CASANOVA
Isaac stood on Winn's doorstep Friday night. It was after nine that night and he knew he probably should have called, but--he really didn't know what he was doing. He thought about Taylor's words all day long and they bothered him. Really bothered him. He never thought he would ever have to compete with his brother for a woman. But if that's how things were going to be, then so be it.
The odd thing about it was, though, Isaac found himself on her doorstep not because Taylor's words made him feel guilty--which, unfortunately, they had to a degree--but because he wanted to. Because Taylor alluded to the fact that she may be hurt by Isaac's lack of contact and he felt bad--which was an emotion that was nearly foreign to him.
He tightened his coat around him and he paused again before he knocked. The house was so small, she had to know he was there. But what would he say? What logical explanation did he have for his absence after their date? A date that had gone quite well and ended even better? He couldn't tell her that he felt like she ditched him for Taylor on Sunday. For reasons unbeknownst to him, he just couldn't say it. The truth was, he really had no good excuse. So he went with it.
He took a deep breath and he knocked once before she opened the door. Her face read everything but joy. "Was wondering if you were ever gonna knock."
"Why didn't you just open the door?" He retorted uncontrollably. Then he sighed and dropped his head, shoving his hands in his jeans pockets. "I'm sorry. You're upset. I get it."
"I don't think you do."
"Can I come in? Can we talk?"
She raised an eyebrow at him.
"Please?" He continued. He hated begging. Goddammit, he hated begging, but for some reason he didn't mind doing it right now.
She looked him over for a second and then she stood out of the way to let him in. "Not sure what's to talk about, but come on in."
He couldn't help looking her over as he watched her close and lock the door behind them. She wore black leggings and a hunter green, silk, long-sleeved button-down shirt that hung nearly to her thighs. He noticed how adorable her toes were, painted red to match her fingernails. She looked comfortable. And her house seemed more cozy and inviting this time than it did last weekend. Maybe it was the warmth from the heat or the glow of the lamps that filled the room with soft, yellow light. "Go ahead and have a seat, I was just finishing up some hot water for tea," she said.
He sat down on the couch and said to her as she busied herself in the kitchen, "It's okay, I brought my own if you have glass."
He pulled the flask from the inside of his coat and he caught her eyes as they widened over the bar that separated the living room and the kitchen. "Put that away," she demanded.
He looked at her, puzzled. "What?"
"Put it away. If you show up to my house unannounced, you drink what I drink. And we're having tea. If you don't like what I have here, you can leave."
Isaac's eyes widened in shock. Nobody had ever had the audacity to speak to him that way before. However, before he knew it, he found himself obeying her demands and sliding the flask back into his coat. "Um, tea would be excellent," he said.
"Good," she replied more calmly. "You can take your coat off and stay awhile."
Isaac scoffed. "Are you sure?"
She raised her eyebrows and blinked at him. Holy shit. She had him by the balls and she knew it. She absolutely knew it. So he could either forget about her entirely or he could respect her in her home. He decided to take off his coat.
He had never been more uncomfortable in his life. Within minutes, she brought two mugs of hot tea into the living room and made herself comfortable on the couch beside him, turning her body towards him and tucking her feet underneath her. Her elbow rested on the back of the couch and she looked at him expectantly as she sipped her tea.
He turned toward her and crossed his knee over his ankle as he rested his own elbow on the back of the couch, as well. "I'm sorry," he began quietly. When she didn't respond, he continued. "I'm sorry I didn't call. I, um, I did get your texts. Both of them."
"And you chose to ignore them."
"It wasn't--I mean, I didn't--look, I don't have an excuse. I don't have a good explanation. But I know I'm sorry. I messed up, I was a jerk. If I hurt you, that was--that was the last thing I wanted to do."
Winn's eyes fell and she looked into her mug. "I'm sorry, too," she said quietly. "You did what you said you were going to do. And I got absent-minded and--I guess I should have called instead of texted. So I guess, in a way, we were both in the wrong."
"Winn, I don't--"
"We were. If you'll accept my apology, I'll accept yours."
Isaac smiled softly. "Apology accepted."
She smiled back. "I accept yours, too." She looked at him for a second and she sipped her tea. "Ike, the truth is--I, uh, I kinda missed you."
He put his mug down on the coffee table, suddenly feeling the need to make himself comfortable. "Really?"
She nodded. "I thought about...about last weekend..."
"About the kiss."
"Yes. Constantly."
"So did I," he said softly.
Her eyes darted into his. "Really?"
He nodded. "Yeah."
