Identity Crisis (Cast via PM)

[DeliciousMaiden]

OOC:

This is another "idea in the making" and is open to interpretation.

This could be a thread for the two characters featured in the first posting or it could open up now or later as other characters could be introduced.

Please deal with casting concerns in PMs and wait until I will post an updated cast list before joining in.

As with many of my threads, I'd like to hear from players who enjoy writing a story plot rather than merely wanting a "quickie" fest!

I look forward to your ideas / comments.


Cast:

DM to play:

Caz Street name taken in lieu of real name
Cassandra or Cassie

Age: 19
Height: 5 ft 6

Looks : fair hair, blue eyes, pale complexion.
Slim figure, especially during the rougher times.
34C breasts, slim waist, narrow hips.
Surprisingly feisty - spirited if not actually strong.

Character: Disillusioned. Rejecting her past.
Literally a rebel without a cause.
Drifting aimlessly and surviving are her only goals.

Reasonably intelligent - increasingly streetwise.
Has learned not to trust anybody!


IC:


Caz squealed as the man wrenched her arm and the blade slipped from her previously tight grasp.
The metallic clatter echoed round the dark subway.
Both Caz and her intended victim eyed each other.
She was in deep shit!

”Let me go!!”

She screamed struggling.
Her words were accompanied by a forceful kick to his shins and a bite to the hand that held her fast.
She struggled desperately knowing she had to get away quickly!

It was supposed to be so easy. He so obviously had money to spare.
She could see the fat wallet bulging temptingly in the pocket of his overcoat.
He was just asking to be robbed.
He wouldn’t miss the money.
It wasn’t as if she was going to do a scam on his plastic or anything.
Caz just needed hard cash for food and to get a bed for the night.

He had reminded her of her rich family, of her contempt for all that so called respectability, all the façade, all the hypocrisy that she had turned her back on when she ran away.
Her life was hard, she was homeless and lived on the wrong side of the law when necessary, but morally it was more honest than the life she had led before.

This “job” was doomed, however.
Instead of being able to stumble against him and lift the money she sought, she had been caught, red-handed.
The only consolation was the look on his face when she had drawn the blade.
She carried it for protection and had never used it.
She certainly never intended to carry out an “armed robbery”.

Concealing her youth and gender, Caz had been obliged to play it through.
Gruffly, she’d threatened him.

”Just let me go, Mister and no one will get hurt … “

Any one in their right mind would have backed away.
Only he didn’t.
He had struggled violently.
Fortunately he had not realised that his heavily hooded assailant was a girl, but that meant that he had retaliated viciously.
Caz did her best, but was no match for her opponent.
Finally, with great effort, he managed to disarm the feisty girl who turned on him in desperate attack.

”You bastard!”

The man screamed as he made a grasp for the escaping Caz.
His shins stung and his hand was bleeding, usually a peaceable man, he’d had enough with this thug tonight!

His decision made, he swung his arm forcefully and purposely caught his attacker in the jaw.
He was surprised how effective his retaliation was.
He watched in horrified fascination as the individual flew, bouncing off the subway wall, before landing in a half conscious heap on the ground.

Only when he stepped nearer, did he notice the fine-features and the occasional stray wisp of blonde hair framing the deathly pale face.
Either this guy was very young or …

Only now did he realise that this was no run-of-the-mill thief!

*****************************************
OOC:

Up to you to decide what her fate will be?

Hope you enjoy!
{{{huggs}}}
DM x

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

OOC:

Please feel free to PM opinions and ideas.

Hoping to get this started sometime this week!

{{{huggs}}}

DM x

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

*bump*

Making sure you don't miss it ... ggs...

DM x

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

*bump*

 

[waits2play]

I'll work on a character and PM you.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Lucian Graham

OOC. Lucian Graham's in his early twenties. Dressed in a suit and camel-hair coat, his big brown eyes have a haunted, beat look. He seems too streetwise for his clothes, but too refined for the stree. He has brown hair and delicate, refined features, very sensitive hands.

IC: He looked up and down the platrform quickly to see if anyone had seen. There were some people coming down the stairs, but they hadn't seen a thing; didn't even see her crumpled against the wall yet.

He knew as soon as he'd hit her that she wasn't a guy. She was too light, too brittle, too crazy. He was tempted to leave her before anyone stuck their nose in and started asking questions, but there was that sickening noise her head had made when it hit the concrete wall.

"Hey, girlie, hey!"

She opened her eyes dizzily, trying to focus. There was blood on her lip. She'd bitten it when he hit her.

"Hey, come on, stand up. Can you stand up?"

He grabbed her by the lapels and hauled her to her feet, pulled her alongh a few steps and dumped her onto a bench. Her legs were like rubber, but even so she weighed next to nothing.
He flashed a quick look up and down the platform again and breathed a sigh of relief. She was alive and no one had seen. His fear turned to rage.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, huh? You trying to get yourself killed, you dumb little cunt?"

She came to now and raised both hands to her head and doubled over.

"What're you, a bad dude?" he looked at her and saw she was crying. "Hey, you okay?"

She didn't answer, just letherself roll onto the grimy floor, still holding her head and crying.

"Come on, come on!" he hissed. "Get the fuck up! You make a scene I'll fucking kill you I swear to God!"

He hauled her to her feet, turning her so that her back was to the few people down the platform so he could keep an eye on them. He held her up with one hand and tucked his shirt back into his pants with the other.

"Here. Let me have a look." he said. He pushed her hands away and pulled off her hood. her blond hair streamed out. There was some blood on her scalp, but scalp wounds always bled like a son of a bitch. She was still sobbing uncontrollably though. Through her tears and the dirt he could see her fine features. She was just a girl. A kid.

A train was coming. He could hear the roar. "Come on, come on." he said. "Let's get out of here."

He marched her through the crowd of people emerging from the train. She stumbled, but she let herself be led out, and she was able to climb the stairs.

When they got to the street he finally felt safe. "Now what the hell was that about, huh. You could have got yourself killed. You could have got me in some really deep shit. Jesus H Christ!"

She was still crying. She hadn't stopped, but now she started to really sob.

"Look, what's wrong?" he asked her. "You strung out?"

She let herself fall against a building, hugging her coat around her. "Everything's fucked up!" she wailed. "Everything!"

The street was thick with people out shopping. Christmas was coming and the stores were open late, but he knew that her crying would soon attract attention, which was the last thing he wanted. He thought about just walking away. he didn't owe her anything. The bitch had tried to roll him. But he was struck with her youth and her obvious beauty. He had an eye for beauty and he recognized that beneath her dirt and running nose, she had it.

He grabbed her arm and walked her into the throng of people.
"You ain't got no place to stay, do you? Ain't been eating too good either, have you? What'you been doing? Cruising the bus station at night? sleeping on the benches?"

"Fuck you." she said. "Asshole."

He smiled. She was just like he'd been. "Okay, whore. You're bad. You're fucking lethal, girl. Now you want a place to crash and something to eat? Or you want to stay on the street again?"

"I get paid for sex." she said.

"Bullshit. You ain't seen a cock in your life, girl. Don't mess with the messer, you know? Now I can take you some place warm and clean and get you something hot to eat, or I can leave you here without your badass knife and let the boys just eat you up."

"And I wouldn't touch your scrawny little body with my worst enemy's dick. Now what do you say?"

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Caz

"Hey, girlie, hey!"

The voice came from far off. Caz groaned as she opened her eyes, but failed to focus or make sense of her surroundings.

"Hey, come on, stand up. Can you stand up?"

“Of course she bloody well couldn’t stand up,” Caz thought as he dragged her upwards and propelled her body forwards until she was allowed to collapse on the bench. Her eyes closed automatically as she tried to still the spinning of her head, but still he was relentless.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, huh? You trying to get yourself killed, you dumb little cunt?"

His aggression, his words, just slammed against her ears. His anger was apparent.
She raised her hands and laid them protectively about her head, in an effort to shut out the pain, the abuse, the world. She doubled over almost foetal, trying to block it all out.

"… Hey, you okay … ?"

The words were tinged with concern, but were not kind.

She sank to the floor, shrinking away from him.
She just wanted to be left alone. She could barely remember how she had gotten there anymore. And now he was at her again, telling her to get up, threatening her.
She wanted to tell him to get lost, but again he manhandled her, pulling her upwards and turning her to face him as he examined her face up close.

"Here. Let me have a look."

She flinched as he pulled the hood back, feeling exposed, naked.
The tears poured unchecked as she shook before him.
If only she did not feel as ill, as disorientated, as scared.

"Come on, come on. Let's get out of here."

She had no strength to object.
He held her firmly, keeping her upright. Mechanically she moved one foot in front of the other, concentrating merely on that one action, unable to question where she was going and why. The journey seemed endless. Time meant nothing. Her head bowed, she watched as foot by foot she distanced herself from the place where she had attempted to ….

"Now what the hell was that about, huh. You could have got yourself killed.”

Her head snapped back as once more he turned on her. They were out in a street now, in the open air. She took a steadying breath and tried not to sway.

”You could have got me in some really deep shit. Jesus H Christ!"

The sobs wracked her body now. She knew she must be at least concussed, she had foolishly attempted to rob this guy and he had turned out to be the meanest bastard she had ever met. And still he kept on, questioning her …

"Everything's fucked up!"

