Once they departed, she took a slow walk home, trying to gather her thoughts about what had been discussed. Athan had asked her to lunch to discuss about getting back together; He wanted to try again. Had he said so sooner, maybe she wouldn’t have had as much to think about...but Colt…<br/><br/>She had feelings for Colt. She cared for Colt. With him, things were easier. He didn’t want to drink from her, he hadn’t wanted to hurt her, and he wanted her just as she wanted him. ...But she also wanted Athan. As much as it pained her to admit it, there was still a part of her that wanted to be with Athan, even if he’d hurt her. A larger part didn’t want to risk it again, and then there was the part that was asking her why she even considered it given what she had with Colt?<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Because it’s unfinished business…</span>Tempest answered for herself with a heavy sigh, feet scuffing lightly along the ground as she came to their building. Like when his name had come up with their conversation, she figured the conversation she needed to have with Colt would go much the same way, which she dreaded.<span style="font-style: italic">It needs to be done, though.</span><br/><br/>So, plucking up the nerve, she went inside, taking the elevator up. “I’m back, so put some pants on!” she called out, smile in her voice.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">Initially, he did not hear her, which was odd given his enhanced hearing, but it probably had to do with the music he had going while he danced in the kitchen. However, her presence did not go unnoticed, instead their newest “<a class="postlink" href="http://englishfromfriends.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/mutt.jpg">roommate</a>” trotted up to her. His tail wagged from side to side as he playfully greeted her with a small bark; which was the one sound to cut through the music and get Colt’s attention.<br/><br/>“Puppy!” he called out as he walked into the living room and then toward the front door. “Oh! Hi!” a smile was plastered on his face as approached her for a hug, which he easily pulled her into. “Is it wrong to say that I missed you even if you were not gone for too long?”</span><br/><br/>The tapping of little claws on the floor and the bark had her eyes widening, a hand going to cover her mouth as she made a sound of surprise. Her eyes lit up, an “awe” was loosed, and she dropped down to her knees to pet him, giving him a kiss and looking him over as Colt’s voice pulled her attention, her smile growing wider as he picked her up for a hug.<br/><br/>“How could you miss me with this adorable thing here?” she asked with a laugh. “Where did you find him at?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">The smile never left his face as he hugged her just a bit tighter, then leaned down for a small kiss. “Hmm, well for one he does not give as good of a hug as you and well, let’s not even get into the kisses,” he remarked with a final kiss. <br/><br/>“As for where I got him, well I went for a walk and this person was selling these puppies from a box and at first I was going to buy all of the puppies, but then figured you would prefer just one puppy and since he was the cutest he got to be the one that came home with me. I figured when one of us are away the puppy would be here for keeping company and it would be nice to just have him around. I mean look at his widdle face!”<br/><br/>Never before had Tempest seen this side of Colt, where he was just a huge softy as he cooed and talked baby talk to a puppy that wagged his tail and jumped in excitement at his words. “How was lunch?” he asked extremely casual and confident.</span><br/><br/>The kiss was returned, as was the other kiss he gave before pulling back enough to watch the puppy. But, for all her might, she couldn’t keep the surprise at how he was speaking to the new pet. Colt was...huge; a big, muscular man while an intense gaze and a large personality. This hulk of a man (whom she knew had a soft side) was now...cooing at a puppy and baby talking with it. Knowing the soft side existed was one thing, but to see him now coddling the animal and pronouncing “little” as “widdle”...was disgustingly adorable.<br/><br/>And, just like that, his voice changed to casual and confident, which reminded her of what they needed to talk about. “That’s one thing we need to talk about, actually,” she replied. “But if you keep hugging me, kissing me, and baby-talking the puppy, I won’t be able to think.” A light laugh coated her words, hoping she didn’t sound as nervous as she felt about it all.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">“Hmmm, so let me get this right,” he said with a look of careful thought. “I can either stop kissing and hugging on you or we can talk about something to do with lunch and Athan,” he stroked his chin in thought then scooped her up in his arms. “I like this option better,” he held her close and walked with her over to the couch. Down he plopped into it, with her in his lap where proceeded to kiss her once more. <br/><br/>This was what he preferred for several reasons, one being that he wanted more moments like this with her. More moments where he just held her and kissed her, enjoying the sensations that came from such simple acts. They were to take everything slow, which he was fine with, but he was an affectionate guy and did not enjoy anything more than showing someone how much they meant to him. Another, probably the most important reason was he did not want to talk about Athan and her, something in his gut made him feel that whatever they talked about would not make him too happy. If that was to be the case, he wanted to at least have a few more moments enjoy the world they had built together. <br/><br/>“See? This is better right?”</span><br/><br/>She knew she shouldn’t have given him the option, her brow quirking up higher as she grinned at him and rolled her eyes. But, did she fight him scooping her up? Nope. Her arms went about his neck and she allowed it, nestling into his lap when he sat down and returning the kisses he gave her. Just as he wanted the moments with her like this, she wanted moments with him like that.<br/><br/>Tempest wasn’t stupid enough to think that the talk they were going to have was going to be one he liked...so indulging in kisses a while longer couldn’t hurt, too much, could it?<span style="font-style: italic">No, but avoiding it won’t help. The longer you draw it out, the worse it could get.</span><br/><br/>Instead of answering him directly, she gave him another kiss. Soft and sweet, it lingered until she pulled back again, staying close as she just breathed. “...We need to talk, though.” Her eyes opened, meeting his gaze, imploring him. “As much as I like this distraction, avoiding it won’t make it go away.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">He gave a pout and stole one final kiss, “Alright. Let’s rip this bandaid off before I change my mind and go back to kissing you.”</span><br/><br/>The final kiss was indulged in readily, before she pulled back and tried to think of how to word this carefully.<br/><br/>“I went to lunch with Athan,” Tempest started, stating what he already knew. “The lunch itself was fine. We went to a taco place, we talked. I found out more about him, got him to open up...but I also found out the real reason he asked me out to lunch today.” Another pause and she looked away, gaze dropping as her hands moving to her lap, hands clasping and unclasping.<br/><br/>“He wishes me to consider getting back together with him...that he realizes he made a mistake…”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">While he allowed her the time she needed to get everything out, he tossed a ball for the puppy. The rhythmic bounce of the call as it echoed in the expanse of their apartment somehow added weight to the words that she spoke. When she was done and the words took a moment to sink in, he sighed, nodded and looked over at her. “What did you say back?”</span><br/><br/>This was the part that she knew he’d hate most. She wasn’t sure how he’d react, if he’d be angry with her...disappointed...saddened… It wasn’t a matter of not having feelings for him, because she did. Being with Colt was different than being with Athan, and she and Colt weren’t even together yet. Her arms moved to hug herself, biting her lower lip as she made eye contact for just a moment and looked away again. “...I heard him out. I listened to him, and let him get everything out that he needed to...He answered my questions, and I gave him the respect of not interrupting him no matter how much I wanted to...but...I said I’d consider it…” There was another pause. “...And I told him that he wasn’t the only one who wanted a relationship with me...I told him that you, too, wanted one...that you hadn’t hurt me…”<br/><br/>“If nothing else, he and I will be friends...but I didn’t want to hide from you what he and I spoke of...and I want to hear your thoughts, because you’re a friend...and I care for you...and I don’t want you to think that this is…” Her words trailed off as she looked at him, her eyes worried, her voice quiet. “...Say something...please…”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">Perhaps he should have felt anger, disappointment or even sadness, but none of that happened. Instead he shifted slightly, the old couch springs grumbled at the shift of his bulk. When she implored him to say something, he leaned forward and kissed her. Slow, sweet and loving he kissed her. As it ended he just smiled and cupped the side of her face. <br/><br/>“Alright,” is all he said then kissed her again. “I hope he is in for a fight cause I’m not about to just roll over and let him have you,” the smile never left his lips as he continued to gaze into her eyes. “I’m willing to do anything, and I mean anything, to have you in my life.”