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Post by Justin Scotts on Dec 16, 2009 13:03:55 GMT -5
Justin frowned. He was actually not one of those men who enjoyed talking about himself. She knew about his money and status, and frankly he found all of that to be quite dull. Having lived with those things all of his life, he took them for granted… he didn’t need to show them off or brag about them. They were a part of him. The rest, well, that was private. He didn’t often let anyone in that close… and if he did, it would be his choice. It certainly wouldn’t be small talk.
“Nonsense,” he said, a sort of smirk on his face. “I’m sure you are quite fascinating. I’m sure you already know quite enough about me and my ‘prospects.’ I’m more interested in knowing about the thoughts that go through your pretty little head. You’ll be graduating soon, surely you must have given some thought to what you plan to do after school?”
He fully suspected that she was planning on being a society wife to which ever wealthy suitor made the first offer. But he honestly thought she was worth more than just that. She could probably do anything she set her mind to.
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Post by Natasha Davenport on Jan 6, 2010 12:40:43 GMT -5
Genuine shock lit up her features, especially her eyes that glowed violet. She did know all about his prospects, and she was sure that his parents knew all about hers. That's the way it worked in society. Socially they were well matched, and it didn't matter if they cared for one another at all, were it to be arranged she could be married to the man sooner than she could draw in another breath.
He was breaking social ettiquette, and she wondered if he was playing the rogue. She also wondered which tack to take, usually she would politely steer him back to the correct social path and show him what a dull society girl she could be, if only to prevent him from becoming too interested. It was the only defense she had against being forced to marry and that was to make herself utterly boring...but something stopped her this time.
With slow assessment her lips curved into a half smirk half smile, he wouldn't let her be the boring social lite, but she wondered if he could handle her real plans. She leaned back and took a sip of the wine she said she didn't want. Then methodically with low sultry sure as fact tones she told him what she wanted for herself.
"I've known what I was meant to do ever since I was four." she informed him. "My father had every intention of handing his company over to me once I turned of age...then sadly he passed away and then greedy corporate business men decided they would overthrow my mother who had no idea what she was getting into. When I graduate I have every intention of stealing my father's company right from underneath their noses before they can even blink."
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Post by Justin Scotts on Jan 9, 2010 15:14:25 GMT -5
And there it was. Justin's smile was victorious. He had managed to make her break character and show just a hint of that fire that he'd glimpsed that day in Hogsmeade. He wanted to laugh, but he didn't. He didn't want her to think she was laughing at her ambition. It wasn't funny; it was magnificent.
"Well, well," he said. "It appears there really is more to you than meets the eye. Tell me, Natasha, what do you think your future husband will say about your ambition? I'm sure your dear mother is already shopping for prospects, and you'll have an engagement ring on your finger before you graduate. But I suspect most of the candidates will not be thrilled about your plans."
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Post by Natasha Davenport on Jan 9, 2010 16:25:45 GMT -5
She didn't like his victorious smile, but she was accessing him all the same and now her guard was up, she wouldn't let him know that she was unnerved.
"I've managed to outsmart my mother at every turn so far. I don't see why that should change, and once I'm of age I'll get my inheritance and marriage be damned."
Her tone was confident, self assured, now that she started this game she had to see it through.
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Post by Justin Scotts on Jan 10, 2010 0:00:20 GMT -5
With great difficulty, he wiped the smile from his lips. Did she have any idea how much more attractive she was when she dropped the act? Anyone could have a pretty porcelain doll, but what could you do with it but look at it? No, he much preferred to see the passion that she tried so hard to cover with her little charade.
"Those are dangerous ideas," he told her. "But then, what good is life without a little danger? Just remember, if you intend to play a game like that, you'd better make sure you can play it better than they do. Outsmarting your mother is one thing... outsmarting a board room full of men can be tricky."
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Post by Natasha Davenport on Jan 10, 2010 5:02:08 GMT -5
When the smile fell from his lips she wondered briefly if she had gone too far and if she had why that sent a pang through her system. She wouldn't have been surprised but somehow she was hoping he was different, again she didn't know why.
She raised an eyebrow, "I've never had any trouble in that department either. In fact it amazes me how easily your sex can be manipulated. Then again you leave so little options available to a woman her only weapon is manipulation, it's a skill and an artform we have perfected over the years. I've yet to come across a man who can stand up to the challenge."
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Post by Justin Scotts on Jan 10, 2010 17:09:01 GMT -5
Justin raised his eyebrow at her as a slow smile spread across his lips. "Perhaps, then, you've been spending time with the wrong type of man," he told her.
He was momentarily prevented from saying more by the arrival of the waiter with the bottle of wine, as well as the glass of water Natasha had requested. Justin waved the waiter off when he offered to pour the wine for them, and instead, kept his eyes on Natasha as he poured two glasses and placed one of them in front of her, almost daring her to drink it.
