Wren paid the taxi driver and using the key Drev had given her, trudged her way up to the second floor condo that was her new home. She felt like hot, rotten, dog meat and wanted to lay down on her amazingly comfortable bed, that had been delivered the day before, and cry.
She walked into the living room and tossed her purse and brief case on a chair and made her way to her room.
"Hey, any luck today?'
She stopped in her doorway and turned. Her knees did this goofy wobble thing like they'd just turned into Jell-o and could not longer support her weight. Her breath hitched and she was forced to put her hand on the door frame to keep from falling. The man had come out in just a towel and he still had moisture from his shower beaded across his chest. For some crazy-ass reason she wanted to walk over and lick the water drops from his rock hard muscles. 'What the fuck? I sound like a damned romance novel.'
She changed her grip on the door frame into a lean, turning her shoulder so that it rested where her hand had been. 'There that looked natural, yep."
"No. It's like the whole world thinks I'm worthless because I took my clothes off in college. I tell you Drev, I'm to the point of just going back to stripping, and saving up until I can put a down payment on a loan for a studio and start-up money."
She sighed and leaned more heavily against the door frame, feeling her silk blouse scrunch and wrinkle at her back.
"I even checked with the local ballet and they aren't hold auditions for another seven months. I can't support myself with out a job for seven months. Not to mention the director was a real ass. I hate dancers that act like that, because they think it helps them prove they are serious."
She rolled her eyes and sighed. Her gaze returned to his body and she had to push against the balls of her feet to keep from sliding down the wall. 'Good grief, I'm like some lust filled teenager. I have really got to get ahold of myself. One orgasm is not supposed to make me melt every time I look at him and remember.'
That was just not the case and Wren knew it. She needed to retreat and regroup or she was going to jump on him and see just how much of his face she could kiss in three seconds. She groaned internally at that and pushed away from the doorjamb.
"I'm going to take a shower, you can come in and tell me about your day while I wash the city's grime from my face and hair."
Perparing to Meet the Mob
Standing in front of the foggy mirror in his bathroom, Drev brushed his teeth while humming Jimi Hendrix's cover of 'All Along the Watchtower'. He was thinking about the meeting tonight, the meeting with his old mafia buddy. If it was even possible, Drev felt even more protective of Wren since he'd given her release the other night. He really wanted to find this asshole that was stalking her, not so much out of revenge, but more because someone like Wren just didn't deserve
the pain and paranoia. Drev had plenty of experience with stalkers, and it was never a good situation to be in. Especially if the stalkee already had the kind of pain and emotional torment that Wren did. Drev wanted to do whatever he could to get this person out of Wren's life. Sure, there was no way he could erase what had already been done to her, but the least he could do was to allow Wren to put it behind her. Drev had every confidence in his former associate; this asshole would be found. Drev did not doubt that. What he did doubt was whether he'd be able to keep himself from killing the man with his bare hands.
No, that's not acceptable. He has to control himself, for Wren's sake. If he succumbed to his carnal rage, he'd be no better than the creep they were going after. He would simply have this guy found, then let Wren decide what's done with him.
Movement in the living room pulled him from his reverie. He leaned back to look out the bathroom door. Wren must have just got home from job hunting. Drev leaned over the sink and spit out the toothpaste, took a mouthful of water to rinse his mouth, then dried his hands on the towel hanging above the toilet.
Drev walked out into the living room wearing nothing but a towel around his waist, rubbing lotion into his hands. "Hey," he called to Wren before she could disappear into her bedroom. "Any luck today?"
Wren
18 years ago
Milazo
18 years ago
For a brief moment, Drev was confused by Wren's reaction to seeing him. Then he remembered that he was only wearing a towel. He was really going to have to remember to wear more clothing.
Upon hearing about her unsuccessful job hunt, Drev wanted to tell her not to worry about it. He could provide for both of them very easily. But that wasn't the issue. It was a matter of pride more than it was about money, and Drev didn't want to take that away from her. But there had to be something he could do.
