I bite my thumb, sir. (lottiewood) wrote in reduxpitch, @ 2016-07-08 14:24:00 |
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Having had dinner downstairs in the hotel’s restaurant, Lottie and Draco had then headed back upstairs to the suite Draco had booked for the weekend. Draco was, currently sitting in a chair in the master bedroom reading over the room service menu, glancing over at the door for any sign of Lottie now and again, even though he as yet hadn’t decided why - except for the obvious reason of a lack of reading material in the room. But although he didn’t have any expectations of what might happen he hadn’t actually considered to bring a book or two, just in case, and pondered whether at some point tomorrow whether he might quickly pop home to the manor to grab at least one. Getting up Draco walked to the bathroom door and gently knocked. “Alright in there?” he asked. Lottie hadn’t really been gone for that long at all but Draco was at a bit of a loss as to how to entertain himself until she did come out. Watching television might’ve been fine if he were more familiar with the muggle device but sadly he wasn’t; and he didn’t like the idea of being laughed at or thought strange because he didn’t know how to operate it. -- Lottie was nervous. It was silly that she was. She and Draco had been official for a month, and seeing each other for four. She was not rushing anything. It wasn't possible for anyone to say she was rushing things when, despite his new flat and their privacy, she'd hesitated to allow things to go "all the way". It was a silly thing, really. A very silly thing, and she kept telling herself that as she looked at herself in the mirror. She looked good, if she did say so herself, in her black lingerie (nsfw) and silkly robe. She was sure Draco would enjoy it. She was sure she would enjoy it. She knew how he was built. Yet, she continued to hesitate, staring at herself in the mirror. "You're not acting rash," she whispered to her reflection. "You're not rushing, and you know he cares about you. You care a great deal for him." Despite her words, she still had this modicum of doubt in the back of her mind telling her that she was too old for Draco, that he could do better. She was thinking about changing back into the dress she'd worn for dinner when Draco called through the door. Laughing lightly, she loosely closed the robe around her middle. It slipped off one shoulder when she reached for the door, but she didn't bother to fix it. Opening the door, she leaned against the frame and looked up at him. "I was giving myself a pep talk," she confessed, smiling sheepishly and blushing. "While also trying to talk myself out of this." -- The age difference honestly didn't bother Draco at all really; in fact, most of the time he tended to completely forget about it. He didn't see why it should really matter anyway. Lottie was one of the very few people he could be around and not feel the need to put on some other face. She wasn't afraid of and put up with his more grumpy moods. So he wasn't about to pressure or push Lottie into doing anything she didn't feel ready for. And provided he didn't somehow monumentally screw things up hoped he'd still be dating her for some time yet. Draco looked up as the door opened and Lottie stepped out. In taking notice of the silky robe she was wearing he couldn't help but stare a little at where it had slipped from her shoulder. He didn't have any idea what she was wearing under the robe but was fairly certain he wouldn't mind one jot. "A pep talk? What for?” he asked slightly concerned. “Is it wrong to say I’m glad you didn’t? Although the dress you were wearing earlier was nice. Though I have to say I’m feeling somewhat overdressed right now.” -- Lottie smiled, laughing very softly at Draco's words. "Thank you," she said, stepping away from the doorway, and pushing him back with a light hand on his chest. When he was out of the entrance hall and back in the bedroom, Lottie moved away from Draco, backing slowly towards the bay window. They were up high enough that she didn't fear anyone seeing her. Taking a deep breath, she played with the sash of the robe and looked at Draco with the space between them. "A pep talk," she said. "For what I'm wearing. Or not wearing. It all depends on how you look at it, I suppose." She, her lower lip caught uncertainly between her teeth, opened the robe to show the lingerie underneath. "I won't say this is part of your gift. Because it's not. Your gift is in my bag, and I think it's better than this. But I…" She shrugged. "I don't know what's been holding me back from saying yes, Draco. I want to. I very much want to, and I think if you distract me from my thoughts for a moment, I'll be able to refind my Gryffindor. It is certainly not you who makes me hesitate." -- Draco happily allowed Lottie to push him back towards the bedroom. He didn’t speak again after she’d thank him getting the sense that there was something she was needing to say. To be fair he was listening to what she was saying but couldn’t help but stare distractedly at Lottie after