Sorry, sorry, sorry- for not posting earlier, for not sending out previews, and for completely re-writing this chapter so the story didn't have a sex scene every other chapter (I know some of you liked that first one). If I end up not including the one I wrote at some point, maybe I'll send it out to the registered reviewers.

Pirate Gyrl- Oh, Brad will become quite the dick...you'll see. :) And yes, Lisa is bored out of her mind and desperately grasping at straws. The way I see it, she supposedly is living "the dream", so she's trying to convince herself that she's happy. One of those Devil Wears Prada "a million girls would kill for" kind of situations.

ThePurpleCrayon- There will be plenty more where that came from. Trust me.

TheDreamWeaver- And her books were burned for being too racy. That is quite the compliment! :D

The Elegant Doll- Done. :)

The Dyson- I would say I'm sorry you didn't enjoy this one either, but I think I'm more sorry that you feel the need to follow me around and criticize my writing. You don't like my style, and that's fine. So find something you do enjoy.

Highly Unlikely- Well, shit. I honestly don't read much fanfiction, so I have no idea if there's a story with a similar plot. Hopefully it turns out differently.

daisy- :D

Enjoy!

Chapter 5: Game On?

Lisa hugged Brad tightly, throwing her head back as she laughed. "I didn't know I was that bad," she said, shaking her head as he swiveled her playfully. The dance classes had ended up a total waste- the instructor was such a hardass. No matter how much Lisa tried to concentrate and emulate exactly what she had seen, she had received only tight-lipped disapproving stares.

"She didn't say that," Brad replied, also amused. "She did say you're not a total lost cause." Lisa's laughter faded, but the grin remained on her face. She should probably be embarrassed about the last two hours, but she wasn't. She was over the moon, really. Even that horrible woman couldn't get her down now. She and Brad had actually had fun. No politics, no work- it had reminded her of the beginning of their relationship, really.

"So..." she began, leaning up to kiss him quickly. "I need to start pilates, and then I can try dancing again?" Brad gave her another kiss, brushing errant snowflakes from her bangs.

"You don't have to do any of it," he reminded her. "It's not like you hit the dance floor and do the Macarena." Lisa shrugged. No- she wasn't that bad, but she knew that it would be a good idea to learn to do more than cling to Brad and shuffle. She had come to learn those actual steps, but the instructor hadn't been able to get past her posture, which apparently was "atrocious".

"It'll be fun," she replied lightly, "trying to convince Eve that we need to change to pilates." She couldn't help but smile at the thought. Eve was a total yoga freak, and was convinced that the two were on opposite sides of some elegant exercise war. Lisa had no opinion one way or the other.

Brad nodded in agreement, but didn't reply, checking his watch instead. "Where the hell...?" He let out a deep sigh, like it was just too much, and Lisa frowned. Brad had told his new driver, Todd, to pick them up at six. And it was now- Lisa leaned over, glancing at Brad's watch- 6:06. It didn't seem like the end of the world to her, but she also knew that Todd set Brad on edge- apparently, he was always late.

But Lisa didn't want to go back to the world where being six minutes late put a person's job in jeopardy. She grabbed Brad's chin, turning his head to face her again and giving him a bright smile. There was no crisis- they would make their reservations without a problem.

"Don't worry about it," she reassured him, straightening his tie. "He'll be here soon. And even if we miss them," she continued, shivering slightly as the cold air bit at her cheeks, "it's okay. We can just make sometime ourselves...spend some time together...?" She trailed off, frowning as she realized that Brad's attention wasn't even on her. He was looking at her, but at the same time, he wasn't really seeing her. He was thinking about that damn driver.

Lisa shook her head gently, stepping back to stand upright. "Or not," she murmured, turning to look out at the street. This somehow caught Brad's attention better than giving him affection, because she quickly heard him apologize.

"It's just...Stephen was my driver for so long, and he just ups and leaves, and this guy is just not working," he tried to explain, his voice sounding like the entire thing was such an ordeal, and Lisa couldn't find it in herself to see where was the great tragedy.

"Give him time," she replied, Brad's tone rubbing her the wrong way. "He'll settle in." She really didn't like the idea of firing this new guy after less than a week on the job. She didn't even have to look over at Brad to know the expression on his face. It was patience masking incredulousness.

"I need someone who knows what he's doing," Brad explained slowly, as though it were obvious. Lisa nodded in surrender. This was one of those things they would never see eye-to-eye on, and it wasn't worth starting an argument. But her mood had definitely darkened somewhat, and she found herself staring intently at her own flats in irritation.

It wasn't as though she didn't know what she was talking about. At the Lux Atlantic, she had overseen many employees, and she knew that every one of them began a job in different ways. Some dove in eagerly and burned themselves out. The ones with significant previous experience sometimes got it in their heads that they were already experts. Some let their nerves get the better of them and it took time to get comfortable.

And besides, Todd couldn't really be early. This was New York. He couldn't just sit outside a building in Manhattan for an extended period of time. And traffic wasn't exactly predictable sometimes- taking all of those things into consideration, she didn't see how it was fair to lambast a man for being a few minutes late.

