A/N: This update is up so soon because I actually had most of it written before some of the previous chapters. I tend to write out of chronological order! Anyways, I hope you enjoy...
"Come on, spill!" Selphie said as she slurped on her milkshake. "Did something happen between you and Seifer while I was upstairs? What'd I miss? Tell me!"
As much as Rinoa would have loved to continue torturing Selphie, she knew she couldn't hold it in much longer. She released a bubbling laugh and nearly dropped her fries into the sloppy puddle of ketchup. "No, Selphie," she managed to squeak out through laughs. "Nothing happened while you were upstairs."
"Then why is the videographer so interested in whether or not you'll be at the party?"
Rinoa shook her head and sighed. "Seifer and I used to date—if you can even call it that," she said finally.
"Oh." Selphie blinked for a moment as she registered that information. "Is…is that the guy you were telling me about?"
"That's right, you weren't there when the band was talking about partnering with Hyperion Images for the music video…" Rinoa sipped at her milkshake. "I met Seifer when I worked a job in Esthar. We "dated" for a few months."
"What happened?"
Rinoa shrugged and dragged a french fry though the ketchup. "Nothing happened. I lived in Timber, he lived in Esthar…we met up when we could, we'd fuck the whole weekend, go out to dinner or a movie, and then back to Timber I'd go or back to Esthar he'd go. There really wasn't much to it."
"And now you're both back in Deling," Selphie mused. Her brows arched. "Do you think you two will try to rekindle the old flame?" When Selphie saw the look of apprehension on Rinoa's face, she frowned. "Or…do you even want to?"
Softly, Rinoa laughed and shook her head. "I don't know what I truly want," she answered. A small, nagging itch clawed at the back of her mind. Don't lie, you know what you want. "I mean, I know what I want," she said with suggestive grin. "But my priority and my main focus is my career, and that's what it's going to be for a very long time now."
Selphie let out a giggle and playfully kicked at Rinoa from beneath the table. "Well, good for you," she said. "You should live your life how you want to and focus on what you think is important. After all, it's your life and it's the only one you're going to get."
"Exactly," Rinoa said as she grabbed more fries. "Tomorrow is never a guarantee." She greedily chugged at her milkshake. "I mean, I really did like Seifer but even back then I don't think either of us were looking for a serious relationship."
"Hey, if it's not in the cards then it's not in the cards!" Selphie popped the last of her fries into her mouth and dusted the crumbs from her hands. "Man, that hit the spot!" she said. "Hey, I'll be right back." She stood to her feet and pointed at the liquor store that was behind the burger shack they were in front of. "I'm gonna grab some beer for the band. Did you want me to grab you anything?"
Rinoa shook her head. "Nah, whatever you grab I'll drink."
"Sweet. Be back in a few minutes!"
Rinoa's phone beeped and she pulled it from her purse.
S.L: We're stopping by the liquor store in a bit, did you want anything?
Rinoa softly chuckled to herself. "Man, are you psychic or something?"
R.H: Selphie actually just popped in a liquor store to grab some beer for you guys =)
S.L: Very nice. We'll probably be at Zell's in thirty minutes.
Rinoa lifted her head to see Selphie approaching the table. "All set?" She grabbed one of the bags that Selphie had and followed her to the car. "Ooh, what's in here?" she asked, pulling out a chocolate bar and a bag of chips. "You're still hungry?"
Selphie pushed Rinoa's hands away from her snacks. "Shut up!" she cried. "My period's supposed to start soon. All I want to eat is chocolate and salt."
"I know the feeling," Rinoa laughed, delicately putting Selphie's precious snacks back into their proper bag.
R.H: We're on our way. See you there =)
The girls arrived at Zell's house before the rest of the band. They were greeted by Ma Dincht along with the Kramers, who had left immediately after the set had ended. Ma Dincht offered a warm and hearty smile from her seat at the dining table. She looked to be a woman who would be perfectly happy at home in a large kitchen baking cookies…but who would clearly throw her fists up if the occasion called for it. Edea raised her wine glass to the approaching girls. "Hello ladies!" she said with a bright smile. "Did you enjoy the show?"
"Yes! I believe I got some amazing shots of your kiddos!" Rinoa said, leaning in to give the older woman a hug.
"Oh, good!" Cid exclaimed.
"Hi, Ma!" Selphie sang, throwing her arms around the other woman's neck. She turned to look at Rinoa. "Ma, this is Rinoa. And this is Zell's mom, Ma!" She snuggled up to the older woman and gave a sigh. "She's the band's Ma now…" she smiled as she gave the older woman a possessive squeeze.