The words were out of her mouth before she realised. She had not intended to voice what had been running round and round in her head since he threw her against that wall. She had fucked up big, not only in this, but in her entire life. It was all so hopeless.

"Everything!"

Her voice now a piteous whine as she tried to turn away from him and felt him grab her arm roughly and draw her through a crowd of people.

"You ain't got no place to stay, do you? Ain't been eating too good either, have you? What'you been doing? Cruising the bus station at night? sleeping on the benches?"

She’d had enough. She knew she was nothing, but she didn’t want this stuck up tosser to keep telling her that. Either he reported her to the cops or he let her go.
He had no right to keep treating her like this. Who the hell did he think he was.

"Fuck you!"

She spoke the words softly, but all the hatred she felt were clearly communicated to him.

"Asshole."

She followed up, wrenching her arm from his grip.

"Okay, whore. You're bad. You're fucking lethal, girl. Now you want a place to crash and something to eat? Or you want to stay on the street again?"

Whore? So that is what he thought of her did he?
She wasn’t much, but she had not yet had to resort to that.
Still the less he knew about her, the better. It would do no harm to go along with his assumptions.

"I get paid for sex."

Even the naïve way she made her statement showed him that she was no street hooker. She glared at him defiantly then blushed at his words.

"Bullshit. You ain't seen a cock in your life, girl.
Don't mess with the messer, you know?”

God she hated him. She almost wished she had stuck him with the knife now!
Smug bastard!

”Now I can take you some place warm and clean and get you something hot to eat, or I can leave you here without your badass knife and let the boys just eat you up."

He was offering to feed her?
Yeah, but what would he expect in return. She knew his sort. She eyed him in disgust. If he thought she would do “business” with him, he was sorely mistaken.
As if reading her thoughts, he continued.

"And I wouldn't touch your scrawny little body with my worst enemy's dick.
Now what do you say?"

His harsh words all but made her gasp. The man was a fiend!
How dare he treat her like that, insult her!
Her tears were now firmly checked as she glared at him.

She would rather die than go with him!
How dare he ….

But …

Her head throbbed and she still felt as if she could pass out at any minute.
She glanced about and in the gloom found with rising panic that she did not recognise the neighbourhood. Somehow she had strayed away from her “home” ground and did not know who or what to be wary of around here.

She glanced back at the stranger who was eyeing openly examining her, "like some exhibit," Caz thought as she dragged her eyes away once more.
He had totally degraded her, but he owed her something after half killing her, she thought, dismissing the small fact that she had tried to rob him at knife point first.

Caz set a mutinous expression on her face and shrugged, not wanting to meet his eye as she stated sulkily'

”Ok.. I guess… “

Her whole demeanour caculated to act as if it were she doing him the favour.

Even as she consented to go with him, Caz decided that she wasn’t going to beg for anything he offered and she certainly wasn’t going to let him see her relief or gratitude!
At least he wouldn’t “touch” her, she consoled herself.
He thought she was scum, but she was not going to rise to his taunts, she decided as she wrapped her arms about herself in a childish gesture of self protection and finally raised her eyes dubiously to his once more.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Lucian Graham

Maybe it was because she reminded him so much of himself as a kid, but he knew exactly what she was feeling: a mixture of pride, hatred and contempt, and beneath that a desperate fear and anguish that she would rather die than have to face. The world sucked, it was populated by smug assholes who were leading it down the toilet, and in a world where everyone was a criminal, everything was justified. He could hear his very words as he spit them out to one of the many shrinks they'd sent him to. He wondered if he'd looked so pitiful too the many times they'd come and pulled him off the streets and taken him home.

There was no doubt in his mind that she came from a good background, possibly not as good as his, but no one who had really grown up poor would have thought like that. That was something he'd discovered only when he'd finally truly cut the bonds to his family and been forced to scrounge a living on his own out here: hatred and self-pity never got you anything. You just couldn't afford them out here.

He had a sudden thought that there might be a reward out for her. There were lots of rewards put out by anxious parents trying to get their kids back. It was worth looking into.

He looked at her again and found she was looking at him, trying to read him. He knew that look, Scared, cold, hungry, and hurting, and not trusting anyone. he wondered if he still looked like that. He hoped not.

They turned a corner and he suddenly grabbed her and pulled her back. "Fuck!" he spat.

She looked at him in confusion as he gave a panicked look up and down the street.

"Listen," he said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his wallet. "There some people there I owe some money too. I don't want them to know I've got any, understand? Be a good girl and hold this for me." he handed her a stack of bills from his wallet. She saw one-hundreds on either side of the stack before he stuffed them into her coat. There must have been a couple thousand there.

"Just hold it and don't say a word!" he said to her. "You run and I'll find you and I swear to God I'll kill you dead!"

She started to open her mouth but he grabbed her arm again and hissed, "Just do it!" as he led her around the corner.

There were two men waiting outside a building on the sidewalk. Big men, one wearing a baseball cap, the other with a shaved hear and dark glasses. The men watched them approach with impassive expressions. "Lucian" one of them called out in friendly greeting as they approached.

Lucian smiled too. "Teddy." he said. "Look Teddy, I know why you're here, and I haven't got it yet. I need a couple more days; that's all."

Baseball cap smiled as if he'd heard it before. He held out his hand. "Let me see your wallet Lucian." he said.

Lucian handed his wallet over. "Really. This guy's bringing over the money tomorrow. He's got it, he just can't bring it now..."

As he said this the man took the wallet and opened it. There were still a couple of hundreds in it. He took these out and put them in his pocket.

She saw the fear in Lucian's eyes, the predatory gleam in the eyes of the guy with the hat. Lucian raised his hands defensively. "It's okay. Like I say. Two days, and I'll bring it over my..."

His words wer cut off when the bald guy hit him with astonishing speed and force. Caz could feel the impact in her own body as the big man's enormous fist sunk into Lucian's stomach, making him double over and fall to the ground. She stepped back, her eyes wide.

The bald guy stepped forward and kicked Lucian once in the stomach as he lay on the ground curled into a ball, then baseball hat dropped the empty wallet on Lucian's face.

"Next time I see you, this had better be full." he said. "That's all I got to say. You understand?"

Lucian made a strangled sound of assent as he lay ion the filthy ground, trying hard not to vomit. The two men turned and walked away, not even looking at Caz.

She still held the money in her pocket. She didn't owe this asshole anything. And here now she'd accomplished what she'd set out to do: rob him and get his money.

She stood, watching the two thungs walk casually down the street, then looked at Lucian lying curled up, fighting for breath.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Caz

He didn’t make her beg. He didn’t make a sarcasatic remark.
He looked at her appraisingly, her eyes studying her in a detached manner, but the cruelty had gone from his expression, yet still she dropped her eyes as she felt him scrutinise her.

"Fuck!"

The exclamation was torn from his lips causing Caz to look up at him and then down the street, following his gaze. His hand was on her arm again, his voice urgent.

"Listen. There some people there I owe some money too.
I don't want them to know I've got any, understand?
Be a good girl and hold this for me."

Caz stared open mouthed as he delved into his wallet and pulled out a thick wad of bills. She saw hundred notes amongst them as he pushed them desperately into her hands.
God! No wonder he had fought of his would-be mugger!
This was more money than she could dream of. More money than she wanted!

"Just hold it and don't say a word!"

He snapped and then seeing her incredulous gaze warned her menacingly.

"You run and I'll find you and I swear to God I'll kill you dead!"

She wanted to protest. What did he think she was?
But she was a thief, but this, all this cash was way out of her league and made her nervous!

"Just do it!"

He snarled, but Caz knew that it was fear adding to his anger and panic this time.
She watched as two men approached and stood silently by his side, not sure if she was supposed to take off and pretend not to be with him, or whether he would introduce her and implicate her in some way.
She stood her ground and nervously listened to the exchange.

"Lucian"

The greeting was friendly, but Caz read the hesitation in the response, despite the smile and conversational tone.

"Look Teddy, I know why you're here, and I haven't got it yet. I need a couple more days; that's all."

She obviously looked insignificant as she drew a hood round her and watched Teddy examine and take the remaining notes from “Lucien’s” wallet.

"Really. This guy's bringing over the money tomorrow.
He's got it, he just can't bring it now..."

Caz recognised the fear, the panic in the words.

"It's okay. Like I say. Two days, and I'll bring it over my..."

Caz managed to withhold the gasp and flinched as the fist forced its way into Lucian’s stomach. She drew back melting into the background as Lucien keeled over gasping for breath. Watching wide eyed she saw him being kicked in the stomach and the empty wallet dropped tauntingly upon his curled up body.

"Next time I see you, this had better be full.
That's all I got to say. You understand?"

Barely acknowledging their victim’s affirmative, they turned and walked away.

Caz stood transfixed.
Fuck! This guy was in much deeper shit than she!
He had bad connections and she didn’t need any more trouble.
He was in no state to follow her, much less kill her and she had his money.
She could get away, make a new life…
She held all the possibilities in her hand.
She took a step away, deciding the bastard had got what he deserved.

His gasping made her look back.
That was her mistake.
She paused, turned and looked down at him.
He was in pain. He had been hit with such force.
She wondered if they’d ruptured something.
Still he was doubled up.

Cursing herself and her stupidity she stepped slowly up to him and knelt down reluctantly.
Her hand touched his head and she turned him gently to see his face, which was screwed up with pain and effort.