</span><br/><br/>As he shifted, she was almost afraid he was going to dislodge her and walk away to give himself space. His face held no outward expression, nothing that confirmed whether he was angry, or upset; Bracing for the worst, her hands gripped and ungripped tighter, waiting for him to speak.<br/><br/>Instead...he kissed her. Her eyes opened a bit in surprised, drifting closed as it continued, her body relaxing into his as she returned that kiss, just as slow and sweet and loving. To say that his reaction was a relief was an understatement. She felt like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders and she could breathe again. Another kiss followed suit and her head felt deliciously light. What got her, what had her heart skipping a beat wasn’t the kisses...but the words that followed.<br/><br/>“You’re willing to do...anything for me?” Tempest repeated, voice quiet, almost worried she’d break the moment. “Why?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">A small shrug was given, “I can’t really put it to words, but I just like being with you. I like hanging out with you, talking with you, dancing with you...” another kiss. “Kissing you. So, I would do anything to keep you in my life. So, if Athan wants to try to get back what he lost, then he is welcome to try, but I am not just going to sit around and wait for it to happen or not happen.”</span><br/><br/>Another kiss and her heart fluttered. Her lip found itself ensnared by her teeth again, eyes holding his gaze while he spoke and smile growing, albeit a shy smile. “Anything, huh?” she said again, this time her voice was a bit louder (if only by a hair), mischievous. “That’s a dangerous word...I could have you walking around in a dog collar, and nothing but a dog collar, feeding you out of a bowl on your hands and knees for all you know.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Would that make you happy?" he asked with a grin.</span><br/><br/>“I don’t know...it’d be amusing…” she replied with a grin of her own. “Buuuuut...I’ll leave the ‘anything’ up to you to figure out. Wouldn’t be fair if I told you what I wanted and didn’t tell him…” Getting off of his lap with a smirk, she stretched and wiggled her hips about before lowering down to scoop up the puppy. She planted a kiss on the top of his head and scratched behind his ears. “So, what have you named him?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">Hungry would be the word to describe the look in his eyes as he watched her get up and wiggle her hips. A soft groan left his lips as a particular region of his pants grew a bit tighter and he was forced to cough and clear his throat as a small distraction before he stood with her. “Um, I was actually waiting for you,” he said as he stroked the pup’s head. I just figured that we could name him together. So, any thoughts besides puppeh?”</span><br/><br/>She was oblivious to the look as she’d been turned away while she’d moved, focusing completely on the puppy as he wiggled around, tail wagging happily. The groan was heard, but she’d assumed it was him standing up from the couch. “We aren’t naming the puppy ‘puppeh’. What about...Max?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"I like Max," he said with a thoughtful look. "Want to go to the pet store and buy him tons of crap he won't ever need, just so we can show him off and be those kind of dog people?”</span><br/><br/>“You really are one of those dog people, aren’t you?” she replied with a laugh, nuzzling into Max’s fur. “We could go to the pet store if you wanted, though I’d be happy to sit and play with him for the time being. Unless...you didn’t pick up any of the essentials when you brought him home today?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Define essentials?"</span><br/><br/>“...Food...something to put the food in...a bed for him…?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"He can't eat my food?"</span><br/><br/>“Not all the time, no...Were you just going to give him the food off of your many plates when you eat eight times a day?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Maybe...."</span><br/><br/>She shook her head, and started walking away, as though shielding the puppy from Colt’s eating habits. “Don’t worry, Max,” she cooed. “I’ll keep you not-fat and eating right.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Hey! There is nothing wrong with eating as many times as I do!" he protested.</span><br/><br/>“When you don’t have the same metabolism as you, anyone else would become morbidly obese with cholesterol issues!” she shot back with a laugh. “Max or I would die if we ate like you do!”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Not even true! I eat healthy...things!"</span><br/><br/>“A lot of it, though! A lot doesn’t keep it healthy!”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"So does!" he retorted and began to stalk her about the apartment. "Now get back here so that I can give him snuggles!"</span><br/><br/>Holding him tighter, she continued to walk away from him, shaking her head vehemently. “You’ll smother him to death!” Tempest replied. “I have to keep him safe from your overly fond lovings!”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"I'll just snuggle you both!"  he explained and made a grab for her.</span><br/><br/>Evading the grab, she darted away from him, looking back at him with a wink. “Now...if I let you snuggle us both, you’d kill us<span style="font-style: italic">both</span>with the overly fond lovings and then where would you be?? You’re going to snuggle me to death!”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">“You are in for so many cuddles!!!” he shouted and jumped over the couch to try and scoop her up into his arms.</span><br/><br/>She evaded again, but only just, nearly stumbling over herself to avoid his arms. “Careful! You’re going to crush the puppy!” she cautioned him amongst her laughter. “Think of the puppy!”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"I am! He wants the love! Just like you!" he vaulted back over the couch to try for her again.</span><br/><br/>“Lies and slander!” she shot back, making a break for the bathroom. As she was jostling the puppy around (despite his happy yips), she leaned down to let him run free, continuing running herself. “Take the puppy! He’s yours!”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Oh no! You are getting these cuddles!" he said and moved to snatch her up before she got to the bathroom.</span><br/><br/>His arms caught her and she thrashed, laughing so much that she could hardly gasp in any air. “No! No! Give the puppy the love! Max wants the love! I just want to not die by cuddles!”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Too bad!" he exclaimed and hugged her close. "Mine!" he playfully growled against her ear. "Feel the cuddles!"</span><br/><br/>“No!” she cried, trying to push back from him. “It’s...too...much!” Feigning gasps, her hands clutched at his arms and then she “died”.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"No!!!" he cried out and fell to his knees. "I loved her too much!" This was followed by fake sobs, which he then buried his face into her stomach.</span><br/><br/>It took everything in her not to burst out laughing, but she managed to hold her composure, if only just. Her eyes stayed shut, her body stayed limp, and her stomach...tense because he was burying his face in it and she was trying, desperately, not to laugh.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"What am I to do now?!" he cried out. Max, the poor puppy, sat off to the side his head cocked to the side as he stared at his new crazy parents. "Oh! I know!" he exclaimed, then nosed up her shirt so that he could begin blowing raspberries on her stomach.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">I’m in the clear!</span>she thought, lying there as he cried over her “dead” body. ...That is, she thought she was until he decided to nose up her shirt and blow raspberries on her. Her composure was lost, jolting to life and pushing him off. “No! No! I give up! Just stooooop! I beg you!”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Give me proper cuddles and you will be safe from my rasberries!" he demanded with his arms held open.</span><br/><br/>“Define...proper cuddles…” she asked, wrinkling her nose as though the thought was unsavory.