A/N: okay, part two time! :D this is, as promised, the Loki portion of the story, and some of you will recognize my lovely OC Aemilia from Ruin. Here they meet under much different circumstances than in that story lol, and I very much enjoyed getting to write this couple in a new setting. I just generally LOVE AUs, and I can't help it :) Thank you guys so much for your wonderful response to this story so far, like I am super happy because I wasn't sure how the story would go over lol, but as usual you lovely readers are the BEST and I love you ALL :D And as always, HUGE thanks to midnightwings96 who provided quite a lot of help with this part of the story and is simply indispensable and AMAZING. GAH. This story isn't over just yet, but I can't say I have the slightest idea when I'll add to it again. I have some ideas and eventually I'll continue it, but possibly not for a few months since I have so much else in the works. BUT! If you like this, do please put it on alert because there will be more eventually :D

I look forward to hearing from you guys, so please review and let me know what you think! :D

Of all the most profound, uniquely satisfying and unforgettable moments that Aemilia would ever experience in her life, she knew that she had just lived through one of the very best as she made her way offstage and towards her dressing room. She had just taken her last bow after her big debut as a new lead soprano in the Metropolitan Opera, and words could not describe the adrenaline and leftover euphoria racing through her veins.

She shared a few laughs and hugs with her fellow singers in the hallway just before she ducked into her dressing room, and once inside, she closed the door and then leaned her back against it with a smile. She closed her eyes and took a moment to simply relish it all, thinking back to all of the hard and seemingly never-ending work that had led to this night finally arriving. All of the training, the school, the practice, the auditions, and then even more and rigorous practice, here she was. She felt like she was on top of the whole world, and as far as she was concerned, she was.

Then she heard a sudden and frantic knocking at the door behind her head, and she knew that knock far too well. She turned and opened it to find one of her best friends on the other side, clutching a small bouquet of flowers and beaming with her own poorly-contained glee.

Summer let out an incoherent squeak before shoving the flowers into her friend's hands and then exclaiming as she came barreling at her for a hug, "Holy crap, Aemilia, just holy fricking crap! Oh my God!"

Aemilia laughed with her, returning the bone-crushing hug. "Oh, Summer, you didn't have to get me these!"

Summer then suddenly pulled back and said with wide eyes, "Uh, yes I did. Because hello, big opening night with the fricking Met, kind of a big deal. Kind of demands a nice bouquet of flowers."

Aemilia then looked at the flowers again and smiled before relenting, "Well... all right, yes, I suppose you're right."

They then looked at each other as seriously as they could muster before they both broke out into excited giggles and hugged again, this time pulling away so that Aemilia could close the door and work on getting changed.

"So what was it like?" Summer asked, holding on to the flowers for Aemilia as she first took off her shoes. "Were you nervous? You didn't look nervous. You looked just absolutely perfect the whole time you were up there."

"Really?" Aemilia grinned, assuming that her friend was a bit biased in her favor. "Well... yes, I was a bit nervous at first, of course, just because of the sheer magnitude of the theatre and just... finally being here, you know? But as soon as I began to sing, it all just... melted away and... I'm not sure I can even begin to describe what an incredible feeling it is."

Summer listened with a slightly dreamy expression on her face. "Wow. I'm just so happy for you. And proud of you. And just... oh my gosh, I think I'm gonna actually cry."

Aemilia looked at her with slightly wider eyes, stepping out of her dress and pausing when she realized that Summer was actually about to cry. "Oh no, don't cry! If you cry then I might cry!"

Summer waved her hand, shaking her head and insisting, "I'm not gonna cry. I'm not. I'm good." She then paused at the sight of Aemilia down to her lingerie, which was decidedly rather fancy and impressive. "Whoa. You broke out the set you got during our last big credit-maxing shopping spree."

"Yes, well," Aemilia shrugged, walking over to where another dress hung on a door and taking it down from its hanger, "one can never be too prepared, yes?"

Her friend grinned and then said, "Oh, so you plan on getting lucky tonight?"

Aemilia wrinkled her nose as she slid the little black dress on and said, "Well it sounds so crude when you put it that way..."

Summer then shrugged and suggested, "... Grab a hot piece of ass?"

Aemilia cringed. "Oh dear, that's even worse."

At the end of her rope, Summer waved her hand and tried one last time. "... Bump some uglies with a hottie?"

"Okay, you are officially no longer allowed to make innuendos," Aemilia decreed, waving a finger at her friend. "Let's just say that it has been quite some time since I have... enjoyed a bit of companionship, and I thought that perhaps we could grab a few of the other girls and see what the night has to offer."

"After-party bar hopping?" Summer grinned widely. "I'm always up for that."

Aemilia grinned back just as there was a knock on the door. All changed, she called for whoever it was to open it, and it was one of the other female singers in the group.

"Hey, just wanted to let you know - after-party's at a hotel couple blocks away. This literally just happened - they rented out the whole ballroom."

"Oh!" Aemilia smiled. "All right! I'm almost ready to leave."

The girl then quickly ushered herself back out and closed the door, and Aemilia looked at Summer and found only equal excitement on her face. "Well, this should be fun. Maybe we can both, as you say, get lucky tonight."

Summer didn't seem quite as into the idea for herself, but Aemilia had a suspicion as to why. Still, Summer shrugged and said, "Well, it's your night, so it's non-negotiable for you. I'm your wingman."

Aemilia rolled her eyes as she grabbed her bag and her phone, but before she could argue, Summer added, "Oh, by the way - I've got a surprise for you later."

Aemilia raised one perfectly arched eyebrow in curiosity. "A surprise?"

Summer grinned excitedly and nodded rapidly. "Yup. A really good one, too. Like, the best surprise imaginable."

Aemilia's eyes continued to grow wider. "You've finally spent all of your life-savings on that BMW I've always wanted."

"No," Summer chuckled, "but close. Kind of. Not really. But you'll like it, I swear."

Summer was shifting on her feet a bit and maybe even blushing a little, and Aemilia continued to eye her suspiciously. "You're blushing."

Summer froze. "No I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"No, I'm not. It's just - the room's kinda hot, that's all."

Aemilia put her hands on her hips and tilted her head, not buying it. "Summer, what did you do?"

Summer merely stared at Aemilia and slowly smiled before chirping nervously, "Better get going to the hotel so we're not late!"

