|
Post by Ayrn on Sept 22, 2012 0:48:48 GMT -5
The drink seemed to be something that was appropriate for someone like her, if it had been someone like Donatello who often tended to give the macho vibe off he would have been concerned but the fact that she was an elegant lady made it seem logical and he would have been concerned if she had ordered the same thing as himself since Rum was not often a ladys choice unless they wanted to get completely drunk. Damien quite often chose either Rum or Scotch though he had always been told that Scotch was an old mans drink but that was possibly why he had started drinking it, since he wanted to be like his father at one point in his life and idolized the older mans every move and that included drinking scotch. It should have been a habit that he kicked when he realized that the man was not all that he was cracked up to be and he wanted to do something different with his life but it was just a little reminder of his home life that he left behind when he moved to the US and started new. He found that a lot of the time that he was wondering what she was thinking of him as well and wanting to make the best impression possible and he knew that it was because even though he knew that he really should not be and that she might not be interested in him that he was attracted to her. The two of them decided on dessert, well he really was the one that made the last decision but he only made the choice of the one that she seemed to like the most since he really was not too much of a dessert person and it just gave him an excuse to be around here and not have to go back to the hotel prematurely for the evening. It had been a long time since he had been out and the last time had just been at a bar with Donatello when the two of them had been watching some form of a sports game and he was convinced that they just had gone out like that to act the way that men were supposed to even though they both had no need or desire to be there and drinking beer in the first place, he was a little beyond all of that in his mind. As the waitress walked away to put their order in the attention turned to him when she asked if the rumors were true about the hotel becoming a home for a restaurant that was being built and he nodded with the comment that he was surprised that it had taken that long for the news to get out. He grinned when she commented that it sounded good and that it was a good thing that he knew his business partner beforehand and that there needed to be more Italian restaurants around here. I certainly agree with that, though a lot of the existing ones don't tend to catch my attention either, none of them are authentic enough. You can't own an Italian restaurant never having been to Italy. Donatello was raised there so I am definitely pleased to have the restaurant as part of the hotel. He commented. The talk then turned to his history and she asked him if his family was from Italy and he nodded lightly. Yes, they live in Imperia where I grew up and where Ayrn spent her teenage years, it is just east of Monaco. He commented. My family took her in when she was just about sixteen and she moved with me to the US when we were nineteen. He uttered with a small smile, he did not know how much she knew about Ayrn's past but then again he was not telling too much in the first place so he did not feel like he was going to get in trouble. What about you, where are you from? He asked casually lookin up when the waitress arrived with the dessert that they ordered. He had barely even taken a sip of his drink since he was much too interested in the woman in front of him.
|
|
|
Post by Lonestar on Sept 26, 2012 23:48:42 GMT -5
Intrigued still by his speech, she nodded along in agreement with his thoughts on the restaurant that was being built within the hotel. Of course it made sense for the best establishments that served cuisine from different ethnicities to be opened by someone that actually had lived in the area for an extended amount of time or who had grown up there. She had been to a Greek place once that had totally realigned what she thought of the Greek traditional cooking style. Most places were simply imitators and knowing what she did now, the damsel was always picky about where she went to eat. Which was probably also yet another quality that did not make her an ideal date. Most men were not very good at choosing places to dine at because most men were not picky. It didn't help that really authentic food could be extremely expensive to eat if you did not know where to look and most men would not want to spend so much money on a first date when it was merely a distant possibility that there would be a second date. He told her a little about his history and Ayrn's as well and she was surprised a little to learn that they were so young when they had moved to the states. Granted, she had been a lot younger when she had gone to South Africa so she really should not be one to judge. At nineteen, she had a three year old child and was struggling between taking care of a toddler, working, and taking classes at the local college for a biology degree. Perhaps it was best if she steered clear of the age subject. What made you both decide to move to the United States? She had never been to Italy, but assumed that it was a beautiful country and surely there were hotels there that Damien would be able to manage as he was doing here. While waiting on his response, she lifted her glass to her lips again and was surprised to find that she was drinking the last of the liquid. Embarrassed, she glanced over at him and set the now empty glass aside, wishing she could hide behind something. How had she drank it that fast? Of course, the alcohol was hard to taste in that drink, but she had downed it almost as if it were water! Her fretting was made worse as the waitress showed up immediately afterward with desert, as if sensing that Haley Ann had finished her first drink and asked if she would like another while smoothly reaching down and picking up the martini glass while directing an encouraging smile at the older female. Feeling panic grip her, she tried to force herself to relax, knowing that the red blush on her cheeks would be surely enflamed by now. Oh, I don't know. That's probably not. . . Forgive me. Looking anywhere but at her