Back in the (Proverbial) Saddle {Kai - M}

[Noa Reese]

Noa hadn't performed in... a while. She hadn't really been feeling up to it, to be honest. But after going out drinking with Zach, she'd suggested he come see her, so she really had to get back into the swing of things before he actually took her up on that offer - if he ever did. She'd plucked up one of her old ideas, fleshed it out into a full routine, and spent the next week perfecting it until she was approved to perform.

And it had gone spectacularly, if she did say so herself.

The audience had known their burlesque etiquette enough to prompt a number of saucy looks from the redhead, and god had she enjoyed it. The catcalls, the whistles, the hollering - all just tokens of admiration. It was a powerful feeling, being objectified. Especially in this weather, where bundling up made her feel anything but sexy; it felt great to have an audience full of people telling her otherwise.

Then again, her song choice had been especially good. Who could resist A Call from the Vatican?

So, after a set full of cooing and pouting and teasing galore (who's not wearing any clothes? Yup, that'd be Noa), she sent a glance over her shoulder with a cheeky grin, kicking a heel up as she exited, hips swaying tantalizingly in the adorably ruffled panties she'd been outfitted in. She may not be much for full-on dancing, but she was certainly at home parading around in lingerie and performing suggestive choreography. She was hoping she could bring the number back once she had a better grasp on the vocals and perhaps lend her own sultry voice to the track. The lyrics certainly were fun, even if she'd had to adapt the choreography for a multi-layered costume and the stage at the House. So worth it.

On a slight performance high, already added to her excitement at being back, Noa didn't head backstage to change into something more suitable after she exited. Instead, she just pulled back on the extra layers she'd stripped off, threw on her hoodie and shoulder bag, and snuck to the back of the theater to see what came next.

She probably looked a bit odd; legs clad in sheer black thigh-high stockings, the garters disappearing under the dusty pink skirt that matched her heels, with the stunningly bedazzled bodice (which was really a stunningly bedazzled half-corset and matching bra) hidden under a very plain black sweatshirt. The pale skin between stockings and skirt practically glowed in the low light of the room. But, actually, this didn't feel all that unusual for Noa. She'd worn far more revealing things. She never even got down to pasties here. Comparably, it could be considered tame.

Pulling her bottled water from her bag, she stood toward the very back of the audience, watching as the stage was set for the next act.

[Malachai Roen]

Kai had been to the House a couple nights before, after finals were over, and had been pleasantly surprised at the atmosphere and entertainment. He'd gone a couple times before, but hadn't fully appreciated it until after he'd been to some less-than-decent bars and clubs in the near past. Tonight, having nothing better to do than drink and relax (he didn't start his shift until noon tomorrow, which was great), he decided it wouldn't hurt to go again and see what sort of show was on tonight.

And oh, was he happy he went. Damn. Damn.

Kai's eyes never left the girl on stage, his lips slightly parted as he watched her strut about and perform some very provocative, teasing moves that had him, like he was sure most men in the room, very, very entranced. In his opinion, it was over far too soon, and Kai was left wanting more, something tangible, something... He could have all for himself.

He needed to find this girl and tell her how stunning she was.

Fortunately, he'd gone to the trouble of dressing up himself tonight, though that wasn't a surprise - he made sure he always looked good and subtly showed his wealth in the general public. Along with designer-brand clothing that were perfectly ironed and fitted, his hair had been combed back and his stubble trimmed until it was just barely showing. He knew he looked good, and made sure others knew he knew as well; his relaxed but straight posture showed it, as well as the small smile he had constantly playing about his lips.

That red hair was hard to miss - even if he hadn't been looking for the performer, it would have caught his eye. Seeing her head towards the back of the crowd, he followed after, his pace calm and collected despite the excitement tingling at his fingertips. Once she stopped, he slowly approached, trying not to look like he'd been waiting for her to appear.

"That was an amazing performance," he said smoothly as he reached her side, his gaze trained on the stage. "I knew the House put on good shows, but.... Wow." Kai smiled more broadly, eyes darting down to look at the girl, who was even more attractive up close. "That was something else." He sipped at the drink he had in his hand, being subtle with his glances, before looking away once again. "I think I'll have to start coming here more often if you're here on a regular basis."

