this was not the first time someone had accused him of this. he was aware of the implication. he looked like a rancher. people liked to make fun of his hat, and holler yeehaw, but on his head it remained, and he was adamant:

“now listen, i may talk like an asshole, but i ain’t no cowboy.”

his face was almost stern, as though she’d perhaps struck a chord.

eyes fell back to his drink and he sipped again, muttering, “it’s just a nice hat.” slateport was full of assholes.

then, he had to clarify, ”i can ride a horse just fine. i’m just sayin’, i don’t ride horses any more than the next guy if that’s what’cher gettin’ at.”

Remi Cassel

☉

The more he defends himself, the wider her smirk grows. Eventually, she leans one elbow against the bar and tilts her head to look at him. Something akin to predatory fondness plants a seed somewhere behind her searching gaze.

And his sternness doesn't phase her in the slightest. In fact, it only encourages her. She takes another sip, sucks her bottom lip, and raises a brow.

"I never said it wasn't a nice hat."

Remi follows his gaze slightly as he buries himself in his glass to mutter one last defensive retort. She chuckles, a quiet noise as she sets her own glass down.

"Well good, 'cause I wanted to know if you'd go with me sometime."

virgil roach

☉

the look in her eye derailed his thoughts, and he felt decidedly less offended. although she wasn’t necessarily complimenting his hat, the implication caused him to smirk and hiss lightly through his teeth. he realized she’d caught a weakness, and that he was being a little silly for it.

”thanks.”

her request caught him off guard. his glass paused on its way back down to the bar, before it eventually lowered with a graceful tap on mahogany.

”yeah? whatcha mean, like some kinda work date?” or would they be riding for pleasure?

his head reclined a little to the side, as he analyzed her gaze for whatever he’d caught in it a few moments prior.

Remi Cassel

☉

Remi lets her eyes wander for a moment, lingering on the curve of his lips where he smirks and hisses, the shake of his head as he realizes she means no harm.

She falls off from the lip of his cowboy hat and settles on his eyes once more, amusement reflecting in her own dark and stormy gaze. The woman chuckles at his apparent confusion and it makes her teasing all the more fruitful.

"It could be.. whatever you'd like it to be, boss."

And there it was again, that subtle attempt at flirtation, left up in the air for the man to reach for and acknowledge if he so chose. But would he? He scrutinizes her now, she can see, analyzing the lines in her face for something. What was it that he was looking for? Would he find it?

"Or we could leave this as strictly business."

And no pleasure.

virgil roach

☉

was she watching his lips? she was. as far as he could tell, she didn’t need to read them. they curled in a deeper smirk that sank into his whiskers.

he really did try not to let a pretty face distract him from the deal.

”is that right?” he shifted a little, shoulders squaring more in her direction. he was almost sure that he’d caught what he’d been looking for in her gaze.

then, she offered the alternative, and as smart as it would’ve been to opt for it, it sounded much less appetizing.

”now, hold on a second.” the look in his own eyes had changed, most certainly no longer offended, and maybe even a little hungry. ”you comin’ on to me?”

Remi Cassel

☉

"Mhm.."

Her smile stretches, satisfaction and amusement oozing. The woman's posture relaxes and she leans into the bar further, growing more and more comfortable with his curiously adept attention to her. It seemed that the more she pushed and teased, the closer he watched.

She liked to be watched.

"Hm?"

Brows raise at his questioning and she lifts her drink to her lips, disguising her grin.

"Do you want me to?"

virgil roach

☉

he watched her mouth disappear into the glass. warm eyes then reached hers again.

she was playing with him, and he was truly eating it up, as much as he tried to deny himself. for one, money and the sanctity of business. for two, he preferred not to stick his shit in trouble. women in the underbelly… not really worth it—but he was impulsive by nature.

”well, i can’t say i’d turn it down.”

he licked his lips, wondering about the course of things.

Remi Cassel

☉

Remi's smile lingers, even widens, at his response. He licks his lips, and hers twitch in response. With a lazy movement, she sets her glass down on the bar before stepping closer to him.

Discreetly, she reaches forward to gently hook a finger into the waist of his pants. She doesn't push nor pull, doesn't take control. It is a test, perhaps, or a question. She tilts her head, meets his warm gaze with her own much colder one.

"Then.. shall we?"

In other words: yes, she was coming onto him. He was a handsome man with a good taste in booze. Though she told herself she wasn't the type to slip up- she didn't consider this slipping. She considered this satisfying a hunger and letting base instinct have its way with her.

Probably.