Then she sighed and she looked down into her mug again. "I, uh, I heard something this week that kinda bothered me."
"I could only imagine," he muttered.
"Are the rumors about you true?"
Isaac sighed and hung his head as he nodded. "It's true that I do have...sort of a reputation. I'm not exceptionally proud of it, but it's something I've brought on myself, so I really have nobody to blame but me."
"If you know it exists, why do you continue to...I don't know, keep it alive?"
"Old habits die hard, Winn. I don't know, I--you get accustomed to a routine lifestyle, it can be kinda hard to break free from that."
She nodded. Then she put her own mug down and adjusted herself in the couch cushion more comfortably. She rested her elbow on the back of the couch again as she propped up her head with her hand. "Ike, if I fall, I don't want to fall under your spell. I want to fall for the real you. Underneath all that."
He reached over and brushed a strand of hair off of her shoulder. "You want to fall for me?" His voice was quiet and gentle.
"Would that be so bad?"
"I think we should refrain from using such strong words right now."
"Fall is a strong word for you?"
"It scares the hell out of me. Why don't we just take it slow, have fun--see where things go?"
"I don't want to be just another notch in your bedpost. I'm not that kind of person."
"I don't want you to be. But, Winn--I'm just not sure if I'm worth falling for. Not--not by a woman like you."
"But what if you are? I believe everyone is worth falling for."
"Even me?" He asked, finding that his hand had reached across and was now lightly caressing the back of her material-covered calf.
"Even you," she smiled. "You're not--you're not some terrible monster or anything. I can see the good in you."
He smiled. "Really? 'Cause I sure would like to know where to find it."
"It's in your smile," she replied. "Your smile is gorgeous. And I think deep down, your soul is, too."
He looked into her eyes, his heart pounding. He didn't like when his heart felt anything. He wished he knew how to make it stop. So to distract himself, he did what he knew to do best: he got physical.
He reached over and extended her legs across his lap, then hooked his arm around them and slid her across the upholstery toward him. She giggled and he smiled at her before he cupped her face with his hand and kissed her gently. She was much more responsive this time than she was the last time and he loved the way she kept a tight grip on the collar of his black button-down shirt.
His hand dropped from her face and slid down her back, stroking her long hair as he went. He pulled her a little closer by her waist and she stopped kissing him, her eyes flashing open. "Is it corny that I think I might already be addicted to your kiss?"
Isaac was amused and he grinned and shook his head. "No. Not at all. I like that you like kissing me."
She grinned and she nodded back. "I REALLY like kissing you..."
He chuckled at her. "Then why are you still talking?"
She smiled and pulled him closer to her by his collar and wrapped her arm around his neck, deepening the kiss they had left off from. Unable to help himself, he reached around and cupped her ass, a quiet grunt leaving his throat as he squeezed tightly. Within seconds, and much to his surprised delight, she had climbed into his lap, straddling him. He found himself pawing at her a little more aggressively and her kisses were filled with a little more passion. Please god, he prayed, all she had to do was say the word. That was all she had to do, and he would happily spend all night long doing things to her body she could only dream of.
Daringly, he slowly and gently began to unbutton her shirt and suddenly, her body tensed up. She continued to kiss him but she was more keenly aware of every move he made now and she flinched and hesitated accordingly. The nature of her kisses had changed, they had now become shorter, listless, and distracted. Finally, when he had gotten halfway down her shirt, she stopped kissing him and let her hands fall onto his shoulders. "Ike," she whispered with regret. "Ike, I can't--"
"I can feel you holding back," he said quietly. "Your entire body is trembling. I promise if you relax and let your body give in, you'll feel so much better. And I can see to that."
"I'm not sleeping with you tonight. I'm just--we've only really just met and--and I'm not ready..."
"You have to feel this connection," he said. "Physical or not, no matter how long we've known each other, it's there. And it's undeniable."
"I know..."
"Just let me touch you. Let me have the memory so I can dream about you later."
"I just don't want you to leave here disappointed."
"I don't want to leave here and you think I'm some kind of shallow horn dog. Which apparently you already do..."
She shook her head, her eyes wide. "I don't..."
He smiled and pecked her lips. "Then trust me. Relax."
She sat there and looked into his eyes as he continued to unbutton the rest of her shirt. He then peeled it back far enough to expose her shoulders and bent his head to kiss her along her shoulder and collar bone. As his hand found her breast, and he smiled at the perfect size in his hand, he finally opened his eyes and he paused for a second. Then he straightened up and looked down at her chest, studying her bra. "Is that--is that Batman?" He had to scoff a laugh, he couldn't help himself.
