First Posted:
"Hmmm?" she enquires, sipping her drink.
I reach around her and slip me hand through a tear in the coat and rub the small of her back. Warm an' soft. Flesh, blood, life. Muscles and bone.
"Seems i, ah, split this back there," i explain.
"Oh! Nevermind," she laughs, craning her neck around to look back over her shoulder. "It's supposed to get wrecked. That's part of the point."
"Ah, i see," i say after a moment, "Yes, destroying your clothin' makes perfect sense...what am i missing?"
"Well, its ephemeral, transient, metamorphic. I come in wearing one thing and over the course of the night it changes to something else. It's sort of like performance art, but not exactly. You will notice," she adds, reaching an arm around me waist and tugging on me sleeveless duster, "that i'm not trashing anything that's expensive or irreplacable."
"Ah, so art does have its price," i chuckle.
"Yeah, about six seventy-five. Plus tax."
"Heh... Nice to see you're not pretentious about it," i reply, bending to kiss her on th' forehead.
"Being pretentious costs to much. Can't afford it," she says wi' a smile i'm rapidly losing meself in. Red lips, white teeth. Full an' soft. Liquid gloss. "Ah, speaking of which, ah, should i be coming in to work on Monday?"
"Huh?" Oh, good reply, John...very intelligent.
"Well, i mean," Tracey continues, putting her glass on the bar and both arms around me, "i want to peel you skoodles later and that could put a bit of a, ah, crimp in my working for you."
She's a clever one, she is.
Do right by her, Man, says Dog, unbidden. And an odd feelin' at th' base o' me spine. Insight brushes at my consciousness, tantalizing. Feathers flutter wi' half-awareness. A glimpse o' what is an' isn't. She has a strength to her, Dog adds.
Yeah yeah, shut up Mutt. I know, i know. I felt it. Feel it. Need it.
I move back slightly from Tracey, shifting me hands to her shoulders. I could become seriously attatched t' th' girl. It always hurts so much in th' end...
"You've a better head on yer shoulders than i got on mine," i say softly. "I'll nae be turnin' you out for that which i be an equal partner in th' startin' of. You're one o' th' best research assistants i've ever had an' th' office just wouldn't be th' same wi'out you. I give you me pledge to treat you no different," i promise, lookin' deep in her eyes. In a lighter voice i add, "I'll nae be draggin' you into me office to shag you on th' desk over lunch, but i'll also still expect ye to work to th' high level you always have. You want t' give it a go?" Plead, beg, offer. Fool. Say yes yes yes... Time is eternal, an' th' momment stretches into infinity, waiting, waiting, waiting.
Her eyes close briefly, then open, bright an' clear. I get a different smile, soft an' shy. "Yeah, i want to try." Joy! Spiral high, blood sugar rush and adrenalin surge. Th' world opens before me with her eyes. "But just one question."
"Hmmm?"
One brow arches up as she ask, "What happens if i want to peel you on your desk over lunch?"
"Then we close th' blinds an' dump th' papers on th' floor," i laugh, huggin' her to me.