The ice clinked against the glass as Rachel twirled the straw around in her drink. Eyebrow arched, she was watching Mark.
"I really thought you knew." He continued.
"Really? You thought I somehow picked up on the fact you had slept with an enemy?"
"Well not exactly. Just the fact I had let him get away. You're really perceptive about these things." He raised his hands from the table, laughing as if he shouldn't be the one explaining this to her.
"Apparently you give me far too much credit." Rachel laughed and rolled her eyes. "I was probably just smiling out of pity, for losing the perp...again." She teased. "I," she said, adding an air of superiority, "wouldn't congratulate you for lying to a teammate."
Mark smirked and leaned over the table till they were only inches apart. The area around them was still clear of anyone eves dropping in on them. Granted it was a Tuesday and getting a bit into the night for regular employees. So she assumed it was just for effect.
"Don't tell me you don't enjoy getting under Dick's skin when you can."
A smile twinged on the corners of her lips before she could stop herself. And without a word of confirmation, Mark winked at her and sat back. During his story he had frequently paused to scan the seats around them, pausing or changing his words as need be if someone got too close. His eyes moved around the room again, nothing to hide now, just pure habit of being undercover. Something on a screen far away caught his attention and his eyes widened in delight.
A joy of her own started to spread as she considered what they had talked about. Twirling the straw again, she watched the liquor dilute with the melting ice.
"Hm?" Mark sounded. At some point, he had looked back to her and was leaning over again. Out of the two of them, she would bet he was actually the more perceptive one.
"I know this is an absurd thing to think about, especially for ..." she glanced around, "us. But there's always that stigma that the man should be more experienced than the woman." Dropping her hand from the straw she leaned in towards him as well, placing her elbows on the table. "And in some ways, I still think about that. So it's actually comforting to know you're just the same as me. Hell if not worse." Mark laughed lightly at the last part and reached over to grab her hand.
"You know I don't care about that stuff."
"I know. But you know about me and Kory. I mean you really know about me and Kory. So I don't know, I guess it's just nice to put a face to it." Rachel shrugged and turned around again. Jason had since said goodbye to his friend and was watching a game by himself. "I mean he is handsome." She complimented, turning back. "Who could blame you?"
Mark smiled, eyes dancing over hers. "You really are something else, you know that?" His voice was void of all sarcasm and he was flushed with several emotions from love and admiration to a little bit of shock.
"Hey," Rachel bounced her drink in the air a little, "comes with the territory of dating a demon." She laughed and took a drink. By now the top layer was mostly water and she felt a bit of pride in taking the long swig without any sign of distaste. She had always wanted to be a whiskey drinker. Maybe this was just how everyone did it.
Feeling a bit cocky she continued the conversation, not sure how far he would go, but curious to find out.
"Who was the first?" She asked.
"Garth" He replied. It was a quick answer, free of shame. Though it wasn't an answer she was expecting. Mark had mentioned the story was a few years old. But this made it seem impossibly so. Garth had been dating his current boyfriend for over a year and had been out of the closet so long she forgot he was once in it. Eyes shifting back to Mark she thought back over his statement again. He was the reason Garth had even come out in the first place? It sounded so dramatic and yet he had spoken it with such ease.
"Did you ever sleep with him again?"
"Nope." He shrugged. "We've talked about it since then, but it just never progressed from there. And after a few months, he was dating Ron." Rachel smiled despite the ill fate of that relationship. In an odd way, the whole thing sounded heroic and she adored Mark all the more for it. Garth's current relationship was the stuff of dreams. The kind of love anyone would wish for.
"He seems so happy now. I can't imagine him not being with Danny." Rachel mused.
"Yeah. And that's what he wanted. I think that's why he never really sought me out afterward. He wanted that whole one true love sorta thing and it was just a bit too early for me." Mark's ice clinked together as he drained his drink, obviously not needing it to mellow out first.
"Speaking of which..." Rachel started. Inside her heart thudded hard against her chest. No doubt he was aware of the change and now giving her the slightly concerned look for a reason. But it was something they should discuss and now seemed like as much of a good lead-in as any.
"I ... I know we didn't start this relationship as a monogamous one." Mark nodded slowly, probably seeing where it was going already. "I feel like it wouldn't be fair of me to just make this a rule when it wasn't one in the first place. But I also... I mean." Rachel huffed, she still hadn't made up her mind on it. She shouldn't have brought it up.