He remained silent, only nodding when she said she was going to take a shower. She wanted to start up her own studio, did she? He could give her the money for it, but she'd likely not accept it on the grounds of it being charity. He could offer to help her out by opening a dance/martial arts studio, but Drev really had no motivation to be a teacher.
He stood in the living room a moment longer until he heard the shower running. "You know Wren," Drev said as he stepped back into the bathroom. "If you want money to start your own studio, I'd be happy to help you out."
Upon hearing about her unsuccessful job hunt, Drev wanted to tell her not to worry about it. He could provide for both of them very easily. But that wasn't the issue. It was a matter of pride more than it was about money, and Drev didn't want to take that away from her. But there had to be something he could do.
He remained silent, only nodding when she said she was going to take a shower. She wanted to start up her own studio, did she? He could give her the money for it, but she'd likely not accept it on the grounds of it being charity. He could offer to help her out by opening a dance/martial arts studio, but Drev really had no motivation to be a teacher.
He stood in the living room a moment longer until he heard the shower running. "You know Wren," Drev said as he stepped back into the bathroom. "If you want money to start your own studio, I'd be happy to help you out."
Wren
18 years ago
She let the water run hot and hard as she stepped into the spray. She was bone tired, and really didn't want to go out, but this meeting tonight could be her ticket to normal. She stood under the water letting it relax her weary muscles.
"You know Wren, if you want money to start your own studio, I'd be happy to help you out."
She moved out of the spray, pushed the water back through her hair and blinked it from her eyes. She reached down and picked up the pink bottle that held her shampoo, a gentle lavender and vanilla scent.
"Wow, Drev. That's really sweet, but I don't want to be in debt to a friend. If I go under I don't want to take you with me."
There, she turned him down, see she still had moral standards that she stuck to. Why couldn't anyone else see them? Why did they just see that part of her work background and assume she was white trash or worse a piece of ass willing to do anything for a job. She lathered soap through her hair, then let the steaming spray rinse it away. The temptation to let Drev give...loan...her the money was strong, but she just couldn't put that between them, she just couldn't.
"You know Wren, if you want money to start your own studio, I'd be happy to help you out."
She moved out of the spray, pushed the water back through her hair and blinked it from her eyes. She reached down and picked up the pink bottle that held her shampoo, a gentle lavender and vanilla scent.
"Wow, Drev. That's really sweet, but I don't want to be in debt to a friend. If I go under I don't want to take you with me."
There, she turned him down, see she still had moral standards that she stuck to. Why couldn't anyone else see them? Why did they just see that part of her work background and assume she was white trash or worse a piece of ass willing to do anything for a job. She lathered soap through her hair, then let the steaming spray rinse it away. The temptation to let Drev give...loan...her the money was strong, but she just couldn't put that between them, she just couldn't.
Milazo
18 years ago
Drev knew he probably should let the issue drop, but he also believed that this could be another huge step in getting Wren into a normal, sane life. This was something she really wanted, and Drev had the means to make it possible. How could he not want to help?
"You'd have to try incredibly hard to pull me under, hun. Besides, it would be a gift; totally string- and obligation-free. That way, I could write it off on my taxes. Hell, I could even have the money laundered if it made you feel better!"
His voice was jovial, but he was sure she'd be able to sense that he was serious as well. What might she do if she found an envelope full of cash on her pillow one day? Or if he could find out her bank account number, he could just deposit it directly....
"You'd have to try incredibly hard to pull me under, hun. Besides, it would be a gift; totally string- and obligation-free. That way, I could write it off on my taxes. Hell, I could even have the money laundered if it made you feel better!"
His voice was jovial, but he was sure she'd be able to sense that he was serious as well. What might she do if she found an envelope full of cash on her pillow one day? Or if he could find out her bank account number, he could just deposit it directly....
Wren
18 years ago
Wren concentrated on putting conditioner in her hair for a moment. "A gift. Wow." No one in her young life had ever just given her anything. Her scholarships were hard won, and her freedom even more so. She had no idea what to do with this. She couldn't just let him give her thirty thousand dollars. No one had that kind of money lying around. Then again, he was a recently retired rock star and just might have that much stuffed in his sock drawer. 'No...no...no Wren."
