OOM: Oakville, Texas, 1888. Dinner.

[the_gene_genie]

Even by 70s standards, this place is basic. But it looks brilliant to him, because it's real - proper, authentic Old West chairs, and tables; wooden floor and burning candles, and the smell of the desert right outside the door. It'll do him. Anything else just wouldn't be the same.

They're shown to a table and he makes sure to sit opposite her. All very proper. There doesn't seem to be too many other people here, which is good, because he hasn't yet worked out what counts as inappropriate for her, and it'd be all too easy for him to open his big trap and say the wrong thing. All too easy to mess this up, and get her into trouble.

As soon as a waiter comes near, he says, 'Whiskey. Double, no ice. Two of 'em.'

The food can wait until after.

Comments

[the_gene_genie]

He normally doesn't go in for the shy and gentle types - probably wouldn't have gone for her if she was like that all the time. But now, it just adds to her intrigue; how can someone so ballsy the rest of the time, turn so demure when you get her on her own? It suggests layers he'll probably never understand, but wouldn't mind getting lost in for a while.

She's kissing him back, meeting him halfway, and tension in him disappears that he didn't know was there to start off with. This would be so much more difficult if he went through it wondering whether she really wanted it at all, even in spite of last night. His hand moves up from her waist to cover one breast, and when he pulls back slightly, he looks amused once more.

'This looks like it's goin' t'be even more difficult t'get you out of than what you were wearin' yesterday.'

Still. He's up for the challenge.

[ikissdhimbck]

She moves to hold his wrist when his hand envelops her breast. It's pure instinct, a flutter of nerves she couldn't quite contain. Her lips twitch, and her breath shudders as it leaves her mouth. Just the bare framework of a laugh.

"You have no idea."

He'll need his virility just to get him through the many patient minutes it will take to unwrap her, and unpin her hair.

[the_gene_genie]

He feels he is equal to the task. Maybe. Might require a strong drink and a fag break to make it out the other side though.

'If this weren't the first time, I'd suggest we jus' leave it on. Seein' as it doesn' seem t'come with an instruction manual.'

His hand squeezes lightly, while the other roams up her back, looking for...well, not a zip, clearly. Buttons, or fastenings, or laces of some sort. He didn't pay attention to the back of it while they were out, and now he's thinking he reallly should have.

[ikissdhimbck]

"Charmin'."

Another quiet exhale, and a shake of her head. His roaming hand isn't going to have much luck along that course. Her wine-colored dress is actually two pieces.

"Here."

She parts her black lace trim, making sure he's watching; and exposes a short row of cloth-covered buttons that descend from her low collar to her waist. She tugs at his sleeve to pull both of his hands to her front, gently guiding them to that first top button where she assists him in getting them undone.

"Lemme help you."

He'll probably be able to feel her heart beating through the layers.

[the_gene_genie]

He can, and it still feels odd, that evidence of nerves. If he's ever met a girl so edgy about this, he can't remember them. He supposes some of them might have been like this when they were teenagers but..well. Kate isn't all that far off being a teenager herself, which is a sobering thought. But she obviously wants this, to judge by the way she's helping with her buttons, so he's not about to talk himself out of it now.

'In a hurry?'

He kisses her again, pushing the two sides of the dress apart once the buttons are undone, resisting the temptation to yank at the layers underneath. It's early yet, they've time to take it slow and anyway, the anticipation is doing lovely things to the tension starting to amass in the depths of his belly.

[ikissdhimbck]

She doesn't have time to answer before he's kissing her again. It's just as well; it's easier to speak this way, even given the still lingering tension in her kiss, the reservedness that wasn't there the night before.

Her hands travel back up his forearms, seeking the friction to distract herself from his touch at her silk blouse. There's a short row of hooks at the back of her bustle skirt he'll be sure to find, carrying on along this path.

Kate pulls back suddenly. The walls and floorboards are creaking, accompanying the sound of footsteps down the hall. She angles her face slightly toward his door until the sounds pass.

[the_gene_genie]

She turns her head; he vaguely hears the footsteps but isn't worried about them, so takes the opportunity to press his lips to her neck. And he does find those hooks, but only after her shirt is open, and he touches them but doesn't open them yet. He wants her full attention before moving along.

'Gotta relax, luv. We're not makin' any noise. Nothing for anyone to hear.'

Yet.

[ikissdhimbck]

"I am relaxed."

She's also lying through her teeth.

The fine hairs at the back of her neck stand on end while he trails heat and moisture across her skin. Her hands slip under his jacket, palms flat against his chest. While the rest of her body is still, her fingertips trace the edge of his cravat.

[the_gene_genie]

'You can get that thing off me for a start.'

He has a dislike for things around his neck. And this is no time for feeling overdressed.

His teeth catch lightly on her earlobe, though he's smiling as well.

'An' you're a liar. Your heart's beatin' fit t'burst.'

[ikissdhimbck]

She pinches one end of the necktie and gives a quick tug, loosening the knot as his teeth latch onto her earlobe. She gasps softly, curling her free hand around the back of his neck.

"Fine. I'm a lil' tense."

She pulls in a few deep breaths, slipping one finger under the soft silk to loosen it bit by bit. Her nails very lightly scrape over his adam's apple.

