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Post by Amelia MacKenna on Dec 13, 2011 21:20:53 GMT -5
She didn't move too far away from him, her eyes on his when she took a bite, shrugging her shoulders for a moment as she gave it some thought. She did have a hard edge, it was known she'd put on a show when she felt the need-- but there was something in her that never allowed certain things. When she turned her eyes to his it was clear she was thinking without pulling away. The gloss and polish were always in place for the most part but no one would expect she was a bastard born woman who's father tried to sell her to a brothel. No one would even imagine, save for the man she was with. Even if he didn't know, which she doubted he did-- he knew that she wasn't as pristine as much as she could play off. She could pull off a nun just as quick as she could siren.
"Soon as you wish, I know the mayor tends ta dine at around seven, so as long as we have our table near by then. I'd have to get ready," she looked regal but not up to the higher standards she'd have too. She had those dresses and such in trunks up in her rooms. "We have time. What are you going to do?" Lia knew a lot about what Luke did, but she also didn't often pry or ask him what he was doing. Women fell at his feet, but Lia knew more about that man than the legend. Or maybe she just liked to think that.
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Post by Luke Gallagher on Dec 13, 2011 21:51:55 GMT -5
"Then we shall arrive at seven all proper, aye?" Luke said with a grin, knowing he had just the suit to where tucked up in his room, the nicest ones rarely used on this trip to New York as his dealings hadn't called for finery. This would be an excuse to try one out and to take Lia on the town dressed like she could kill with a single shimmy of her hips would just be an added bonus. If there was an added bonus to this whole arrangement, it was that Luke got the distinct pleasure of watching men watch Lia, and the ice princess take them into the palm of her hand. It was a mastery of the art that only he could really appreciate as they both shared the joy of it.
"Might see if I can wrestle up a card game," Luke mused, looking down at her and wondering what when on in that calculating brain of hers - for he could proclaim to know her some, but not well enough to know the answer to that. "Always good for paddin' the pocket," He added with another grin, feeling the itch to stir up some trouble, the kind that could be found with a nervous gambler over a card table. For as much as Luke could practice patience during a conversation, how he could turn a trick and words to his favor with the charming ease he was born with - he hated the idle times in between. His mind needed distraction, lest he find more dangerous and dirty ways to occupy it, and those had no place with the plans he and Lia had for that evening.
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Post by Amelia MacKenna on Dec 14, 2011 4:21:04 GMT -5
Amelia watched him, her eyes hiding enough that it was hard to tell what she was thinking. He was by far one of her favorite people but she rarely if ever told him that, she said it with her eyes. The thoughts brimming behind them and the way she smiled as if she were in on some grand joke that he hadn't been told. But since it was just them and there was no one around, she put her finger to his lips after a moment and turned her head. She was thinking. "What is your name this time? I have to think of the things we've done and tell them believably." And she would exaggerate, the women of the uppers had nothing better to do then gather and gossip about one another. She wanted to know all the sordid details about their imaginary affair. A ghost of a smile crossed her face before she finished her bread.
She shot him a smile, her mind was already working and weaving what they would be up to and who they were. The game, was always fun for her. She was still leaning into him though she was more considering, her finger tapping against her chin as she thought. The mask of ice crossed her face and that chilly smile settled there not for him, but for what she was thinking about. What she would say to the mayor, what she would urge. There were plenty of games in town and she fully intended to make five points the ones that ran it all. They all had their places, and they all had goals in mind. Turning she looked up at him before placing a kiss on his chin. "Think-- I believe I should decide what to wear tonight."
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Post by Luke Gallagher on Dec 14, 2011 19:16:41 GMT -5
"I think Declan would be believable enough for tonight, aye?" Luke said, with a certain sparkle in his eye as he looked down at her. It was a name he had used often in their escapades before and it would more than serve it's purpose this evening as well. It would do well to embrace the Irish heritage that it was near impossible for Luke to hide, those talents lay with Lia, and it sounded a bit more upper crust than his own. "And what is the name of the lovely lass that has caught me eye, taken me into her arms in the absence of her husband?" He teased lightly, popping the last bite of bread into his mouth and savoring the taste of it - some of Charlotte's best work.