Ma chuckled and gave Selphie an affectionate pat on the arm. "Yes…yes," she smiled. "You are all my babies." She stood and gave Rinoa's outstretched hand a shake. "Very nice to meet you, Rinoa, my son's told me all about you and that you are very talented with that camera of yours. He showed me the photos you posted on their web page, I love them!"
"Oh, thank you," Rinoa blushed. "It helps that everyone in the band is so pretty!"
Ma let out a roaring laugh and grabbed two new glasses from the cupboard. "What can I say, my son is the most handsome man I have ever met—aside from my late husband of course!" She poured a very generous amount of red wine into the glasses and set them in front of the girls. "Drink up my dears!"
"Oh…" Rinoa laughed at the glass in front of her. "That is…wow, a uh…very full glass."
"Why, yes it is!" Ma said, giving Rinoa a robust pat on the shoulder. "You should do something about it!" She returned back to her seat and finished her own glass. Her eyes lit up when she saw the front door opening up. With her large and beaming smile she stood back up to her feet, her arms spread wide. "The prodigal son returns!" she hollered.
"Ma!" He wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her into the air. "You missed a hell of a show, Ma!"
Ma laughed and gave him a smack on the cheek. "I know darling, I know. Now, put me down." Her eyes landed upon Squall and she pulled him down to plant a kiss to his forehead. "Hey there my little lion boy," she cooed. "Did you have a good show?"
"Yes, Ma," he answered.
Rinoa looked over to Selphie. "Little lion boy?" she whispered.
Selphie shrugged.
"My last name is Leonhart," Squall answered, setting a six pack of beer onto the kitchen counter beside Rinoa.
"Ahhh," Rinoa dragged out. "That actually makes sense."
"Not just that," Ma interjected. "When he was kid and over here all the time to play with Zell, little baby Squall always had this little stuffed lion with him." When Zell started to laugh at the memory, Ma snapped her fingers at him. "Squall's little stuffed lion would always play with my baby Zell's plushie dolphin—it was the cutest thing!"
"Ma! You're ruining our image! Stop!"
A knock came at the door and Irvine broke away to let in Seifer and his crew. "We come baring gifts!" cried the blonde, gesturing towards the bottles of champagne and whiskey that his men were holding. "And of course…for the ladies." He handed a small bouquet of red roses to Quistis. "Great show tonight," he told her.
Quistis gathered the bouquet in her arms and gave him a shove on his shoulder. "Oh you," she said with mock flirtation, batting her eyes like wings.
"And for you, Irvine's leading lady," Seifer said with a bow, handing Selphie a single yellow rose.
Selphie crinkled her nose as she tried not to giggle. "Awww…" she cooed. "Thanks!"
Seifer then turned to Rinoa with a large and warm smile. "And of course, for Absolute Lore's brilliant photographer!" He gave another theatric bow and handed her a white rose. "I can't wait to see how the shots came out," he said.
Rinoa gently plucked the rose from his fingers and let out a soft laugh. "Thank you, I'm excited to see this music video!" she told him. "Do you know which song you're going to do yet?"
"Not yet, I think we'll review the footage and figure it out from there." He looked over to the band with excitement. "Hopefully we can also get in a stylized video as well. Maybe in an old warehouse or something? Something gritty and raw…"
"I think we should go back to that orphanage on the beach that Rinoa found," Squall proposed.
Rinoa lit up at the suggestion and nearly squealed. "Really? Oh wow…" Her eyes gazed off in the distance as she tried to visualize a live show amongst the rubble and crashing waves. "That'd be stunning!"
"On the beach, huh…" Irvine mused, his fingers scratching at his chin as he thought about the idea. "Intriguing…" Suddenly his face twisted into an impish grin and he wagged his eyebrows. "Swimwear will be involved I trust?"
Quistis scoffed and placed her bouquet on the kitchen counter. "Swimwear will most definitely be involved!" she shouted.
Irvine rubbed his hands in excitement.
"You boys will be in itty bitty speedos and I'll be fully dressed in jeans and a tank top. Duh." Quistis placed her hands on her cocked hips and shot Irvine a smirk that spoke volumes. Her smirk nearly wavered into a full blown guffaw when she saw the look of horror on Irvine's face.
"What—? Wait, no!" he cried.
Squall shook his head at the mental image. "What'd you expect her to do? Parade around in a bikini?"
