11:45 PM

When Stone returned to the garden bar, Heatwave was gone, but Christie Danner and Tara Winston were talking quietly amongst themselves.  They seemed to be having a good time despite his absense and there was evidence of a few more exhausted drinks between the two of them.  Although, it seemed as though Ophilia's friend was having the harder time of the two with processing it.

"He came back!"  Christie said happily as she gave him a grin, copletely oblivious to the fact that she shouldn't have seemed so eager.

Tara rolled her eyes a bit and offered him a smile.  "What was that all about?  Celeste can be a real bitch.  She's always flaunting her powers and she can't stand not being the center of attention."  It was no secret among the Hudson City debutantes that Celeste Frazier and Tara Winston were not on good terms. 

Christie winced a bit at the mention of Celeste's name, but was a bit slower than usual to come to her defense.  "Tara, leave her alone.  They're going to be team mates.  Phase has done a lot for this city...and...and..."  It seemed like she had more to say but eventually she just shrugged defeat when the words wouldn't come.  "...just be nice."

"Nice," Stone repeated with a shake of his head while he used a look to send the bartender after another beer.  "With her?  I don't know.  I swear she's part rattlesnake."

The blond nodded her head vehemently in agreement.  "You have no idea!  Seriously."

Christie on the other hand, just shrugged her shoulders.  "If you want to worry about rattlesnakes, then I'd advise against getting too close to Carlotta."  She bit her lower lip in thought and weaved her head cutely.  "What is it now?"  She wondered out loud.  "Carlotta Cruise, or is it Jackson, or Frazier, or DiSantiago?  That woman has married and buried more men than I can remember, trust me, you do NOT want her to set her sights on you."

"What, the sweet-talking cougar?"  Stone asked.  "Nah, she's harmless.  Besides, I'm not the marrying type."

Tara and Christie both laughed at that, as if he'd said something really funny.  Tara was the first to recover.  "Yeah.  Famous last words.  Seriously, they call her the black widow...and she's like the richest woman in this town, maybe the entire state.  I think every one of her husbands were not the marring type."  She shrugger her shoulders.  "...and I could totally see where she'd be into you.  She likes what she can't have, very much like Celeste."

An audible groan escaped Christie's lips at the mention of Celeste's name again.  "Dead horse.  Let it go!"  And then she turned to Stone and gave him a wide smile, her voice sweet and far bolder than he would have expected when she continued.  "....so.  Tara and I were wondering which one of us you were going to kiss at midnight.  Unless, of course, you already have other plans."

Her friend's mouth dropped open at that, obviously stunned by the unusually forward behavior on Christie's part.  "Now that's a bit uncomfortable!"

"I'm not much for plans," Stone answered as good-naturedly as he ever got.  "How long do I have to decide, anyway?"

Tara was still shaking her head at Christie, and even smiling.  This was too rich, and she wished that Ophilia were here to see it, although, something told her that her best friend wouldn't approve.

"I think that your time is running out."  Christie cooed sweetly as she pivotted in front of Stone.  She spared a wicked grin towards Tara as she continued.  "It seems to me, that you might have to kiss us both...  You know, might help with that decision...um...making process."

As Christie began sliding her arms up towards Stone's neck, Tara finally broke.  "Somebody's had a few too many."  She did nothing to stop her friends forward momentum, however, and actually watched her with a lopsided grin on her face.  She even looked around to see who else was there that could back her up later, but to her dismay saw none of their small group of friends. 

"Careful, now..." Stone had the good grace to look surprised, but he did nothing to stop the kiss from happening or discourage her.  To the contrary, this was a first impression of sorts, so he relaxed and let it happen, letting Christie set the tone and measure and giving equally in both.

