The Hot Journalist

[OWEN BROOKS]

Owen couldn't believe he was back in Scriptor Bay.  This time, however, he had gotten to fly which was sort of nice.  He was in town with his boss Sebastian, working with a contractor on building a large mall just outside of the city, which they were planning to house some higher end shops.  Apple, Coach, Tiffany & Co. and Gucci... Places Owen had very little interest in, but the mall itself sounded like a neat project.  They planned on putting fountains in that put on water shows, fiber optic lights in the ceiling that twinkled, and unique patterns on the tiled floor.  The location was near the coast and there was going to be a pier overlooking the ocean.  It would definitely be an attraction his brother and girlfriend would be taking advantage of, since it was so much more than simply a place to shop.  

While in town Owen planned on spending some time with his kid brother.  He'd seen him for Christmas, so it was a nice surprise to get to see him again so soon.  Owen found he actually enjoyed the city his kid brother had found himself residing in.  It was charming, and so was his drop dead gorgeous girlfriend.  Their brother Ryan had been a little surprised with Owen's catch.  Jordan was simply happy for him, the dumb oaf.  Owen knew Jordan just wanted one of them to settle down and pop out a few brats so he wouldn't be the only one.  Mom wanted them all to have babies, too.  Except maybe Ryan.  It wasn't a secret that Ryan probably shouldn't procreate, though his mother would never admit to that.  Their dad certainly had, though. But Scriptor Bay was a nice place, especially when your boss was covering your tab.  They'd eaten at a fancy seafood joint last night and Owen was looking forward to more meals out.  He'd texted Gavin to get some reccomendations and had plans to see them for brunch in the morning.  For now, though, Owen was waiting on some journalist.

Sebastian Migaldi was one of the best architects on the north west coast, at least as far as Owen was concerned.  He'd designed some of the nice buildings, and was basically Owen's mentor.  He'd managed to climb up the corporate ladder pretty quickly within the company, and though he wasn't the highest drafter in the company, he was one that was showing a great deal of promise, and he'd caught Sebastian's eye.  It wasn't easy to impress the big man, but Sebastian had kindly taken him under his wing.  But it also meant that he was the mans bitch to some degree.  Sebastian was a bit of a humanitarian, though.  He gave back to the community and had recently designed an incredible playground, something that wasn't necessarily in his expertise, but he even funded part of the project to give back to the community.  It was the town he'd grown up in, and Owen couldn't help but think it was incredibly generous.  The project had sparked some interest from the media once they'd found out and he'd landed this interview with some reporter named Sophie, which Owen was currently waiting on.  

The young man was waiting by the front of the hotel while his boss stayed in the conference room he'd rented from the hotel for his meetings with the contractors, answering email and waiting for the young woman to come do her interview.  Owen was getting restless, though.  He'd had too much coffee that morning and felt jittery.  His dark eyes landed on his watch again, not even noticing the young woman coming into the building and making her way to the front desk.  She asked for Sebastian Migaldi which immediately peaked his interest.  When he looked up he started, though.  He wasn't expecting the interview to be so cute!  He straightened himself up some and made his way over quickly, planting a friendly smile on his face as he extended a hand.  "Sophie Beasley?" She confirmed and her smile made him want to smile more.  "Hi, I'm Owen Brooks, the lead drafter under Sebastian."  It was a blatant lie.  He was far from being the lead of anything, but how would she find out otherwise? He immediately hoped he could grab her number and mess around with her while in town.  "How're you doing?"

[SOPHIE BEASLEY]

Sophie was thrilled to be in Scriptor Bay. She had managed to convince In Style that they needed to feature the new mall being put in nearby because of the fashionable architecture. The place was going to be so awesome and trendy and she was excited to talk to the architect in charge of its design. His name was Sebastian Migaldi. Of course Sophie would feature some of his backstory as the son of Argentinian immigrants and how he came from a long line of construction workers. And naturally she would have to bring up his status as a dashing middle-aged playboy with the world on a string—what kind of fashion magazine writer would she be if she didn’t mention that? The thought of seeing is home and bedroom for herself had crossed her mind…which is why she made sure she was extra cute for the interview. But all of this paled in comparison to the real reason why she went out of her way to come all the way to Oregon.

This is where her sister Rebecca Taylor lived. She wanted to know what sort of place Rebecca had grown up in. They had kept in touch over email for several weeks while Sophie finished up her current article and proposed the new one to her editor. Her parents were as thrilled as she was that she found her big sister. They immediately invited her to their home near Berkley, an invitation that Rebecca had yet to take up, but that upset no one. Sophie knew it would take a while for her sister to come for a visit. For now, she was just looking forward to seeing Rebecca’s home and meeting her friends and boyfriend! She would be in town for a month for the story, so she had plenty of time to spend with Rebecca. And who knew? Maybe she would move there to be closer! She certainly had quite the portfolio built up and she could get a job with the local newspaper or something. But she was thinking ahead of herself! One day after she arrived, she had her interview and she needed to be prepared.

It wasn’t hard to find Migaldi’s office building. The building had to be the tallest in Scriptor Bay and definitely sleek and sexy. Perfect for a man of Migaldi’s caliber to work there. She had to go up to the twentieth floor just to get to his offices and when she arrived, she found the lobby right near the elevator. She came dressed to impress[/url in a sleek black wrap dress with subtle, spiny sequins running down the arms, black gladiator heels adorning her feet. She had her long brown hair softly curled, giving the edgy black dress a softer touch. When she arrived, she gave a sweet smile to the receptionist and waited patiently for her to finish whatever it was she was typing and then give her a kind smile of recognition. “I’m here for Sebastian Migaldi. I’m with In Style.” The guy who was standing nearby that she hadn’t really noticed until now looked up and Sophie met his gaze. Actually…he was really cute! Why didn’t she notice him before? He looked a little startled to notice her too, something she took a moment of pride in. The guy smiled wide and she returned the favor, letting him move around the desk to shake her hand. “Sophie Beasley?” “The one and only!” she piped playfully, taking the large hand he offered. Damn…this guy was actually pretty hot! “Hi, I’m Owen Brooks, the lead drafter under Sebastian.” The lead drafter! He was handsome, successful, and definitely better looking than Sebastian Migaldi. Maybe she would have to change her angle on who she pursued. “How’re you doing?” Sophie nodded her head. “I’m alright. Just got here yesterday, but so far I haven’t had any bad experiences in Scriptor Bay. And I have yet to meet a jerk, which is more than I can say for L.A. Well, unless you’re one.” She gave him a suspicious sidelong glance, but his answer made her smile wide in amusement. “Are you from here?” she asked curiously. “I know Mr. Migaldi grew up here, so just wondering if his lead drafter is too.”

[OWEN BROOKS]

“I’m alright. Just got here yesterday, but so far I haven’t had any bad experiences in Scriptor Bay. And I have yet to meet a jerk, which is more than I can say for L.A. Well, unless you’re one.” She looked at him suspiciously and he returned the look, clearly teasing her back before rolling his shoulders.  "Well, that really depends on who you ask." He told her with a little smirk, turning the charm on as best as he could and flirting a bit.  She smiled wide and he had to return the gesture as they made their way to the elevator.  "Are you from here?  I know Mr. Migaldi grew up here, so just wondering if his lead drafter is too.”
 Owen shook his head and pressed the button for the elevator to pick them up.  "No, I'm currently living in Fresno.  I'm an army brat, though, so I don't really have an origin.  We moved around a bit as a kid."  It was extremely personal information to be sharing he realized, but then again he was simply answering her question.  "My youngest brother lives here, though.  For, like, I don't know, three years maybe? Something like that? He can be a bit of a jerk."  He smirked at the last part, stepping into the elevator, liking the amused look on her face.  She inquired about how many brothers he had since he referred to Gavin as his youngest.  "Three." He groaned playfully.  "One older, two younger.  I'm the coolest though.  You got any siblings?"  She mentioned having a sister who also lived in the city and Owen wondered if their siblings knew each other! It was a huge city, though, so probably not.  What were the chances?