"What do you want?" His hands both slipped around hers now and he smiled encouragingly as she met his eyes.
"I'm not sure, to be honest. I could do it just fine. It's not like I leave the tower. But I also understand that we're separated for long periods of time. And everyone has their own ways of dealing with stress. Hell, I would honestly you sleep with someone than freeze on the field like that again and get shot."
Squeezing her hand, Mark sighed. "Valid point." Then he cheered up again. "I understand the difference between sex and love for me. But I also understand the desire for monogamy. Either way, I think it's something we should both agree to. Whatever works for us. I'm fine either way."
Rachel scrunched her brows and looked back at him. Starting to protest, he cut her off with a laugh.
"I really am. I'm not the out of control testosterone enraged teenager I once was. I can go a long time without it and not lose my shit. Besides," his smile softened, "I've been monogamous the whole time we've been together. So it wouldn't really be a change."
"What?" Rachel blurted out. She had always just assumed he hadn't been. And part of her turmoil was that it hadn't really upset her. "But you left the tower all the time."
"I was honestly just giving the illusion I was. I mean I still left for the pure desire to get out of the tower. But that was about it, sleep in the desert or something. I didn't think you wanted a relationship, so I did everything to show I was feeling the same way."
Her eyes narrowed slightly and she made a dramatic display of exasperation and eye rolling. "Well thank goodness I cornered you on the plane, or else who knows how long it would have taken."
"Hey," He pointed a finger at her, "who really started it? Thank goodness I cornered you in the kitchen." Rachel rolled her eyes again, laughing with him. Her gaze fell on a couple several tables over. They looked completely ordinary and content. And that was exactly what Rachel pulled from them as she peered into their emotions. Nibbling lightly on her lip she watched them a bit longer. She wasn't sure if it was the idea of a normal relationship she was basing her decisions off of or their actual real relationship. This couple was content and relaxed because as far as they knew, they had 20 plus years left to eat together. Mark was watching her again by the time she looked back. He seemed calm enough now, but at the drop of a hat they would be off, knowing they might not make it home. It's probably that thought that lead Mark to his thrill in seizing life. He wanted to experience things, he wanted to get out there and do it. And she couldn't blame him for that either.
"Why didn't you sleep with anyone else?"
"Well," his voice a little high, "we were having sex so much at the beginning I really didn't have the energy to." Rachel raised a warning brow to him and his voice dropped to a serious level. "I just... I don't know I didn't really have the desire I guess. It just wouldn't be the same anymore. It's like once I knew what great sex was, I couldn't settle for the alright sex."
"Even with someone, you knew, like Jason?" She asked, pointing behind her.
"Hah, we actually haven't run into each other in awhile. I could have probably made an exception for him, he does offer things you can't. Though..." he raised his eyebrows a few times making her laugh. It still surprised her that after all this time, after all those nights, there were still new things to try. Laughing to herself she pictured what it would be like to wear a strap on.
"I'm not sure I would even know what to do."
"Eh that's alright, I'm sure we could bring Jason in for a demonstration." He murmured, leaning out to try an catch the attention of a passing waiter. His eyes flicked back to her, almost leaving to flag down the other waiter when he paused and leaned towards her.
"I was joking, Rae."
"Huh?" She hadn't realized she had spaced out and looked up from her drink. "Oh yeah, I know."
"If you say so." He didn't look completely convinced but leaned back to once again track down their elusive waiter.
"Have you ever..." She started, a little wary of actually saying it. Stopping all attempts to get a drink he looked fully at her. For a moment his eyes seemed a bit wider, but he covered any appearance of shock up with a crooked grin.
"I actually have not."
"Actually?" she mocked.
"Yeah, I mean I feel like I'm pretty adventurous."
"Mhm," Rachel nodded and for a few seconds, they just looked at each other. But then Rachel's eyes lowered to her glass to swirl the liquids again, lost in thought. That familiar mixture of excitement and nervousness that only he could create was building again.
Looking back up, she caught him just as his eyes flicked back to hers. His grin widened as their eyes locked.
"He's good to go."
"What? You already asked!" She whispered leaning forward, fighting the urge to cover her face from Jason. Then she perked up. "And...and, he said yes? For you, or me?"
Mark laughed, "Ok miss cocky, I think it was a mixture of both."
