder. He looked at her, with an expression as if he was waiting for something. Was he really still just trying to get her back into bed? Did he really believe there was a chance, in that state she was in? But what was she thinking, she was completely hooked, he actually had every chance and worst of all, he knew it.

At this moment, someone knocked at the door. "Roomservice".

Of course, NOW they brought her food…Tony rose from the bed, gave her another look and then openend the door. She quickly moved over to the mirror, adjusting her hair and removing the last traces of her smeared mascara. She heard him talking, but coulnd't make out the words. When she turned around, Tony was standing in the door, her jacket in his hand. She gave him a confused look. Where was her food and why was he holding her jacket?

"That food was even more depressing than your room. Let's go." He flashed that smile at her and handed her her jacket before he turned around and walked out of the room, leaving her no choice but to follow.

They had gone to some very fancy restaurant and her previous depression had changed into the excitement of new adventure. And it was only dinner, so far, anyway. They had talked about anything and everything, and when he had finally told her who he was, she had nearly choked on her asparagus. The sheer thought that she had actually hit on him that other night embarrassed her greatly. But that it had actually worked also made her feel pretty good about herself. After all, he was a man who could pick who he spend the night with, and he went with her.

They had finished dinner but still had some drinks when she finally asked the question that had burned in her all evening.

"I'm sorry, but I have to ask…. So what is this? What's happening?"

He leaned forward over the table, looking her in the eyes, a smirk surrounding his lips.

"Sweetheart, this is whatever you want it to be." She could almost feel his voice running through her veins. "You know who I am and what I do. I am not pretending this was serious, but if you want to let go for a bit and see what you may have been missing, I can certainly show you one or two things." He paused, once again studying her reaction, checking if he could go further. "Naughty things. Things you didn't even know you wanted and longed for, all this time."

Oh god, he was completely serious. There was no trace of irony in his voice, nor did he hide the words behind the pretence of a joke. At such a suggestion she would have usually laughed, silently wondering about the amount of truth in these words, but probably also relieved about being able to just move on and more or less ignoring the just said. His sincereness, however, made it clear that this was a completely different game. One that she had never played before. But it was no use to pretend that she wasn't insanely attracted to him, or that the promise of just one single other night with him wasn't heavily tempting her – and exciting her. She grabbed her wineglass, took a sip while looking in his expecting eyes, thinking. She could see in the look on his face that he was fine with whatever she decided and that if she said no, he would simply move on, probably never thinking about her again.

"So just to make sure that I understand this correctly…" she started, swallowing another sip of wine. "You propose some sort of affair, to 'widen my sexual horizon', and after you, or I, whoever is first, leaves this place, I'll never see you again? 'No strings attached' and such?" That she had just spoken of her 'sexual horizon' made her blush a little.

"Yes, pretty much".

This was plain crazy, so so wrong, on so many levels and – perfect. Maybe it was exactly what she needed, and maybe it would in fact help her sorting things out to a better at home if she got some excitement again? Maybe she'd realize it wasn't worth it and what she had was perfect? But surely things couldn't go on the way they did, either way. She bit her lower lip and finally nodded. He rose his eyebrows in slight surprise and content.

"Is that a yes?"

"Yes, yes it is. I'm very curious about what it is you can show me that I don't know about myself." She said slightly provocative, teasing him, trying to bring the playfulness back so she was in safer grounds again. He didn't let her.

"You'll be surprised." He smiled at her, no grinning, no smirking, just smiling.

That he was so completely convinced about what he said and comfortable with all this somehow got to her. He was incredibly sexy and all the talking and the images flashing through her mind made her almost forget that she shouldn't be here – with him – at all. She emptied her glass and made an excuse to go to the bathroom.

The thought of simply leaving now briefly crossed her mind, but she didn't want to. That man made her feel like she hadn't felt in a very long time. He made her feel – at all. And whatever this was, she was now bound to see it through, to see where this went and especially where it would leave her… She had reached the bathroom and went straight over to the mirror, looking at her reflection. She shook her head, looking at herself, and whispered "what ARE you doing?". She took her lip shine out of her purse and applied it. Just when she pressed her lips together the bathroom door opened.