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Hugs and kisses with some under the cover snuggles while we watch a movie," he explained.</span><br/><br/>“I don’t know...that sounds like a tall order…” Nonchalantly she started trying to inch away. “...I<span style="font-style: italic">guess</span>I could try that...if you promise not to kill me again.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">His eyes narrowed, "If you guess, then why are you moving away from me?" he asked as he took a step toward her.</span><br/><br/>“Me? Take a step away from you?” A lot of dramatic gasping ensued, as she put on her best offended expression, even as she took another step back. “I’m appalled you’d even consider me stepping away from you after agreeing to cuddle you!”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Lady, you do wound my pride. When I catch you again the raspberries will be thusly more powerful and more prolonged. Take thine next step carefully..." he cautioned in his best attempt at a proper british accent.</span><br/><br/>"I beseech thee! Doth thy not knowest the pain wrought from the raspberries blown upon thy tender skin?!" she tried, only to burst out laughing and start walking toward the couch. "Alright, alright, you pick out the movie, and I'll grab a blanket."<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Sweet! We've got the snacks! Come on Max!" he whistled and patted his leg, which caused the little pup to trot after him. "What do you want to drink?"</span><br/><br/>Wandering into her room, she picked up one of her bigger blankets and brought it back into the other room. Where she figured the puppy would likely end up curling up with them, she grabbed one that she thought he’d like and she wouldn’t mind getting furry. “Just water would be fine,” Tempest called back, changing into her comfy clothes before emerging and tossing the blanket across the couch. “Do you need help carrying the snacks?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">“No, I think I have it!” he called back as the microwave beeped again. The second bag of freshly popped extra buttery popcorn was poured into the large bowl he had gotten down. Two bottles of water were grabbed and tucked under his arm, while he grabbed another bag of pretzels, chips and some dip. “Alright! Movie time!” he exclaimed with his arms filled with his precious snacks. “You figure out what we are watching, yet?” he asked while he deposited his spoils on the coffee table and then planted himself on the couch.</span><br/><br/>She looked over at him as she laughed. “No! I said you had to pick out the movie,” came her reply before wandering over to his collection, kneeling down in front of the entertainment stand and bending all the way over so she could read the titles better. “Lets see...what are you in the mood for? Action? Gore? Suspense? Comedy? Anything in particular tickling your fancy?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">Colt was a confident man who spent a large portion of his time learning about discipline and control, so it was not often that he was caught off guard. Yet, as he sat there on the couch his mind and focus initially drawn to Max, as he tried to settle the puppy down so that they could watch the movie. A glance up at her questioning and all thought left his mind. Such was his focus held that he did not even notice when the popcorn he had brought to his mouth to eat, ended up on the floor as he completely missed his mouth. <br/><br/>What could possibly hold his attention in such a way? To cause a man who loved food probably more than he loved sex (this is not conclusive, but is a strong speculation), to miss his mouth and drop his precious snacks upon the floor?<br/><br/>Tempest, as she knelt there before the television, with her back arched in such a way that caused other aspects to become more…pronounced. It was all he could do to even remember breathing let alone any true cognitive thought in relation to what movie they should watch. Right now, all he wanted to do was stare and think just how it would feel to have her body pressed against his own. To hold her close and enjoy the pleasures of their bodies as they moved together. When her questions finally sunk in, he cleared his throat and tried to adjust his clothing so that it was not so confining in one spot. There was a lot of dry coughs as he did this, a means to stall and buy himself a bit more time. <br/><br/>“Um…something scary, I think that is the only thing we can really watch properly under a blanket.”</span><br/><br/>She honestly hadn’t noticed the lapse in time. Assuming he’d been thinking about what she asked, she continued to look over the movie selection while waiting for direction. Needing to see further back, she bent over further, resting her weight on her elbows and reaching forward to pull some cases out and read descriptions.<span style="font-style: italic">Sounds interesting…</span>came a thought, as she pulled out the DVD and set it to the side with the others she’d been considering, the titles spanning the spectrum until he gave her something to go on.<br/><br/>And then the pause dragged on. She was about to turn around when there were a plethora of coughs, which had her frowning, but she figured he’d gotten into the popcorn early and a piece had gone down the wrong pipe. His answer confirmed this, voice suddenly throatier, grittier almost. More raw. With the new direction, she sat up and went through the cases she’d been considering, narrowing it down to a few movies.<br/><br/>“Alright, lets see...We’ve got<span style="text-decoration: underline">Evil Dead</span>(2013 remake),<span style="text-decoration: underline">The Possession</span>,<span style="text-decoration: underline">You’re Next</span>, or<span style="text-decoration: underline">The Shrine</span>.” A glance back at him with a smile was given, holding up the cases for him to look at. “You pick.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">“Evil Dead,” he said, his voice still strained from the lack of blood that made the whole thing called focusing hard to do. “Um….have you seen it?” he asked with another cough to clear his throat and disguise his voice.</span><br/><br/>Her brow furrowed, looking at him more closely. “Are you alright?” she asked, standing up and walking over to him, movie put into the player after the others were returned. “Do you need water or something? You sound like whatever popcorn you choked on is still stuck in your throat.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">“Umm..no. I’m fine, just…working on the whole breathing thing…” he managed to get out and ended further discussion by taking a drink from his water bottle.</span><br/><br/>Her brow furrowed further as one of her eyebrows simultaneously lifted. “...Why would you be having an issue with the breathing thing if you were fine?” she asked, arms crossing as she stood before him, perplexed. Then, spotting the popcorn on the floor, she bent over and scooped them up, padding over to the garbage with a shrug, “Whatever you say.” Kernels tossed, she walked back and sat down beside him, legs curling up beneath her. “And, no, I’ve not seen this version; I did see the original, though.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">A breath of relief was released as he watched her discard the trash and then walk back over to take her seat on the couch beside him. “Ah, then you will certainly enjoy this one. It is nothing like the original, which means you have a story that is more involved and well just a bit creepy,” he chuckled. Arm now placed over her, he pulled her close then started the movie. “Remember, if you get scared you can just bury your face into chest, cause you know I will protect you.”</span><br/><br/>As she adjusted and got more comfortable, she pulled the blankets up around them both, nestling into the crook of his arm. Just as she was about to rest her head on his shoulder, she looked over at him with a perked brow, eyes filled with humor. “You’ll protect me from the scary movie...even though you can’t protect yourself from popcorn? I don’t know...that’s not an outstanding resume recommendation…”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">“Hey, the popcorn was like hot and salty. Something that I don’t think this movie will be, therefore I can and will protect yah. Damn. Have a little faith in me,” he stuck his tongue out at her before he pulled her closer then focused on the movie.</span><br/><br/>“Uh huh, the popcorn was just too hot for you...Not sure how you can handle me, then, if a little popcorn rendered you weak,” she teased further before pressing a kiss into his cheek and shifting to rest her head on his shoulder, an arm across his stomach. Her own attention focused now on the movie, she awaited the creepy factor he’d mentioned while mentally preparing herself to avoid burying her face into his chest if she got too scared.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">The movie continued on and he found himself rubbing his hand up and down her arm. It was a subconscious habit that he found he enjoyed for the way it just made him feel. “This part always makes me cringe,” he whispered down to her as he braced for the scene with the woman using glass on her face. For all his toughness and general big bad person attitude, his skin always crawled or phantom ached when people were cut or operated on.