The conversation was definitely not one he would be having with a reporter.  Actually, it felt more like a first date, which was odd but sort of nice.  The elevator pulled to a stop at their floor and he waved her out as the metal doors slid open to allow them to exit.  "Strange that we would both have siblings here.  Good strange.. anyway, I guess you're coming in from L.A.?  Not too far from my neck of the woods, like, what, three hours?"  He hadn't been down to L.A. in ages, but he thought it was about threeish hours.  "You didn't drive, did you?" That had to be at least a fourteen hour drive.  It took him freaking forever to get to Scriptor Bay and he had a three hour head start!

Owen listened quietly as Sophie went on about her commute.  The girl could certainly talk, and fast at that.  It was cute and he couldn't help letting his mind wander a bit, wondering what she was like in bed. A fast talking reporter? Would Sebastian be into her? His boss was a wealthy humanitarian playboy, if he wanted Sophie, he could probably get her as long as she was easy enough.  He felt a little like a dirtball even thinking about getting into her pants, but how could he not? Just seeing how she was dressed was enough to get him excited, which he knew was inappropriate.  He was at least being respectful, though.  On the outside at least.  She certainly couldn't see what was in his mind.

"Well, I'm glad you got here safe." He smiled again nodding his head towards the bosses door.  "You ready to start? Cause once you go in, you're going to be there for a while.  Sebastian can talk as much as you." He teased, grinning wider.

[SOPHIE BEASLEY]

"No, I'm currently living in Fresno. I'm an army brat, though, so I don't really have an origin. We moved around a bit as a kid." Sophie nodded, wondering how long he would be in town before heading back to Fresno. She had a good month, but it probably wouldn’t be such a long stay for Owen. It didn’t even occur to her that talking about his childhood as an army brat was bordering overly personal—all her life people were quick to tell her things about themselves that they didn’t often talk about. She chalked it up to being easy to talk to. "My youngest brother lives here, though. For, like, I don't know, three years maybe? Something like that? He can be a bit of a jerk." Sophie grinned, catching onto Owen’s reference to his earlier insistence that he wasn’t a jerk. “How many brothers do you have? Since you mentioned him being the youngest one.” "Three." The way he groaned the answer made Sophie giggle, though she had to raise her eyebrows at the amount of boys that made. He didn’t mention a sister and it made Sophie feel bad for his poor mom! All those boys and no girls to teach how to be a lady! "One older, two younger. I'm the coolest though.” Again Sophie giggled, with a sardonic, “I bet!” ”You got any siblings?" Sophie’s first reaction was to say no, as it had been all her life, but it felt good to catch herself and grin. “I have an older sister. She lives here too, actually.” What if their siblings knew each other? How weird would that be in such a big city? But stranger things had happened! The elevator came to a stop and Owen let her go first like a gentleman, making Sophie nod with cute drama as she piped, “Thank you!” "Strange that we would both have siblings here. Good strange…” Sophie had to agree and she nodded cutely while grinning at Owen with a soft twinkle in her eye. She wondered if she would have a chance to ask him out for drinks…

“Anyway, I guess you're coming in from L.A.? Not too far from my neck of the woods, like, what, three hours?" Sophie looked up at the ceiling as she contemplated the distance between L.A. and Fresno. “Yeah, I’d say it’s about three hours. Maybe a little less with how I drive.” She gave a playful smile, even though her words were serious—she tended to drive like a bat out of Hell. "You didn't drive, did you?" Sophie laughed, shaking her head and waving her hand dismissively. “Oh, no! I know better than that!” Hiking her purse onto her shoulder, she settled in to regale him about her commute to Scriptor Bay. “I flew out of LAX, which is the most frustrating airport on the planet. Do you know how big that place is? It’s huge! And I’m perpetually late when it comes to flights. I always time it wrong. Anyway, I got frisked by security because I beeped twice in the metal detector—too much jewelry—and then I had to haul ass to my gate in high heeled boots. I just barely managed to get there in time before they were shutting the doors. Then I got on the plane and we had to sit on the runway for, like, forty-five minutes because of a weather delay in Scriptor Bay. It’s always raining here, I’ve noticed. But hey, I got here safely and my hotel is in an awesome location with awesome service, so I’m not terribly upset about it.” She smiled wide and gave a small shrug as she brought her tale to an end. Just in time, it seemed, since they were coming to a halt before an office door. "Well, I'm glad you got here safe." She nodded and beamed, admiring his handsome smile. “Thank you! As am I,” she chirped, a mildly flirtatious sway in her shoulders. "You ready to start? ‘Cause once you go in, you're going to be there for a while. Sebastian can talk as much as you." Her mouth dropped open in mock offense. “Hey now! You just happened to ask me a question with a long-winded answer.” She raised her chin in a cutely haughty look as she moved closer to the door. His grin made her return it before long, however. He reached out for the handle of the door and she stepped a little closer to him to get his attention. “Um, before we head in, I was just wondering, would you be able to meet me here when the interview is over in an hour? I think I’m going to need help getting out.” She gave a bright smile, hoping he would pick up on the very big hint she was giving him—she liked him and wanted another chance to talk to him. The way he smiled confirmed that he did, indeed, understand. He assured her that he would be there at the end of the hour, ready to walk her out, and she gave a sweet, wide smile. “Wonderful!” she piped before pushing against the door softly as he turned the handle. “I guess I should talk to your boss then.” Her smile and eyes lingered on Owen’s briefly as she pushed into the office, noticing how he hovered close to her. When she did turn away, it was with reluctance, though she knew she had work to do.