”You stupid dumbass fucker … “

She murmured without hostility.

”If you had the cash, why didn’t you just pay up instead of letting them beat up on you …?”

He really was the most infuriating man she had ever met!
Forgetting her own spinning head, her own cares, Caz eased herself down beside him and moved to loosen his collar gently, trying to ease him out of his curled up position.

”Just breathe you stupid bastard… “

She whispered, as she realised that his stomach had gone into spasm.
Without thinking she moved her hands down his body and pulled his shirt free of his pants.
Gently she put her hand on the bare flesh of his abdomen, hoping she would not hurt him.
She began to stroke him gently, trying to ease away the tension caused by the trauma the fist had caused.

”Try and relax … relax the muscles … breathe deeply… come on … just take it easy .. “

She crooned, unaware of the concern that showed on her face.
She glanced down the road, hoping that the thugs wouldn’t come back and looked around seeing a mercifully deserted street. Still he gasped and laboured for breath.

”Please, Lucien… try dammit.. “

She entreated him, her hand still working mechanically over his skin.
She eased him upright as he slowly uncurled and began to get his breath.

”Good … yes.. that’s better…Lucien … you’ll be fine… “

She murmured and smiled into his eyes as his ragged breathing finally began to stabilise.
The money was in her pocket still and she knew she could still do a runner.
He was better, but he wouldn’t catch her if she went now.

But, for some reason she didn’t.

Suddenly aware of her hand still moving intimately over his bare skin she drew her fingers away as if the contact burned her.
Blushing rosily, she desperately needed a distraction, so, without thinking, she took the money out of his coat, all but throwing it at him.

”You’ll be needing this … it’s all there…”

Her voice was petulant.
She was angry with him for putting her in that dangerous position, but more angry with herself for giving up her chance of independence, freedom and the chance to be rid of this hateful man who had treated her so badly.

Why hadn’t she robbed him?
It was always what she had intended to do…
Bloody hell! She was crazy!
It must be that bang on the head, she concluded, putting her hand gingerly up to the wound, flinching as her fingers came away bloodied.

”You’re just one big mess, a total fuck up Cassie,” she told herself!

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Oh yeah. That hurt. That hurt a lot. And he should have seen it coming.

”Please, Lucien… try dammit... “

Finally his stomach uncramped, and he gasped to catch his breath. The first thing he was aware of then was that she was holding him, she was tracing her fingers over his knotted belly. Through the pain of the blow, this is what he felt, the trail of her fingers where she'd touched him.

He sat up, still doubled over in pain, and she threw the money at him.

”You’ll be needing this … it’s all there…”

He looked at the cash and then he looked at her. He knew she could have run. he was in no shape to catch her. She could have taken it all just left him there. He looked at her with new respect and curiosity.

He forced a smile. "We make quite a team, huh? Look out world."

He got himself to his feet and straightened up painfully. She was glowering at him, as much as she had a right to glower. He took a deep breath and felt his ribs, then stuffed the money into his pocket.

"Thanks." he said. "Thanks a lot. That was a ballsy thing to do. I owe you one."

He saw the wary curiosity in her eyes and knew she was angry. He beat the dirt from his coat. "Oh, don't worry. They wouldn't have fucked with you long as you didn't pull anything. These guys are pro's. It was nothing personal, you know? Just business."

She looked like she were about to take off, and suddenly he didn't want that. He didn't want that at all. "Hey, come on!" he said. "I promised you a meal. I live here. Come on up. No more goons, I promise."

She looked up at the building. It was a new high rise, and expensive. It did not seem like the kind of place where a guy who got beat up on the street would live. She was hungry. Famished. And she was cold.

"He put out his hand and smiled. "I'm Lucian." he said. "Lucian Graham."

"Caz." she said, looking warily at his hand. Finally she took it, but she didn't smile.

"Just Caz?" he said. "Okay. Good enough. Come on."

They rode up in the elevator, and she didn't like the way he suddenly slumped against the wall. But by the time they'd reached the seventh floor he was standing up again. He led her down a clean, carpeted hallway and opened the door of his flat.

Very expensive was her first thought. The rooms were few, but they were large, and the view of the city was impressive. Not much furniture though. A sofa-bed, some odd chairs, a kitchen table and some lamps.

Caz got the picture immediately. This guy was an over-reacher, a guy on the make. Someone who aspired to live The Life but hadn't yet got it together. If he'd lived in a cheaper place, he probably could have afforded some decent furniture, but he wanted the status address. She knew the type.

He threw his coat on a chair and walked into the kitchen, still rubbing his stomach. He opened the fridg and swore. "Well, there's some cheese and some bread. Tell you what though. I can call down to the Chinese place. They're pretty fast. What do you say?"

"You live here alone?" she asked him.

"Yeah." he said with a hint of pride. "It's a pretty nice place."

Automatically Caz looked around for things she could take. There wasn't much. A telly that had seen better days, a cheap stereo that wouldn't bring her much on the street.

She walked through the flat. One bedroom, the bed on the floor, unmade. Clothes strewn about. Expensive clothes, but just thrown around. Classic bachelor.

"Sure. Chinese is fine." she said. She suddenly wasn't hungry.

"You want to clean up?" he asked. He went to the linen closet and pulled out some towels, still in wrappers from the store. "There's soap and shampoo in the bathroom. You should wash the blood out of your hair so we can have a look at your head. There's a washer and a dryer down the hallway if you want to wash your clothes."

She looked at him. "Well that would leave me naked now, wouldn't it?"

He came close to blushing but shrugged. "Here, you can wear some of my stuff." He opened a dresser drawer and pulled out some shirts. They were still in their wrappers as well. She looked at him suspiciously

"Look." he said, gesturing with the shirts, "I guess we didn't meet under the best of circumstances. I'm sorry I hit you. I'm sorry I had to make you hold the money. But really, you know, I might be able to help you out. And you might be able to help me too. I mean, I could have left you in the subway, and you could have left me on the street. That says something, doesn't it?"

He shrugged. "You won't believe me, but I used to be a lot like you. So, well, maybe we could just drop the war clubs, you know? I'm not trying to hustle you, Caz. But we might try to be friends. What do you think?"

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Caz

"We make quite a team, huh? Look out world."

She looked at him incredulously. Yeah right.
This was just the kind of break she needed … not!
In other circumstances she might have laughed, but if she’d allowed her emotions free reign, she knew she would soon be crying and she couldn’t have that again!

He stood, he pocketed the money and thanked her.

"Thanks a lot. That was a ballsy thing to do. I owe you one."

Her mouth flickered in a ghost of a smile, but she pulled it straight again.
Ballsy was right, those guys could have killed her!

"Oh, don't worry. They wouldn't have fucked with you long as you didn't pull anything. These guys are pro's. It was nothing personal, you know? Just business."

She sighed in exasperation. If he had known them to be pros, then why the hell hadn’t he simply paid up? She had had enough of him. He was fine, she would live, she supposed so that was that. She turned to leave … Now to find where the fuck she was …

"Hey, come on!"

She drew round to face him once more.

”I promised you a meal. I live here.”

Caz looked up at the new building. Fancy, expensive. It was bound to be trouble.

”Come on up. No more goons, I promise."

It was tempting, but was it worth the aggro?

"I'm Lucian. Lucian Graham."

Suddenly he was acting all civilised, holding his hand out to her.

"Caz."

Her response was guarded. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust him, it was just that she…. she didn’t trust him, she concluded.

She took his hand, her gaze assessing him.

"Just Caz?"

She nodded in answer and drew her hand quickly out of his, noting that he didn’t make a fuss about the name she gave. Just as well she thought. What did he care who she really was anyhow?

Caz dragged reluctantly along behind Lucien as if poised for flight at any time. It was an offer of food, of a chance to clean up. It wasn't as if she gave a damn about him and certainly he was just replaying a favour. Even when she saw Lucien double up in the elevator, Caz told herself that whatever happened between him and those thugs was not her concern.

The building was clean, well maintained, a prestigious address Caz surmised. Walking along the corridor and then into his place did nothing to dispel that assumption. She wandered through the flat as Lucien showed her round, obviously proud of the place, but it was no home. Sparse furnishings, clothes all over the floor, little real food in the fridge; it was more not as much a bachelor pad, as an address.

The question entered her mind for the first time.

"You live here alone?"

There was more than enough space for two, but the place definitely lacked a feminine touch.

"Yeah. It's a pretty nice place."

Caz shrugged. It was a roof. It was much better than she was doing, but she wasn’t as impressed as he no doubt expected her to be. She looked round assessingly. A thief would be hard pushed to find anything worth selling on round here.

She heard his offer of Chinese and accepted it.

"Sure. Chinese is fine."

She hated Chinese, but couldn’t care less about the food any more.
she said. She suddenly wasn't hungry.

”Bread and cheese would be better though,”

She added as he walked behind her as she stood in the hall looking into his unkempt bedroom.

"You want to clean up?"

For a moment she thought he was offering her domestic duties, but then she saw him hold ou the towels, towels that were still wrapped in their original packaging!
He was not a person who entertained often that was for sure!

"There's soap and shampoo in the bathroom.
You should wash the blood out of your hair so we can have a look at your head. There's a washer and a dryer down the hallway if you want to wash your clothes."