Raising his glass to her, he said, "To the game."
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Post by Natasha Davenport on Jan 14, 2010 7:17:38 GMT -5
Danger had never come in a nicer package. Except of course her step brother who could make her pulse race...usually with physical intimacy, but whatever it was in Justin's eyes caused her breath to hitch just slightly. What had she gotten herself into?
She returned his toast and sipped the wine slowly letting the flavor sink into her tastebuds. Perhaps she was stalling, she didn't really know what to say. Then her eyes lowered and coyly she questioned, "Are you challenging me Mr. Scotts?"
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Post by Justin Scotts on Jan 14, 2010 16:54:18 GMT -5
Justin paused with his glass in front of his lips, eying her over the top of his glass. “And what if I am, Miss Davenport?” he asked, emphasizing her name with a smirk. “Do you think you are up to the challenge?”
He wasn’t even entirely sure what the game was, yet. All he knew was that she intrigued him. Somehow she managed to play the perfect society princess, burying her ambition and the fire that he found so fascinating. And maybe she had others fooled, but he knew better.
“It seems to me that you are used to boring men who care more about appearances and never look beneath the surface. Which is a shame for them… they miss what’s really worth seeing.”
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Post by Natasha Davenport on Jun 2, 2010 22:10:58 GMT -5
"Perhaps they just can't handle what they would see if they they took the chance to look." she said defiantly with a slight touch of exasperation.
Realizing she was displaying far too much emotion and that her mother would be mortified if she were ever to hear of any of this she cleared her throat and adopted proper posture once again her downcast eyes signaling the end of her sojourn into real personality.
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Post by Justin Scotts on Jun 10, 2010 23:19:31 GMT -5
And there it was. The wall went back up again, as if she was saying that he had gotten too far, dug too deep. Oh, but it was not nearly far or deep enough for Justin. Maybe she wasn't doing it intentionally, but she was teasing him, showing just a tantalizing glimpse of the fiery woman she really was before shutting him out again and putting on the ice queen mask all over again.
Why did it suddenly feel like she was the one controlling the game now?
"Oh, I've no doubt most men can't handle what they might see if they looked too close," he replied, smiling mysteriously at her. "Most men are selfish and weak, and they merely want a pretty piece of arm candy that will tell them they're wonderful and handsome when they're really anything but."
Yes, he was maligning his own gender. But in truth, he didn't think much of men like that. Men like Adrian Wolff, who thought the world revolved around them, and the rest of the people were only there to give him what he wanted. It was a weak and pitiful way to be; drawing strength from the weaknesses of those around them.
Justin liked his women with a little fire in them. The demure type was just so boring.
But Natasha... she was different. Probably because of the way she had been raised, she had come to believe that strong, ambitious women were not desirable, and that a woman had to be sweet and angelic. But Justin was far more intrigued by the ambition.
He continued to smile mysteriously as he lifted his wineglass to his lips. Once there, he paused and held it there, his eyes locked onto hers. "But I'm not most men." Then he took a drink from his glass, waiting for her to react.
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Post by Natasha Davenport on Jun 15, 2010 16:19:04 GMT -5
Her eyes held his, they traveled slowly over his every gesture, there was something slow, methodical, and extremely seductive about each movement, and it caused her breath to hitch. It was a strange and exhilarating experience and she was finding herself more interested and attracted to him by the second. This was dangerous. Very dangerous.
"No...I don't think you are." she replied then averted her eyes, she hated to admit that he had affected her even the slightest bit, and decided turn about was fairplay.
She was playing back and forth, undecided upon which side of the fence she would be with him. The innocent school maiden, or the naughty vixen, it was time for the latter.
Her eyes slanted, her lips parted and she lowered her lashes, "Tell me Mr. Scotts...what kind of man are you?"
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Post by Justin Scotts on Jun 16, 2010 23:30:44 GMT -5
Justin just smiled as he took another sip from his wine glass. He had her intrigued, he could tell. She was willing to play the game. If she was beautiful when she was playing the innocent, she was positively alluring when she played the vixen. Which was the real Natasha? Did he care?
Maybe it was all just a game. Or maybe it was something else. Justin decided not to think too much about it just now.
"Wouldn't you like to find out?" he countered.
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Post by Natasha Davenport on Jul 13, 2010 11:56:06 GMT -5
Yes, she did want to find out and that right there told her enough was enough, she should back away, leave while she still could, so when she leaned in and raised her eyes to his in a challenging pose parting her lips to speak she confused even herself, " I'm game if you are."
Men were Natasha's specialty, she could easily figure them out, she had them wrapped around her finger ever since she was a little girl, now as a woman it was even easier for her, but for an unsettling reason Justin seemed like a challenge and with everything else going on lately a Challenge was exactly what she needed.
