A Sommelier's Prey (Maxine)

[MAXINE MCMANUS]

August's sudden presence behind Maxi startled her, and she almost turned around, but found she was pinned slightly against the counter. He smelled like expensive cologne. Her heart throbbed to have him so close. She didn't even register the glass set in front of her, she just stared down at her hands. It was a good thing he couldn't see her face, because she was beet red. How could she play it cool and in control when her face was so flushed? He was so close, his voice vibrated through her when he spoke. A wine key. Right.

She pulled herself together, bringing her pale cheeks back down to a pleasant shade of pink. Still trapped between him and the counter, she turned, brushing against him as she did so. Two could play this game. She gave a flirtatious smile, leaning back slightly against the counter. "I need to get past you to get it," she said softly. Seeing his face, she knew what was on his mind. But he hadn't put in nearly enough work yet. Giving a breathy laugh, she gently pushed on his chest to get him to back up before she moved to a drawer on the other side of the kitchen. Carefully, she grabbed her glass from behind her and took it with her.

She dug through it and found what August needed to open the wine. Before he could trap her again, though, she moved to the bottles on the table, looking as if she would open them. With her luck, she would drop the thing on her foot, but she didn't really plan on opening it anyway. She just needed to get out of the tight area of the counter space. She held the wine key toward him with a playfully helpless smile. "I'm no good at opening these things," she laughed. With more space, she would be free to move away if he got too close. Yes, she was determined to keep her wits about her.

[AUGUST WITT]

When she pushed him out of the way he smirked down at her hand. She couldn't move him if she tried, but for now he allowed her to do what she wanted. In the end it would be he who got his way, so he could allow her this tiny victory. His eyes moved with her, his smirk clear on his chiseled jaw. He was enjoying this more than he thought and he was glad she had volunteered her home.

Her tone was kittenish and he knew tonight's conquest would be an easy one. She was slowly warming up to the idea of being with him and after a few glasses of wine he was sure he could get her to submit to his desires, whatever they happened to be that moment. He turned his head and eyed the spot of counter she had been a moment ago. That might be a good place to begin, he though to himself a wicked smile on his face, which he let ease away when he turned back to face her.

His strides were casual and relaxed as he crossed back towards her, taking the wine key. He unwrapped the foiled top and set to work opening the wine bottle. "So, Maxi..." The name just didn't roll off his tongue as nicely as he wanted it to. It was the X; such a harsh letter. "Is that short for something?" He asked, his eyes on hers as he effortlessly pulled the cork out. He freed it from the key and laid it o the table before picking up a wine glass and filling it almost completely. He knew she was probably hungry, which would mean the wine would hopefully take effect sooner rather than later.

[MAXINE MCMANUS]

Maxi was listening to August's question, caught up in his gaze, when the pop of the cork made her eyes looks back down at his hands. It seemed effortless for August to pull the cork out. It brought her back to her previous thoughts of what her father told her. Weren't gargoyles known for having incredible strength? She almost got lost in thought when she stumbled to answer his question, bringing her eyes back to his. "Maxine," she answered. "My proper name is Maxine." She gave him a puzzled look, cocking her head to the side. "Why?" she asked in return. It amused her that he wanted to know her proper name; she wasn't asked that question often.

She took her wine glass from the table and began making her way to the couch. Taking a sip, she was satisfied by the sweetness of the wine. Maybe she did have good taste in wine after all. "When I was younger, my sister would tease me and call me Maxi-pad. She thought it was hilarious," she said with a smile. Now she did find the humor in the name, if only because she could remember how angry she would get. It seemed so silly now. "That was a long time ago," she said, almost to herself, and realized she might be dangerously close to revealing she was much older than she appeared. If the guy was just a normal human, she didn't need to freak him out. She quickly moved past the comment.

Taking a seat on the couch, she took another sip of her wine and looked at August. "How about you, August? Did you have any embarrassing nicknames?" she inquired with a playful smile. Maybe the wine was working a little too well, because she was feeling, with some consternation, how empty her stomach was. And he had poured her so much. It occurred to her what he was playing at, and she gave him a glancing, suspicious look. Well, she would play along for now. She waited with a patient smile for his answer, sipping her wine slowly. Yeah, she had to go slow; she was a lightweight with alcohol, particularly when she was hungry.

