suggestions and offers
Characters: Reece and Carmel Setting: Kitchen, morning
Reece had been coaxed into staying with Susanna, waking up with her curled against his chest. He didn’t linger though, slipping out from under her and back to his room. After a shower, it was business as usual, headed towards the kitchen for his cup of coffee, cigarette tucked behind his ear. The Susanna thing wasn’t a good idea, but it was hard not to be happy about how he felt, that little bit of tension gone.
Carmel had had trouble sleeping again, though it wasn't as bad as it could have been. She still woke up tired, though, and added a little make up to her morning ablutions so she wouldn't look too bad. After that, she headed to the kitchen to see what new stuff she had to deal with today, and to plan the day's meals. She puttered in the fridge to see if she actually wanted to make breakfast or just eat something light before she began in earnest.
“Definitely a good sight in the morning,” Reece said, smile on his features as he headed towards the coffee pot. He’d had done his diligence with her earlier, the day before, checking her condom stash, which had been a pleasantly awkward conversation between them, but he hadn’t been able to linger long, which was a shame. He really did find her enticing. His tiny little world was apparently full of enticing women. “How’re you?”
Carmel looked back over her shoulder and smiled a greeting at Reece, trying not to remember that rather awkward conversation the other day, which had been random as well as somewhat embarrassing. "Morning," she said. "Not too bad. Still waking up. Yourself?"
“You want coffee?” he asked, pointing to the maker. “I’m doing alright. Better than I thought.” He reached for two mugs. “I was up late and yet still feel rested.”
Carmel nodded and smiled. "Yes, please," she said. She usually started the coffee though not always. Today someone had beaten her to it, and she was grateful. "Rested is always good. I wish I felt a little more so," she admitted, though she wasn't as drug out as she could be.
He poured her a cup. “Cream or sugar?” he asked before pouring his own. “Were you up all night making use of that unused box?” he teased gently, glancing at her sideways.
"Sugar, please," she said, and pulled out some jam and butter before going to grab the fresh loaf of bread. "Toast?" That would be a good enough breakfast for her.
She laughed softly and rolled her eyes. "They don't have battery operated boyfriends here, Reece," she said dryly, deadpan, trying not to blush. She said it mostly because she wanted to see if he'd nearly swallow his tongue, and the image of him doing a spit take amused her. She gave him a sly glance under her lashes. "Though if that's your first thought I have to wonder what you were doing to lose sleep."
He put the sugar in her coffee then handed her the mug. “Toast sounds great.” The retort though, that almost had him spitting out his coffee as he grinned. “Maybe you should ask for one...” he suggested. “Or I’m sure there’s more than one real guy who’d take you up on that offer.” He might even. Probably would. Not that he was looking to be a bit of a slut, but Carmel had a way about her. “Isn’t there something about kissing and telling?”
She snorted. Yes, that request would go over so well, she thought. Not that she was that interested. Sex was something to share with someone, usually. She glanced at if him she stuck four pieces of toast in the nice, large toaster. Her lips turned up in a grin, and she was sure he meant himself. Perhaps if she weren't interested in Wu so much... But she was, even if he hadn't made any kind of move on that fashion on her. "You already seem to have your hands full, good sir," she said, flattered nonetheless. "There is, yes, but I've seen you flirting with some of the pretty girls around here. The cook sees many things." She said it with mock solemnity.
“What’s that noise mean?” Reece asked about her snort. Taking his own mug he moved closer to her. “They aren’t ful. Though I am curious what you’ve seen since you’re all knowing.” He also wondered what she thought.
She rolled her eyes slightly, grinning. "I can just imagine the administration's reaction to a request for something like that," she said and gave in to the chuckle she felt building in her chest. "You and Mojo that day?" she said, raising her eyebrows at him. It was all good natured, her words and teasing.
“They might take it seriously,” Reece suggested before smiling and sipping at his coffee. “Mojo and I...well, we’re not really subtle.” Which was the fun part, even if it wasn’t quite following through.
"Oh, they probably would, but I bet there would be a look on someone's face!" She shook her head, reaching for her coffee to take a sip. "Nope, not very subtle," she agreed with a from. Nothing wrong with that, though, not really.
“Might be worth to ask just knowing you gave them a ‘what the fuck’ moment.” Reece smiled, surprised he could find such a light topic, but maybe that was just Carmel. She had a habit of putting people at ease. “But there’s also not much more than the not to subtle flirting.” Which was a shame.
A brief smirk flitted over Carmel's lips. "That thought just flitted through my mind," she told him. "It is tempting, but I doubt I'll do it. I'm supposed to be a good girl, dontcha know." She plucked the toast out of the toaster when it popped, grabbing a couple small plates and putting two pieces on each one before looking for the knives. "Awww pity. You two seem to get on well."