She looked at him pointedly. It could have been just a series of kind offers, but he was a player, it was obvious, you just had to look at his place and the company he kept to tell that he was a tryer, out for what he could get.

"Well that would leave me naked now, wouldn't it?"

She stated pointedly… as if you hadn’t realised, she thought to herself.
His shrug barely concealed his embarrassment, she watched as he crossed before her into his bedroom and pulled some shirts out of his drawers.

"Here, you can wear some of my stuff."

She took the still wrapped items and looked at him, uncertainly.
What was he playing at. This had to be some game, some scam.
She couldn’t make him out at all!

"Look I guess we didn't meet under the best of circumstances.
I'm sorry I hit you. I'm sorry I had to make you hold the money.
But really, you know, I might be able to help you out.
And you might be able to help me too. “

She raised an eyebrow. Oh yes! She could just imagine what kind of help he might need. Ignoring her look, he ploughed on.

”I mean, I could have left you in the subway, and you could have left me on the street. That says something, doesn't it?"

She looked at the shirts, and at his room and muttered grudgingly;

”I guess… “

She wasn’t sure where all this was leading, but she’d had one hell of an evening and was too tired to get into a battle of wits now.

"You won't believe me, but I used to be a lot like you.
So, well, maybe we could just drop the war clubs, you know?
I'm not trying to hustle you, Caz. But we might try to be friends.
What do you think?"

Caz looked at him consideringly. Friends? Why the hell did he want to be friends?
She wasn’t ready for the heart-to-hearts. She was a pro at not letting anyone close!

”You don’t know me. You can’t know if you used to be like me.”

She said dismissively.

”You have no idea … “

Her voice was wistful. Fuck! She hadn’t meant to say that.

”You’ve been … very fair to me Lucien, especially considering I pulled a knife on you and like you say, we’re just about quits now … so… I’d like to clean up, checkout my head, and then I’ll be outta your way.”

Caz had decided that she’d ask him for a bit of bread and cheese and she knew that he could point her in the direction of her home turf.
She didn’t expect anything more than that.

She handed back his shirts and took up the towel holding it almost protectively in front of her.

”So… you don’t mind if I use the shower then…?”

She asked tentatively.
She waited for his response looking up at him wide-eyed, and strangely fearful.

Somehow his quiet insistence that he could help her, his offer of friendship freaked her more than his hostile abuse had.
She told herself she didn’t need kindness.
Kindness made you weak made you vulnerable.
Caz was too strong to be fooled by that!
She had to get on her way before she was taken in by him.

If he’d turned round and tried to get in her pants, if he’d hit her, if he’d become angry, she could have coped with that … but this …

She clung to the towel before her, as she watched him looking at her curiously.

”Lucien..?”

The words came out in a husky appeal.

She had intended to prompt him to answer her and was unprepared for the emotion betrayed in her voice.
Unconsciously she bit her lip and glanced at him from under her lashes knowing she had to put distance between herself and this ... disturbing ... stranger... and quick...


.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

So she wanted to be a hard case. Okay. He should have known anyhow: Caz versus the Universe. What was wrong with him anyhow?

He suddenly felt sick and disgusted with himself. He was getting soft. Ever since Marliyn had left he was getting soft and needy, mooning around the bars when he should have been drumming up business. He found himself talking to strangers, inserting himself into conversations, stupid things like that. Like bringing Caz home. What had he been talking about with that "can't we be friends" bullshit. Was that him?

He knew what it was. He was lonely, and the thought of being that way made him hate himself for his own weakness. He'd never been lonely before that he could recall. Back when he had a lot of friends he'd ignored them all, but he'd always known that they were there. Now that he'd been on his own for a while, now that his family's kicked him out, he knew the other side of things, and the depth of his loneliness sometimes frightened him.

The thing with Marilynn had been business, or so he'd thought. So why then when she left did he suddenly get so miserable? Why had he grown so tired of everything?

But now he was sick. His stomach hurt, and yet he could still feel where she had touched him. Well fuck her. Hard case. LKet her be a hard case.

"Forget it." he said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a fifty and gave it to her. She didn't take it, and without thinking he stuffed it into her pants pocket, the feel of her hip suddenly reminding him that she was a girl. "Here," he said, ignoring the sudden surge of heat the felt from touching her, "this is for your help."

He gave her a moment. If she was going to say something, she'd better say it now. But she didn't.

"Help yourself to the food." he said.

He walked into the bedroom and came out pushing a big cardboard box with his food. The effort must have hurt his stomach because he winced and held himself. He bent over and savagely ripped the box open.

"Here. Here's some girls' clothes. I think she was bigger than you but you're welcome to whatever you want. She won't be coming back for them. She doesn't want them anymore."

He sat down on the box for a moment and loosened his tie. He grimaced again.

She saw him suddenly not as the man who had almost got her killed twice, but as no more than a boy. He was still hurting, and without that smug, badass look on his face, he was almost beautiful.

"I'd say that makes us about even." he said. "I've got to lie down now." With more than a touch of hurt and anger he said, "You do what you want."

He walked into the bedroom and she saw the light click off, heard him sigh deeply as he lie down. SHe stood in the hallway still holding the towel, still feeling where he had stuffed the bill into her pocket.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Caz

"Forget it."

Caz looked at him puzzled. Just as quickly as he had opened up, he shut down on her.
Well fine! Good! She told herself. Which proves the point – no one could be trusted. Some friend he’d make!

She watched as he tried to giver her a fifty bill.
She pulled away and felt him stuff the note into her pocket.
She flinched as he touched her, aware suddenly of the intimacy of his touch as he deposited the unwanted bill.

"Here, this is for your help."

She watched as he told her to help herself to food and watched as he pulled a cardboard box full of clothes in front of her, offering her the girls clothes contained inside.

”She won't be coming back for them. She doesn't want them anymore."

What the hell had happened in his life to make him such a bastard she wondered?
As she watched him sit down in exhaustion and obvious pain, she felt a twinge of sympathy for him, but quelled it immediately.

"I'd say that makes us about even. I've got to lie down now. You do what you want."

She watched him walk into the bedroom and the light click off.
She stood looking around, wondering momentarily what to do.
Part of her wanted to cry, part of her wanted to run away and just go, but mostly she wanted to have it out with him. She was angry as hell.
How dare he treat her like this?

Without thinking through her actions Caz marched to the bedroom and opened the door flicking the light on.

”So sorry to disturb you, please don’t get up … “

She purred sweetly, her eyes blazing dangerously.

”..oh no… of course you weren’t going to were you, coz no one ever visits and no one gives a damn… or what else is it you quote as the reason for you being such a lousy shite?”

She asked in conversational tones.

She saw anger on his features, but carried on regardless.

”Look, Lucien, just save it. I’ll be gone in about five minutes so don’t bother your ass to try to turf me out, cos I certainly don’t stay where I’m not wanted. It was you who insisted I come up here in the first place, remember?”

She glared at him, but did not allow him to answer.

”Firstly, this … “

She wriggled her hand into her pocket and brought out the note he had foisted on her.

”Payment for services rendered … I think was the intimated phrase ... well fuck you Mister … I wouldn’t touch a cent of your money now and I certainly wouldn’t try to steal it as I now know why it means so much to you … well it must… as you clearly prefer to get beaten up than make a payment of monies you owe … oh and I should see a doctor by the way, cos you look like shit … “

Next she threw the towel at him.

”Secondly, the “invitation” here was supposed to be to check out my head, you remember the skull you nearly split? Well don’t worry; if I die of haemorrhaging, I won’t even bother to come haunt you. I wouldn’t get through all the plastic packaging anyhow.
Who ever heard of a poltergeist who had to unwrap everything first?”

Fuck, now she knew she was rambling ...
Now her anger was abating, she knew she had to get out of there quick.

”Thirdly, just for the record. I think you’re a bastard!
Some bloody friend you’d make someone.
You’re too wrapped up in yourself to give a fuck for anyone else.

She was running out of steam.
She was not going to let him see how hurt she was.
Don’t let him see you cry.
He wouldn’t care, but just don’t give him the satisfaction!

Desperately she continued.

I didn’t ask to come up here…
I didn’t ask to be treated like trash ..
All I wanted to do was afford a meal tonight..
They say crime doesn’t pay … well ain’t that the truth?
You’re a real crime deterrent, you know that Mister …

Shaking her head, she turned on her heel, pausing only to shout back at him.

”Oh … and you can check your fridge, your clothes, your wallets, your flat … I haven’t taken a thing…even Trash has standards .. ”

Caz pulled open the bedroom door, flicked off the switch in Lucien’s room and shut the door behind her as she made her way through his flat. The tears started then.
She pulled her coat about her and fumbled with the front door, finally opening it and letting it bang shut behind her. She moved down the corridor towards the lift and hit the button impatiently.

Why had she let him make her feel so lousy about herself?
Why had he gotten to her so much?
She bent her head and cried softly feeling uncomfortable in the fashionable building.
She wished she knew where the stairs were.
She looked so out of place round here…
Desperately she tried to quell the rising panic and ignore her thumping head …
Again she hit the button savagely.

”Fuck it … “

She sobbed..

 

[dr_mabeuse]

Lucien sat in bed, his mouth hanging open. Just who was it who'd hit their head on the concrete? Him or her? Was she psychotic? What was with this girl?