[AUGUST WITT]

Maxine. He should have guessed that. It was sort of obvious, wasn't it? "Only wondering." He replied when she inquired why he had wanted to know. Maxine didn't roll of the tongue any easier than Maxi did, but at least it didn't sound so common and childish. Maxine was a woman's name, Maxi an idiotic child. That was how August saw it in his mind, anyway. Maxine was, for the most part, a bit more elegant. Save for that X in the middle. X was not a pleasant sound.

He walked easily behind her as she led the way to the couch and he slid next to her, allowing there to be a gap for now. He would be patient and work his way up, pretend to be the gentleman he came off as being. He smiled politely at the nickname, though it was a disgusting reference. August didn't mind the fact that women bled. That part didn't bother him, but talking about the equipment they used in order to protect their panties was a different story. There was really only one thing he was interested in hearing about being so close to her most intimate spot. "I hope so." He said after she mentioned her sister had called her that a long time ago. It was nice knowing there was more than one gazelle..

"Embarrassing nicknames? No. I don't do nicknames, though I'm certain there are people out there who call me things other than my name." His smile was back and he sipped the sweet wine, relaxing into her couch. "My name is August and I go by August, Maxine." The smile reached his eyes as he toyed with her lightly. He sipped the wine again and slid his glass onto the side table, folding his hands into his lap, behaving himself momentarily.

"I'm surprised you brought me home." His voice was smooth, almost amused. "Do you often bring strangers home, Maxine?" He admonished, cocking a brow upwards, though the corners of his lips were tilted up playfully still. "You have a great deal of faith in my intentions." The grin was back as he reached for the wine once more and took a long slug from it.

[MAXINE MCMANUS]

At August's reply, Maxi almost felt silly for asking if he had a nickname. She didn't show her slight embarrassment though. It was a little strange to hear him start referring to her by her proper name, though. But it sounded almost seductive coming from him. She didn't correct him for the moment. It wasn't that she minded her proper name, she just wasn't used to being called by it. As he relaxed, she sat back a little more too, sipping her wine. She made sure to keep a reasonable distance between them, though. It was becoming clearer that he was only playing at being a gentleman, so she was going to have to keep a close eye on him.

"I'm surprised you brought me home. Do you often bring strangers home, Maxine?" She gave a little smirk, considering him playfully for a moment. "No, I don't. You're a special case." She didn't go into depth. She would let him guess what she meant by that. His grin was back, and she made an excuse to look away by taking another sip. No good news from the glass, though; she'd only drunk half of it and she was already feeling light-headed. "You have a great deal of faith in my intentions." She actually gave a laugh, looking at August again. "It's not so much my faith in your intentions but my faith in being able to resist them," she replied playfully. The wine was making her bolder, and there was a soft purr in her voice.

Sitting back more and crossing her legs demurely, Maxi considered August a moment. She didn't like that while she knew the wine was having an effect on her, it didn't seem to be effecting August at all. Her tolerance was absurdly low though. Maybe this was a bad idea after all. But how could it when he was so cute? Her booze brain was beginning to kick in with the rationalizations. "What do you think of the wine?" she asked him finally, taking a sip from her own glass. She was trying so hard to play it cool.

[AUGUST WITT]

"It's not so much my faith in your intentions but my faith in being able to resist them," The smile grew and was by far the most genuine of the evening. "Ah, a challenge." He growled, his voice low, rumbling from the back of his throat and he drank from his glass again. He kept his gaze on her, though his blue-gray eyes wandered from hers slowly downward. He admired her petite nose, the curve of her lips, the gentle protrusion of her chin. Her neck was thin and long, very long. He stopped at her chest, not wanting to be too rude, letting his gaze dart back up to her eyes.

The wine was doing nothing to him, not yet. He needed at least two glasses to feel anything at all. He was used to drinking a bottle or two on his own, usually having no problem consuming it all, and hangovers were never an issue. That was simply a combination of what he was and who he had developed himself to be.

