Havoc

@ Dandy Darling;
Charlie felt the air hitch in her throat when he took the bait, something she never thought he would do. When his fingers graced her thigh, she felt goosebumps travel all the way up to her arms and she, for the first time in her life, was willing to skip dinner. She watched him with a lot of tension, her usually wit silenced by how abruptly he had changed his tune. His usual formal and controlled manner had shifted into something darker (and quite frankly sexier) that she wasn't ready to handle. She suddenly felt insecure and began questioning all the experiences he has had that she has not; she had that special little star by her name.

When they arrived at the restaurant, Charlie could have cut the tension with a knife and once she was alone in the car for a fraction of a second, she actually breathed. No one, not a single client or significant other, had ever knocked her off her game like that. She composed herself as quickly as possible, smiling and sliding her arms around his biceps again. She was obsessed with feeling him, it seemed and it was all she thought about until they arrived inside the restaurant.

The place was so ornate, the ceiling were glowing with golden lights and there was soft Italian guitar being played in the back. She looked around at the women here: confident, tall, sexy with Dirty Martinis and dirtier thoughts. She glanced down at herself, reminding herself that she actually looked like she belonged here whether or not she could hold a conversation was entirely different, but she looked like she belonged on this man's arm. Even the hostess possessed a sort of elegance that Charlie was only imitating and she cast a nervous glance to Mr. Langston though he wasn't looking.

She shook her head, trying to find her center again and her playful charm. "You know, honey," she said a smirk, "I do think I'm missing just the most vital part of being Mrs. Langston," she commented, holding out her hand for him as the hostess walked away. "What a shame," she said with a sigh. She needed a drink if she was going to keep this up, this rouse. She looked at him and he was practically smoldering and she wondered why or how she was ever going to make it through dinner with him looking at her like that. Fuck, she thought and in every sense of the word.

@ honeysucklelips

Derek took the opportunity to raise her outstretched hand to his lips, specifically kissing her ring finger. "Don't worry, darling. I will buy you the loveliest ring," He teasingly reassured her, pulling away from her hand slightly. "Everyone will know that you belong to me," He whispered just loud enough for Charlie to hear before wrapping her hand around his bicep once more. Offering her one last grin, he escorted her to their table. Derek was sure to be a gentleman by holding her chair out for her, allowing his hand to graze her shoulders for a split second. Indeed, he did enjoy playing this game.

"Can I get you something to drink, sir, madam?" The waiter approached, glancing back and forth between Derek and Charlie. It was clear that he was Italian from his accent, adding more to the ambiance of the restaurant. For once, Derek locked eyes with Charlie, allowing her to pick what she wanted. This dinner would be about leveling the playing field, ignoring their typical hierarchy. Derek was going to take this time to truly learn more about Charlie and understand her as a person as opposed to ready her for a client. Would he even consider this a date? Perhaps.

Once she ordered, he requested a top shelf whiskey on the rocks. "I recommend anything on the menu, honestly. This is my favorite restaurant in the city," He stated, letting his piercing eyes peak out from behind the menu. Derek was beginning to notice the effect that he had on her. His usual business demeanor only seemed to bore her in comparison to his true self. Charlie began to shift away from his gaze, or he catch a glimpse of a light heat rising in her cheeks. It was amusing that he had been able to break her smug, witty attitude. There were fewer snide remarks or comebacks as well.

@ Dandy Darling;

Charlie smiled, enjoying being kissed somewhere where she had never been kissed before, even if it was all a joke. She almost shivered when he took claim of her because it was far different from being his employee, it was again darker and sexier than she had ever seen him. She felt herself get goosebumps from the excitement. Whatever it meant to be his, she was very interested in. She almost needed to find out what it meant. When he directed control back to her, she raised her (newly) sculpted brow before smiling.

"A cosmo, please," she said before offering another small smile as the waiter left.