she’d opened the robe. Distracted as he was at the sight of Lottie he realised she’d continued on speaking and figured he better pay attention, lest he miss something important. “Gift or no, I’m not about to complain when you look amazing as you do,” he said, trying not to stare again or indeed trying not to react in other ways for the moment. “You know I don’t mind or want to pressure you into anything you’re not ready for… Though if that’s definitely an invitation to distract you I’ll happily comply.” -- "I know," she replied softly. "I appreciate that you haven't demanded or pushed. That you've been patient with me. And I do want. Very much. I just keep getting in my own head, and questioning and doubting things." Absently, Lottie ran her hand over her stomach. "Never doubting you or my feelings for you. Just…" She trailed off with a shrug. Lottie closed the space between them, invading Draco's personal bubble and going up on her toes so she was a little closer to his height. One hand rested on his shoulder for balance while the other traced his jaw. "Never doubt my feelings for you, Draco," she said softly, looking up at him. "Please. My hesitance…" She trailed off again, thinking. "It's because I care about you a great deal, and some part of my brain keeps nagging me about whether the feelings are true, or if I'm making them up because I so desperately want to feel them." She frowned and let the hand cupping his jaw fall to his chest. "This is why you should kiss me. If you let me keep going, I'll talk in so many circles we'll both get dizzy." -- “I know what you mean,” he said quietly. In moments of the past he’d often found himself entrapped within his own thoughts and opinions that he inevitably wound up questioning and doubting himself where only mere seconds before he’d felt so sure. Having already left the room service menu on the side table his hands now occupied itself by resting themselves either side of her waist where his thumbs lazily and softly rubbed back and forth over her skin. “I won’t. I promise,” he murmured, a small smile on his lips before he kissed her on the forehead. “I’m of half a mind to actually let you go on, if we both get dizzy it’ll make falling into bed all the easier…” Draco, of course, was only teasing since he knew Lottie didn’t wish continue on and he’d rather avoid having her feeling uneasy about it. He smiled as he reached up to brush back her hair with his right hand before leaning down to capture her lips in a kiss. -- Charlotte managed a short laugh before he was kissing her; before she allowed herself to get lost in his lips. At first, she forced herself to focus on the feel of his mouth, the way his breath mixed with hers. The way his hands felt on her skin. After a time, though, she stopped thinking altogether and simply acted. She found her gumption and steadfastly ignored the voice in her head telling her she was rushing it, that she was too old for him. Based on how Draco reacted to her touch and kisses, he didn't think either of those things, and Lottie stopped worrying. Sometime later, they lay in a heap, a tangle of limbs and linens. She, with heavy limbs and a slowing pulse, fit herself around Draco's right side. Lottie's position mirrored the one she lay in when Draco had been marked and trying to hide from her. This time, though, there were fewer clothes between them. There were no clothes between them, to be precise. Pressing a kiss to his shoulder, tasting the salt of excursion on his skin, she smiled at the man next to her. "I hope that wasn't a disappointment after waiting so long." -- Before he could help himself a chuckle escaped from Draco's lips. "I feel like I should be asking you that," he said, his right arm tucked under Lottie and his thumb lazily rubbing circles across the small of her back briefly. Draco was far from being inexperienced but it had been a while since he'd... and well, in this and other aspects of the relationship he didn't want to ever disappointment Lottie. "But to answer your question, it wasn't a disappointment at all. Actually I'm kind of glad there was we didn't rush into things and we were able to know each other first before this." It might sound a little sentimental but he meant every word. There were times where he had thought things might progress to them sleeping together but he wasn't an idiot and knew there was more to a relationship than just sex. And well, to be honest he didn't think he'd ever be happy in a 'relationship' that was little more than just casual sex. Draco turned his head so as to look at Lottie, his free hand reaching up to lightly cup the back of her jaw, before planting a kiss to her forehead. "Now that we’ve… well, I won't take this to be the constant now," he murmured, as he lightly brushed his thumb back and forth. “I mean, I’ve not got any expectations…” -- Lottie repeated Draco's chuckle. "I'm still waiting for feeling to come back to my toes. There was nothing disappointing about any of that." She lifted her chin to study his profile as he spoke. She was enjoying the tingles his thumb sent up her spine, smiling