"Washing a car as well, I'd suppose!" Zell chimed in.
Irvine crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. "Well, I know I'd look damn good in a speedo. I can't speak for these two ugly ass motherfuckers."
Rinoa nearly fell over laughing as the three band members went on into a large shouting match about speedos and beach wear. She looked over at Seifer who was quite enjoying the amusing sight. "Look what you've started!"
"Me? Leonhart was the one who suggested the beach!"
Squall lifted his head and glared daggers at him. "You are not pinning this on me!"
"Enough!" Quistis shouted, hopping in between the two men. "No one is wearing bikinis or speedos—lord knows I don't want to see any of that shit." She took hold of the bottle of champagne that Biggs was holding out to her. "It's time to fucking celebrate!"
"Hear, hear!" Raijin hollered, following Ma into the kitchen to round up glasses for those who were still empty-handed. "It was a great show, we got some great footage, Rinoa got some great images…" He poured out a few shots of whiskey. "…and I think I overheard that a producer was somewhere in the crowd." His grin spread ear to ear as he mentioned the last part.
Zell graciously took a filled shot glass from his mother. "There's always a producer in the crowd," he said cautiously. "Everyone is someone or knows someone who works in the industry. We always take it with a grain of salt."
Wedge shook his head and excitedly spoke up. "No! I really think he was someone important! You never know…"
Cid chuckled and placed a proud hand on Zell's shoulder. "Well…we'll see," he said. "It was a great show and a lot of people took videos and pictures on their cell phones so something could come out of it. But for now, no more talk of business! Tonight we celebrate a great show and a promising partnership between the band and these wonderful additions to its exposure!" He smiled at Seifer and Rinoa. "I feel really good about this," he nodded. "With Rinoa's stunning photography and Hyperion Image's video expertise…it could really blow Absolute Lore up!"
Rinoa let out an enthusiastic scream and lifted her wine glass into the air. "To Absolute Lore!"
Everyone followed suit and raised their glasses. "To Absolute Lore!" they chanted, feet stomping on the ground and knuckles rapping on the counter and tabletops. After a few more rounds or hoots and hollers, they all lowered their drinks and greedily chugged.
Nida and the rest of the roadies arrived with a few other people who were at the show. "Did we miss a toast?" he sulked, hurrying to grab himself a beer.
"Then we shall have another one!" Irvine demanded, pouring himself another shot.
Rinoa chuckled as everyone made second drinks for themselves. She lifted her gaze and found Squall reach over and grab the bottle of Jameson that Seifer was holding. She watched as the two went back and forth with idle banter, mostly over who the bottle really belonged to.
"I bought it for everyone," Seifer was saying.
"I already asked, they all said I could have it," Squall responded, unscrewing the top and swigging it straight from the bottle.
Seifer made a repulsed face. "Fuck it, no one's gonna want it now that you've put your dirty ass mouth all over it." Suddenly he was pulled away by Irvine who was very much interested in talking about the new prospective idea of a stylized video.
Not too long after was the house filled with people. It wasn't a large and obscene party, but it was big enough where Rinoa had to protectively clutch her glass to her as she maneuvered through the crowd. She smiled as she noticed a few familiar faces from the venue. Some of these faces she had even seen onstage before Absolute Lore had set up. A few of them she made small talk with, other band members who were thinking about hiring her as well. She told them that once she was set up at her new studio in a few weeks, she would be more than happy to set up a photoshoot.
Even though it was loud and people were nearly shouting at each other to be heard over the chatter and music that was playing, Rinoa found that she was surprisingly very comfortable with the environment. It was obvious that the house was filled with those who were familiar and contented with each other. She had even seen Ma give a few people hugs and playfully ruffle a few spiked mohawks. Despite the now ruined hairdo, they laughed and threw their arms around Ma and gave kisses to her cheek. Rinoa even saw that Seifer and his team had made a few new friends with some of the other band members from the gig.
Rinoa could help but smile as she sipped her drink. Everyone was just so damn happy and enjoying themselves. The energy and feelings of warmth and elation was contagious. She tried not to spill her drink when she rounded a couple in a very animated conversation about video games.
Selphie snaked a hand around Rinoa's arm to hold her steady. "What number drink is that?" she asked with a teasing tone.
Rinoa glanced down. She was now holding a beer bottle and she tried to think back to when she had finished her wine. "Um…" she murmured. "I think it's my second beer?"
Selphie laughed and tugged Rinoa out of the living room. "How many shots did you take?" she teased. "You're all wibbly wobbly."
