"Maybe we're looking for a cash cow."
"With liquid assets."
They had been doing this for the last few weeks. The playful banter, the flirting. They had even gone to breakfast a couple more times since the boy in the dumpster case. Sara had to admit that not only had she become comfortable in the blonde's presence, but she was even starting to enjoy the easy-going relationship that was developing. Developing in what she didn't know. She was definitely attracted to Sofia, and she sensed that it was mutual. Yet neither of them had made any kind of move.
Their case was both high profile and highly unusual. One of the biggest casino owners had been pushed off his balcony. And had been pretending to be a baby at the time. As hard as she tried, Sara couldn't quite wrap her head around why someone would want to do that. While everyone did something a bit weird now and again, this seemed a little extreme. Deciding to break the companionable silence that had fallen over them, she turned to Sofia to voice her thoughts.
"What I don't get is why." Sofia paused in her work, looking up at Sara.
"Why what?"
"Why would anyone want to pretend to be a baby. I mean, our Vic was seriously obsessed with this. I just can't get my head round what motivated him." A thoughtful look came over Sofia's face. She cocked her head slightly and regarded Sara in a way that made her think she was trying to decide something.
"Well, I agree infantilism is an extreme form age play. But its more common than you would think. Its just not something people talk about."
"Age play?" Sara was confused, but also interested. Anything unusual or unheard of fascinated her. She always believed there was more to learn.
"Think School Teacher and naughty student." Sofia said with a smile. "The people involved take on roles that are primarily defined by the imbalance of power caused by age difference."
"I can understand that, but getting off on pretending to be a baby? Or caring for one?" Sara was genuinely confused by this. Although they had found no proof of anything sexual in his activities, he had to be getting something good to be going to all that trouble.
"You don't, not sexually anyway. I admit I don't really understand it all that well myself. I guess its about wanting to recreating a time when you were happy. Or allowing yourself to have the happy childhood you never got. Or maybe its about being able to give up control, to let someone take complete care of you for a while. He was one of the most powerful men in Vegas, must have been one hell of a burden."
"So he became a baby?" Sara asked incredulously.
"His method of choice I suppose." Sofia looked right into Sara's eyes. The blue eyes sparked with an intensity that Sara hadn't seen before. They held Sara fast to where she was standing. "Haven't you ever wanted to give up control? Let someone else make all the decisions, take all the responsibility from you?" Sophia's question struck a chord with Sara. There were moments when she seriously wanted to give it all up. Let someone else take responsibility for everything so she didn't have to worry or even think. She felt a slight flush cross her cheeks as she stood there under Sofia's gaze. She suddenly needed to fill the silence.
"By pretending to be a baby?" A soft chuckle escaped Sofia's lips.
"No, not necessarily. There are many ways to give up control. And not all of them involve diapers." Sofia punctuated her sentence with a wink and a small smirk before turning back to her work. Sara knew she had been caught out. She felt trapped and exposed. Deciding that the best defense is a good offense she bent down, placing a hand on Sofia's shoulder to get her attention.
"And what about you Miss Curtis? Have you ever wanted to give up control?" Sara was close enough to smell Sofia's sweet perfume mixed with her own unique scent. It was a intoxicating cocktail. Sofia appeared unperturbed by both Sara's question and her closeness.
"No, Not my style. I prefer" She began to trace patterns with her fingers on the hand Sara had resting on the table. "Being the one in control." Sara was having a hard time focusing on what was being said to her, but she was not ready to concede defeat yet.
"You almost sound like an expert." She managed to get out. Sofia stood up slowly, placing herself firmly in Sara's personal space. She didn't remove her hand from Sara's, instead taking a firm grip and moving it behind the brunette's back.
"I prefer to think of myself as a good teacher." Her casual tone was in stark contrast to her firm grip. She leaned her body up against Sara's so her lips were next to Sara's ear.
"One day I may even teach you." Her words were barely above a whisper, but they carried both the sound of authority and the possibility of pleasure. Sara fought to repress the moan that threatened to escape.
And then Sofia was gone, leaving Sara alone in the layout room. She slumped back against the table, attempting to get back some semblance of control before anyone walked in and saw her flushed and out of sorts. She couldn't help but marvel at the impact Sofia had just on her. And hope that the blonde would make good on her word.