She dug her toe into the concrete, considering taking Todd on as her own driver if Brad did fire him, just on principle. And a bit of spite. But it wouldn't really be her money to pay him...which was kind of fitting that Brad would be paying him regardless, but also ruined the point in a way.

Lisa shoved her hands in her pockets, biting the inside of her cheek. She was being ridiculous again, and she knew it. Brad was a busy man- he needed a punctual driver, and the agency he hired from was supposed to offer experienced professionals. And she hardly knew Todd- he had only spoken to her four times- two sets of 'good morning, ma'am' and 'good evening, ma'am'- she really hated being called 'ma'am'- why was she getting so defensive about him?

She leaned into Brad as he put an arm around her, pretending not to notice that as far as he was concerned, the discussion was completely over. Everything was fine.

The car soon pulled up, and as Lisa climbed inside, she closed her eyes, trying to recall the last two hours. They had been happy. They had laughed, joked around, and had fun.

She gave a half-smile, remembering Brad trying to hold back his laughter when the instructor, Lola, had grabbed Lisa's shoulders, yanking her spine straight. He had insisted it was because of the startled expression on Lisa's face, not the fact that her posture was bad. But her musings were interrupted by Brad's hand over hers, and she opened her eyes, turning to face him questioningly.

"Are you feeling alright?" Brad asked with a slight look of concern. Lisa nodded quickly, maybe too quickly.

"Just tired," she assured him. "A little- I still want to go out," she insisted, cutting herself off before Brad could even ask that inevitable question.

He nodded with that same perfect expression of understanding. He was always so put-together, even when he was on a few hours of sleep. It was a little irritating, in a way. He never really seemed to just let loose anymore...always so in control. Even when he as enjoying himself, there was still that self-awareness threatening to overtake his body.

Lisa sat up straight, studying him. He needed...something. She reached her hand forward and tousled his hair gently- it was an improvement.

Brad laughed in confusion as Lisa loosened his tie. "What are you doing?" he asked, bringing his hand up to smooth his hair. Lisa slapped his hand away.

"You need to relax," she explained, running her hand through the soft strands again. She grabbed his tie, pulling him in for a kiss- he could give her a thrill...she knew it. Brad turned away, laughing again.

"What's gotten into you?" he asked, amused. He straightened his tie, throwing a glance at Todd, who apparently hadn't noticed. But Lisa knew that it was the man's job- she felt an odd urge to make him notice.

But Brad had already shifted his attention elsewhere, checking his watch again. Lisa let out a barely audible sigh. They weren't going to be late.

Maybe she was just trying too hard. Once they were married and the election was over, things could be like they were before. Brad hadn't been quite so pristine when they first began dating- he had been able to relax. Maybe she could even get a job again, and do something productive with her time.

"Dad's going to be at the dinner," Brad announced hesitantly. He knew how Lisa felt about Wellmont. "He's looking for donors." Lisa snapped her attention to her fiancé.

"I'm sorry," she said sharply, "he's going to be there? And he just decided this today?" Brad shook his head sheepishly.

"He told me last week," he admitted. "I forgot until now." Lisa knitted her eyebrows- what exactly had made it pop in his head? Her practically jumping him? And why did he always wait until the last minute to tell her things? Wellmont coming to the dinner, him scheduling a dancing class, most of his business trips...she could go on and on, really.

"Of course you did," she snapped, staring out the window again. She really needed to fix her filter system...

"Don't be like that," he snapped, and then sighed, taking her hand in his and kissing her knuckles. "I'm sorry- things have just been crazy, and it slipped my mind. And it's not like he's going just to torment you...he'll be too busy asking for money."

Like he doesn't have enough. Lisa swallowed her bitterness and squeezed Brad's hand, turning to smile at him again. She wasn't really being fair, and she knew it. "Sorry," she apologized genuinely, leaning forward for a quick kiss. "It's fine- I'll just have to make sure that I don't embarrass him with my philistine behavior, right?" She smiled to let Brad know that she was joking- mostly- squeezing his hand again.

He laughed. "Yeah- make sure you use the proper utensils this time," he teased, and Lisa rolled her eyes.

"It's unnecessary to have a separate spoon just for the caviar," she insisted, remembering the horror on Wellmont's face when she dared to eat her beluga caviar with a metal spoon. She smiled again, and this time it felt real. She really did miss the little moments like this- they felt so few and far between lately. "I think I'll be alright this time though...don't worry," she assured him, giving his hair a playful toss one more time.

Brad grinned. "Thank God," he replied, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her close. "I was worried that we would have to exile you to the kid's table."

Lisa giggled, snuggling against him. One more year, and the election would be over and they could live like this all the time. A year wasn't that long...she could handle it.

As Todd pulled the car in front of Brad's building, Lisa reassured her fiance yet again that she'd rather wait while he changed. He wasn't going to be that long- it would probably take him longer to get to the penthouse than to change...maybe. But more so than that, she really wanted a chance to talk to the driver one-on-one.

After Brad disappeared into the building, Lisa leaned forward, propping her arms on the headrests. Todd was currently sending a text message. Lisa didn't know much about professional drivers, but she was fairly sure he wasn't supposed to be doing that in front of her.