Smiling, he looked up at her face as the blood drained from it in horror. She looked down at herself and muttered, "Oh my god!" As she quickly pulled her shirt back over her shoulders, she closed it around her and scrambled off his lap and curled her knees up at the end of the couch. "Oh my god," she said, humiliated. "I totally forgot I had that on today. I am so sorry!"
Isaac chuckled in amusement. "Don't apologize..."
"It's totally stupid, I know. I mean, I don't buy or wear underwear with the intent of anyone seeing them anymore...Jesus, I'm so humiliated...this--maybe this is an omen. Maybe this was a bad idea altogether."
"You're using a Batman bra as a reason we shouldn't be here right now?"
"You obviously think it's stupid--"
"I said nothing of the sort--"
"I'm just--this is me, you know? I'm into this kind of thing. I wear superheroes on my chest and I drink hot tea when I come home and I own a home planetarium that I use on a regular basis. I'm not--we're not--we're two totally different people. I'm a geek and you're not and I think--I'm just not your type."
He couldn't help himself. He propped his elbow on the back of the couch and rested his head on his hand. "I think I just learned more about you in that sentence than in the entire week we've known each other."
She looked up at him meekly. "Has it really only been a week? It feels so much longer..."
"You're different, Winn. You're different from any other woman I've ever met. And you can sit there and be humiliated all you want to, but I like what I see. You obviously have quite a few preconceived notions about me that should probably be addressed. We can address them tomorrow night at my place, over dinner. Unless you have other plans, that is."
She shook her head. "I don't have any plans," she said nearly inaudibly.
"Now you do." He leaned forward and came at her across the couch and she slowly lay herself back to make room for him. "If you don't mind, I'd really like to pick up where we left off. Batman and all. Unless you'd just rather take it off..."
She looked up at him, searching his eyes for a moment, before the corners of her mouth turned up in a smirk. "I'll let Batman watch tonight."
Laughing lightly, he slid his hand into her shirt and kissed her lips again. This woman could very possibly be his demise.
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And just like that, Isaac was back on her mind. Nonstop, Winn thought about him. She didn't know what to do with herself after he left her house Friday night. And now here it was, Saturday night, and she was walking in the door of his building, boarding the elevator to his condo, a mix of nerves and excitement.
On the elevator, she smoothed out her dress under her coat. She had no idea what to expect and so, she tried to play it safe with basic black. She had just bought this dress today, specifically for dinner, and she hoped she wasn't over-dressed. It was slim-fitted, falling to her knees, and sleeveless. Bold ruffles extended just over her shoulders and the plunging neckline extended from a high neck to between her breasts. She feared the dress may have been built for a woman with a chest size smaller than hers, but at least she was careful not to wear any caped crusaders or cartoons on her chest this time. For the first time in--well, she didn't know how long--she wore underwear with the possibility of it being seen.
As she stepped off of the elevator, she dropped her car keys into her clutch and took a deep breath before crossing the hall and knocking on his door.
When Isaac opened the door, he smiled at her and she looked him over, glad for what she saw. He had dressed, too, in black on black, a jacket, a shirt, and dress pants. She had to admit, it was kind of sexy, the way his shirt lay loosely unbuttoned at the top and his feet were bare. She supposed, though, that when it was your place, you could be as dressed or as comfortable as you wanted. She should know.
As he greeted her and slid her coat off of her shoulders, she smiled at how his cuffs were also unbuttoned and disheveled. She turned around to face him, her four inch black platforms bringing her nearly eye-level with him. "Did I catch you as you were just coming in?"
He blinked at her, his hands already gently sliding themselves around her waist. "What?"
She giggled. "Well you look like you just came home and I caught you while you were changing..."
He looked down at himself and then smiled. "On the contrary. I was actually getting dressed and then decided that it was my place, my rules, so..." He brushed his nose teasingly against hers. "I'm allowed to be as comfortable as I want." His voice lowered to a whisper. "Maybe I'm hoping that later you'll want me even more comfortable than this."
She kissed him first. Completely beat him to it. Good lord, she just couldn't resist him. The way her body wanted him scared her and she feared she was powerless to control it. He broke their kiss and smiled, his fingers grazing up and down her back through the material of her dress. "Appetite's a little voracious tonight, isn't it? How about we pretend to be civilized humans and have dinner and a decent conversation before we lose control again, shall we? I'm hungry."
She couldn't speak. She simply nodded her answer.
He smiled again as he glanced at her lips once more. "Good. I was hoping you'd see it my way."