“Don’t give me that good girl lecture. It’s the good ones that are the most wild behind closed doors. Always.” He reached into the fridge to find jelly and butter, not sure which she’d want on her toast. “We do. It’s just...complicated.”
She laughed. Yes, they'd had that good Catholic girl talk, but it was always nice to pretend. "Always, huh? I don't know. I don't think I'm particularly wicked when others aren't looking."
Her lips twitched. "Sounds like a Facebook status," she said. "All relationships are by their nature essentially complicated though."
“Always. Don’t lie to me,” he said shaking his head. “I don’t believe it. There’s a bad girl in there dying to get out.” He shook his head a little. “I have to admit I don’t really know this Facebook thing.” Five years in prison and not being much with computers in the first place had him well behind that curve. “But this one might be more complicated.”
She mmmed, trying not to laugh again because she knew it would make him think he was right, and she was having too much fun teasing him. "Facebook isn't too bad. But one of the relationship statuses is 'it's complicated.'" At least it had been last time she had been on there. "You want to talk about it, or would you rather I not pry?" she asked in her normal forthright manner.
He considered not talking for a moment then wound up shrugging as he reached for his toast to butter it. “She has some baggage with her ex. How he died...what they were doing when he died.” He bit at his toast chewing slowly. “She’s trying to keep things from getting too carried away.” Which was a shame.
Carmel spread some blackberry jam on her toast after slicing it on the diagonal, a habit she had never lost growing up. "Ahh yeah," she said quietly, remembering what little she knew about the other woman. "I know I can understand that. Some things are rough like that." And considering the situation she had gone through, she did understand as much as someone could who hadn't lived it.
Reece leaned against the counter. “I know. That’s what makes it complicated.” He smiled a little. “I don’t think I’ve given up hope yet.”
"Sometimes the waiting is worth it. Depends on what you're looking for," she said. That was one reason she wasn't much of a casual girl - she wanted the emotions that went with things, not just the physicality.
That made him laugh as he shook his head. “Ah, that’s where you left me again. I’m not much of a...what’s the word...honest kind of guy? Nah that doesn’t sound right, but you get the idea. Never been the kind you take home to meet your parents.” So in truth, he had no idea what he was waiting for, other than to get closer to her again.
She grinned. "Everyone can be the one you bring home, once you find the right one. It's a very subjective thing," she said. "But whatever works, really. So long as everyone is happy or at least mostly so in the end." She didn't believe in happily ever agreeable, but she did believe that they could be mostly happy, if both people tried.
“I don’t think I want to meet the family that I’m supposed to be brought home too,” Reece said shaking his head. “I could probably work towards mostly happy,” he said finishing off his toast. “Though I don’t know if I’ve ever been in mostly happy.” There’d been times when he thought so, but he’d never been good with picking women that weren’t volatile at the very least.
"Why not? They might be perfectly nice. Catholic and all," Carmel teased lightly, her grin almost infectious as she had a chance to actually tease someone since Leandro left. "Well then, you should aim for that, when you're choosing for yourself," she said.
Reece caught the tease, giving her a little bit of a look. “Aren’t you Catholic?” he asked, teasing himself. Two could easily play that game. “I guess I’ll have to. I’ll make it a plan.”
"Yes. Are you asking me to take you home?" She asked with a chuckle. She seriously doubted he wanted her to. "But mom, he followed me home!" She shook her head as she put on a childish voice.
"Sounds like a good idea," she agreed. They should all have some sort of goal in life, she thought, though this was an uncertain purgatory.
Reece laughed. “No Carmel, I asked you to take me to bed. We can figure out home later.” He smiled but hid at least half of it behind his coffee cup. He was still teasing, it was in his voice, but there was an air of something else in it.
Carmel blinked, and then blinked again. Well, straight forwardness was usually the best way, even if she hadn't been expecting that. A small part of her was tempted - it had been so long. But she wasn't the sort to just do that, and she wasn't lonely enough just yet to give in to her body's interest. She did flush faintly, though, and she knew through the teasing it was a serious invitation, or at least it felt like it. "You flatter an old woman," she said, her tone light. She wasn't the oldest woman here anymore, but she had started off that way and she had made such jokes several times when they had first arrived here. "Besides, I don't like to share my toys very much." She grinned faintly at him over her toast.
He watched her surprised, completely amused by it, but the blush was better than the surprise. “You aren’t that old. I’m not that young either,” he reminded her, but didn’t press more than that. “I don’t blame you for not liking to share. I’m not a fan of it either.” Though he supposed that yet again he was sharing Susanna with Ryan. That really needed stop. He needed some willpower on his part. “But it doesn’t mean the offer goes away.”