[the_gene_genie]

'No need,' he murmurs, quiet in her ear.

'I'll look after you.'

He instinctively tips his head back a bit, both to help her and because he, unexpectedly, enjoys the feel of her nails there. And he does start on the hooks on her skirt now, popping them one by one; as soon as there's room, he slips a hand inside and squeezes her arse.

'Can' promise I'll help you be quiet...'

[ikissdhimbck]

A smile tugs at the corner of her mouth, and she's a little surprised when an exhale morphs into a quiet moan. She takes a half-step closer to him, pressing her hips up against his.

"That's not what I'm nervous about."

She loosens the first few buttons of his shirt and presses her lips to the hollow of his throat. Only now is she aware of how quickly she's breathing, as she hears the air hissing across his skin.




"Not entirely."

[the_gene_genie]

He makes a small, appreciative noise at the feel of her mouth on his skin, and the press of their bodies.

'...then what?'

He takes care of the last few fastenings without drawing attention to what he's doing, and starts to ease the skirt down. It's made a little harder by the way she's pushing up against him, but he figures she'll get the message.

[ikissdhimbck]

"I jus'..."

Her back arches when she feels his hands working to get the layers of red fabric off of her body. She pulls away from him, disentangling herself with care until only that white, silk blouse is left to cover her undergarments. Silk and lace knickers extend down her thighs, meeting the tops of her black silk stockings. The dull flash of candlelight off the gun still snug in her garter holds her attention for one moment longer.

Her hands curl around his jacket. She isn't sure how to answer him in a way that won't give off the wrong message, without having to explain why she feels as she does. Without having to talk about things neither of them want to hear right now.

"I jus' don't want things t'change between us after this."

She closes her eyes. As soon as the words are out of her mouth she regrets uttering them. It's more than that, but she's too stubborn — or too scared — to dig that deep into her emotions right now. She shakes her head, pushing his jacket off his shoulders.

"Never mind that; forget I — prattlin' on like a demented housewife. It's nothin'," she says, rising up on her tiptoes to kiss him with fervor.

[the_gene_genie]

Well, he never minds being kissed with fervour. But it won't stop him being confused, and that's why he looks confused when they stop, his hand still on her waist.

'How would things change?'

Either she means that she doesn't want things to be weird after this, or she doesn't want things to be any more serious after this. Neither of which he was exactly planning on, but some clarification on the issue would still be good.

[ikissdhimbck]

"It's not important."

Because it isn't either option. It's not even in the same realm as either option. She looks uncomfortable, so she keeps her eyes from his, fussing instead with the buttons on his waistcoat. It's a handsome waistcoat. She should tell him that.

"Jus' never mind it. S'not important."

She sounds more convincing each time she says it, as each time she convinces herself a little more.

"How is it I'm standin' here in my knickers, an' you're still fully dressed? Don't seem fair."

[the_gene_genie]

His hands close over hers, keeping them against his front but not letting them undo the buttons, or move away. Gentle, but firm.

'It's important now you're not tellin' me what it is.'

She should just spit it out. Quite apart from the fact that saying something like that and then refusing to elaborate is bloody annoying, there's also the added thing that if she's got bizarre expectations, he's not going to be able to relax until he knows what they are.

[ikissdhimbck]

She stills against him. Her head bowed, eyes resolutely fixed on those half-done buttons, she doesn't move for what seems like forever.

"I don't know if I can."

She's being completely honest. God damn it, she wishes she didn't have all that whiskey in her blood. Maybe then she could've kept quiet. Or at least...

"I don't ... Don't want you t'look at me different. Later on. I don't want you t'..."

She shakes her head. This is impossible.

"It's nothin'. It don't matter at this point; I shouldn't 've been flappin' my jaw."

[the_gene_genie]

'To look at you different.'

He looks blank.

'Why would I do that?'

Seriously.

[ikissdhimbck]

"You wouldn't."

She let's out a quiet burst of bitter laughter.

"'Cuz y'don't know what the hell I'm talkin' about."

She feels every bit as stupid as she imagines she looks right now. Halfway undressed and standing in the middle of his room is hardly the spot to have this kind of conversation. Jesus.

"An' this ain't how I was s'posed t' ... This isn't how tonight was s'posed t'go. Forget I said anythin', please. I can't explain it."

[the_gene_genie]

He takes a deep breath. No, this was not how things were supposed to go.

'Kate.'

Beat.

'Do you want to?'

[ikissdhimbck]

"Yes."

She looks at him at last.

"I jus' wasn't expectin' it t'happen this soon. An' I — I had this idea in my head that we'd have time t'get all this figured out."

That she'd have time to get this all figured out.

[the_gene_genie]

He holds her gaze, impassive.

Next, and last, question.


'Do you want to wait?'

[ikissdhimbck]

She shakes her head carefully.

Continuously.

Not even knowing the answer to that.


"It's a lil' late for that."

Isn't it?

[the_gene_genie]

He looks down at her, and then down at himself.

'Still dressed. Not in bed yet. It's no' too late.'

Unless this is some existential thing that he'll never understa...wait, of course it is. It's her. But what he means is, up until the moment he actually gets in her, it's never too late for her to say no.

He'd rather she didn't, obviously.