companion, she bit her lip while trying to make a final decision, feeling horrible for making the waitress stand there waiting on her to make up her mind. Finally, she threw in the towel and decided that Damien could think what he wanted of her. Nothing was ever going to become of the attraction between them so why did it matter so much what he thought? Why not? One more won't do any harm. Thank you. Flashing a smile up at the young lass who just nodded and walked over towards the bar, the shifter pulled herself back into the situation and focused upon answering his question about where she was from. I was born and raised in Maine actually. Reaching forward, she snagged a spoon that was sitting on the side of the dish and used it to break the caramel covering of the delicious smelling desert and bring it to her mouth. Oh my god. Such a good choice. The substance melted in her mouth and she heard herself purring quietly in reaction. Eyes popped open instantly, hoping that he had not heard that sound come from her, but just in case, she picked up her story again. But, when I was sixteen, I went to South Africa for a summer to visit a friend whose family had moved there the previous year. I got pregnant with Taelix and decided to stay there. I finished school there, got my biology degree at the local college, and lived there until Tae was twelve and then moved back to the states to help my mother. She leaned forward without meeting his gaze and took another bite of the crème brule before sitting back into a relaxed position in her chair. The waitress returned with her drink then and as she sat it down in front of Haley Ann, with her back to Damien, mouthed "he's cute," with a wink added at the end before straightening and asking if she could get them anything else. Too stunned by the gesture to think or even muster a thank you for the young lady before she moved off to help another table, the vixen just reached down and took a sip from her second drink. Funny, she had not expected to feel any sort of resentment to such a comment, by the waitress, but she found that she had a mixture of feelings: both pleased and annoyed with the other woman to have the perfectly good sense to notice that the man was good looking.
|
|
|
Post by Ayrn on Sept 28, 2012 1:29:20 GMT -5
He was really looking forward to the day that Sapori D' Italia was going to open its doors because he knew what the food was like and he had been close friends with Donatello for long enough to know that it was going to be good for the hotel as well as the restaurant. So many of his customes were business men looking for a fancy meal that they were able to their meetings to and that was what it was going to be for them, it was going to also be a place where people could bring their dates and really that was something that was versatile to him. Not to mention the fact that he was sure that he would be able to talk the other man into catering some of the events that he was planning on throwing in the next little while in the hotel because he had the space just had not had the time up until now and right now the hotel seemed to mostly be running itself so he was allowed other time to be able to brainstorm on these things. He was not like most men and he really did not believe in taking someone anywhere that was not completely appropriate he did not want to eat bad food even it was not going to be as expensive, even if it was a first date he was more than happy shelling the money out because at least even if that was the only date that they were going to on at least they gave him the time to have that date in the first place right and he got some company out of it. That was what was important to him, things did not always work out he understood that. A lot of people thought the same when he moved to the States and they were not ready to realize that he was a force to be reckoned with, pairing with his adopted sister in order to invest what was left of his trust fund and her inheritance on a hotel. She asked what made them both decide to move to the US and a small smile crossed his face even though it was the wrong answer. My father does not like the US and Ayrn even though she gets along was closer with me and decided that she wanted to live with me. He uttered with a shrug. A new start and I did not want to be linked to my fathers name, I guess I wanted to be stubborn and prove that I could make it on my own. He told her and that was the entire truth. He loved Italy and he would have loved to live there for the rest of his life and own one of the hotels there but it was just not realistic for him since that would mean that he would then be living in his fathers shadow and he was always and always would be quite different from the older man. He did not even really take notice of the fact that she had finished her drink so fast because really it was not that big of a deal and he was sure that she did not get to go out for drinks too often with a teen in the house and needing to set an example, though he did have to admit that Taelix really seemed to have a good head on his shoulders and that was a direct reflection on the way that he had been raised by his mother. When the waitress then came their way and asked her if she wanted another drink she did not seem to know and looked a bit flustered and he raised a brow at this. I am driving it's, fine. He uttered with a warm smile assuring her when the waitress had left, he would make sure that she arrived back at her house safely that night. Interest was sparked when she mentioned that she had been born and raised in Maine, that was a place that he really would not have pictured but then again he was not that good at being able to tell and it was not something that he thought too much about. He did not have too much interest in the dessert in the first place but it really did look good so he could not help a few small bites. What is South Africa like? That is one trip I have always wanted to take. He was genuinely curious. He took no notice of the waitress as she walked away and instead his eyes landed on Haley Ann gaining a sort of determination and intensity. I have a question for you. He uttered softly. What if I don't want to be just friends with you? The more time I spend with you the more interest I have in you. He told her watching her expression.
