11:45 PM

Nemesis glanced over his shoulder before opening the door to the side lounge noted earlier in the evening. It opened easily and he closed it behind him as he stepped inside.

He took a deep breath and pulled his goggles down to hang around his throat, then pulled his mask off his head to let it dangle behind. He ran his hands over his sweaty temples and scalp, savoring the cool air of the lounge. The room itself was a plush affair, with a pair of comfortable couches, a series of very comfortable-looking chairs and a few tables here and there. A large-screen plasma television hung on one wall, a small fireplace was on another, and a wet bar was located in the corner. It looked as if the prior occupants had either not partaken of any refreshments or, more likely, someone had already been in to tidy the place.

Stepping further into the room Nemesis simply walked around for a few. Behind him the music was a muted thump punctuated by dim vocals rather than the cacophonic assault on his ears that it had been. He'd simply needed to get away from the crowds for a few and, as luck would have it, the lounge he'd seen the more dubious 'guests' exiting from seemed a perfect fit.

As much as he hated doing it, he reluctantly pulled his hood back over his face, bringing his goggles back into place, as well. It wouldn't do to have some DiSantiago lackey barging in on him. His eyes shifted from the wet bar to the comfy-looking chairs and back again, wondering how long it'd take him to sip a Scotch and get off his feet for a few and still make it back for the chime of the midnight hour.

As he considered his options, in the almost quiet sanctuary of the lounge, he heard the door opening.  It wasn't the soft click of the well maintained vintage door that gave it away, but the assaulting beat of the music that slid over, through and under the slightly cracked door.  For a moment he wondered if anyone was there, or if a passer by had inadvertently opened it, but then he saw a slender hand peek through.

It was a woman's hand and for the moment, who she was remained a mystery, as she loitered there.  The music swept away the sound of her voice, or he would have immediately recognized that it was Ophilia DiSantiago.  Finally, the door opened a bit more and she slid into the room, closing the door behind her, as she collapsed against it.  She carried a bottle of champagne in her other hand and she looked just as relieved as he felt to be out of the general chaos of the party.

"Alone at last!"  Phi's voice was breathy and playful when she spoke and he could tell by her relaxed frame and antics that she had indulged in a few drinks since the unveiling.  "And!"  She added, pointing the champagne bottle at him.  "Richard and John are under strict orders that no one, is to interrupt our official Conquistador business."

Nemesis chuckled. Obviously his 'partner' was just starting to loosen up and get into the spirit of the party. Which was a good thing. She probably needed a little fun after the roller-coaster of stress they'd all put her through. Including himself. Especially himself, if he was being honest about it.

"Why, Miss DiSantiago," he said in mock surprise, hand to chest. "Were you contriving to get me alone?" He cocked his head to the side, his smile growing mischievous. "You know you had but to ask."

Ophilia grinned at that as she pushed herself away from the door and stalked towards him.  "The line for your attention tonight was longer than usual.  ...and I don't wait in lines." 

Her movements were slow and the tight fit of her white lace dress made the overall affect sultry.  She didn't stop until she was well within his personal space, completely unaffected by the imposing presence that had kept so many others at bay.  Even when she stopped, she had a way of moving closer, as her hand reached out and touched his chest, and her dark eyes looked up at him with open appreciation. 

"You... were...incredible."  She punctuated each word.  Each one simple, but full of sincerity.  "...and..."  Her hand trailed down his armored chest, seemingly of it's own accord.  "I..."  Her words skipped a beat, a rarity for her, as her gaze traveled to watch her stray hand.  Even though he couldn't feel her touch through his armor, she felt that familiar spark that existed between them and became aware of her wandering touch. 

"...we should celebrate?"  She offered him the bottle in her hand and finally, reluctantly withdrew her other hand from his armored stomach.  Her familiar eyes were more alive than usual and the conflict that was usually there when their chemistry ignited was absent tonight.

Nemesis decided that his armor was somewhat more...confining...than he'd first thought. Ophilia was more than a little attractive under the worst of circumstances. Tonight she was at her best, and the hero was suddenly very aware of just how beautiful his partner-slash-boss really was. He also wished he grabbed that Scotch while he had the chance. He settled for taking the bottle of Champagne. Not his first choice, but he needed something to help him speak. Hell, he needed something to help him breathe. He took a drink straight from the bottle, managing to only take his eyes off her at the last moment. He offered the bottle in return.

Phi declined the bottle with a subtle shake of her head, a soft smile playing on her face.  "May I?"  She asked boldly as she reached up towards his damnable goggles.  Part of it was her simple desire to see his gorgeous blue eyes, but another part, a much more tantalizing reason, was the thrill of crossing that palpable boundary and removing his mask.  When he didn't stop her she slid them down, until they hung loosely around his neck.  She'd seen him make this motion a dozen times, but never had it held so much appeal.

"I thought we were celebrating," he said at last, surprised his voice didn't crack. "Did you have something else in mind?"

"Maybe."  Ophilia purred as she turned and walked away from him, heading towards the wet bar to get a couple of glasses.
 