Her eyebrows raised just a little. If he didn't like to share, well, Mojo might be a choice, but if that football thing in the yard that day had been any indication, Mojo wasn't the only one Reece had interest in. Carmel didn't think she could share a guy with other women, herself. She just wasn't wired that way. He'd just confessed to waiting on Mojo, after all.
She smiled at him, though, and his offer, while not for her right now... who knew how things would go in here for her, or if Wu would stay around or even stay interested in her. "I'll keep it in mind," she told him genuinely.
“Don’t give me that look,” he said shaking his head and refilling his coffee cup. “Do though.” He leaned in closer smiling a little more, just for her. “I know I’d be lucky.”
She grinned at him. "Aww, why not?" she asked, but it was playful and clear that he could disregard it in teasing manner it was presented. She chuckled. He really was attractive, in that bad boy way she had discovered in school long ago, and if she didn't already have a thing for someone... and flirting with him really was fun. He made her feel attractive, and it was such a nice feeling. "You mean you'd get lucky," she said with a laugh, propping her hip against the counter.
“Because I know what you mean by it.” Reece smiled more, still drifting closer, curious how close she’d let him get. “No, I’d be lucky. You aren’t just some catch. I’m not that stupid.” He could tell Carmel was more than that, and he had a guess she knew what she was doing, she’d be great.
"Do you now," she mused, watching him with keen eyes. She let him drift closer, though she tilted her head slightly. She wondered how far he'd come. "I've never thought you were stupid, but it's good to know that you know that," she said. It meant he didn't think she would be just another notch in his belt, which was always nice to hear. And he'd probably be great in bed, not that she was prepared to test that out yet.
“You think I’m full of it,” he said taking another small step closer that left one hand on the counter close to her hip. “A lot of people think I’m stupid. You don’t have to pretend, but I do know better.” And he’d take good care of her, even if she was holding back.
"Sweetie, you're a man. I think most of you are full of it," she told him, amusement rife in her tone. She didn't shift toward him or away, simply stayed still, only tilting her head up slightly to keep her eyes on his face. He was trying hard, bless him, she thought fondly. "I'm not a lot of people," she said, lips quirking faintly as she thought of Wu briefly. No, most people would probably stay away from him, and here she was drawn to him.
“Ouch,” Reece said, though he was teasing. He knew that was he was succomb to his gender’s sterotypes. “No, no you aren’t.” It was a dare to take, her not moving away and he leaned in and kissed her cheek lightly, close to the corner of her mouth, but not too close.
She smirked faintly. She didn't really have anything against men, not like many rape victims had, or even just some women in general. But it was always fun to tease them. She'd had a brother, and many male friends. Her business partner had been a man. She'd always enjoyed teasing them. She stood very still as his lips brushed her cheek. It brought out more emotions than she'd have thought, making her hesitate. It reminded her of how lonely she was, and how she had wished practically since she'd arrived here for someone to hold her as she slept. Her body was tempted even though right now she knew her interest was elsewhere, as different as that road might prove. It was that thought that had her tilting her head down, offering only her cheek and not her lips, when it could have been the other way. "You're very flattering to a lady, you know," she told him.
“Good. That was my goal.” He let himself touch her jaw, tracing the line of it with his thumb. Maybe it was too much, but she wasn’t pulling away, which he was taking as a sign. “Well if it gets old, you know where to find me.”
"That I do," she said and finally took a small step back, giving herself a little bit of space. She smiled gently up at him, though. "And if I change my mind, I'll know just where to go." She hesitated and then leaned forward, kissing his cheek softly. It was almost an apology, though she didn't think he'd be upset at her for turning him down right now.
He knew what it was, but Reece smiled nonetheless. “I know you do. Door’s always open. Just knock.” He doubted she’d come, but if she woke up alone and wanted to? He wanted her to know he’d let her in without a second thought. Reaching for his mug again he pulled back a few steps. “Thanks for breakfast.”
Carmel felt almost bad about turning him down. Reece was a good guy. She was even reasonably sure if she showed up and asked just to sit for a while, he'd probably do it, just to be nice. He might be disappointed, but she'd probably lay money on it. "You're welcome," she said, going to pour herself a little more coffee. Going to lighten the mood, she said, "So are you still up to teach me poker sometime?" They could use some type of a game night, maybe. Things seemed so serious in this place lately.
Reece moved himself more towards the direction of the door. “Of course I am. You just find me a deck of cards and name the time and place. We’ll make a date of it.” He didn’t sound disappointed in anything that had gone down, just hopeful to see her again. “Stay out of trouble Carmel,” he warned before stepping towards the door again, mug still in his hand. “Come find me if you need anything.”