Deerington Inbox

[almightythirst]

Hey there, stranger. Don't think I gotta explain the situation: you called, I didn't pick up. Leave me a message and maybe I'll get back to you.

[ Audio / Video / Text ]

Comments

[cashe]

She waved her hand to his cowboy reference, dismissing the excuses with a smile. There were other times that would be better for indulging him in a solid conversation about cowboy culture, but she certainly wasn't put off by the idea of picking up the conversation at another time.

Her own thoughts feel a bit too muddled to stay on that topic. The way he watches her pulls her in and she tries to pinpoint how it makes her feel. Safe keeps coming to mind and it's a turn around from the way she had felt over the years regarding him. Even if she hasn't been able to kick the vulnerability and apprehension of letting him in emotionally again, she feels relatively sure that he will have her back. At least sure enough to bring him into the web of her work again.

For her part, even when he wasn't right in front of her, he was on her mind consistently. Had been for month, with a growing intensity since August. There are moments where she finds she wants to just watch him. She's been hyper aware of his body lately and the way he moves. His own eyes are too easy to get lost in, and she's thought multiple times about how much she wants to kiss him again. Feel his mouth on hers and his beard brushing against her skin.

While she waits for the answer to her question, she grows a bit lost, so when he asks her about being hungry she snaps back to herself. "Hungry?" Was he asking her to dinner? Probably not in the that sense of the word. But dinner with him sounded great. "Yeah...I could eat. Skipped lunch holed up down here. You want to go get some food?"

[almightythirst]

There. Back on solid ground, easy as that. This is something he’ll have to do, he realizes now: keep busy with her. Have a purpose when they speak, when they meet. Otherwise, he’s starting to get the notion that he’ll say or do something that will destroy all of this goodwill they’ve miraculously been able to build up.

Or maybe not, a treacherous voice whispers in the back of his mind, presenting a perfect example of exactly why he needs to heed his own good advice. The moment their conversation had lulled, the what-ifs had come rushing in to trip him up. What if she wanted to kiss him much as he wants to kiss her? What if, as he’s been told and refused to believe, she doesn’t hate him much as she used to?

“Let’s get you out of here and into some fresh air then. B.O.B. know you’ve been skippin’ meals?”

He turns towards the door, putting her out of sight just long enough for him to catch his breath.

[cashe]

Despite it being a good business move, it's a solid way to keep close. She still hasn't figured out why she wants to, but she does. So close in fact that she feels a small wave of disappointment when he moves away. She realizes that they've been close enough that it could have been a possibility. Dinner though sounds nice, and she likes the prospect of having a meal with him. She's pretty sure the last place they ever had a meal together was at the Panorama Dinner on Route 66, years ago. She could recall complaining about the food the whole time. She makes a mental note to not complain about the food this time. It was at least some growth.

Quickly, she puts her papers away under lock and key before reaching for her leather jacket, pulling it on and turning off her desk light. "Well, obviously he doesn't, because otherwise he'd be bringin' me lunch." It was a joke mostly. B.O.B. had just been busy too with runnin' an errand she had asked of him. She'd told him to head home when he was done.

"Alright. I'm all set. Let's go, just... please not diner food." Okay. It was a work in progress. "Maybe that nice Chinese place, instead?" She was trying.

[almightythirst]

Jesse had always been defensive of that diner. Best pie in the state, if not the country, or he’d always maintained. If asked, he would still say so. But he’s the kind of guy who can live off of tar-thick diner coffee, so. That explains a lot.

“Fine, fine…” He sighs, playing at being huffy. He can tell that she’s trying though, and he won’t tease her overly much today. Meeting each other halfway… now that’s a new concept to consider.

“Chinese sounds good. You know I can put away those little dumplin’s like nobody’s business.”

[cashe]

Likewise Ashe had often accused him of having absolutely no taste, and any explanation or defense would have been met with such. It would have turned into one of the old arguments they'd had as teens while debating on where to eat. Or what to buy. Or what hotel to stay at.

She smiles though, because she takes that as a concession and she's glad to know they don't have to eat diner food. "Just don't embarrass me." However, her eyes are bright with amusement and she looks happy as she reaches for the light switch before locking the door.