[attr="class","cian"]from one seedy bar to another, it's where he finds himself again on a...tuesday night? or is it wednesday? he's lost track.

"not always. i made an exception for you, though."

his gaze is elsewhere, attention purposefully kept away from her in hopes it'd tame her, but he knows it won't. he's just having a little fun.

her leg brushes against his and only then does his head tilts back, landing on her to meet her challenge. his lips curl into a grin, flashing a taunt of his own.

"yeah, what's that?"

[attr="class","noodles"]giada morgan

[attr="class","giada"]

[attr="class","giada b"]

[attr="class","giada i"]his answer is almost enough to flatter her. almost, yet not quite. there's more she wants, more she needs. it shows in the way her smirk widens, in the way blue eyes shift into dangerous territory. she's prying, then, without hesitation as if she wants affirmation for things that she shouldn't.

"should i feel special?" her fingers itch to feel the half empty glass against skin. and yet, she doesn't give in just yet. there's a game to be played here and with every fiber in her, she'll win. "or do you have lots of exceptions?"

where he avoids to tame, she looks to conquer.

a game of cat and mouse ensues as if she can't entertain anything else. when he looks, she leans back, eyes drifting away to her glass. condensation bleeds onto the wooden counter and only then does she reach for the glass. it's empty upon return.

"where's the fun in telling you," stubbornly, her eyes stay away a moment longer. and finally, when she's satisfied, do they return. "when i could just show you instead?"

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]"you should," the golden-brown liquor swirls in the glass as he picks it up; condensation dripping onto the wooden counter. he holds it, not yet raising it to his lips as he whispers: "only you, gia."

back and forth, they play a game both of them are so familiar at, both of them refusing to compromise just yet. he downs his drink in tandem with her, returns it empty to the counter only to gesture to the barkeep for another round.

his hand reaches over, crossing whatever little boundaries they've set, and brushes against her leg, caressing.

"hungry already? we've only just got here."

the grin lingers, growing.

[attr="class","noodles"]giada morgan

[attr="class","giada"]

[attr="class","giada b"]

[attr="class","giada i"]ah. yep, that's it. that's exactly what she wanted. it does a funny thing to her stomach, as if unleashing a butterfly or two into the cavity of her organs to flutter about. she tries to hide it behind a coy smile and the reach for a new glass. except, her fingers tremble with mild excitement.

"only me has a nice ring to it," she offers idly, glancing toward him to gauge any reaction she can find.

the new drink is raised to her lips as if she needs the sip to anchor herself. and yet, it never comes. instead, her hand stills with the touch of a thigh. a swallow, a lick of the lips, and the beginning of a certain gleam in her eyes.

"oh, you're not?" cue the time to finally sip and return the glass to the counter. half left in favor of turning her head away from him, toward the door. she sounds distracted, then, as if thoughts are running rampant the longer his fingers linger.

"perhaps i misjudged?" she didn't but that's neither here nor there.

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]"only the best for you, gia."

the best being one of the cheaper whiskeys the bar has on their shelves, but it's the thought that counts, surely?

whether her distraction is genuine or feigned matters little — it annoys him because he wants all of her. no one else matters as much.

"i never said i wasn't."

his hand trails further, gliding up.

"could leave right now, if you wanted to."

[attr="class","noodles"]giada morgan

[attr="class","giada"]

[attr="class","giada b"]

[attr="class","giada i"]oh, is that the beginning of a flush? she'll mask it with the finishing of a drink, with a quick motion and blonde strands shifting to hide. it could be chalked up to alcohol anyway, right?

the best for her is a nice thought in concept but does it come to fruition? she's not certain and the notion that it could be a well versed lie keeps her toying.

"never said you were, either." it's subtle. a mild means to pick at his resolve, as if she can pluck it apart with tweezers and a determined brow. instead, she resorts to less pristine means.

his hand glides and she glances toward him, empty glass returning to counter with a soft clink.

"the game just started, though," she murmurs. there's a shift in her legs, an invitation yet a challenge all at once. test the rules, test the boundary.

it's a dare, she realizes with the spread of lips into a grin. absolutely a dare.

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]cian's never one to back down from a dare, nor a challenge, so he meets it with great resolve, touch growing hungrier.

"i wonder who's going to lose."

he's leaning his body closer bit by bit, testing the waters.

"it won't be me."

[attr="class","noodles"]giada morgan

[attr="class","giada"]

[attr="class","giada b"]

[attr="class","giada i"]where he rises with hunger, she counters with feigned indifference. his remark earns a contemplative silence. her eyes drop to her glass, to swirl the empty container around in her hands. eventually, it's replaced with a full one and liquid sloshes and escapes in droplets on the back of her hand.

only when he drifts within a closer orbit does she turn her head slightly.

"a stalemate, then?"

she won't break. not first, not yet. he has to work for it.

didn't he say she should feel special, anyway?

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]"for you, giada,"

he works for it; leans close enough for his lips to brush against her ear. his wandering hand stops, playfully squeezing.

"i'll consider it."

[attr="class","noodles"]giada morgan

[attr="class","giada"]

[attr="class","giada b"]

[attr="class","giada i"]"for me," she echoes softly. she wants to believe it, almost craves to. and yet, something holds her back.

trust issues.

"do you say that to everyone, cian?"

the squeeze ignites a fire and she's having trouble keeping it in control. his lips lingering too close to her ear leaves a shiver. she covers it with the shifting of her hips in a seat.

"just consider it?" for her, for the game. hmm... it's almost enough.

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]"just the ones i like; the special ones."

she shifts in her seat but he doesn't relent. he stays close, whispering:

"i'll submit if you want me to, giada."

his lips gently brush against her neck.

"is that what you want?"

[attr="class","noodles"]giada morgan

[attr="class","giada"]

[attr="class","giada b"]

[attr="class","giada i"]her eyes dart to find his, if only to gauge a reaction.

"what makes me special compared to the rest?"

she's fishing, that much she recognizes. will he give in? will he feed her lies?

lips brush against the skin of her neck. nerves surge to life and she's tilting her head almost involuntarily.

"what if it is?"

CIAN MAHER

[attr="class","cian"]truthfully,

"because you interest me."

falsely,

"because you captivate me."

his lips continue to trail down her neck.

"then i'll submit to you."

[attr="class","noodles"]giada morgan