[Noa Reese]

Noa probably should've expected someone to approach her post-performance. Yes, she'd covered the blingy bits, but she hadn't accounted for the fact that she was still quite noticeable. ...Though, in reality, she'd been looking for the attention. So, upon noticing a man approaching her, she casually ignored him, keeping her eyes on the stage. Well, ignored him after giving him a quick and thorough going-over. And deciding that, yes, he was attractive. Very attractive. Far above and beyond the average audience member.

Then again, this was Noa. She wasn't about to jump his bones just because he was gorgeous and flaunting some serious style and wealth.

But she was definitely going to flirt with him.

She kept her eyes on him long enough to see that he, too, was watching the stage. She had to keep her smile down - so they would both be playing it cool, eh? Oh, she hadn't had a chance to enjoy this little game in a while. Taking a sip of her water gave her a chance to hide her devious smile.

"That was an amazing performance. I knew the House put on good shows, but.... Wow. That was something else."

She didn't look at him right away - she'd done her little once-over, that had been enough - instead keeping her eyes on the show. Finally, she looked up at him (ooh, tall - tall and broad and incredibly handsome; it might be tough to act uninterested) and raised her eyebrows, amused. "Glad you liked it." She crossed her arms under her chest (oh, come on, of course she had to unintentionally accentuate her assets, why wouldn't she take the opportunity?) and cocked back onto one hip, eyes returning to the stage, as though he couldn't hold her interest - though the subtle smile on her lips may have belied her purposes.

"I think I'll have to start coming here more often if you're here on a regular basis."

Noa let out a slight chuckle, "I guess I'll have to start performing more often." There was a definite playfulness in her voice, but she was avoiding his eyes again, back to her little teasing game. She considered asking him about himself, or somehow continuing the conversation, but decided against it. She could go for mysterious.

[Malachai Roen]

As soon as Kai got within talking distance, he could tell she was going to play the hard-to-get game. And that was just fine - he liked a little chase as much as anyone. It made it all the more enjoyable in the end, as long as there was an end. And, for someone that worked at a place like this and strutted around like she had been, he had a feeling there would be, as long as he played right.

He had enough experience with this. Kai was confident in his abilities, even for such a stunner like this one.

Even so, the little glances she was giving him between looking at the stage were a little discouraging, though the curve of her lips was enough of an indication to tell him she wasn't uninterested. And, if he wasn't completely over-reading things, that generous offer of a nice, full view of her quite voluptuous 'assets' was definitely done on purpose.

Kai tried not to stare like a pig, but it was very difficult. "Have you been working here long?" he asked, trying to meet her eyes for at least a brief moment before his gaze slipped down to her lips; he glanced away quickly. "I don't usually have the time to get out like this, so I... Take opportunities when I can." Like this one, he thought to himself with a twitch of his mouth.

It turned into a full, albeit playful, smile when she spoke again. "I'm sure I, and many other people here, would enjoy that," he told her. Deciding to be the one to jump in first, he offered a large, well-manicured hand, adding,"I'm Kai, by the way. Can I buy you a drink?" He noticed her water, but that was hardly a real drink.

[Noa Reese]

"Have you been working here long?"

Noa glanced at him, and had to smile as he couldn't keep his eyes from wandering. Oooh, this was fun. He was trying, really trying to stay polite. It was wickedly delightful to find someone who really wanted to be good, but just couldn't. It was a heady little power trip, playing the temptress. Just for fun, she bit her lip lightly as she considered the question. "Hmm... about six or seven months, I think."

As he glanced away, a devious grin flickered on her face. Oh, how cute! There was definitely a predatory gleam in Noa's eyes as she turned to face him a little more directly. She wasn't about to let him get away with avoiding looking at her. He'd just been doing it for a four-minute performance, was he too embarrassed to keep at it now? Of course, she knew he wasn't, but it was so damn amusing to have this patronizing little narrative in her head.

"I don't usually have the time to get out like this, so I... Take opportunities when I can."

