Dancing with the Devil {Russ}

[helena]

If Helena were privy to such thoughts, she would have curled up in a ball and cried. To have taken Russ from his boring, normal world was enough to have her shoving him into a box and mailing him to Timbuktu, or any other safe place away from her and her father. Seeing the worried expression on his face, she mistakenly thought him distraught over the crazy man who was stalking them, and inwardly deflated. It was her fault that the poor man had gotten so involved in her problems; her fault that she’d agreed to meet him in the first place, and had let him into her apartment when he’d come back.

Which brought her straight back to the question of why he’d come back in the first place. For the life of her, the doctor could just NOT understand his reasoning. He’d seen her freak out, seen the dead cat and the horrible words written in blood on her wall. Then, by his own admission, he’d been attacked by the crazy man outside her house! Why, for all that was holy, would he subject himself to such danger? It was obvious that being around her wasn’t exactly good for his health…yet there he was.

The doctor frowned as she watched him toss her suitcases up onto the porch after the duffel. Was he some kind of adrenaline junkie? Did he ‘get off,’ as Ilani would say, on the danger? Or was he thinking that this entire ordeal was…exciting, in some way? She knew that a lot of young people had fantasies about doing something adventurous…gah, not that she wasn’t young, but…oh foo. She really didn’t want to go down this road of thought.

…Especially not when he was holding her arm so securely against him, so she could feel the warmth of his body seeping into hers. Or…holy cow, or when he was calling her beautiful.

While Russ looked so damn nummy with that playful light in his eyes, Helena was sure that she was personifying a dying fish. For a few seconds, she could only gawk at the younger man, her jaw dropping slightly in surprise. Her? Beautiful? Not available? Whaaaaat?

”Um, I’m sorry…not available?” Too late, she realized that her cheeks had begun to turn pink, and she bit her tongue against the insane urge to babble. ‘Oh, haha,’ she wanted to say, ‘of course I’m available! I’m neurotic and my father’s homicidal, so the closest thing I’ve had to a relationship is some quality time with the dirty toy I got for my birthday!’

But she didn’t, thank ALL that was holy. With a little cough, a fidget, and some knuckles pressed against her now warm cheeks, the doctor forced herself to meet his playful gaze and smile. ”You say things like that just to make me blush, don’t you?” She managed to laugh, giving him a little nudge with her trapped hand. ”But to answer your question…um, no, you won’t have to be fighting anyone off, unless you count my landlady. My lifestyle doesn’t really leave room for anything but friendship.”

A similarly teasing light came into her own eyes as she looked up at him again. ”What about you, Mr. I’m Traveling Around the US? I bet you have girlfriends in every state.”

[/blockquote]

[russ]

[Russ has been a punk and not pullin’ his weight. So if this doesn’t have his usual air, I’m sorry. He’s being a stubborn ass and I had to force him back out to play. Hope it's worth the wait.]

Just when Russ was feeling pretty smooth with telling her what was hanging on both his minds since the moment he had had the good fortunate of spying her in the park back in New Orleans, his confidence deflated a little when she subtly told him that she had no room for anything more than a friendship. Well that was a major waste of time! Unless she was willing to sleep with friends. Then that might be worth it. Still would have been nice to know before she had kissed him and about made him take her in the back of the Barbie mobile, big bad wolf hanging around outside the garage or not. Wait… but she had kissed him… well, now she was just being confusing. Had she changed her mind about him? And she had not seemed entirely adverse to his compliment. Actually, she explicitly pointed out what was obvious in the tinge of her cheeks. So maybe… she meant something else? Being a little thick sometimes was really not helpful to the affairs of attraction.

Any other out, Russ might have appreciated. But the question she threw at him made him grin slightly and nearly blush himself. Looking down his front absently, to avoid looking at her, he shook his head with a laugh and lifted his head again with a sigh. [white] “Every state? No, that’s a bit much. Just here and there. Most don’t call me out as early as you though. Lots of times I just get to tap it and move on. One night stand, if you will. Not with you though. Oooooh no. Helena has to drag poor old Russ to hell and back before he gets a little affection. I’ll tell you, you’re one hell of a kisser to keep me around this long. I might just have to call up the rest of the girls and tell them the weddings are off. Think I’m keeping the jewelers in business single-handedly with the amount I spend in engagement rings.”[/white] So why was Russ blathering on without pause? Yes, he did intend for this to occur to her, because when he suddenly stopped, his free hand launched out to grab her opposite arm and pull her body in tight against his own.