Once her back was turned she bit her lower lip, trying to talk some sense into herself.  Knowing exactly what she was trying to do and wondering at how she could be so stupid and not care.  Her stomach flopped at that, reminding her of exactly why she wasn't thinking straight.  With each step towards the bar her resolve weakened further, wanting nothing more than to turn around and pursue this fantasy. 

Being an empath made it so much worse.  She could feel that the attraction was mutual, and it made it that much harder to resist the urge to initiate something . She knew, of course, that there would be a very real possibility that one or both of them might regret it later.  She also knew that she wouldn't try to justify her intentions as casual, because there was  nothing casual about her feelings for Luke.  Steeped in fantasy, yes.  A monumentally selfish and a bad idea, yes.  Casual, no. 

Luke rubbed at his chin with his hand, watching the number one subject of his dreams walk to the bar. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly and let his head roll back. "What the hell are you doing, Luke?" he whispered to the ceiling. It declined to answer. He let his attention drop back to Phi and instead tried to decide just what it was he expected.

She scooped up two glasses and turned to look at him again, her eyes so serious and intent, and when their gazes met,  she gave into it .  From the sway of her hips, as she returned to him, to the proud lilt of her chin, she was still a DiSantiago.  She wanted what she wanted, and for better or worse, Nemesis was the object of her desire. 

The innocent crush had started the night that they'd first met, when he came uninvited and bigger than life through her balcony door.  Since then, she had ignored it, she had defied it and she had done a lot of denying it!  It wasn't until a week ago when he almost quit the team, leaving her in a crumpled heap, that she had completely admitted to herself, that her feelings were a problem. 

It was the element of the crush that put her on foreign ground.  Rejection simply wasn't a concern for a DiSantiago, it was simple, you wanted something and you acquired it.  Even people, usually fell willingly under the spell that was cast over the family name.  Right now, though, Ophilia's confidence faltered as she considered that he might reject her advances, opting instead for a level head and duty over their mutual attraction.  The thought gave her pause and an exciting twinge of fear, but it didn't change her mind. 

Phi stood quietly before him, looking at him intently as she lifted the glasses in a somewhat half hearted gesture.   

Luke, too, paused for thought, but then he felt that familiar 'what the hell' feeling, and from experience he knew there was little chance of coming back from that. He smiled and gestured for her to pour. 

An unusual and charged silence fell over them in the next several moments, as they found themselves looking at their now full glasses of champagne.  It didn't take an empath to know that they were one stray touch or flirtatious comment away from throwing away almost six months of carefully skirting around their obvious attraction.  Phi was set and poised to make a toast, but the precarious flip of her stomach as she stood so close to the precipice, caused her a momentary pause.

She cocked her head and gave him a pretty smile, as she tilted her glass to clink softly with his.  "To Soldier Boy and his occasional good idea?"  Her voice was soft and it seemed like there was a question or suggestion in there somewhere.  She was coy and playful, but no where near as practiced as someone like Celeste Frazier at the art of seduction.

For a moment Luke seemed puzzled by her toast, but then his face registered a "got it" moment and he chuckled softly, nodding. "To Soldier Boy and his occasional good idea." He took a sip of his Champagne, chuckled again. "He does have his moments."

"Mmmhmmm."  She murmured as she took a long drink from her glass, pulling from the liquid courage. "As inappropriate as he was this afternoon...  It did get me to thinking.  Alot."  She admitted, her smile lingering as she watched Luke take another sudden pull from his drink.  She could sense that he was flustered and she kind of liked turning the tables on him.  Usually it was him that was turning her world upside down and inside out.

Phi took another lingering sip, and sat her almost finished drink down on the table next to the bottle. Then she took another step towards Luke and relieved him of his glass, turning ever so slightly to place it on the table next to her own. 

"...anyway..."  Phi's voice was nearly breathless when she spoke again, so close to him now, and so effected by the proximity of his well muscled body.  "...that, perhaps.  ...this distraction ...of ours."  She took another breath, a distracted pause, as she slid both of her hands onto him, one finding it's way to his chest, while the other glided over his stomach to rest lightly on his side. 

Finally, she lifted her intent brown eyes to meet his gaze and tried her best to continue, but the words were not being obedient.  "We should...definitely talk more, about this...distraction.  Tonight.  After...the party."  All while she talked her fingers softly explored the intricate details of his armor, but there was something in her touch, a byproduct of her power, perhaps.  It wasn't a pull from his mind, instead it was more like an offering from her mind.  A tangible aura of feelings, barely there at first, but if he were to pay attention to it or look for it, the sense became stronger.  A light touch of appreciation, approval, desire.  It didn't invade him and it seemed unconscious on her part, but it was there. 

Nemesis blinked and muttered, "Fuck it."

Then, with startling confidence and economy of motion, he reached out and placed his hand on the back of her neck, simultaneously leaning down and pulling her those last few inches to him.

A small gasp of anticipation slipped through Phi's slightly parted lips as she felt him give in to the moment.  His mouth met hers and she tasted the champagne as his tongue darted past her lips to gently caress her mouth. He was surprisingly gentle but she felt--felt--the hunger and the long-held desire behind it.