Her smile widened as he seemed to observe some private joke, and she nodded, eyebrows raised with a teasing smile. "Oh yeah, sure," it was a well-meaning playful jab. Not that she doubted him. He seemed like the sort to grab life by the... horns. But it was fun to poke fun.

"I'm sure I, and many other people here, would enjoy that."

Of course he would. She may not have looked like it, but Noa was grinning on the inside. Her exterior wasn't quite as maniacal about it.

"I'm Kai, by the way. Can I buy you a drink?"

Noa took his hand firmly - no weak handshakes from her, ever - and caught his eyes with hers, rather hungrily. "Noa." She glanced toward the bar. "Unfortunately, the staff here knows I'm not quite barely legal." She was kind of going to be sad when she hit 21. She could no longer joke about being jail bait, once everything was legal for her. And she loved playing it up when she was younger than someone. "One more year," she added, so he was aware that she was legal enough for certain things. "...Then again, that's just the staff here..." For once, her realization wasn't staged. She didn't do much drinking, but she was totally up for letting Kai take her out.

[Malachai Roen]

Kai, keep control of yourself... The subtle bite that Noa placed on her lips did nothing to help him keep from staring, and his eyebrows furrowed slightly as he concentrated on keeping his eyes up. He was usually better than this; the alcohol must have been affecting him more than he realized already. "Hmm... I've only been here a couple times before, so I must have missed your performances," he told her, running a hand along his neatly trimmed jawline. "A shame... I probably would have come here more often had I known sooner."

And, with his financial security, he could have brought in a decent amount of money. He shot a playful glance at Noa as she replied in a toying tone, chuckling despite himself. Definitely on the same page.... She just had a much cooler (and probably more sober) aura about her that he was starting to find hard to match.

The handshake was pleasant, though not too much of a surprise - she seemed the firm kind, which made him wonder how 'firm' she was in other things... Ahem. "A pleasure to meet you, Noa," he smiled, the gesture reaching his eyes and making them crinkle. At the mention of her age, Kai's smile faded slightly, and he gave an embarrassed 'oh'. "Sorry, I didn't realize..." He figured anyone that worked at a place like this would be of age; wasn't that obvious? Ah, well, at least she wasn't too young. "A year over legal for me," he chuckled,"So if you're interested..."

What, could he take her to some other place? They'd just card her... Hmm. "I... Have some wine at my place..." he stated quietly, but his gaze quickly darted up to meet hers again. "But I don't want to be too presumptuous..." Kai rubbed the back of his head, taking a sip of his drink as he pondered. He'd quickly gone from subtle to very obvious, and he wasn't sure how she would take that. "Otherwise... I could take you out to dinner instead?" He'd rather not go through the time if she was willing to get frisky with him, but... He also didn't want to push his luck.

[Noa Reese]

"A shame... I probably would have come here more often had I known sooner."

Noa shrugged, lightly. "I've actually been away recently, so you weren't missing much." Not that the other performers weren't good. They were great, actually, the lineup was impressive, but she intended to remain the focus of his attention.

It was curious to see his surprise at her age - though she almost laughed when his opinion changed after she clarified. Good to know he wasn't that much of a creeper, but also just funny to see him fumble. He recovered easily, and also verified that he was, indeed, around her own age. Actually, he was younger than she'd assumed. He just dressed so well, she'd thought he was at least a few years older than he was.

"I... Have some wine at my place..."

His hesitancy was a good sign to Noa, showing he didn't do this sort of thing too often. She'd assumed he'd realize she had a fake ID (seriously, who didn't nowadays), but the invite was a... pleasant surprise? She actually wasn't too sure, it seemed sort of risky.

"But I don't want to be too presumptuous..."

She shot him a smile, the little tone in her ear happily informing her that he was telling the truth. "As nice as that sounds, we have just met, and I really shouldn't go anywhere unless I've given a friend a heads up. Safety first, and all that." Safety precaution number one: make it clear that she had friends watching out for her, and that she kept them informed.

It was a well-known safety tip, especially in the kink community; a silent alarm kept to warn friends who you might be with or where you might be if you suddenly disappear. She'd usually text an address to one of her roommates, and then give them a heads up later that she was okay. If she didn't check in on time, they'd know where to start looking.

