<span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">"My evening... as as to be expected. Generally, then, well. Yours, sir?"</span></span>Her smile indicated sincere inquiry.<br/><br/>Luciano blinked and easily shifted his attention to the woman as he was a little bit lost in the variety of alcoholic beverages on one of the two tables. Tonight though he has sworn to make an exception and stay far away from the strongest availability at earlier stages. The man did not know if he was embarking in what would end up being a long night, or short. But as he preferred to be ahead of any obstacle, this evening he planned his drinking like a dinner menu. A simplified moderation was an absolute necessity. This business meeting was as important to him as he hoped it was important to<span style="font-style: italic">her.</span><br/><br/>He directed his eyes to Yvonne, completely ignoring the Hostess who walked into their personal lounge to place a menu on the table in front of Yvonne. Only light French and Japanese appetizers and desserts were on the menu, snacks to go along with their drinks, in case they needed something small to eat. The female stepped nearer to Luciano to place his own version of the menu - one for those on a Vegan diet.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">“My evening so far has been good, thank you for asking.”</span>He finally responded.<span style="font-style: italic">“I've traveled back and forth between Munich and Naples since that very last meeting we've had. I'm not very certain for how long I should be staying in Germany, but I'm not too much thinking about planning my departure just yet.”</span>Luciano's vocals produced a low chuckle as he slowly rose to his feet in an erect posture and let his blazer slide off along his strong arms. He then placed it to the side on a single chair and adjusted the collar of his black shirt, momentarily glancing at a couple of female dancers, sensually slow-walking by the lounge.<br/><br/>He turned around to sit in the large round sectional couch and in the same spot he was sitting at earlier, but in a more comfortable, enthusiastic fashion. When he did so, and delivered a gaze to the woman, he met her stare with a curious yet controlled facial expression. His lips slightly parted as he surveyed her upper body straightening up, subconsciously emphasizing her breasts. A nervous laugh of discomfort followed a raise of blonde eyebrows over olive eyes. He didn't need to decode anything. She unrestrainedly allowed her nervousness to show in her body language, but what he found very likable about her was the fact that she continued to approach her situation with an open heart, forwarding a message saying that she was willing to communicate. A true woman of war.<br/><br/>Her eyes though looked a bit darker in low light, he noted, but he recalled their brightness from their meeting in the hallway and obviously, from the church. Luciano crossed his legs, leaned back into the black cushions behind him and a quick, tight-lipped smile touched the man's lips.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">“The Musette jazz you say?”</span>A gleam of interest passed the man's grey-blues and his pupils dilated slightly in response, finding himself angling his chest towards the woman.<span style="font-style: italic">“I'm a big fan of Reinhardt and I love his approach to Musette with combination of chromatic gypsy flavor and a dark mood to swing. Truth be told, Frau Wójcik, have I known you liked Musette Jazz, I would have taken us to see this man performing this very same night at the Munich Opera house.”</span>Luciano laughed and uncrossed his legs, feet spread further apart and knees pointed towards his guest. He leaned over the table to pour Yvonne a glass of water while she rested her cheek on her hand. It did not take a mastermind to figure out the reluctance Yvonne showed towards drinking. Even though he could attempt to easily perform cold readings on the woman which would employ high-probability guesses to figure her out, the man refrained from doing so. She was different, somehow enigmatic, but that alone did not give him any excuse to step into her privacy. He limited himself to his natural human instincts and focused on her subtle body language instead. He moved a little closer and pushed the glass of water towards her, while keeping a certain distance as to not inhabit her space too much.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Frau Wójcik, allow me to express my honest opinion,"</span>The Italian looked at the woman out of the corner of his eye as he poured himself a glass of water as well.<span style="font-style: italic">"-you are not under-dressed. You look gorgeous."</span>He complimented her in measured tactician and disciplined manners, extending his gaze a little longer as she addressed him.<br/><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-style: italic">"My youth was spent in the church, so studies of the Word filled my days, rarely music other than chants and hymns. It is quite refreshing to hear such beauty in a world of war. I am glad I made it, no matter what business to which we must attend."</span></span><br/><br/>She had her own life, her own opinions. He respected her for that as much as he tried to shrug the fact that she was serving under Nazism, an idea he frowned upon. Their first conversation turned a bit different than the business meeting he had expected. Unlike their brief encounter at the Church, he was very pleased to see how easygoing she was about the whole thing. The intimate confession of how she spent her youth made the man the even more interested to hear more of this stranger. He discreetly bit his bottom lip as he put his water glass to the side and lowered his tone.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"It is better to begin by conquering yourself and then proceed to win those thousand battles. Then the victory is yours. It cannot be taken from you not by angels or by demons, heaven or hell. I can assume that you have conquered yourself already."</span>Luciano cocked his head to the side and eyed the woman, a subconscious interest in her words made him shift his body couple inches closer - to hear her better.<span style="font-style: italic">"You're excused. I understand this is not your scene and I would be grateful if you could allow yourself to be your true self in my presence. You may feel at ease."</span>The man said in a controlled tone and chuckled, shaking his head. He remained calm and indifferent true to the person he was as to not show too much of his thoughts through his actions.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"I-I did not know much of life myself until some point. I have devoted myself to the Royal Navy since I was fourteen. It was worth it while it lasted. I have being given a great honor to command Navy battleships during the first war. Three years ago I was honorably discharged for - for suffering Post-Traumatic Syndrome."</span>Luciano briefly looked past the woman and then back to meet her eyes once more. His aloofness was not an act. He would never have mentioned his discharge if the woman did not open up about her past.<span style="font-style: italic">"After that I have been working for an Ocean Liner in Italy. Have you ever been to America, Miss Wójcik? Or would you give yourself a chance if the opportunity arises?"</span>Luciano's brows arched above a spark in his grey eyes as he brought his shoulders back, interrupting his question for a second.<span style="font-style: italic">"May I serve you something to drink? Juice, lemonade, water syrup?"</span>He asked, a half-smile curving one side of his lips.