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Post by Justin Scotts on Jul 15, 2010 20:46:17 GMT -5
Justin's smile widened. He honestly had not expected that response. He thought that she would back away, get scared and go back to batting her eyelashes innocently at him. So he was pleasantly surprised by her answer. If she was willing to play whatever this game between them was, he was more than willing. He'd figure out the rules--and the objective--later.
He took another sip from his wine glass, still watching her with a hint of laughter in his eyes. As he set the glass down, he reached across the table and lightly brushed a finger across her cheek.
"Well, then, my dear," he said slowly, "the game is on."
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Post by Natasha Davenport on Oct 10, 2010 16:37:33 GMT -5
The underlying truth of the matter was they had already been playing. Life was a game for someone like Natasha, and many of the uppercrust. The object was to be the last one standing, since pureblooded wealthy wizzards and witches loved nothing more than picking on the weak. Natasha knew that the moment she stumbled or let her guard down the vultures would attack.
Challenges like the one she had just accepted were dangerous for Natasha, but at the same time they added life to her otherwise dull existence and they helped sharpen her claws for future necessity.
A chill crept down her spine as he made contact with her skin, his finger was warm against cheek whereas she would have thought it to be cold, instead the simple touch heated her entire body.
"Mmm" she nodded an almost imperceptible quiver in her voice.
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Post by Mrs. Sheppard on Oct 10, 2010 16:57:34 GMT -5
Vivien didn't think either of them saw her enter the lavish restaurant but she certainly saw them. Being the ever deviant woman she was she observed from a distance although her original intention was to retrieve her daughter and once again either berate her for her independent nature or stress the importance of finding a suitor. Natasha was almost finished with school, it wouldn't do to have her graduate without an engagement of some sort. There had been many proposals, ones even before Natasha could speak, however Vivien's dearly departed husband and her had agreed to allow Natasha to choose for herself.
As the years progressed that seemed to be the better decision seeing one offer top the one previous, Natasha had turned heads as a child and turned even more as a young lady, she would definitely make a good match with her looks and background. But now looking at the two of them Vivien's heart began to race...if Natasha were to snag the eldest Scotts that would be the creme de la creme.
But Vivien had been an observer for long enough, adding a sway to her hips she sauntered toward the seemingly cozy couple, "Natasha darling, I've found you." she smiled at her daughter then turned toward Justin, there was the briefest of perusal in her glance, something Justin was probably accustom to along with the wide smile that followed, "Mr. Scotts, what a pleasant surprise."
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Post by Justin Scotts on Oct 14, 2010 0:27:21 GMT -5
Justin had been weighing his next move. He could have backed off for a bit; resumed the cool, civilized facade once again and pretended that the previous conversation had never happened. Or he could have asked her to dance, for a small string quartet was playing a waltz in a far corner of the restaurant.
He had just decided on the latter, and was about to ask her, when he saw a most unwelcome sight. Strolling toward him at that moment, looking quite smug, was Natasha's mother.
If anything was going to make Justin back off at that moment, it would be an appearance from Natasha's mother. She fixed her eyes on him, and Justin could practically see the diamond engagement rings shining in her eyes. He was absolutely not prepared to think that far ahead.
But if Justin faltered at all, he didn't show it. His polite smile was perfectly warm and welcoming; after all, his father had taught him well.
"Mrs. Sheppard," he said, rising from his seat and taking her hand in his, pressing it to his lips. "How delightful to see you again. You're looking lovely as always. You could practically be Natasha's sister."
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Post by Natasha Davenport on Dec 7, 2010 1:35:27 GMT -5
Natasha was enjoying herself more than she should have been. There were many feelings tied up inside, shame for the childish games she was playing, and exhilaration at being challenged the way she had been, there was something else too, an unlikely urge to smile, a small tug inside of her that had her blood stirring.
All of which went cold at the sound of her mother's voice. She didn't have to see her mother to know that the woman had engagement rings in her eyes, it was written on Justin's face and for the smallest moment she was slightly disappointed. She never wanted to get married that much was clear and her mother was often one of the biggest weapons in her arsenal against unwanted offers, but strangely she didn't want to drive Justin away.
She watched as Justin kissed her mother's end side and made a small revolted eye roll behind her mother.
"Mother...what are you doing here?"
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Post by Mrs. Sheppard on Dec 7, 2010 1:46:39 GMT -5
"Oh Mr. Scotts please." she said with a light blush at his comments. She was obviously pleased with herself and with him. How charming he was, one would think that more of their society would be this charming but alas it was not so.
Still smiling she caught herself and answered her daughter, "I just stopped in to see how you were dear, wondering if that donation to the hotel was holding up." she smiled.
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