"I think it's far too sweet, as Ports tend to be." He answered honestly when she sought his opinion. "I prefer my wine to be dry, rich and bold. I think you can tell a lot about a person by their wine preference." He explained. "Port seems to be just the type of wine I would think you would prefer." He drained his glass and slid it on the table beside him and got up, making himself quite at home.

August grabbed the bottle of wine and brought it back with him, filling his glass and then tipping the mouth into Maxine's, his eyes on her and not the liquid. He stopped when it was full and then put the bottle back down where his glass had been to keep it close at hand for when he would need it again.

"So I'm special?" He asked, once he'd gotten comfortable again and then motioned for her to lift her feet onto the couch. "Here, I'll rub them if you like. Show you how special I am." He teased, taunting her with his grin.

[MAXINE MCMANUS]

Maxi couldn't help but laugh at August's answer to her statement, the growl in his voice making her stomach clench again. It didn't escape her notice that his eyes were wandering over her, and it came back to mind before he gave an honest answer to her question. She considered what he said and found that, indeed, ports did suit her sweet nature, and from the description of his preferred wines, she could say the same for him. He was certainly bold. She nodded appreciatively with a smile. "That makes sense," she murmured. The way he viewed wine was the way she viewed coffee, apparently. Maybe she would try drinking coffee with him some time and see what kind he preferred.

As he got up, she noticed he was getting the wine bottle. Well, he was definitely comfortable in her home. At least she was a good hostess. While he was up, she kicked off her shoes and tucked her legs beneath her on the couch, curling up like she would in any other circumstance. Still sipping her wine, she was surprised when he topped off her glass. Yeah, he was definitely trying to get her drunk. She gave him a playfully suspicious grin, but allowed him to fill her cup again. When had she gotten so comfortable with him? She blamed it on the wine. Maxi became a loosey goosey when she was liquored up. How could she think she could keep her wits about her with wine? Even so, she continued to drink. Maybe now it was to embolden her to not resist him. The admittance was bitter in her mouth, but it was hard to resist temptation. She took another swallow, the sweet nectar rolling across her tongue.

August suddenly motioned to her feet, and Maxi was surprised. She gave a giggle, not entirely trusting him to touch her. It was just another ploy to seduce her, and she was well aware of that. Hesitantly, she slid her feet from under her and gently rested them on his thigh. For the first time she became aware there was hard muscle under August's clothes. She flushed a little at the thought, but said aloud, "Thank you." Before he grabbed her feet, though, she pulled them back a little. "But this doesn't mean I'm giving in to you, so don't get any ideas," she warned playfully. She teased him right back with her grin as she finally just let her feet rest on his leg. When his hands were on her feet, she was instantly aware of how unnaturally soft her skin must feel to him. Even the skin on her feet was tender and without callouses.

Leaning one cheek on her hand, supported by the back of the couch. "So what do you do for a living, August?" She knew very little about the man, considering he was sitting in her living room rubbing her feet. It would be nice to know a little more about him.

[AUGUST WITT]

Her warning meant nothing to him. If she truly believed that she wasn't giving in to him then she wouldn't be purring at him the way that she was, that smile practically begging to him to come at her this instant. He could see the wine was having an effect on her and he was more than happy to continue filling her glass to get her to where he needed to be to make his move.

He was suddenly glad he had decided to take the port. Normally he wouldn't have bothered, but at the end of the night wine was still wine and whether he truly enjoyed it or not, it would do the trick. If she wasn't enjoying it, it would be another whore.

He took her foot in his hands and immediately he could tell the difference. It was not only soft in the sense it was hydrated, but it was almost like they were filled with too much water. There wasn't enough firmness to her. His hands halted and his eyes moved up, a glimmer of knowing in them, before he gazed back down at her feet. His hands moved slow and rough, his thumbs pressing into the instep, dragging from toe to hell before kneading small circles into her feet.