She cleared her throat politely, flashing a smile at the man as he turned to look at her. "Just don't let him see you doing that," she opened, and her smile faltered somewhat when he almost imperceptibly raised an eyebrow. When had she gotten so...superior? "I mean- I'm just- I just wanted to tell you that...Mr. Wellmont-" She still didn't know how she was supposed to refer to Brad around his staff "-is having some problems with your punctuality."

Todd just nodded stiffly, and Lisa leaned forward further, lowering her voice even though they were alone. "He's kind of anal about things like that," she explained. "If he were meeting with the queen and she was a few minutes late, he'd probably call her out on it."

She felt a blush rising to her cheeks when Todd gave her a knowing smile and another nod, obviously more relaxed this time. She definitely knew she wasn't supposed to criticize Brad in front of his staff.

"Thank you, ma'am," Todd replied politely, seeming to pick up on how uncomfortable Lisa had become.

Lisa winced at that title again. She had always hated it. "Call me Lisa," she insisted, and quickly continued when Todd gave her a skeptical look again. "Miss Reisert if you have to."

"No problem, Lisa," he replied with a quick wink. Lisa smiled, but jumped back in her seat when the passenger door opened and Brad climbed in.

The first thing Lisa noticed was that he had not changed. The second, his frown. And she knew before he even opened his mouth that they weren't having dinner. But she knew she couldn't speak without betraying her sudden irritation, so she kept her mouth shut, waiting for the same old song and dance.

"I have to go into the office," Brad explained, not bothering to look embarrassed anymore. It had already been explained to Lisa- she knew there were problems with some business in Tokyo that Brad's company had invested in, and because of the time difference, their late night plans were tentative until they were actually there. And even then, the plan wasn't really solid until the night had passed without interruption.

Lisa nodded shortly. It had been explained, and was understood, but it didn't mean she liked it.

"Lee-"

"It's fine," she snapped. She wasn't as good at lying as she used to be, and Brad would never buy it. Of course things weren't fine. But how could she ever explain all these doubts she had been having, and how these constant cancellations just weren't helping things? She couldn't add that kind of pressure to him.

Most people would assume that he was having some kind of affair, but Lisa knew it wasn't the case. He was actually working, and it infuriated her. At least she would have been able to understand- somewhat- if he was seeing another woman, but how could a man honestly choose to work like that?

"You know I'd get out of it if I could," he replied, pleading with her to understand. "We can reschedule." Aren't we always?

Normally, she wouldn't be this angry at Brad for canceling on her. She understood how demanding his job was, and she knew that if he had his choice, nine times out of ten he would choose to spend time with her. But tonight, she wanted to toss that phone out the window and call his mother a whore, not necessarily in that order.

"No, I know," she replied softly, and forced a smile. "So what happened?" she asked as Todd pulled away from the curb, even though she didn't particularly care. As long as Brad talked about himself, she didn't have to tell any lies...other than the implied lie that she actually cared about his meetings...

As they rode through the brightly lit streets, Lisa kept her focus on her fiancé. She wasn't listening to the words coming from his mouth...just watching him. He looked so tired lately, especially when he was talking about work. He had promised that it was just a stressful time and that he would be more relaxed and attentive by Christmas, but how long would it be before things got busy again? He worked too much...

But she supposed that was the price to pay for the kind of money he brought in, both into his own pocket and into others'. And it was commendable, really. Only God and probably a few accountants knew how many jobs he was creating worldwide for people. He was putting a significant amount of money out into the economy, which was great. But damn it, Lisa was selfish. And sometimes she wished he would be, too.

She missed him. It was just that simple, really. She missed him so much that she got angry, and the few moments she actually got to spend with him were becoming so tainted with that anger that she couldn't even enjoy him when she had him, most of the time.

She just needed to find something to do other than shop and have lunch. She needed a distraction, so she wouldn't think about how much she missed him. Maybe having some kind of life would make things easier to tolerate. If she couldn't have a job, maybe she could find some hobby, or do charity work.

The car coming to a stop in front of Brad's office building snapped her out of her lists of charities she had come across that she might want to get more involved in. She gave Brad a more-convincing reassurance that she wasn't angry with him anymore, and then he was gone in a rush.

Lisa reached into her purse, tying back her straightened hair before climbing into the front seat. She had done this with Stephen as well- it was habit. She still felt uncomfortable riding by herself in the backseat. It wasn't her style. "So what are we going to do now?" she joked weakly, resting her head against the window.

"Well," Todd began, pulling away again, "I figured we could hit up a few house parties in the Bronx. And then maybe go moonlight bungee jumping. I know, I know," he continued as Lisa laughed in spite of herself, "it gets dull after the first few times, but this is kinda last minute."

Lisa dropped her head back against the seat, rubbing her closed eyes the heel of her palm. "Ugh...I do not want to do take out again," she muttered. She had food in her kitchen, of course, but she also wasn't really in a cooking mood. She had to be motivated to do that much work just for herself. She glanced over, and frowned slightly at how uncomfortable Todd's profile looked. "I'm just whining out loud," she insisted. "You don't actually have to entertain me."