"I think ye should wear the blue tonight, darlin'," Luke mused as she kissed him on the cheek and stated that she should select that evening's attire - and already he could see her in that dark blue number that he knew would make more than a few pulses race. "Always did like the way it brought our yer eyes," He said, sending her a wink as he reached up a hand and twined a blond curl around two of his fingers before giving it a gentle tug, grinning down at her and winking. "Not that you need my help dressin'."
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Post by Amelia MacKenna on Dec 15, 2011 20:25:12 GMT -5
Her smile was quick if not lethal as she raised her head to give him a look, they were a dangerous team. Lia was starting to wonder why they had stopped. Maybe they had just decided they'd needed space from one another without talking about it, mutually trying to find their footing in a new place without relying on old cons. They were both good at it, but he was a charmer and a sweet talker, she was good at making people think she was many things. Her hands moved to her hips and she shifted on her feet, she knew how to dress and enjoyed the fact she was a woman. Corsets showed off curves, "Madeline Rothbern. What does Declan call her?" Her brow raised as she smiled, her eyes trailing to where he tugged at one of her curls. "You know how much the uppers love the pet names.."
"And how did we meet?" her smile was slow when he suggested the blue one. He loved that dress on her, and though she knew she shouldn't find some kind of feminine satisfaction in that she did. She liked the way she looked in it too and enjoyed the way that every man in the room wanted to touch her while she wore it. Look but never touch, and the only person that got even close was the man she was plotting with. Her eyes softened just a bit as she smirked. "Ah that one, slink and sass. that dress could feed us both for six months."
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Post by Luke Gallagher on Dec 16, 2011 18:46:46 GMT -5
"The uppers do love themselves a good scandal, don't they Maddy, my love," Luke said with a wink and another roguish grin, this time attempting to cultivate Declan for this evening. The man wouldn't be all that different from himself, more reserved perhaps, charmed by the beautiful rich woman who granted him attention. Because as much as the uppers loved a good scandal, they practically devoured a delicious love story and Luke always aimed to please an audience. He examined old routines, mentally tracing back through old cons to remember what exactly it was that would place best with their audience for the evening. Good love story, a little dash of scandal, sentimentality would probably do since a city crowd never seemed to find it on their own. "Part of the business, accountant, perhaps? You're better at the details than I am, darlin'"
Her mouth smirked, but Luke didn't miss the way her eyes softened slightly as she mentioned the dress - as though she too might remember the times that she had worn it before. The last time it had been after their last con, a night when she was off on one of her errands and Luke had simply caught a glimpse on her way out, and hadn't forgotten it since. The thought caused his mouth to quirk up in a half smile as he looked down at her, giving her hair a final tug before releasing the soft blond hair and watching it fall gracefully back into place. "I'm countin' on that dress to do just that," He teased, fingers skimming along her hip before he pulled away slightly and leaned back against the counter.
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Post by Amelia MacKenna on Dec 27, 2011 22:59:15 GMT -5
"It was a dance," she replied as she watched him. There wasn't much that could keep her dark eyes from seeing, she could weave a tale as well as the best bards there were. She knew what people liked to hear, and star crossed lovers was one of the best. "We were children, childhood love that never went away even when I had to marry up for money, but never forgot the man she loved... so they meet often." The lines were blurring yet again, but she didn't seem to notice this time.
His hand fell, dropping her hair as she tugged a bit, watching him move away her eyes followed his every move. There were things in them, she didn't want to consider. So she didn't, she did as she'd always done and ignored it a quick and almost charmed smile crossing her generally chilly features. "Aye are you? We're fed rather well don't you think? I wouldn't want to sell that dress to wave off debtors." Not like she ever would, funny about how she pretended to be of the elite, but she had the money in stocks and bonds to be one of them. She'd done enough conning to get money, but she was smart enough to invest and watch it grow. Her coffers weren't even remotely in trouble. She could retire and live comfortably for the rest of her days.
But what fun was that.