There was Sebastian Migaldi sitting at his desk, as handsome as he was in every picture she’d seen of him. His black hair was lined with silver, but it looked so good against the dark tan of his skin. The smile we gave her was a bright white, yet it didn’t seem to be overly artificial. He immediately rose to his feet, showing how tall and built he was as he came around his desk and took several long strides to greet her. “Miss Beasley, I presume.”[/b] His voice was deep and smooth and Sophie couldn’t help but be drawn to him. Her smile widened as she reached her hand out, leaving Owen behind her at the door as she greeted him. He gave her a warm handshake, his free hand resting on top of their clasped ones. “A pleasure, truly.”[/b] She gave a breathy laugh, a little overwhelmed at being in the presence of such a handsome, rich man. The man’s eyes moved to Owen still at the doorway and he nodded. “Thanks, Owen. I’ve got it from here.”[/b] Sophie turned to give him a toothy, playfully forced smile as if to silently ask for wishes of luck. Owen smiled back and headed out of the room, closing the door behind him. “Please, take a seat, my lady.”[/b] His playful, borderline flirtatious invitation made Sophie smile and pick the seat just in front of Sebastian’s on the other side of his desk. “Don’t mind if I do,” she chimed happily. The man chuckled and Sophie took her seat politely, smoothing her dress beneath her backside as she went. Taking her tape recorder, notebook and pen out of her purse, she got everything ready with ease, smiling across the desk at Sebastian. He was still settling in, but Sophie liked his laidback, though still professional demeanor. It made her feel less intimidated by this millionaire. “It was so kind of you to send your lead drafter to come get me from the lobby.” Sebastian’s brow furrowed and he paused as he settled in. He turned his head to the side slightly, as if to extend his ear further and hear her better. “I’m sorry?”[/b] Sophie was a little taken aback by this reaction. Her thumb came up over her shoulder as she indicated the door. “Owen, your lead drafter. I’m flattered you sent him to come get me instead of your assistant.” Sebastian gave a quick laugh, shaking his head with a look of confusion. “Oh, Owen isn’t the lead drafter—he’s much too inexperienced for that. No, he’s one of our junior drafters. One of our best, but not quite good enough to be lead on this project.”[/b] Sophie suddenly felt silly and a little indignant. Why had Owen told her he was higher than he was? He said he wasn’t a jerk! Sebastian suddenly looked suspicious as his bemusement began to fade. “Did he tell you he was the lead drafter?”[/b] Sophie’s eyes widened and her eyebrows rose slightly. Sure, he’d lied, but Sophie didn’t want to get Owen in trouble. She could deal with him later. Instead she laughed graciously and shook her head. “I’m sure I just misheard him. That happens a lot. Which is why I always record my interviews.” With that she gave a playful tilt of her recorder as she held it up for him to see, her amused smile playing off her white lie. She knew exactly what Owen had said, but it wasn’t serious enough to rat him out.

The interview she conducted was actually far more interesting than she had expected. Sebastian told her his plans for the facility, some of the stores going into the mall, and the newest architectural techniques that he used when making the building. Most of the emphasis was going green with their construction and electrical set up throughout the mall. To her surprise, it was mostly solar generated power being used in the structure. That was pretty neat! Of course, Sebastian had to throw in how he would give back to the community with fundraisers held in the mall and his focus on making plenty of event space in the layout to allow for big events. Not that all of these events were going to be for charity, but why would Sebastian mention that? The conversation was laced with flirtatious comments here and there, which Sophie graciously accepted and occasionally reciprocated. She couldn’t quite get Owen out of her head, though. Sure, he was a liar and definitely not as rich as Sebastian, but at least there was a sliver of hope in the back of her mind that something good could arise out of anything with Owen. Her future with Sebastian was pretty much doomed to end in failure, no matter how much fun she had along the way. When the interview concluded, it was on a warm and friendly note and Sebastian invited her back any time she wanted to ask more questions. Maybe they could do it over lunch sometime. Sophie assured him she would schedule something in the future if she needed it for her piece. It was certainly a pleasure talking to him, a sentiment he returned. When the door to the hallway opened, Owen was waiting for her as promised. Sebastian couldn’t hide his mild surprise. “Oh, Owen! Good thing you’re here! Would you mind showing Miss Beasley downstairs?”[/b] Of course Owen agreed all too happily and Sophie had to grin. She shook Sebastian’s hand one more time and assured him she would be in touch. As they wandered away down the hall, Owen asked softly how it went. “Very well!” she said enthusiastically. Her eyes turned up to his with a twinkle of mischief of them. “It started out with praising one of his best junior drafters.” He obviously caught on from the way his face fell. She couldn’t help but smile at the way he looked like an errant puppy. “I’m sure a junior drafter on this project is the same as a lead drafter on something smaller, though.” The wink she gave was reassuring and playful. She didn’t want the cute man to feel too disheartened by her discovery. It was a harmless untruth and she was willing to give the man a second chance. Who could deny a face like that anyway?

[OWEN BROOKS]

The look she offered made a small smirk appear, though he tried to keep straight faced. “Hey now! You just happened to ask me a question with a long-winded answer.” He held his hands up defensively, grinning wider at her. "Sorry, sorry." He teased before reaching for the door handle, but before he could pull it open she stepped closer, drawing his chocolate eyes to hers. “Um, before we head in, I was just wondering, would you be able to meet me here when the interview is over in an hour? I think I’m going to need help getting out.” She smiled brightly, almost flirtatiously and his brow rose ever so slightly. Was she hitting on him? The corner of his lip quirked up a little, realizing that she was, in fact, flirting with him. Big time. "Of course, It can be difficult to navigate the halls if you're not used to them. I'll meet you back here in an hour." Her reaction was a wide smile, obviously delighted with his agreement. “Wonderful!” she piped up, pushing against the door softly as he turned the handle. “I guess I should talk to your boss then.” He nodded, "That is what you came here to do." And with that she was walking in, his boss standing at her arrival. Sebastian greeted Sophie and Owen silently hoped he wouldn't charm the pants off of her before the hour was up, wanting to stand a chance. “Thanks, Owen. I’ve got it from here.” Sophie turned offering an anxious look over her shoulder in which he gave a you got this look in return. He ducked out, shutting the door behind him, and went to go do some work, or at least try to, to kill the hour.

To say Owen got anything done would be a lie. He did his best to try and focus on a few tasks at hand, but honestly he was batting around ways to ask her out without sounding like a putz. In the end he wasn't sure if he would or not. She was obviously interested, but putting out so much effort seemed like an undertaking he wasn't sure he wanted to deal with while on this business trip. Besides, he had a ton of work to do and as it was just thinking about her had taken its toll. Then again he had plenty of time to make up the work he was dawdling on doing. When the hour was nearly up, he got up from his work space and tucked his pencil behind his ear before making his way to the conference room. He leaned on the wall adjacent from the door, his feet crossed at the ankle, his arms folded over his chest as he waited patiently for the door to open. He hadn't been waiting long when the door knob rattled and then turned, pushing open to reveal Sophie who was looking at Sebastian with her cute smile. He had to grin a little, pushing away all thoughts of skipping a casual get together later.

Owen stood up, trying to look more casual as if he'd been passing by, rather than waiting. “Oh, Owen! Good thing you’re here! Would you mind showing Miss Beasley downstairs?” He gave a nod and then waved his hand towards the hall. "Sure thing." He said back coolly as the two said their goodbyes. Owen could tell immediately that Sebastian was interested, and if he landed a date he would make sure to tease his boss about it later. "Soo, how did the interview go?" He asked in a playful mocking voice as if he were one of her girlfriends, his voice soft so as not to draw attention to them. “Very well!” she bubbled, looking up at him, her own playful twinkle in her eyes. “It started out with praising one of his best junior drafters.” It took only a second for him to realize what she just said, and all the silliness leaked from him face as it fell into a look of shy embarrassment. The gig was up; Sebastian ratted him out. “I’m sure a junior drafter on this project is the same as a lead drafter on something smaller, though.” She offered a wink and he let out a nervous sort of laugh, rolling his shoulders and feeling like a complete idiot. "Nah, not really." He admitted, trying not to show how badly her discovery hurt. Then again, he knew he could twist it to his advantage. " But to be fair I'm definitely on the road to becoming a lead. Guess the gigs up. You really can't blame me, though.." He pressed the elevator button, causing a red light to shine around it, the numbers over the doors clicking their way up to their floor. "Junior drafter doesn't sound nearly as good as lead, and I was trying to impress a pretty girl. I'm only human after all." The doors opened and he waved her in. "But since you found out, I feel like I should make amends, so.. what do you think about me making it up to you over some drinks? Saaay.. tonight? Or tomorrow works for me. Or the day after. I'm easy." He offered his hundred watt smile as the elevator whirred to life, bringing them down towards the lobby.