Without an inch of space betwixt their torsos, Russ had little room for saving grace. His insides felt like they were all clawing up his throat and trying to jump out his mouth and get their piece of her at once, while everything below that was on fire with the proximity he had brought upon himself. Wetting his lips in the briefest hesitation, he breathed in deeply as he leaned down to kiss her. Her scent flooding his mind, and her mouth capturing the rest of him to hold prisoner, Russ let his lips linger against hers in the safety of a minefield and his eyelids close to enshroud him in darkness from the sunset’s light. No hues of pink and yellow could ever compare to shutting down any senses that perceived anything but her. There existed only touch, only smell, only taste. Only her.

[helena]

((Oh psh, it's beautiful, as usual. -noms on- 83 ))



Yeah, Helena realized what she’d said about the same time Russ had. Duh, you big mook, he was asking if you’re available! So yeah, go ahead and basically tell him that you only do the ‘just friends’ thing, because he’s not implying that he wants to keep seeing you, despite the fact that there was probably a bounty on his head, along with hers. YOU ARE NEVER GOING TO GET LAID!

Helena mentally smacked her wailing libido. He wasn’t implying all that! He…he couldn’t be! But that memory of the hallway of her townhouse came sliding to the forefront of her mind, and her cheeks seem to redden even more. Great, now her head was going to spontaneously combust from dirty thoughts…oh, what a way to end a fantastic weekend.

A startled laugh escaped her at his tirade, especially when he mentioned her being a good kisser, and even harder when he mentioned weddings. The little charmer! “Oh, please, don’t be breaking any hearts on my account!” She said with another laugh, giving him a playful nudge. “I don’t want to be having those evil ex’s haunting my every step. I think I have enough on my plate, to have pissed off women trying to pull out my hair.”

The image of Russ spouting poetry to random women around the state had yet another snicker escaping her, before she could press her knuckles to her lips and stem the tide. He definitely was handsome enough, with that quick smile and even quicker wit. There was a self consciousness to him; an insecurity that sometimes popped its head out to peer at her through his eyes, but that would go away with age.

…Age. Ah gah, she was flirting with a baby. Courtney Cox had nothing on her—

A surprised squeak escaped her as she found herself yanked forward. Whatever amusement that she’d had was immediately replaced by something…warmer, as she fell flush up against his front. And when he kissed her…oh GOD, she’d thought she’d died and gone to heaven. Unlike in the foyer, this kiss was missing the hint of desperation; that twang of fear. This time, the embrace was warm, and hell if she didn’t feel her insides slowly melting.

With a soft sound of approval, as his lips slanted over hers, she stepped closer to him, her hands coming up to tunnel through his hair. Good Lord, he’d thought she was one hell of a kisser? Hello, definitely got things reversed, there. And...wait, what was she thinking about? What was her name? Oooooh, sweet mystery of life at last I've found youuuuu!

At last, when Helena had to pull back if only to breathe, she looked up at him, a dazed expression on her face. She wanted to say something seductive...maybe something along the lines of 'UNSEX ME!' but the words wouldn't come. So, in usual Helena fashion, what she did manage to utter was a very appreciative "Gwark. Lips...you kiss like God."

Once the words left her lips, she instantly turned pink again and fought to regain what little intelligence she had left. After clearing her throat and managing to tear her eyes from his mouth, she looked up at him again. "Um, that is...wow. I really do wish that we were standing in a normal front yard, and I think Logan's watching us from that fake bird to the right. I'd...I'd love to continue this somewhere private. What do you think?"

...Which was just so much better. Hurrah, now she sounded like she was asking for his opinion about wallpaper! Oh, for the love of all that was chocolate...

[/blockquote]

[russ]

Sure, it was a shame to cease her laughter, but the softly emitted approval when her lips locked receptively to his was worth a hundred of her laughs. A thousand, when her arms slipped so comfortably around him and her fingers drifted through his hair. He would have that moment forever, have her hands on him for all eternity to feel so mystically unaware of anything but her. On their own account, Russ’s arms wrapped greedily around her torso when she stepped into him. It was her own fault if she wanted to get away now and found that she couldn’t. If there were any ex’s so interested in tearing her hair out, now was the moment for their radars to go off. But while they were at it, they best set to scratching her eyes out, disfiguring her body, and scarring her vocal chords. Because she was captivating in every sense. And the only reason they would no longer need to worry about her lips was because Russ would be quite content to stand there kissing her until they dissolved.

