Usual Disclaimer
Chapter title: "I Do Not Hook Up" Kelly Clarkson
More that You Try, the Harder I'll Fight
"Well boys, I'll meet ya later at the lodging house," said Spot, and he and Moira turned towards her apartment building and they left for the lodging house.
"So, how long has you lived in Brooklyn that I haven't known about ya?" said Spot pulling, closer by her waist as they walked along. She smiled at him. Okay, maybe he just needed to lose the audience to lose his cliched playboy behavior.
"For almost ten years," she said. "I moved here from Ireland when I was seven."
"I see. So you not exactly so new here?"
"No. I know Brooklyn pretty well now. Took me a while though. Used to get lost all the time when I was a kid," she laughed. Spot looked at her quizzically. "I know I know what she talking about," he swore to himself. He shook his head. He was going crazy.
"Have you lived here all your life?" she asked him.
"No actually, I'm a fellow Irish kid. Best genes between the two of us if anyone ever wanted the perfect kid. He'd be full Irish, and with my looks, and you're not half-bad either..." he teased her, tickling her. She laughed, and held up her left hand.
"Not 'til there's a ring on this hand. And you're gonna have to do it the old-fashioned way," she said audaciously.
"What, marry you?" asked Spot skeptically. She looked sideways away from him, half-smiling.
"Oh yeah, that too," she said as though marriage was an afterthought. Spot looked at her as she looked back, finally being able to give him the devilish smile, and he gave her a short laugh.
"For a girl, you ain't half-bad," he said.
"Sweetheart, I ain't bad at all," she teased again.
"Nah, I'm being serious. Most girls I've given that line to just get embarrassed; you're pretty original, Scarlett," he teased her back.
"Oh I see, I'm not the only one, am I?" she joked, pretening to swoon and pressing the back of her hand to her forehead. They were rounding the corner by her apartment building.
"No, you're not...but you could be," Spot said quietly, turning his stare on her that usually melted girls. Paired with that line, he was sure he'd see some sign of her seriously swooning, skipping a breath, something. She just shrugged, and rolled her eyes. What an ice queen. At least he knew for sure he couldn't love this dame.
"What?" asked Moira, turning serious and pretending she had no clue why he was staring at her. First of all, she wouldn't have given in to a cheesy line like that, even if she was interested in Spot in a manner that did not include trying to break his heart. Secondly...well...she was just not going to fall for it that easily.
"Nothing."
"Damn," she thought. "Heartless bastard. And I'm gonna have to spend all my time with him..." They walked up to the door, and Moira jumped up on the first step. She cocked her head at him.
"You wanna come inside?"
"Yeah, okay," the look of aloofness slipped away from Spot's eyes, and the impish smile Moira was getting used to came to his face. They walked into the building.
"You gotta be quiet, 'cause if I get yelled at one more time for too much noise at this hour, I'm gonna get kicked out," whispered Moira, pulling Spot close to her. She grinned as Spot raised his eyebrows at her, obviously surprised, though a little smile came to his face.
"Okay. She can't be too bad. Maybe tonight won't be a collosal waste of time..."
They went up to the fifth and top floor, where Moira's apartment was. A young man of about twenty-two with black hair and equally dark eyes was leaning against his apartment's doorframe, which was across the hall from Moira's. Moira fumbled in her purse for her keys.
"Hey, Moira, how're you doing," he grinned a devilish smile like Spot did, but this man's was almost nasty, not playful. The guy stared her up and down, and Spot narrowed his brows.
"I'm fine, Mr. Divelio," Moira answered shortly, and holding onto her arm, Spot could tell she was getting very tense. Spot pulled her closer to him for reassurance. He was pretty sure he could soak this guy if he needed to, and Spot didn't like the looks he was giving Moira. He was looking at her the way a wolf looked at a lamb, and Spot got angrier by the second. Womanizer he might be, but he never did anything a girl didn't want to do. This guy looked like he wouldn't have a problem crossing the line.