She picked up the purple and green loofah she'd picked up the other day and poured a small amount of purple soap on it. The hot water activated the scent and the bathroom was suddenly filled with lavender. Wren had been using this same soap for years. She loved the smell and it relaxed her.
She also felt like a woman should have a distinctive scent, one that when a friend or lover was out of her presence a whiff of that scent would bring forth memories of that woman. Wren's mother had smelled like vanilla, she could not smell vanilla candles or lotion with out bringing up memories of her mom. Usually they were of times that her mother was holding her close, such as storytime or braiding her hair. Wren had chosen lavender when she was fourteen and stuck with it.
She began to smooth the suds over her body, starting with her arms as she formulated an answer for Drev.
"I can't begin to tell you how much that means to me Drev. You've given me so much in less than a week and you stand there and offer me my dreams as a gift. I don't know how to respond to that. I do know I need to say no. I don't like that I'm turning my back on such a huge thing, but I can't let that much money be a part of our relationship."
She stepped back under the spray and let the water wash the suds down the drain, and rinsed the conditioner from her hair. She leaned down and pumped a bunch of foam into her hand from a blue bottle and began to wash her face. She didn't want to be turning down what Drev offered and just go about such mundane things as washing her face. She wanted to throw herself across her bed and weep. She needed to do the whole, earn it myself thing, because she knew that the only way to be the person she wanted to be was to never take anything for granted and to never take charity.
Maybe what Drev was offering wasn't charity, but she just didn't know what a gift or loan of that much money would do to a relationship. She did not want to find herself beholden to him for something so base as money, nor did she want to find herself dependant upon him for his money. Money was a dangerous drug and she refused to start out any kind of relationship, friendship or other wise, on such a material step.
'Who are you kidding? This man's first interaction with you involved a large sum of money, what makes you think it isn't going to play a part in your relationship with him. He wants to give it away, you might as well be the one holding out your hand.'
Wren shook her head and told the bitch that lived in the back of her head to shut the fuck up and let her stand on the moral high ground here.
She picked up the purple and green loofah she'd picked up the other day and poured a small amount of purple soap on it. The hot water activated the scent and the bathroom was suddenly filled with lavender. Wren had been using this same soap for years. She loved the smell and it relaxed her.
She also felt like a woman should have a distinctive scent, one that when a friend or lover was out of her presence a whiff of that scent would bring forth memories of that woman. Wren's mother had smelled like vanilla, she could not smell vanilla candles or lotion with out bringing up memories of her mom. Usually they were of times that her mother was holding her close, such as storytime or braiding her hair. Wren had chosen lavender when she was fourteen and stuck with it.
She began to smooth the suds over her body, starting with her arms as she formulated an answer for Drev.
"I can't begin to tell you how much that means to me Drev. You've given me so much in less than a week and you stand there and offer me my dreams as a gift. I don't know how to respond to that. I do know I need to say no. I don't like that I'm turning my back on such a huge thing, but I can't let that much money be a part of our relationship."
She stepped back under the spray and let the water wash the suds down the drain, and rinsed the conditioner from her hair. She leaned down and pumped a bunch of foam into her hand from a blue bottle and began to wash her face. She didn't want to be turning down what Drev offered and just go about such mundane things as washing her face. She wanted to throw herself across her bed and weep. She needed to do the whole, earn it myself thing, because she knew that the only way to be the person she wanted to be was to never take anything for granted and to never take charity.
Maybe what Drev was offering wasn't charity, but she just didn't know what a gift or loan of that much money would do to a relationship. She did not want to find herself beholden to him for something so base as money, nor did she want to find herself dependant upon him for his money. Money was a dangerous drug and she refused to start out any kind of relationship, friendship or other wise, on such a material step.
'Who are you kidding? This man's first interaction with you involved a large sum of money, what makes you think it isn't going to play a part in your relationship with him. He wants to give it away, you might as well be the one holding out your hand.'