"Otherwise... I could take you out to dinner instead?"

But did she really want to pass up a nice private get together with this guy - this gorgeous guy - in favor of some stilted conversation in a loud restaurant? She cocked her head to the side a bit, in thought, her eyes narrowed in a playful suspicion as she made up her mind. "...Dinner sounds great, but I have to admit I'm curious to see in what sort of place a man like you might live." Her eyes flicked over him, trying to imagine it. She had to guess it was sleek, suave, and probably eco-friendly. Though that may have been her ideals projecting.

It was rather frustrating, to be so cautious, but she tried to practice what she preached. Still... as much as she'd love to learn more about him as a person, it was fairly obvious that they were each objectifying the other for one purpose, and one purpose only. She'd just have to find an efficient way to get to know him while she worked toward... getting to know him. Her ability certainly was useful in these situations, verifying things as truth so she didn't have to do the snooping. It definitely sped the introduction process along. That was, if he'd be willing to indulge her questioning.

[Malachai Roen]

Kai nodded, a smile still toying about his lips. "I'm glad I haven't missed anything, then," he mused. And he was very glad he had decided to come tonight. He didn't know how often she performed, but he'd be keeping an eye out for her name now...

Also, what was up with him finding all these young people lately? Not that Noa was that much younger, but sooner or later he was going to start feeling old. Ah, well. At least he could act the part.

Though, he was still feeling almost out of his league, asking this stunning young woman to simple come back to his apartment with him without further introductions. The smile she shot him after he admitted his knowledge of his own behavior, however, made him feel a little better, and his own smile returned. "Oh of course, I wouldn't expect anything less," he replied quickly and genuinely. "I can give you my address now, if you'd like, or wait until we actually get there. I'm happy to accommodate with whatever would make you the most comfortable."

He understood her hesitancy completely, which was why he had been so uncertain about asking her in the first place; he was happy, in fact, that she was taking such precautions. It showed him that she knew what she was doing and was taking the situation seriously.

Kai waited as she seemed to consider, and tried not to let a relieved smile show too much at her decision. "I'm sure you'll probably like it," he replied, a small sliver of his normal cockiness slipping through. It was a nice place, after all - he'd worked hard to make it that way. "It's not too far, either - I can call a taxi and we'll be there in five minutes." He finished up his drink, depositing it on a nearby table before he turned back with one of his biggest, most mischievous grins. "What do you say, beautiful?"

[Noa Reese]

Noa was delighted to have him so accommodating. And, thanks to her power, she was even more delighted, because he was even being truthful about how accommodating he was. Had she hit the jackpot tonight, or what? "That would be great, actually." She pulled her crappy old flip phone from her pocket (the only student at UVM to still have one, surely) and took down his address, shooting the text to Vera.

It was refreshing to have a regular guy who didn't think she was odd for keeping notes about such things. She was just cautious.

And it was even more refreshing to have him slip so easily from concerned to cocky without missing a beat. He was definitely going to be fun. He seemed attentive, but confident, and besides which he was so goddamn good looking.

"I'm sure I will," she confirmed, returning the mischievous smile. Yup. Fun. The five minutes comment held a slightly off-tone, but it was probably just an underestimate on time; at this point, Noa could usually interpret the tones of her ability. So, more likely, 8-12 minute drive. More or less, she was guessing.

"What do you say, beautiful?"

Noa's lips curved wickedly, "I'd say it's quieter in the hall, if you want to call that cab."

She led the way out of the main room, confidence adding to the sway in her step, even as she pulled a scarf from her shoulder bag to tie as a sarong-style skirt around her hips. She wasn't about to walk out in public in a skirt that didn't even hit mid-thigh. Especially not in this cold. The scarf made for a pretty cute knee-length houndstooth skirt that could probably fool a cab driver and anyone she passed on the way into Kai's place. And it would be so easy to take off.

"So, Kai..." she was practically purring as she sat on an ottoman in the hall, crossing her legs to let the scarf ride up, showing off those delicious garters again (definitely one of her favorite features of lingerie). "What do you do?" These questions could go a lot faster, thanks to her ability, but she did want to cover all her bases. ....and then later she could cover her other bases.