[SOPHIE BEASLEY]

Owen let out a nervous sort of laugh and Sophie bit her bottom lip worriedly. It was obvious he was embarrassed at being caught and she wasn’t sure how she could ease that embarrassment. She didn’t care what his title was—he was cute and she found him interesting. “Nah, not really.” Sophie shrugged her shoulders cutely with a soft, “Oh well. Nice try.” “But to be fair I’m definitely on the road to becoming a lead. Guess the gig’s up. You really can’t blame me, though…” He reached out to press the button to the elevator they were now standing in front of and Sophie raised one shapely brow in curiosity. “Oh?” she inquired with a small smirk. “Junior drafter doesn’t sound nearly as good as lead, and I was trying to impress a pretty girl. I’m only human after all.” A wide grin broke across Sophie’s face, pleased as punch that he thought she was cute too. Not that she couldn’t really tell before, but it was obvious now. She was finally forced to look away from him as the elevator doors opened. Owen waved her in and she nodded with exaggerated playfulness. “Thank you!” she said in a cute staccato, accentuating both words with each sharp movement of her dark head. This interview was turning out to be well worth her time.

Once inside the elevator, she turned to Owen and tilted her head gently as she listened with curiosity. “But since you found out, I feel like I should make amends, so…what do you think about me making it up to you over drinks? Saaay…tonight? Or tomorrow works for me. Or the day after. I’m easy.” His dashing smile was almost blinding and Sophie returned it with one of her own, giving a soft giggle as she swayed side to side a little. “Well, it’s good to know you’re easy.” She giggled again, wrinkling her nose at the double entendre he was teasing her with. Pushing some of her chocolate hair behind her ear, she focused her clear sea-blue eyes on his dark ones. “Drinks sound good, though. It’s an appropriate and necessary apology for leading me on. After all I was sooo disappointed at finding out you weren’t actually a lead drafter.” As she drew out her “so,” she rolled her eyes up cutely, but grinned wide afterward to accentuate the fact that she was teasing. Then she gave a shrug and tilted her head side to side. “Buut I can understand your reasoning. I probably would have done the same if our roles were reversed.” Her eyes narrowed playfully. “But the question is, would you have been as forgiving as me?” His response made her laugh and she was positive this was the best drink date she would have had in a while. Owen was as witty as she was and that was an important quality in her dates. The elevator was sliding to a stop and she looked up to find they were already at the lobby.

Stepping out of the elevator, she turned to Owen as he followed her out. She reached into her purse and fished out a pen, then opened her wallet to snatch out a business card. Pressing the card against her palm, she quickly scrawled her number on the back. “This is my cell.” Handing over the card, she gave a wide, flirty smile. “Let’s do drinks tonight. Maybe your brother knows a good bar we could go to? Or there’s a really nice bar in my hotel, the Remington. Either way, we can meet up around eight, if that works for you. Just text me the name of the place.” The time worked and Owen assured her he’d be in touch. She smiled wider before nodding. “Great! Then I look forward to seeing you tonight.” Turning to leave, she looked over her shoulder and wiggled her fingers at him in a bubbly wave. “See you later!” There was a definite strut in her walk as she left the building. Just a couple hours in this city and Sophie already had a conquest in sight! She felt so very accomplished.

[OWEN BROOKS]

“Well, it’s good to know you’re easy.” She giggled at him and Owen felt his stomach squirm with sudden excitement.  If that wasn't a come on then nothing was.  She tucked her long dark hair behind her ears and all Owen could think was how cute she looked with her nose all wrinkled up like that.  Today was definitely his lucky day.  “Drinks sound good, though. It’s an appropriate and necessary apology for leading me on. After all I was sooo disappointed at finding out you weren’t actually a lead drafter.” Her tone and the way she drew out her so told Owen she was teasing and he rolled his own shoulders playing at bashful, his hands tucking into the pockets of his crisp black slacks.  “Buut I can understand your reasoning. I probably would have done the same if our roles were reversed.  But the question is, would you have been as forgiving as me?” His teeth clenched and he looked a little unsure, drawing a sharp breath in through his teeth.  "Oooh.. I don't really know about that.." He teased.  "I might have expected more than drinks.  Like a porterhouse at the least."  She laughed and the elevator came to a slow halt at the lobby before sliding open. Owen left with a bubbling sort of pride at how easily she was amused by him and how simple getting a date had been.  Sophie stepped out of the elevator and he followed suit, her body turning to face his not two steps out.  She was fishing around her purse for something and he hoped it was a pen so she could give him her number.  Sure enough her hand emerged with a pen and her wallet, her nimble fingers scribbling something on a little card.  “This is my cell.” She told him as he passed him the card.  All he could do was smirk like an idiot as he looked down at the little piece of paper.  He didn't even have a chance to ask for it yet! Usually he has to ask before a woman willingly passes over her digits.  “Let’s do drinks tonight. Maybe your brother knows a good bar we could go to? Or there’s a really nice bar in my hotel, the Remington. Either way, we can meet up around eight, if that works for you. Just text me the name of the place.” Owen gave a nod, slipping the paper in his shirt pocket before giving it a little pat as if to show it was safe there at his breast.  "I'll be in touch within the hour." He promised.  "And I'll see you this evening at eight."  He smiled wide as did she before she gave him a sweet little head nod.  “Great! Then I look forward to seeing you tonight.” That had to be one of the easiest date he'd ever gotten.  Owen rarely had a problem getting a girl to agree to a date, but he was usually sort of picky about who he wanted to actually take out and who he wanted to just hole away with in his home.  "I'll see you tonight." He reiterated as she walked away, her grin gracing him once more as she peaked over her shoulder and waved with her finger, offering a final farewell.  Owen stood and watched her leave for a moment before slipping back into the elevator, trying hard not to get his hopes up too much that this would end in a little private time alone.

On the way back up, Owen pulled his phone out and started texting his brother, trying to figure out where the best place to take Sophie was.  Naturally his idiot kid brother suggested the bar he worked at, but Owen had been to the Jack Kit, and it wasn't the type of place where he wanted to take his new journalist.  After prodding him for nearly an hour, Owen found out that the bar at the hotel Sophie was staying at was actually one of the nicer ones in the city if they were planning on just drinking.  Owen decided that, even though there were nice joints, having her near her room would probably be best so in case she drank too much he wouldn't have to worry about her getting home, unless of course she was taking a cab like him.  As promised he texted Sophie, confirming their time and location, and assured her he was looking forward to it, a sentiment she returned.  Now all he had to do was get through the rest of the day!

Owen packed his things up at six and headed back to his own hotel room.  He got out of his work clothes, dressed himself in something more casual and ran out to grab a sandwich at the deli down the street from where he was staying.  Once finished he hopped in the shower and scrubbed himself down and did what he could to make himself presentable enough to go on a date with what few toiletries he'd brought from home.  He didn't have the best cologne and his nice outfits were mostly for work, but he decided it would do.  She would surely understand, probably because she hadn't brought anything specific for a date either. He was sure she would look good, though.  She sure had that afternoon.  Owen called for a cab, which arrived at quarter to eight.When he got to the hotel he went on in and went straight to the bar, looking around a bit.  It was nice hotel, that was for sure.  He particularly liked the clock in the middle of the lobby.  He arrived at the bar, but saw no sign of Sophie.  Owen took a seat and pulled out his phone, seeing he had a text from his brother and another from his friend Brian back home.  He began texting Brian back when he heard his name, giving him pause as he looked up.  He was right.. she did look good.

