Another Call
[This was written with tm_magneto]
[Private]
There was no reason why he should call her, none at all.
He wasn't in New York, for one, so even if he wanted to see her (and did he? Likely so. He remembered kissing her, her mouth under his) he could not. Still, it would not be a bad idea to ring her, let her know that he'd been serious about seeing her again. He wouldn't want her to become cross with him, would he?
Of course not.
He made himself wait until it was nearly nine pm in New York--if that was indeed where she was--and then he dialed her number, rubbing the paper between his fingers and smiling in anticipation.
Rogue picked up the cellphone, expecting Rachel to be calling her to make sure she'd arrived safely and answered appropriately. "Yes, I made it, Ray. Thanks so much again for talking me into this and I'm sorry for any repercussions with Mystique."
"Repercussions with Mystique, you say? I do hope I've not caused any of those." Erik smiled. "Am I to understand that you've left New York? Not because of me, I hope."
Oh no... She sucked in a breath and sank into the nearest chair. This was not at all who she was expecting to call. "I'm taking a break for a little while. Sabbatical," Rogue informed him, nervously running her fingers along the dining room table. "It's been a...tough year." Definitely not because of you. At all. Her gaze traveled to the bracelet still clasped around her wrist and she frowned. "And there are always repercussions with Mystique..."
"I am very sorry if our evening together caused you grief," he said, staring out at the lights of DC. "Are you enjoying wherever it is you are staying?" He felt momentarily annoyed that she was moving, changing the rules. Ah, well. This could be dealt with, the plan re-calibrated.
"I kind of just got here." She looked across the table at her suitcase, leaning haphazardly against the wall and smiled. "I'm sure I will though. Baltimore's a nice city and New York ain't that far away if I get bored." Standing, she made her way into the kitchen and set about seeing where everything was kept. "And our evening isn't why I left, Erik. I just...needed time away." It wasn't a total lie. "How are you?"
"Quite fine, and...would you believe this...rather close? I am in DC." He traced the slick glass of the window in his hotel room with his hand. "A coincidence, I assure you," he said quickly. "I'm not usually one to stalk women." He smiled briefly.
"Really?" Her voice faltered and she kneaded her bottom lip. Having him that close could not possibly lead to anything good. "What are you doing in DC?" She regretted asking that as soon as she finished the sentence. "I...you don't have to answer that. Probably better if you don't." Not being able to discuss one another's work would be reason number thirty-five why I shouldn't see him again.
"Nothing as ominous as you would think. Attending a talk on engineering, actually." That wasn't the only reason, but she did not need to know about his machinations on behalf of the Brotherhood. Besides, that particular plan...it would take years to come to fruition. "I would like to see you again, if you are amenable to such a thing." He was not one for beating about the bush, and he wanted to see her again. It made no sense to string along. Besides, that might have been the problem with that young Cajun thief.
She leaned against the fridge, trying to stop her heart from beating so fast. "I..." Should hang up this phone and never talk to you again. "I'd like that." She knew she shouldn't, that she should want to stay as far away from him as possible but she couldn't quite bring herself to care. "Do you have anything in mind?"
He smiled, feeling a rush of triumph. Something a bit more intimate than dinner, but not too much so that it would frighten her away. Unbidden, his eyes strayed to the large bed in his suite. He imagined her there, hands grasping his shoulders, head tipped back--he shook his head as if he was trying to clear it. "The symphony...are you a fan of the symphony?" His voice was slightly huskier than he intended.
"I've never been," she murmured, blushing at the sound of his voice, unsure what to make of its ability to light all of her nerve endings on fire. "I'd like to go...when would you like to go and what should I wear?" She hoped she'd get to buy a new dress. Shopping was always a nice way to calm her nerves and it'd give her reason to use Mystique's money. She did offer it...
"I'll get tickets. For Thursday, if you are free? Dress is whatever you like, really. I'll wear a suit, but whatever you have I'm sure will be just fine. If you'd like to meet me, perhaps we could have dinner first?" He made notes on a pad, of the things he would need. It would be too soon to seduce her, but maybe...something, perhaps. More than just kissing her. He flexed his fingers around the pen and reminded himself not to move too fast.
"Thursday is fine and dinner would be lovely." She smiled, gently caressing her bracelet. "I'll...try not to be as nervous as I was last time." She wondered if he would kiss her again and bit her lip, hoping that he would.