contentedly. When he looked down at her and kissed her forehead, her smile widened. "I am a very lucky woman." She pushed up slowly, careful not to make Draco's hand move too far from her back, so she could look down at him. "Thank you, but don't forget. I did promise to help you with research. And now that I know what you're capable of, the only thing my inner demon is berating me for is waiting this long." Lottie smiled before kissing him. "I was never worried about you being a cad." Nuzzling his jaw, she cuddled closer, and traced letters in his chest. She spelled out, in cursive, something she wasn't quite ready to put into words. Not because she didn't mean them, but because they were too sappy. Lottie's eyes were beginning to grow heavy. She was comfortable and warm. She felt safe and wanted. She could have slept, but she remembered his gift. Sitting up quickly, she hopped off the bed and threw on Draco's discarded shirt. "Your gift," she called as she left the room, buttoning the shirt. She retrieved the journal from her bag and hurried back to him. Plopping on the bed, sitting so she was facing him, she handed Draco the black leather book. "It's not much, but it will only open for you. So you can write without fear of anyone seeing what you're writing." -- “And I’m a very lucky man.” And Draco knew it; lucky to have her friendship, as his girlfriend, this moment, and lucky that even when he was being stubborn and grumpy she not only put up with him but dragged him out of the mood he’d been in. “I haven’t forgotten at all,” he said with a smirk, as his left thumb trailed down her bare arm. “Well, I doubt I’d have ever made a good one anyway.” He supposed they would have to get up eventually, but truthfully Draco was rather content to just lay there cuddled up with Lottie for the rest of the night. At first he thought she was simply just tracing her fingers over him and it wasn’t until a second after she started that he realised it wasn’t some lazy design but actual words. Words that eerily seemed to mirror his own unspoken thoughts; though he still didn’t speak them even if the moment seemed perfect for them. Instead he contentedly closed his eyes. However, that didn’t last long when he felt Lottie sitting up and leaving the bed. Draco sat up, pulling a bed sheet to cover his lower half (even if there was nothing to hide from each other now), watching as Lottie donned his shirt before leaving the room briefly. There was definitely something very… no, no sexy thoughts when Lottie was about to give him his gift. Ever since he’d taken up writing he’d kind of started up a collection of sorts of blank journals of varying design and make. So when he was handed the leather bound book he couldn’t help but immediately unwind the leather strap holding it shut to inspect the paper within. “It’s perfect. Thank you,” he said happily and meaning it, before leaning forward to kiss her. “Though it kind of shows I don’t know how to do ‘normal’ less extravagant gifts...” -- Lottie felt herself flush, both excited and nervous for her gift from him. She would not, she told herself, worry about how much he likely spent. She would not, she told herself firmly, doubt her gift to him. But the word 'extravagant' made her breath catch in her throat slightly before she forced herself to breathe normally. "You mean," she teased, "you got me something other than dinner and this gorgeous suite, and…" She trailed off, pointedly looking at the mussed sheets and his bare chest. Her eyes landed on the journal in his hands, and she reached over to put her hands on top of his. "We can call it a late addition to your birthday present," she offered quietly, brows raised. "I don't want you to feel bad about any part of tonight. It's been one of the most amazing nights I've had in a very long time, and it's not even midnight." -- Draco chuckled at her teasing and adopting a bemused smile at her pointed look. Though if if he were to respond to the teasing it would've been in the negative and that he hadn't gotten her anything else. Not for not wanting to, but he knew that gifting a stay in this suite in this hotel was perhaps a lot more than what anyone else would normally gift for such an anniversary. He certainly hadn't done it as means to show off, especially knowing behaviour of that kind wouldn't enamour him to Lottie, but at the time he couldn't think of any other way to express himself and how he felt and how much it meant. "I agree. And I don't feel bad about any of it. I just..." he trailed off momentarily trying to gather a little courage. Draco was still slowly learning how but he had a long way to go in feeling comfortable about expressing himself at any length or emotionally. "I don't want you thinking that I don't appreciate the book or any gift that I'll ever receive from you, or that I'd ever expect you to spend more than you're able…” -- Lottie gently took the journal from Draco's hands and set it aside. She climbed into his lap, a knee on either side of his hips so she could sit facing him. "It's not a competition, one way or another," she told him, holding