"...as a kitten."  She promised as she wrapped her long arms around his neck, and pulled him down into her kiss.  She was almost as tall as he was in her heals, and it only took a moment before their lips met.  He could feel the soft parting of her lips and her slender fingers entwined in his hair as she kissed him.  It was a soft kiss at first, and it demanded nothing of him or his body, but as their tongues played lightly against each other, he felt a slight shift in her.  The hand on the back of his neck became a bit more insistant and her body melded closer to his.  After another moment, just when he felt that she might shift closer to him, she withdrew slowly from the kiss, her breath was a bit slow to return and her cheeks were flushed.  Lastly she stepped away from him, but there was a palpable reluctance in her movement.

Stone allowed for a sigh through his nose in appreciation of the very nice kiss he'd just enjoyed.  "You didn't wait for midnight," he chided her.  With a finger wag, he added, "Bad girl.  No biscuit."

A pretty and well practiced pout slid onto Christie's lips as she stepped back.  Tara shook her head at her friend's theatrics and they both laughed for a moment, before the brunette spoke again.  "That's okay.  I kissed a hero, that's biscuit enough for me."

Stone snorted at that and said, "I'm no hero," before taking another drink.

"No?"  The girls questions were an echo of one another.

Tara looked through the french doors towards the ballroom.  "...but you're a part of the Conquistadors.  They are heroes.  You're going to be a part of a team that saves people.  Right?  Sounds like a hero's job description if I ever heard one."

Christie bobbed her head in agreement as she reached for the next drink that the bartender produced.  The look on her face was a bit confused like maybe she didn't remember ordering this one.  In the end, it didn't seem to matter as she lifted it to her lips and sipped at it.

Stone thought about it while pondering his beer and then shrugged.  "I never thought about it like that.  Depends on your perspective, I guess."

He looked up at the two of them and concluded, "We'll see."

"So how about you," he asked Tara in a more positive, almost playfully challenging tone as he set his beer bottle upon the bar.  "Are you waiting on midnight or what?"

"Who?  Me?"  Tara asked coyly as she batted her long lashes at him.  She was shorter than Christie by several inches, and her build was more muscular.  Stone guessed that she was fairly active in some kind of sport.  She took a leisurely draw from her bottled drink, as she turned to face him, and then placed it on the bar.

Christie watched on, as a smile played at her face, and it was easy to tell that the girls had a very easy and trusting relationship.  The bartender was getting chummier with her now as well, she was enjoying his light remarks as he worked behind the counter, but so far his attempts at getting her to give him a kiss too, were unsuccessful. 

As Stone watched through his unreadable shades, Tara reached up and pulled at his bow tie, releasing him from the rarely worn accessory.  "There.  That suits you better."  She said as she allowed one of her hands to trail down his chest, while the other gathered the loose material on his shirt and pulled him towards her.

She lifted in her shoes and met him half way.  Her kiss was lingering, but just as distracting was the play of her hand that rested low on his stomach.  She seemed more in control than her friend, less passionate, but at the same time more aware and quite likely willing.  Her first kiss was playful and then she took the liberty of another as she stepped into him.  The subtle slide of her body against his, suggested a bit more incentive might be available at the end of the night.  When she withdrew she gave him a smile and a wink, but she didn't seem as weak in the knees as her friend.

Stone started to consider that if he wasn't careful he'd need to go stand behind the bar soon.  As it was, the blond kissed just as good as the brunette did, if with a little more emphasis on experience over gusto.  Which wasn't a bad thing.

"That's very nice," he replied to their expectant looks.  He reached for his beer and took a drink, and after swallowing he gestured towards the two of them and suggested, "Your turn now."

"Ha!"  Tara barked out.  "Very funny."  Realizing that he was serious, she quirked an eyebrow and looked over at Christie.  Giving her a look that said she would consider it.

"Oh!  Hayles no!"  Christie laughed as she shook her head.  "I'm not that drunk."  She was still giggling as she took another drink.

"What are you afraid of?" Stone asked her after a subtle wink at Tara.

Christie's mouth dropped open a bit, not used to being questioned about her decisions.  "Well...I'm not afraid of anything.  I...just...don't want to.  If I'm goning do something that I'll regret..."  And here she paused to give him a big grin, "...it's gonna be a bit more interesting than kissing a girl."