[Malachai Roen]

"Great," Kai replied smoothly, quickly giving her his address, which was located on the top level of an apartment on sort of the outskirts of town. He smiled at the simple flip phone - it seemed like a dinosaur to him, someone who made certain to always have the latest technology at is fingertips. But at the same time, he was also extremely, ironically, tech-challenged, as Zach had found out a couple weeks back, so it might be something he might actually be able to use without breaking.

Once that was done, the concerned, conservative exterior started to slip more, though he wasn't a douche by a long shot; he just knew what he had, what he wanted, and what he had to do to get it. Her response to his cockiness only encouraged the behavior, and his mouth quirked into a smirk, glad she wasn't put off by it.

"Sounds good to me," he replied, grin widening. "It is awfully... Crowded in here." He pulled out his own phone as they walked, quickly calling a cab to come pick them up, before flipping it back in his pocket and turning his attention completely on the sexy little thing before him. His eyes fell to those seductively swaying hips, his eyebrow raising even after she covered up with the scarf. Damn... He'd really made a score tonight; she was full of confidence and assumed sexual experience. And Kai would so enjoy taking off those various fabrics and articles of clothing piece by piece...

As she sat down, revealing a tempting peek of skin as she crossed her legs, Kai settled down next to her, training his gaze on the offered slip of the fabric before looking up to answer her question, though he had to tilt his head down to meet her gaze. "What do I do?" he repeated, resting his hands on his thighs as he smiled easily. "Well, I'm finishing up my last year at the U of V," he started. "I'm a chemistry major... And a sex education minor." His lips twitched at the 'irony' of the situation. "As for my occupation, I work at a clothing boutique in the mall." After considering just how much she would be interested in him sharing, he added,"I'm a part-time yoga instructor too, though that's mostly just a hobby."

His gaze dipped down to her lips again, temptingly close now, but he refrained... For now. "What about you?" he asked. "Apart from making men drool, that is." Kai said this with a playful grin, his leg brushing against hers as he shifted in his seat. He was fine with her asking all the questions, but he didn't want her to think he was also only interested in one thing, without getting to know her at least a little better. He glanced at the clock - the cab should be there any moment.

[Noa Reese]

Noa was not the least bit put-off by having people's eyes on her. At least, not as long as she looked good. And tonight she was looking incredibly good. There was a definite unspoken communication in his previous smirk, and her entertained smirk as she caught him glancing to that flash of bare skin again (burlesque had certainly taught her how enticing a peek of flesh could be), that made it clear they each knew what the other wasn't saying. And it was basically along the lines of 'you just wait til I get my hands on you, you sexy creature.' Or, maybe, if put more bluntly; 'I'mma fuck you.' You know, if grammar was thrown out the window.

She was intrigued to hear that he was at UVM, and kind of surprised she'd never seen him around campus. Then again, it wasn't like she spent a lot of time there. She listened carefully, not at all surprised as she heard the same comforting low tone of truth again and again. At his minor, her eyebrows raised in amusement. And yoga? That would help explain why he was so fit.

"What about you? Apart from making men drool, that is."

She grinned, and rolled her eyes, "Well, that is my specialty, you know."

"Actually, I'm at UVM, too." Habit from being raised in DC had informed her that U of V was not just for Vermont. "Psych major," she added, and then mentioned, with a cheeky smile, "Considering your same minor, actually. I think that's what I'd like to do when I graduate. Maybe go study at the Kinsey institute." She wasn't sure why she was refraining from using the actual word 'sex,' but she suspected that it would have a stronger impact when she did use it at some point. Whenever that would be.

Speaking of sex (which they'd been doing ever since they met, even without words), she pondered mentioning her little unpaid job as Oriel's mentor. "I also... tutor." She had a small secretive smile on, giving some air of mystery to the word.

Seeing him glance to the clock, Noa teased, "Well looks like someone's in a hurry." She pushed her hair behind her ear as her legs shifted, one heel subtly sliding up the inside of one of his calves. "...Wonder why that is." Her smile did little to hide the mischievous delight she felt at being such a relentless tease. She could hardly wait til they made it to the cab, that would be even more fun. She was a slight exhibitionist. And by slight, she really meant very much so. Why else would she be doing burlesque?