[SOPHIE BEASLEY]

Sophie felt triumphant as she climbed into the cab and made her way back to her hotel. Owen was cute and sexy with that boyish yet chiseled face of his. She had little doubt that the body beneath his clothes looked just as fine as his face. Pondering this, she smirked to herself in the backseat. The rest of the way back to her room was a pleasant blur of daydreaming and site seeing. It wasn’t until shortly after setting her purse down in her room that she found a text from Owen confirming the time of their date and the location. She was glad they would be meeting in the bar of her hotel. It would give her a chance to nap a little before she started getting ready for the evening.

She didn’t nap for long, but it was a good energy booster. Showering, primping, dressing and accessorizing filled the rest of her time, only taking a moment to shovel some room service into her mouth. The last thing she needed was too get too tipsy on her first date with a guy! It never ended in making the best decisions, Sophie had found. Picking out her clothes was the hardest part. She didn’t want to overdress, but she didn’t want to underdress either. She finally decided on a navy and metallic silvery-blue backless dress (1[/u], 2[/u]) that fell to just a couple inches above her knees. Her dark hair was softly curled and her make-up, while on the dark side, was very tasteful and accented her green-blue eyes. When she checked herself in the mirror fifteen minutes before 8 o’clock, Sophie found she was very satisfied with the way she looked. There would be no losing her in the crowd and she was right on the edge of dressy and casual with her flashy dress and simple, slightly platformed grey high heels. She made her way down in just enough time to be fashionably late—fashion was her living, after all. Of course there were always first date jitters: what if he didn’t show? What if she was the early one and left sitting alone at the bar? It wouldn’t take long for the vultures to swoop in and start trying to charm her. This would be okay if the vultures were cute, but mostly that wasn’t the case, which made the whole situation more of a nuisance than anything else. But she reminded herself that their rapport this afternoon had been fun and enticing and he certainly wouldn’t bail on that.

When she made her way through the lobby, she smiled at the pretty woman behind the service desk who gave her a kind nod in return. The bar was busy, but not terribly so—just the way she liked it. Even more in her favor, she spotted Owen quickly. He looked as handsome as she remembered him in his slightly more casual, but still smart and stylish clothing. Even if she missed out on some serious pampering and spoiling from Migaldi, she was glad she’d chosen to pursue Owen instead. Exuding confidence, she clicked forward in her heels, a smile brightening her sweet face. “Owen!” she called. He looked up from his phone finally and as their eyes met she could see the flash of recognition and even excitement in his eyes. Obviously, he was genuinely pleased to see her, something that showed in the wide grin he gave. “Well don’t you look dashing,” she piped sweetly as she drew close to him. He returned the compliment and she beamed from ear to ear. “A flatterer, too, it seems.” To further prove this point, he got up and pulled her chair out from the bar a little, drawing a small gasp of mock surprise from Sophie. “Who says chivalry is dead?” She settled into the seat and grinned up at him as he worked his way from behind her to the seat beside her. “So what are we drinking, Charming?” she asked playfully, inviting him flirtatiously to control their drink order. Maybe he could guess her love for appletinis and sea breezes.

[OWEN BROOKS]

“Well don’t you look dashing,” She was beaming and he couldn't help but grin back, his smile always on the impish side.  "Well, I could say the same about you, but it wouldn't do you any justice." He flirted back, of course wanting to make a goof impression on the young lady.  It had, after all, been several hours since he had a chance to woo her.  She seemed pleased with his compliment judging by her smile.  “A flatterer, too, it seems.” He shrugged nonchalantly, his lips pursing slightly as he got up to pull her chair out.  “Who says chivalry is dead?” He sniffed a laugh. "Oh, it's not dead, just limping and wheezing." He assured her before taking his own seat beside her.  There was always something nice about first dates, getting to know someone, the thrill of everything be new and unknown.  By date six things were getting pretty heated, and then three months later a huge block popped up in the middle of the road. This was Owen's favorite part, though.  She was still happy to see him.

“So what are we drinking, Charming?” Oh, she was allowing him to choose?  He faltered, wanting to act suave and order just what she wanted, but at the end of the day he simply couldn't read minds.  Or body language.  Or anything female related. "Well, that depends." He started, his elbow planting on the table and his cheek cradling into the palm of his hand.  "Do you want to get drunk fast or slow?" She seemed amused, and then told him slow.  So she wouldn't be a cheap date.  He liked that.  "Alright, you look liiiike... hmm... Tequila sunrise? You look like a tequila girl." She agreed that tequila was a good option for her and he nodded.  "Yeah, you're pretty predictable." He teased, laughing at her retort before shaking his head.  "Alright, alright, not that predictable.  Just a little." He corrected with a playful wink.

The bartender came around just then and asked what they'd like.  Watching Sophie he ordered her drink and then looked at the guy behind the bar.  "Jack and coke for me, please." The guy nodded and went off to mix their drinks.  "So, how you liking the city so far? This is your first time here, right? Or.. I guess not since your sister lives in the area.  You probably come a lot.  Did we talk about this?" He laughed feeling a little anxious.  "You know, you're better at this talking thing, maybe I'll hand you the reigns." Owen was okay with looking and sounding like an idiot, but maybe not before they got plastered.

[SOPHIE BEASLEY]

“Well, that depends.” Owen rested his elbow on the table, cradling his chin in his hand, and Sophie did the same, mimicking him with a mischievous smile and playfully narrowed eyes. “Do you want to get drunk fast or slow?” She giggled, surprised that he’d asked that. Most guys would automatically choose fast simply to get into her pants sooner. Maybe this guy really was worth knowing. “Slow,” she answered with quiet certainly, a playful twinkle in her eye. She wasn’t going to let him get away too quickly. “Alright, you look liiiike…hmm…Tequila sunrise? You look like a tequila girl.” Well that was a good guess! With a wide grin she nodded with satisfaction. “Why, yes I am. A tequila sunrise sounds great.” Owen nodded, looking a little smug. “Yeah, you’re pretty predictable.” Sophie’s mouth dropped open, aghast that he would suggest her being predictable—of course, she couldn’t completely hide the smile on her mouth. “Excuse me! You’re supposed to let me think I’m intriguing and mysterious!” He laughed in return and she had to silently adore the dimples in his cheeks and the way his face crinkled up with his smile. “Alright, alright, not that predictable. Just a little.” The wink he threw her made her heart skip a beat, though you wouldn’t know it from the playful narrowing of her eyes and she smiled at him. “Jerkface,” she mumbled empathically, obviously teasing from the childish way she said it.

As the bartender sidled up next to them, Sophie took a moment to make sure her bra wasn’t showing above the opaque line of her dress and was still tucked neatly beneath the scooping line of the low back. When Owen looked back to her, she gave a smile and leaned slightly against the bar. “So, how you liking the city so far? This is your first time here, right? Or…I guess not since your sister lives in the area. You probably come a lot. Did we talk about this?” The way his sentences all kind of ran together made Sophie grin, thinking it was cute that his anxiety was manifesting itself. “You know, you’re better at this talking thing, maybe I’ll hand you the reins.” She laughed, reaching a hand out to brush along his arm in a silent, flirtatious gesture of reassurance. “Oh, you’re fine. Nothing to be nervous about.” Giving a warm smile and making sure her eyes stayed firmly on his, she slowly let her hand fall back to her knee, hoping the sensation would linger like her gaze. “Actually, that’s kind of an interesting story. I hope you don’t mind if I maybe overshare just a little bit for a first date.” He assured her he didn’t and she nodded, smiling a little more.