Stone nodded his approval.  "I'll bet," he said, to Christie, but in Tara's direction he added, "Seemed interesting to me," before taking another drink. 

Tara shrugged her shoulders and smiled.  Something about that smile gave Stone the impression that she had played that move out perfectly.  Knowing that Christie would never go for it, made it a harmless opportunity to appear to be the more adventurous of the two.

Stone found them both attractive, very appealing women.  Christie had that "bad good girl" thing going on at the moment, and he was digging on it, but she also seemed to be heavily under the influence.  He'd never taken advantage of anybody like that and wasn't about to start now.  He let his eyes settle on Tara's and let the lingering send a subtle message of his own.

Tara continued to look at him, wondering all the while what the eyes behind the shades were saying.  She knew that she'd won the bet, and the first thing on her plate was to get rid of Christie in a gentle way.  Friendly competition was fun but she wouldn't want for her friend to get her feelings hurt.  As she turned, she saw the bartender was playing with a long strand of her dark hair and she didn't seem to mind. 

Even though Christie was distracted, Tara didn't really want her there, or in the hands of the subtle bartender that had been slipping her extra heavy drinks all night long.  "Hey.  Chris."  She said as she beckoned her with a small gesture.

Christie's eyes lit up at her name, her spirits were so lively that it was impossible to imagine dampening them, she swayed a bit as she leaned in towards her blond friend.  "Listen."  Tara began.  "I was thinking, you should go see if Nemesis is still here.  Think about it.  Phi is with Mason, or ...she should be with Mason."

The brunette gave her a big smile at the mention of Nemesis, but otherwise her eyes were blank, obviously not getting the hint.

"You see...?"  Tara continued, "...if he's here...and Phi has another date.  You might be able to chat with him a bit.  You're always saying that she won't let you anywhere near him."

"Oh...  Oh!"  A lightbulb went off above Christie's head as she nodded slowly, easily swayed by a 'not so good idea' in her state.  "...but...."

"Don't worry about Stone, I've got him covered.  Go on.  Just don't leave the hotel, with any one.  I'll see you at the after party."  Tara lifted her brows a bit and her tone was somewhat firm.  "You got it?"

"Got it.", Christie replied with an enthusiastic nod at the brilliant idea.  Then she turned to Stone and gave him a quick hug, whispering something into his ear that her friend couldn't hear.  "I know.  I lost this time."  The whispered candor in her voice was nothing short of adorable as she turned to go.

Stone watched her go and wondered if she realized that games like these never really ended.  He didn't watch her for long, though.  He turned back to Tara and asked with interest, "What's this after party situation like?"

"It lasts..." Tara said as she took a small step towards him, "...a really."  Another small step closed the distance, "...really."  Her hands began sliding deliberately up his chest, "...long time."  And finally she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling back a bit as she peered up at him.  "...so we have plenty of time, and everyone takes care of Christie.  Everyone."

Stone nodded in understanding.  Christie was a sweet kid but came off a bit naive.  It made sense that her friends looked out for her.  But something in the way it was said hinted that maybe there was more to the story. 

But that was a thought for another time.  Right now he had much better things to think about, made easy by the liquid eyes of the woman currently occupying his personal space.  He let the hand that wasn't holding his beer come up to rest lightly on her hip, a welcoming acceptance of her close presence.

"So who takes care of Tara?" he asked.

That made her smile.  "I do.  ...well, technically my father pays the bills, but I never ever need a baby sitter.  And, when I graduate this fall, it really will be all me."

"Got any plans?" he asked her as he turned them a little so he could lean back against the bar and put his bottle down on it.

"For after I graduate?"  She asked lightly as she shifted her weight, allowing her lower body to settle intimately into his.  "I've had an internship for the last few summers at the Mayor's office.  I'll likely continue on there in some capacity."  Her deep brown eyes lingered on his shaded gaze.  "...or?  Did you mean, did I have plans for tonight?"  He could feel the brush of three of her fingers as she toyed idly with the back of his neck.