Wren shook her head and told the bitch that lived in the back of her head to shut the fuck up and let her stand on the moral high ground here.
Milazo
18 years ago
As the smell of the lavender filled the bathroom, Drev felt himself relax. He hadn't realized how tense he was.
"That's alright, hun. I understand what you mean." Even though money was such a small concern in his life, it wasn't in Wren's. And while he'd be able to easily forget about it, she wouldn't be able to. Now matter how much he assured her that it didn't bother him, it would always be there. Drev knew that all along, knew that she'd refuse.
"But I just wanted you to know that the resources are there if you want them."
Drev took deep breath of the humid, lavendar-scented air before moving to exit the bathroom. "I'm gonna go get dressed. You don't have to wear anything fancy. What you just had on would be fine."
He stopped after a second and turned halfway back around. "Not that I'm suggesting you wear the same clothes you wore today, but... well, you know what I mean." With a scowl of confusion at his own babbling, Drev turned to leave again. "Yeah, going to get dressed now."
"That's alright, hun. I understand what you mean." Even though money was such a small concern in his life, it wasn't in Wren's. And while he'd be able to easily forget about it, she wouldn't be able to. Now matter how much he assured her that it didn't bother him, it would always be there. Drev knew that all along, knew that she'd refuse.
"But I just wanted you to know that the resources are there if you want them."
Drev took deep breath of the humid, lavendar-scented air before moving to exit the bathroom. "I'm gonna go get dressed. You don't have to wear anything fancy. What you just had on would be fine."
He stopped after a second and turned halfway back around. "Not that I'm suggesting you wear the same clothes you wore today, but... well, you know what I mean." With a scowl of confusion at his own babbling, Drev turned to leave again. "Yeah, going to get dressed now."
Wren
18 years ago
"Alright, thanks."
She chuckled at his exit and let the water run over her body for just a moment more. She turned the spray off and stepped out, wrapping a big fluffy towel around her sarong style, tucking the end between her breasts. She pulled a comb through her dripping hair and went to her room.
She let most of her skin air dry, as she pulled black pantyhose, panties and strapless bra from her drawer. She noticed that she needed more pantyhose and it looked like her small selection of thigh highs was in need of replacement as well. She moved to the closet and pulled her little black cocktail dress from the rod and laid it across the bed. Ignoring the siren's call of that bed, she put lotion on the parts of her body she could reach and then went back to the bathroom, still in just her towel to do something with her hair and put on some make up.
She dried her hair and pulled it back into a twist at the back on her head, leaving her neck bare, since her hair was board straight, she had left just the smallest of hair whisps to frame her face. She lined her eyes with a soft gray, left her lashes natural and swept some white glitter shadow across her lids. She left her cheeks bare and put a clear gloss on her lips.
She stepped out of the bathroom, and ran back to her room. She dressed quickly and put a few things in the little black bag that matched the dress, before heading out into the living room.
"Ready when you are."
((ooc Wren's dress Sorry for the creepy doll, but it's the perfect match to her dress.))
She chuckled at his exit and let the water run over her body for just a moment more. She turned the spray off and stepped out, wrapping a big fluffy towel around her sarong style, tucking the end between her breasts. She pulled a comb through her dripping hair and went to her room.
She let most of her skin air dry, as she pulled black pantyhose, panties and strapless bra from her drawer. She noticed that she needed more pantyhose and it looked like her small selection of thigh highs was in need of replacement as well. She moved to the closet and pulled her little black cocktail dress from the rod and laid it across the bed. Ignoring the siren's call of that bed, she put lotion on the parts of her body she could reach and then went back to the bathroom, still in just her towel to do something with her hair and put on some make up.
She dried her hair and pulled it back into a twist at the back on her head, leaving her neck bare, since her hair was board straight, she had left just the smallest of hair whisps to frame her face. She lined her eyes with a soft gray, left her lashes natural and swept some white glitter shadow across her lids. She left her cheeks bare and put a clear gloss on her lips.