</span><br/><br/>To say that the movie was creepier was an understatement. The other had been...funny, with an excess of unnecessary blood, but funny. This one was far more involved, the poor girl’s possession one that had her cringing as it began to take its toll, show in her features. But, what got her was the glass. All that girl had wanted to do was help her, and instead she ended up in the bathroom, picking up the glass and carving into her face.<br/><br/>Tempest found she could watch. The popcorn she’d been munching on was threatening to make a reappearance as she turned her face into his chest, just as he’d offered, cringing into him as her body curled into him tighter. “Tell me when it’s over? I can’t watch that.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">His other arm wrapped about her and held her closer to him while he braved the scene for the sake of her. “See? Perfect cuddling movie,” he said in jest as his attempt to make light of the situation.</span><br/><br/>“If by perfect, you mean vomit-inducing,” she joked back, hazarding a look up at him with a tense laugh, eyes diverted back into his chest as she held him tight.<br/><br/>But once the scene was over, she pulled back a bit to watch the movie properly, clearing her throat. “...It wasn’t so bad…” she remarked offhand, reaching for the popcorn.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"I think my love of food prevents me from upchucking, but I can say when I first say this movie it was pretty damn close a few times," he chuckled and helped himself to some popcorn. "What would you do if you were in this situation?"</span><br/><br/>She glanced up at him, momentarily distracted from the movie. “If I were in that situation?” Tempest repeated. “Trapped in a cabin with a person possessed? Or…cutting my face?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Trapped in a cabin with crazy possessed person, who was a friend. What would you do?"</span><br/><br/>“I don’t know…” she answered honestly, turning back to the movie as she thought it over. “I think it would depend, really...but, I’d attempt to try and save them. I mean, the book resurrected the...thing, right? Who’s to say it can’t send it back? Or, couldn’t we try to exorcise them?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"So, if it was me, you would not just leave me hanging to die?"</span><br/><br/>“I won’t lie and say that it wouldn’t be scary as hell...but I’d try. Why? Were you expecting otherwise?” she asked, with another look over in his direction.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Nope. I was just curious. So, that you know I would totally abandon you to the evil that had consumed your soul," he smirked and threw some popcorn at her.</span><br/><br/>A throw pillow was used to swat him in the face as she got up to shake the popcorn off of herself and bending over to pick it up to throw it away, giving herself a break from the movie. “Thaaaaaaanks,” she replied with a roll of her eyes. “I’m not surprised, though...you can’t handle popcorn, let alone a proper rescue.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Well, it was not really the popcorn that caused my issue earlier," he admitted while he took in her bent over form once more.</span><br/><br/>Once the popcorn was disposed of, she sat back down and stole a piece of popcorn for herself to munch on. “It wasn’t?” she asked, confused. “Then what was it? You sounded like you’d been choking.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Let's just say I had a lapse in blood flow to my brain..." he blushed slightly and shoved a handful of popcorn into his mouth so that he would not have to answer any questions right off.</span><br/><br/>With that answer the movie was<span style="font-style: italic">completely</span>forgotten, her attention focused solely on him as some more screaming faded into the background. And, where he’d stuffed his mouth full of popcorn, she was courteous enough to wait for him to swallow; obviously an answer that made him blush was more than worth waiting for. “A lapse of blood flow to the brain?” she repeated, head tilting a bit as one leg crossed over the other as she got more comfortable. “From what?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000"><span style="font-style: italic">Damn her politeness.</span> "From looking at you...all bent over and stuff..." he managed to get out with another fit of coughs to follow.</span><br/><br/>This time it was<span style="font-style: italic">her</span>turn to blush, taking in his answer and realizing just how provocative a position she’d been in. Her main objective had been to get a movie; Maybe subconsciously she had arched her back more than needed, but it’d begun with the most innocent of intentions.<br/><br/>“Me all...bent over and...stuff?” she repeated, voice quiet, face a deep crimson blush. “I...uh…”<span style="font-style: italic">Not like being bent over is so bad...can’t deny you’ve thought about it, in length.</span>“...We’ve got a movie to watch, right?” Her voice was suddenly rapid fire, nestling in deeper into the blankets while she held the edge of them up to cover her blush as it subsided and to hopefully hide the look she likely had on her features. A look of embarrassment as her thoughts momentarily followed the same pattern as his had.<br/><br/>“So, uh...what’d I miss while we were distracted with conversation?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">There was a pause in his thoughts as he regarded her, his eyes lingered on the blush that her cheeks and the knowing look in her eyes. Bottom lip pulled between his teeth the pause continued for a moment before he just smiled and focused back on the movie. “The brother thinks he knows what to do to save his sister. But, his girlfriend is about to go nuts on him and well….things get messy…” he explained, arm draped over her once more so that he could pull her closely into him.</span><br/><br/>She wasn’t sure she wanted to be closer just yet, as the pause and distance was needed to get her thoughts back on track with what they should be. But, she didn’t fight it, either. Instead, she allowed the mention of things getting messy to be what justified her getting closer. “Just what I need...more messy…”<br/><br/>And he wasn’t lying. It was getting messier by the second, with his sister cutting her tongue in two, and bit hard into the other girl’s arm. Then that girl thought cutting off her arm would stop the black goo stuff from spreading. But, instead, it just got worse, and they ended up shooting her with a nail gun. Did Tempest watch it all? Not all of it; She tried to power through it, wincing and then watching through her fingers, but she eventually gave up and her face was buried again in his chest.<br/><br/>“Jeez, could you have picked a gorier movie?!”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Want to stop it for now?" he asked seriously as he rubbed her arm in an effort to comfort her.</span><br/><br/>“No, no,” she replied, though she still winced as she pulled away to resume watching between her fingers. “It’s just...shock factor, really. And this is definitely not what I expected from the original; Not in a bad way...just really,<span style="font-style: italic">really</span>gory and involved.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">“Yeah…” he said and munched on some popcorn. “When I first sat down to watch it I expected the original, but with better special effects. Instead, it was…well this…” he said with a gesture at the screen. “Tell me something…” he began and waited for her to turn and look at him. “What was with that look earlier? After I admitted to you how I felt…”</span><br/><br/>There was a nod into his chest, despite being unable to see the gesture he’d given toward the movie. But when the topic turned, her brow furrowed, and her cheeks flushed anew. She didn’t remove her face from his chest, though. If anything, she buried it a bit more in there and answered with a muffled, “What look?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">He had her on the ropes, so to speak, so he pressed a bit more to get some information. “A look that made it seem like you might have felt or thought the same way?”</span><br/><br/>Her heart began to race as her breathing shallowed, if only a touch. But still, she played dumb, remaining in his chest while trying to listen to the movie for something else to focus on. “I didn’t realize I’d given you a look.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Yes, you had. A look that matched my own I would guess," he said, his voice pitched a little lower as he regarded her.</span><br/><br/>Shaking her head, she pulled back from him completely and focused on the movie, taking a few kernels of popcorn as she sought to ignore the newly pitched voice; a voice that was currently not helping her thoughts. “I think you were imagining things,” she replied to that, trying to shake it off and hazarding the quickest of glances in his direction before focusing back on the movie. “I don’t think I gave you...a...a look.