"So, you're brothers?"

Scott stared at the woman. She had obviously had enough something to be happy and a little loud, but it was the piercings enough to attract lightning that were particularly striking. If he wasn't so tired, he might consider her a challenge. "Yes, ma'am. We are brothers."

"You don't look like brothers."

Beside him, Virgil shifted his feet. Give him any excuse and his younger brother would be dragging him out of the building. It was late and to be honest the only reason they were still here was because of Penelope.

Usually, this kind of party would be right up Virgil's alley. It was being hosted in an art gallery featuring several master works of some artist Virgil had babbled about for most of the week, but it had been a long day and Virgil was beat and both of them really just wanted to go home.

As it was, his brother was frowning at the painting behind the woman fit to bust a blood vessel in his forehead.

Speaking of the woman… "Regardless of how we look, we are indeed brothers."

The three piercings through her bottom lip stuck out as she pushed her chin up at him.

"Prove it."

Scott arched an eyebrow. "I'm afraid you'll have to take our word for it."

"Your word? What about his word? All muscley and scrumptious here hasn't even said hello." Her eyes literally crawled all over Virgil and Scott was hard put not to roll his eyes.

One of those.

This time with extra surgical steel.

He shot a glance at his brother and as expected, Virgil was completely oblivious.

Lightning rod took a step towards Virgil. Scott nudged his brother in warning.

"Huh?" A dopey blink followed by a frown at the woman. "Oh, I am so sorry. I was distracted by the Dali behind you. The elephants have always fascinated me." His eyes darted back to the painting only to be drawn forcibly away again by courtesy. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name, ma'am."

"Ooooh, 'ma'am'. Really, Muscles, you are something else." Was that a diamond in her eyebrow? "The name's Exe." She pronounced it 'X-E' like a computer's execution file.

Definitely one of those.

"Nice to meet you, Exe." But Virgil's attention was still drawn back to the painting and he was frowning again.

"So, you like a little Dali, do you? Surrealism your thing?"

Virgil didn't answer immediately, again distracted by the painting, and Scott had the urge to nudge him. It was very unlike him to ignore someone like this.

Not that she seemed to care. In fact, she edged closer as if his distraction was just an extra lure.

How did Virgil do that?

His brother didn't even have to do anything and women were fawning all over him.

And he didn't even notice!

"You know, I think this painting is a fake." Virgil's frown deepened as he stepped around the woman as if she was just an obstacle.

The obstacle turned and followed Virgil coming to stand beside him, her hand on his arm.

Scott felt the urge to slap that hand away.

Virgil continued to be oblivious.

Scott fought the urge to slap him up the head.

But fake art? Scott stepped up beside the woman hanging of his brother's arm and feigned interest. Okay, so it wasn't totally feigned because mystery, but the amount of interest he had in the painting was being countered by that woman's other hand that was now on Virgil's chest.

This prompted his brother to frown at Exe, but all polite manners and all, Virgil only took a tiny step away before blurting out the detail he had spotted on the canvas that proved this was definitely not a Dali Llama or whatever it was.

Something about an elephant?

God, the woman was literally swooning at every word Virgil said. If she got any closer she was going to get one of those piercings on her face caught in the fabric of Virgil's suit.

Typical.

His brother was too damned polite for his own good. Scott stepped forward a little to bring himself into her eyeline. "So, Exe, do you have a favourite painting here tonight?" He threw some energy into his smile.

And was completely ignored.

Exe appeared to be staring at Virgil's ear.

Virgil was back to frowning at the painting.

Scott sighed. Perhaps some reinforcements were required. He scanned the crowd looking for one particular splash of pink.

Bingo.

A gesture with his eyes and Penelope was zeroing in on them fast.

"Oh, Lady Exeter, I see you've found our Dali." Lady P, all refined and poise swooped in between Scott and the Lightning Rod.

Virgil took one look at her and began spouting forgery claims. "Lady Penelope, this can't be a Dali, just look at the colour on that elephant. That pigment was not available during Dali's time."

Penelope turned to stare up at the painting. "Oh my, that is disconcerting."

Not as disconcerting as Exe resting her head on a still oblivious Virgil's shoulder. He was that focussed on the painting, the rest of the world apparently did not exist.

Maybe Scott needed to find some good coffee. That had dragged Virgil out of his studio at the worst of times.

"I will see to that immediately, Virgil. Inquiries will be made and the culprit found."

"Virgil? Oooooh, what a virile name."

Virgil startled and it was as if he suddenly realised exactly how close and how clingy this woman he hardly knew actually was. His eyes widened and screamed help to Scott.

Exe just smiled up at him and snuggled in more.

"Oh, Lady Exeter, I do believe your father has arrived." Penelope held a straight face, but it was a knowing one.

"Dad's here?"

"I do believe so. I can have the car sent around to the rear exit if you like."

"Yeah, better do that." A grimace. "He doesn't know about the extra nose piercings yet." But then she looked up at Virgil. "Hey, Muscles, wanna come have some fun? I have a real Rubens in my apartment. It might need a…close examination."

Her intended examination obviously had nothing to do with any painting other than perhaps body paint."

Scott took a step toward her just as Penelope caught Exe's arm gently and nudged her away from Virgil. "Come dear, Lord Exeter is coming this way."

As the two women moved, Scott closed the gap between himself and his brother. It gave him a great view of the longing look sent in his brother's direction as Penelope dragged Lady Exeter away.

Virgil swallowed hard.

Scott just didn't get it. "How do you do that?"

His brother blinked up at him. "Do what?"

"No effort flirting."

"What flirting? I wasn't flirting."

Scott sent him a flat stare and then parroted Virgil's voice. "Oh, this painting is a forgery."

"It is!" And that prompted a whole bunch of babbly art words to fall out of his brother's mouth.

Okay, so Scott got the gist of most of it, but honestly, the sight of Virgil being so passionate about something did the same thing it always did.

It made Scott smile.

-o-o-o-