"I didn't have any shots!" Rinoa argued, following Selphie down the hallway. "But that glass of wine…I was almost done and then Ma came and filled it back up! Blame her for my wibbly wobbly-ness. Where are we going?"
"I gotta pee," Selphie answered, pushing open the bathroom door. "Wait outside for me, drunky!" she ordered Rinoa.
"Yeah, yeah…" Rinoa rubbed the back of her neck and let out a soft groan as she felt the tightness of her muscles beneath her flesh. What a night, she thought. As she leaned against the bathroom door she opened her eyes, her vision settling on a familiar and welcome face. She smiled and lifted her bottle to her lips.
Squall rested his elbow against the hallway entrance, his lips curved into a grin and he raised his bottle of Jameson in a toast at her.
She responded by hooking a finger in his direction, beckoning him to come closer. "Come here," she called.
He came up to her, his palm resting against the wall. "Having a nice night?" he asked, taking a quick swig from his bottle. His eyes scanned over the grin she sent to him, studied the soft shape of her pouty lips before dropping lower, blatantly aiming at her breasts.
"It just got better," she purred, tapping his chin lightly with her nail.
Squall leaned in, his lips just hovering over her cheek. "Is that so?"
Rinoa chuckled and curled her fingers into his t-shirt. "Absolutely…" she whispered, suddenly snatching the bottle from his grasp and taking a large sip.
"That's mine."
"Sharing is caring!" She handed the bottle back to him and displayed a sweet and magnificent smile. "Besides, you only have a little bit left…so that means you were greedy and nearly finished the whole damn thing to yourself."
He looked at the lip of the bottle where her mouth had just been. As he looked back at her and the corner of his mouth turned upwards into the slightest smirk. "I can be pretty damn greedy when it comes to what I like."
Before she could respond with any words he took her hand and led her further down the hallway. He downed what was left of his Jameson and placed it onto the floor.
"Come on," he whispered, pushing open a door that led to the garage. He caught sight of Rinoa's sultry grin and his body reacted with a palpable heat that radiated throughout his veins. As soon as the door closed behind them and he flicked on the light, he turned the lock.
"Where's Squall?" Zell glanced up and scratched his nails over the back of his head as he realized that Squall was no longer behind him. He looked over to Quistis who was shrugging her shoulders.
"Maybe went out for a smoke?" she suggested.
Irvine nodded. "Yeah, I know he was getting antsy earlier," he contributed. "He's been jonesing for a cigarette for a few hours at least, especially since I won't let him smoke in the car." He turned his head and instantly smiled when he saw Selphie approaching him. He held out his arms for her and kissed the top of her head as she flew into his embrace.
"Have you seen Rinoa?" she asked when she lifted her head from his chest. "She was standing outside the bathroom waiting for me but when I came out she was gone."
Irvine looked over Selphie's head at the two blondes in front of him.
Quistis pressed her lips together and turned away to avoid any questioning gaze Selphie may send her way. "Nope," she said.
Zell instantly brought his beer to his lips and enthusiastically shook his head.
Rinoa grunted as Squall shoved her against the wall. She felt her breath escape her as his lips fervently crashed over hers, his fingers raking over the nape of her neck. This kiss was so different from the last kiss he had placed on her. That short yet so heated session against his kitchen counter was so cautious and gentle, testing the waters, discovering the first boundaries…this one was more demanding, passionate, fiery.
She wanted to tell him that he played a great show, that she could feel the passion and energy radiate from him while he played their set, wanted to tell him that he looked so damn good in his simple uniform of a tight black shirt and black jeans…but words failed her and instead she gripped his body as close to hers as possible and plunged her tongue into his mouth.
He pressed himself against her, his hand cupping the base of her neck so his fingers could tug at her roots. The carnal gesture earned a guttural moan from Rinoa, a rumbling so deep within her throat that it sounded more like an animalistic growl. While his right hand fisted her hair to bring her kisses closer, his other hand possessively clutched the sweet curve of her ass.
She moved her lips down the scratchy surface of his jaw, her teeth nipping over the pulsating vein of his throat. The breathy grunts that came from him egged her on and she moved her hands between them and slid them beneath the hem of his shirt. A slight pout came from her when she realized that she had another layer to get through—his undershirt—and she slipped her hand beneath that offending layer, her nails raking over the creases of his abdomen. Their tight embrace prevented her hands from going up too far, but she was determined to feel this nipple ring Zell had previously spoken about.