Apparently, Helena didn’t feel the same. When she pulled away, Russ opened his eyes with a very disappointed expression on his face. Which was promptly wiped away and replaced with a blush and embarrassed smile, which he turned away from her, when she spoke. He hardly believed her, but it gave a guy a great deal of confidence to hear such a beautiful woman say so. It made him feel… less ridiculous. Sucking gently at the insides of his cheeks to stop himself from grinning like an idiot, Russ looked back down at her with a forced frown. With the way his eyes were practically sparkling with mischief, it was clear he was not displeased. Reminding himself to play it cool, he silently let her finish before giving an indifferent little nod. [white] “I think that would be a good idea. I don’t know that I’m entirely comfortable with real birds watching me, much less fake ones.”[/white] Wrinkling his nose at her with a grin, so she knew he was joking, he suddenly released her torso to grip her shoulders and push her away at arms length. Leaning down slightly to her level, an evil grin curled on his lips and his brow quirked. [white] “Last one back to the cabin has to continue this with her shirt off.”[/white] And without a chance for her to comprehend what he meant, Russell took off running, careful to keep to the path by which they had come.

Height and long legs gave him the advantage, but Russ did not full out sprint. It was never his intention to beat her. Because as soon as he allowed her to catch up to him, he spun around and hooked her about the waist to prevent her from finishing the remaining ten feet to the front steps of the abode. [white] “Where do think you’re going? You didn’t think you’d beat me?”[/white] He teased, holding her against him so she could not get away. But after only a moment, he leaned his mouth down to her face, so close that his nose brushed against her hair, to whisper, [white] “Go on, I’ll give you a head start for the rest of it.”[/white] Before releasing her, he gently grazed his cheek against hers, just so she could know what she was running away from, and then he loosened his grip so she could slip away.

[helena]

Okay seriously, her brain had to stop it with the ‘hamina hamina’s’ or she was going to go completely insane. She could still taste him on her tongue, her body was definitely missing the warmth of his body that had seeped in through her clothes…GAH, there it went again! Hamina, hamina, hamina, hamina…why the hell did she stop kissing him?!

For a few seconds, Helena could only blink at him as he put forth a racing challenge. He wanted her to…what? Last one to the—oh hell!

When he’d leaned down until he was eye level, the doctor had had the insane urge to lean forward and kiss him like crazy again, and the thought had made her temporarily comatose. When he turned and took off running, she let loose a surprised squawk, gaped at his retreating back for yet another second, then took off after him. Thank God that he was sticking to the trail, or she’d have to tackle him before he found a landmine!

“When I think of foreplay, this is NOT what I had in mind!” She yelled after him, laughing. Her arms pumping, she zoomed toward the door. ‘Her’ shirt off? Well, someone was definitely getting a bit frisky…and she liked it. Gah, it had been so long since she’d…well, done anything with anyone, that she couldn’t help but wonder if she still remembered how. Oh, that was so sad.

Another laugh escaped her as he caught her around the waist. Wiggling against him, she teasingly pounded at his hand. “Of course I could beat you! I want to see your naked chest, dammit…” And she couldn’t help but snicker again. Well, just listen to Doc Helena go and sound like a teenager. Go figure.

She shivered slightly when he purred into her ear, and let loose another unhappy whimper when he let her go. Darnnit, the man was going to drive her insane, with the kissing and the teasing. Didn’t he know that she was just about ready to pounce on him like a crazy person? Oh, the things she wanted to do with his naked body and a bowl of melted chocolate…

With one last glance at him over her shoulder, Helena hurried up the steps and went inside, only to stop short as she spotted Logan leaning back on the wall opposite the door. A blush instantly infused her cheeks, and as she started stuttering some kind of sarcastic little quip, the hunter held up a quelling hand.

”I think I need a nap,” He informed her, turning about face to walk toward the kitchen on the other side of the room. ”In the safe room. Where there’s sound proof walls and with cameras facing outside. Oh, wow, I’m so tired. Good night.”

With that, the older man disappeared into the kitchen, and the sounds of metal hinges squeaking echoed through the house. For a moment, she just stood there, gaping. But, as she heard footsteps behind her, something inside just…melted.

And before Russ could make it five steps into the foyer, Helena whirled around and threw herself against him. The front door slammed shut, but she was too busy fisting the front of Russ’ shirt and dragging his lips down to hers to care. Hopefully, he didn’t mind neurotic, because…MMMROWR!

[russ]

CONTINUED IN:
Why Don't We Do It in the Road