Oh dear God. Aemilia didn't have the chance to further investigate because Summer was then grabbing her hand and dragging her out into the hallway. She decided to give up and just go with it, wondering what in the world the surprise could be and intending to have fun and celebrate her big night in the meantime.

It wasn't long before Aemilia entirely forgot about her impending surprise and found herself thoroughly distracted and reveling in the party that she and Summer quickly arrived to. It was lively and fun and such a change from what she was used to, and it was only as she downed her second drink of the night that she realized just how long it had been since she had legitimately partied. It had been even longer since she had purposefully flirted, but she got to enjoy a bit of that as well.

She met one or two male friends of her associates and they were cute enough for her to strike up a conversation with and practice her flirting skills with, but nobody there really caught her eye. She couldn't tell if she was being overly picky or if her standards were simply just too high for own good, but she ended up back at Summer's side with her third drink after letting both men run along elsewhere.

"Your standards are not too high," Summer insisted, far more sober than she usually was when free alcohol was thrown in front of her. "You should be proud of your standards. I mean, look at me. I used to constantly settle, and do you see how that turned out?"

Aemilia smiled sympathetically at her friend and scanned her eyes over the other partygoers. "I know, but... do you realize how long it's been for me? I haven't done a thing since..."

"Him, yeah," Summer sighed. "Well... what if I told you that my big surprise for you might kind of... change all that?"

Aemilia swallowed her latest gulp of champagne and then turned to look at her friend with slightly wide and suddenly worried eyes. "What?"

Summer merely flashed her a smile and then dug in her clutch for a moment before presenting Aemilia with, of all things, a hotel room keycard. "Surprise!"

Aemilia took it reluctantly, knowing from that very moment what Summer had done. She needed no other explanation, the implications quite obvious. "You didn't."

Summer was full of pride. "I did. I told you I was gonna get you back, didn't I?"

Aemilia was in shock. It had been one thing to do this for Summer, the poor deprived thing, but to be on the receiving end of this particular gift... well, she had never thought in a million years that Summer would actually do it. "But... you... I thought... how could you afford this? I know how much this costs and you are not exactly -"

Summer waved her off. "Don't worry about it. I got a discount."

Aemilia raised an eyebrow. "A discount?"

"Yeah, for referring the service to a friend, basically," Summer giggled. "Don't worry. I'm not in debt or anything."

Taking Summer's word for it, Aemilia then put her hand over her mouth and laughed as she looked at the keycard. "Oh my God! I think I'm speechless. I don't know what to say!"

"It's all right, you can thank me later," Summer grinned, throwing an arm around her friend's shoulders.

"Do you have a picture? Who do I have?" Aemilia asked, excitement replacing the initial shock of it all.

"Okay, well, here's the thing about that," Summer began. "I don't exactly... have a picture..."

Aemilia's eyes widened. "You don't - Summer!"

Summer held up her hands in surrender and nodded. "I know, I know, but listen, listen. I got this all arranged through Bucky, and I showed him your picture and he recommended someone. And I trust him."

Aemilia paused and then tried not to smirk too much as she gave her friend an aha sort of look. "Oh? So you and Bucky are still acquainted, then?"

Summer immediately blushed a bright pink and tried to appear nonchalant as she replied, "Well, let's just say that... he might have left me his number and told me to call it when I was ready to set up your surprise, and... when I did, we might have met up for a drink, and..."

Aemilia grinned. "And?"

"... And he might have... provided his... services... again..."

"... For free?"

"He said it was 'on the house'," Summer said, her face now so red it could likely be seen from outer space.

Aemilia smacked her friend's shoulder playfully and laughed, "And you didn't tell me?! You little -"

"I know, I'm a big fat slut!" Summer whisper-yelled, both of them well aware that she was nothing of the sort. "But I couldn't tell you, because you were the whole reason why it happened and you know I suck at keeping secrets."

"True, you are utterly worthless when it comes to that," Aemilia chuckled. "All right, but... Summer, are you sure that you can trust him? I mean, I would hate for this man to show up and be the complete opposite of what I'm attracted to."

Summer gave Aemilia a look and said, "Oh come on, give me some credit. I told him all about what you like and your taste in men and he said this guy's perfect." Aemilia hesitated, and Summer added, "He sounds incredibly hot. He's tall and he's got wavy black hair, he's British, green eyes, and honestly Bucky sounded like he had a huge man crush on the guy. Like I almost asked if they ever got hired together because he also said he's an amazing kisser and I'm not sure how he'd know that unless... anyway. Just... yeah."

Aemilia considered all of that, mulling it all over in her head and then taking a breath. She then realized something strange. "If you had planned this in advance, how is it that the room you reserved for me is just upstairs?"

"Most convenient coincidence of the century?" Summer smiled. "I arranged all this a week ago, so... yeah. Let's just say the stars all aligned and it's a sign that you were totally meant to do this."

Aemilia giggled at her friend's words. "If you say so. When is he arriving?"

Summer checked her phone. "Oh, about... thirty minutes?"

Aemilia's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. "Thirty min-"

"Yeah, but he actually texted me that he's running late because of traffic and the snow and stuff, so probably more like forty five," Summer replied.

"You do like to cut it close, don't you?" Aemilia sighed, having hoped that she could have had time for a quick shower. Maybe if she hurried...

"Yeah, well, part of the whole getting you back thing, since you only told me with like an hour to go," Summer smiled.

Aemilia gave her a slightly amused look and then asked, "What's his name?"

"Loki," Summer answered.

Aemilia narrowed her eyes. "Loki?"

Summer nodded. "Loki."

"Is that like a... stage name?"

"I don't know, Bucky didn't show me his birth certificate," Summer chuckled.

"... I wonder if the service also employs a Thor," Aemilia mused. "Perhaps a Hercules, too?"

"You can always ask for Thor and Hercules next time," Summer shrugged, and then both girls laughed. "But for now, you should probably get up to your room if you want to do some last minute... um... prepping."

"You're right," Aemilia nodded. "Although... what if he shows up and he is... well... not to my liking?"

"Tell you what," Summer said, "I will wait down here while you go up. I'll meet him at the door when he comes in, and if he's hot, I'll text you and tell you. If he's meh, then I'll text you and you can leave the room before he gets there, and no harm done. I'll tell him you got food poisoning and had to go home and cuddle with your toilet all night."

Aemilia wrinkled her nose. "That is a horrid excuse."