Abruptly Squall grabbed her hands and removed them from his shirt. He let out an annoyed breath and rested his forehead against her cheek. "Goddammit," he muttered through his teeth.
Rinoa stilled. Did she anger him? How? "What's wrong?"
"Just remembered I don't have a condom," he growled into her ear, releasing her hands.
Rinoa blinked at the realization and her shoulders relaxed. "Oh…" Her breath came faster and her hands spread up his biceps as she tried to think. "Ok, well then we'll just go get one."
Squall chuckled and grasped her chin between two fingers. "From where?" he asked, nipping her bottom lip. "I'm not about to go ask Zell for one. And I'm drunk, I can't exactly drive to get one either."
"Well then I—"
He silenced her by slipping his tongue into her mouth. "No," he said sternly when he pulled his lips from hers. "You're drunk, you're not driving either."
Rinoa's hands went to Squall's belt and impatiently tugged. She was determined to prove him wrong—she only had a few drinks, she wasn't that drunk. However, her clumsy fumbling with the buckle was only proving him right. "But…I want—"
"I know what you want," he whispered in a low and guttural moan. He pushed himself against her, his lips descending upon hers and his tongue plunging deep into her mouth. The tiny hairs along the back of his neck stood on end, his eyes screwed tight as her strangled moan filled his throat. Fuck, she tasted so good, he couldn't stop. The fire that emanated from her skin as a result to his touch was addicting. His palm slid over the flat plane of her belly and dipped beneath the band of her jeans. He paused for a moment, silently asking her if what he was doing was ok. The passionate kisses eased into a deep, slow, sensual suckle as he waited for her answer.
Rinoa nodded.
He smiled, his tongue flickering against hers while his fingers undid the snap of her jeans. His fingers caressed the junction between her thighs, a groan vibrating through him when he felt how wet she was. Holy shit, he thought. He wanted to take her so badly, wanted to pick her up and toss her onto the hood of the car behind them and drive himself right into her…but he knew that even if he did have a condom he couldn't be considered exactly up to par. Though he could feel that while his jeans were indeed feeling tighter, he was well aware of the fact that he was experiencing the curse of whiskey dick. He was not as hard as he should have been, not when he had this writhing and moaning goddess before him. It would be an insult to her as a person if he were to reveal that he was only at half-mast. I shouldn't have finished that bottle… he mentally kicked himself. Wow, does that sound familiar…
He just wanted to touch her, to taste her, to feel and watch her moan and squirm from his touch. Slowly he traced his fingertip over her slick opening. His lip rose into a smirk when Rinoa released a choked squeak of a moan. When she tried to reach for his belt he hastily pulled away from her.
Rinoa's eyes shot open, a worried expression crossing over her face for a split moment as she briefly wondered if she offended him. Squall then returned his body to align with hers, only this time he roughly grasped her wrists within his left hand and pinned them high above her head. "But…" she protested. "I want to touch you." She strained against him, her fingers dancing in the air as she tried to lower her arms.
"Another time," he whispered. "Right now I'm getting what I want."
Rinoa moaned and shifted beneath his grip as his right hand sank back beneath her panties. "And what's that?" she asked breathlessly.
"To watch you come," came his rasping reply. He slid a finger inside her, slowly pulsing in and out. When his fingers were slick and drenched, he moved it upwards to the little bundle of nerves that impatiently awaited him. "You are so wet," he growled, softly grazing his fingertips over her. "Is it all for me?"
She nodded, her teeth biting down onto her lower lip as she rolled her hips, trying to catch the friction. "Yes," she gasped. She leaned her head against the wall, arched her back so that her pelvis tilted upwards towards Squall's throbbing touch.
He was rather enjoying watching her come undone. He wanted to go slower, torture her, watch her writhe…but then that would be torture for him as well, wouldn't it? His fingers stroked skillfully while his tongue danced over her swelling mouth.
Rinoa twisted against him, rolling her hips closer to his undulating caress. "Fuck!" she gasped, her body convulsing as her orgasm rippled through her. It spread across her body, her breasts heaving from her shaken breaths, her legs nearly folding at the rush.
Squall released her wrists and moved his arm around her waist to keep her supported against him. Even though she groaned in protest, he kept his fingers beneath her panties moving and thrusting. He captured her lips and kissed her senseless, relishing the fact that she could hardly stand.
"Ah…stop, stop," she begged, her hands slithering between their hot bodies to clutch his wrist.
He stopped and immediately pulled his hand out of her pants. "You ok?"