He offered to be friends with her and she shut him down with her hard-ass act. He tries to be nice, let her take what she wants, have the run of his place and she throws it in his face. He gives her the money she had just tried to take from him at knife point, and she acts like he's trying to give her a case of the clap.

Then she comes in here yelling about poltergeists wrapped in plastic or some nonsense and how he's 'wrapped up in himself' and about paying money you owe. Christ, doesn't she even recognize loan sharks when she sees them? Doesn't she know anything?

He hears the door slam.

So that's that.

A kid like that, he knows what will happen to her. In two years she'll be toothless, blowing winos for small change in filthy alleys, probably knocked up, infected with AIDS, two-thirds dead. Or else some joy boys will just gang rape her, shove a bottle into her and leave her for dead. Or she'll run into someone 'nice' who'll introduce her to the wonders of heroin and have her out walking the streets in whore's clothes, fucking in the backs of cars for five bucks a pop. She'd bring in some good money. For a month or two. Before the psychos got at her and beat her bloody and she lost her looks the hard way.

Shit.

He got up. He was dressed only in his pants and shirt, and that was unbuttoned and hanging on him. No shoes, no socks. Hed ran to the door and pulled it open. He saw her waiting by the elevator.

"Hey Caz," he said. "Caz? Hey."

She turned, saw him, and turned away angrily.

"Hey look. What did I say? I didn't mean anything. Really. It's some misunderstanding, you know? I didn't mean to insult you. I just thought you needed the money and could use the clothes. Come on, Caz. You don't want to go back out there. Just crash here tonight. Just talk to me. I'm not a bad guy, but I'm not a mindreader."

She was still angry. He had no idea why, but he was williong to meet her more than halfway. It was suddenly very important to him that she didn't go. Not then. Not like that.

"Friends, you know? You want to be friends? You've got to tell me, Caz. I'm no good at guessing what you're thinking."

This wasn't going well. It was as if they were talking past each other, an exercise in frustration.

"Hey, Caz. Come on. Come on." It wa slike talking to a skittish animal. Without thinking he went to her. He meant to take her by the shoulders, but something happened, and he found himself putting his arms around her. She didn't resist. He could smell the cold, the smell of the subway on her clothes, ashes and despair.

"Caz," he said. "Caz, Caz."

As he held her he felt her start to cry again, shaking against him. She felt so small, so frail, but he felt her breasts pressing into him, he felt her hands slide under his shirt and press against his his naked back.

"Shhh." he said to her, stroking her hair. "It's okay, baby. Come on. We're both shot. Let's get you cleaned off and fed, huh. Then we can try this again, huh?"

He couldn't make out what she said, but she let him lead her back to the flat, his arm around her shoulders.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Caz

"Hey Caz … Caz? Hey."

Oh fuck! Now what did he want?
Obviously he wanted the last word.
She turned away not wanting him to see her crying.

”Leave me alone … “

Her voice came out in a chocked plea, rather than the intended hostile snarl.

"Hey look. What did I say? I didn't mean anything. Really. It's some misunderstanding, you know? I didn't mean to insult you. I just thought you needed the money and could use the clothes. “

The fact that he was being so reasonable made it worse. She hammered on the lift button, wishing she could just get away. She should have been grateful. It was his talk of friendship that had pushed her over the edge. She was so bloody stupid!

”Come on, Caz. You don't want to go back out there. Just crash here tonight.
Just talk to me. I'm not a bad guy, but I'm not a mindreader."

She sneaked a peak at him then, the tears pouring down her pale cheeks.

"Friends, you know? You want to be friends? You've got to tell me, Caz. I'm no good at guessing what you're thinking."

She turned away and pressed her face against the wall, childishly hiding from him, as if the fact that she could no longer see him meant that she was invisible to Lucien’s eyes.

” … don’t need friends … “

She muttered, her voice barely audible.

"Hey, Caz. Come on. Come on."

He touched her, turned her, wound his arms around her.
She wanted to snap that she thought she was too “scrawny” to touch … too dirty for him and his posh flat, but he pulled her closer, repeating her name over and over.

"Caz, Caz, Caz."

The fight was gone from her. She felt sick, exhausted, drained.
The silent sobs wracked her body as he pressed her to him.
Her hand touched his flesh, his back as she reached out to him to steady herself.
His flesh was warm, as warm as his abdomen had been when she’d soothed him. Any minute she knew he would slap her away, repulsed by her, but allowed herself the indulgence of those precious moments of giving way to her despair.

"Shhh."

His voice was soft, his hand moving over her hair reassuringly.
She raised her face to his in surprise, her look questioning.

"It's okay, baby. Come on. We're both shot. Let's get you cleaned off and fed, huh. Then we can try this again, huh?"

The unexpected kindness of his words got to her.
She pressed her face against his chest and sobbed her heart out.
He had been right. She was trash. He didn’t need the aggro.
Despite the objections she muttered against his chest, telling him he didn’t have to do this, Lucien still guided her back to the open doorway of his flat, his arms firmly about her shoulders.

He closed and bolted the door behind them as she stood her arms wrapped about herself, silent, ashamed ...
Only the shuddering of her body showed that she was still weeping.
She knew she should leave him in peace.
She knew that she he didn’t owe her anything, that he should have called the cops or simply left her for dead in that subway. In some ways she wished that he had.

Luck had been running with her so far.

Usually she could get a pretty accurate sense of people.
She could tell who was an easy touch and could be persuaded to part with their cash after hearing a sob story – Caz’ speciality or who was just so rich it was easy pickings to lift the odd note from a wallet… Lucien had unfortunately not proved to belong to either category!

Maybe she’d begun to think that she was “invincible” … the evening’s events had shocked and scared her.
His harsh words had made her take a long hard look at herself.

Slowly it was sinking in that it would only take one bad decision to see her flat on her back or laid out on a slab...

 

[dr_mabeuse]

"I'm sorry, Caz." he said to her sincerely. "I don't know what I said to set you off, but I'm sorry. When I told you to 'forget it" before? I just meant firget about whatI said about being friends if you didn't want to be, because you seemed like you weren't interested and I didn't want to pressure you. I didn't mean to forget it about staying here. You know?"

He looked in her eyes to see if he were getting through, looking for some hint of what had set her off. "All that other stuff, that stuff about your being scrawny, about not touching you with...well, you know. That's just street talk, baby. You know that, don't you? I mean, you've been out there. You know it's not all "good day" and "how do you do". Especially when someone's just tried to stick you up. Right?"

He smiled tentatively to see if he could get just a hint of a smile from her. He realized he had yet to see a smile from her. He'd seen nothing but anger, terror, and tears. He guided her to the kitchen and sat her down in a chair. He was afraid to stop talking but afraid he might say something new to set her off.

"Come on, Caz. Sit down. I'll make you some tea. Or coffee. You want some whisky in it? Warm you up?"

He got the cheese from the fridge and put it on a plate. He put the bread on the table with a plate for her, then took a sharp knife from the drawer. He looked at the knife for a second. Yeah, that could be lethal if she knew how to use it. But he was pretty sure that she didn't. Besides, he figured, in for a dime, in for a dollar. He wasn't going to start hiding sharp objects from her now. If she went for his throat with it, well, it would serve him right. He was tired of playing the hard-case himself. He dearly wanted someone he could talk to, someone he could trust.

She just sat there staring. She dried her tears off on the back of her sleeve and he cut a slice off the cheese and put it on her plate. She nibbled at it. Her hands were filthy but he didn't say anything.

He poured himself a good splash of whisky and sat down opposite her.

"Those men outside? The ones about the money. Don't worry about them. Yeah, I've got their money. But I need to use it for a couple more days while I double it. Then they'll get theirs, and I'll get mine, see? And what they did to me? That's nothing. That's how they shake hands. It was my fault for not seeing it coming is all. But they're okay. It's just business. It goes on all the time."

She was eating very daintily for someone so hungry. He wondered how long she'd really been out on the streets. He'd never seen anyone so damned skittish, someone determined to be so independent. He knew what it was like out there, and he knew how quickly your notions of being a romantic loner ran up against the very real needs being hungry and finding a warm place to sleep. In his own scrounging days, if someone had offered him a set-up like this, like what he was offering her, you wouldn't have been able to pry him out of there with a crowbar. He could clearly remember being beaten with a board just because a bigger guy wanted the cardboard box he'd found to sleep in

He shuddered at the thought of Caz in the same situation. Of anyone in that situation.

"C'mon Caz. Take off your coat at least."

She slowly pulled down the zipper and shrugged out of the coat. She was wearing layers of shirts beneath, but even so he could see her shape. It was a very nice shape, though she still tried to hide herself by slumping over as she ate.

He had time now to study her face. It was a very nice face as well. Her tears had left trails down the grime on her face, but still he could see that she was a remarkably attractive girl. Even beautiful.

"Here. Let me look at your head, okay?" he asked her.

He stood up and went beside her chair. He combed some of the blood-caked hair away and peered at her scalp. There was nothing really to see. He probed around, and she winced. "Sore, huh?"

She let him examine her, putting her head back and closing her eyes, and he had the feeling that she just enjoyed being touched, so he made a show of examining her from all angles, sweeping her hair out of the way and combing it back with his fingers. Despite her grime, she still exuded a faint hint of perfume, of something feminine and expensive.

