The mention of Master Ryan as if she would ask the owner of the Teahouse to bed her made her almost laugh. Ryan had never taken a whore into his bed that she knew of, and she rather got the feeling that her gender was of little interest to him. No, if there was one in the Teahouse she would ask to bed her it would be the man before her. After all hadn't she just done something that basically was that? She couldn't believe her own nerve, reckless, silly. But he had stayed when she bid him go, he had tried to make her laugh; and he had offered to be her hero earlier hadn't he? She had touched on that with her words, showing that she did want it, she hoped. Sweet heavens it was never ever this hard with a client. But then she was serving them, she was focused on what they wanted and how to bring them pleasure; this...this was something that she wanted.<br/><br/>So perhaps it was only fitting that it be nerve wracking.<br/><br/>Certainly the silence that fell around them after her daring made her nerves bundle tightly, made her mind sound over and over with a litany of<em>Stupid, stupid, stupid</em>... Still the redhead did not get to her feet, did not drop her eyes, perhaps if she stayed frozen it would turn out okay. If she had words she would have begged him to say something, that or laugh, say it had only been in jest but she couldn't not yet. Her pale blue green eyes showed just how sincere that question had been; she didn't try to guard her thoughts or emotions from him at the moment. Atticus was guarded, if she was as well then there would be no hope would there? She had to open herself up, to show that she was the vulnerable one here to hopefully put him a bit at ease.<br/><br/>And then finally, when she expected it never to come his words came, soft as the rain fall.<br/><br/><em>“Ash and embers. But,”</em>With those first words she nearly pulled away, thinking she had made a utter fool of herself. The but caught her though, hope flaring in her eyes as she held still when he reached to touch her, her breath catching as his fingers so softly touched her cheek and into her hair. There was a look in his eyes she had no words for, one that made her stomach knot itself, made her cheeks flush and her body tremble slightly as she waited.<em>“when I look at you… when you speak… laugh… tease…"</em><br/><br/>Fi's lips parted slightly when his thumb glided over the bottom one; and it trembled for that touch, for the warmth in it and in his eyes as she waited for him to finish.<em> “…I am stirred.” </em>Perhaps she was not a fool after all. Her aquamarine eyes stayed fixed on him, her breath coming back and she offered him a slight smile, warmth flaring in her features even as her shoulders shrugged, first one and then the other. The silk robe slid down her arms, baring her shoulders and a good portion of her midriff for the top garment of the custom was little more then a breast band of teal chiffon and silk, decorated with gold thread and bangles. Slowly one of her hands lifted, to caress her fingers down the strong line of his jaw and then up his cheek, to reach and feel his hair; her cheeks were bright pink and she let the awe of what she was doing show. That was part of her draw, her secret, to be artless, to be honest and give all of herself to a moment, to a person. It was all too easy to with him.<br/><br/>"Perhaps....perhaps together we can rebuild both our flames then?" On such a soft voice the words came, but they came, gentle, offering, affectionate.