Her eyes skimmed the page, all the names of the dishes were in Italian which would be frustrating had her grandmother not lived in Italy for most of her life. Though Charlie was far from fluent, food was a language that all Italians spoke. She looked up at him when he offered his suggestion and she giggled a little. "All of this food is nothing compared to my Nonna's. She makes everything so perfectly that I can barely get Italian out anymore. I'll do my best to judge lightly." She didn't look up as she spoke, but continued scanning the menu, trying to decide.

"But, I'll probably get the Eggplant Rollatini," she muttered. "Vegetarian," she added, pointing to herself. When the waiter returned with their drinks, she was almost grateful for it. She needed to relax a little, but nerves had her wound so tight that she wasn't sure why she was spewing all these useless facts about herself. It was obvious they didn't know anything about each other, she didn't even remember his first name, but that didn't mean she had to tell him everything 5 minutes into dinner.

@ honeysucklelips

That was a piece of information that he had just acquired, so she was Italian. Although, from her last name, it was quite obvious. "I'm sure that it isn't the same as homemade Italian food, but it's definitely a close second," He offered, letting his eyes roam the list. And she was a vegetarian. Those were two facts that he learned within a span of a few minutes. "Like I said, anything here is amazing. I hope it lives up to your expectations though," Derek reiterated, placing down the menu. He had settled on the mushroom risotto for his main course as the waiter set down their drinks. After he thanked him, the waiter requested to take their orders.

"And I will have the mushroom risotto," He answered after her response, collecting Charlie's menu for the waiter to take. The waiter then disappeared off to relay their orders in the kitchen, leaving them to themselves. Derek took a sip of his whiskey, feeling the burn of it slipping down his throat. "Maybe you could cook for me sometime then. Show me why your grandmother's recipe trumps the best Italian food on the market," He offered with a small smile. In all of his life, Derek had a homemade meal maybe two to three times. Other than that, it was always a private chef that was making his meals.

"I suppose it's only fair that I share some information about myself," He settled on, considering that he knew considerably more about her. It was mostly from her file, but Derek wanted to learn more about her organically. "I'm the eldest of three sons, and my great-great grandparents immigrated here from England," Derek started off, as if to respond to her heritage. "Oh, and it's Derek. My first name." It would be odd for her to continuously address him as 'Mr. Langston', reminding him of his position at the company. That was not the purpose of this dinner.

@ Dandy Darling;
Charlie smiled a little, "Oh god. I didn't inherit my Nonna's ability to cook at all, but I guess I could try. I'll call her and get a recipe," she said, with a smile. Cooking for her had always been a disaster; she once overcooked penne. She was a better food critique than cook, but even the offer made her stomach do an awkward flip. "She'd rather cook for you," she said, offering a giggle. She didn't even mean that flirtatiously, but that her Nonna would probably die if she brought a real live man home, like actually die.

Ordering seemed like a horrible intrusion to their soft conversation, be it formal. She liked watching the candle light flicker on his face and now she understood why people came out to restaurants like this. Maybe it was the alcohol or the ambiance, but either way, she couldn't wait to go home and see what happens. She wondered if she could jump his bones in the car or if they'd have to be even more controlled in front of someone who worked for him. Would that even matter? It's not like they would go back to the girl's house, they'd have to go to his house; she felt nervous again.

Charlie nodded as he spoke of his family though it was again formal and almost detached. She was sure it was a step for him to divulge anything personal, but he sounded like a robot even without the tie on. "Derek?" She said, caught by surprise. "I would have anticipated something like Charles or Henry," she said, lifting her pinky on her glass. "I know your father, I suspect it was your mom who named you then. True?" She asked, quirking a brow. She took another large sip of alcohol, these nerves were something she never felt before and she needed to numb them asap.

@ honeysucklelips

"Do your best," He encouraged since he would eat anything she made. If given the chance, he would eat her, too, but that was a secret. "But I would rather have you cook for me," He corrected her, chuckling lightly. It would mean little if her grandmother cooked for him, even if it was the best tasting Italian food. "Okay, we'll make it a date then," Derek concluded as his grin evolved into a smile. The idea of them spending intimate time together twisted his stomach into a knot.