"No worries," he replied casually, and Lisa turned to look out the window again. "Are you alright?"

She nodded. "I will be," she replied, pulling her coat tighter around herself. "Just in a funk right now...know what I mean?" She immediately frowned, feeling stupid. Oh, my smart, gorgeous fiancé is too busy making millions to take me to dinner. I'm so depressed.

"I get it," she heard him say, but she definitely noticed the politeness in his voice. Humoring her was just another part of his job. Lisa nodded, and the two remained silent for the last few minutes of her ride home while she considered what she could do with the rest of her night. As usual, her friends had their own plans. It was just one of the problems with those last minute cancellations- others were rarely available.

But it wasn't really that big a deal. So she'd spend some time on her own- not the end of the world. She liked being alone, right?

Before long, Todd pulled to a stop in front of Lisa's apartment building, and she climbed out with a quick 'thank you', wishing him a good night, which he reciprocated. She stood in front of the doors, digging through her bag for her keys. It was one of those moments that she missed her simple purse. She loved the rose bonbon Balenciaga, but there were so many pockets, and she could be so scatterbrained about where she threw things.

She was distracted from her search by a sharp whistle, and her shoulders sank. She knew who it was without turning around. "I'm not a taxi," she snapped, not even turning to face him. "Or a dog." Why?

"Would you prefer that I call out?" he asked, and she heard him approaching her. He actually sounded playful, which irritated her. They were definitely not on light terms. "Or should I sneak up behind you?" Lisa clenched her jaw, trying not to flinch at his close proximity.

"You shouldn't be here at all," she replied shortly, feeling a quick rush of relief when her fingers grazed her keys. But she quickly tossed them back in the bag- car keys wouldn't help her now. The most important thing at the moment was to show that he wasn't rattling her- not at all. He was just a minor annoyance, distracting her from the task at hand. His presence didn't make her pulse rapid. "Were you stalking me again?"

"It's something to keep me preoccupied," he countered, still not moving into her vision. Lisa couldn't help but smile faintly. It was taking her so long to find those keys that she half-expected him to take the bag from her and find them himself, but apparently a woman's purse was No Man's Land even to someone like him.

"Maybe you should take up pottery," she suggested, and even though she was still rummaging through the bag, it was becoming less evident exactly what she was looking for. It was just something to do now. "I hear it's therapeutic. Might help with your psychosis."

"Oh, I'm not crazy," he assured her. "It would be crazy to follow you without purpose. I have one." Lisa scoffed to mask her heart skipping a beat. She wouldn't show him any of her nervousness at exactly what that purpose could be. She was actually somewhat impressed with herself. She was nervous, yes- but not afraid.

"And what might that be?" she asked casually, as though she were only asking to be polite and she really had no interest in whatever he had to say.

"I was thinking you might be hungry," he replied. "Dancing is hard work." Lisa's fingers tightened around her newly-found keys, but she quickly recovered.

"So you follow me everywhere," she remarked. "That's not weird."

"Are you?" he asked, ignoring her remark, and Lisa stood up straight again. She was about to lay into him, to tell him that no, she wasn't hungry- she was- and even if she were, he was one of the last people she would eat with. But it occurred to her that he was probably expecting that very response. That response, and maybe a threat about calling the police.

After all, why wouldn't he at least attempt to hide his stalking unless he wanted those reactions? He wanted to get a rise out of her, make her uncomfortable. And she would be damned if she gave him exactly what he wanted.

"I am," she replied, finally turning to look at him. She quickly attempted to quell her first reaction to actually seeing him- he looked amazing. It was a shame, really- all that beauty wasted on someone who was so ugly and twisted inside. But she buried those thoughts. "Are you asking me to dinner?"

Just as she expected, a quick streak of surprise flashed across his face, and Lisa allowed herself a somewhat smug smile. She doubted he liked her any more than she did him, and she doubted he actually wanted to spend time with her. So now she had him- he could either continue his game as though he had expected compliance and mutually suffer through a meal, or he could admit defeat.

He only nodded once, leaning against the glass panel next to the door. He did manage a charming smile, but Lisa was sure she could see through it. "You interested?"

She nodded with a bright smile, despite her inner desire to key him in that perfect face. She had been to many dreaded dinners- it was a small price to pay to let him know that he did not get under her skin. He was beneath her radar now, and had been up until that flight two years ago, as far as he should be concerned. "I need to change first, though," she explained, glancing down at the leggings and flats she had worn to the class- hardly dinner attire. A new idea came to her, one that she didn't particularly like, but one that would definitely send him that desired message. "You want to come up?"

She did not like the idea of having him in her apartment, with no witnesses, but it would obviously let him know that she wasn't scared of him. And it had the added benefit of giving their...relationship...a familiarity that it didn't and shouldn't possess. If she was right about his motivations, it would have to grate on his nerves that things were going so unexpectedly.

"That all depends," he replied after another moment of obvious surprise. She had caught him off-guard again, and it sent a small thrill shooting through her. "Are you just changing or 'getting ready'?"