|
|
|
Post by Lonestar on Oct 7, 2012 5:14:04 GMT -5
Knowing what little she did of the family and their history, the response that the male gave to her inquiry into why both he and his adoptive sister had moved here so young in life made complete sense. Of course, Damien would be the one who wanted to rebel against his father's authority and flee from the older man's severe oversight while Ayrn would simply wish to follow her best friend and brotherly figure. Picturing the pair with the light of teenage youth on their faces and a determined set to the man's jaw that she had seen once or twice before, made the damsel hide her face because she knew her smile would be too brilliant not to notice. Even though she could only picture the pair as they had been to her fancy, what she did imagine was quite the sight and the shifter knew without a doubt that regardless of how everything had started, the man sitting in front of her had certainly established himself as a force to be reckoned with in the hotel business. That cool and collected air of his displayed confidence, but never betrayed the character that she knew him to have to portray arrogance and it was that feature that she knew probably gave him good standing with business men much older than him in years. He was certainly a man to admire and any young man should be proud if they turned towards the entrepreneur as a role model as she was certain his young Jack would do soon if he had not already. For all their differences, the human was a wonderful example for the developing shifter to follow and Haley Ann was confident that Jack would grow into his own skin and confidence to become a valuable member to both the pack and the town's society in time. Upon ordering her second drink after much dilemma, always the gentleman, he assured her that he would be driving them from here and she had to hide the blush that instantly crept upon features for he had misinterpreted her reason for hesitation. Oh she had no doubt that he would successfully get her to her house safely. Her trust and belief in him was far ran far too deep within her for the damsel to ever question his ability to take care of her. It was herself that she really should not trust to behave around the bloke who was effectively her boss even if she answered directly to Erixic. Thankfully, the subject turned to her past and she explained about where she was born and raised and then about her time in South Africa which, as it always did, brought out intrigue from her companion. It really is a wonderful country. I loved it when I first visited, I loved it when I left, and I continue to love it now that I'm in the states. The culture and habitat is completely different from anything you will find here. It's just refreshing how much they look to their past when preparing for the future. I wish I could return, but Taelix can do so much more here to improve his future so I need to stay at least as long as it takes for him to become settled in his own life separate from the life he has with me. A tender expression overcame her features as she talked about the country that was her true home although she was not native to it. The moment lasted until the waitress came by with her second drink and shocked the woman into silence which she covered by drinking from the glass that had just been sat in front of her. Haley Ann's focus was everywhere, but on the male in front of her until he spoke and called her attention to rest fully upon him. For a brief moment, she was confused by the determined set to his jaw that she had pictured upon his teenage face not more than a few minutes before until he began speaking. Her expression fell and instantly the heat of her embarrassment could be felt burning upon the skin at her cheeks. Oh Damien. Soft vocals started, the woman tearing her gaze from him as she looked down at her lap, teeth chewing upon her lower lip while she stopped herself from instantly battling against what he suggested. I don't have to tell you that I have feelings for you too because you already know that. So, yes, I want to be more than friends with you as well and spending time with you is more lovely than I could have thought it would be, but nothing's changed since we last talked this over. Lifting her eyes to his level, she offered a sad smile, but at the same time recognized that her defenses were down. She was so close and so tempted to tell him she'd do whatever he wanted; be whoever he wanted so long as she could be near him. Although she had not noticed before, but the lack of enthusiasm in her deflection of his suggestion told her that the alcohol was beginning to work its effect on her.