With the booze working into his system, it helped Derek relax and pry off the professional hat that seemed to be glued to his head. He liked the way his name rolled off of her tongue and wanted her to say it more. It was more pleasant than hearing 'Mr. Langston' all the time since it made him feel like some old fart. "Oh, god. My father wanted to name me Thomas or, even worse, John the second," He shook his head, dreading the mere idea of that. "Bless my mother for talking some sense in him." Derek let out an exasperated sigh, taking another sip of his drink. After one or two more of these, he could be considered a drunk but a functioning one. There was reason why he had hired a driver in the first place.

He wondered what type of questions Charlie had swimming around in her head for him. Most of the time, he had no idea what took place inside of her mind, except for her witty remarks. Did she want him that same way he wanted her? "Ask away, Charlie," He prompted, readying himself.

@ Dandy Darling;
Charlie let out a delighted laugh when Derek began talking about his father. She had seen his father only as a business man, but to watch his son laugh about him made them both seem a little more human. She wanted to meet his mother, she seemed so unlike him and so distant from the world they lived in. She had never seen her once in the business, did she even know about it or was she a wife that watched her husband go to work with no questions asked?

"How did it all happen?" She asked, gesturing to herself. "You know, the business? It's not like someone hops off the boat from London and starts this kind of successful business and do you even like it?" She asked, the questions burning in her throat. Though she knew he didn't want to talk about work, this wasn't exactly about work; it was history. She wanted to know all of it, how it started, how it's going, how he feels. It seemed like such a strange way to make money and how had they kept it either legal or under the wraps.

While she wanted it to be a serious talk, she also needed to remind him of the fun so she slipped her foot out of her heel and worked it up his leg with a smirk. "Take your time with the answer," she commented, taking a sip of her drink.

@ honeysucklelips

Digesting her questions, Derek began to formulate the answer until he felt something, a foot, slithering up his leg. It brought a smirk to his face at their little game underneath the table. "From what I've been told, I think the idea started off back in London in the early twentieth century. My great-great-however many greats grandfather promised women a passage to the States, if the women would work in return as payment. He was explicit with the type of work they would do and a lot of them agreed to it anyway. I guess just to escape the lives they had back in London," He explained, shrugging his shoulders slightly. It happened so long ago that Derek was sure that the story was slightly skewed. "A decent amount of government officials usually do business with us, so the laws ted to skip over the company. But that's just a secret between you and me." He placed a finger against his lips with a grin.

"I don't really feel like I have a choice in whether or not I like running the business," He sighed since this business was all he knew. While a typical child only stressed over the type of toy he wanted at the store, Derek was nose deep in textbooks that were at least several decades younger than him. He was groomed to be well-versed in anything and everything. "It was just.. drilled into my head as a kid that this was my future, so I never really had the chance to think about being an astronaut or a different profession." As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized how depressing it actually sounded. He was not aiming for some sort of sympathy from Charlie. "The money is a perk though," He nervously laughed before downing the rest of his whiskey.

Settling the emptied glass back onto the table, he shifted it off to the side for the waiter to refill at the next opportunity. He was going to need a few more of those. "What about you, Charlie? What is your family like? I can already tell that you have a soft spot for your Nonna," Derek offered a small smile, wanting to move away from the topic of the family business.

@ Dandy Darling;
Charlie nodded thoughtfully, appreciating the idea, but also feeling a little disgusted with a gilded world of politics. She obviously knew it wasn't exactly 'honest work' that she and Derek were involved in, but she figured they were simply clever. Though, she supposed that being able to get law makers on your side is rather clever. She had to appreciate the business aspect of it all and at the very least, thank God for the money. So, at least they had that in common.