"After graduation... tonight..." Stone shrugged lightly and brought his other hand to rest on her hip across from it's partner.  "Whatever."

"You're not much of a talker, are you?"  She smiled up at him.  "How about you, and this team, are you really going to be around Hudson City for a while?"

"Looks like," he confirmed.  "Unless this whole thing's just a a publicity stunt, but I don't think it is.  I guess I'll be calling Hudson City home for a while."

He sniffed a chuckle.  "Should be interesting," he noted.  "I haven't had a home in years.  But change is good, and the people here are so friendly."  As he said the last, Stone's thumbs gently caressed her sides from his hands on her hips.

"Yes."  Tara purred in agreement.  "Some of us can be very friendly."  Her words were accentuated ever so slightly as she slid up towards him again, the announcer's voice in the background counting down to the ball drop.

Five...Four...

"Friendly is good," Stone murmured as he came off the bar and leaned into her.  He drew close, his mouth almost touching hers, letting her close the remaining distance between them.  She didn't wait for the count.  Stone closed his eyes and gave into the moment.

Three...Two....One....Happy New Year!

The kiss started playful and soft, but a new level of intimacy and passion quickly built on top of the previous kiss they had shared.  Stone held her tight against his body at her hips.  As the kiss lingered his hands traveled up along the sides of her body, under her arms, and then finally they were in her hair, gently caressing the back of her upper neck and head. 

It was a long kiss.  They broke with a slowness born of reluctance to find that they had outlasted everyone around them and even caught a few pairs of eyes appreciating them with the light humor of the holiday.  Stone still held her face in his hands, and one of his thumbs brushed her cheek as he held her eyes with his from behind his shades.

"Happy New Year," he sighed, and the barest hint of a smile played at the corner of his mouth.

"Looks like we have an audience."  She said as she exhaled and moved one of her hands, allowing it to fall back to his chest.  Her fingers tinkered with the edge of his loosened bow tie, until she removed it all together.

"Looks like," he agreed, returning his hands to her sides. 

"Do you have anything that you need to do?  ...for the team?"  She asked as she toyed with his hair.  The hand on his chest remained still, but he could feel by the unrelenting pressure of her body against his, that she was not interested in leaving his side, anytime soon.

Stone's eyebrows rose and he said, "Well, I don't know.  I think Ardent said something about taping some public service announcements for the senior citizen centers, that sounded kind of hot."

Tara's eyes were becoming very sober as she remained locked in his embrace, but she gave him a small smile and rolled her eyes at his remark.  "Okay..."  She said playfully as she attempted to step away from him.  "If that's what you have to do."

She wasn't going anywhere unless he wanted her too, so strong was his hold.  "Don't even," he told her.

His commanding words and subtle tone took the playful smile off of her lips, and her eyes regained their intent look.  "As you wish." 

With a turn of his head he spotted a tray of champagne bottles and another of glasses behind the bar.  He took Tara by the hand and moved there.

"Grab a couple of glasses," he asked of her before taking two bottles from the arrangement.  When she had the two flutes he led her back around to a place off to one side of the garden, away from the crowds singing Auld Lang Syne.  He took both bottles in one hand and then wrapped the other around her waist.

"Hold on tight."

"What?"  She asked curiously as she looked around them.

Without a sound, the pair lifted into the air.  Before she could react, they were passing through the latticework and cross beams of the garden's high roof.  Stone took them quickly up to the very top of the hotel's main tower .  Once there, he picked a good view spot and gently placed Tara on her feet to give her a chance to catch her breath.

"Whoa."  She breathed in astonishment.  "Whoa."  The reiteration was much more level as she turned around and looked at their surroundings.  "Whoa.  I didn't see that coming."

Stone removed his tuxedo jacket and leaned in to drape it over her shoulders.  He kissed her then, a soft, gentle, and yet also an encouraging kiss.  He was almost sideways to her this time, so while his right hand found a place to rest in the small of her back, his left brushed across her front diagonally from her left hip up to just under her right breast, where it leveled off and made a return trip back down her body. 