|
|
|
Post by Ayrn on Oct 9, 2012 19:15:18 GMT -5
Not too many people did have much insight into why he tended to do the things that he did and why he and Ayrn had moved here, he was a private person and he loved just getting into the business side of the hotel and therefore being amicable but never too close with people. Really the only ones that he was ever all that close with were Ayrn and at one time Laina but that had been short lived and she had not been in his life long enough to even learn of some of those secrets. Being around Haley Ann though was easy and therefore he felt like he could tell her these things without her judging that the two of them had been so young. He knew that it did not sound good that he wanted and longed to be away from his own father but that was just the reality of it and would someone really want to be there for the rest of their life when the person was so easily going to try to always make sure you jumped through every hoop imagineable? He really did not think so and that was the reason that he was here today starting on his own life and his own legacy that one day if he chose to have children they would look up to and say that their father had built though always know that if they did not want to follow in his footsteps that it was alright as well and that he would support them no matter what. In some ways he was sure coming from a family like his the way that his father acted around him and the way he never quite felt good enough was a learning experience of what not to do when he was in the same situation. She looked away from him in the next moment and he was not too sure what to think of that so he addressed her with calm and collected expression in teal colored eyes that were often on the intense side. There had been a time where the local reporter for the news station had come to talk to him and ask him questions about the hotel and how he made it work when he was so young but really he did not know how to answer those questions he did not know what his key to success was, he did not know that his determination was what tended to pull him through no matter what because while his father might have done some things wrong but teaching the man about work ethic was not one of them. He had always been strong on those sorts of things and therefore Damien had always taken it seriously so while he looked like he was working his ass off to a lot of people this was just his nature and the way that he felt like he needed to be. There had never been an option to fail in his mind and that might have been the key right there, never allowing yourself to think negatively about it. Sure there had been quite a few that tended to question if he was the best person to be involved with such a large business but after one business dealing and someone that was willing to make the leap of faith in the young man they often never turned back. He had just made the assumption that with her second drink that the problem stemmed from not being sure if she would be able to drive home but that was not a problem and he made that known, watching the blush creep into her cheeks and watching the expression that crossed her face. It did not matter that he was her boss, that she worked in the fitness center, that she was one of Erix's friends or that she was older than him with a teenage son his interest in her was blaringly obvious and there was only so long that he could hold it back. He was curious to hear about South Africa and the time that she spent there but really he was mostly interested in hearing the words and the melodic sound of her voice at risk of sounding completely cheesy but there were some things that were better off in his head and that was where this was going to stay. He nodded lightly when she explained that the reason that she was here was to make sure that Taelix could do so much better and that she loved being there. I will have to add it to my list of places to travel, if I ever do manage to get past the lobby when I intend to go on a vacation. He really had never left the hotel for too long at a time, and that was because he needed to see with his own eyes that it was running smoothly. He knew that next words that he was planning to utter were going to set her off guard, he knew that and yet he needed to tell her hoping that the more that she heard it the more that she was going to realize that he was not going to give up. He knew that they had this conversation before but they needed to have it again. She looked away and the words that she uttered were not all that strong and defiant which gave him a small part of hope. I am not going to give up. He uttered and that same determination was what built the hotel into what it was today. If I gave up on things when they were complicated I would be sitting in an office right next to my dad and not running my own hotel. He uttered. You are willing to just ignore feelings even while having them? Don't you wonder what if? He asked with a tilt of his head. You need to give me a chance. He stated softly. If he had been certain that she did not have feeling for him things would have been different and he never would have brought this up again.
|
|
|
Post by Lonestar on Oct 15, 2012 13:32:23 GMT -5
A short burst of laughter broke forth from her mouth to light up pale features at his comment on vacation, amusement written in her smile that was directed is way. I definitely recommend visiting. I'm sure one of these days you'll get past the lobby, but I understand your reluctance to leave. I've always wanted to see more of Europe, but with Taelix here and saving up money for his college, I feel like I'm never going to get the chance to leave. Even once he's in college I'm worried something else will pop up to keep me from going. For Damien, the hotel was his baby and he could not bare to leave it unprotected where he could not help if something went array. Haley Ann felt the same way about her son. Parenthood was definitely a rewarding occupation, but at the same time it was could drive a person to madness with the almost constant worrying. There were times that she was amazed her hair was not ripped out of her head. Her expression dropped instantly within the next moment as the subject changed and he again charged her with the choice of being with him. She knew there was only so long she could keep reminding them both of all the reasons they should not become involved before her defenses were worn thin. Especially when he looked at her with such determination in his face and solidity in his words. He seemed to confident in believing that they would be able to work something out, but hadn't he just gotten out of a relationship that hadn't worked? Didn't the sting of that linger still and give him pause at all? Of course she didn't want to just keep ignoring the feelings she had for him, but what other choice did she have? Wondering what if only got you so far because it was simply your imagination and they lived in the real world. Even if they managed to make the relationship work, one day he would wake up and realize that she was immortal, that she was