"I'm in politics." Came his vague reply as he focused on her feet and then moved to her ankle, rubbing and kneading. "It's all dull, trust me you don't want to hear about it." And he knew it to be true. To him some of it was very dull. "And you?" He questioned, gazing up at her as his hands moved to her calf, rubbing at the muscles expertly, creeping up to her knee, but he would need to lean forward to continued, so instead he reached for his glass of wine, which he was starting to feel though it wasn't impairing his mind. When he took a sip he placed the glass back down and then started the other foot, repeating the same sequence he had on the first. "ell me about yourself, Maxine."

[MAXINE MCMANUS]

Maxi knew putting her feet in August's hands was a bad idea. She was putty in his hands, almost literally. He had an expert touch as his hands worked into her feet. It was an effort to focus on his answer to her question. Of course he was in politics. She should have been able to guess that. Maxi was sure he was very convincing. It was the perfect job for someone like August. She was about to comment on the dullness of politics when he asked her a question. Before she could answer, his hands started to creep up her calf. Her eyes flickered from his hands to his face, getting ready to stop him if he went any higher than her knee. He didn't try it, though, and she relaxed again, letting him move on to the other foot. It did feel nice and she took another sip of wine.

"I'm a high school English teacher," she replied in her soft voice. "And it's not dull." She gave a teasing smile, taking the word he used for his occupation. "I spend just about every waking moment thinking about work, but I don't mind usually. The only reason I was even in the liquor store is because my students just finished their midterms and I needed to celebrate a little." She paused to take a last sip of wine before setting her glass on the coffee table. Just that movement made her head spin a little, the wine making her dizzy. She needed to eat something, but how was she going to get off the couch? Her booze brain was saying she didn't really need to worry about it. For the most part, though, she was good at faking reasonable sobriety. Since they were sitting, it would be hard to tell just how tipsy she really felt right now. All the more reason not to get up for food.

Turning a puzzled smile to him, she watched his face as his hands worked. "Why would you go into politics if it's dull?" she asked. Maxi never really thought she was asking too many questions. She was curious by nature, but she wasn't what one would call nosy. Everyone she met, she had a genuine interest in, and August was no exception. It occurred to her now that maybe she was coming off that way. "Sorry if I'm asking too many questions. You don't have to answer if you don't want," she assured, traces of the normal, nervous Maxi coming to the surface once more. A sweet smile came to her lips to show she really didn't mean anything by her curiosity.

[AUGUST WITT]

The thought of her being a teacher turned him on. The thought of her being a student turned him on even more and he couldn't hide the smirk that played on his lips, causing them to turn devilishly at the corners, that hungry, dangerous flicker in his eyes once more. He'd love to play school with her...

"I would imagine it wouldn't be too dull working with the future of America." He'd witnessed plenty of human youths in his day and they were often rowdy, loud, obnoxious, and extremely inconsiderate of anyone other than themselves. All in all he hated them with a fiery passion. "Aggravating, but not dull." His hand crept up her leg once more, stopping under her knee, and then he dragged his fingers back down, scraping them lightly with his fingernails. Not enough to hurt, just enough to feel it.

"Are you thinking about work now?" He asked, a hint of seduction in his tone. She wanted whatever he was willing to give her, or so his arrogance led him to believe. If she didn't then she would have never invited him home. There was a kinky side of this gazelle that was hidden somewhere, he only needed to find it. While he looked for it, he would distract the hell out of her, or at least attempt to.

Then she threw a curve ball. "Why would you go into politics if it's dull?" There was a glimmer of hesitation that flashed across his face, the wine having made it hard for him to stop it before it came. She must have realized his discomfort with that question, having apologized shortly after. She had hit a nerve, but he didn't let it show any more than he already had. "It was my fathers wish." He explained simply, not going any further than that. He didn't mind his fathers pushing. He had been eager to please, but politics had never been Augusts dream. He was good at what he did because he had been groomed to be, and he had the natural confidence and arrogance to get things done, but his heart wasn't always in it. Hence why he found the career chosen for him dull. Still, he had no scars to speak of and he was grateful for that. He liked to be beautiful.