"I don't see anything." he said at last. "But you've really got to get that blood out. You go shower and we'll have another look. You want me to put your clothes in the wash while you're in the shower?" he asked.

She nodded.

"Okay. I'll get you a shirt."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Caz

"I'm sorry, Caz."

She looked up at him. It was she who owed him the apology, but still he continued.

"I don't know what I said to set you off, but I'm sorry. ...
I didn't mean to forget it about staying here. You know?"

Caz watched him, her incredulity checking her tears temporarily.

"All that other stuff, that stuff about your being scrawny, about not touching you with...well, you know. That's just street talk, baby.”

Her eyes widened at the endearment, not knowing what to make of his soft coaxing voice.

”You know that, don't you? I mean, you've been out there. You know it's not all "good day" and "how do you do".

She nodded in agreement.

”Especially when someone's just tried to stick you up. Right?"

Caz smiled faintly, remembering the reason for their being in this situation, then her face shuttered over with guilt and she lowered her eyes, drawing away from his gaze.

"Come on, Caz. Sit down. I'll make you some tea. Or coffee.
You want some whisky in it? Warm you up?"

Like a child she let him guide her and seat her in the kitchen.

”Just coffee please… “

She requested in a small shaky voice.

He nodded and set the water to boil. She wiped the tears from her cheeks as best she could and watched as he took out the cheese and bread and cut a slice of cheese for her, laying it on a plate before pushing it in her direction. She picked the food up and nibbled at it. It was strong, flavoursome, very good, yet she found the food stuck in her throat. Much as she wanted, needed the food, she had to force herself to eat it a bit at a time.

She saw him watching her and felt self-conscious. She was a mess and looked out of place in this flat, this kitchen. She watched him sip the whiskey her big eyes following his movements questioningly. Her eyes still looked wary as if she expected to be slapped at any second.

"Those men outside? The ones about the money. Don't worry about them.
Yeah, I've got their money. But I need to use it for a couple more days while I double it. Then they'll get theirs, and I'll get mine, see? And what they did to me? That's nothing. That's how they shake hands. It was my fault for not seeing it coming is all. But they're okay. It's just business. It goes on all the time."

She shuddered remembered how he’d keeled over and wondered if he was really alright now.

”It’s one hell of a way to do business Lucien,”

She commented warily.

”I thought they’d really hurt you there .. “

She did not want to tell him that not only had it scared her, but that she had not wanted to see him hurt. And this from someone who carried a knife. She’d probably faint before she could stick someone with it. Perhaps it was as well she had left it in the subway. If she pulled that trick again, most likely it would be here who ended up stabbed or worse.

"C'mon Caz. Take off your coat at least."

She eyed him warily, as if he were pulling some scam, but realised that he was merely being sensible and nodded reluctantly. Unzipping the garment she slipped it off her shoulders. It was too big for her and had two heavy pockets inside in which she concealed a couple of personal items she had brought from home; a handful of photographs, a horseshoe charm and sewn into the lining a little silver cross that she would die rather than give away or sell. She comforted herself that Lucien would know nothing about these things. She unconsciously stroked the pocket and let her coat rest upon the chair beside her. Winding the protective layers of the shirts round her she hunched over defensively as she continued to eat her cheese.

They sat in silence as she ate and he made her coffee. She wound her hands gratefully round the mug and drank the steaming liquid rapidly. Enjoying the aroma as much as the taste, a faint smile of appreciation on her lips as she thanked him shyly for her “meal”.

He waited until she had finished, before offering to look at her head.
She did not move as he came to stand beside her chair and began to examine her hair.
She bit her lip as his fingers nudged the injury. She said nothing, but he noticed.

"Sore, huh?"

She nodded, but offered no further comment when he insisted in continuing to check for further wounds. At first she braced herself for further pain, but soon found the light touch of his fingers comforting, soothing. She put her head back and let her eyes flutter shut as he checked her out. She gave a soft sigh as he stroked and parted her hair and was content to give herself up to his thorough ministrations.

It was almost reluctantly that she opened his eyes on hearing his assessment.

"I don't see anything. But you've really got to get that blood out.

Caz nodded.

”You go shower and we'll have another look.
You want me to put your clothes in the wash while you're in the shower?"

She knew it would be foolish to refuse and nodded once more.

"Okay. I'll get you a shirt."

Caz watched him move down the hall and glanced round the kitchen then back to the living room. She slid from the chair and once again checked that the items were still secure in her inside pocket.

Hearing his approach she turned almost guiltily.

”There you go … through there… just drop your clothes outside the door … I’ve set out towels and.. stuff you might need.. help yourself Caz.”

She looked up at him and smiled. Very simply she said.

"Thank you, Lucien.”

Before moving away from him eager to get her shower.

In the doorway she paused and turned back, her eyes on his once more …

” .. and.. Lucien… I… I’m sorry . .. about… everything… “

She finished lamely, her cheeks burning as she turned and fled down the hall towards the bathroom.


Ok … well.. she hadn’t done it properly or at all well, but she had tried to apologise. He would think she was totally stupid now, but he must anyway, so what was the difference, Caz berated herself.

Her eyes widened as she moved into the bathroom. She saw new towels, already out of their plastic laid across the sink and an array of gels and soaps crammed onto the shelves. She examined them curiously. Lucien had said that she could help herself so she really would have a good wash.

Only in the bright unforgiving light of the bathroom did she realise just how grimy she was. She had slowly gotten used to being on the street, but it was the dirt rather than the cold or the hunger that had been the hardest to adapt to. If she had been offered a choice between a fine meal and a hot shower, Caz would rather have starved and died clean!

She peeled her layers of clothes away from her body, grimacing as she reached the layers closer to her skin. She dropped the shirts outside the door for laundering, but wrapped the other garments up and rammed them into the bin in the corner of the room. They were not worth washing and would fall apart anyhow. She looked at her naked reflection in the mirror. Her face was dirty, tear streaked, her hair a riot and matted, bloodied. He was right. She was surprised he had even come near her! But this was no time to waste on self pity. The gift of a shower was the most precious thing he could give her!

Turning the water on full, Caz grabbed an array of bottles and stepped into the shower. The hot water was blissful. She stood eyes closed, head back and felt it cleanse her. How long had it been since she had done this?… and to have the leisure to do it in. She knew Lucien wouldn’t be hurrying her up. She knew he wouldn’t be at the door like some pervert. She could really enjoy this!

Finally Caz worked the shower gel over her body. It was one of his. She hoped it wasn’t one that was too expensive, though he had noticed that Lucien tended to go for labels! She lathered her body, enjoying the masculine, musky scent that now clung to her smooth skin. She had found a pack of disposable razors, in his bathroom cabinet, although he used a designer electric shaver as well, and had taken one to use on her soaped up her body in order to return it to the smooth feminine state she preferred. Even as she ran her fingers appreciatively over her own body, finishing by brushing the smoothness of the mound between her legs, enjoying the sensation of stroking herself softly, she told herself that her reasons for this were those of hygiene, rather than vanity.

”Caz!! You OK??”

Caz pulled her fingers guiltily from between her legs and shouted breathlessly.

”Yess… sorry.. I’ve been to long … I’ll … “

She heard Lucien assure her that she could take as long as she wished.

”It’s ok… are.. these all your clothes..?”

She blushed and called back.

”Yeah … I binned some … that’s all that need laundering..”

Telling her he’d make more coffee when she’d finished, she heard him walk away and leave her in privacy.

Caz worked carefully, lathering up her hair and washing the dried blood and the grime out around the wound. She found it awkward to wash closer and was sure that the wound was open and bleeding again, although not as profusely as it had before.
She picked as natural a shampoo as she could, so the wound did not sting.
Again she worked the hair immediately surrounding the gash into a lather and realised that she had quite a bump forming beneath her thick blonde locks.
Tentatively she rinsed the suds away decided to pass totally on administering conditioner. She would need to get Lucien to check the wound and make sure her hair was totally free of shampoo.

Stepping out of the shower, she wrapped herself in a towel and took toothpaste and cleaned her teeth using her finger, sluicing heavily afterwards with mouthwash.
Quickly she dried herself and managed to towel her hair dry until most of it was merely damp.
She looked at her reflection in the mirror and smiled.
For once the bob hung just below her jawline, shone and caught the light.
Her complexion was pink and shiny. She looked new scrubbed.
She smelled fresh and faintly of men’s scent.

Turning her attention to dressing, Caz noticed that Lucien had thoughtfully added a new pair of boxers to go along with his shirt. They had been deliberately left in wrappers she assumed and were obviously pristine. Caz slipped her legs into them and noticed that though they hung loosely at her narrow waist, they caught on her slim hips. Not an ideal fit, but she could always ask for a safety pin she concluded.

Next she pulled on Lucien’s shirt and smoothed it over her body, looking to see how far down it reached on her. The material hung at mid thigh length, the combination was decent, she thought to herself, not noticing how the material clung to the slightly damp curves of her body.

In the borrowed outfit she presented an innocent image, a combination of waif and woman.
Her assets were apparent, yet somehow she looked much younger than her 19 years.
What made her appearance still more striking was the fact that she had no idea what kind of effect her new appearance might have on her host and was merely but eager to show Lucien that she “scrubbed up ok”.

Leaving the bathroom as ordered as she could, Caz padded down the hall way a small towel in her hand to finish the drying of her hair.

”Lucien….? … Lucien… !”