"... Got your period?"

Aemilia hesitated. "I'm not sure that's much better."

"... Had to go take care of your mom who just fell and broke her hip?"

Aemilia rolled her eyes. "Food poisoning it is."

Summer grinned and then shooed Aemilia away. "Okay. Go and get ready and wait for my text." She then stopped shooing her so that she could hug Aemilia instead. "I think you're in for a hell of a night."

Aemilia grinned as she pulled away, replying wholeheartedly, "I certainly hope so. I'm well overdue for one."

"Exactly. Now go!"

Aemilia giggled and then headed out of the ballroom, telling a few of her friends goodbye along the way, none of them realizing that she was only taking an elevator ride up to one of the higher floors of the hotel. She clutched the room key in her hand, excitement and slight fear making her heart race a little bit as she stepped inside of an empty elevator and hit the button to go up. The only thing that she was afraid of was the man showing up and turning out to be all wrong, but other than that, she felt rather fearless and quite ready for the night to begin. She was still a little bit in shock that it was happening and that Summer had actually gone and arranged this for her, but it was a pleasant sort of shock.

She was very curious as to how this little night of hers would turn out.

Summer was lingering in the lobby of the hotel some fifteen minutes after Loki was scheduled to arrive, keeping busy on her phone and trying not to appear too obvious in her efforts to keep an eye out for him. Luckily, nobody walked through the doors who resembled his description, so she never had to approach the wrong person and ask "Excuse me, are you the male escort I hired to ravish my best friend tonight?"

Her worries ended up being baseless, however, because from the moment that the right man walked through those doors, she immediately knew that it was him. He was dressed impeccably in a suit and long coat, his hair windswept and expression a bit harried as he hurried inside. He didn't give off the impression that he was accustomed to making his ladies wait.

Also, he was disgustingly hot and Summer was fairly sure that Bucky's description hadn't even done justice to the man.

"Loki?" she squeaked out just as he nearly stormed past her. He stopped in his tracks and looked at her, and she felt the sudden urge to squeak like a mouse the minute he turned those green eyes upon her. "I'm Summer, uh... Aemilia's friend?"

"Oh yes," he said, expression softening once she identified herself. "I apologize, I am never usually late."

"It's okay," she smiled, melting inside at the sound of his voice. Bucky had mentioned the voice, too, but once again, nothing could compare to the real thing. "It actually worked out really well. She's up on the fourteenth floor, room 205, so, uh... yeah, go on ahead."

"Thank you, darling," he said sincerely, nodding politely to her and smiling before heading on his way. She watched him go in a stupor, her brain the consistency of a Jell-o cup.

She almost forgot to grab her phone and text Aemilia to give her the green light, but she remembered right at the last minute. She furiously typed her message while heading through the hotel's revolving doors, a stubborn smile on her face as she paid attention to what she was typing rather than where she was going. Luckily, she managed to hit the send button before she smacked into the door face-first and made herself look like an idiot.

Aemilia was running her fingers through her long auburn waves and touching up her lipstick when her phone buzzed on the bathroom counter in front of her. She quickly swiped the screen to read the new text from Summer, knowing that this was the moment of truth.

Holy crap he's so hot you're gonna die, dead dead dead SO HOT AKSNDMKSKWKSOS

The text was followed by a series of emoticons including a skull emphasizing the death thing and then blushing yellow faces followed by heart-eyes faces. Aemilia grinned and bit her lip, now not doubting in the least that this guy was in fact attractive. She trusted Summer's judgement on such matters and they'd never steered one another wrong before, and now that "Loki" had passed her test, Aemilia's only source of hesitance flew out the window. All that was left was excitement, and damn was she excited.

She gave herself a final once over in the mirror. Her makeup was perfect, her hair was soft and it looked lovely, and she thought that she was dressed rather well for the occasion. Her black dress was short and long sleeved and the back of it was sheer with lace embellishments that also ran down through the sleeves. It fit her perfectly and she had never been more happy that she'd decided to wear some of her best lingerie just in case.

After her incredible day and night, she felt confident and more than ready to end the day on a high, satisfying note. In fact, as she grabbed her phone and walked out of the bathroom, she could already feel a low pulsing begin to echo through her body in anticipation of what she knew was to come. It had been ages since she'd been truly satisfied, and the idea of having a night meant just for that and getting to call the shots and be catered to...

The soft knock on the door made her snap out of her brief fantasy and toss her phone aside, a smile spreading across her face as she quickly walked to the door. She contained her excitement as best as she could, utterly on the edge of her seat with anticipation to discover for herself just what this man looked like.

She opened the door and then realized that Summer had not been exaggerating in the least.

There was Loki, standing on the other side of the door looking like something that had stepped out of a movie and right into her life for a night. He was indeed tall and handsome, black hair dusted with little tiny flecks of snow that hadn't yet melted, green eyes piercing into hers from a face that was pale and sharp in only the very best of ways. His cheekbones were stunning, and it was difficult to tear her eyes away from his face to look at the rest of him, but she managed. He looked like a man of expensive and refined tastes, dressed in a long and warm black coat and what looked like a black suit underneath, though she could not see a lot of it yet.

"Are you Aemilia?" he asked questioningly as her eyes soaked him up, and her gaze flew up to his the moment her name rolled off of his tongue in an elegant, effortless drawl.

"Yes," she smiled, opening the door more fully. "You must be Loki."

"That I am," he grinned back. "I apologize for my tardiness. Traffic was ghastly."

"Oh, it's perfectly fine," she assured him, stepping aside to let him in. "I understand."

He walked inside, stepping past her as she tried to fight the grin trying permanently etch itself on her features. She closed the door and then turned back to him, watching him as he shed his coat and turned his gaze to her. His eyes flickered from her face all the way down to her shoes, and then slowly dragged back up until their eyes met once more.

A smirk tugged at his lips as he told her, "You are even lovelier than I was told you would be."

She smiled, liking the way that she felt under his gaze already. "I can say the same for you."

His smirk lingered as he set aside his coat, and she quickly took in the suit in its entirely. Black with a white shirt underneath, black waistcoat with what looked like the gold chain of a pocket watch tucked into it, and then a deep green tie to pull it all together. She almost giggled - he didn't know it yet, but once her dress came off, he'd see how well they matched one another.

