Bonjour ma Amies. Are people still reading this stuff? Hallooooo? Nah just kidding I'd really like to thank all of you very faithful reviewers, you're just about the best friend a girl could have. Okay MM this is for you, the play is originally by the great Neil Simon, the movie was made in 1967 and starred Charles Boyer and Jane Fonda as a young, and in love couple just married, and living in a tiny apartment. Other clues will be forthcoming if you don't get it this time, good luck obi wan, if you guess it and this goes for anyone else too (guesses can be left in reviews or e-mailed to me if you don't want anyone to see them), you will get to vote in the little poll I'm planning for the end of the story. This next chapter is pure fluff for those of you who have been craving it. Enjoy because in the next chapter, which is finished so the more you review the quicker it get posted, the real action begins. Peace my amigos and enjoy.
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I smooth the black silk satin of the evening dress down over my hips. The gown is simple in design, a loose, fold over neck line with an empire waist, and a subtle pattern of embroidered and beaded roses at the neck and hemline. Rarely do I have an opportunity to wear something so overtly feminine and I'm determine to enjoy the experience, even if it will be work related.
Our very first assignment for Senator Pitbull is a little reconnaissance on this Bradley guy. We'd left her lair clutching two tickets to a black tie ball at the city's premier hotel. She'd also given us a generous allowance, because in her words, she was sure "you certainly won't own anything appropriate to the occasion. It was only after Alec's numerous reassurances that his Manticore training had in fact included proper etiquette and learning how to blend in with the haute monde, that she was willing to let us buy our own things rather than having her superior secretary purchase them and send them over to us. Well for the senator's information, I did happen to own something suitable. It just didn't feel right wearing the red dress that Logan had bought for me when I was going somewhere with Alec. So I'd kept my mouth shut.
I smile as I remember the imitation of a proper sniff he'd given as he'd handed over half of the money and told me to remember to buy something that would not shame mumsy dearest, the belying expression in his eyes indicating that whatever I purchased he'd have fun taking it off of me later. I grunt as I finish tugging the last of the curlers out of my hair and dubiously pick up the bottle of hairspray. Never really did see the point of spraying glue on yourself but its all for a good cause I suppose. Gulping in a deep breath of air I tilt my head down over the sink and hit the trigger.
He took advantage of my obvious indisposition by sneaking up behind me and wrapping his long arms around my waist. Unfortunately for him he startles me so badly that I immediately straightened up bashing the top of my head on his chin and spraying him in the face with the awful gunk that I was lathering on my hair. We both broke into a paroxysm of coughs and fell onto the floor, my fall cushioned nicely by his body.
"Oof. Gel Maxie," he untangled one of his arms from beneath my body and patted his own neatly spiked hair. "You should always go with gel, it gets much better hold and doesn't stick your nose hairs together." I flip my body over so that I'm lying across his chest with my nose almost touching his.
"Oh yes Golden Boy you are indeed the top of fashion." His eyes widen at the implied criticism and he pats his hair down again. I feel almost sorry for a moment, but then his lower lip thrusts out in a deep pout and I suddenly just have to nibble it. Apparently I'm not forgiven yet because he melts into the kiss for a few minutes and when I'm good and distracted he grabs my ribs. He tickles me breathless and finely hauls both of us onto our feet. Automatically he begins to brush the dust off of me and then his breath catches.
"Wow." His eyes widen in amazement and I feel a smirk growing on my lips. "I mean wow Maxie. You look just, uhm, wow." Not that he was the first guy to tell me I cleaned up well, but it seems to mean so much more coming from him. Besides that, I have to admit that he looks just amazing in a tuxedo. The fitted jacket clings tightly against his broad shoulders and molded arms, and the cummerbund rests flat against his smooth stomach. Unconsciously I lick my lips.
"Wow to you to, Mr. Articulate." Okay someone had to say it. "You clean up real nice."
"Thanks." He breathes the word out like a caress and I find myself in serious danger of drowning in his eyes. Suddenly jumping back he makes one of those strange male grunts and smacks his forehead. Jogging back to the living room he promptly returns with a bouquet of slightly crushed red roses and a four inch wide leather covered box. "Uh, they got a little crushed on the way over here, there was this guy on a bike, and this old lady, and uh. Yeah, I'm sorry; they got a bit messed up." You know its love when they can't even get out a coherent sentence in your presence.
"They're beautiful." I'm being quite truthful. The roses aren't really all that crushed and they glow with the most vibrant shade of red I've ever seen.
"They reminded me of you." My heart melts into little puddles on the floor. "Oh yeah, I got something else for you too. I was really stupid this morning. I should have thought to give you more than half of the money because women need to have all of that extra stuff like jewelry and shoes. So I though that I should use what I had leftover to buy something to go with the dress. Don't get to excited I couldn't afford the Hope diamond or anything." He'd misinterpreted the expression on my face. I don't care if it's a hemp necklace with a picture of a pot leaf in the middle. No one, not even Logan has ever bought me jewelry before.
Looking apprehensive, he pulls the lid open and holds the box up towards me. "I went to the three best department shops in the city and asked if any stunningly gorgeous, dark haired twenty year olds had bought formal gowns from them today. Finally got a hit at Casal's. I told the shop girl's that I wanted to buy a necklace to match my girlfriend's dress and they just about fell over themselves trying to help me." The rational part of my brain tells me that they fell all over themselves not because they wanted to help me, but because they wanted him to take one of them home with the necklace. In honor of the newer and more sensitive Max, I kept this little tidbit to myself and turned my attention back to the necklace. Not that it was hard, he'd come away from his shopping expedition with a beautiful parure of small facet cut rubies, in the very center of which hung a quarter sized filigreed and enameled rose. Most definitely not a piece of costume jewelry and I wondered how much of our allowance he'd spent on himself and how much he'd spent on me.
Holding my breath I leaned my head forward as he stepped around me and fastened the clasp of the necklace. It dropped lightly against my chest, accentuating the gown and the tan of my skin with dots of blood red.