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Post by Diana Ward on Dec 18, 2016 3:24:55 GMT -5
Diana sat alone at the table near the dance floor and listened to the skilled musicians play for the diner's entertainment. She sipped on chamomile tea though she would have deeply preferred something stronger.
Her eyes were glossy, she had either been crying, or needed to cry, but otherwise her expression was poised and collected.
She wore a long black dress with a slit as high as her hips on either side. The dress was completely backless and held together by a single silk string. Though she was nearing her fourth month of pregnancy she was still incredibly slim, though she had taken to charming the bump away when she went out as an extra precaution.
Diana didn't plan on going out that night, but she had been too restless at Derek's. She wanted to move on from his place, but he insisted it wasn't safe. Still his presence was cloying or perhaps she just missed home. Christian's home. Perhaps she just missed Christian. She cursed herself for the hundredth time that she had taken his memories away. Though she had waited days before actually doing anything the act had still been impulsive and now she regretted it. Of course she regretted it much less than had she actually killed him.
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 18, 2016 3:47:01 GMT -5
Christian always knew about the latest bounties and open contracts. He had a small department devoted to bringing him everything available. He took any bounties he found appealing and permitted his men to have of the remaining. Some months were more bountiful than others. Lately, pre-memory loss, Christian had been taking fewer open contracts and focusing more on his own "security" business. But sooner of later there would be a bounty that enticed him and sure enough one came in that he couldn't resist.
Diana Crawford.
What on earth had that minx done to get a public bounty on her head? Christian almost choked over the reward. It was even more than he was getting from his contact with Eve and originally, so he had been told, that contract was for five hits. All this money for his old flame, Diana? That was something he needed to be a part of.
It wasn't hard to find her, she didn't seem to be hiding. Did she have a death wish or was she simply ignorant to her fate. Either way, Christian appeared in a tux and a charming grin beside her.
"Don't tell me someone stood you up," he said flirtatiously.
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Post by Diana Ward on Dec 18, 2016 4:01:08 GMT -5
To her credit she didn't appear phased. She had felt him before she heard him, his voice had only confirmed her belief that he had been there. The idea almost made her smile until she remembered that while she felt this deep connected bond to him, he felt nothing for her.
"Even if someone were foolish enough to do so, he wouldn't be someone I'd be meeting in the first place." she replied smoothly.
"Are you following me?"
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 18, 2016 4:08:35 GMT -5
"Perhaps," he said mysteriously as he sat, uninvited. He looked her over. She was hell in high heels. He felt something stir within him.
"Or maybe I happened to be here already, sitting at that table over there," he pointed an empty table further away from the dance floor, "and this stunning creature kept blocking my view."
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Post by Diana Ward on Dec 18, 2016 4:14:14 GMT -5
She casually raised one shoulder in an elegant shrug, "I didn't notice." though her lips twitched ruining the nonchalant appearance. Finally she met his eyes and once again uttered, "Please sit." in the same tone she had previously.
She wondered about his appearance at the restaurant, but she couldn't help the thrill of anticipation just being near him caused her.
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 18, 2016 4:22:17 GMT -5
Christian looked at the cup and saucer in front of her. She had been drinking tea at the Rusty Nail as well. Here, possibly, it was not uncommon, unless you were essentially a functioning alcoholic as Christian was. But the seedy bar in Knockturn Alley wasn't the place to go for a spot of tea. It added to the mystery.
"This place certainly agrees with you more than the Rusty Nail," he said as he once again let his gaze linger on her assets.
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Post by Diana Ward on Dec 18, 2016 13:06:11 GMT -5
His lazy perusal of her body made her feel warm, but she knew she couldn't keep sleeping with him. It wasn't good for her or the baby to keep this cycle of emotional stress.
"I've learned to adapt." she answered bringing the tea to her lips. A waiter arrived holding the singular slice of chocolate decadence Liam had coerced Diana to order. She thanked him briefly then ordered Christian's scotch.
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 18, 2016 14:46:17 GMT -5
Christian's brow rose. "Remembering my drink order?" he said with a hint of suspicion in his tone. "Perhaps you've been following me."
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Post by Diana Ward on Dec 18, 2016 14:56:06 GMT -5
"How flattering for you to think so." she returned with barely a raised glance.
He was just paranoid and egotistical to think such a thing, then again he had just cause for his paranoia and his ego.
She calmly sipped her drink and watched him from her position.
"What brings you here tonight?"
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 18, 2016 15:11:44 GMT -5
Murder. Intrigue. Possibly sex.
"The same thing as you, I suspect. Music, dancing, attractive singles, bad decisions." He gave her a handsome look as his scotch was brought to the table and Christian gave the waiter a polite nod.
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Post by Diana Ward on Dec 18, 2016 15:24:56 GMT -5
She shook her head delicately in contradiction, "I came for the food actually." she said pleasantly taking a 'dainty' bite of her chocolate confection.
She did enjoy the ambiance, it had been a very long time since she had been to a nice restaurant, with exception to the time Christian had taken her out to celebrate the news of their son.