She stepped out of the bathroom, and ran back to her room. She dressed quickly and put a few things in the little black bag that matched the dress, before heading out into the living room.
"Ready when you are."
((ooc Wren's dress Sorry for the creepy doll, but it's the perfect match to her dress.))
Milazo
18 years ago
Drev was sitting his eyes closed, his body still and quiet on the couch when Wren came out. His eyes came open when she spoke, and he immediately smiled.
"You look great," he said as he rose. The Little Black Dress she wore fit her perfectly. It brought out the luxurious color and shine of her hair, and contrasted her creamy skill beautifully. She was stunning. He wore a fairly simple black suit with white dress shirt and plain black tie. He'd considered wearing just a nice sweater and slacks, but he'd had a feeling that Wren would pick something a little more elegant than that. He was glad he took the gamble.
He stepped up to her, looking down into her eyes and the smile faded into a serious _expression of concern. "Are you ready for this?" he asked gently. He'd much rather put Wren in a light mood, maybe with a joke or something, but he wanted to be sure she understood the gravity of what they were about to go through. "You're going to be asked some rather personal questions.... I just want to be sure you're prepared to go through with this. Once my associate begins his search, he won't stop until he's successful." Drev's hands came up to hold her carefully by the waist, keeping her at arm's length so he could study her eyes.
"If you're at all uncomfortable about any of this, tell me. This is about you, so you call the shots. Okay?" he asked, the smile coming back to his lips.
"You look great," he said as he rose. The Little Black Dress she wore fit her perfectly. It brought out the luxurious color and shine of her hair, and contrasted her creamy skill beautifully. She was stunning. He wore a fairly simple black suit with white dress shirt and plain black tie. He'd considered wearing just a nice sweater and slacks, but he'd had a feeling that Wren would pick something a little more elegant than that. He was glad he took the gamble.
He stepped up to her, looking down into her eyes and the smile faded into a serious _expression of concern. "Are you ready for this?" he asked gently. He'd much rather put Wren in a light mood, maybe with a joke or something, but he wanted to be sure she understood the gravity of what they were about to go through. "You're going to be asked some rather personal questions.... I just want to be sure you're prepared to go through with this. Once my associate begins his search, he won't stop until he's successful." Drev's hands came up to hold her carefully by the waist, keeping her at arm's length so he could study her eyes.
"If you're at all uncomfortable about any of this, tell me. This is about you, so you call the shots. Okay?" he asked, the smile coming back to his lips.
Wren
18 years ago
A smile lit her face at his smile and compliment. "Thank you. I think I'm supposed to say something like 'Oh this old thing?' But I rather like thank you instead.'
She chuckled softly, looking into his eyes as he came close. She was nervous as a cat, but she wanted this, no needed this step to take place. She knew that there were going to be things she didn't want to talk about, but then this guy couldn't get anymore personal than the detectives had.
"I'm ready, Drev. I can handle what ever he asks, since this is my choice and not something I'm being forced to answer, because the police detective is just way to cynical for her own good."
she anchored herself with his touch. She let herself become centered in calm around the warmth of his fingers on her waist. She nodded at his question.
"Let's do this."
He gave her hips a soft squeeze, helped her with her coat, lead her to the door and down to the car. Butterflies took flight in her belly as she slid into the passenger seat, and put on her seat belt.
((ooc Drev and Wren out, lock up please.)
She chuckled softly, looking into his eyes as he came close. She was nervous as a cat, but she wanted this, no needed this step to take place. She knew that there were going to be things she didn't want to talk about, but then this guy couldn't get anymore personal than the detectives had.
"I'm ready, Drev. I can handle what ever he asks, since this is my choice and not something I'm being forced to answer, because the police detective is just way to cynical for her own good."
she anchored herself with his touch. She let herself become centered in calm around the warmth of his fingers on her waist. She nodded at his question.
"Let's do this."
He gave her hips a soft squeeze, helped her with her coat, lead her to the door and down to the car. Butterflies took flight in her belly as she slid into the passenger seat, and put on her seat belt.
((ooc Drev and Wren out, lock up please.)