Charlie sort of smiled thinking of Nonna, but her family history was always tainted with a sting of sadness. "My parents died when I was a baby, I don't even remember them," she said, finishing her drink as well. "So, she raised me. I dropped out of highschool when I was 15 and your father let me stay at home with her until I was 18." She always wondered, though she did appreciate it, if it was safer for her to stay at home while she was a minor. "But, I can do some useful stuff like sewing and I can make really good gingerbread cookies. I speak a little Italian. Anyway, most of my money goes to my grandma. She doesn't ask how I get it, I think it just helps."

She glanced down at her hands. Her nerves had again revealed some things about herself that should have stayed secret. "I don't need any pity though. I'm not the only one with a sob story. I don't mean any offense, but you don't become your employee because life was good to you," she added with an apologetic tone. When the waiter refilled both their drinks, Charlie took such a large swig that the alcohol burnt her throat. She slipped her foot back into her heel, it didn't feel like a good time right now.

@ honeysucklelips

Well, they both had somber background stories, and Derek could understand Charlie not wanting to receive any type of pity. "Don't worry about it. I understand where you're coming from. The whole entire experience kind of shapes the person you are today. Besides, I don't want people feeling sorry for the way my life turned out, because there sure as hell are people worse off in the world," He nodded, grateful that the company had done that for her. Although, her situation was much worse than his was. Learning her backstory, Derek was able to view her as another person as opposed to an employee on a list with a special star. All her file had stated was that she joined at the age of fifteen and had special circumstances that allowed her to stay at home until eighteen. "It's really sweet of you to do that. I'm sure that she appreciates it," Derek nodded his head, viewing her in a different light.

Charlie was far from the stereotypical prostitute that most people would depict her as. There was a purpose in doing this. A real reason why she had landed herself in this business. This separated her from the rest of girls. It was clear within the ring that most of the girls were without a home and were addicted to drugs, addicted to alcohol, runaways, depressed, etc, but the company had another program that was geared toward getting them clean. That was the reason why they had joined, but Charlie did it because it was the only thing she could do to take care of her family. Derek personally related to that, knowing he would do practically anything for his family. All he could do was sit on the sidelines as the cancer destroyed his father.

He thanked the waiter when he returned with another round of drinks, taking a large gulp of the liquor. It was clear that the mood suffered, especially when Charlie's touch disappeared. He reached out across the table to place his hand on top of hers, giving it a light squeeze of reassurance without saying a word.

@ Dandy Darling;
Charlie felt relief at being understood, it felt, for the first time in a long time. She looked up at his face, again admiring the way the candlelight flickered on his chiseled feature, after he squeezed her hand. It was this type of affection that Charlie almost felt unworthy, but if anything completely confused by. She almost wanted to recoil, but she knew he was trying to offer her comfort to something he had no control over.

"I am sorry about your father," she added, "He is a lovely man." She knew that what she was saying as comforting as the squeeze he had just given her, but she offered the condolences nonetheless. She had seen Derek and his father interact just barely as his father retired soon after she moved into the house, but you could tell that they both respected each other as much as they loved each other. Charlie also remembered how kind his father treated her, often talking to her like she was his child. As someone who lacked any sort of fatherly presence in her life, she would never forget those moments even if they were only moments.

"I'm also sorry for what I said last night. I think your father is proud." She had begun regretting what she said as soon as they had started dinner. She never thought of the pressure and shadow that he must live in until now. Nor did she ever consider that Derek had anything bad happen to him in his life. She was blinded by the money and the grandeur that was his childhood. Now, it was clear that a childhood was the last thing he had, but rather, he had training.

Charlie moved her hand from beneath his finally to take a long sip of her drink. Her head was beginning to rush from the champagne of the day combined with the Cosmos of the night. She felt the strange sadness that had settled over them and almost wanted to laugh. "I suppose I'm a complete failure as far as being the perfect arm candy for this client. I'm sure he doesn't want to hear about my life."

(I WROTE THIS WHOLE THING AND MIBBA CRASHED AND DIDN'T POST IT.)