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">Again a pause was taken as he merely regarded her, then gave a small smirk and went back to watching the movie. As it came to an end he shut it off and stretched, “So? What yah think?”</span><br/><br/>His attention lingered on her for a while, but eventually, shifted back to the movie and she allowed hers to, as well. And, for what it was worth, the end scene wasn’t as bad as the lead up. Yes, she had to tear her own arm off to get away as it was pinned beneath the car, but the rest of the movie had pretty much desensitized her. So, when he asked her her thoughts, she mulled it over for a moment.<br/><br/>“Honestly, when the gore is put aside, I think I prefer this one to the original…” It was an answer that honestly shocked herself a bit, but it was the truth. “It wasn’t as campy, which I liked. Sure, there was blood everywhere and some…<span style="font-style: italic">wonderfully</span>graphic moments, but I liked how the story progressed, even if it followed stereotypes galore.” A laugh was given as she got up and stretched. “Which do you prefer? Original or remake?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">He wrapped his arms about her waist and pulled her against him, “I think I prefer them both in their own way.” There he held her, as he looked down into her eyes and just smiled, in a happy place of contentment in just the simple action of holding her. “What do you want to do now?”</span><br/><br/>She fell against him, an arm going about his neck as she got comfortable in his lap. It was hard not to blush, though, as he just smiled and looked down at her, so she eventually looked away, a hand pushing back some hair behind an ear for something to do. “I don’t know. Anything that’s not...gory? And I’m not hungry, either, so that’s easily avoided. Unless you are, then I suppose you could eat?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">“I’m hungry…” he whispered. “But…” he leaned forward and kissed her. It only lasted a moment before it ended, though he lingered close. “It’s not food that I want…” his voice was a little throaty as he held her to him.  Taking it slow was what they were doing, but that did not mean they could not have a bit of fun. A few kisses her, some touches there, as long as they maintain their heads, it should be fine.<br/><br/>Right?</span><br/><br/>The kiss should have been expected with how he was whispering, but there was still that moment she didn’t think it was coming. But, he leaned forward, his lips finding hers and her heart skipped a beat, a breath sharply inhaled as she melted into him.<br/><br/>Thankfully, he stilled in the kiss, stopping it as he pulled back.<span style="font-style: italic">A few kisses can’t hurt, can they?</span>her mind asked as she took in the look in his eyes and the sound of his voice, debating indulging in his touch for a few moments.<span style="font-style: italic">But you can’t think around him. Kisses lead to touches that lead to more and you told yourself you wouldn’t…</span>another voice reasoned.<span style="font-style: italic">...But that look…</span><br/><br/>Another kiss was stolen, allowing herself one more long...drawn out moment, her tongue slipping into his mouth to dance with his as her hands held him tighter. And then, just as quickly as the moment started, she ended it, lingering close. “...I can’t think around you…” Yet another kiss, this one quicker, and she was pulling back again. “...It was hard enough to stop the last time we started…”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">“Trust me,” he whispered and pulled her in for another kiss. This one he prolonged, his tongue quick to slip into her mouth and dance with her own. The hands at her waist moved up the small of her back where he then rubbed and kneaded her form through the rather bothersome, though necessary, clothing. <br/><br/>They could do this, they could share in just a few kisses, could be intimate without taking it too far. Was it hard? Certainly, in more ways than one, but he could not just go on in this <span style="font-style: italic">relationship</span> with only a hug and kiss, here and there. No. He wanted more, needed more and felt that they could have that if they were just careful.</span><br/><br/>“Trust me.” It was a term she seemed to hear a lot of a lot more lately. Did she trust Colt? With her life. Did she trust herself when it came to stopping herself when necessary?<br/><br/>Not so much.<br/><br/>He was already pulling her in for another kiss, hands moving up her form just as hers were sliding down his. It was natural, to be like this with him. It didn’t feel forced, or awkward. It felt…<span style="font-style: italic">right</span>, which scared her. It scared her to feel so comfortable with Colt, but here she was, returning his kiss tenfold. And, as this kiss progressed, her body started going on autopilot, wanting to be closer, to feel more and experience more.<br/><br/>She resisted, but only just.<br/><br/>Instead, Tempest pressed a little more into him, allowing her hands to feel over his arms, down his sides, anything she could reach easily without having to move because moving meant shifting...shifting meant she’d shift to be more comfortable...but would ultimately be in a more…“convenient” position...a more “pleasurable” position. There was a groan loosed as her body pushed her to move, but she held out, deepening the kiss instead.<br/><br/>The frustration she’d feel when they were done was going to be great, she could already tell. But, a little longer...just a little, and that should be good for a bit...right?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">Her groan was paired with one of his own, as he held her just a bit tighter and tried to get her into a more comfortable position. This just felt so right, it could not be wrong, could it? To feel one’s body come alive with the simple contact of another. To want to hold another, to want to crave another, what was wrong with that? <br/><br/>When it seemed that she resisted the shift in position he happily assisted her with the move. The hands that had clung to her back moved down to her hips which he then used to pull her closer and into a more settled position. They both wanted this and they both on some level needed this, so to him the thought to wait and take it slow was more of a guideline. Sure, Athan was back in the running, but that did not mean he was now in second place, instead he would be the one in first place. Without even asking her he knew that she enjoyed his company more, enjoyed how they could be together and she knew exactly where she stood with him. When she had been with Athan that would not have been the case, not at all, not with how he carried himself or presented himself or acted as a whole. <br/><br/>Together they could be themselves and together they could be happy, so why deny themselves this happiness? <br/><br/>The groan turned into a moan as he broke the kiss to nibble, lick, kiss and suckle along her neck then her shoulder. <br/><br/>“Tempest…” he name was moaned out, the need and desire as thick as his accent that he rarely went without any more now that he had her in his life.</span><br/><br/>His assistance had her groaning more, a groan that turned into a heady moan as her body revolted against her. She wanted this, needed this more than she’d have wanted to admit, and he was helping to push that need into overdrive. His own thinking of her request to take it slow as more of a guideline was going to end up as her own if she wasn’t careful, and she needed to be careful as much as she needed him. The last thing she wanted was for this to get more complicated.<br/><br/>But his moan...the way he said her name had her answering with another moan, shifting so she could somehow be closer, pressing more into him as her nails dug into his shoulders. Her head dipped back as his lips left hers, trembling beneath his touch.<span style="font-style: italic">You need to stop,</span>her mind tried to caution.<span style="font-style: italic">You need to slow this down and you need to slow it down now.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">We haven’t even done anything bad yet!</span>another voice added.<span style="font-style: italic">It wouldn’t even be bad! It’d be right. So right.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Stop justifying it!</span><br/><br/>Was she listening to the argument going on? Hardly. Her mind was thoroughly transfixed on his kisses, his lips and nibbles before catching his chin and pushing him up so she could return the favor, kissing, licking and nibbling down his neck and shoulder.<span style="font-style: italic">See? This is right. Stop questioning it.