Winn wanted to fall into the floor.
He turned around and ran a hand through his hair as he sauntered toward the kitchen, his cuffs hanging off his wrists, his bare feet walking comfortably along the hardwood floor. Winn's chest heaved at how sexy she found this and she wondered what it was about him that made her react this way. Was it because it had been so long for her? That had to be it. She was quickly growing addicted to something she used to be addicted to in the past. How had she forgotten so easily just how sexual a person she used to be?
She walked to the bar, her heels clicking along the floor, and she helped herself onto a stool. She took a moment to observe the condo and its open floor plan. He seemed to match his décor. Everything was black. His living room furniture was black leather, his electronics were black, the kitchen cabinets and appliances were black--even the stool she sat on was black. The walls were white with random abstract art pieces adorning them. The condo was spotless. Immaculately clean. It made her feel self-conscious about her own house with the beat up front walkway, the throw blankets all over the furniture, and the sliding glass door that was on its last leg. She felt like she was a in a world she didn't belong in.
She shook the thoughts from her mind as Isaac slid a glass of red wine across the bar to her. Before she could open her mouth to speak, he said, "I know I've only seen you drink white, but when you're in my house, you drink what I drink." He winked at her and we back about his business.
Realizing she was being mocked from the previous night, she raised an eyebrow. "Then give me a glass of whiskey."
He turned around and smirked as he poured another glass of red. "You think you're clever, don't you? It just so happens, I'm having what you're having. I'm no hypocrite, you know."
"Hm," she flirted. "We'll see."
"You have quite the sassy mouth tonight, Winifred. I'd watch your tone if I were you."
Winn smiled, enjoying their little game, not even minding the name he called her. "And if I don't?"
"Then I guess dessert is out of the question, young lady."
She bit her lip and she grinned into her wine glass as she took another sip. "So...I thought we were doing dinner? Do you want me to help?"
"We are having dinner."
"Well, I don't--I don't smell--"
"Because we're having sushi. I hope that's okay with you."
She smiled, pleasantly surprised. "Ike! I love sushi, how did you know? I had no idea you knew how to--"
"I don't," he sad as he washed his hands in the sink.
She looked at him, puzzled. "But you said--"
"I said we were HAVING dinner. I didn't say I was making anything."
"So you ordered in..."
"From the best place in Tulsa. Don't you worry your pretty little head, you'll love it." He picked up his wine glass and pointed toward the living room behind her. "Why don't you go and pick out some music you like while I put this together?"
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Isaac watched Winn carry her wine into his living room as she took in her surroundings. He was completely weak in the knees. She never ceased to surprise him, from the dress she wore to dinner last week, to last night's interesting choice in comic book underwear, and now the way she radiated sex from the modest, knee-length number she wore tonight. She carried herself with grace and class and he had no idea if she even knew the effects she was having on him on sight alone, but he guessed she didn't. Which only made her that much sexier.
As he put dinner together, he watched her as she barely glanced over his CD collection and went straight for his iPod, snatching it right off the dock. This was different. Most of the women ignored the iPod, instead opting to laboriously pore over the discs until he finally ended up picking something himself while they curled their nose up in disgust over his selection. There was a reason he was single.
However, the fact that Winn seemed to be more interested in his more personal mix, oblivious as she was to the act, made him want her just that much more. She liked to get personal, he noticed. She obviously liked to know people, inside and out. She was inquisitive and intuitive and she had no qualms about expressing it. So why wasn't he on edge right now like he normally would have been? Why wasn't he having a near anxiety attack about the slight invasion into his personal space? Did he want her in his personal space? Did he trust her this much?
Trust. Trust was something Isaac didn't do. This could be a problem.
She scrolled through the device for a few seconds and then replaced it on the dock as a soft jazz standard filled the room. He smiled as she returned to the bar. "Nice selection."
"I just hit shuffle so we'll be surprised all night. Keeps things interesting."
"The anticipation will kill me," he flirted.
"Likewise," she flirted back, sipping her wine.
Could he just--could he just have her now? Could he just lay her out across multiple kitchen surfaces and say to hell with dinner? Was that so much to ask?
Except that it was and he knew it. As much as the thought pained him, he knew she wasn't going to sleep with him tonight. He couldn't keep the question out of his mind whether going through this with her was even worth it if he wasn't even going to get laid. But then he looked at her as she smiled at him and chatted away at him, his eyes landing on the small amount of cleavage peeking from her dress and he decided that he would damn sure go as far as she would let him go, at least. And he knew every minute of it and every inch of her would be worth it.