With a glance to the side, she spies an empty space that would aptly fit a Chia pet. The damn things had been popping up on her phone lately due to a misclicked ad while drunk. She'd gone down a rabbit hole of different types of figures. Laden with the hint of a buzz, she chuckles.

"What do you think of Chia pets?"

From her phone, she fishes out a picture of what looks like a Shaymin-shaped Chia pet.

virgil roach

☉

the woman was like a wolf. her eyes didn’t run away. she didn’t blush. just stared back, deadly, and even dared closer. when he felt the skin of her fingers in the waist of his pants, the corner of his mouth curled deeper. there was a rumble of a hum under his breath, an appreciative growl, but it was cut off by her question about…

”chia pets?” he echoed, bewildered. his brow wrinkled, and his eyes shifted in thought.

she pulled out her phone, and he looked. blinked, and gave a small chuckle. ”that’s a… shaymin plant, ain’t it?” he was at a momentary loss for what to say, before eventually concluding, ”it’s nice.”

?

his eyes began to wander down the elegant slope of her neck as he attempted to will himself past the moment.

”so. you wan’ go up to my office, and see if we can’t find you an application?”

Remi Cassel

☉

Really, he should have lost interest. She probably would have, had the roles been reversed.

She can see the switch, see his gears turning and his opinion shifting and his mood changing. One second, his smirk deepens and grows hungry. She can feel his skin jump at her touch, hear his blood rush to a focal point, see his eyes glint with something dangerous.

And then she sees confusion and surprise flicker and choke out his lust just as quickly as it had come.

Somehow, though, the man puts himself back on track. He answers her question and seems.. genuinely interested in some small, fleeting capacity, in her stupid Chia pet switch. Fortunately, he has the sense to bring the conversation back around to what they both were actually interested in.

"I could clear my schedule."

The phone screen goes dark and she puts it in her back pocket. Her smirk deepens and her attention refocuses. She pulls him forward by his belt loop, lets her hips bump against him with a raised eyebrow.

"Lead the way, love."

virgil roach

☉

he might have shown the same bemused interest in whatever she’d happened to show him, really. rocks. rubber bands. spoons. it didn’t matter. she had her fingies in his britches.

just as well, regardless of perception, of the utter confusion that might’ve flashed in his eyes, the choke of his lust was nonexistent, for one could most certainly be very confused, and still hopelessly horny.

mercy.

with the topic successfully rerouted again, he felt the comfort to grab his drink and wet his lips with heat, still eyeing her. ”yeah?”

his teeth clinked lightly against his glass as her hip rocked against his own, pulled upon at a belt loop. her aggressiveness should have maybe made him think twice, but his thoughts were already narrowing too much.

he grinned, standing up taller with a primal essence focusing his stare as he leaned in, close enough to breathe warmth down the crook of her jawline. his hip obliged to her pull and then some. ”right this way, then, remi.”

reaching down, he felt her fingers and gently unwound them with a quiet smile, before grabbing his cigar for one last puff. then, hopefully, he'd lead them upstairs and to the office.

it was a small space, in the back of an ornately carpeted hallway, and right across from the stairs. a large desk made it feel somewhat cramped, but there was still plenty of room for activities.

he opened the door and ushered her in, ”ladies first.”

Remi Cassel

☉

The woman's smile is subtle, seductive, never swaying. She follows his gaze, encouraged by his attention, by the curve of his smile and the growl in his tone.

Temptation flickers, it's warm glow growing exponentially hotter the longer she stays in his orbit. Her tug pulls him closer, but he leans forward in the end all on his own accord. He is warm, his breath against her neck encouraging. She chuckles, the sound of her name sweet as it passes his lips.

Roach pulls her fingers away from his belt loop but doesn't let go. Rather, he pulls her along with him, up the stairs and into his office. The puff of smoke he leaves behind lingers in her hair, smothering her in the smell of him.

The woman, naturally, takes a quick glance around the room. She purses her lips, glances over her shoulder, and quirks a brow.

"Bit of a squeeze. I'm sure we can make it work."

virgil roach

☉

thick, warm, and spicy—the air. fitting, maybe.

they entered, and his smile as he shut the door behind him was crooked, hitched up at the side with imperfect teeth. despite his impressive fortune, he remained rugged, nearly an excess of grit about him.

her seduction hit like good whiskey, hot on the nose and lingering. not too sweet, but undeniably pleasant all the same. his eyes did a pass over her, guessing a few things for the hell of it.

”ain’t never had a problem before.” he approached, the roguish look on his face only curling more. “you’ll be surprised what i can do with a tight space, darlin’.”

Remi Cassel

☉