“Well, my sister and I were adopted from Romania when we were babies. Actually, she was more like a toddler, but I was just a few days old. Anyway, we were placed in separate adoption agencies for some dumb reason and neither one of our families knew at the time that we had a sister. My parents found out when I was still really young, but Becca had already been adopted. They told me when I got older but I was too scared to go looking for her, you know? Well, Becca contacted her adoption agency a few months ago and got my name. She’s a cop so she looked me up in some national database and found out I lived not so far from her down in L.A. She grew up here. So she came to find me and ever since I’ve been trying to find a way to come up and visit. I found the story of this wonderful mall being built nearby and decided I could make that a story. As soon as my editor approved it I was making plans to be here for the month.” She grinned and lifted her hands to gesture around her playfully. “And here I am. I actually just arrived yesterday so Becca and I haven’t had time to meet up yet. She’s promised to show me around, though.” Cocking her head to the side, she gave him an inquiring look. “Your brother lives here too, right? Do you visit a lot? Or might you be long lost siblings just reunited as well.” She gave an amused grin, enjoying their playful banter. It didn’t even feel weird having said so much about herself that usually didn’t come out until a normal person had known someone longer. Then again, Sophie had never been good at hiding anything about herself.

[OWEN BROOKS]

Her hand came to his arm, sliding across it gently and somehow managing to excite all the parts below that gesture.  He was suddenly disappointed she was choosing the slow get-to-know-you route.  “Oh, you’re fine. Nothing to be nervous about.” He snorted and brushed her words away with a little hand wave, as if to say he wasn't really nervous, though he was a little.  More so he was wishing she put her hand back on his arm.  He liked that sort of open display of affection on a first date; it meant good news for later.  “Actually, that’s kind of an interesting story. I hope you don’t mind if I maybe overshare just a little bit for a first date.” Owen shook his head, his brain rising back up to his head.  "No, please." He encouraged, sitting back a little as their drinks arrived.

Owen found himself very interested in her story as she began. sort of liking how open she was even for a first date.  It was just drinks and she was going on about being adopted, and having this long lost sister.. It was the plot of a best selling book! He almost said that but decided to bite his tongue, at least for now, too engrossed in what she was saying.  Her story led all the way up to her coming into town and meeting him during her interview that afternoon.  “And here I am. I actually just arrived yesterday so Becca and I haven’t had time to meet up yet. She’s promised to show me around, though.” He shook his head in awe.  What a great story! He suddenly liked her more and almost wished his life had been that fascinating.  As it was, he was just the boring American Dream.  Well, sort of.. there was all that moving around..  “Your brother lives here too, right? Do you visit a lot? Or might you be long lost siblings just reunited as well.” He put his hands up and leaned further as if putting on the breaks.  "Whoa, whoa, whoa..." He stopped her with a laugh.  "You don't just drop a bomb like that and ask me about my life! You think anything I have to say can contend with that?!" He shook his head.  "No way, sister."  He took a sip of his drink and then focused on her again.  "What the hell even ran through your mind when you guys met up? I mean.. this is a movie!" He insisted, pleased with the amused look she gave him, falling in love with her cute smile.

Owen again listened as she went on, probing her with questions about her sister and how it affected her life, even learning a little about Becca too.  Apparently she'd been orphaned again and was dating a local cop, and though serious was pretty nice.  What cop wasn't serious? Owen had never met an overly friendly cop.  Despite his feelings towards authority, he was semi interested in meeting her sister.  A story like that was guaranteed to draw anyone in, and she had definitely hooked him.  He ordered another round of drinks, as they were both sucking at ice cubes now, and again she asked about his relationship with Gavin.  "Unfortunately I've been stuck with Gavin since the turd graced this earth." He informed her with a smirk.  "In seriousness I don't get up here nearly enough.  It's a pain to visit, and he's a little on the immature side, sooo when I do come it's usually just a lot of slacking off.  He's a bartender after all, so he's up late and sleeps in.  I'm not used to such a fun, carefree lifestyle." He sighed dramatically for effect.  He intentionally left out the part about his super hot girlfriend who he liked to gawk at, especially when she first wakes up.  Naked.  Even covered in a sheet you could see almost every curve..  Gina was sexier than Sophie, but this girl definitely had a cuteness about her than Gina lacked.  She was more girly, too.  A trait that Owen liked in a woman.  Not that Gina wasn't girly, but the girl was sort of a dude.

"I actually see my older brother more often.  He's geographically closer and he's multiplied so I like to see his kids.  Reminds me why I don't have any yet." He grinned broadly.  "Talking about kids on a first date is weird though, right? Let's not discuss that.. unless this isn't a date.  Want this to be a date?" He asked in a mock suave voice, being playful and he sipped his drink with faux seduction.  She agreed, as he knew she would and he reached out and touched her hand gently.  "Well good, date's are nice." He was being silly now, grinning at her before taking his hand back and sipping his drink, wanting to get drunker.  "So any other amazing stories I should know? You a volunteer with Peace Corps? Or have you found the cure for AIDS?"

[SOPHIE BEASLEY]

Owen puts his hands up to stop her and Sophie’s eyes widened slightly. “Whoa, whoa, whoa…You don’t just drop a bomb like that and ask me about my life! You think anything I have to say can contend with that?!” Sophie laughed, knowing it was some kind of bomb she’d dropped—like an A-bomb in her life. Owen shook his head and Sophie couldn’t help thinking how adorable he was. “No way, sister.” They both took sips while she shrugged her shoulders playfully. What could she say? She was full of surprises. “What the hell even ran through your mind when you guys met up? I mean…this is a movie!” She laughed again. “At least a B-list chick flick starring Jennifer Lawrence! No Lifetime movies for me, thank you very much!” She took another sip before continuing. “To be honest, I thought she was a stalker when I first met her.” Owen laughed and she leaned into him, touching his arm again with a wide smile. “It’s true! Let me set the scene here.” She proceeded to tell Owen all about meeting Rebecca in the grocery store, how happy and scared she felt all at the same time. If she was being perfectly honest with herself, she was still scared. After all of this time apart and growing in two different worlds, Sophie was terrified that she would say or do something stupid to fuck all of this up. Becca was blood, but Sophie was well aware she hadn’t given the cop much cause yet to trust her. Their relationship was still flimsy and it would take a lot of time and effort to strengthen it. But what if she couldn’t? She didn’t like to think about how much that would hurt her…

Sophie told Owen all about bringing Becca back to her apartment in L.A., how they had talked for hours about their lives and their goals. She told him about Becca’s cautious but kind nature and the little bit about what she’d said of her boyfriend, Jack. Whatever shameful secrets Becca might have told her, she kept private, though. The last thing she needed to do was air out Becca’s dirty laundry for her—talk about losing trust! From the sheer amount of talking Sophie was doing, she quickly drained her glass and Owen ordered them new drinks. She took advantage of the moment to turn the attention from her once more. “What about your brother? What’s he like? Are you two close? I imagine your relationship isn’t as new and exciting as mine.” She giggled playfully and Owen smirked. “Unfortunately I’ve been stuck with Gavin since the turd graced this earth.” Sophie laughed heartily. That definitely sounded like something a big brother would say! How different would she talk about Becca if they had grown up together? “In seriousness I don’t get up here nearly enough. It’s a pain to visit, and he’s a little on the immature side, sooo when I do come it’s usually just a lot of slacking off. He’s a bartender after all, so he’s up late and sleeps in. I’m not used to such a fun, carefree lifestyle.” She giggled, picturing his little brother. Could he be as charming as Owen was? If he was a bartender, she would imagine so—you had to be a certain kind of person to enjoy a job like that and to thrive in it. “Life must be so rough for successful architects working under other successful architects,” she sighed playfully before grinning. In truth, she couldn’t stand a slow-paced lifestyle. She had far too much energy for that!