"This is a very... peculiar set of circumstances," Loki admitted. "It isn't often that I find myself paired with a woman as I was in your case."

"Oh yes, you mean the, ah... referral," Aemilia chuckled. "My friend and your... colleague seem to be getting on rather well, don't they?"

"I should hope so. He rarely speaks of anything else."

Aemilia's eyes widened. "Really?"

He grinned. "I trust his judgment, which is why I have been looking forward to this night."

She smiled and replied, "Oh?"

He looked at her like he was both amused and trying to figure her out at the same time, and she had no doubt that he was. Then he gestured to the small sitting area of the suite and asked, "Shall we talk for a bit?"

"Of course," she agreed, walking past him when he gestured for her to go first. She offered him a drink on their way to the little couch, but he politely refused and she'd had her fill at the party.

Once they were seated next to one another with a small but comfortable space between them, Aemilia smiled at him and began with a question. "So... how does this sort of thing normally go for you?"

"Well," he replied thoughtfully, an air of professionalism and magnetism about him that she found as impressive as she did attractive, "I like to begin the night with an honest and open conversation. The more upfront a woman is about what she wants, the better I can serve her and make sure she comes away from the experience happy."

Just those words alone made the faint pulsing already in her veins grow to a steadier, heavier thrum. She smiled and replied, "That sounds very sensible."

"It is. So tell me about yourself, darling."

"Well," she began, taking a breath, "I am a professional singer. I'm a soprano in the Met, and tonight was our opening night."

His eyebrows lifted, impressed. "Indeed?"

She smiled with pride. "Yes. It was amazing. I've worked very hard to get to this point and... truthfully, I don't think I've ever been happier."

He smiled at her admission, and the sincerity of it was dazzling. "Well, congratulations. You ought to be very proud. Where in England are you from?"

"London, actually," she replied. "I lived there with my mother until she remarried. My stepfather owns a business here in New York, so we came when I was 16."

"Do you miss it? Home?" he asked, and if he was only pretending to care about her answers, then he was the best liar she'd ever encountered.

"Sometimes," she admitted with a slight shrug. "But I love my life here too much to spend much time looking back."

"Good," he nodded. "Is there a man in your life?"

"Not since... I think now it's been nearly a year and a half," she replied, doing the math in her head. "It was a long relationship. My longest, actually. But it didn't work out."

"I imagine many men would be intimidated by your talent and success," Loki replied.

"Well, yes, that certainly played a role," she sighed. "He didn't like how busy I was all the time and the fact that I had to put my work before him. But I wasn't going to sacrifice my success for a man, not even one I loved."

"As you shouldn't," Loki said. Then he paused, his eyes flickering over her face and her hair before briefly skimming over her body. "You must have lovers."

She grinned and shook her head, still greatly enjoying the way that he made her feel when he looked at her. "At the moment, no, I do not. My standards seem to be too high for my own good."

He seemed both bewildered and amused. "A year and a half has passed and you haven't taken a lover?"

She nodded, enjoying the way that he spoke. Very few people ever used such terminology as taking a lover anymore. "There were a few times that I thought about it, but... I simply haven't met anyone who truly interests me. And I'm not one for empty, shallow things. I would rather be alone."

"I respect that very much," he quickly replied. "And I hope you don't mind me then asking what you consider this to be, because many would say empty and shallow is exactly what I'm here for."

"You're right," she agreed, a faint twinkle in his eye catching her gaze. He was utterly beautiful, and he seemed to only grow more so the longer she looked upon him. "I suppose for me, this is more of a... celebration of sorts. I feel that I've earned a night like this."

"I have no doubt," he grinned. "You strike me as a confident woman. I like that. I also suspect that you know exactly what you want from me."

A faint blush touched her cheeks. "Well... it's a bit more complicated than that, I think."

"How?"

She paused. "I've always considered myself rather... adventurous. And there are things that I'm curious about. But none of my previous boyfriends ever felt the same. Especially the last. He liked routine and predictability. If it isn't broken, don't try to fix it, you know?"

"I do know," Loki replied with a faint grimace.

"And there's nothing wrong with that," Aemilia shrugged. "I just happen to like trying new things. Or at least I think I would. I've never really gotten to try before."

"And when you say new things... what did you have in mind?" he asked, leaning a little bit closer to her. She crossed her legs as she considered her next words, not missing how his eyes flashed to them before returning to her face.

She smiled a little nervously, her confidence unwavering but there was just something so different and exciting about talking about this to a handsome, perfect stranger that it made her just the smallest bit anxious.

"You can tell me," he assured her, giving her a little smile back. "That's why I'm here, after all."

"Well," she began after taking a breath, "I always wanted to try things a little... rougher. Nothing crazy or excessive, but..."

He grinned like he knew exactly what she was talking about. "All right."

"And... I've always been curious about perhaps... being tied up. Again nothing crazy, but -"

"A bit of light bondage?" he suggested with a knowing grin. It made her blush.

"Maybe," she answered coyly.

"Would you consider yourself submissive?" he asked, a curious glint in his eye.

She thought about that for a moment. "A little bit. But not entirely. I think honestly that I could equally enjoy being dominated and... taking control myself."

He tilted his head, looking her over and considering her answer. "Hm... you know, that's not something I often hear. For whatever reason, it seems as if most people think they have to pick one side and stick to it."

"Wouldn't that get rather boring after awhile?" she wondered aloud. "I mean... where's the fun in always doing the same thing?"

He grinned at her as if he knew right then that he was going to love this particular night. "You are an adventurous little creature, aren't you?"

She grinned back, looking up at him through her lashes as replied, "I was hoping that you could help me find that out."

"Oh, I will," he said lowly, reaching out to gently stroke her cheek with the back of two fingers. It was then that she realized how exquisite his hands were, soft and elegant with long fingers that would soon touch much more than just her face. "And it will be my pleasure, darling."

She kept her eyes locked with his as his fingers left her face, and with just that one little fleeting touch, she found that her patience was all but gone. He was beautiful and intriguing and so close but not close enough. She was ready, and she didn't want to wait any longer.

She looked down and reached out to his hand, taking it between both of her hands and examining it more closely. She ran her fingertips delicately up and down his hand, over the long lengths of his fingers and noting, "You have very nice hands."

While she stared at his hands, his eyes were on hers. "Do I?"

She looked up at him and gave him a knowing little smile. "Don't pretend that I am the first to say so. I have no doubt that you hear it all the time."

