Rendezvous

"There' new meat over at the beash--beach today… hic," a drunken man hiccoughed as he downed another glass of ale, his lids lowered and blinking slowly as the effects of the alcohol dulled his senses, "They say she'z a beaut… hic Wonder how much she's worth…? hic"

His companion snickered. "Give it up old man, heard she's worth more zeny than rares—only big shots could ever afford her."

The man grimaced. "Hell…! hic Hot shotz like yah can afford her, hic but I can still dream hic can't I?"

The man before him grinned, his green eyes, somewhat dulled by the effects of alcohol, still retained a strange sparkle that matched the charm of his boyish smile and the casual air about his form and figure. Compared to the slumping drunk beside him, he was dressed more extravagantly---the white suit and carnation pinned to his breast made him appear inapt for the run-down bar where he drank his ale.

"Don't look down on yourself," he answered, pouring his companion another round of drinks. "Don't worry about this night's drinks, it's on me---just be sure to pay up the rest of what you owe from my establishment."

"Heh," the man slumped, the effects of the alcohol already weighing him down. "Loan me 'nother mil… hic"

"You already owe me more than that,"

"Will give it back to yah… hic twice hic… Am a feelin' lucky t'night," the other slurred, before finally falling asleep on the table.

"Hey…darn, can't you hold up your own drink?" his companion remarked disappointedly, noting the flurry of harried footfalls as a growing crowd of men began to assemble before the stage—their eager voices shouting out cat calls and bidding offers and gifts to the dancers for a night of pleasure.

The man awake stared at his slumbering companion, shook his head as he grinned mockingly and downed one last bottle of ale before standing and dusting off the sand and dust that had clung to his suit.

"Too bad old man," he muttered as he left, blending with the crowd of onlookers gathered round the stage, "You're going to miss the show"

O

The festivities in Comodo never end. Fireworks splayed the skies as dancers bared their bodies to entice—hardly covered by the sheer soft fabric that moved with every sway of their hips and bodies as they moved in tune to the sensual strumming of the bards' guitars and instruments.

Amidst the many dancers in Comodo, a new face had arrived to steal the hearts of the unwary. Her raven hair glistened from sweat under the moonlight, soft white skin bathed in the multi-colored lights of the fireworks in the sky as she sensually stretched her body in time to the slow sensual beat of her partner's mandolin.

The crowd around her grew, and so did the number of offers from the men who wished only to share her bed for the night. Each offer she declined by dancing away from their outstretched arms; whispers of desire she drowned out with each strumming melody of the guitar resounding in her ear.

As she swayed her hips in tune to the music, she caught sight of a newly arrived guest in the circle of her audience. She didn't notice him at first, but the obvious interest in his eyes betrayed him as something more than a casual observer.

Her lashes lowered, she bit her lower lip, a sparkle in her cat-like eyes.

"He's cute…," she thought to herself, dancing closer to his figure. "Exactly as I thought he would be…"

The guitar paused, the crowd grew silent—waiting for a change in beat, a move from her… or none at all. The crowd around her stood stalk still, content to stare at the pure sensuality of her form—the curve and shadow of her body as she stood in the moonlight, her flushed face, her eyes, bright and cat-like, and her lips, pursed in a smile of satisfaction.

The sand beneath her brushed as she walked over to the newly arrived, each confident stride a seeming invite to worldly passions.

"Hello…," she purred, boring her eyes into his.

"Hi…," he answered with equal confidence as he trailed a finger on the gemstones of her necklace to pause at the base of her throat, eyes lowered to the shadow of her breasts in the low cut bodice.

He casually brushed back the thick mane of sandy brown hair from his emerald green eyes in seeming amazement at the bold look she gave him.

As if on cue, the bard stretched his fingers and began to play—a slower, deeper, more sensual beat, given more emphasis by the hiss of the maracas and beating skins of the drum.

He grinned sheepishly, feigning indifference as he tucked his hands in his pockets and watched enraptured by her as she slowly turned, swaying her hips as she moved. Her lips curved in a seductive grin as she let the back of her hand 'accidentally' brush against the crotch of his pants as she danced.

Leaning her back against his chest, she rounded her hips against him, sensing his mounting desire from the bulge that pressed against her lower back.

"You're new around here, aren't you?" he whispered huskily, confidence rising from the explicit signals she gave him…giving him courage to boldly trail his palm from her leg, caressing the curve of her waist, only to stop beneath her breast.

"Is it that obvious?" she inquired in mock innocence, ignoring the envious looks of her other male spectators as she catered to the newly arrived.

"Perhaps…you would like to work for me," the man offered, nuzzling her neck.

"Depends…on who you are," she smiled.

He deftly drew a card from pocket of his suit and slid it through the strap of her bodice.

Catching eye of the name on the card, she beamed,

"So…you're Rolsen Verdelle are you?"

"None other…"

"Hmm…," she smiled, "Perhaps I'll consider it…"

"Of course…," he suddenly added, a mischievous glint in his emerald green eyes. "I would like to have a private audition…"

"Maybe…," she grinned, pushing up from him and dancing away from his grasp.

The grin on the man's lips never left his face.

"Another one bites the dust…," she thought to herself as her cat-like eyes fixated on him with wanton intensity as she swayed her hips with greater dexterity and extended her arms to him as if to invite him to her embrace.

Already, the mounting desire in his gaze grew more passionate with every move she made. Slowly teasing, she unwrapped the first sash round her hips and with a spin let the fabric fall across the man's neck as she drew him to her.

"The back of the casino…half an hour from now," she whispered huskily before pushing him away and dancing even more vibrantly for her audience.

"I did it…," she thought triumphantly as she let the music carry her off along with her victory.