She turned into the kitchen seeing him busying himself cutting bread and cheese and keeping the water boiling.

”God … that shower was good… I so needed that …
Could you help me with my head, I’m sure it’s still bleeding a bit …
and there’s a lump the size of an egg…
would you take a look for me please… ?“

She halted seeing that he was staring.
She grinned, realising that she had said more in the past sentence than since she’d entered his flat.

She blushed and quipped.

”Being clean must make me chatty… sorry … “

But was unable to resist dimpling him a smile.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

He already knew that she was pretty, even covered with grime. What he hadn't been ready for was how absolutely radiant she was now, and she caught him in mid-slice, knife in hand. He tried not to stare, but it was impossible to hide his pleasure and surprise.

It was not just her looks, but her happiness at being clean and feeling like a human being again; not just a human being, but a girl. She lit up the room.

"Wow." he said. "You look nice. You look very nice."

She muttered something self-deprecatory and looked down as she dried her hair.

Now he realized why he had gone back after her. He relied on his instincts a lot, and it must have been his instincts that had sent him back

"Here." he said. Automatically he pulled her chair out for her, and as if they were on a date she sat and whispered, "Thank you."

"Now let's see." He combed through her hair but the bleeding had stopped. Still he bent low, combing through her hair. Finally he found it. It was a small cut. It certainly didn't need stitches.

"I don't like the looks of that." he lied. "You feel okay? No dizziness or anything? You remember the date? These head injuries can be tricky. One minute you feel fine, and the next minute, poof! Cerebral hemorrhage. I think we'd better get you in bed. Get your feet up."

"But I feel fine." she said. "It's just a little sore."

"Sure," he said. "That's what makes head injuries so dangerous."

Using his best con-man's patter, he helped her from the chair and into his bedroom. She tried to protest, but actually it felt nice to be fussed over. It was something she hadn't felt in a long time. . He quickly straightened up his bed, pulled the sheets tight and fluffed the pillows.

"Now you can sleep here. It's more private, and you're going to need some quiet. I can sleep on the bed in the livingroom. No, no, that's the way it's going to be. Don't even try to argue. You need your strength. Now I'll bring in the telly for you and I'll get your cheese and coffee."

Before she could object he was gone, and he came back in with her simple plate of cheese and bread and a cup of coffee. He dimmed the lights "so they won't hurt your eyes" and he pulled in a chair to be next to her.

She sat on his bed with her legs crossed, still nibbling the cheese. He felt as though he were having a sleepover, a party of some kind, and the sight of her here, the feel she gave to his flat made him surprisingly happy, almost foolishly so. She was just stunning, and he could not guess what had driven a beauty like her to try her luck on the streets.

Before he knew it, he was telling her about himself. She asked him who the girl had been.

"A girl I lived with for a while. She left. Went on to bigger and better things."

"What kind of things?" she asked.

"Money. Men. Things like that."

She looked at him curiously. "What do you do?"

"Me? Oh, I deal in antiques. Buying, selling." he shrugged, then looked uncomfortable.

"Why should I con you?" he asked rhetorically. "I'm a criminal. A small time criminal."

She might have been ready to say something, but he shot her a look that told her he knew that she was too. They were both ciminals, weren't they?

"I sell some dope when I have it. Other things when I can get them. I've dealt in some stolen art. Some jewlry. Things like that. Most of my clients are very wealthy, very respectable people. They're good people to know. They help me out if I get into trouble, which is usually rare. You'd be surprised if I told you some of their names."

She smiled uneasily, not sure if he was joking or not. Something told her he was not.

"There." he said. "I've told you." he took a drink of his whisky. "It gets so damned tiresome lying all the time. I'm a criminal. That's the bottom line. I don't want to lie to you, Caz."

She put her plate aside and looked at him. Yes, she could see that. He could be charming, he looked intelligent, he was painfully status-conscious. And yet she could tell that he wasn't dangerous. Not to her anyways. Not now.

"Did you ever think of doing anything else?" she asked.

"Sure. Lots of times. And I don't intend to do this forever. Just till I get enough money together. That's why I needed that money in my wallet."

"What will you do then?"

"Oh, well... I'm not sure. But I'll figure something out. But for now I have something big I'm working on. Something that should put me where I want to be in a pretty short time.

"And that's where I thought you might come in Caz. If you want to, I mean. I need someone like you. Someone drop-dead gorgeous. Err...no offence I mean."

She kept her smile from showing. "None taken." she said.

"But look, it's late. Maybe we'd better turn in. I think we're both still not one hundred percent, you know?"

Reluctantly, he stood up.

"You'll be okay, then? Is there anything else you need? I'll be right outside, on the sofa bed, all right?"

She nodded.

"If there's anything you need. Or, you know, if you get scared during the night or anything, you wake me up, okay? Promise?"

For a moment he had an urge to kiss her goodnight. What are you thinking? he asked himself.

"Well then, goodnight."

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Caz

"Wow. You look nice. You look very nice."

Caz tried not to blush, pleased by his admiration.

”Well… anything would be an improvement, right?”

She muttered dabbing at her hair to distract herself from his gaze.

"Here."

He pulled a chair out from her and she suddenly felt absurdly shy as she whispered her thanks and sat down.

"Now let's see."

She tried not to shiver as he moved her hair gently aside, looking for the gash.

"I don't like the looks of that. You feel okay? No dizziness or anything?”

She shook her head before she realised that it wasn’t wise.

”I’m fine … I think it’s just bruised, you see the lump…?”

He quizzed her on the date, how many fingers he held up, but she protested.

”These head injuries can be tricky. One minute you feel fine, and the next minute, poof! Cerebral haemorrhage.”

Caz gasped and echoed his words.

”Haemorrhaging? But I feel fine, just a little sore!”

Still he wouldn’t be convinced.

”I think we'd better get you in bed. Get your feet up.
That's what makes head injuries so dangerous."

He insisted. Though she protested, his words scared her and she allowed him to help her from the chair and escort her to his bedroom.
Once in the room, she watched as he made the bed comfortable and put a hand out to her.

"Now you can sleep here. It's more private, and you're going to need some quiet.
I can sleep on the bed in the living room. “

Caz looked alarmed.

”But Lucien … that’s ridiculous, you can’t … “

But he wouldn’t hear of it.

”No, no, that's the way it's going to be. Don't even try to argue.
You need your strength. Now I'll bring in the telly for you and I'll get your cheese and coffee."

She watched him disappear out of the door a smile playing on her lips. She couldn’t believe the way he was pampering her. She looked round the room aware that she was laying in his bed, between his sheets, wearing his clothes.

When he returned she meekly accepted her meal of bread and cheese and sipped the coffee. She let him dim the lights and glanced at him as he drew a chair close to her and felt less self-conscious as she finally ate hungrily.
She felt like a little girl being spoiled by an over indulgent uncle, not that she’d ever had one of those, she thought.
He took the empty plate, laying it beside the bed, insisting that sudden movement or bending would be bad for her and wrapped her hands about the coffee once more, watching him curiously as she sipped.

”Lucien… “

She asked hesitantly,

”Those clothes … the girl… who… was she?”

She knew she was prying, but so much about him didn’t make sense.
She heard that the girl had left for more money, richer men.
She nodded. She understood the pull of big spenders.

"So … What do you do?"

She heard him bluff, say that he bought and sold, but was taken aback when he was honest with her.

"Why should I con you? I'm a criminal. A small time criminal."

She wasn’t exactly surprised, but listened wide eyed as he explained.

"I sell some dope when I have it. Other things when I can get them.
I've dealt in some stolen art. Some jewellery. Things like that.
Most of my clients are very wealthy, very respectable people.
They're good people to know. They help me out if I get into trouble, which is usually rare. You'd be surprised if I told you some of their names."

Respectable people who lived on the wrong side of the law?
Yes she could relate to that.
Usually there was more crime committed by those who were supposed to have it all, rather than riches, than those who were impoverished; and their crime was in a totally different league! Just how deep was Lucien in all this, she wondered?

"There. I've told you. It gets so damned tiresome lying all the time. I'm a criminal. That's the bottom line. I don't want to lie to you, Caz."

She smiled softly.

”I hate people pretending to be something they’re not.

She commented, but did not elaborate.
Still she tried to decide where he fitted into the pattern.

"Did you ever think of doing anything else?"

The question was curious, not judgemental.

"Sure. Lots of times. And I don't intend to do this forever.
Just till I get enough money together. That's why I needed that money in my wallet."

At least he had a plan of action, which was a damn sight more than she had.

"What will you do then?"

Now he had begun to open up, she was curious about him.

"Oh, well... I'm not sure. But I'll figure something out.
But for now I have something big I'm working on.
Something that should put me where I want to be in a pretty short time.

She nodded, but knew better than to ask for details.

"And that's where I thought you might come in Caz.
If you want to, I mean. I need someone like you.
Someone drop-dead gorgeous. Err...no offence I mean."

Caz schooled her expression, though she was secretly flattered by the compliment and curious as to what he had in mind.

"None taken."

She made the demure reply and then drained the last of her coffee.

"But look, it's late. Maybe we'd better turn in.
I think we're both still not one hundred percent, you know?"

She nodded and watched him stand up.

"You'll be okay, then? Is there anything else you need?
I'll be right outside, on the sofa bed, all right?"