"Family? I'm the youngest of three, myself. From DC." All of these trivial questions were necessary, but, well, trivial. She just wanted to have them covered so they could broach more interesting topics. Also, as a psych major, it was always interesting to know about families. She was very much a youngest child, after all.

[Malachai Roen]

If someone could take a look into Kai's mind, they'd find very quickly that, beneath the smooth exterior and proper words, he was very much a creature of desire, and everything that Noa was doing and saying was only making that desire stronger. It was fortunate that he had good control, otherwise that... Desire... Would be far too obvious by now.

He felt smug, telling Noa all of these little things about him - he'd led a life over the past several years that he was proud of, even if it drained him and drove him crazy on occasion from all the work.

At the 'specialty' comment, he let out a small chuckle and tilted his head as he studied her. "Doesn't surprise me," he replied, reaching out to catch a curl of crimson hair in his fingers. "You're a natural." He twisted it for a moment before releasing it, trying his damnedest to keep his hands to himself at least until they were alone in the cab.

He listened with curiosity as she spoke about herself, grinning a she mentioned the minor. "Honestly, it started out as a sort of joke, but I've learned a lot," he admitted. "It's a great program." The more he learned, the more she intrigued him, and the more he couldn't wait to see how all this would pan out in the bedroom.

The tutoring comment made him raise a brow. "Dare I ask what kind of tutoring?" he teased, sensing there was more there than what she was saying. He could only imagine.

At Noa's own tease, he shot a look at her, quickly responding,"Who could blame me?" with a broad, playful smile. The sensation of her heel sliding up his leg sent tingles through his stomach, and he responded in kind by slipping his hand over to rest on her knee. Everything she was doing was driving him mad, and it took all he had not to do more. Patience, patience...

"I have a younger sister, who's actually at the Hammel Institute right now," he told her. "Originally from Delaware. Moved here because... Well, I had to attend Hammel too." He assumed she would have heard of it, at least. At that moment, he saw the lights of a cab pull up through one of the dim windows, and stood slowly, offering a hand to Noa with a smirk. "We can continue this... Chat... In the cab?" he suggested, making sure she was beside him as he started walking out.

[Noa Reese]

"Doesn't surprise me... You're a natural."

It was hard to hold still as Kai very briefly held a lock of her hair, but she managed - though her fingers twitched slightly. Was it so bad that Noa really wanted him to just grab a fistful and pull her head back and-

Right, no, not yet, she had to be patient.

Still, the image was... enticing. "Hmm." Her little noise of... agreement? Whatever it was, it was dripping with desire.

"Dare I ask what kind of tutoring?" he teased, sensing there was more there than what she was saying. He could only imagine.

She cocked her head to the side, playfully, "I don't know, do you dare?" She let the tease hang there for a moment. "It's nothing official, just a few things I know about that I think other people should learn. It's... complicated." She'd explain it later, if he seemed like the type to be receptive. Why scare someone off with kinks that weren't a requirement? It'd be nice if he shared them, but she'd be fine doing without - even though she hadn't had a decent scene in months. She could handle it.

As he placed his hand on her knee, Noa shifted a little, the sexual tension like a delightful thorn in her side. And the longer she waited, the better it would be to relieve it. She became very aware of how cool the room was, and how his warmth radiated over her skin... And then she was brought back into the conversation.

"I have a younger sister, who's actually at the Hammel Institute right now. Originally from Delaware. Moved here because... Well, I had to attend Hammel too."

She caught sight of the lights about the same time he did, and didn't comment right away, instead taking his hand with a seductive smile.

"We can continue this... Chat... In the cab?"

"Of course," the purr was back, like the sweet side of some predatory creature, and she straightened her 'skirt' a bit before following him out to the cab.

It was fucking cold outside.

She was relieved to enter the heated car, and even happier to scoot in to the far side of the car and lean against the door so she could face him, waiting until he sat and then draping her legs across his lap. It was like a reverse lapwarmer. Her legs were cold, being the least covered part of her, and his lap was warm. Being that all the blood was flowing there. Her lips curled into a wicked smile, as she innocently resumed their conversation.