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">A low growl of pleasure left his lips as she gave attention to his neck and shoulder. It was a subconscious gesture of submission for him, to expose what to a wolf would be the most vulnerable part of his body. Baring his neck to her showed his complete and utter trust in her and submitted to her will for the moment. <br/><br/>The growl morphed into another moan of her name and he felt his nails shift slightly to claws as he dragged them down her back. Both of them wanted this and needed this to the point that he knew he would be in pain when they stopped. Though, did they really have to stop? They could continue with this moment. Let it evolve naturally and satisfy one another in that way they needed for it to be done. <br/><br/>But could they really do that? <br/><br/>No. He told her to trust him and that meant he would have to be the one to stop this, to end it before it went too far. Even if that meant dealing with the prolonged pain and frustration, he would have to because he told her to trust him. With that thought in mind he sighed, then brought her lips back to his own for one final, heavy heated kiss. <br/><br/>“I…think…we should stop…” he managed to get out once it ended. “I don’t want to, I really don’t, but we are taking it slow and I told you to trust me….so….”</span><br/><br/>She didn’t notice the change in his nails as they dragged down her back; What she did notice, however, was how much she liked it. Her mind was becoming more and more foggy by the second, and she was all for throwing caution to the wind and letting what she wanted to happen happen. Why mess with a good thing? This was a good thing! Colt was a good person! She liked being with him and being with him like this felt so right, right?<br/><br/>Next thing she knew, he was bringing her back to his lips for another heated kiss, one that stole every ounce of her breath as she pressed into him more, hips perfectly aligned with his. Why stop now? They could keep going, and enjoy exactly what they wanted, right? Right?<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Words. He’s saying words.</span><br/><br/>Pulling back, eyes still half-lidded, it took a moment for what he said to register. Part of her was happy he’d stopped it as she’d asked, proving she could trust him. Then again, another part of her was sad it hadn’t continued. Leaning forward she stole another kiss, softer at first that lingered and naturally grew deeper before she realized what she was doing. Hastily pulling back with a whimper, her lower lip found itself forcibly between her teeth as she nodded, slowly.<br/><br/>“We….we should...stop…” Tempest repeated, needing to reaffirm it for herself. Not that she got up, though. Right then, she was content to stay on his lap, lingering close, enjoying the contact for a little while longer.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">The last kiss pulled a deep growl from his lips and made him whimper as well. It would have been so easy to just give in and enjoy what they both wanted. As they both caught their breaths he focused on anything but his current discomfort, because if he didn’t it would only hurt more. <br/><br/>After a moment or two, he reached up to push some of her hair back behind her ear, “You know you are really beautiful, right?” his tone loving and truthful as he took her in as if she was the only person in the world that mattered to him.</span><br/><br/>It was hard, lingering that close. Her body had that familiar ache, filled with a desire that she wasn’t trying to satiate, and another ache; a near painful ache from the late of satisfying. It surprised her that not giving in was nearly painful to endure as she stayed there, enjoyed his warmth, his touch.<br/><br/>His hand rose to push some of her hair back and she found herself leaning into it, blushing at the compliment and not even caring. She leaned forward for another kiss, though this one was soft, loving, as she’d intended the last kiss to be. “You know...I actually believe it when you say it…” she replied, a smile on her lips as she stole another kiss, a hand lightly massaging the back of his neck. “Not like it’s a line…” Another kiss and she was finding it hard to stop herself. “Thank you...for stopping...I know it’s not...comfortable…”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">A small shrug and a smile, “What’s a bit of discomfort for doing something the right way?” This time he was the one who kissed her, soft and sweet. “Especially, if the plan is to have that something last…” <br/><br/>It was true, every word that he said was true and he would never take it back. Often he felt there was something more out there for him, someone out there for him. Maybe he was like a wolf in that he only had one mate out there and when he found her that would be it. Was it Tempest? Honestly, he was not sure, but he would rather wait and see, than to rush into something that could ultimately backfire on him.</span><br/><br/>This time he kissed her, and her heart skipped anew, eyes fluttering closed and remaining such even after it ended for a few beats. But, eventually, they opened and a hand caressed the side of his face in a soft, whisper of a touch. A hint of a grin crossed her lips, though, as her mind caught up and her thoughts turned more teasing in nature.<br/><br/>“So...you’ve a plan…?” she asked, her voice as mischievous as the glint in her eyes had become, though the loving nature remained. “And what’s in this plan?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">“To court you and show you every single day what you mean to me, until such a time as we move forward and make everything official with one another,” he smiled back and licked his bottom lip in thought. “You think we could try something?” he asked cautiously.</span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">To court me?</span>her mind repeated, boggled by the choice of wording. It was little things like that that reminded her he wasn’t of her time. But, her mind stopped wondering at it as his tongue moved across his lip, dragging her attention. “...Try what?” she asked, eyes intently on his lips before venturing back up with some effort.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Let's sleep together," he said softly, his hand back to playing with the free strands of her hair. "Nothing involved, but I would like to hold you and sleep. What do you say?"</span><br/><br/>She mulled it over, but her mind was already made up.<span style="font-style: italic">I did offer it once, to see if he’d sleep better,</span>her thoughts prompted. Eyes dropping for just a second, she drew out the moment before nodding. “Alright,” Tempest answered. “I get the added benefit holding you, and we can see if you sleep any better.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Benefit?" he asked with an arched brow. "So you think, until I got all the blankets and you is left there on the edge of the bed to freeze yah bits off," he chuckled, then pulled her in for one final kiss.</span><br/><br/>Another kiss stolen and her breath hitched anew. Not to be deterred however, she started climbing off of his lap with a grin, intent to retort to his teasing. “No, no...you think you want to hold me until<span style="font-style: italic">I</span>steal all the blankets and you freeze yer…” A look down at him and then she wrinkled her nose playfully. “...Well...freeze where yer bits should be…So, I guess no downfall for ya then?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"I suppose," he said and stood so that he could stretch. "Let's give Max a quick walk before we turn in. The lady I got him from said he was mostly housebroken and well I rather not step in a pile of something when we get up."</span><br/><br/>“Wait wait wait,<span style="font-style: italic">I suppose</span>?” she repeated, acting appalled. “That’s all I get?!” Shaking her head and going to her room to grab a pair of shoes and a sweatshirt. “You really must be lacking if you’re not even going to stand and defend…” Yanking on a shirt and slipping her feet into some sneakers, she meandered back. “I like your way of thinking, though. I’d much prefer to not step in something while I wander around half asleep tomorrow.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">He pinched her ass and gave a wink, "Now you know damn well I'm looking forward to cuddling you and your cover stealing butt. Though you may regret stealing the blankets." Tone was cautionary and playful. "Come on Max!" he exclaimed and patted his leg as he walked to the front door.</span><br/><br/>She jumped as he pinched her ass, turning around to smack him without another thought, following after him. “...Why would I regret stealing the blankets?” Tempest asked, narrowing her eyes.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"You'll see," he grinned up at her from where he knelt at Max while he attached the leash.</span><br/><br/>Shaking her head, she leaned against the exit intently. “We’re not going anywhere until you tell me what exactly I’ll be seeing,” she refuted playfully. “What is so bad about me stealing your blankets?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">Leash in hand he braced an arm behind her so that he could loom over her, his face close to her own. "I don't sleep in anything...." he whispered to her.