He grinned back, clearly delighted with her spunk. "Well... I'm more often complimented on my fingers, specifically."

He slid his hand slowly up her hand and over her wrist, the delicate, innocent touch making the heat within her rise more. "Are you?"

"You'll find out why soon enough, little one," he replied, his voice so smooth that the richest velvet was put to shame. Aemilia didn't understand why, but those last two little words that he had uttered had snapped what little self control she had left, and she knew then that she could not possibly wait any longer.

She stood up gracefully from the couch, letting his fingers slip through hers. She looked at him with all of the heat and desire that she felt inside and then turned away, walking towards the bed as her heels clicked beneath her. He watched her for a moment before standing as well, shedding his suit jacket and leaving it in a heap on the couch as he followed after her.

She came to a stop just in front of the bed and looked at him over her shoulder as she swept her mane of hair aside. "Unzip me?"

"Of course," he replied, closing the distance between them and delicately pulling down the zipper of her dress. He pulled until the dress was open all the way down to her lower back, and then he let his hands fall as she began to take off the garment the rest of the way. He didn't know if she meant the display as a show for him, but that was precisely what he got as he watched the dress fall to the floor at her feet. His eyes fell from her nearly-bare back to the curve of her hips and the perfect roundness of what her black panties barely covered, then down to her black-hose covered legs standing tall in her heels. He looked back up when she turned around, fully showing him the dark green and black ensemble that matched his suit better than either of them could have expected. He couldn't help but grin, just a little bit, at how very perfect it was.

She tossed her hair behind her back, the red curls falling to her waist and providing a lovely highlight to her creamy, seemingly flawless skin. She slowly stepped up to him, placing one foot in front of the other as he continued to relish in the sight of her. Everything about her was perfectly proportioned, from her breasts that sat snug in her bra and were neither too small nor too large but full and calling to his hands, to her hips that looked as soft as they did firm. But most enchanting of all were her eyes, which his were led back to when she reached out and took his face between her hands.

She pressed herself against him, her breasts against his chest as she swept both of her thumbs along those impressive cheekbones of his. Her gaze dropped from his eyes to his lips and then rose back up again as she softly demanded, "Kiss me."

He closed his eyes and immediately obeyed. His hands softly grasped her hips and her fingers slid to his hair as his lips pressed against her fuller, berry-colored ones. The heat underneath her skin ignited the moment he kissed her, engulfing her from the inside out as she finally got a taste of the sort of attention that she needed so badly. Only the first brush of their lips was close to being chaste; afterwards, she let her lips part and he kissed her again, more deeply, and she was the first to slide her tongue between curious lips and take what she wanted. He responded with equal enthusiasm, and soon they were locked in a furious kiss that was exactly what Aemilia had been craving for ages.

His raven-black hair between her fingers was soft and just long enough to really get a handful of. He was as good a kisser as his recommender had claimed, making her whine against his lips with his skill as his hands tugged her closer. Her hips pressed into his, his hands wandered to grip her ass and then slide up her smooth back, moving up and down as she lost herself entirely to him and the night that laid before them.

She got the chance to catch her breath when his lips left hers only so that they could press to her neck and kiss and suck there lightly, gentle but insistent and perfect. She closed her eyes and allowed herself to moan softly, grinding her hips against his and looking for any kind of friction that she could get.

This did not go unnoticed. Loki pulled away from her neck and looked her over, noting her dilated eyes and flushed skin, and he didn't think twice about sitting her down on the edge of the bed and then dropping to his knees before her. He watched her blink with surprise, having not expected that, and he only grinned at her before running his hands up her thighs and laying a gentle kiss on her collarbone. He then groaned as he dragged his lips down towards her chest, "You are truly exquisite."

Aemilia's hand was fisted in her hair, her back arching a little to meet his touch as he rained soft, teasing little kisses along the swells of her breasts. He didn't try to further undress her just yet, and he was still fully clothed himself, and that was just fine with her. She loved a handsome man in a well-tailored suit, and having one kneeling on the floor between her carelessly open legs and kissing slowly down her stomach and teasing his hands up and down her thighs while she sat in nothing but some of her best lingerie... it was utterly perfect.

He drew back after he pulled a quiet moan out of her with a sharp, sensual nip to her hipbone. He looked up and made eye contact as his hands gently pushed her legs open just a little wider, and she stared back fearlessly, needing more. Her cheeks were flushed and her skin tingled everywhere he touched it, and she was so wound up and already mad with sheer, consuming need that had been building under her nose for months. Now it had reached critical levels, and a lesser man might not have noticed and may have continued stringing her along and teasing her when it was the last thing that she wanted. Loki, however, was not a lesser man.

She made a soft sound of surprise when he yanked her all the way to the very edge of the bed so that she was nearly dangling off of it. Then, supporting her legs on his shoulders, he dropped his lips to her inner thigh and kissed open-mouthed along the bare skin not covered by her hose. She twisted her fingers in his hair, losing her breath when he simply grasped her panties in his hand and pushed them aside as his trail of kisses ended exactly where she needed it to.

Her eyes closed and her back arched at the sudden, perfect assault. She let her head fall back and she didn't even try to censor the sounds escaping her lips, instead leaning on the bed with one white-knuckled hand and hanging on to Loki's hair with the other. He wasn't slow or even sweet about it, instead using just the precise amount of pressure and speed to bring her to a swift and desperately needed end. It was spectacular and came on so quickly that it took her by surprise, her resulting cry as much one of shock as it was of toe-curling pleasure.

She collapsed back on her elbow as she panted and slowly came down from her high, body trembling and fingers releasing his hair as they fell limp to the bed. He eased her shaky legs from his shoulders, looking up at her as he licked his lips and placed a little kiss on the inside of her knee. She opened her eyes and blushed at the way that he was looking at her, rising up so that he was only kneeling on one knee as he murmured, "Such a needy girl you are."

She pushed off of her elbow, sitting up and placing them both at eye level as she reached for him. "You have no idea how badly I needed that."

He grinned and kissed her, letting her fingers begin working on the buttons of his waistcoat. "I could tell. Consider that your warm-up."

She bit her lip and held back an excited giggle as she pushed the waistcoat off of his shoulders and to the floor. She quickly then pulled at his dark green tie, loosening it and then removing it before she began working at his shirt. She undid the buttons as swiftly as she could and then leaned in to kiss him again, her fingers moved blindly down the line of buttons as his tongue played enticingly with hers and made her realize just how much more she would need that night before she would be truly satisfied.