Lisa had intended to just change, but that would give him an out. It didn't even occur to her anymore that she was letting him in too close all over again- she knew that he didn't want her to. "I was going to take a shower," she told him, changing her plans. "And it's warmer upstairs than it is out here."

That got him. Not only had she suggested he come up into her apartment, she was 'trying to convince' him. She felt so...powerful. The enjoyment of coming out on top was now trumping her actual hesitations- he actually wasn't getting to her. She could see right through him- he wasn't this immaculate, impermeable robot with a plan. She could beat him at his own game.

"There's a guest area in the garage," she continued politely, holding back her glee to avoid tipping her hand. "So you don't have to spend more money- you are at a meter, right?" She smiled warmly when he only nodded. You can recover better than that.

Shoving her apartment keys into her pocket, Lisa followed Jackson to his car, climbing into the passenger seat after he held the door open for her. A gentleman creeper. How refreshing.

But as Jackson began driving toward her parking garage, Lisa did feel some obligation to lay down the limits. "I want you to stop following me," she told him firmly.

"No you don't," he replied flatly, not even turning his head. Lisa sat back, her jaw set. Yes, she was giving him the advantage for the moment, but she also had no plans to let him walk all over her. Especially considering how their last meeting had turned out.

"Yes I do," she insisted. "Just because I'm even in this car doesn't mean that you get to take me wherever you want and sleep with me." Dinner was one thing- it could be innocent. Lots of people had dinner. "You just caught me on a bad night, that's all. I was being stupid and it's not going to happen again."

Jackson glanced at her, grinning. "You're not going to be stupid ever again?" he taunted. "What's your secret?" Lisa's cheeks flushed, and for some reason, it occurred to her at that moment that something was missing.

"What happened to your driver?" she asked, refusing to get caught up in the fact that he had thrown her words back in her face. She relayed the code into the parking garage, barely noticing their surroundings as he pulled in.

"I don't have a driver," he replied casually. "He's just a buddy of mine."

Lisa's eyes shot open wide. Was he serious? "You did it just to screw with me?" she snapped, losing the game. "That's horrible."

"You shoved a pen in my throat," he retorted with that same mocking grin. "Call it even?" And there it was- the first time either had verbally acknowledged their past.

"You tried to kill me and my dad," Lisa spat back incredulously. "I would hardly call that even."

"And you almost killed me and sabotaged my job, which didn't exactly make for an easy work environment. Plus I almost went to prison and I'm in the system," Jackson pointed out, his voice irritatingly steady.

"You threw me down the stairs. Pull in over there."

"You sprained my hand with that stick, threw a chair and a vase at me, and stuck a damn shoe in my leg." Lisa smiled in spite of herself. His tone was so wrong for this kind of conversation. He was still being playful.

"Fine- we're even," she conceded, just to end the weird exchange. "But I still hate you." He nodded.

"I know," he replied, putting the car in park and cutting the engine. The two walked in silence until they entered the elevator, and Lisa spoke up again.

"What are you trying to do?" she asked, still trying to sound casual. She still wasn't afraid, but it didn't really make sense that he was going through all this work just to screw with her. He was so confusing.

"I could ask you the same question," he replied, but Lisa heard the rest. But I won't, because I don't really care. And she also knew that he wasn't going to answer the question, but did it really matter what he wanted? When she was with him, she didn't have to think about Brad, clothes, money- any of it. And that was fine by her. Her words came out more naturally, even if they weren't her actual feelings. She didn't feel so...she didn't know the word to describe how Jackson made her felt.

Lisa couldn't see anything good about Jackson- she did hate him. But she enjoyed the hate. It occurred to her that the odd conversation they had just shared was the most real one she had had in too long. She thought it was just a game at first, trying to hit the other the hardest, but coupled with their attempts to out-shock the other back at her door, she was already feeling more alive than she had so far that evening.

"Does this mean we have a clean slate?" she asked somewhat sarcastically as they approached her door.

"I suppose it does," he replied with that same hint in his tone. "I won't try to kill you, and you can stop acting like I'm going to swallow you whole." Lisa smiled again at the imagery- he was kind of a snake.

"Sounds like a plan," she replied, finding that she actually liked the idea somewhat, even though it wasn't possible and they weren't being serious anyway. She didn't really know what to think- she had absolutely no inclination to have him in her life again, but at the same time, she was actually enjoying herself somewhat. Maybe...no. That was ridiculous.

She was the good girl. She cared about people, and always felt that urge to make others happy. She had been that way for years, and it probably wasn't going to change anytime soon. She didn't have a darker nature, the kind that lent to enjoying playing mind games with an assassin. It was...stupid to even think about it, really.

"This is it," she offered as they entered her apartment. She tried to hide her embarrassment at how bare it looked. It was a sad little place, actually, which was probably the reason she hated returning to it when her plans with Brad were cancelled.

Jackson only nodded, and Lisa eyed him suspiciously. No catty little comment to dig at her? What was he up to?