"Looks like you're on empty there." He nodded towards her glass before catching her eye. He picked the bottle up, but didn't pour figure he would allow her to decide if she wanted more or not yet. "So what would yo be doing if you you hadn't brought me home? What would you be doing to celebrate and relax?"

[MAXINE MCMANUS]

While Maxi waited for August's answer, she thought about how his fingernails scraped across her skin. Her skin was so sensitive that she could still feel the sensation tingling in her muscles. She had let out a small gasp when he did it, her heart catching in her throat for a brief moment. To her, it was strange that she liked when men were rough with her. She assumed it was because she was raised in such a safe, wholesome environment that the danger of it all excited her. Most men she was with assumed that, because of her sweet nature, she liked to be treated gently. She didn't mind when men treated her like a fragile porcelain doll, find it endearing, but she preferred the opposite. Perhaps that's why she was here with August right now. Even in the liquor store, she could tell there was a rough side beneath the polite gentleman he presented himself as. The nails on her skin was just the beginning and that realization made her blush. She hoped he couldn't see the cracks in her resolve.

Then he mentioned his father, which she hadn't expected. She could understand completely wanting to make your father proud. When her father was alive, she was a daddy's girl through and through, and she wondered if August was close to his father too. It was pretty evident to her that he was. He didn't say more and she noticed he was uncomfortable with the subject, so she didn't ask. The brief discussion left her warmer towards him, though.

When he picked up the bottle to give her more wine, she shook her head. Her mind was already hazy from the little wine she had consumed, and she was afraid if she had anymore she would pounce him. Maxi often lost her self-consciousness when she was drunk, which was why she usually didn't drink around people. The only ones she drank around were her lady friends, like Zoey Clark, because they wouldn't try to take advantage of her...and she wouldn't have to refuse them. She knew August was going to try something soon and she was afraid she wouldn't have the resolve to refuse him.

His question brought her back to the conversation and she gave a smile. "I'd probably be eating pizza and watching The Godfather. It's my favorite movie," she said with a shrug. Most people laughed when she said that, not expecting quiet little Maxi to love a movie about the mafia. As an English teacher, though, she loved the story. It was so involved, so intricate, and she felt like she caught something new every time she watched it; just like a good book. "What would you be doing if you hadn't followed me?" she returned with an amorous smile. She knew he probably would have found some other woman to chase, perhaps someone less conservative than herself. And why did he make it sound like this was her idea? He was the one who proposed the alcohol, she just suggested her place might be best. Perhaps they should have gone to his. She needed an escape, and she couldn't think of one when sitting next to him.

Pulling back her legs from his hands, she quickly grabbed her glass and stood. "I'm going to rinse this out and put it in the sink," she explained with a smile, making it clear she was cutting herself off. Her head was spinning because she stood up to fast, but it didn't show until she started to make her way to the sink. She wasn't stumbling around, but her legs were a little wobbly. Maxi blamed August's hands for that. Phantom sensations of those hands were still on her legs as she walked. She didn't look back at him, but she could almost feel him watching her. Maybe she had provoked him by slipping away. Either way, it made her nervous that her back was to him when she made it to the sink. The water and the blood pounding in her ears made it hard for her to hear, but she refused to look like she was nervous. She would just try to be aware of anyone's presence coming up behind her. Her mother's speech about cows and milk came back to her again as she stood at the sink, wondering if it was as black and white as all of that.

[AUGUST WITT]

Pizza and a movie. It was such a domestic thing to do. August had spent plenty of nights in eating take out and watching a movie, though rarely he ordered pizza. He preferred more complicated tastes; Thai, Indian, Middle Eastern... In the same regard he preferred smart films and documentaries. Sometimes, he would watch gore, and he was known to watch his fair share of filthy pornography. He wouldn't go spouting that information, though.

"Interesting choice in film." He noted. Godfather was a little violent. He liked that she chose that instead of some obnoxious love story. She seemed like the romance novel type, but perhaps looks were deceiving in this case. He knew his own looks could be deceiving.