"You were a lovely dinner companion," he assured her. "And understandable if you were nervous. We are mortal enemies, after all." He gave a soft laugh. "I prefer us as something else...don't you? Far more enjoyable."
"I shouldn't," she whispered, shivering slightly. "But yes, I'd prefer not being your enemy." But I won't betray my family either...not anymore than I already have. So then, what was agreeing to go out with him again? She shook her head, not wanting to delve into that. "Where should I meet you on Thursday?"
He gave her directions to a seafood restaurant he was fond of, including the appropriate stops on the metro. He almost offered to pick her up, but perhaps that was not the best of ideas. Yet. He would offer to drive her home, perhaps. Then he would know where it was she lived. "Have you got that?"
"Yes, thank you." Taking the metro would be the easiest. She had no desire to deal with the traffic on the Beltway. "So, you eat seafood?" She didn't know why she asked that except maybe just to hear his voice a little more. You're pathetic.
"I do indeed. Do you not? If you don't like it, I am sure there is somewhere else." He was thinking about her on the bed again, wearing silk opera gloves and nothing else. He had to be careful, or else he was going to forget that this was a plan to gain her loyalty.
"Oh no, seafood is fine, Erik." She smiled, liking the way his name rolled off her tongue. She kept thinking about his mouth on hers and the way he'd had her pressed against the car before seeing images of her friends shaking their heads. "I'm sure wherever you've picked will be lovely."
Erik liked her accent, he decided, as he held the phone pressed to his ear. "Your confidence is appreciated. I must unfortunately ring off, however, I shall see you on Thursday. If something comes up between now and then, feel free to call me." He lowered his voice. "Good night, Anna. I am looking forward to seeing you again."
"Good night, Erik," she murmured. "I'm looking forward to seeing you as well." She waited a few seconds before hanging up, smiling broadly. She placed the phone on the counter and shook her head, refusing to let her nagging doubts bring down this wonderful high.
Erik went to take a shower. A cold one. He was not immune to her, by far. This was going to be dangerous. He smiled darkly. Erik was always fond of a challenge.
[Private]
There was no reason why he should call her, none at all.
He wasn't in New York, for one, so even if he wanted to see her (and did he? Likely so. He remembered kissing her, her mouth under his) he could not. Still, it would not be a bad idea to ring her, let her know that he'd been serious about seeing her again. He wouldn't want her to become cross with him, would he?
Of course not.
He made himself wait until it was nearly nine pm in New York--if that was indeed where she was--and then he dialed her number, rubbing the paper between his fingers and smiling in anticipation.
Rogue picked up the cellphone, expecting Rachel to be calling her to make sure she'd arrived safely and answered appropriately. "Yes, I made it, Ray. Thanks so much again for talking me into this and I'm sorry for any repercussions with Mystique."
"Repercussions with Mystique, you say? I do hope I've not caused any of those." Erik smiled. "Am I to understand that you've left New York? Not because of me, I hope."
Oh no... She sucked in a breath and sank into the nearest chair. This was not at all who she was expecting to call. "I'm taking a break for a little while. Sabbatical," Rogue informed him, nervously running her fingers along the dining room table. "It's been a...tough year." Definitely not because of you. At all. Her gaze traveled to the bracelet still clasped around her wrist and she frowned. "And there are always repercussions with Mystique..."
"I am very sorry if our evening together caused you grief," he said, staring out at the lights of DC. "Are you enjoying wherever it is you are staying?" He felt momentarily annoyed that she was moving, changing the rules. Ah, well. This could be dealt with, the plan re-calibrated.
"I kind of just got here." She looked across the table at her suitcase, leaning haphazardly against the wall and smiled. "I'm sure I will though. Baltimore's a nice city and New York ain't that far away if I get bored." Standing, she made her way into the kitchen and set about seeing where everything was kept. "And our evening isn't why I left, Erik. I just...needed time away." It wasn't a total lie. "How are you?"
"Quite fine, and...would you believe this...rather close? I am in DC." He traced the slick glass of the window in his hotel room with his hand. "A coincidence, I assure you," he said quickly. "I'm not usually one to stalk women." He smiled briefly.