"You want a drink?" she asked hesitantly. Now that it was down to it, she did feel somewhat rude for making him sit there while she got ready. She tried to push it away, reminding herself that it was his own fault for appearing out of nowhere and trying to mess with her, but it was that inherent desire to please people. No, it wasn't that. It didn't feel quite the same. She didn't know exactly what it was, really. "I have wine...and vodka, but that's about it."

"I can get it," he replied, giving a final glance at the piles of boxes as he moved behind her again to pull off her coat. Lisa tensed slightly. Why was he being so...normal now? Had she missed the rules of the game changing?

"Probably a good idea," she replied softly, sucking in her lips when his fingers grazed her bare arm. There was so much electricity between them, wanted or not. She couldn't be imagining it. But she also wouldn't let herself embrace it, reminding herself that dinner was fine, well...as fine as it got with him. But anything more...she was engaged. Once was a mistake, twice would be something very different. "You shouldn't let girls who've maimed you make a drink for you."

"That's always been my philosophy," he replied casually as he put their coats in the closet. "But you didn't exactly maim me." Lisa crossed her arms, spinning on the ball of her foot as she turned to face him, a smirk on her face.

"Shame," she replied, feeling another jolt of excitement when he mirrored her expression. "Did I at least leave a scar?"

Jackson nodded, his head bowing slightly in yet another taunt. "You left a few," he explained, his voice almost a whisper. "You want to see?" Without waiting for a response, he leaned forward, tugging down the neckline of his t-shirt to give her better access to his throat.

Lisa tilted her head as Jackson raised his chin, and sure enough, as she leaned forward, she saw a faint scar. Without asking, she raised her hand, running one finger over the silky spot. She tried her best to ignore her heart picking up its pace at their close proximity again. She was on a mission. "Looks nice," she remarked, hoping that he was recalling how she had ruined his plans and likely humiliated him, on top of leaving a mark that would never go away.

When Jackson lowered his head again to make eye contact, she saw a faint glimmer of anger, and then it occurred to her. Maybe the rules hadn't changed. Maybe he was changing his tactics, pretending that this was completely normal to get her questioning things. It had almost worked, but he would have to do better than that.

"Make yourself at home," she continued, smiling confidently as she pulled her hand away from his throat.

"Do you mind if I smoke?" he asked, brushing past her as he walked over to the nearby sound system and turning it on, filling the room with the sounds of Bowie's "Slow Burn". He gave a small nod, seemingly of approval, before turning to look at her questioningly.

The question had caught Lisa off-guard. She assumed he was the kind of guy who didn't give a second thought to people's preferences, especially not hers. She would have been less surprised if he had just lit up right in front of her, daring her to say something.

But he was waiting for an answer, and Lisa ignored her first instinct to tell him no- again, it was probably what he expected. "That's fine," she replied with a dismissive wave of her hand, finally moving from the door. "Just light a candle." She didn't really care if he smoked, actually- she wasn't a smoker, but she had never been militant about it- but she also didn't want the apartment smelling like it.

She headed to her room, glancing back once. She was stopped in her tracks by the sight of Jackson using her pomegranate candle to light his cigarette, bathing his face in the glowing candlelight. He really was gorgeous- she would have to be blind not to notice. And it was obvious that he hadn't noticed her looking at him- it might have been the first time since she had caught a glimpse of him at the Tex-Mex that she was just seeing him behaving for himself, not for another's benefit. And he still looked completely casual. How could a person be so...the opposite of self-aware?

Lisa forced herself to turn away before she could really think about how the light danced across his cheekbones, walking the rest of the way into her bedroom. She was honestly jealous. Even when she was on her own, there was this feeling of self-consciousness. She always felt like eyes were on her, that she was constantly being scrutinized by the world.

She stayed in the shower longer than she normally would, the faint sound of music- sounded like "Five Years"- an unnecessary reminder of the present circumstances. For all she knew, Jackson could be...what? Going through her things? Planning his next steps in some elaborate game that she just wasn't seeing? Sitting where she had left him, doing his own thing and completely disregarding what she was doing?

She knew that any moment, she could kick him out. She owed him nothing, and it wasn't like letting him get the reaction he wanted would be that horrible. It was some comfort, in a way. Something told her that if she told him to leave, he would. And if she asked him to stay, he would- was. Whatever she told him, she had his attention. It was so unfamiliar. And of all the people to be paying that much attention to the words coming out of her mouth, the movement of her body...the fact that it was Jackson was somewhat unsettling, yes, but also, freeing. She wasn't sure how to put it into words, exactly- it was a feeling she had, a sense that if she could put him in his place, there wasn't much she couldn't do.

Lisa finally exited the shower, wrapping a towel around herself. She rubbed a smaller towel through her hair, briefly considering how she would style it. She quickly decided just to dry it- she wasn't going to do anything special for him. Putting only a small amount of anti-frizz serum through her wet tresses, Lisa began to dry her hair. She absently wondered exactly where he'd take her- it couldn't be anywhere she was used to going. She refused to believe that he had actually made reservations on the off-chance that she might actually agree to go out with him.