</span><br/><br/>As he loomed over her, she held her stance, keeping eye contact as she maintained confidence...until he whispered to her and her eyes widened. “...Nothing? But you must sleep with something on when sharing the bed with someone, right?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"I must? Why is that?" he asked with a grin.</span><br/><br/>“Well...wouldn’t it be...you know, the thing to do...when sleeping with someone? I mean...do you always...sleep...naked?” she asked, a blush creeping into her cheeks.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Every night," he remarked and leaned just a bit closer.</span><br/><br/>Her heart rate was rising, the ache starting up at the mere<span style="font-style: italic">thought</span>of cuddling up to all of that...naked. “But, even if it’s just...platonic?” she managed to breathe out, eyes jumping back and forth between both of his.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Even then. I mean...shouldn't I be comfortable?" he asked with a smile and a slow lick of his lips.</span><br/><br/>Eyes dropping to his lips, she watched the movement, chest rising as her breath hitched and her attention focused on it for a moment while simultaneously thinking about the prospect of a naked Colt in the very near future. “But uh...you don’t think...being naked in bed with...me...would make things...uncom-...uncomfortable?” It took nearly everything she had to choke it out.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Why?" he asked. "It would just be us hugging right? Cuddling. Nothing more, right?"</span><br/><br/>There was a groan, a deep groan as a hand rubbed at her temples before reaching forward to push him back. “You know...damn well...this isn’t fair.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"What's not?" he asked as if he had no idea what she was talking about, even if that groan made his frustration increase tenfold.</span><br/><br/>Another shove and she was pushing herself away from the exit, trying to get her bearings, to catch her breath. “Don’t play coy; you can’t pull it off,” she shot back at him with narrowed eyes. “You know exactly what’s not. That’d be like me walking around naked and doing pilates.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Sounds like a great way to work out," he shot back.</span><br/><br/>“You really think you could keep your hands off of me if I did?” she retorted. “You could hardly handle me bent over with clothes on, let alone off.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">With just a little enhanced speed he put himself between her and the door, "I could, but I think you would rather I not." Another lick of his lips and then the door was opened and he was out the door, with Max trotting after him, holding his own leash.</span><br/><br/>One moment he was ahead of her, and the next he was behind her. Turning around just in time to see his tongue sliding over his lips again and another groan was loosed, following after him and closing the door behind them. “That’s not the point, Colt,” she fairly growled at him. “You’re going to make it impossible to take this slow, you know that?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Am I?" he asked as he waited in the elevator.</span><br/><br/>“Bullshit,” she called, narrowing her eyes further. “I call bullshit on your naivety.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"I say you are too worried about stuff and things," he joked, shut the elevator and started them down.</span><br/><br/>“I’m too worried about stuff and things?” Her head tilted at him, and she met his gaze with a cool, calculated, curious one. “You’re telling me that you won’t find it hard, literally and figuratively, to maintain what strained slow pace we have?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Yah think, with my hot na’ed body pressed up against your's will be hard to resist?" he clang of the elevator gate punctuated his question as he stood there and waited for her to exit.</span><br/><br/>She exited with a look, rolling her eyes and swaying her hips just that little bit more. “Still didn’t answer my question.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Aye and you didn't answer mine," he shot back as he followed her out of the elevator.</span><br/><br/>“But I asked you first, and, if you’re the gentleman you say who’s courtin’ me properly, shouldn’t you answer my question first?” she asked with a glance at him over her shoulder.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"You and your logic," he huffed. "Aight. It may be hard, ok?"</span><br/><br/>A grin slid over her features, but now it was her turn to play coy. “What was that?” she asked. “I couldn’t hear you. Speak up a bit?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"I would want to pleasure you for hours and hours!!"  he shouted.</span><br/><br/>She stopped dead in her tracks for a split second before recovering, thanking her lucky stars they were still inside the building and not out. “See? Was that so<span style="font-style: italic">hard</span>?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"It was pretty hard earlier," voice full of obvious meaning as he whistled for Max and took off at a light jog with the puppy chasing after him.</span><br/><br/>Taking off after him, she got her pace up to his, keeping up once the stride was matched. “Was it? I must’ve missed it…” she remarked after a moment and then let that settle in for a long while. Only after the sound of their feet pounding the pavement and the sound of Max’s tapping clause settle in did she answer his question. “I think it’ll just be...harder to resist than usual.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Then you should be naked too," he stated simply. "That way there ain't no pressure and what not."</span><br/><br/>She shot him a look of near horror, shaking her head emphatically. “That’s the absolute last thing I should be! Us both naked in bed?! That’d be a recipe for disaster.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Is it? Or is it a recipe for optimum body warmth?" he asked before he scooped up the leash from Max and ran out into the street.</span><br/><br/>Another eye roll was given as she ran after him. “I don’t think you need any extra warmth; You’re a walking furnace, which is why I’ll be stealing the blankets, as you don’t need them...which is how we got on this topic,” she rambled. “Us both being naked would be bad...very bad. There has to be some sort of a barrier.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Let's be honest the barrier of clothing would only last a second at most with us involved," he teased. "You felt my claws; it would be nothing at all, to rip the clothing and then ravish you over and over again," the smile was back with a few waggles of his eyebrows for emphasis.</span><br/><br/>There was that ache, the ache she’d almost completely ignored, was back and it caused her to run faster. Running faster meant she could run herself down and make herself too tired to function, right?<span style="font-style: italic">Right?</span>“It’s still a second gained that we wouldn’t have had otherwise…”<span style="font-style: italic">Maybe sharing a bed is not such a good idea…</span>came another thought, that she quickly silenced with a groan as she picked up the pace further. “I’m not sleeping naked in your bed.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"That's fine," he said as he caught up to her. "I like to unwrap my presents..." he said with a wink.</span><br/><br/>“And what makes you think I’m your present to unwrap?” she asked, picking up pace again.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">Another bit of cheating and he used his speed to pin her to the wall of the building. "Tell me you don't want me to unwrap you...." he whispered.</span><br/><br/>His speed almost had her head spinning, finding a wall at her back and his body pinning hers. Breath nonexistent, her heart raced in her chest and Max’s barks were the only thing that kept her mind from swimming with visions of what they<span style="font-style: italic">could</span>be doing. Clearing her throat, she did as he asked. “...I don’t want you to unwrap me…”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Really?" he asked, his face close to her own. "You really don't want me to unwrap you....kiss you and do all sorts of things to you?"</span><br/><br/>She didn’t budge an inch, though it took everything in her not to try and turn away from it. “I...really don’t want you to...unwrap me or...kiss me...and do all sorts of things to me…” It was a small victory that she even got the sentence out, as shaky as it was.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Alright," he said with a smirk and allowed her to get up from the wall. "Let's go Max!" he called to the dog and took off at a jog once more.</span><br/><br/>Another heavy eye roll later, and she was jogging after him, and then keeping pace. “Not afraid you’re going to tire the poor pup out?” she asked, glancing down at the puppy who was bounding along, tongue hanging out and flapping with each stride.