29 guessing games (1/2)

Xavier lifted his head from his hands, meeting Joslyn's worried gaze through his sunglasses. He shot her a weak smile as he straightened against the rails.

Her eyes trailed over his body stopping when her eyes landed on his widening grin.She dropped her gaze quickly as her cheeks reddened once again. {I really should have dated more over the past 15 years!} Her eyes landed on the glass of beer in her hand. ”Oh um, this is for you.” She held out the glass without looking up from it.

She could hear the smile in his voice as he asked, ”For me? Thank you.” Her face heated more as his gaze fell fully on her.

He bypassed the glass in her hands and clipped a finger under her chin.He brought her face up to meet his, unable to suppress the smile rapidly spreading across his face, ”Ya know, such cute faces could cause a man to get the wrong ideas.”

Her face heated even more as she averted her gaze. ”Sorry…”

He released her face and took the beer from her hands. He took a large drink, killing half the glass, before replying, ”No worries I'm a very patient man with nothing but time to spare.” He smiled down at her when her head jerked up to meet his face. {Maybe not my best choice of phrasing but... too late now.} He ran his hands through his hair again, he watched as she avoided looking at him by gazing out over the beach.An idea struck {Maybe it would be better if…. What am I thinking, she's with another guy... but then again...} His thoughts were all over the place as he tried to decide what to do with the beautiful creature beside him. He glanced down at her and asked, ”Would you like to go for a walk?”

She glanced up at him before turning back toward the ocean, ”Oh, our food should be ready soon though.”

He shrugged, ”It's fine, we don't have to go far, and I'm sure your friend will watch it for us till we get back.”

She nodded, ”True.” She began walking toward the back stairs kicking her shoes off as she neared them.

He followed close behind her, also kicking off his shoes.The cool sand at the foot of the shaded stairs did little to soothe the heat coursing through his body, it was all but vibrating with her nearness.The soft flesh of her harm brushed teasingly against his as they walked side by side toward the water's edge. He waited until they were far enough away from the back dining area before asking, ”So, your roommate in the bar…” he ran his hand over the back of his neck not sure exactly how to continue, ”She's fey?”

Joslyn looked up from where she was watching the waves wash along the shore, ”Yes, is it that obvious?”

He laughed with a hint of nervousness in his laugh, ”Yes, well I've met a few in the past.” He stepped in front of her and stopped blocking her way.He looked intensely down at her, ”Is it true fey can detect other supernatural creatures just by touching them?” He glanced down at her hands she had tucked into the pocket of her shorts.

Joslyn stared up at him for a long while before averting her eyes back to the bar and saying, ”Maybe we should head back.Our food should be up soon.”

He grabbed her arm lightly as she began to step away from him. ”Joslyn, I can tell you are trying to avoid the question.” When her eyes shot from where he held her arm back up to his face he tilted his head down to let the glasses slide down his nose. He said in a very slow direct tone, ”Tell me what it is you're not saying.” His eyes gave off a faint green glow, contrasting magnificently against the beautiful scarlet blush of the sunset behind him.

”Raven guessed that you are something supernatural but couldn't guess what without seeing your eyes.” She gazed up into the glowing green orbs, hypnotized by their glimmering beauty.

He pulled her closer, looking more intently into her eyes his own seemed to radiate even more brilliantly, ”And now that you have seen them again, do you know what I am?”

Before she could answer the bar doors slammed bringing both of their attention back to the deck. Raven stood on the deck with a large serving tray in one hand and waving with the other. She yelled out, ”It's ready guys!”

Joslyn tried to pull away from him but he tightened his grip on her upper arm.Her surprised eyes were met by dazzling green bioluminescent orbs.”Tell no one.” He quickly released her and moved his hand to the small of her back to guide her across the sand.She didn't struggle or say a word, just simply allowed him to guide her.{Dizziness is common after any form of mind control so it's best to be safe.} He rationalized his need to maintain physical contact with her.

Raven met them at the stairs, ”You guys seem to have a lot to talk about, so I figured you would prefer to eat out here.” She focused on Xavier as he climbed the stairs. She had watched as he grabbed ahold of Joslyn, and when he let his glasses fall down his nose she had suspected foul play and took off out the door with the first tray she could grab. She watched carefully for even the smallest glimpse of his eyes as he made his way up the stairs, but he was cautious.

Joslyn smiled as she walked past Raven, ”Thanks, but you didn't have to bring it out. We could have come and got it ourselves.”

Raven gave up on trying to catching a glimpse of Xavier's eyes and glanced over at her friend.”Well if you want you can come help me carry out the main dishes. I only brought the drinks and chips.”

Xavier stepped up, ”Sit and relax, I'll go get them.”

Joslyn looked up at him questioningly, ”Are you sure?”

”Yeah, it's no problem.You've had a rough day. Sit back and have a drink.” Xavier said as he followed Raven into the bar. He was back out in just a few minutes.He shifted the two plate back and forth. ”Um… So, which is mine?” He snarled his nose up at the contents of both plates.

She laughed lightly as he glanced back and forth between them. ”That depends, which do you like better?”

He arched his brow at the plates, ”Well if I'm being perfectly honest, they both seem… Kinda…” he examined one plate then the other again, ”…gross…” He looked back up at her before asking, ”What are they exactly?”

She laughed as she stood and took the plates from him laying them both on the table. ”Well this one is calamari and oysters and the other is seafood chowder.”

He snarled up his nose once again, ”Yeah, is neither an option? Do they not have something normal like a cheeseburger... or better yet cheesecake?” He glanced up at her as she gave her first actual laugh since he'd met her up at the appartment. ”You seem to be handling the idea of me being something other than human rather well.”

She fell quiet as she met his gaze her smile slipping away to be replaced by a matter-of-fact expression, ”If you don't hurry and choose then I will.”

He flopped down into the seat and crossed his arms and legs as she leaned back into the chair. ”Be my guest.It all looks unedible to me.”He nodded toward the plates.

She giggled and shrugged her shoulder as she took the plate and pushed the bowl toward him. ”Fine, suit yourself.”

He glanced down into the bowl, noting the different things floating within it.He held back a reflexive gage, ”Oh hell no! You take this one!” He grabbed her plate and pushed the bowl toward her.

He bit into one of the rings on the plate.After chewing a bit longer than needed, he finally said. ”Not bad, a little chewy but not bad.”