She finally finished drying her hair, and stood up straight again. She wasn't used to seeing herself so...raw. It had been a while since she hadn't put actual work into her appearance. It was actually somewhat refreshing in a way. But it still nagged at her, and she quickly grabbed a section of hair from the side of her head, twisting it and pinning it near the back. She did the same with the other side, and felt a bit more satisfied. She wasn't doing it for him- what was wrong with wanting to look nice for herself?

Securing her towel again, Lisa exited her bathroom, gasping in surprise when she saw Jackson's slim frame leaning against her bedroom wall, a glass of wine in his hand. Jesus. Well, she had been thinking that he had to up the ante to rattle her, and it appeared that he had done so. And, the lingering taunt in his smile gave him away- he was still playing the game.

"If you're going to be here, you might as well make yourself useful," Lisa snapped, trying to cover how he had startled her- and still was. "Get me some clothes," she continued, heading for her dresser.

Jackson took a long drink, obediently walking over to her closet. He didn't even ask what she wanted- either he didn't care or he had something particular in mind. Lisa glanced over at him as he pulled an old t-shirt from the closet. It had been one of her favorites- a simple white shirt with a silkscreen of a cartoon bumblebee and some flowers. She loved the playful quality of it, but she hadn't worn it in a long time- at least since she left Miami.

Lisa had quickly thrown on a lacy white bra and panties while Jackson's back was turned. The little bit of fabric gave her some shelter as she reached for the clothes he offered to her. Yes, she could have waited until he handed the outfit to her and gone to the bathroom to change, or told him to leave, but neither were really an option to her. She just straight up refused to show vulnerability at this point. He could add blatant peeping tom to his 'creep' repertoire if he wanted, but he would have to find some other girl if he wanted that visible discomfort.

"Do you know how to dance?" she blurted, pulling on her jeans as the song changed to the swaying rhythm of "Life on Mars". "Slow dance?" She had realized that the only way to keep her mind off of how exposed she was was to change the subject, and it was the first unrelated thought that popped in her head.

Jackson nodded, sitting on her bed. "Doesn't everyone?" he asked confidently, taking another drink.

Lisa shrugged, throwing her shirt over her head. "Apparently not," she mumbled, but she wasn't that embarrassed- Jackson's response indicated that they might not be talking about the same thing. Yes, probably everyone could shuffle to a tempo, but spins and steps were more complicated and so hard to make look natural.

"I take it your class didn't go well?" he asked, and Lisa could see that he was holding back a laugh. Of course her failures were funny to him.

"It would have been fine if that...Hitler of a woman didn't keep touching me," she snapped defensively. "She kept getting on my case about my posture, and then I couldn't think about the steps...she said I was too stiff- well, of course I was. She kept pushing my back and moving my head. It was like meeting Brad's grandmother all over again." But Brad made it all better...at the moment, at least. Then he went right back to his same self and it all went to hell again.

Really, she had no idea why she was telling Jackson of all people, but it felt good to get it off her chest. She had been trying since she came to New York to look like a woman Brad should be with, but she kept falling short. She had never realized until that point how unrefined she was, and it was a constant concern that nagged at her.

"So find a new instructor," Jackson replied, surprising Lisa. She had expected him to play it off, or maybe make a joke at her expense. But he seemed to actually be listening to her. "And do pilates if you're so worried about it."

Lisa narrowed her eyes, walking back into the bathroom. "That's what she said," she replied, taken aback. She hadn't realized that it was such common knowledge that pilates improved posture.

Jackson soon joined her, leaning against the doorframe. "There's nothing wrong with your posture," he explained, his eyes still dancing with amusement. "Don't beat yourself up trying to be perfect for them."

Lisa scowled, but quickly relaxed her face, trying to apply her mascara. "What do you know about it?" she asked, a slight accusation in her voice. Jackson certainly didn't seem like the kind of man who really worried what others thought of him. And who was he to give her what sounded like genuine advice?

"Nothing," he replied shortly, draining his glass. "Absolutely nothing." It wasn't until he walked away that Lisa turned toward the now-empty doorframe, realizing that there was a hint of bitterness in his voice. She shook her head, squishing her curiosity. It was his problem, not hers.

"Jackson stole twenty souls in a day," she sang softly along with Bowie, applying her lipstick. "To take away...a take away...he takes away." She fluffed her curls before exiting the bathroom, walking out to find Jackson in the kitchen, rinsing his glass. When he turned to her again, she decided that the tightness in his voice and the sincerity in his responses must have been her imagination. He looked his old self.

"What's it like?" she asked, jumping up on the counter. If she actually did have him all to herself for some time, and had his attention, she figured she might as well ask some of the questions she had wondered after their flight. Besides, she wanted him on edge instead of focusing on her own issues. "Following people around, watching them live their lives and knowing you're going to use them...or kill them."

When Jackson only lit another cigarette, seeming to ignore the question, Lisa pressed on. "Don't you care at all?" she asked, unable to hide the accusations anymore. "How can you do it?"

Jackson turned to fully face her, a somewhat disconcerting expression on his face. She was reminded of their plane ride again, when she had learned that Keefe's family was at risk, too. She thought she had seen some remorse in his face at that time, and had written it off, but...it was back again. Just a hint, a dullness in his eyes hiding behind his otherwise controlled face. If she hadn't been completely focused on him, she might have completely missed it.