his face between her hands. "I don't expect extravagance, though I daresay that tub is going to be the height of luxury, and we should try it later." She kissed him briefly. "As long as I get to spend time with you, where we don't have to worry about work or our families or life, I am happy." Kissing him again, she put her weight into Draco's chest, pressing him back against the mattress and pillows. Lottie slipped to his right side and nestled against him, resting her head on his shoulder and her right arm across his chest. "You did what you know how to do," she said, smiling, "But I don't have any expectations for extravagance." Tilting her chin, she kissed his jaw. "I know you didn't choose this suite to show off, but remember that you've already gotten the girl. I was sold when you told me that you work with sick kids in that cloak room." -- Draco raised an eyebrow but for the moment stayed silent as Lottie changed her position. “I know it’s not,” he said. “The tub? I’m not sure it’d be wise to get in together I’d forget all about washing and not want to leave. Well, I'm certainly more than happy to just spend time with you too.” He was happy, as Lottie kissed him, to take the hint and lay back for them to cuddle again. It was strange to think that something so simple wasn’t something he’d ever really thought of before Lottie and he was only too happy to take any opportunity for it now, or indeed any moment in which he was close with her. “I hope then that if I do happen to gift you anything terribly extravagant again that you’ll forgive me and only see it as a gift in wanting to show affection and not anything else,” he said, kissing the top of her head. Draco knew that even though he would try his best that he would inevitably end up gifting something expensive without having really thought about anything other than how much Lottie would enjoy the gift. “You mean when I confirmed that you hadn’t been talking to some weird stranger on the journals,” he teased. -- Charlotte smiled, turning her head to kiss Draco's shoulder. "That's very much the point of a tub built for two, darling," she said with a soft laugh. "Has no one ever had you join her in the bath before?" "I will," she promised, snuggling closer, "and I'll be as touched as I am now because I do know that this comes from a place of fondness and not a place of obligation." Her statement held more of a question than she intended, a sign of her insecurity and questioning if he was really sure he wanted to do this with her. Lottie laughed. "I never thought you were weird before I knew you," she teased. -- “Yes, I’m realising that,” he said with a smile. “And before tonight I don’t think I knew anyone well enough to… so no, I haven’t.” What was left unsaid was the fact he’d never felt close enough to anyone either. Placing his fingers under her chin Draco gently tilted Lottie’s head upwards and placing a gentle kiss on her lips. “I promise that it definitely comes from a place of fondness and lo… There’s definitely no feelings of obligation whatsoever.” He wasn’t sure why he nearly said the word ‘love’ or why he stopped himself from it - the words of his promise had been flowing so naturally that he only just caught himself and thought that maybe it was too soon. Maybe not too soon but rather it perhaps feeling so and not wanting to possibly scare Lottie with feelings she might not be feeling… and that sounded just a little ridiculous in his head; added to the fact that the lady in question did not scare easily. “Oh, so I’m only weird now that you’ve gotten to know me?” he asked teasingly with an arched eyebrow. -- A shiver ran through Lottie, raising gooseflesh on her skin. Her breath caught in her throat, and she let it out slowly. He almost said...but he stopped himself. They were on the same page, even without actually discussing it. They would have to, at some point. She would have to tell him what she was spelling out with her finger. A small, daring voice asked her why not now, and it had a point. There was no time like the present, right? "Careful, Draco," she said quietly, "You keep saying the right things like that, and you'll have me falling in love with you." She smiled as she spoke, her cheek resting on his chest, but there was nothing teasing in her tone. She was completely serious. "Yes. Most people are. When we first meet someone, we all play at being normal. It's as we get below the surface that we really see who someone is." -- At first Draco was certain he had to have been imagining things when he heard Lottie say those words. Surely it was impossible for them to both be… Well, he knew Lottie liked him well enough sure but he rather stupidly thought that maybe they weren’t quite on the same page. Quite stupidly apparently if Lottie was saying that and without even the barest touch of a teasing tone to her voice. But he wasn’t quite sure what to say and for the moment decided to briefly focus on the other part of the conversation. “I think maybe we skipped at least part of playing at normal, considering what happened in the cloakroom. Though I know what you