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Nah, he is tough. You on the other hand, I don't think you could really keep up with me if I were to actually put just a bit of effort in," it was an obvious challenge and he smirked at her to add to the taunt.</span><br/><br/>Her eyes narrowed, accepting his challenge. “I can keep up with anything you throw at me,” she answered back confidently. “Hit me with your best shot; we’ll see if you’re as good as you think you are.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">He stopped and looked down at her, to gauge just how serious she was, then Max barked and it drew his attention which prompted him to scoop the pup up. "Alright. We are gonna run together and you get to be on your own team," he laid out the rules. "Try and keep up," he taunted then took off.</span><br/><br/>“Fine,” she said to that, taking off after him. She’d almost wanted to make it a bet, but now that she knew what he was...she wasn’t stupid enough to do that. He’d conned her once into brunch for a month, and he wouldn’t be conning her again.<br/><br/>Reaching his stride and keeping up for the moment, she regarded him in her peripheral. “How did this turn into a competition and not letting Max go to the bathroom?” Temp asked in offhanded fashion.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Max likes the wind in his face. Don't you boy?" he asked the puppy who responded with just hanging his tongue out of his mouth and wagging his tail.</span><br/><br/>“Uh huh,” was all she gave back to that, picking up her pace to keep up with him as they ran.<br/><br/>And then she fell silent. The longer the run dragged on for, the harder it became to keep up with him. It was like he had an endless supply of energy without the muscle fatigue; He could, she thought, keep going without issue whereas she’d have to stop. Did she want to admit she’d have to stop? Not at all. But, the longer they ran, the more her muscles seemed to ache, and her heart begged for a moment. Her lungs burned, her legs burned, a fine sheen of sweat had gathered across her skin and her bangs were beginning to stick to her forehead.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">Just a little longer…</span>she paced herself.<span style="font-style: italic">Hold out a bit longer and you’ll have proven your point. Kind of.</span><br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">The pace was easy, at least for him, though he could hear her body as it began to struggle for her to keep pace with him. He only allowed for it to continue for another block or so, before he stopped. “Alright. You win,” he said with a smile and not a sign of being out of breath. “Come on,” he offered her his hand. “I’ll give yah a piggyback ride home and let Max have himself a nice easy walk home. What do you say?”</span><br/><br/>She almost gave out, keeping up for that last block before he conceded. “Othangod!” The words mushed together, falling out in a flurry of breath as she dropped to the ground and just laid there on the side of the road, trying to catch her breath. Her chest was heaving, each breath not feeling like quite enough, her legs shaking and her heart feeling like it was going to explode at any second.<br/><br/>And there she lay for a good, long moment, the pavement cool against her back (if a bit dirty), before taking his hand and hoisting herself up. “So you…really...never get...tired?” she panted, lacking the ability to hop on his back of her own accord just then.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">“Come on champ!” he said as he knelt in front of her so that she could climb on. “And I do, but it just takes a lot to wear me down.”</span><br/><br/>There wasn’t much finesse to her getting on his back. If anything, she sort of let herself drop onto him, arms loosely hanging onto him and her legs even less so. “What...would...wearyoudown?” she asked next, head lulled on to one of his shoulders.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Hunting usually does," he began to explain. "Running in wolf form and chasing down my prey. Running in wolf form in general wears me down," he said as he secured Max's leash to his belt loop. "Some other physical activities wear me out, but it does take a couple of times..." his tone heavy with hidden meaning while he started the trek home.</span><br/><br/>Too tired to make her usual snarky remark at his overly-obvious “hidden meaning”, she just sort of mumbled an “uh huh”. Normally, it would have been an “a couple of times? Didn’t think you could last for one.” Even something with the hidden meaning of her own, “How many times is a couple? To be thoroughly exhausted?” But no, the running had momentarily helped her frustration and her body was ready to melt into whatever surface it could rest on, currently Colt.<br/><br/>“How...often...do you...hunt?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Once a month, sometimes twice if I can manage it. I take like a week away from my "life" go out into the woods and just run as a wolf. It is a very freeing experience," he explained.</span><br/><br/>“So...I get the...apartment...to myself...for a week…every...month?” she panted, already exhausted from thinking about him running<span style="font-style: italic">more</span>. “I’m gonna...throw the...biggest...rager...ever…”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Aww, don't want to come and spend a week with me alone in the woods? I have spot that is rather cool," he said in a sing song voice to try and tempt her away with him.</span><br/><br/>A pitiful sort of laugh tumbled free in response, hardly having the energy to shake her head. “Spend a week...in the woods...with no one...to talk to...but myself? Besides...I have...work.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Who says you would not have anyone to talk to?" he asked.</span><br/><br/>“You’ll be in...wolf form...won’t you? Hunting and...running around…?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Not all the time," he said. "We could camp under the stars together and I could wow you with what little I know about the stars."</span><br/><br/>“But I still have work…” Tempest replied, finally able to breathe a bit better so her words weren’t coming in two bit spurts. “...Besides, isn’t the point of...going out there to tire yourself out? ...Not keep me entertained…”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"We could entertain one another," he said with a playful growl. "And no you don't, you could take off from work, we both know that."</span><br/><br/>“How can I entertain you if you’re...running around everywhere?” she retorted. “And, after the week I already took off, I don’t know if I can afford to; I’m not under contract.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"We should see about getting that changed, don't you think?"</span><br/><br/>“It’s not like I can just demand I be given a contract,” she replied, with a shrug. “If they want me, then I’ll get one. Until then, we working folk can’t run off to the woods to twiddle thumbs around a campfire.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Actually, it is that easy," he said. "So, next day we have practice we will get you a contract."</span><br/><br/>“You really think it’s that easy?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">”Yep,”</span><br/><br/>“How?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Cause I will be there."</span><br/><br/>“And you can get anyone to give you whatever you want whenever you want it?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Pretty much."</span><br/><br/>Leaning forward a bit, she gave him a sidelong glance. “How can you do that? Care to share?”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Told you, I can influence people's wills. You felt it before, remember?"</span><br/><br/>“...You think your animal magnetism will affect the director?” she asked, skepticism evident in her voice. “It affected me because I wa-...I don’t see how it will work.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Do you trust me?" he asked he simply.</span><br/><br/>“It’s not a matter of trust; it’s a matter of curiosity.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Just trust me and allow me to work," is all he said as they paused and waited for Max to pee on something for the third or forth time.</span><br/><br/>She huffed at him. “Am I not allowed to know how these things work?” Tempest asked while waiting for Max to finish his pee spree. “You can’t blame the human for being curious.”<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"Not blaming you, but your lack of faith in me wounds me. It wounds me deep!" he said in his usual loud overly dramatic voice.</span><br/><br/>“Oh god, not the dramatics again. Fine! You win! I’ll stop asking, but please don’t start in on me again!” she pleaded, burying her face into the back of his neck.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF0000">"I do love it when I win," he grinned and continued the trek home. When they finally arrived he carried her all the way into his room, where he promptly deposited her on the bed. "Now, you get all comfy I am going to get Max settled in for the night and then come back here to get in bed with you."</span>