"We all have our roles to play," he replied cryptically, taking a drag before offering it to her. Lisa took the cigarette without hesitation, crossing one leg over the other. She wasn't about to give him more reasons to mock her.

"You do your part and move on?" she paraphrased, recalling what he had said back then. She took a drag of the cigarette and suppressed a cough as the gritty smoke burned her mouth, hiding a grimace.

Jackson nodded firmly, pouring a small amount of wine into a new glass. "Then why are you here now?" Lisa asked, taking another drag. "This is hardly moving on, you know."

"Oh," Jackson began casually, offering the glass to Lisa, "I saw your engagement announcement, and figured I'd drop in on an old friend...see how you're doing, offer my congratulations." He grinned at Lisa's skeptical expression and then went serious again. "Why are you letting me?" he asked bluntly, taking the cigarette from her fingers.

Lisa took a drink of wine, remaining silent. What exactly could she say to that? She didn't really know herself. It was...fun? But it wasn't, not really. Her thoughts on the matter seemed to change with every passing minute. "You haven't congratulated me," she finally pointed out, avoiding the question.

"Congratulations," Jackson replied flatly, taking a drag. "He's quite the catch, from what I've heard." Lisa took another drink, choosing not to respond. His congratulations seemed more mocking than anything else, not that she really expected something heartfelt.

Jackson took another step toward, her catching her left hand in his. "Gorgeous," he appraised, studying the diamond, and Lisa tried to pull her hand away in confusion. He didn't have his usual superior tone- he actually seemed impressed with the ring. Jackson winked at her, his genuineness gone as quickly as it had come. "You must be very precious to him," he remarked, quickly kissing Lisa's hand before she snatched it away.

"What's wrong with that?" she asked, spinning the ring slowly with her thumb. "Is it that hard to..." she trailed off, unsure what she was even going to say.

Jackson shook his head, offering her the cigarette in exchange for her glass. "Not at all," he replied, answering her unasked question. "If you're happy." Lisa coughed on the heavy smoke, taken aback again by his sincerity. Was this really happening? Were they really relaxing in her kitchen, seriously discussing her engagement?

"I am," she insisted, almost defensive again. Where did he get off implying that she wasn't? And even if he was right- which he wasn't- her funk was temporary- it wasn't his business. At all.

Jackson only nodded in a way that heavily suggested he didn't believe her, glancing over at the living room. "You moving?" he asked, changing the subject. Lisa nodded, reaching forward to take the glass from his hand.

"At the end of December," she replied flatly, taking a last drag before handing the cigarette back to him. He took it without even looking at her- it was a bit unnerving that he seemed to sense what she was doing. She gestured absently, taking a drink. "The boxes on the far wall are going to charity, and the furniture too."

"It's not even Thanksgiving," he pointed out, and Lisa knew that he wouldn't have noted such an obvious fact out loud unless he had a reason. He was mocking her again. "And what about those?" he continued, gesturing to two secluded boxes in the opposite corner.

"Trash," Lisa responded quickly, lying through her teeth. She knew it was a stupid response- who packed up their trash and left it lying around in boxes? The truth was that those boxes contained her more personal possessions, the things that meant enough to her to bring from Miami- everything else had been purchased after she moved. They were mostly things she had had since she was a child- her fairy lamp, a shell-encrusted bowl she had made, among others.

They weren't coming with her. They didn't fit the decor, didn't fit her new life. She had packed them up intending to send them back to her dad to store, but it had quickly become apparent that there was absolutely no point. It was just as ridiculous as her dad keeping her bedroom the same it had looked when she was young, stuffed animals and pink bedspread and all. But she couldn't bring herself to throw them away. She couldn't even bring herself to move them over to the possessions that were going to be donated.

It was childish. It was stupid, but it was personal. She was dealing with it in her own way, and there was absolutely no way she was going to let Jackson in on the truth. Not only would he pick her apart- even if he actually said nothing- it was an area of her life he straight up wasn't invited into.

When Jackson only turned to throw her a skeptical glance, obviously picking up on her lie, Lisa threw her head back to conveniently avoid eye contact, finishing the wine. She set the glass down on the counter, jumping to her feet. "Are we going or what?" she asked, her tone sharper than she would have preferred.

Jackson nodded, putting out the cigarette in the empty wine glass, coming within inches of Lisa as he did so. He furrowed his eyebrows, giving her an expression she couldn't quite place before walking over to the closet. She frowned as she followed him, a strange feeling nagging at her. He had been about to say something. And yet again, he hadn't seemed mocking or taunting. So...what could he possibly have wanted to say?

Lisa accepted the coat he handed to her, putting it on slowly as he turned to walk out of her apartment. She shook her head, following him out the door. It didn't matter. Whatever it was, it wouldn't have been useful. It was Jackson, for Christ's sake. No, she just had to get through dinner- she couldn't back out now- and then lay down the law and get him out of her life again, for once and for all.

I hope things aren't progressing too quickly. Or too slowly, I guess. R&R!