mean.” In all the times he’d ever uttered any words about love it had always been with familial affection. It had never been said about or to someone who wasn’t family and for entirely different reasons. His head felt muddled as he tried to quickly think through what he wanted to say; all the while his heart beating away in his chest. Which made him feel slightly nervous considering where Lottie was currently resting her head. Draco didn’t know why he was all a sudden having such difficulty in asking or getting the words out when just moments before the word love had nearly spilled so easily from his lips that he had stopped himself and was suddenly wishing that he hadn’t. “What you said just now about my having you fall in love with me… you wouldn’t mind that?” he asked, instantly regretting it. Because oh yes, that was the absolute perfect way to find out if the woman you were in love with loved you back. He was a bloody writer, for goodness sake, surely if anyone could find the right words to tell a woman that he loved them it would be him. Right?! -- Lottie laughed and turned so she was on her stomach, propped on his shoulder and looking at his face. "Yes, but as far as first meetings go, that was very memorable. So we jumped around a bit. Had our first kiss before our first date, but, really, you have to blame the champagne and the fact that I suddenly found myself alone with a very attractive man who was amenable to me sitting on his lap." She splayed her fingers over his chest, feeling the rhythm of his heart. It beat faster than normal, and she found his nervousness endearing rather than disconcerting. For the sake of not making him uncomfortable, Lottie studied her hand and the hairs on Draco's chest. She smiled absently at his question and took her time meeting his eyes again. "No. I wouldn't mind falling in love with you, Draco. Because we may have skipped a few things, but we have built a friendship and a trust on top of that initial and continuing attraction, and that is very important to me." She nuzzled his cheek with her nose. "I wouldn't mind falling in the least if I knew you were there to catch me." -- “It’s not one I’m likely to forget any time soon,” he said, smiling at the memory. “Well, I had offered my jacket but apparently that wasn’t quite good enough.” Draco slowly breathed in and out in an attempt to steady the nerves that seemed bent on settling in. It was mere seconds, if any time had passed at all, before Lottie responded and yet it had felt almost like forever. A slow smile spread across his face as he listened to her and knowing that he hadn’t been mistaken; or that she had minded his fumbling way of finding out how she felt. Then he couldn’t help but smile when Lottie had nuzzled his cheek. “I will be, if you’ll let me,” he murmured. Draco’s hand searched for her’s, gently grasping it, interlocking their fingers together. He brought their joined hands up where he pressed his lips to her’s. “I think… No… I know I love you, Charlotte Wood.” -- Lottie's heart thumped, but her smile was soft and warm as she looked down at Draco. After he kissed her fingers, she disentangled them from his and cupped his cheek. "Will you wait for me to get there? I need to catch up, but I can feel it. The happiness, security, contentment, excitement." She brushed her lips over his, a little scared that this might be a deal breaker, that he would want her to be sure and in love now. "I'm falling," she whispered. "I feel myself falling, but I haven't yet landed on the other side. I'm a little slow with these things, apparently, but please wait for me to catch up?" -- “I’m not always known for my patience but for you I can wait,” he quietly replied. Draco brushed his lips against her’s once more before pressing a kiss to her forehead. He imagined that for the moment gentler actions were called for rather than having it seem as if he were trying to rush her when he had all but promised not to. Though Lottie had said she didn’t scare easily he knew that if he did attempt to rush her into deciding her feelings that it might very well be the one moment in which he might just scare her off. “I’ll wait, promise. And I really don’t think you’re at all slow with these things,” he murmured, hoping to reassure her. He honestly didn’t either. These things were rather large steps in most relationships and, well, if Lottie needed time he could wait. It was the least he could do. “I… I’m not saying this in some strange attempt to rush you I just… I wanted you to know that I’ve never actually told anyone that before,” he admitted quietly. -- Lottie held Draco close, though she lay on him, and remained quiet until their pulses and breathing synchronised. She was falling for him. He was wonderful, kind, smart. She just needed to be sure of herself before she said the words to him. Her eyes began to grow heavy again, but she didn't want to sleep. She didn't want the night to be over, so she pushed herself to her knees and put her hands on either side of his head. "Come have a bath with me before we sleep. I want to show you the joys of sharing a tub." |