Isaac stood on Winn's doorstep Friday night. It was after nine that night and he knew he probably should have called, but--he really didn't know what he was doing. He thought about Taylor's words all day long and they bothered him. Really bothered him. He never thought he would ever have to compete with his brother for a woman. But if that's how things were going to be, then so be it.
The odd thing about it was, though, Isaac found himself on her doorstep not because Taylor's words made him feel guilty--which, unfortunately, they had to a degree--but because he wanted to. Because Taylor alluded to the fact that she may be hurt by Isaac's lack of contact and he felt bad--which was an emotion that was nearly foreign to him.
He tightened his coat around him and he paused again before he knocked. The house was so small, she had to know he was there. But what would he say? What logical explanation did he have for his absence after their date? A date that had gone quite well and ended even better? He couldn't tell her that he felt like she ditched him for Taylor on Sunday. For reasons unbeknownst to him, he just couldn't say it. The truth was, he really had no good excuse. So he went with it.
He took a deep breath and he knocked once before she opened the door. Her face read everything but joy. "Was wondering if you were ever gonna knock."
"Why didn't you just open the door?" He retorted uncontrollably. Then he sighed and dropped his head, shoving his hands in his jeans pockets. "I'm sorry. You're upset. I get it."
"I don't think you do."
"Can I come in? Can we talk?"
She raised an eyebrow at him.
"Please?" He continued. He hated begging. Goddammit, he hated begging, but for some reason he didn't mind doing it right now.
She looked him over for a second and then she stood out of the way to let him in. "Not sure what's to talk about, but come on in."
He couldn't help looking her over as he watched her close and lock the door behind them. She wore black leggings and a hunter green, silk, long-sleeved button-down shirt that hung nearly to her thighs. He noticed how adorable her toes were, painted red to match her fingernails. She looked comfortable. And her house seemed more cozy and inviting this time than it did last weekend. Maybe it was the warmth from the heat or the glow of the lamps that filled the room with soft, yellow light. "Go ahead and have a seat, I was just finishing up some hot water for tea," she said.
He sat down on the couch and said to her as she busied herself in the kitchen, "It's okay, I brought my own if you have glass."
He pulled the flask from the inside of his coat and he caught her eyes as they widened over the bar that separated the living room and the kitchen. "Put that away," she demanded.
He looked at her, puzzled. "What?"
"Put it away. If you show up to my house unannounced, you drink what I drink. And we're having tea. If you don't like what I have here, you can leave."
Isaac's eyes widened in shock. Nobody had ever had the audacity to speak to him that way before. However, before he knew it, he found himself obeying her demands and sliding the flask back into his coat. "Um, tea would be excellent," he said.
"Good," she replied more calmly. "You can take your coat off and stay awhile."
Isaac scoffed. "Are you sure?"
She raised her eyebrows and blinked at him. Holy shit. She had him by the balls and she knew it. She absolutely knew it. So he could either forget about her entirely or he could respect her in her home. He decided to take off his coat.
He had never been more uncomfortable in his life. Within minutes, she brought two mugs of hot tea into the living room and made herself comfortable on the couch beside him, turning her body towards him and tucking her feet underneath her. Her elbow rested on the back of the couch and she looked at him expectantly as she sipped her tea.
He turned toward her and crossed his knee over his ankle as he rested his own elbow on the back of the couch, as well. "I'm sorry," he began quietly. When she didn't respond, he continued. "I'm sorry I didn't call. I, um, I did get your texts. Both of them."
"And you chose to ignore them."
"It wasn't--I mean, I didn't--look, I don't have an excuse. I don't have a good explanation. But I know I'm sorry. I messed up, I was a jerk. If I hurt you, that was--that was the last thing I wanted to do."
Winn's eyes fell and she looked into her mug. "I'm sorry, too," she said quietly. "You did what you said you were going to do. And I got absent-minded and--I guess I should have called instead of texted. So I guess, in a way, we were both in the wrong."
"Winn, I don't--"
"We were. If you'll accept my apology, I'll accept yours."
Isaac smiled softly. "Apology accepted."
She smiled back. "I accept yours, too." She looked at him for a second and she sipped her tea. "Ike, the truth is--I, uh, I kinda missed you."
He put his mug down on the coffee table, suddenly feeling the need to make himself comfortable. "Really?"
She nodded. "I thought about...about last weekend..."
"About the kiss."
"Yes. Constantly."
"So did I," he said softly.
Her eyes darted into his. "Really?"
He nodded. "Yeah."