“I actually see my older brother more often.” She raised her eyebrows. He had another brother? “He’s geographically closer and he’s multiplied so I like to see his kids. Reminds me why I don’t have any yet.” Sophie grinned as Owen did, totally understanding the sentiment. She imagined he would be good with kids, though. He seemed like such a playful, energetic guy, someone who wouldn’t tire of playing with the kids easily. “Talking about kids on a first date is weird though, right? Let’s not discuss that…unless this isn’t a date. Want this to be a date?” The way he asked in his mocking suave voice and then sipped his drink with faux seduction made her laugh again. She loved a guy that could make her laugh. Shrugging her shoulders, she leaned more heavily on her elbow on the bar. “I suppose,” she replied with playful nonchalance. His hand reached out and took hers and for the first time in a long time, Sophie’s heart jumped into her throat for a beat. “Well good, dates are nice.” A wide smile slowly spread across her face and she nodded as she gazed at Owen with warm, intrigued eyes. “Yes, they are,” she agreed softly, a teasing note in her voice. Too soon his hand drew away and she felt the sudden urge to lean in and kiss him. The only way to stop herself from doing it was to take another sip of her drink. Alcohol was beginning to warm her veins, a feeling she thoroughly enjoyed. It would be nice to be looser around Owen, freer to her impulses.

“So any other amazing stories I should know? You volunteer with Peace Corps? Or have you found the cure for AIDS?” Sophie’s eyebrows furrowed playfully, her lips pouting out in mock thought. “Not quite, but I’m almost there. You see, I run a lab out of my apartment. I use it to cook meth, but on the side I do AIDS research.” Grinning, she was sure he knew she was kidding, but she decided to clarify. “Like a meth head could do research and keep her mouth as clean as mine. Alas, I decided against becoming a drug lord—it didn’t seem like a good life decision. I could be wrong.” She shrugged with exaggeration before smiling wide. “Instead I would say my most surprising hobby is building computers.” Owen looked genuinely surprised and intrigued and she nodded proudly. “Yep! I’m a total geek. I love breaking computers down and then building them better. The problem is that all computers these days are just made on an assembly line with what the manufacturer assumes are the best cheap products they can put on the market for a decent return. It has very little to do with how well certain parts work together and how efficient you can make it—most people won’t pay for that kind of optimal quality and companies don’t want to shell out the money for that kind of product. So I experiment and piece parts together to make better, faster, smarter machines. But my friends also like it because they can just come to me when their computers break down.” She grinned, basking in the impressed look he gave her. “Oh, and I’m also a pianist. I actually play pretty regularly at a coffee shop near my apartment and a couple blues and jazz clubs. I play most weekends and couple weeknights here and there.” It was beginning to sound like she was bragging and she tucked her hair behind an ear modestly. “Yeah, I’m kind of ADD.” She giggled, wrinkling her nose cutely. “What about you, Owen? I bet you have some pretty impressive hobbies like sky diving every weekend or restoring antique cars. Drug lord, perhaps?” She gave him a cutely wide-eyed and curious look, turning her head to the side as she did so to make it so that she was side-eyeing him. A smile soon broke out, though, and she leaned in a little to hear more about Owen. She talked to damn much!

[OWEN BROOKS]

“Not quite, but I’m almost there. You see, I run a lab out of my apartment. I use it to cook meth, but on the side I do AIDS research.” He had to grin in return, liking her style.  She was witty, a quality he rather enjoyed in his women.  Well, anyone he was sharing company with to be honest.  “Like a meth head could do research and keep her mouth as clean as mine. Alas, I decided against becoming a drug lord—it didn’t seem like a good life decision. I could be wrong.” He nodded sagely, "You could be.." He agreed, swirling his cup as he feigned seriousness.  She shrugged and smiled wide, giving him that funny squirming feeling in his stomach.  “Instead I would say my most surprising hobby is building computers.” Now that wasn't what he expected to hear, and his facial expression showed it.  Sophie nodded very proudly knowing she had stumped him.  She wasn't so predictable after all!

“Yep! I’m a total geek. I love breaking computers down and then building them better. The problem is that all computers these days are just..." Owen knew a little about computers, but not much.  He worked with them often, but never did he take them apart or rebuild them.  He had a few buddies who did that as a hobby, and they talked about all sorts of websites they've used to help with that.  Figures he'd find a girl into the same thing.  She was slowly proving she was more like one of his guys than some girl he'd thought of banging.  “Oh, and I’m also a pianist. I actually play pretty regularly at a coffee shop near my..."  As enraptured as he was, Owen couldn't believe how much this girl talked and how quickly she was able to move from one topic to the next, and with such ease! There was no awkward transition, just a smooth sort of jump from topic to topic.  He supposed that was why she was a writer.  “Yeah, I’m kind of ADD.” She giggled, and he had to laugh in return.  "I see that." It didn't bother him in the least that she was dominating the conversation.  He actually enjoyed hearing her go on and on.  Strangely, it made him wonder how vocal she got once the lights went off.  That would be either amazing or annoying.. 

“What about you, Owen? I bet you have some pretty impressive hobbies like sky diving every weekend or restoring antique cars. Drug lord, perhaps?” He scolded himself for thinking about her in bed again, and did his best to keep his brain in his head where it belonged.  "A drug lord never reveals his secrets on the first date." He teased with a flirtatious wink, sipping his drink and and reclining back before he started.  "Well, I don't think anything I say could beat your hobbies.  I mean, I don't know jack about computers, other than how to use one for work and playing on the internet a little.  And you might not want to set me in front of a piano, or any other instrument for that matter.."  He sipped his drink again and the pushed his lips to the side. "Weelll... I'm good at picking on my brothers, does that count for anything?" She assured him it counted, but it wasn't much in the way of a hobby, though Owen certainly considered it to be one.  Especially picking on Ryan.. man, that kid lost out big time in the brains department.

"I'm a master paintballer." He bragged, trying to sound cool and smooth.  "Yep, I can make a headshot from nearly a mile away." It was an obvious exaggeration, but he went with it.  "I like going to sporting events.  Football and hockey mostly, and as long as you're a Raiders fan and a Sharks fan, this date can continue.  I don't think I want to know the answer though.  No.. no keep it to yourself for now, because if you're not, I'm going to be really disappointed for having to walk out that door, especially when I've barely gotten you drunk at all." His charming smile came back before he continued.  "I play a little football from time to time, usually at holidays when the family gets together.  Used to play a bit of High School ball." He gushed as if this is some major accomplishment, pulling up his muscles for her to see.  "These guns are dangerous." He teased, making a muscle before pulling his arm back and frowning.  "Oh fuck, I just turned into that guy! I'm not trying to impress you with my arms, trust me.. that was a joke.  I have more impressive parts of me."  He realized what he said as soon as he said it and looked down at the bar, laughing a little embarrassingly.  "I don't mean physically.  Well, I mean.. no, that wasn't what I meant though."  He licked his lips, surprising himself with how much he was tripping over his own words tonight.  "You know, I'm usually a whole lot better at this talking thing.  It's got to be you.  Something about you, Beasley."  He drowned his drink, hoping the liquor would kick in sooner rather than later so he could calm the hell down. 