She broke the kiss to help him pull his shirt off, pushing at it as he pulled it off and left it on the floor behind him. She was not disappointed by what her eyes quickly fell too, finding that she rather appreciated his lean, toned torso, only just a little bit paler than his face and his arms. He was beautiful, strong-looking but not overly so, and if she was being honest... just her type.

She ran her hands down his chest, nails softly grazing his skin, and then she decided that she was rather sick of their current position. "Come closer," she told him, taking her hands away and moving back on the bed, away from the edge and towards the center. He stood and watched her as she moved, his eyes never leaving her as he first shed his shoes and his pants. She watched him just as greedily, lightly touching her fingertips to the top of her own breast in a small, casual touch that immediately drew his eye. Nearly naked, he began to slowly lower himself down on the bed, watching her hand as she trailed it down over her belly and slowly over her thigh. He slowly came closer as she brought her hand up her inner thigh in a slow, teasing sort of way, her fingers retreating before she could touch herself.

Her legs spreading a little wider so that he could place himself between them, he teasingly slipped a finger beneath the top of one of her stockings and then pulled on it, letting it snap gently back against her thigh. "You know," he said, meeting her heated gaze, "I find myself suddenly intrigued as to how you... tend to yourself, in the absence of a lover."

She let a small, falsely innocent smile grace her lips. "Well, I'm sure that a man as clever as yourself can figure it out."

"But I don't want to," he replied, smoothing his fingers over the silken garter on her hips, his lips a breath away from her skin as his nose grazed just above her hipbone. He glanced up and their eyes met. "I would much rather have the privilege of watching."

She felt an unexpected jolt of excitement at those words, finding that this man, this stranger, had a way of making her feel more beautiful and powerful than any man ever had before. And not a single one had ever uttered such words to her.

"Tell me," he said lowly as he slowly kissed a soft, hot trail up her body, "tell me how you sate yourself when you're alone."

Her face felt like it was on fire, and she closed her eyes as he began kissing her neck slowly and hotly. She let out a shaky breath, her hand back in his hair as she said quietly, "I hardly have the time... most nights I'm too exhausted and fall asleep the moment I fall in bed." He groaned and nipped at a particularly sensitive spot, and her entire body shivered. She dragged her hand slowly down his back, acquainting herself with it as she added, "But some mornings if I wake up early enough, I..."

He pulled down one of the straps of her bra as he began kissing her down lower, towards her breast. "You what?"

She didn't understand why speaking of this was so thrilling and why she was so incredibly turned on from it, but far be it from her to question a good thing. "I'll take my time and... lie there under the covers and..."

He pulled down the other strap of her bra then and gently pulled down the entire thing, exposing both breasts to his eyes at last. She watched as he looked at them, licking his lips and cupping them with both hands before he forced his eyes back to hers. "And how do you do it? Do you use your fingers, or do you have help?"

She smiled at the way that he worded the question, then closed her eyes and exhaled harshly when he placed his mouth on her breast. "I actually prefer my fingers. I always have."

He lavished attention on her breasts, lips and tongue on one and his talented fingers on the other, pausing only to look up and ask, "And do you save this for your bed only?"

She shook her head, his actions bringing the pulsing in her body back to a needy and consuming roar. She closed her eyes and gasped a little at a gentle nip of his teeth. "No. Sometimes my couch, or..." She tightened her fingers in his hair and slung one leg over his hip, trying to pull him down closer. "... The bath."

He groaned in approval, abandoning her breasts to kiss her lips again before he murmured, "And how long does it last?"

She looked him in the eye and replied with more bravery than she knew she had, "Awhile. I drag it out to make it last longer. I don't usually like short, fleeting things."

His hand went between them, stroking down over her hip, and his eyes were on fire. "And do you stop at just once?"

"Sometimes," she answered teasingly. His hand wandered between her thighs, brushing softly over her through her panties and making her lose her breath again.

"And other times?"

She tried to push against his hand, to get more friction than what he was giving her. She kept her eyes on his as she replied, "Other times I keep going until I can't stand it anymore."

He groaned and then kissed her with a new passion, fingers slipping insistently into her underwear and giving her what she so desperately wanted. She moved in time with his hand as it expertly played with her, moaning softly between hot kisses and feeling like she could stay like that forever, open and wanton and a little bit disheveled in the best of ways. He was exceedingly skilled, as good with his fingers as he was with his mouth, and just like the first time, it took her by surprise how suddenly and quickly her peak came and washed over her.

She sunk like a rock down against the bed, breathing hard and eyes closed after it was over. Loki kissed her neck softly, taking the opportunity to quietly and quickly rid her body of her lingerie. He was a little sad to see it go, having greatly enjoyed it, but he was far more fond of the bare, soft skin that laid beneath. First he removed her bra and then her stockings, peeling each one down her perfect, smooth legs and tossing them aside. Then her garter went next, and she opened her eyes and dutifully lifted up her hips to help as he pulled her panties down her legs.

Then she was bare, a little fuzzy-brained still and yet not quite satisfied yet. He looked her over like she was a piece of art and he was the lucky bastard who got to have it all to himself and lay only his eyes upon it.

"Magnificent," he said quietly, meeting her eyes again. The word didn't make her giggle or think that he was being silly or exaggerative. Instead, she knew somehow that he meant it, and she could not even begin to question him. She took the word and tucked it away into her memory, knowing that she would never forget it.

Her limbs still a bit shaky, she slowly sat up and reached for him. He pulled her close and their lips collided again, and after a small flurry of movements, she was seated in his lap and grinding down on his need for her as they began to kiss like mad.

It was extraordinarily easy to forget that he was being paid for this and that they hadn't met as any other ordinary pair had. Aemilia was so far away from it all, wrapped up in him and the undeniable spark between them and the power that she felt when he began to groan harshly and pull her down harder on his lap. She smiled into their kiss, knowing what she was doing to him and enjoying every last moment of it.

Before long, she was all but riding him, rocking insistently down upon him as his teeth bit at her shoulder and he moaned with pleasure. It felt good for her too, subtle but steady sparks of her own pleasure guiding her movements until his hands suddenly seized her hips and forced her to abruptly cease.