"Really?" Her voice faltered and she kneaded her bottom lip. Having him that close could not possibly lead to anything good. "What are you doing in DC?" She regretted asking that as soon as she finished the sentence. "I...you don't have to answer that. Probably better if you don't." Not being able to discuss one another's work would be reason number thirty-five why I shouldn't see him again.
"Nothing as ominous as you would think. Attending a talk on engineering, actually." That wasn't the only reason, but she did not need to know about his machinations on behalf of the Brotherhood. Besides, that particular plan...it would take years to come to fruition. "I would like to see you again, if you are amenable to such a thing." He was not one for beating about the bush, and he wanted to see her again. It made no sense to string along. Besides, that might have been the problem with that young Cajun thief.
She leaned against the fridge, trying to stop her heart from beating so fast. "I..." Should hang up this phone and never talk to you again. "I'd like that." She knew she shouldn't, that she should want to stay as far away from him as possible but she couldn't quite bring herself to care. "Do you have anything in mind?"
He smiled, feeling a rush of triumph. Something a bit more intimate than dinner, but not too much so that it would frighten her away. Unbidden, his eyes strayed to the large bed in his suite. He imagined her there, hands grasping his shoulders, head tipped back--he shook his head as if he was trying to clear it. "The symphony...are you a fan of the symphony?" His voice was slightly huskier than he intended.
"I've never been," she murmured, blushing at the sound of his voice, unsure what to make of its ability to light all of her nerve endings on fire. "I'd like to go...when would you like to go and what should I wear?" She hoped she'd get to buy a new dress. Shopping was always a nice way to calm her nerves and it'd give her reason to use Mystique's money. She did offer it...
"I'll get tickets. For Thursday, if you are free? Dress is whatever you like, really. I'll wear a suit, but whatever you have I'm sure will be just fine. If you'd like to meet me, perhaps we could have dinner first?" He made notes on a pad, of the things he would need. It would be too soon to seduce her, but maybe...something, perhaps. More than just kissing her. He flexed his fingers around the pen and reminded himself not to move too fast.
"Thursday is fine and dinner would be lovely." She smiled, gently caressing her bracelet. "I'll...try not to be as nervous as I was last time." She wondered if he would kiss her again and bit her lip, hoping that he would.
"You were a lovely dinner companion," he assured her. "And understandable if you were nervous. We are mortal enemies, after all." He gave a soft laugh. "I prefer us as something else...don't you? Far more enjoyable."
"I shouldn't," she whispered, shivering slightly. "But yes, I'd prefer not being your enemy." But I won't betray my family either...not anymore than I already have. So then, what was agreeing to go out with him again? She shook her head, not wanting to delve into that. "Where should I meet you on Thursday?"
He gave her directions to a seafood restaurant he was fond of, including the appropriate stops on the metro. He almost offered to pick her up, but perhaps that was not the best of ideas. Yet. He would offer to drive her home, perhaps. Then he would know where it was she lived. "Have you got that?"
"Yes, thank you." Taking the metro would be the easiest. She had no desire to deal with the traffic on the Beltway. "So, you eat seafood?" She didn't know why she asked that except maybe just to hear his voice a little more. You're pathetic.
"I do indeed. Do you not? If you don't like it, I am sure there is somewhere else." He was thinking about her on the bed again, wearing silk opera gloves and nothing else. He had to be careful, or else he was going to forget that this was a plan to gain her loyalty.
"Oh no, seafood is fine, Erik." She smiled, liking the way his name rolled off her tongue. She kept thinking about his mouth on hers and the way he'd had her pressed against the car before seeing images of her friends shaking their heads. "I'm sure wherever you've picked will be lovely."
Erik liked her accent, he decided, as he held the phone pressed to his ear. "Your confidence is appreciated. I must unfortunately ring off, however, I shall see you on Thursday. If something comes up between now and then, feel free to call me." He lowered his voice. "Good night, Anna. I am looking forward to seeing you again."
"Good night, Erik," she murmured. "I'm looking forward to seeing you as well." She waited a few seconds before hanging up, smiling broadly. She placed the phone on the counter and shook her head, refusing to let her nagging doubts bring down this wonderful high.
Erik went to take a shower. A cold one. He was not immune to her, by far. This was going to be dangerous. He smiled darkly. Erik was always fond of a challenge.