@ honeysucklelips

(THAT'S HAPPENED TO ME BEFORE. I INTERNALLY CRY WHEN IT DOES.)

Derek returned a small nod of appreciation for her statement, but it did little to replace the pain of the fact that his father was due any day now. Watching her expression shift, he could see his gesture did little as well. It was true though. His father was a hardworking, generous man whom everyone respected. Filling his shoes would be practically impossible since John was irreplaceable. The expectations weighed heavily on Derek's shoulders to the point where he felt as though the world was on his back. Every single compliment only added to the pressure, even though he knew every word spoke the truth. The candle light softened their hardened expressions, offering a small solace of comfort.

"It's fine, Charlie. I was in the wrong, too, and I wish I could take back everything I said," He apologized once more. If he had known an iota of her backstory, Derek would have refrained from saying anything along those lines. She was the furthest thing from a piece of merchandise merely for purchase and needed to be treated that way, making the idea of handing her over to Anderson all the more difficult. He wished he could just call up Anderson right now and say that the deal was off. That would go against his father's last wish though, creating an internal struggle.

He retracted his hand back over toward his side of the table and took another sip of the drink. Soon, Derek would need a third one, but the waiter was no where in sight. The liquor made him relax and realize just how pathetic this dinner was turning into. Despite starting out on a high of flirting and the occasional touch, they were currently at a low. "Honestly, the guy is a complete asshat, and not all the money in the world would be enough to deserve you." The words slid straight out of his mouth, but Derek felt no regret for allowing them to. It was all the truth.

"Enjoy. Would you like another round?" The waiter questioned as he slid the food in front of the two. Derek barely noticed that the waiter had approached them, tearing them out of their personal bubble. He knew that he needed another one and gave a small nod of the head. Once again, he reminded himself that he was not driving back to his house.

@ Dandy Darling;
Charlie smiled, a sort of sad smile, when Derek complimented her. If he really thought, why was she merchandise then? Before she could speak, she was interrupted by the waiter with their food and realized just how starving she was. When they both ordered more drinks, she thought now would be really good time to lighten the mood. She could go on and on talking about this client, but why? What was the pointing of soiling such really beautiful chemistry they had going? Wouldn't it be more fun to lose her little star with someone that electrified her versus someone that pays for it?

"Listen, I'm a little nervous about trying this because I can feel myself being judgmental. You try it first?" She asked, cutting a piece and leaning over the table towards him. The table was small enough to cover the space between them in a second and her dress was low cut enough to show just enough at this angle. It was better this way. Dinner wasn't a time for sad talks and awkward silences. Honestly, her Nonna would be ashamed of how she had failed at this dinner, at a handsome man like him. Wrap him up and take him home, she would say, and don't ever let him go.

@ honeysucklelips

Derek inhaled the aroma of his risotto and his stomach grumbled in response. Their conversation was leaving him hungry in more ways than one. "I'm sure it tastes incredible, but if you insist," He trailed off, glancing down to take a sliver of the rollatini. As his fork pierced into it, Derek paused at his vantage point. It was a perfect angle to view the way her dress plunged to reveal a v-shaped window of skin before disappearing beneath the fabric. After a moment passed, Derek placed the forkful of eggplant into his mouth, chewing and swallowing. The flavors invaded his mouth, and he gave a nod of approval. Although, it was more so to her than the food. "It's amazing as predicted," He concluded, drifting his eyes back to meet her gaze.

Feeling the atmosphere beginning to lighten, he wanted to further focus on getting this dinner back to its original light-hearted mood. "Want a piece of mine?" He offered, gesturing toward his plate. Derek wished that he could keep Charlie all to himself, pulling her off of the list forever. That violated rule number one of his father's to not become emotionally involved with any of the girls though. At this point, it was far too late to deny the chemistry between them. There was an automatic pull that Derek felt whenever he laid eyes on her. He admired her true, radiant smile, which was completely different than the ones that her clients saw. He enjoyed her sassy, witty comebacks that always seemed to follow anything he said. He desired to wrap his hands around her bodacious curves and own them. He wanted her.