Then she sighed and she looked down into her mug again. "I, uh, I heard something this week that kinda bothered me."
"I could only imagine," he muttered.
"Are the rumors about you true?"
Isaac sighed and hung his head as he nodded. "It's true that I do have...sort of a reputation. I'm not exceptionally proud of it, but it's something I've brought on myself, so I really have nobody to blame but me."
"If you know it exists, why do you continue to...I don't know, keep it alive?"
"Old habits die hard, Winn. I don't know, I--you get accustomed to a routine lifestyle, it can be kinda hard to break free from that."
She nodded. Then she put her own mug down and adjusted herself in the couch cushion more comfortably. She rested her elbow on the back of the couch again as she propped up her head with her hand. "Ike, if I fall, I don't want to fall under your spell. I want to fall for the real you. Underneath all that."
He reached over and brushed a strand of hair off of her shoulder. "You want to fall for me?" His voice was quiet and gentle.
"Would that be so bad?"
"I think we should refrain from using such strong words right now."
"Fall is a strong word for you?"
"It scares the hell out of me. Why don't we just take it slow, have fun--see where things go?"
"I don't want to be just another notch in your bedpost. I'm not that kind of person."
"I don't want you to be. But, Winn--I'm just not sure if I'm worth falling for. Not--not by a woman like you."
"But what if you are? I believe everyone is worth falling for."
"Even me?" He asked, finding that his hand had reached across and was now lightly caressing the back of her material-covered calf.
"Even you," she smiled. "You're not--you're not some terrible monster or anything. I can see the good in you."
He smiled. "Really? 'Cause I sure would like to know where to find it."
"It's in your smile," she replied. "Your smile is gorgeous. And I think deep down, your soul is, too."
He looked into her eyes, his heart pounding. He didn't like when his heart felt anything. He wished he knew how to make it stop. So to distract himself, he did what he knew to do best: he got physical.
He reached over and extended her legs across his lap, then hooked his arm around them and slid her across the upholstery toward him. She giggled and he smiled at her before he cupped her face with his hand and kissed her gently. She was much more responsive this time than she was the last time and he loved the way she kept a tight grip on the collar of his black button-down shirt.
His hand dropped from her face and slid down her back, stroking her long hair as he went. He pulled her a little closer by her waist and she stopped kissing him, her eyes flashing open. "Is it corny that I think I might already be addicted to your kiss?"
Isaac was amused and he grinned and shook his head. "No. Not at all. I like that you like kissing me."
She grinned and she nodded back. "I REALLY like kissing you..."
He chuckled at her. "Then why are you still talking?"
She smiled and pulled him closer to her by his collar and wrapped her arm around his neck, deepening the kiss they had left off from. Unable to help himself, he reached around and cupped her ass, a quiet grunt leaving his throat as he squeezed tightly. Within seconds, and much to his surprised delight, she had climbed into his lap, straddling him. He found himself pawing at her a little more aggressively and her kisses were filled with a little more passion. Please god, he prayed, all she had to do was say the word. That was all she had to do, and he would happily spend all night long doing things to her body she could only dream of.
Daringly, he slowly and gently began to unbutton her shirt and suddenly, her body tensed up. She continued to kiss him but she was more keenly aware of every move he made now and she flinched and hesitated accordingly. The nature of her kisses had changed, they had now become shorter, listless, and distracted. Finally, when he had gotten halfway down her shirt, she stopped kissing him and let her hands fall onto his shoulders. "Ike," she whispered with regret. "Ike, I can't--"
"I can feel you holding back," he said quietly. "Your entire body is trembling. I promise if you relax and let your body give in, you'll feel so much better. And I can see to that."
"I'm not sleeping with you tonight. I'm just--we've only really just met and--and I'm not ready..."
"You have to feel this connection," he said. "Physical or not, no matter how long we've known each other, it's there. And it's undeniable."
"I know..."
"Just let me touch you. Let me have the memory so I can dream about you later."
"I just don't want you to leave here disappointed."
"I don't want to leave here and you think I'm some kind of shallow horn dog. Which apparently you already do..."
She shook her head, her eyes wide. "I don't..."
He smiled and pecked her lips. "Then trust me. Relax."
She sat there and looked into his eyes as he continued to unbutton the rest of her shirt. He then peeled it back far enough to expose her shoulders and bent his head to kiss her along her shoulder and collar bone. As his hand found her breast, and he smiled at the perfect size in his hand, he finally opened his eyes and he paused for a second. Then he straightened up and looked down at her chest, studying her bra. "Is that--is that Batman?" He had to scoff a laugh, he couldn't help himself.