[SOPHIE BEASLEY]

“A drug lord never reveals his secrets on the first date.” Owen winked and Sophie grinned, nodding her head. “Wise words.” He reclined a little in his chair and Sophie wondered if she would have a chance to get him to recline like that in her bed. From the way she seemed able to fluster him, she’d say there was a good chance. “Well, I don’t think anything I say could beat your hobbies. I mean, I don’t know jack about computers, other than how to use one for work and playing on the Internet a little. And you might not want to set me in front of a piano, or any other instrument for that matter…” Sophie giggled as she sipped her drink. She was a special case and she knew that—not many people were blessed and cursed with an attention span as flexible as hers. “Weelll…I’m good at picking on my brothers, does that count for anything?” Nodding thoughtfully, she tipped her chin up in consideration. “I think so!” she piped playfully, smiling afterward. If she’d had grown up with a sibling, she’d probably have that same hobby. As it stood, it was kind of difficult to pick on Rebecca—she was a cop and Sophie was afraid her big sister would hate her if she messed with Rebecca too much. She was about to coax more hobbies out of Owen when he continued on his own. “I’m a master paintballer. Yep, I can make a headshot from nearly a mile away.” She laughed at his boastful tone. “That’s pretty impressive!” she giggled. Maybe he would take her paintballing one of these days!

“I like going to sporting events. Football and hockey mostly, and as long as you’re a Raiders fan and a Sharks fan, this date can continue. I don't think I want to know the answer though. No…no keep it to yourself for now, because if you're not, I'm going to be really disappointed for having to walk out that door, especially when I've barely gotten you drunk at all.” Sophie grinned from ear to ear, resting her chin in her palm as her elbow rested on the bar. So he was a sports guy. It just so happened that she was a Raiders fan, but she’d never really gotten into hockey. For someone as cute as Owen, though, she might have to. "I play a little football from time to time, usually at holidays when the family gets together. Used to play a bit of high school ball." She almost launched into her love of soccer and the scholarship she’d gotten for it, but was thrown off by Owen lifting his arm and flexing with a playfully boastful grin. “These guns are dangerous.” Sophie’s eyebrows furrowed as her smile grew, giving him an uncertain look. She was definitely amused by his flexing though, and his corny joke. It seemed he’d taken her look the wrong way, however, and he frowned. "Oh fuck, I just turned into that guy! I'm not trying to impress you with my arms, trust me…that was a joke. I have more impressive parts of me." Now her eyebrows rose almost up to her hairline, a flirtatious and pleasantly surprised smile spreading slowly across her lips. He, on the other hand, laughed with embarrassment as his eyes fell to the bar. "I don't mean physically. Well, I mean…no, that wasn't what I meant though." His tripping was adorable and she bit her lip to keep from positively gushing over him. "You know, I'm usually a whole lot better at this talking thing. It's got to be you. Something about you, Beasley." It had been a long time since someone had called her by her last name and she found it completely endearing. He was drowning himself in his drink, but she couldn’t resist anymore. “You’re so adorable.” She touched his upper arm and leaned into him smoothly.

Her lips pressed against his warm cheek and Sophie noticed how freaking good Owen smelled. Whatever his cologne was, it was like the flame and she was the moth drawn to it. Hell, he was the flame. When her mouth pulled back, she stayed close to mutter in his ear softly. “I’m sure there are plenty impressive parts to you.” Leaning away from him again, her coy, flirtatious grin matched the enticing look in her eyes as he turned to gawk at her. Just the look on his face made her giggle and she took a sip of her drink once more to hide the fact that her adrenaline was pumping now. There was something about hitting on sexy men that gave her such a rush. And she loved seeing the way she riled them up, like the way Owen was looking at her now. But of course she wasn’t done toying with him yet. It was time to draw this conversation back for now. “You’re not the only one with dangerous guns, you know. I actually got a scholarship to go to college and play soccer.” She gave a shrug with playful nonchalance. “I was kind of a big deal. They called me Beezy.” Grinning, she was certain Owen would now take to that nickname. “Did you have any silly nicknames from doing sports? Or that your brothers called you? How many brothers do you have, anyway?” There were so many things she wanted to know before she teased him again.

[OWEN BROOKS]

“You’re so adorable.” Not the answer he was expecting, but it would do just fine.  The corner of his lip quirked up a bit, especially as she laid her hand on his arm, leaning into him.  Maybe he should sound like an idiot more often.  That wouldn't take much effort.  She moved in and pecked his cheek and he wished he'd been clever enough to move his head to the side to allow her access to his lips instead.  It would have been a suave move.  Or was that the liquor starting to talk?  “I’m sure there are plenty impressive parts to you.” Her words affected him precisely in the sense they were meant to.  Sophie's breath was warm and moist on his ear, the flirtatious words pulling him in further, traveling like electricity to his groin and wanting desperately to show her some more of his "impressive parts".

She had a coy smile on his face, and it took more will power than he was willing to admit not to jump the gun and tell her she was welcome to explore any of his parts she found potentially impressive.  He had to try and focus on making conversation; decent conversation, not the kind that would get him in trouble though he had the feeling that Sophie was welcoming him to make a little trouble now.  The deal was practically sealed in his books.  In a few drinks she would be dragging him upstairs, he knew it.

“You’re not the only one with dangerous guns, you know. I actually got a scholarship to go to college and play soccer.” And the intense flirting was over.  For now, anyway.  Owen tried to tame the beast in his pants, but it was too late; he was now sitting with a very uncomfortable crotch and he wasn't brave enough to adjust himself, nor could he be subtle at this angle.  "Oh yeah?" He quipped.  "You played the field?"  She gave a little shrug, obviously ignoring his silly comment.  “I was kind of a big deal. They called me Beezy.”  If Owen had to guess, he would say she was still sort of a big deal.  She did write, after all. And in his book she was definitely a big deal.  He snorted for her sake, laughing at her nickname and finding it cute, storing it for later when it would be useful.  “Did you have any silly nicknames from doing sports? Or that your brothers called you? How many brothers do you have, anyway?” The infamous brother question.  She would love this..

"Well, there was plain old Brook, which my teammates in high school loved because it was a girls name." He pointed out.  "Uhh.. other than that, not much else.  Owen's sort of a short name.  Not much you could shorten it to, other than Oh, which plenty of girls called out to me, yah know.. privately." He offered a playful wink and a grin, glad when she laughed back so he didn't sound as much like a tool as he feared.  "But uhh.. brothers, brothers.. weeelll.. There's Jordan then me, then Ryan and last is little Gavin, who is the brother I'm currently visiting." She was verbally impressed with the amount of testosterone in his family and he grinned.  "Now you know why I'm so good at picking on brothers; I've got two little ones, both with IQ's similar to bricks." He laughed and shook his head when she insisted it probably wasn't true.  "No, Gavin's actually really smart.  You'd never know it when you met him since he bartends, and I sure as hell wouldn't tell him, but he graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering and got a great job fresh out of school.  He was engaged and about to buy a house.. it was just too much too quick and his fiance wasn't right for him.  His new girls is much more his speed and I actually think he might go back to engineering, which would be good. Jordan is a nurse, so of course we all tease him relentlessly, but he's got a sweet wife and some seriously good kids. And Ryan.. you may have actually heard of Ryan, but if I tell you who he is, don't ask for an interview because I swear, it won't be very good." She insisted, of course, and he grinned.  "He plays for the US men's national soccer team."