The feel of his gloved hand against her neck and the passion in his kiss swept away any trace of rational thought - where she was, her responsibilities, the time - were all things that didn't exist in this moment.  First one hand and then the other lifted to circle around his neck, as she pulled herself into him tightly, returning his kiss hungrily.  Her mind and body was so in tune with his that he could feel the whisper of pleasure that emanated from her, in very much the same way that the scent of her soft perfume surrounded him.

The sweet sensation of his proximity raced through Ophilia and she could think of little else that could match this feeling of excitement.  Her kiss became more insistent as her tongue played lightly over his.  It had been too long, over a year since she had indulged in any romantic encounters, and the hunger for intimacy was a dull clamor behind her desire for him. 

And suddenly they were apart, with Nemesis smiling down at her, his face inches from hers.

"Is that kinda what you had in mind?"

Phi nodded her head slowly but it was taking her longer to find her breath.  Her cheeks were flushed and her eyes took a moment longer to open, as she savored the lingering sensation of his kiss.  Her face was sober and oddly enough, not a trace of a smile was to be found.  Her eyes met his evenly but maybe for the first time since he'd know her, she couldn't find her words.

Still smiling Luke ran his fingers across her temple and down her neck. "You didn't put any 'No Fraternization' rules in the contract, did you?" he whispered.

A shiver of pleasure ran down her spine, as she shook her head, her long thick hair brushing against the back of his hand.  She could feel the key card to her room against her inner thigh, and knew then that she'd be offering it to him before she left.  The tantalizing  prospect made her swallow hard as she willed her heart to stop pounding and her words to return.

Luke nuzzled her neck, his breath hot. "You probably should have..." He nipped her lightly.  Her neck leaned further back into his hand as she enjoyed the feel of his lips against her.  Her knees were weak and her mind was so thick with him that she still couldn't think.  Her body was soft and responsive to his touch, and the quiet moan that escaped her was an open invitation, so clear that she wanted nothing more than for him to have her.

Luke laughed softly. His tongue darted out, gently licked her ear, his breath warm. His free hand crept to her hip of its own accord. There was a part of him that was screaming "Stop! This is insane!", but it was locked in the trunk while the rest of his mind raced ahead roaring "It's about damn time!". He had no idea where this was going--well, that wasn't entirely true. He actually did have a pretty good idea, and that was the problem. He was pretty sure they were going to miss the ball-drop at midnight. And really, that was okay with him.

A soft buzz murmured gently between Ophilia's thighs, it started softly but grew more insistent, until finally she recognized it as the alarm on her phone.  The thought of the alarm, startled her into action as she jumped under Luke's exploring touch.  With more than a little reluctance she lifted her head and steadied herself against him.

Luke pulled his head back, his expression one of annoyed curiosity.

"My...phone...alarm."  Her voice was barely there but urgent when she spoke.  "I...uh...I have to ...go.  After?"  She asked hopefully, eagerly, the invitation as clear in her voice as it had been in her body.  Even as she spoke she gathered the material of her lace gown and allowed one of her shapely legs to peek through the slit, as she reached for her phone and key card.

Luke's head dropped back and he exhaled toward the ceiling. He took half a step backward and let his head roll forward again. He caught a flash of thigh and gave his head a quick shake. In the back of his mind he could almost hear the screech of tires and satisfied 'whew' from the trunk.

"Sure," he said huskily. He cleared his throat. "Yeah, after."

"Yeah."  A playful grin finally peeked through her intent features, as she showed him her key card, held between two slender fingers.  "...and, you won't need to break in...this time."  She touched the card to his chest and waited for him to take it.  "...and absolutely no surprises between now and then.  Just.  You." 

Again Luke chuckled. "All right," he conceded. "No surprises. Probably." He took the key card without looking at it. He squinted and pointed to the wet bar like he was sighting down a gun. "I got time for one Scotch before party time." A half-smile twisted his lips. He winked.  "And I think I need one now more than ever."

Phi looked at him, her eyes still heavy from their brief encounter, and then she swung her gaze reluctantly to the door.  In a way she didn't want to leave him, but she had a promise to keep.  A part of her was scared that if she walked out the opportunity with Luke would be gone, but there was an eagerness about him that promised otherwise.

He jerked his head toward the door. "Go. I'll be right behind you."

"Okay...  Okay."  Still that feeling of finality lingered within her, like maybe she shouldn't leave.  "...just don't over think anything."  She gave him an almost sheepish grin, a bit chagrined that she was being so obvious. 

With that she headed towards the door, pausing right before opening it, to straighten her dress and run her hands over the delicate lace.  Her heart was still racing when she finally slipped through the door and headed towards where she had told Mason that she would meet him.

Luke exhaled like someone had just punched him in the sternum. He smacked the side of his head with the heel of his palm twice before marching over and pouring two fingers' of Scotch into a small glass and downing it in one gulp. He stood there, one hand on the decanter, the other propping him up as he leaned into the small bar.

"Luke Merriweather," he said aloud, pouring himself another drink. "You are an idiot." He downed the second drink as quickly as the first. He reached up and ensured his mask and goggles were back in place, then turned and walked out the of room.

Not before pocketing the room key, however. And he was whistling.