"You don't have to be so formal, Moira; call me Lucio," he said, and then he noticed Spot pulling her back again. Lucio narrowed his eyes for a second. "Who's your 'friend', Moira?" he asked. Spot pulled Moira close again.
"I'm her boyfriend, Spot Conlon," he stated matter of factly, as if he really was her boyfriend. Moira glanced up at him, and Spot, looking down at her, decided to prove his point to Divelio. He kissed Moira fiercely. Moira was shocked, but she responded to his kiss to make it look believable. And of course, for experimental research. As Spot pulled away from her, he gave Divelio a look that said "So there!" very plainly. Moira could barely hold in her laughter. Males and territory marking. He just better not pee on her.
"Well, if you will excuse us, we've got...unfinished business in there," Spot said with a mischievous tone as Moira opened the door. She put one arm around his back, and the rested her other hand on his chest. Spot unexpectedly picked her up into his arms, and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She giggled on cue, and they went inside her apartment, closing the door behind them. Outside, Divelio narrowed his brow again, and a hint of the treacherous smile played upon his lips again.
"Heh, heh, heh...we'll see, Mr. Conlon, we'll see how long you keep her," he sneered, going in his own apartment.
Spot placed Moira carefully down. He smiled at her knowingly, wondering how she would act after they'd kissed. He was glad she couldn't read his mind, because he was acting like such a girl about that kiss. Was this going to lead to something? Was she going to back off now that he made a move? Had she been bluffing with the whole risqué woman persona? She was a good kisser. That had to be a result of practice, right? He smiled. He wanted more, but he wasn't just going to take it. Spot wanted it to be a mutual thing sort of, and he didn't know how to go about it, because he never had trouble interpreting a girl's thoughts, and if he had, it was too long ago to count. But Moira didn't return his smile, she didn't even look at him.
Moira walked over to the window, staring out quietly at the Brooklyn docks...it had been so long ago...she shook her head. Moira had never given up hope, in her own stubborn, hopeful way. She touched the chain around her neck.
"Thanks for helping me out there. I really appreciate it," Moira said quietly.
"Hey, if that's one way to help you out, then a friend in need is a friend indeed," he joked. When she didn't answer or turn around, Spot walked over to her, put his hands on her shoulders and turned her around to face him. Moira's eyes got large.
"That ain't the first time he's talked to you like that, or worse, was it?" he asked her seriously, his eyes gray and soft. She looked away.
"Moira, answer me, please," Spot said calmly, joking aside now. Maybe he wasn't being honest with her, and maybe she was putting on an act with him to, but Jesus, she was just a kid, really. She turned those big green-gray eyes on him again, and he blinked and cleared his throat. She lowered her eyes.
"No." There was a tone of shame in her voice, and she hoped it'd insinuated enough for him so she wouldn't have to outrightly lie. He pulled her into a warm embrace, which somewhat surprised her.
"Hey now…it's not your fault you're beautiful, Scarlett...if that lousy bum talks to you again, you tell me and I'll soak him. He ain't got no right to talk to you like that," he said softly, but she could hear the anger in his voice. Spot rubbed her back, something similar to annoyance overcoming her. Where did have room to talk , when he'd spoken in the same way to her tonight, and probably other girls his whole life? Well, here was her chance to teach him a thing or two. She turned on the waterworks.
Spot was distracted from his thoughts as Moira looked up at him. "Damn, damn, damn. She's crying," he thought, aggravated. There was only one way to avoid comforting her more, and that was distracting her, plus an opportunity to use her vulnerability to keep his hands and mouth busy. Kissing one cheek and then the other, her tears were gone on his lips. Moira smiled up at him, and put her arms around his neck. He rubbed her arms with his hands, and thoughtfully tilted his head.
