No One's POV

The cozy, hole-in-the-wall coffee shop was bustling with the after lunch crowd as Guinevere and Annalisa sat together, heads bent over one of Annalisa's textbooks while sipping coffee and enjoying the afternoon sun.

"No, Sebastian. I don't know how much clearer I need to be about this. Tell them it's unacceptable. UNACCEPTABLE." Moriarty tells Sebastian over the phone. "And tell them to come to the table with an offer that doesn't make me want to blow my brains out or I walk…" He snaps, hanging up and pocketing his phone as he walks into the small coffee shop, the same shop Annalisa was at.

Not that Jim wasn't well aware of that fact; he wasn't stalking her. No, shut up, Moran. He wasn't. He was simply concerned. After what happened with Anthony Hayes, Jim was slightly… Paranoid about her father making some sort of underhanded deal that would hand Annalisa off to the next highest bidder, even if Jim himself had gone to break- threaten, the elder Morgan himself.

Yes, concerned, that was the word. Concerned enough to fly all the way from England for a somewhat frivolous business deal that was even below Sebastian to deal with; the voice inside his head sounded suspiciously like Moran, nagged at Jim's mind. Shut up, Moran.

"May I sit here?" Jim asks, holding his cup of coffee, more for lack of something to do with his hands, his feet stopping just inside Annalisa's line of vision.

"I'm sorry, we're-" Annalisa apologizes. "Oh, James-" Her voice obviously is surprised to see him.

"James Moriarty… From England… Hi." Jim finishes and smiles at Annalisa.

"I- umm, what are you doing here? I mean- it's nice to see you, James." Annalisa says, putting her pen down and curling a piece of hair behind her ear to see better.

"It's nice to see you too, Annalisa. And you, Gwen." Jim replies more as an afterthought, ordinary people were so rarely something he paid attention to. "I'm in America for business." He answers, so technically speaking that wasn't a lie.

"Oh, I see. Do you travel a lot?"

"I do. My job keeps me busy. And I travel all around. Here and there." Jim replies noncommittally.

"Sounds a bit nefarious." Annalisa giggles.

"Oh, nothing of the sort. I invest in startup companies. I occasionally have to oversee them." Jim lies easily; that clearly a complete and utter lie, although, to be fair, perhaps a prettily wrapped up lie. He did invest in businesses… Businesses of the unsavory and immoral sort. His Little Kitten wasn't too far off the mark after all.

"Now, enough about me… What are you working on?" Jim offers, leaning in.

"Oh…" Annalisa looks shy all of a sudden. "Nothing- nothing that interesting." She continues, feeling self-conscious that she was still in school while James was not; it was clear that James was older, perhaps not that much older, but older, and maybe she was reading too much into their brief and short interactions, but he seemed interested in her, although she couldn't fathom why.

"I'm sure that's not true, Kitten. I'm sure whatever you're working on is all sorts of fascinating." Jim coaxes.

"It's really not." Annalisa offers modestly. "Just studying… For finals. After this semester, I only have one left until I graduate."

"Quite the studious one, aren't you?"

"She is." Guinevere interrupts. "She has a double major. And she's finishing her MBA." Guinevere didn't exactly like James, or rather, she had this sort of off feeling about him; but never let it be said she didn't like to brag about her best friend and her achievements.

"I like learning." Annalisa replies.

"She's a nerd." Guinevere teases.

"So are you!" Annalisa protests with a laugh and eye roll.

"Well, I happen to like intelligent women." Jim flirts with Annalisa, his gaze catching hers a little, flicking away as if he was uncertain on what her reaction would be; it was a game of cat and mouse, the coy little looks and suggestive flirtations, like the days of high school and hormones where everything was uncertain, hesitant, and messy, an elaborate dance to attract a partner.

"To be honest, Kitten…" Jim tells Annalisa, slightly bolder, more confident at the sight of a slight blush that hints at her cheeks. "I was hoping I would see you again. Despite the odds against it… I quite enjoyed our last conversation and encounter. And, I was hoping- hoping that you might agree to go out with me… On a date."

Annalisa is taken aback by the outspokenness of Jim's statement, moreover, Gwen clearly giving her some sort of look from across the table; it was the look that all girl's knew, practically written into both the best friend and the Girl Code, yes, with a capital 'g', which mean 'hell no' or 'you better fucking not', the abort mission look that told Annalisa to think before speaking.

"I- umm… That's very flattering, James. Really, I'm very flattered. But- but I'm really busy right now." Annalisa answers. "With school. Studying and finals. I'm not sure- it's just not a very good idea." She replies, her tone soft and apologetic.

Jim fought to remain calm and unthreatening, he wasn't used to not getting his way, furthermore not use to any form of rejection.

"Right, well…. Lis' we should go…" Guinevere interjects, intervening for her best friend. "Like she said… Lots of studying to be done. Nice to see you… Again… James." Guinevere gives a fake smile to him before helping her friend to gather her things and all but drags Annalisa out the door.