"I actually went to Hammel, too." She was curious what his ability was, but figured he'd tell her if it mattered. She'd trained quite a bit against mental abilities, so she was pretty sure it wasn't that, or if it was he wasn't trying to use it on her, but she couldn't tell what else it might be. "It seems odd that we never met."

She lifted a foot, rolling her ankle to stretch it a bit, and then placed it down again, tucking the toe of her shoe under one of his knees to warm the top of her foot. Her mind was flashing through with everything she'd like him to do, but knew that she had to wait. "So, anything you wanted to ask me?"

[Malachai Roen]

It's... Complicated. It sure sounded it. Kai found himself more and more intrigued to crack open this mystery that was Noa, find out what really made her tick and what he could do to best please her. It wasn't often he came across someone not only so willing, but so... Mature and confident with their willingness, rather than just throwing themselves at him (which, really, had happened many times, especially at college parties). "Maybe you'll find a way to explain it later," he smiled, figuring it might just have something to do with what they were getting into.

Calm, calm.... He could continue to be patient. He had this far, and it wouldn't be much longer. The cab ride was sure to be interesting, though.

That little purr in Noa's voice.... He could definitely get used to hearing that. It was like music to his ears, and he imagined her like a playful little kitten about to pounce on its prey. The prey, of course, being himself. But he wasn't going to be... Eaten... Quite that easily.

He winced a bit at the cold temperatures outside, automatically wrapping an arm around Noa in an attempt to keep her at least a little warmer between the building and the cab. She was dressed much more scantily than he - she must have been freezing. However, once they were inside he scooted over to give her room, whereupon she promptly placed her legs over his lap, threatening to break the calm he'd been working so very hard to control.

Kai sent a very pointed look her way, the corner of his lips quirking up to let her know he knew what she was doing despite her continuing the conversation. "Really?" he asked, surprised. "We must have passed each other at some point. Huh..." He quickly gave directions to the cab driver and they were off. "It definitely seems odd." But he soon grinned again, adding,"Well, at least we've met now." And he was fairly certain this would only be the first of many 'meetings'.

His features twitched just a tad as Noa adjusted her legs, and he settled his forearms along her shin, one hand sly slipping up just above her knee. Calm, calm... Even repeating this mantra over and over was starting to fail, and his cheeks flushed as he started to slip, hoping Noa wouldn't notice... Just... Yet. "Hmm?" he blinked, slipping out of the mind fuzz that had sort of fallen into. "Oh. There aren't any crazy ex-boyfriends or overprotective friends I'm going to have to hide from, are there?" he asked, grinning broadly. It would only be another minute or two before they reached his apartment complex, which was fortunate, because he was having a hard time keeping up the cool, easy-going front the longer this went on.

As he spoke, his hand slipped up just a little higher, the other one slipping to caress the side of her curvy calf as his thumb tickled the back of her knee.

[Noa Reese]

Noa blinked innocently a couple of times as he looked pointedly at her, but couldn't keep it up for long before the smile began to creep over her lips again. But this was fun - she was learning so much, and yet still not losing steam. It was like an exciting challenge, and she was doing wonderfully.

The smile only grew as he twitched. If it were a competition, she was pretty sure she'd be winning. Her tongue slid lightly over her lip and she bit down gently as his hands slid up her stockinged legs. Perhaps they were more evenly matched than she'd thought. But at least she was fully aware of the conversation, which he didn't seem to be.

"Hmm? Oh. There aren't any crazy ex-boyfriends or overprotective friends I'm going to have to hide from, are there?"

She didn't mind letting out a little laugh at that, though there was a touch of a whimper in it's finish as she pursed her lips, shifting a bit as he brushed his fingers over her not-quite-bare skin. She glanced toward the driver, curious if he suspected anything. She'd have to get him back for her little slip-up. Her own limbs crept over his sensitive spots in amused retaliation even as she spoke. "Not that I know of," she took her eyes back to his, enjoying his grin. This little rivalry was quite fun. "What about you - no serial killer tendencies, I hope?"