"Stop, darling," he pleaded, breathless and flushed as he raised his head to met her gaze. "Please."

She knew exactly why he wanted her to stop, but she played innocent and rocked against him again, asking a guileless, "Why?"

He groaned again and thrust up against his own will. "You know why, little one."

She grinned, deciding that she loved his little term of endearment for her. She hoped he didn't call any of his other ladies by that name.

"Make me," she challenged him, and the dark, dangerous look that suddenly flooded his eyes made her nearly tremble with anticipation.

"As you wish," he grinned before gathering her up and then tossing her down on her back. She giggled softly and then closed her eyes when he kissed her, taking her wrists in his hands and laying them above her head on the pillow beneath it. His teeth caught her lip as he pulled away, their eyes meeting before he released it and grinned. "Stay here. Do not move."

She nodded obediently, then watched as he left her to retrieve something from the floor. He came back bearing his tie in his hands, and she knew just what he intended to do with it.

"Stay there," he reminded her, kneeling over her to wrap the tie around two posts on the headboard. He was essentially sitting just above her stomach, and she found herself at near-eye level with something that he really should never have expected her to ignore. She seized the opportunity while she had it and disobeyed him, pulling her arms down just before he reached for them, then swiftly pulling down the boxer briefs he somehow still had on and taking him in both her hand and her mouth before he could even begin to realize what had hit him.

She had to lean up on her free arm and crane her neck at an odd angle to accomplish the feat, but the sound of his surprised gasp was the most satisfying thing she'd heard all night. He was not particularly small either, which she had been aware of long before that moment, but it didn't stop her from taking him in as deeply as she could while he grasped suddenly at the headboard to stay upright.

She looked up at him as she drew back, his face a mixture of surprise and lust and sheer delight as he gazed down upon her. There was a loose dark curl hanging over his forehead, tickling his eye and making him look a little less in control than he had until that point. She almost smiled before closing her eyes and resuming her task, focusing fully upon it and stifling a moan when she felt his hand go to her hair and his hips press gently forward.

"You... maddening creature," he marveled, not daring to take his eyes off her as she continued to take advantage of her position. He let her work and waited until the last minute to gently tug her away by her hair, her cheeks flushed and almost as breathless as he was. He quickly shifted so that he was on top of her and her wrists were in his hands again, his eyes a little wild as he told her, "You'll pay for that, darling."

"Did you not enjoy it?" she teased, knowing full well that he had. He was binding her wrists to the bedpost, the silk of his tie smooth but snug against her skin as he pulled it tight. She tugged at the restraints once he was finished, testing the hold and finding it good and unyielding.

"Of course I did," he grinned, admiring his handiwork for a moment before slipping back down so that they were eye level. He traced her cheek with a single finger. "Your mouth is sinful. Even better than I had imagined."

Not bad for little to no practice for a rather long time, she nearly said.

"You're a fiery little thing," he said, tone a little softer as he traced her lower lip softly. "And you know it, don't you?"

She kissed his fingertip in reply, her eyes begging for more from him. Tied up like this and at his mercy, she was desperate all over again and ready for whatever it was that he saw fit to give her. He grinned again and then kissed her lips once, then her neck and her throat, and he did not stop his journey downwards until he was back between her thighs. This time, he was going to draw it out and make it last, just as she had claimed that she liked, and he was going to test her limits.

What followed was so far beyond anything Aemilia had ever experienced that she simply didn't know what to do with herself. She laid there on the bed, arms restrained above her head and legs splayed wide as Loki used his fingers, his mouth and his voice to drive her to her breaking point. He started slow and sweet, his tongue nothing short of magic and his fingers delicate and never misguided or unwelcome. He pushed her until she was writhing gently and needy for more, and he gave it to her. He gave her everything she needed, everything she wanted, only to stop just long enough to make sure that she didn't fall apart. Then he would start all over again, and after several repeats of this torturous process, Aemilia was an incoherent and mindless wreck. She couldn't control him, couldn't make him do what she wished, and she couldn't even reach her own hand down and bring the torture to an end herself. She was at his mercy.

And she wasn't sure that she had ever loved anything more.

He finally let her have her way once she begged and pleaded with words that only half made sense, and once he pushed her over that edge, she nearly fainted from the intensity of it. All of it - being restrained and powerless, the edging, the denial, and the absolutely perfect things that he did to her - all collided and resulted in what was the single most intense orgasm of her life.

She felt half dead on the way back down, worn out and useless and blown away. She closed her eyes and could have even fallen asleep right then and there if not for his stubborn, talented tongue finding her again and not relenting until he had pushed her over the edge two more times. He only stopped when she began to squirm away, unable to take anymore and far too sensitive to stand another touch.

That was when he undid her restraints, letting her numb and aching arms fall free to her sides as she breathed like she had just been brought back from the brink of death by a great shock. She was still incoherent, and he decided to pull her into his arms and try to soothe her back into reality. He was incredibly proud of his work, and seeing her so fully befuddled and lost as a result of his touch brought him more satisfaction than he could have thought possible.

When enough of her brain had returned to her, she opened her eyes and looked up to find intense green ones gazing back at her. She smiled and laid her head against his chest, closing her eyes and enjoying the closeness, the surprising intimacy between them in that moment. His fingers were carding softly through her hair and his other arm was wrapped tightly around her middle, and though she still felt as if all the bones had gone from her body and she was now little more than gelatin, she wondered if she had ever felt better before in her life.

She didn't think so.

He was the first to speak, his voice as smooth as ever in her ear. "I do hope that I've lived up to your... expectations."

She smiled and leaned her head back, shaking her head. "No, not at all. You've taken my expectations and utterly demolished them."

His answering grin was as attractive as it was maddening. "Have I?"

She nodded. "Yes, and I'm not sure that I could physically walk right now if I wanted to."

He chuckled and stroked her cheek affectionately. "I'm afraid that's a rather common side effect. Regrettable, but worth it, don't you think?"

"Unquestionably," she replied, leaning up to kiss his lips. It was a light, easy kiss, and after she pulled away, she found that she simply had to ask him something that she had been wondering all night. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Is your name really Loki?"

He chuckled again, apparently having not expected that to be her question. He nodded and then shrugged, "Let's just say my mother was very interested in Norse mythology."

She smiled. "Do you have a brother named Thor?"

"If I told you I did, would you believe me?"