@ Dandy Darling;
Charlie cut into her eggplant and took a bite and she actually felt like her Nonna had cooked for her. She was pleasantly surprised though her pride would forbid her from every telling anyone, especially her Nonna, that she ate home cooked Italian food at a restaurant. "You're right," she commented in response. When he offered his food, Charlie simply reached across the table and snagged a bite without his offering. She took a bite and giggled, despite the food in her mouth. She was sure she had dropped spaghetti sauce and her sexual allure had diminished with the girly act, but she really couldn't help herself.

"You know," Charlie commented, setting her fork down. She took her drink and finished it swiftly. "I think that I've had a lot to drink and I'm not exactly hungry anymore. We could always get these to go," she said with a playful smirk. She wondered if he felt the same way, or if maybe it was all the alcohol, but she really couldn't focus on eating anymore. She kept looking at him and the way his hair was slicked back practically perfectly. She wanted to peel down the rest of his buttons and kiss her way down as she went. Taking food in box at a restaurant like this was probably incredibly rude, but Derek had enough money that they'd probably still take his reservations. "What do you think?" She asked, that playful spark back in her eyes.

@ honeysucklelips

Derek grinned in response to her admittance since he took pride in his refined taste for food. Still, he would never turn down a home cooked meal by Charlie. "Oh, food napper," He accused in a joking tone as she swiped his food. In a similar fashion to this morning, the spaghetti dripped off the side of her mouth onto her chin as she relentlessly giggled. It was straight up adorable, and Derek could have cared less about their lack of table manners. "Hold up," He stated, wiping the leftover sauce with his thumb once more. This time though he licked the sauce off of his finger. "Not bad," He mumbled, pleased with their orders. Of course, he expected nothing less from his favorite restaurant.

As Charlie began to speak, he ate another forkful his risotto and listened to her proposal. It was quite tempting, especially with the multiple drinks clouding his judgement. Even without the alcohol, the offer was difficult to resist. "I think," He started off, downing the rest of his whiskey, "that's a great idea. I'll ask the waiter to put the rest of the food into a box. Don't want to waste it." Calling over the waiter, he received an odd look when he asked for a takeout box but adhered to the request. "The look on his face," Derek chuckled since it was priceless. A few moments later, the waiter returned with the bill and the two neatly packaged boxes inside of a black linen bag. "I hope you enjoy the rest of your evening, Mr. and Mrs. Langston," The waiter stated before moving off to the next table that was profusely calling for him. Derek paid for their dinner along with leaving a generous tip behind, believing that the night was well worth it.

"Mrs. Langston," He teased, holding out his arm for Charlie to take before heading down the elevator to valet parking. "Where to, Mr. Langston?" The chauffeur questioned and noticed their intoxicated state but made no move to say anything. This was a well-paid job after all. "Back to my house, please," He requested, feeling the anticipation starting to build. Derek could barely resist the urge to take her right in the back of the car, but he refused to have an audience.

@ Dandy Darling;
Charlie giggled along with Derek about the waiters face and anticipation built up in her stomach as they waited for their food to be returned. It was lavishly returned (as was expected in a place like this) and before long, Derek was offering his arm to her again. She felt silly for actually needing his arm for a little support or she might stumble; those drinks were stronger than she thought they were by far or perhaps they should have eaten. Charlie walked slowly, almost pacing herself as to not stumble in front of all of these rich and famous people, but most importantly to make sure Derek didn't think she was too drunk to make a decision

When he ordered them back to his house, she felt her stomach twist in knots and to hide her nerves, she buried her face in his chest. Derek's driver must know who she is, what they're doing. "You live alone?" She asked muffled against his chest and breathing in the scent of his cologne. It was intoxicating, the whole lot of it: the alcohol, the food, even the dismal conversation made him feel a little bit safer. She knew this is probably the best way to lose her virginity, with someone who had seen her, the first person who has seen her since she moved from home.