He didn't let this one linger quite as long as the last, and when he leaned back he said quietly, "Neither did I."

"Heh."  Tara seemed a bit off, like she was still overwhelmed by what had just happened.  "How am I suppose to ever be impressed after that?"  Her tone was light, but at the same time serious.

In response, he raised one of the bottles to his mouth and used his teeth to pull the cork out.  He spit it over the side of the roof.

With a final shake of her head, and a small lingering smile, she presented him with both of the glasses.

"Give me time," Stone said matter-of-factly while filling her glass.  "The night is young."

"Oh my."  She said as her cheeks flooded with a bit of color.  Without waiting for a toast she brought her drink to her lips and took a generous swig. 

Stone walked a few feet towards the roof's ledge and looked out on the city.  "You know it's not half bad from up here.  I'm gonna have to figure this place out quick, learn the streets."

He turned back to her and added, "But not tonight."

A few steps more brought him back to her and he refilled her glass.  "So, you think our key cards will open the roof door?"

Tara gave him a long considering look, and there was glint of sorts in her eyes that wasn't there before. She stepped into him then, deliberately and unbuttoned the top button of his shirt, and then the next one, before running her hands around his collar and loosening it further.   "Let's give it a try, and if they don't, I'm sure we can improvise." 

Stone took a drink from the bottle while maintaining eye contact.  If it wasn't winter he'd have forgotten all about the keycard.  He took his time swallowing and then tossed the bottle over his shoulder.  It shattered on the slate pavers behind him, and he said, "Let's go," and placed his arm around her shoulders to lead her inside.

Five or six minutes later and they were exiting the stairwell door on the nineteenth floor where the suites were located.  Tara had a room on the fourteenth floor, but Stone's was more likely larger and better appointed.  It also had the virtue of being closer, which at the moment was an important consideration.

By the time they were in front of his door both he and Tara were getting friendly with their hands on each other.  Stone had to break off and ask Tara to fish out the key card in his jacket's inside pocket, which she did.  Once the door was open he hustled her inside and looked up and down the hallway before joining her.

The elevator ride had been an exercise in restraint as the perky blond introduced Stone to her bold nature.  She teased at his neck with her lips and was relentless with the promising presence of her body against his, shifting and sliding in ways that made it very clear that they would both be enjoying their evening.

The "do not disturb" sign was placed in the key card slot outside the door, and then Stone closed and locked it.  As soon as he turned to move inside, Tara was on him.  She shoved him back against the door and pressed herself against him, straining up on her tiptoes, pulling him urgently into her passionate kiss.  Her hands ran down over his butt before coming back up to, slide under his shirt and trace up and down his chest and sides.

Stone wasn't averse to the rough stuff, but the humor of this petite, perky blond shoving him around wasn't lost on him.  The privacy and Tara's obvious intentions combined to loosen his gentlemanly constraints.  He rubbed her back with his hands as they kissed, then let both of them travel slowly down the curve of her lower back and over her firm ass, which he discovered was absolutely perfect.

Tara murmured in approval and the hum of her tickled against his lips.  Her body was an open invitation as he grabbed hold of her gently and lifted her off of her feet.  They both came off the door and Stone held her against him as they continued to kiss.  She could feel him easily now in this position, feel the effect she was having on him. 

He started to kiss her neck and whispered in her ear.  "I think... I'm going to... pour us a drink."

He placed her down on her feet and brushed her cheek.  They hadn't actually entered the suite yet, standing as they were in the short foyer by the door.  With a stroke of her cheek, Stone put the revelries on pause and walked into the living area to find the minibar.  No need to rush, he thought.  We've got all night.

"You go ahead," Tara replied as she got her heavy breathing under control.  Her cheeks were flushed and the glint in her eyes was as sharp as ever.  "I'll be right out," she said as she slipped through the bathroom door next to her and closed it.