She smiled even more widely. "Unlikely."

"That's what I thought," he grinned before kissing her again. This time the kiss lingered a bit, fueled by his still-raging desire and her wish to have him like this for as long as she could. She tangled her legs with his, deepening the kiss herself and running her palm over his chest, the desire to return all the pleasure that he had given her sparking the flame within her once more. She was exhausted, but she wasn't ready to call it a night just yet.

She broke the kiss and ran her hand teasingly down his belly, drawing her fingers back before they could touch him lower and then giving him a lazy smile as she shifted herself on top of him, knees on either side of his hips as she leaned down and captured his lips again. He grasped at her greedily, groaning softly and in dire need himself, the poor man. She didn't want to tease him, so she reached blindly to the bedside table without breaking the kiss, grabbing one of the condoms she had so smartly set there before he had even showed up earlier. She liked to plan ahead like that.

Then, item in hand, she broke the kiss and straightened up, sitting back on his hips as she opened it up and then gave him a slightly shy smile before she rolled it on him. He watched her silently, his eyes doing all the talking and giving away how sexy he found her in that moment. She caught the look once she was done, and it came as no surprise then when he grabbed her and flipped them so that she was on her back beneath him.

"Look at me," he told her quietly and seriously, his eyes locked with hers as she hooked her legs around his hips and he aligned himself with her center. "Keep your eyes on me, little one."

She melted all over again at the nickname before he pushed forward and was at last inside of her. Her mouth fell open and her breath stuttered at the intrusion, but she kept her eyes open and upon him just as he had told her to, and she was glad for it. The look on the face, the sight of his impeccable control just slipping a little bit as he lost himself in her was the best thing she had seen all night. His own eyes closed and the tension fell away from his face, leaving him looking a little younger and almost innocent.

It wasn't easy for him, but he gave her time to adjust before he began to slowly move. Once he did, she met his slow, shallow thrusts with that of her own, eventually closing her eyes and holding on to him tight as she let all semblance of thought or logic disappear from her mind. He knew just how to move, where to hit within her and what to do, and it was absolutely perfect.

And yet she wanted just a bit more. Using one long leg hooked over his waist, she managed to flip them over without breaking their rhythm. She grinned playfully down at him and placed her hands on his chest as she took control of their pace, maintaining the previous rhythm but tailoring it to exactly what she wanted. She closed her eyes and arched a little when the change in angle proved perfect, and then she was riding him as he watched her like she was nothing short of a goddess and he was privileged just to look upon her.

It wasn't long before her previous careful, precise rhythm gave way to a more frantic and desperate pace, and that was when Loki sat up and crashed his lips against hers. His hands came down upon her with such a sharp force that he nearly spanked her, and the unexpected impact made Aemilia yelp softly with both surprise and pleasure. They both opened their eyes, Loki looking at her with clear delight in his gaze, and then he rather deliberately smacked his palm down on her again. She responded by moaning shamelessly and riding him even faster, and he couldn't help but groan into her ear as his own pleasure threatened to overcome him.

Both still moving with the same desperate speed, he leaned his forehead against hers and groaned, "Come on, darling. You're so close, I can feel it."

She moaned, clutching his shoulders for dear life and still moving almost wildly in his lap. He grasped her breast as it bounced, flicking his thumb over her nipple as he urged her with his lips pressed to her ear, "Come for me, little one."

And just like that, she could hold back no more. Her nails dug lasting marks into his skin as she nearly screamed his name, losing her mind and her body squeezing the life out of him, pushing him over the edge with her. She wasn't so far gone as to miss the deep, incredible moan that spilled from his lips, and all in all, nothing in that moment could have possibly been better than it was. It was exactly what she had needed for so long, and the perfect end to a perfect night.

They ended up in a tangled heap in the center of the bed, just below the pillows without a stitch of fabric covering their bodies as they slowly recovered. She was grateful for the closeness, her breathing calming along with her racing heart as she laid draped halfway over him, her cheek on his chest and his chin at the top of her head.

She enjoyed the silence while it lasted, opening her eyes and blinking a few times as she marveled at how such a spectacular night had come about in the first place. She had lived her whole life until that point and never experienced anything like it, and she couldn't believe what this man had been capable of making her feel. How could she go back to what she knew after this?

"I know you're awake," he said, his voice heavy with his own exhaustion as he ran his fingers through her hair and over her back, "because your lashes keep tickling me."

She smiled and chuckled, closing her eyes to spare him. "Sorry."

He shifted them just a little bit, so that he could tip her chin up and guide her eyes to his. He searched her gaze for a moment and then asked, "What are you thinking about?"

She paused for a moment, debating whether she should tell the truth or make something up. In the end, she settled for the truth, generally not a fan of deception. "Just that I fear you've ruined me a bit."

He nearly smirked. "Ruined you?"

She smiled and shrugged one shoulder lightly. "Well... how exactly am I to go back to my normal life and my normal experiences, now that I know that this can be this good? Good isn't even the right word." She paused and looked at him, the sharp lines of his face and the deep green of his eyes, and she couldn't help but ask, "Are you aware that you have this effect on women?"

He smirked. "I am. I suspect it's why I'm rather successful at my job."

She smiled a little bit, shaking her head and running her hand absently down his chest. Then she closed her eyes and sighed, "I suppose you'll be leaving soon."

"Only if you wish me to," Loki replied, his fingers tracing lazily down her spine. "I can stay if you'd like."

She was too tired to care for what he might think of her should she voice her desire for him to stay, so it was exactly what she did. "I would like that."

"Then I will stay," he replied. And he did.

Only a matter of moments later, they were both under the sheets and warm as they laid together, Aemilia's back to Loki's chest and his arm draped over her middle. They were both rather exhausted, Aemilia especially, and after they got comfortable they were nearly asleep on the spot.

Loki kissed softly just behind her ear and murmured, "Goodnight, little one."

Aemilia smiled to herself sleepily and replied, "Goodnight, Loki." Then she added after a quiet yawn, "I do like it when you call me that. I hope you don't call all of your ladies little one."

He hesitated to answer, pausing and mulling his answer for just a brief moment. Finally he replied truthfully, "I do not."

But she didn't hear him. She was fast asleep, and when he realized this, he smiled to himself and settled back in behind her. He closed his eyes and fell asleep with a hint of his smile lingering on his lips, and neither of them left the other's side until morning came.