Nuzzling into his chest further, she managed to move his shirt over and start kissing his skin. She had a little less shame than him and probably a little less patience. The car ride was already starting to feel too long for either of them to still have clothes on. She wondered why she wasn't feeling nervous, but maybe that's the 'lowered inhabitations' that everyone talks about though she had never needed alcohol to perform before. It was only a few kisses before she moved back to resting her head on his chest. "And where do you live?" She added, mainly out impatience.

@ honeysucklelips

Escorting her out of the restaurant, he slowed as to not stumble over his own feet in his drunken state. Derek could hold his liquor pretty well, but three was starting to push his coordination skills. He could even feel a gentle tug coming from Charlie's side to steady herself. Maybe they were a little more intoxicated for their own good, but that thought did not cross Derek's mind. He surprised that he had been able to formulate the sentence to return home so articulately, or maybe it had come out as a slur. At the moment, he was not too sure.

Derek ran his fingers through Charlie's blonde, curled locks, enjoying the smoothness between his fingertips. "Mm, yeah. For a while now. I wanted to adopt a dog, but I could never take care of it with how much work I have," He digressed, wrapping the same arm around her shoulder now. The alcohol was making him an open book, lacking any kind of filter. Inhaling, the perfume she swore this morning still lingered, although faint. It reaffirmed that this was Charlie in his arms. Feeling her lips moving against his chest and collarbones, Derek sighed lightly and internally cursed the traffic that made the commute home even longer.

"I live in Manhattan. Not far," He reassured Charlie's impatience, glancing outside of the tinted window. Soon, he thought, soon. They were only one block from his penthouse, which left Derek with more to be desired. As if on cue, the driver pulled over toward the side to announce their arrival. "Thank you," He called through the partition before hastily exited the car, opening the door for Charlie. Once again, he escorted her up to the penthouse at the top of the fifty story building, giving them a breathtaking view of the city below them. Though, Derek did not give Charlie that much time to admire it as he scooped her up into his arms to bring her over to his bedroom.

@ Dandy Darling;
Charlie felt intoxicated in many different senses of the world and when they rode up into his penthouse, she realized just how different their lives were. She wondered how many women had been here or if any ever had. She wanted to take the city in, but she also wanted to take him in. The view would be here when they were done, it might be better with all the anticipation falling out. As he carried to his room, she laid messy kisses on his chest as she worked to buttons until his shirt.

When he dropped her on the bed, it was probably the softer bed and sheets she'd ever touched. Comforts galore in this penthouse and she relished in how it felt against her skin. She rolled over, "Unzip me," she muttered into her arms as she arched her back. There really wasn't any sense in wasting time, lest she lose her nerve to go all the way. Would he even ask? Did he remember what that would mean to the client? Would that diminish her value and did that even matter? All her drunken thoughts swirled around and she was starting to feel nervous again.

@ honeysucklelips

Derek dropped her down onto the bed and watched as her curls bounced against the springs. Even in the darkness of the room, she was breathtaking and that was with clothes on. As per her instruction, he grasped a hold of her zipper but paused instead of tugging it down. Derek could easily be classified as drunk, but he was certainly not about to force himself upon her. No matter how much he wanted her. No meant no. "Are you sure about this, Charlie? This is.. your first time," He softly asked, pausing any movement. If she gave him the go ahead, he would have a difficult time restraining himself. Of course, he would be try to be as gentle as possible, but did she really want her first time to be with him?

If he were not inebriated, maybe Derek would have taken a moment to ponder the repercussions of taking Charlie's virginity. Anderson would be furious, clearly ending their passive aggressive partnership, despite it currently hanging on by threads. Derek could easily overlook that. There was no great loss there. On the other hand, his father would clearly be disappointed and ashamed. It would break all of the rules that he had established for his son.