The suite was impressive.  There was a modern style decor that was tasteful and classic.  A matching couch and two large easy chairs surrounded a metal frame, rectangular glass-top coffee table.  There was an entertainment unit with a 42" plasma and a video game unit tucked away in a shelf underneath.  A king-sized bed with rich-looking coverings could be seen through an open door to the bedroom.

The minibar was against a wall, behind the couch.  Minibar didn't describe it.  The bottles were full-sized and the glassware was crystal.  He spotted a bottle of Licor 43 and thought, perfect.

He poured two fingers each into a pair of brandy snifters and then took them to the low table where he set one down.  The other he swirled as he turned the lighting down to a subtle glow similar to strong candlelight using the slider switch on the wall.  He had just sat down in one of the easy chairs and sipped at his drink when the bathroom door opened.

Tara was wearing his black tuxedo jacket, but the little black dress was gone.  In the shadows under the large jacket that hung all the way down to mid-thigh, he could see glimpses of a black lace thong, and nothing else.  She leaned against the wall by the bathroom door in a pose that was equal parts innocence and provocation.  As she did so, the front of the jacket fell open just enough to confirm that she was indeed wearing nothing but the thong underneath.

"Let's try this question again."  She cooed playfully.  "Are you enjoying the party?"

Stone was transfixed as he drank in the sight of her.  He'd had plenty of pretty women in his lifetime, but they were rougher, from another entire class of people.  This experience with a Hudson City high society woman had a much different flavor than he was used to and, God help him, he liked it.  He'd never wear a tux on a regular basis, but watching Tara in his jacket in the low light, her hair like spun gold, her eyes dark and needful, he thought for the very first time that maybe this gig wasn't going to be such a bad thing after all.

"So far so good," he said back.  "I, uh, I poured that drink."

A flattered smile crept into her face as she realized by the "uh" she elicited, in the otherwise reserved Stone, just exactly how well her quick change had worked.  She sauntered over towards his chair slowly, giving him every opportunity to enjoy the sight of her.  Her eyes glanced down and, judging by the sizeable tent in the front of his trousers, all that time she spent at the gym hadn't been wasted.

She stopped in front of him and looked at her drink on the table.  Then she turned her eyes back on his and cocked her head to the side.  "I think," she said in a soft, innocent voice, "I want something else."

She leaned forward provocatively, resting her hands on the arms of the easy chair.  As she moved in close, the jacket opened more, allowing her bare front to brush against his while she traced a circle with her tongue in the sensitive spot just southeast of hs right ear.  She moved around to kiss him softly on the lips, and then again on his neck, before slowly sliding down to her knees on the floor in front of him.

Her hands lifted from the arms of the chair to slowly unbutton the rest of his dress shirt, all the while maintaining eye contact.  She slid her hands hungrily over his well muscled chest and down his six pack abs.  Then, with a gleam in her eye and a sultry smile, she unbuckled his belt, with deft fingers, his tuxedo pant button and zipper quickly followed, allowing her to open his fly wide.

Tara ran her hands up and down his thighs, letting her long French-manicured nails trail seductive paths that raised goosbumps on his legs.  Her look was one of contemplation, and before she realized it she was rising up again.  Her hands slowly, carefully reached towards his face.  The tips of her fingers hesitated briefly near his glasses.  Her eyes spoke the question. 

The room hushed for a long frozen moment, him in the chair, her delicate hands near his eyes.  Stone gave the briefest of nods.  Tara took a breath and then slowly removed his sunglasses from his face.  She studied his soulful eyes in wonder while her left hand absently placed the glasses on the low table next to her.

"Your eyes," she whispered.  "They're gorgeous.  Why do you hide them?"

"I'm antisocial," he reminded her quietly.

Tara smiled at the remark and sighed.  Her hands remembered what they had been up to and began tracing along the last bit of clothing between him and her.  "But not tonight," she purred.  Her fingers worked at the waistband of his boxer-briefs to free him and she lowered her head.

Stone sighed heavily, almost a gasp, and closed his eyes.  One of his hands stroked her hair.  As his head fell back into the chair he murmurred, "No, not tonight."

...fade to black...