She didn't have much reason to hide anymore, the assassin after her was obliviated, and as for the slew of new threats she hadn't heard anything yet.
Her eyes narrowed on him, "But when a bad decision presents itself..."she smirked.
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 18, 2016 15:34:09 GMT -5
Christian didn't frequent high end establishments too often, though he wasn't a stranger to them. He also wasn't accustomed to hanging out in the seedy underbelly like the Rusty Nail where he and Diana had met last. Christian was more comfortable with the in between, but highly adaptable. He had to be in his line of work. And it did open the door for a wider range of women to take home.
"That bad decision asks for a dance." Christian knew the difference in being charming and being seductive. He also knew what to say to get a woman to leave with him and get a woman to stay with him. The bounty on Diana was intriguing and while he wouldn't mind another tumble in the sheets with her, he really wanted to know what this minx was about before he killed her.
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Post by Diana Ward on Dec 18, 2016 15:42:42 GMT -5
A stronger woman might have refused.
No that wasn't quite right. Diana was a strong woman. She had simply been strong too long to fight the comfort in Christian's arms. Even if he didn't remember their affair, she couldn't forget it. She often thought about obliviating herself, but for the obvious difficulty concerning her pregnancy.
Shaking out of her musings she accepted his offer. She had no intentions for anything beyond a dance. One last dance.
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 18, 2016 15:49:30 GMT -5
Christian stood and took her hand, guiding her out onto the dance floor. He pulled her in to his body and adjusted her hand in his, then placed his other hand at the small of her back.
"Does this adaptable incarnation of Diana Crawford know how to dance?" he breathed into her ear.
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Post by Diana Ward on Dec 18, 2016 15:57:49 GMT -5
Diana answered with a slightly raised brow and accompanying smirk. The strings began a soft classical cadence and Diana adjusted her posture as they paused before beginning their dance.
"Does the bad decision believe he can keep up?"
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 18, 2016 16:42:23 GMT -5
"He'll manage," he said in a smug tone. Christian was light on his feet, a skill perfectly suited for whirling gorgeous women around a dance floor or dodging curses and bullets on a job. He moved and with him Diana moved as their bodies glided along with the music.
"We didn't really catch up last time. It's been a while, Diana. We should have done more of this," he paused as his dipped her toward the floor and watched as she slowly came back up to him, "back when we were younger." The look in his eye was hungry as his gaze met hers.
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Post by Diana Ward on Dec 18, 2016 19:05:33 GMT -5
Diana had learned all the proper dances as a child, as she had leaned all things proper, but the dance they were dancing now was noticeably different.
Diana's father frowned upon the tango, finding it too vulgar for his classy daughter, it wasn't until after he passed and she found herself in New York, did she actually learn. And she picked it up rather quickly. At the time she didn't know why learning the tango would have been useful in learning to fight, but she soon learned that the footwork between a dance and a duel could oftentimes be similar.
Between Christian and Diana whether they were dueling, dancing, or blurring the lines as they were now, they seemed to be in perfect step with each other.
"Yes, but that would have meant leaving that delicious hotel room."
The music's tempo changed on a dramatic beat and the sensual strings took over into the tango in truth.
A fire blazed in her eyes when she saw his hunger. She didn't trust herself to leave with him, but she could make him ache the way she did using her body and the dance floor.
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 18, 2016 21:26:30 GMT -5
"True." He wondered if their week long affair so many years ago had anything to do with Diana popping into his subconscious now. When he saw her in Knockturn Alley the other day he could have sworn it was her face he'd seen in his drunken sex dream, but after meeting...or rather re-meeting Eve his supposed girlfriend, Christian realized it was likely Eve that he had dreamt about. It was shocking how similar the women were physically, but holding Diana in his arms now, not to mention all of the positions he held her in during their last meeting, Christian could say with certainty that Diana's beauty far surpassed Eve's. And it was definitely Diana that he had thought about during his failed attempt to bed Eve at the hotel. But why?
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Post by Diana Ward on Dec 18, 2016 22:43:17 GMT -5
She lost herself in their movements on the dance floor. She didn't notice either when the other dancers moved away to watch their heated dancing. He matched her perfectly step for step, his strength and command responding to her grace and sensuality was a battle for dominance between two seasoned warriors.
She was oblivious to what their passion looked like on the outside, she only knew that she had never felt more alive.
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Post by Christian Ward on Dec 18, 2016 23:04:35 GMT -5
Christian, too, was ignorant to the show they were giving to the rest of the patrons. Initially he was focused on trying to read Diana but the movements of her hips caused too big of a distraction; he couldn't concentrate. He could feel the passion between them stir something in him and after the abysmal performance with Eve, Christian needed a win. His baser instincts took over as he held her tighter, his movements becoming more sensual.
He spun her around, her back to his chest as his hand trailed from the small of her back to her hip. They glided across the dance floor before he spun her again and when she fell into his arms he smirked and raised his brow enticingly at her. F*ck, he wanted her.
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