"Yeah, these are pretty 'silky caresses,'" he joked softly. Spot put his arms around her back and pulled her closer. Their faces were an inch apart. Moira lowered her eyes. Spot bent his head and kissed her, softly at first, then a little more hotly. He kissed her a few more times, and then Moira rested her head on his chest, where his shirt was unbuttoned, and shifted her head, because she had bumped it on something metallic-feeling.
Moira was irate. She hadn't kissed anyone who was that good at kissing, and her past experiences didn't seem half as fun now. The fact that she was not going to be able to stay with him was the only thing nagging her. She didn't know what was wrong with her. "This is just physical attraction. It's gonna take hard work to make him love you, and you're not gonna get physically attached, either. Remember, you have to break his heart, not the other way around," she thought angrily to herself. "Spot can have any girl he wants anyway, so there's a slim shot of hooking him," she added doubtfully. But what he had said to her...it wasn't her fault she was beautiful, how'd he'd beat up Lucio...it was really sweet. None of her boyfriends really cared that much about her. The only guy who'd looked out for her had been Jack. "But I've got myself. I don't need anyone else taking care of me," she told herself determinedly. Nor did she ever want to fall into the position of having to, either.
Spot rested his head on hers, smiling. He'd win this bet for sure. The only thing was, what would happen if he got her, and the month was up...? He'd have to break up with her, and what if...? No. He wouldn't do something stupid like that. He'd only just met her anyway. "Take this a step at a time, Conlon, or you'll be sorry," he warned himself. "You're the Unbreakable Spot Conlon. So don't get broke." He felt a tear on his chest, and he forgot everything he'd been thinking about.
"Aw, Scarlett, don't cry. It's all gonna be alright. I promise," he whispered, thinking she was still crying about her neighbor problem. He thought about what he felt. "It'll work out," he said again, somewhat to console himself as well. He brushed her hair out of her face.
"I should get back to the lodging house, but maybe I'll see you tomorrow," he added. Moira walked him over to the door. Spot stood right outside in the as she leaned against the door. He gave her his little smile again.
"Do I get another 'velvet kiss', seeing as you're my girl?" asked Spot. Moira grinned at him, and without waiting for her permission, Spot grabbed her face and he kissed her. She could almost feel him grinning as she kissed him. "He thinks he's winning me over. Nah, not this time Spotty-boy," Moira thought smugly. She pulled away a little, but he grabbed her back kissing her again. "Well, not quite..." Although, thinking about it, she had enjoyed the whole cat-and-mouse antics...why not prolong it a little?
Spot, meanwhile, was thinking only about the next time he would see her. He hadn't expected this to be so easy. Moira pulled away.
"Now wait a minute...who said I was your girl?" she asked saucily. Spot grabbed her around the waist.
"When I tell you, you will," he said, pretending to be stern. She slid out of his grasp.
"Guess I'll have to see you tomorrow...if you ask me nicely, maybe I'll consider the position...I'm going to sleep now, g'nite," she laughed as she winked, then quickly closed the door. Spot turned and left, a big smile on his face. He was sure he almost had this girl. Just as send him to the loony bin first, with all her crazy mood swings.
"Well, Spot, where have you been," snickered Mickey as Spot walked into the lodging house a half hour later. Spot grinned at him.
"Saying goodnight," he said mischievously.
"Pretty good, Spot, pretty good. She your girl yet?" asked Bricks expectantly.
"Well...not quite. I'm…feeling things out, you might say," Spot improvised evenly.
"Is that right? That girl was quite extraordinary, you sure you can handle her?" Mickey asked smugly.
"Please, don't insult me! And oh yes, she is quite...incredible," laughed Spot, in a way that implied something happened that was more than what did happen.
"What did you do there?" asked Mickey incredulously.
"We're not going into that. I'm going to bed." Spot left them there, to go to his private room, leaving them to watch his retreating back.
"They didn't do nothing," said Bricks, under his breath. "I saw the way he watched Moira. He's gonna get it bad for this one, I promise you."
"Yeah, right, this is Spot we're talking 'bout, Bricks. He don't mean nothing by his looks."