"Hmm.." He pondered her question for a moment. "I would have worked out, showered, ordered Thai and drank my wine. Perhaps do some light reading. I wasn't much in the mood for crowds this evening. Not feeling overly sociable. You're my exception." Because you're going to put out, whether you realize it yet or not. He added in his mind, making his lips curl at the edge once more.

He raised a brow when she declared she was done drinking. Is that what she thought? August had no intention of allowing her to stop there. They had a third of the bottle left and he didn't much care to finish the overly sweet port on his own. His eyes watched her backside move from the room, allowing himself to opportunity to truly check her out. She was slight, which means she was easy to physically control, though he wondered about her body type. He'd never done anything with a Blurr, and he still couldn't be a hundred percent sure, though he was nearly certain of it. It didn't matter. August wasn't picky when it came to attractive females.

He also noticed the slight sway in her step, not in a way that said she was trying to get him to pay attention to her rear, but one that said I'm certainly feeling this wine. He smiled.

The man stood slowly from the couch and sauntered to the kitchen, stopping in the doorway to watch her, hungry eyes staring. She was practically begging for him to make a move now, but he stood back. At some point she would snap, and then he would make his move, but now she had her guard up still. He had until dawn, so there was really no hurry.

"Maybe don't put that glass away just yet." He called out once the water had turned off, his arms folded as he leaned sideways on the door frame, his feet crossed at the angle as he gazed at her. "You might change your mind about wanting another glass. I certainly can't finish that port." His disposition was calm and collected, as if he hadn't drank nearly two full glasses of wine himself. "Why don't we order food? It's what you would have done anyway. On me, to thank you for your hospitality."

[MAXINE MCMANUS]

Maxi was glad to hear August's voice was not right behind her when she turned off the water, but she was still surprised to hear it as close as it was. She turned quickly, her eyes wide and then she grinned at his suggestion, laughing a little as she grabbed a towel. Her hands wiped the glass dry as she said, "I think you're trying to get me drunk." She threw a flirtatious look over her shoulder, as she finished drying the glass off and putting it on the counter. It was a reasonable compromise. She wasn't putting it away, but she wasn't bringing it back with her either. Watching him leaned in the door frame of her kitchen made her really feel like prey for the first time tonight. She realized he was biding his time, and it almost made her shudder. When was he going to pounce?

Not now, obviously. The suggestion of food surprised her, but she gave an appreciative smile. She was starving. Her original idea was pizza, but August didn't seem the type to like the greasy, cheesy goodness of the pizza place she normally ordered from. He mentioned Thai earlier, but she was more a fan of Chinese. Maybe they could make a compromise. "You know, I could really go for some Chinese right now," she said. The menu was attached to her refrigerator by a magnet and she pulled it down. "If you don't mind. I don't really have any other menus," she added. If he was paying for it, she had to let him decide ultimately. She took the menu over to the table and took a seat.

Her ankles crossed beneath her chair, her elbow resting on the light wood of the table. She was glad for a chance to sober up a little, though she knew he would probably suggest she have another glass over food. Maxi had to get her wits about her again. Why did August have to be so charming? It was impossible to think around him, especially with the wine in her system. She realized now, though, that with food this could technically count as a date. Would her mother be upset if she at least had a date with the guy before she let him ravage her? Maxi almost blushed at the thought. What would August do to her? Nothing gentle, she was certain about that. She had to talk to get her mind off those thoughts. Quick, random question.

"What's your favorite kind of food, August?" They were ordering food, so the question wasn't completely random. She smiled as she rested her cheek on her hand, watching him with curiosity. Maxi wouldn't let on where her mind had taken her just moments before.

[AUGUST WITT]

He chuckled at her accusation. "Me?" He said innocently as if the thought were preposterous. He was, though. Very much. Oh, how willing she would be after another glass or two of wine. In her defense she had been smart to wash the glass, though he was sure he could coax her into more soon enough. The more she drank, the easier she would be to overcome. He almost felt sorry for her, but her flirty way of speaking made him think she wanted this. She was practically begging him to take here there on the kitchen table, no mercy. It was the ounce of sobriety in her that was keeping her so reluctant. If he grabbed her and threw her on the table now she would panic and then he would simply have to force himself on her, and that just got so damn messy. She would end up needing to be gagged and he would likely make her bleed unintentionally and he just wasn't in the mood for that sort of hassle tonight, especially after wine. Another night, maybe.