Smiling, he looked up at her face as the blood drained from it in horror. She looked down at herself and muttered, "Oh my god!" As she quickly pulled her shirt back over her shoulders, she closed it around her and scrambled off his lap and curled her knees up at the end of the couch. "Oh my god," she said, humiliated. "I totally forgot I had that on today. I am so sorry!"
Isaac chuckled in amusement. "Don't apologize..."
"It's totally stupid, I know. I mean, I don't buy or wear underwear with the intent of anyone seeing them anymore...Jesus, I'm so humiliated...this--maybe this is an omen. Maybe this was a bad idea altogether."
"You're using a Batman bra as a reason we shouldn't be here right now?"
"You obviously think it's stupid--"
"I said nothing of the sort--"
"I'm just--this is me, you know? I'm into this kind of thing. I wear superheroes on my chest and I drink hot tea when I come home and I own a home planetarium that I use on a regular basis. I'm not--we're not--we're two totally different people. I'm a geek and you're not and I think--I'm just not your type."
He couldn't help himself. He propped his elbow on the back of the couch and rested his head on his hand. "I think I just learned more about you in that sentence than in the entire week we've known each other."
She looked up at him meekly. "Has it really only been a week? It feels so much longer..."
"You're different, Winn. You're different from any other woman I've ever met. And you can sit there and be humiliated all you want to, but I like what I see. You obviously have quite a few preconceived notions about me that should probably be addressed. We can address them tomorrow night at my place, over dinner. Unless you have other plans, that is."
She shook her head. "I don't have any plans," she said nearly inaudibly.
"Now you do." He leaned forward and came at her across the couch and she slowly lay herself back to make room for him. "If you don't mind, I'd really like to pick up where we left off. Batman and all. Unless you'd just rather take it off..."
She looked up at him, searching his eyes for a moment, before the corners of her mouth turned up in a smirk. "I'll let Batman watch tonight."
Laughing lightly, he slid his hand into her shirt and kissed her lips again. This woman could very possibly be his demise.
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And just like that, Isaac was back on her mind. Nonstop, Winn thought about him. She didn't know what to do with herself after he left her house Friday night. And now here it was, Saturday night, and she was walking in the door of his building, boarding the elevator to his condo, a mix of nerves and excitement.
On the elevator, she smoothed out her dress under her coat. She had no idea what to expect and so, she tried to play it safe with basic black. She had just bought this dress today, specifically for dinner, and she hoped she wasn't over-dressed. It was slim-fitted, falling to her knees, and sleeveless. Bold ruffles extended just over her shoulders and the plunging neckline extended from a high neck to between her breasts. She feared the dress may have been built for a woman with a chest size smaller than hers, but at least she was careful not to wear any caped crusaders or cartoons on her chest this time. For the first time in--well, she didn't know how long--she wore underwear with the possibility of it being seen.
As she stepped off of the elevator, she dropped her car keys into her clutch and took a deep breath before crossing the hall and knocking on his door.
When Isaac opened the door, he smiled at her and she looked him over, glad for what she saw. He had dressed, too, in black on black, a jacket, a shirt, and dress pants. She had to admit, it was kind of sexy, the way his shirt lay loosely unbuttoned at the top and his feet were bare. She supposed, though, that when it was your place, you could be as dressed or as comfortable as you wanted. She should know.
As he greeted her and slid her coat off of her shoulders, she smiled at how his cuffs were also unbuttoned and disheveled. She turned around to face him, her four inch black platforms bringing her nearly eye-level with him. "Did I catch you as you were just coming in?"
He blinked at her, his hands already gently sliding themselves around her waist. "What?"
She giggled. "Well you look like you just came home and I caught you while you were changing..."
He looked down at himself and then smiled. "On the contrary. I was actually getting dressed and then decided that it was my place, my rules, so..." He brushed his nose teasingly against hers. "I'm allowed to be as comfortable as I want." His voice lowered to a whisper. "Maybe I'm hoping that later you'll want me even more comfortable than this."
She kissed him first. Completely beat him to it. Good lord, she just couldn't resist him. The way her body wanted him scared her and she feared she was powerless to control it. He broke their kiss and smiled, his fingers grazing up and down her back through the material of her dress. "Appetite's a little voracious tonight, isn't it? How about we pretend to be civilized humans and have dinner and a decent conversation before we lose control again, shall we? I'm hungry."
She couldn't speak. She simply nodded her answer.
He smiled again as he glanced at her lips once more. "Good. I was hoping you'd see it my way."