"Excuse me," A waitress interrupted, placing two shots on the table, "from the gentleman at the ba..." Turning to point at the bar, the woman frowned at the now absent Jason. "Oh, well. He gave you this too." A card appeared from her apron and she handed it to Mark.
"Thank you," he replied, his crooked smile returning. The waitress nodded and left them to it. Holding the card out for Rachel he waited for her to read it. It was only a name, phone number, and hand written four digit number.
"Room number?" She asked. While not able to stop herself from mentally keeping record of Jason's last name. Or at least what was a potential last name.
"Yeah," his voice was soft. With even less space between them as he leaned over, he was reading every signal she was giving. Whether she knew she was giving them or not. Swallowing hard she explored him in her own way. Surprisingly he was a little nervous as well, but curious and very excited. But overlapping all this was his love and compassion for her. Despite what he might think of the moment or possible event, he was mainly concerned with what she wanted and what she was comfortable with.
"Have you been there before?"
"Heh, yeah I have. It's a nice room. I hate to say not as nice as we had."
"Oh," she smiled, joking to cover her fluttering heart, "guess it's about time a man showed me a good time."
Laughing he grabbed one of the drink, "You and me both," and raised an eyebrow. "Yeah?"
Rachel paused, running over the various scenarios she had just visioned again. His admittance of sleeping with men had been on the back of her mind since that first day. And now she would really know what it was like. She loved him, loved being with him, loved seeing him fully enjoy himself. Plus the obvious thrill of being with two men herself. Even if the women in porn seemed to fake it half the time, there was some curiosity to double penetration.
So she reached her hand out and grabbed the lightly colored shot.
"Yeah."
He paused for a second then, drumming his fingers on the tiny glass before lifting it to wait for her. In one quick sweet gulp, they threw it back. Then watched each other for another long second, waiting for the other to move first. The waitress interrupted the standoff, handing him back the card.
"Thank you," he smirked at the unused plastic, standing to reach his wallet.
"Did she not charge you?" Rachel asked, standing as well.
"Jason always gets my drinks. I've always justified he owes me anyway. Well... owes us. All that trouble he causes." He laughed, his naughty gleam returning to his eye. Every step they took towards the elevators steadied Rachel's nerves. Her heart rate didn't drop exactly, just thudded for a new emotion. Once they had stood they had agreed they we're both willing to actually try it and she was beginning to feel excited.
Swirling around as soon as they reached the two metal doors she couldn't help but grin up at him. Inwardly she could sense his own anxiety slip away as well. The lobby was free of visitors, quiet except for the excited whispers of one giggling couple. Rachel bounced her knees a few times.
"I can't believe we're doing this. I don't know what to do with one guy half the time, how will I handle two." Lightly laughing she raised her eyebrows.
"Oh don't you worry about that," Mark murmured playfully pulling her towards him. "How about you just let us take care of you." Taking his time, he gave her one long kiss. With a quiet ding, the doors opened to an empty plain room.
Smiling, Rachel grabbed his hand and lead him inward. "I think I could do that." Giggling to herself she turned to lean on the wall and found him smiling and watching her. His stare was filled with plenty of emotion and slowly he reached his hand up to trace down her jaw till he tipped it up to him. With his face only an inch from hers, he took a deep breath.
"I love tr..."
"I love you too." Rachel gushed, reaching forward to kiss him in return. But stopped as their lips touched. He had frozen.
"That's not what you were going to say was it?" He went to respond but she cut him off. "Sorry, ignore what I said. What were you going to say?" Coughing a few times she tried to look away. But he held her still, his grin growing.
"I love trying new things with you."
The blood lit up her face, but she smiled anyway. Squirming a little from her uncomfortable confession she couldn't help but poke into his emotions again. Just before she could reassure herself she knew what she felt he spoke up again.
"And..." his eyebrows rose, dragging out the suspense.
"Gar," she groaned under her breath. He was laughing easily at her feigned irritation with him, smothering her neck with light kisses and snuffing out her embarrassment.
Pulling back, he looked down at her, "I love you, too." And gave her one more deep kiss. "But..." With two fingers beginning to tickle her side he teased, "what was it you were saying about monogamy?"
Rachel huffed, "It doesn't count if we're together." Then for effect added, "Duh." He laughed, pulling away as the elevator started preparing to stop. It wasn't about a relationship. It was about their relationship. And right now their relationship was about to involve several orgasms if she had anything to do with it.