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Post by Luke Gallagher on Dec 28, 2011 18:57:45 GMT -5
"Playing to their love of romance," Luke mused, half to Lia and half to himself, his mind already placing them in the dining room. They would sit close with their heads bent together, an occasional brush of fingers enough to lend authenticity to the story that Lia wove. There would be the looks and the whispers and then someone would approach, ask to meet the man that she was with and they would spin the web from there. His eyes found hers and he grinned, lopsided and charming as he considered the possibility for fun the evening held. "I think that's a part we can play," He commented, knowing that his mind was shoving aside thoughts that danced at the edges, the ones that had long ago put an end to the cons they had so used to enjoy together.
"I think we manage alright," He agreed, sending her a wink as he shifted and crossed his feet at the ankles, studying her with amused blue eyes. The truth was they were more than in the money, they had enough to go around and then some - and even if that wasn't the case, Finn had long ago drilled into Luke the necessity to tuck some away when things were good - it's what always got them through the lean times. "Couldn't let you sell that dress, darlin'," Luke said, lifting a hand and rubbing at his chin wondering if he should take a moment to shave before they went to dinner. "Would be a shame to deprive every man in the city of the sight of you in it." He winked then, his smile shifting slightly as his mind wandered, landed on some long ago and nearly forgotten memory.
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Post by Amelia MacKenna on Dec 28, 2011 19:14:26 GMT -5
It was a part they could play because it was nearly the truth, though they hadn't met until they were older than children. Something had long stopped being a part of the game and she didn't want to think about it. Instead she smirked as she considered the con, the game. She watched him for a moment, her eyes direct as she turned the look out the door, maybe it was time to get ready. They could pull it off better than just about anyone else. Of that she was certain.
"I am a bit attached to it," she murmured though her eyes had fallen on his and the far away look on his face. Where had he gone too? Her fingers brushed the scruff on his face and her lips curved slightly, she really needed to get ready. "I'll meet you back here in an hour or so, hmm?"
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Post by Luke Gallagher on Dec 28, 2011 20:44:06 GMT -5
"It would seem I am as well," Luke replied softly, his voice quiet and barely above a whisper. There it was again, that thing that always seemed to linger between them; it danced in the air and around the corners of nearly every moment they spent together. Sometimes it was willing to stand aside and let them play their game, go through the motions and enjoying the doing of it all. Other times as it was now, it lingered heavier, weighty and certain and unavoidable though they both did their best to do just that. Luke looked at her for a long time then, her fingers lifting to brush at the scruff on his cheek and he felt the sting of her fingers, saw the shadow of a smile pass through her features and wondered what he might do that would cause it to linger.
"An hour," He confirmed, finding his voice and his reason as quickly as it had scattered. Now was not the time for those matters, they had roles to play and things to attend to that evening and Luke would do well to focus on that. "Until we meet again Maddy darlin'," Luke said, using the name she had chosen to adopt for the evening and reaching over to take her hand and lift it to his lips gallantly, making a show of the gesture. "I shall ache with the wanting," He teased, though his blue eyes sparked just before he dropped her hand and stepped away.
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Post by Amelia MacKenna on Dec 28, 2011 20:59:54 GMT -5
It was there, and she could feel it hanging like a heavy ball over her heart when he used the name she was adopting. That kind of appreciation from a name that wasn't hers, they had a game to play and they were both too good at it. She felt the shock, white hot and sharp down her fingers when she touched him and drew him back to now. He'd gone away somewhere and now she felt herself drifting to nights where they had been dancing in some long gone bar in the middle of no where. Dancing in shabby clothes, still playing but she couldn't remember being happier. She'd been so much younger then, still chilled, but she hadn't been nearly as schooled. She was a very different woman from that blond girl who let her hair down, dancing with a rogue because she had wanted too. There had been none of the part she was playing in that girl, just Amelia.
Now she was here, her lips curving when he took her hand and pressed his lips to it. She wondered, but it passed as she quickly shook her head to free the passing thought. They didn't have time for this, there was no need for it. They were professionals. That was all, nothing more. "I'll be here. Two hours." Two hours to primp, to bathe, to cover herself in finery and scent. But for a moment she wondered if she could ever be that girl again, who didn't need the trappings to feel like she was wearing diamonds. "Don't be late, Declan." The mask struggled for a moment before she raised her head and sailed from the room as if she was born of more than a whore and a coward. Like she was the high born lady she played.
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