Ace (HS)

Theatrics

The pads of his fingers thudded against his thigh, a recently acquired habit that helped him relieve the nervousness fluttering around in his abdomen like unwanted pests. He flickered his eyes discreetly to the girl sitting across from him, pretending to scan over the menu as he finally induldged in the sight of her.

Mouthwatering. He couldn't think of a better word to describe the mysterious beauty. Under the dim glare of the restaurant lighting, her high cheekbones resembled the arch of a cheetah's back as it hid amongst the grasses in await for its prey, its stance ready to pounce. She had pulled her hair back into a loose bun at the nape of her long neck, with a few dark strands framing the sides of her face. As much as he had loved the way her black curls hung over her shoulders, he couldn't help but revel the way her soft, beautiful face was completely on display for him.

His gaze lowered a bit, traveling down the length of her neck and landing on her gently protruding collarbones. His tongue ached to glide over the satiny skin, and to lap at the large swells of her breasts that were hidden from him under the deep blue material of her dress. His fantasies had all been of her in the red one she had worn that night, but he knew from now on they would be of her in this one. The dark fabric contrasted with the creamy pigment of her skin, making it appear that much more soft and sweet. The neckline plunged between her breasts, but not too far, and the thick straps covered her shoulders just enouugh to leave him desperate for more of her flesh to be revealed.

"Do you know what you're going to order?" Her silky voice caused him to tear his gaze away from her and back to the menu in his hands. The smirk in her voice was clear, and he could feel his cheeks redden as he imagined the arrogant expression she was wearing after noticing his not-so subtle staring.

"I haven't decided yet," he murmured, shifting in his chair and straightening his back. He shuddered as his leg brushed against hers under the table, and he clenched his fist to suppress the physical need growing within him to bring his hand between her thighs, and push away the fabric of her panties...

"I'm going to get just a salad, I think." Carmen set down her menu and rested her elbows on the table, leaning forward as she pressed her cheek in the palm of her hand. She smiled, a genuine smile that meant she was satisified. She was playing a game of poker with him, her perfact hand still unshown, and still a few more cards up her sleeve. She was taking his usual role in the game; the cheater.

"The, urm- Ricotta Truffle Raviolini sounds good," Harry spoke slowly, squinting his eyes at the foreign words. A quiet giggle erupted from across the table, and he looked past his menu to see his beautiful vixen attempting to silence her laughter by pressing her hand to her lips.

"What?" he frowned.

"Your Italian is horrid," she spoke through her charming laughter, shaking her head.

Had it been any other person laughing at him, he would've sneered some crude comeback, but instead he felt an amused smile form on his lips. Her laughter was sweet to his ears and soothing to the angst in the pit of his belly, and it made him swell with an unrivaled pride that he was the cause of it, even though she was in fact making fun of him.

"And yours is any better?" he grinned, almost playfully. The sight of it was anomalous; his rosy lips tainted blood-red from his glass of wine, and tugged up into a wide smile so that two dimples indented his cheeks. He looked... boyish. Like a child. It made Carmen momentarily speechless, her dark eyes wide and her body filling with warmth.

The truth was, he was just humoring himself with the light, playful conversation, while the less amusing questions lingered in the back of his mind. He hadn't forgotten about her little stunt in the limosuine, or the fake name, or the fact that the apartment she was living in had a man's name alonside hers on the lease. He was simply waiting for the right time, because if there was one thing that he knew about how his woman worked, it was that she did everything on her own terms.