moritat | there is always another au

She needs relief.

But he's so sweet and this moved so fast, she jumped the gun, is this normal half-not-date behavior? Should Paloma rewind? Their foreheads rest together, and she inhales to perhaps clear the air, but she just breathes in more of him...

His touch is so shy, even now. "Do you think we should stop, or...?"

"It might be wise, before it gets out of hand." He laughs a little, but it isn't a yes, exactly. Technically they should, yes, but do they have to?

She's well aware of how it could look through a window; her about to fall into his lap, curled around him-- Jekyll holding her. It's a bit compromising.

"I could see you tomorrow," she rasps, kissing the corner of his smiling mouth. "Couldn't I?" The implication, of course, being that who can say what may happen then!

"Yes, of course, I'm free in the evening!" Indeed, who knows what may happen then. The thought occurs to him, but he chooses not to think too hard on it. It's too much for him.

"I'd be very glad to see you."

She hoped he'd be glad after tongue-fucking her into a tizzy!!

"Wherever you pick." Paloma kisses him one last, lingering while. Then and only then can she bring herself to withdraw, despite the heady buzzing of desire, despite her poor impulse control. She keeps her thighs squeezed together.

"Dinner, then?"

At least she can hide her shame, unlike him. It would only be calling attention to his hard-on if he tried to mask it in any way. So instead he tries to very casually drive her to the hotel they've had booked. All expenses paid thanks to the patron owning the hotel. It's a damn nice place, almost as nice as his home.

She readily agrees to dinner, blood buzzing still, and pointedly never looks at his crotch.

His hotel (she knows about the ownership thanks to Veronica) sort of wags its finger, announcing just how affluent the man she'd been smooching actually is. Her flush deepens inexorably. "Ah.."

Paloma glances subtly, tugging at her belt loop. "Have you ever tried your own room service?"

"I do make a point to stay once in a while, to make sure the quality isn't slipping." Oblivious to her meaning, he answers entirely truthfully. She must be wondering how it is. "It's quite nice, I think."

"Oh!"

Paloma giggles, feeling horrendously awkward for the misunderstanding. Her hand gravitates toward her throat self-consciously. "Very! D'you-- want to make a surprise inspection?"

Oh- she's inviting him in. But for what? Just to eat and spend time together? Or is more being implied, that's usually how it is when you're invited in, right? But that's usually after a date. Is it weird and rude if he goes in with her but turns down anything too handsy?

"Alright, sure - yes." Naturally he needs to open the door to let her out too.

As if she's not struggling to breathe and act like a normal person, she nods, smiles, and lets her eyes affix to the ground the entire journey up to her shared room with Veronica. It makes for an uncomfortable elevator ride.

Even after they've gotten to the door, Paloma can't get past her tied tongue until the phone is nestled right up to her ear. "What's your poison?" she asks shyly, covering the mouthpiece.

At least theyre in the same boat. Jekyll looks around as if he doesn't know exactly what the rooms look like, look at that painting he's never seen that before wow.

"Oh, ah, ice cream, I've had my supper." Why ice cream? Because it'll help cool him off, in place of a cold shower. At least he finally takes a seat though.

"Ice cream," she repeats into the phone, uncertainly. "Flavor? Umm-- matcha?" Getting a nod in return, she flounders for a meal of her own.

Paloma ends up hunching in and speaking quietly to avoid being seen as piggish. "Oh, umm, could I umm, please have the filet mignon with truffle? Yes, thank you," raising her voice, "and water. Thank you."

Guilt flushes her well after the phone is put down. "Ahh, so! We wait!"

He's been looking as high up as he can without just staring at the ceiling, hands on his knees. "So...have you been working together long?" Conversation! Ask her about herself, get to know her better!

With him over there and Paloma sticking to the kitchen area, they might just be able to keep their hands to themselves. A very good chance.

Right?

Right, he'd said something! "Only three months! I only just landed an internship with her museum in Mexico. I'm fluent, and it's good training to start." Hope puts more light into her eyes. "I want to be an art historian."

"That's wonderful! I didnt realise you were only an intern, you seem more like a partner." She does good work!!! "I found I was a bit too stubborn to answer to someone like that - or maybe 'a know it all' would be more appropriate..." He laughs a little, smiling sheepishly.

Oh, if he goes and lays on the compliments she'll twitter and flutter directly over into his lap, and they can't have that.

She pushes around the bowl of fruit on the counter, wiggling her newly freed toes. Then heels had been a terror. "Between you and me? It's a lot of coffee runs and checklists. But I get to see so much, go to places I might never have gone otherwise... meet lovely people." Her little grin is just for him.

"Those are wonderful perks." And his blush is just for her. "You have marvelous patience to be able to take the menial tasks in stride."

He scooches over so she might be able to sit beside him on the couch.

Should she? No. Is she?

Paloma settles in, crossing her legs at the ankle. Their closeness makes her too aware of the indecency of her clothing if room service were to come right then, but getting up to change now? Laughable.

"It's okay because I have somewhere I want to be. I didn't always have that." Her chin ducks, smiling in remembered aches. "I heard you're already a doctor."

"That is wonderful." He might not know why it seems bittersweet, but he's glad for her. The hand folding over hers says so.

"I am, I've wanted to be a doctor my whole life! ...Admittedly, my position helped my ability to do so - for resources." Not that he didn't work hard to earn the title!

He likes a good handhold, does he? Her as well. Paloma turns hers over to trace inside his palm, impossibly light.

Jekyll's right there. Nearby and too distant all the same. Her body turns toward him in full. "I can imagine, but what drew you to it? With all the other choices you could've made instead?" She leans, but only to convey her attention.

"Well, I enjoy the sciences, and I'd like to help people as much as I can. Medicine saves lives, and I admire that." She's very close! And such a soft touch is rather sensual! He's embarrassed. very much so.

Then thankfully she hasn't inched any further in to actually corner him on this couch.

"I feel the same about the history of art. It's saved my life, I can say that much." And no more, because she swiftly changes focus. "How did you end up funding us?"

"Your own personal medicine!" He beams at her. "Well, we have English and European artists on display plenty around here, but so little from the Americas. I thought some diversity would be nice to see, and educational, not simply the same few well known paintings on rotation. I do things at the gallery already, so it wasn't much of a stretch to set this up."

"Mm, you made everything possible!"

A larger audience, a spacious gallery, advertisement in the right ear, and so on. Money makes the art world go round. Paloma nods enthusiastically along with their shared ideals. It brings them closer. Literally. They're probably inches away from touching lips... and hers are so plush and inviting.

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