Rinoa chuckled breathlessly. "Yes," she nodded. Panting, she grasped his jaw between her hands and brought his lips down to meet hers. Her thundering heart was slowly coming back down to its regular beat, her gasping breaths started to slow. She let out a soft moan and leaned back against the wall and ran a hand through her hair. Wow…she thought. She opened her eyes and smiled at him, her eyes suddenly widening when she saw that he was staring at the fingers that he had worked her with. They were still glossy and wet and he held them up to his lips.
Squall locked eyes with her and then licked his fingers clean.
A hot shudder rocked through Rinoa as she watched his tongue graze over his wet fingers. Oh my god, she thought. He brought his fingers to Rinoa's lips and she instantly took them into her mouth, swallowing it to the hilt.
"Fuck," Squall growled, removing his hand from her mouth and replacing it with his tongue. "You taste so good," he breathed against her lips. "And you are talented with that tongue of yours."
Rinoa grinned, her fingers once again reaching for his belt. "Can I show you how talented?"
He shook his head. "Not tonight. I can't."
"But…" Then Rinoa thought back to how much Squall had had to drink in the last few hours. "Oh."
"Next time," he promised.
"Next time." A soft and airy laugh escaped her at the familiar words.
His arms laced around her and pulled her into a heavy embrace, the ferocity of his kisses slowing to long and slow luxurious suckles along her jaw. She smiled and her hands found their way into his hair, gently tugging at the roots.
"I promise there won't be any alcohol involved," he murmured against her neck. "So that way you won't pass out and I'll be able to perform." He cursed himself for getting too caught up in partying…he was just having such a good time being surrounded by friends after an adrenaline-pumped show that he hadn't even realized he finished the whole bottle by himself.
"Sounds good," Rinoa purred, leaning in to run the tip of her tongue over the glossy black plug in his earlobe. "My place or yours?"
He moved his head and slanted his lips over hers. "Mine," he said against her mouth. "Then yours. Then mine again." A ringing came from Squall's back pocket and he snarled at the interruption. Reluctantly he retracted himself from Rinoa. When he pulled up the contraption he frowned at the sight of Irvine's name. "Yes?" he answered.
"Where are you?"
"What are you, my fucking mother?"
Irvine snickered. "Your ugly ass could never be born from my good looks," he shot. "Have you seen Rinoa? Selphie's looking for her."
Squall turned and looked at the door on the other side of the garage that led to the backyard. "We're outside," he answered, hanging up and sliding the phone back into his pocket. "Cigarette?" he asked her.
"Sure." She lowered her hands and buttoned up her jeans.
He reached behind her and unlocked the main door that led back into the hallway. "This way." He took hold of her arm and led her through the side door of the garage. There were a few people in the backyard but they were so engrossed in their own conversations that they didn't notice the two emerge. Squall handed Rinoa a cigarette and flicked the lighter for her.
She watched as he lit his own cigarette and led her to the edge of the pool. With the cigarette dangling from the corner of her mouth, she unlaced her boots and pulled off her socks. She rolled her jeans up around her knees and dipped her legs into the pool. The cool water sent shivers up her spine and she leaned back so her palm lay flat against the concrete. "Oh wow," she whispered. "That feels good." She looked up to see Squall intently watch her. "Put your feet in!" she ordered, exhaling smoke through her lips.
Squall mimicked her actions and soon his legs from the calf down were submersed in the pool. "Yeah," he agreed. "That feels nice."
As Rinoa looked down into the water she noticed something on Squall's calf. It was distorted due to the ripples of the water, but she noticed that it was some kind of tattoo. "What's that?" she asked, pointing at his left leg.
Squall lowered his cigarette and glanced to where Rinoa was pointing. He lifted his leg from the water. "It was the first tattoo I got," he said. "Zell actually drew it out for me."
Rinoa looked at the horned creature that adorned the side of Squall's calf. It looked to be some sort of demon with its long and angular horns, ferocious snarl, furred body, and blackened claws. "It looks great," she said. "I like it."
"Thanks." He lowered his leg back into the water. "If you like that then you'll like the rest of them." When he saw Rinoa's jaw drop slightly he gave her slow and smoldering smirk.
"How many do you have?" Rinoa pondered, her voice lowering as she took note of the stirring pull that still kindled between them. What had started in the garage was clearly not over. Her eyes still touched upon those soft lips of his and she felt her heart beat faster when her gaze skimmed over his skilled and rhythmic fingers.
Squall's smirk continued to smolder and ignite the fire within her. "You'll find out."