Winn wanted to fall into the floor.
He turned around and ran a hand through his hair as he sauntered toward the kitchen, his cuffs hanging off his wrists, his bare feet walking comfortably along the hardwood floor. Winn's chest heaved at how sexy she found this and she wondered what it was about him that made her react this way. Was it because it had been so long for her? That had to be it. She was quickly growing addicted to something she used to be addicted to in the past. How had she forgotten so easily just how sexual a person she used to be?
She walked to the bar, her heels clicking along the floor, and she helped herself onto a stool. She took a moment to observe the condo and its open floor plan. He seemed to match his décor. Everything was black. His living room furniture was black leather, his electronics were black, the kitchen cabinets and appliances were black--even the stool she sat on was black. The walls were white with random abstract art pieces adorning them. The condo was spotless. Immaculately clean. It made her feel self-conscious about her own house with the beat up front walkway, the throw blankets all over the furniture, and the sliding glass door that was on its last leg. She felt like she was a in a world she didn't belong in.
She shook the thoughts from her mind as Isaac slid a glass of red wine across the bar to her. Before she could open her mouth to speak, he said, "I know I've only seen you drink white, but when you're in my house, you drink what I drink." He winked at her and we back about his business.
Realizing she was being mocked from the previous night, she raised an eyebrow. "Then give me a glass of whiskey."
He turned around and smirked as he poured another glass of red. "You think you're clever, don't you? It just so happens, I'm having what you're having. I'm no hypocrite, you know."
"Hm," she flirted. "We'll see."
"You have quite the sassy mouth tonight, Winifred. I'd watch your tone if I were you."
Winn smiled, enjoying their little game, not even minding the name he called her. "And if I don't?"
"Then I guess dessert is out of the question, young lady."
She bit her lip and she grinned into her wine glass as she took another sip. "So...I thought we were doing dinner? Do you want me to help?"
"We are having dinner."
"Well, I don't--I don't smell--"
"Because we're having sushi. I hope that's okay with you."
She smiled, pleasantly surprised. "Ike! I love sushi, how did you know? I had no idea you knew how to--"
"I don't," he sad as he washed his hands in the sink.
She looked at him, puzzled. "But you said--"
"I said we were HAVING dinner. I didn't say I was making anything."
"So you ordered in..."
"From the best place in Tulsa. Don't you worry your pretty little head, you'll love it." He picked up his wine glass and pointed toward the living room behind her. "Why don't you go and pick out some music you like while I put this together?"
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Isaac watched Winn carry her wine into his living room as she took in her surroundings. He was completely weak in the knees. She never ceased to surprise him, from the dress she wore to dinner last week, to last night's interesting choice in comic book underwear, and now the way she radiated sex from the modest, knee-length number she wore tonight. She carried herself with grace and class and he had no idea if she even knew the effects she was having on him on sight alone, but he guessed she didn't. Which only made her that much sexier.
As he put dinner together, he watched her as she barely glanced over his CD collection and went straight for his iPod, snatching it right off the dock. This was different. Most of the women ignored the iPod, instead opting to laboriously pore over the discs until he finally ended up picking something himself while they curled their nose up in disgust over his selection. There was a reason he was single.
However, the fact that Winn seemed to be more interested in his more personal mix, oblivious as she was to the act, made him want her just that much more. She liked to get personal, he noticed. She obviously liked to know people, inside and out. She was inquisitive and intuitive and she had no qualms about expressing it. So why wasn't he on edge right now like he normally would have been? Why wasn't he having a near anxiety attack about the slight invasion into his personal space? Did he want her in his personal space? Did he trust her this much?
Trust. Trust was something Isaac didn't do. This could be a problem.
She scrolled through the device for a few seconds and then replaced it on the dock as a soft jazz standard filled the room. He smiled as she returned to the bar. "Nice selection."
"I just hit shuffle so we'll be surprised all night. Keeps things interesting."
"The anticipation will kill me," he flirted.
"Likewise," she flirted back, sipping her wine.
Could he just--could he just have her now? Could he just lay her out across multiple kitchen surfaces and say to hell with dinner? Was that so much to ask?
Except that it was and he knew it. As much as the thought pained him, he knew she wasn't going to sleep with him tonight. He couldn't keep the question out of his mind whether going through this with her was even worth it if he wasn't even going to get laid. But then he looked at her as she smiled at him and chatted away at him, his eyes landing on the small amount of cleavage peeking from her dress and he decided that he would damn sure go as far as she would let him go, at least. And he knew every minute of it and every inch of her would be worth it.