never going to get any older than hat she was right now and he was just a human. He would realize that he wanted someone he could grow old enough with and would leave her to find another human that could bare him normal children and who would age right along with him; who could be buried beside him for their family to visit their graves. Sad gaze lifted to meet his as he asked her for a chance and the waitress came around with the check. Looking away from him again, she remained silently sitting until he had paid for the drinks and dessert, knowing he would never allow her to pay her share even if she offered. Once he got the ticket back, she rose from her chair and started towards the elevator, needing the space between them. Although she would never just get up and leave him so rudely behind, she simply needed to clear the air around her and paused by the elevator doors for him to join her before stepping into the contraption. Her brain and heart continued to clash as she began to ride down to the ground floor with him. Finally growing fed up with the entire situation and with herself, she reached forward and pushed the emergency stop button, not caring that there were others within the hotel who would need the use of this elevator. If we started dating, how would we go about it, Damien? Dating people you work with is complicated enough without adding mutual friends to make it even worse. And we both had teenagers. Taelix. . . doesn't like the thought of me dating. Pausing, she thought back to her son's reaction to the flowers that she had relieved from Damien and shuddered at the thought of having to confront him about her dating again. To date again. . . Could she do it? The painful jerk of her heart as she remembered the last man she had felt so strongly about eighteen years ago reminded her of how horrible an idea it was. Then she looked over at her companion and suddenly, the dam within her that held back her emotions from the world cracked and crumbled against the force of the flood behind it. The last man I trusted as much as I do you left me with a lot of pieces to pick up and glue back together and I have a constant reminder of his face every time I look at my son. I would never trade bring pregnant and raising Tae for anything, but I haven't been in any serious relationships since giving birth to him. All I ever do I wonder what if. What if it doesn't work out? What if we hurt each other? What if we disappoint our friends and family? What if I give myself another chance and it all ends the same? I don't think I could handle it as well as I did the first time. Looking away from him, she pushed the button again, having said her part,and the elevator jerked then slowly started its descent up again. Letting the silence cloak them, Haley Ann simple leaned back against the far corner of the elevator, giving him as much as he could possibly need while she crossed her arms in front of her chest, staring desperately at the floor numbers as they made their way down.
|
|
|
Post by Ayrn on Oct 25, 2012 2:07:47 GMT -5
For something that was supposed to be so difficult he did not understand why it felt so easy. He knew what she was going to say about the two of them dating before the words even left her mouth and he knew that if he was serious about caring about her he needed to make his argument now. She might get upset by how determined he was being but would she then realize in the end that she needed to give him a chance. Give him a chance to prove that he was not like the other guys that were around and that he was not going to leave her like the other guy did when she was in South Africa, he was not the type and never had left a girl that he felt passionately about. He had thought that Laina was going to be the one that he wound up with but he was the one that had his heart broken in that situation not the other way around. He could not bear to think about the fact that she left him so easily behind. He was long since over that though and his interest now lay in Haley Ann and doing his best to get her to give him a chance. He did not even really process her stating that she had not been on vacation because she was sticking around to save up for Taelix to go to school since his mind was already on what he was going to tell her and how he was going to convince her to be with him. In his mind he was sounding so desperate though he really did not care because he knew that the key to sometimes making things like this work was to put yourself out there and surely she was not going to just reject him was she? He really hoped not. He was tense as he then paid the bill without a second thought and walked along with her out of the restaurant and towards the elevator the awkwardness was thick between the two of them and he felt like squirming when she then reached forward to press the emergency stop button in the elevator and brow rose with curiousity as to what she was doing. Interest apparent in pale blue eyes. Listening carefully for her to finish her statement before adding his own. How would we go about it? You are making this ten times more complicated than it needs to be. He uttered with a soft sigh. You work for Erixic not myself, he runs the fitness center and even if that were not the case that is just something else I would not allow to stand in the way of my feelings. He told her with a small shrug of his shoulders. I can gaurentee you that both Ayrn and Erixic would be happy about it, they want to see both of us happy. As for Taelix he is a teenager and he needs to accept that his mother deserves better than to be alone I doubt he would be opposed to his mother being happy if that were the case. He uttered gently. She was not being fair when she stated that the last man that she trusted as much as she trusted him left her with a lot of pieces to pick up and that she did not know if she could handle it again. Well I guess that’s a good thing I am nothing like that man. I don’t need to know anything about him to know that for certain because I never would have left.. It was completely true and he really did not know why the other man would ever even debate leaving her especially when she was pregnant but he supposed that was where morals were different. She needed to trust him that he was not that person. What if you don’t give yourself another chance and miss out on the opportunity to be with someone that cares so much about you? He countered her question watching as she stood back against the elevator as it started moving again and he could not help stepping forward and invading the personal space of the woman in order to reach up and run his fingers lightly along her cheek. Leaning forward to press his lips lightly to her forehead unable to help himself before breaking that apart and glancing down at her with the height difference and bringing his lips to hers, knowing that he might only get the one chance and he did not know if she was going to push him away and tell him to leave her alone or what. He was attracted to her and it was a lot more than skin deep he knew that he just needed her to give him chance.
|
|