Perhaps next time.

"Chinese." He repeated with a slight nod of his head. He supposed that could work if he ordered sushi. hopefully this place would have sushi. Not all of the Chinese take out places had jumped on the raw fish bandwagon just yet.

August made his way to the table but instead of taking a seat beside her, he moved to stand behind her, hunching over so his face was close to hers, his hands propped up on either side of her on the table. He looked at the menu from his place so close, almost touching her but not quite. He would make her uneasy this way, but he wouldn't try anything. Not yet.

He chuckled as he pondered her question. He'd like to eat her, that would be his favorite, but she was certainly no meal. "Chicken Korma." He told her, his voice a low rumble next to her ear. "It's Indian." He continued, unsure if she was familiar with Indian food. It was his guilty pleasure. When life got frustrating, that was what he would order.

His fingers curled around the menu and he flipped it over, brushing his hand lightly against hers as if by accident, reading what was on it. "I know what I want." He purred in her ear, flipping the menu once more, before standing upright. He pulled out his cell phone and dialed the number, though he didn't press send yet. He held it out towards her. "I'll take the chicken with broccoli. Brown rice. Would you like to order or shall I? I'm not sure your address off hand."

[MAXINE MCMANUS]

Too close. August was too close for comfort. Maxi was making a show of reading the menu, but she wasn't focused on anything. His expensive smell was all around her again. She had a sensitive nose and a weakness for men who smelled good. It was an oddity about her, she supposed. Had he guessed her ears were her weak spot? She had to wonder because he was talking right into her ear. Her heart was pumping so hard, she was sure he could hear it. And her face was hot too. Good thing she had long hair, because it was hiding the blush on her pale cheeks. She was frozen with him so close to her, though she felt like her whole body was vibrating with pent up energy. Damn that wine.

She forced herself to focus on the answer to her question. What was they said about people who liked spicy food? They had a temper. It was something to consider with August. He certainly seemed capable of it. Though he was suave and seemingly polite, there was an anger boiling in those stony eyes of his. And if what she believed of him was true, it would suit a Gargoyle. Those hands brushed hers and she was sure it was intentional, but she didn't mind it. She liked his strange hands. What could he do to her with those hands? She was snapped out of her reverie again when he said he knew what he wanted. His voice implied, "You," but maybe she was reading too much into it. Either way, her heart was in her throat at his voice so close to her ear. He made her so nervous.

Finally he stood again, making her muscles relax and she breathed an internal sigh of relief. It felt like just the nervousness of having him so close to her was enough to sober her, since him stepping away sent a rush of dizziness to her head. He held his phone out to her, and she took it with a weak smile. "I'll order it," she said quietly, trying to regain the use of her voice. She hit the send button and waited for the person on the other end to answer. Patiently she made their order, chicken with broccoli and Sezchaun beef, both with brown rice and gave them her address. Before she hung up she gave them a cheerful, "Thank you!" Handing the phone back to him, she smiled wide and said, "It'll be here in 25 minutes. They're really quick at this place." Standing again, she took the menu back to the refrigerator and pinned it back up, swaying less this time.

She turned back and leaned a hip against her counter, feeling more comfortable with a little space between her and August. Her nervousness wasn't consuming when he was a few feet away. She crossed her arms and smiled playfully, cocking her head to the side. "So do you make it a habit of going home with strange women? How do you know I'm not a serial killer?" she teased. "They say it's the quiet ones you have to watch out for, you know." A killer was the last thing anyone could call Maxi. As much as she hated bugs and spiders, she didn't even kill them. She would grab a piece of cardboard and a glass and trap the creatures to take them outside; the cardboard and glass sat beneath her sink, always ready for the unexpected visitor. It was meant as a joke, though, something to lighten the air of sexual tension hanging over the room.