Again she nodded. She felt terrible turfing him out of his bed.
He was the one who had sustained the greater injury that evening, she thought, even despite his concern about her head.

"If there's anything you need. Or, you know, if you get scared during the night or anything, you wake me up, okay? Promise?"

He hovered as she looked up at him.

"Well then, goodnight."

She smiled as he turned to the door.

”Lucien..?”

She considered telling him that she would take the sofa, that he needed to sleep comfortably after sustaining such a thumping, but she had already guessed he was proud and stubborn. Her mind cast about for a viable alternative.

”I … well… after what you said… do you think it’s safe for me to sleep on my own in here … ?”

He was so not going to buy this she thought, but felt she had to try.

”I … I know it would be inconvenient and … I’ve caused you enough hassle already, but … if I were to start haemorrhaging or I had some kind of…err.. fit… then… you’d be too far away … and … “

Caz decided to go the distance in the acting stakes and turned on him her best doe eyed appeal.

” … I think I’d be too frightened to fall asleep on my own … just in case… “

She whispered.

” I promise I’ll not be any trouble, there’s plenty of room … please Lucien … I don’t want to sleep alone …

A faint pink tinged her cheek as she looked up at him.
Her words had been motivated by concern for his welfare, she told herself.
Nothing more!
It was definitely not that she wanted to feel his body next to hers.
It was not that she wanted his company.
She was still hard and independent, but …

What the hell!

She loved the way he had taken care of her and the worried glances he had cast in her direction making sure she was comfortable, and ate enough and checking that she still felt ok.
She could get unused to being treated well, but … just for the night …
What harm would a little company, a little cosseting do…?

Besides which, she told herself, he would see through her lame excuses and firmly dismiss her plea with wry amusement … wouldn’t he?
No harm done.
It wouldn’t be a rejection, just his innate common sense!

She looked up at him more shyly, through hooded lashes, already preparing for his kind but firm rejection.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

As far as Lucien knew, he had never in his life done a real double take, like in the movies. But he did one now.

She was sitting on the bed, the glow of the lamp highlighting the freshly washed gold of her hair, half her face in shadow. Over her shoulder he saw the lights of the city at night through his bedroom window, a fairy tale picture of the kind of sophistication and romance he had always dreamed of. And in the middle of his bed, sitting like a little girl in an impossibly beautiful woman's body was Caz, scared, confused, and maybe even as lonely as he was, asking him to stay with her.

"Yeah, that's right. I should be close to you. I should keep an eye on you. I should..."

But then all his con-man lines and whatever smoothness he had just failed him. She touched something deep inside him, something way down, where he kept his own fears and confusion hidden from even himself, and he had no defence against her. For once in his life, words failed him, and he went to her compelled by an overwhelming tenderness and need for her.

He sat down on the bed and just looked at her for a moment, looked into her eyes, and he saw her ready to retreat, ready to put the barriers back up. He knew what a terrible chance she had taken asking him to stay.

"Oh Caz..." he said.

He took her face in his hands, gently, and held her as his lips came down on hers, very tenderly, barely touching hers, kissing the breath she breathed. He just melted and his heart stopped. She was so fragile, so achingly vulnerable, and he wanted so badly not to hurt her, not to make himself ugly in her eyes, but the expectation in her lips was more than he could ignore.

The kiss deepened and she raised her hands, put them softly against his chest, whether to pull his closer or push him away he did not know. Possibly just to feel him there, close to her.

He kissed her like this, afraid to let her go, and then, as if overwhelmed, he broke the kiss and hugged her to him, surprised at his own emotion.

"God, Caz!" he whispered as he kissed her hair. "What you do to me!"

He pulled away from her and looked into her eyes, seeing the expectation, the doubt, and yet she wanted to trust him. He tried to smile at her, as if to dismiss what had happened, to make a joke, but he saw a seductive twinkle in her eyes that just totally disarmed him. It wasn't just a platonic relationship she wanted, and he had the feeling that he hadn't fooled her fromt the first with his insistence that she sleep in his bed. It was as if she knew his every thought!

She closed her eyes and leaned towards him, and he took the kiss she offered him gladly, felt her touching his lips tentatively with the tiny tip of her tongue, as if questioning him, and as she did so he felt her breathing increase as she relaxed and gave herself over to the sensation of his lips. His head swam. He'd never been kissed like this, with such eloquence, such shy ardor. He knew that beneath this shyness there was a hunger and a passion that perhaps she didn't even know about.

She sat back and slowly opened her eyes, frightened still, unsure, but now glowing with her inner fire, telling him yes.

"Caz....er...look...I've got to jump in the shower for a second. I'll only be a minute. Really. Stay here? Don't go anywhere, okay? Promise?" What was he talking about? Where was she going to go?

She pressed her lips together to keep from laughing at him as he stumbled to his feet. Such a big, tough gangster, she thought. He's going to trip over his own trousers!

She flicked a stray lock of her hair behind her ear and said. "I won't. I'll be here, Lucien."

He had to look at her once more, sitting in his shirt and his boxer shorts, her legs still crossed. How could she look so good, so radiant. His heart sank a chord he'd never heard before as he stumbled into the bathroom, ran the shower, disentangled himself from his clothes and jumped under the spray.

Thank you, God[I/] he thought Thank you so much!

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Caz

"Yeah, that's right. I should be close to you. I should keep an eye on you. I should..."

Caz nodded smiling softly, unable to believe he was going along with her contrived reason for asking him to stay with her.
Her eyes followed him as he walked back to her and sat on the bed.
God! What was he thinking, was he thinking she was easy, a slut?
That hadn’t crossed her mind before!

"Oh Caz..."

His uttering of her name hardly sounded derogatory.
She sat as he cupped her face in his hands and moved his lips lightly, so tenderly onto hers. She let out the tense breath; sure he could feel her body trembling as he held her. She gave the slightest of murmurs as his lips moved once again against hers. She put her hands on his chest to steady herself, to reassure herself that he was really there, that he really was kissing her, that he wanted to.

When he finally drew away from her she gazed at him questioningly. She felt his arms surround her and smiled in relief as he hugged her to him.

"God, Caz! What you do to me!"

His voice was emotional. He drew back but searched her eyes.
What did he think of her? What did he want, did he expect?
Had she done the wrong thing?
She wasn’t offering herself to him, not in that way, yet somehow she wanted to be close to him.
She didn’t understand it and certainly didn’t expect him to!

She saw her own uncertainty mirrored in his eyes and suddenly realised that he was much younger than she had supposed and that he had scars of his own. She could see that he too was wanting to pull away from this, was tempted to throw up the barriers and could understand now his hostility, accept that he too had difficulty trusting.

What must he have felt when she threw the offer of friendship back in his face. She could not believe that he really had wanted to sleep on the sofa, but perhaps he didn’t want … this …either … but.. maybe he did.

Caz swayed towards him as if inexplicably drawn.
Her eyes fluttered closed as this time she kissed him, her tongue flicking out shyly to taste Lucien's lips, dipping just between them and then withdrawing as if too timid to go further.
Caz found her breathing become ragged and felt herself melt against him without thinking about the depth of trust she was showing to risk offering such intimate affection like this.

Finally she broke slowly away. Her eyes opened and he could clearly see her stunned expression. She had let him in. She had let him see inside her and it scared her. Her heart hammered; she knew he could crush her now with one harsh word, one mocking look.
Her eyes appealed silently not to break her fragile trust in him.

"Caz....er...look...I've got to jump in the shower for a second. I'll only be a minute.

She looked up shocked, knowing only that he was drawing away from her.

”Really. Stay here? Don't go anywhere, okay? Promise?"

His confusion of words reassured her. He was as uncertain as her.
She watched him stumble upright, almost falling over himself as he kept looking back at her as if she was going to disappear, run away.
She hid a smile and quelled the giggle of relief that threatened to break forth.

Caz moved her hand to flick a lock of hair behind her ear in a gesture reminiscent of her childhood. She reassured him with soft words.

“I won't. I'll be here, Lucien."

She returned his look with an intense one of her own as he finally tore his gaze away from her to go to the bathroom, supposedly to shower.

As he disappeared, Caz snuggled down in the bed, her eyes closing a smile playing on her lips.
She knew it didn’t make sense, but it felt right.
She had nothing in her life and this … whatever it was … wouldn’t hurt.
She sighed softly as she felt her lips still tingling from the intensity of that tender kiss...


****************************************

The next thing she knew was the feeling of the bed sagging and a body moving the covers to slip between.
She sighed and stirred aware that she had fallen into a light sleep whilst waiting for him.
She must have been exhausted.

”Lucien…?”

She murmured, her eyes opening sleepily.

”Caz..? “

She smiled in answer and moved towards him.

”It’s Cassie… Cassandra … “

She whispered without thinking as she moved her now warm body against his and wrapped her arms about him, nestling into his body with a contented sigh.
Her head lay on his chest as trusting as a young child moving to him expecting him to protect her and make it all right again.
She gave a sigh and curled her legs around his as naturally as if they had been sleeping together all their lives…

 

[dr_mabeuse]

As he towelled off he winced. He looked in the mirror and saw where he'd been kicked. It was already a sick yellowish and he knew that soon the bruise would blossom over his ribs. He hoped Caz wouldn't notice. He didn't want her making a fuss.

He slipped into some clean shorts and decided he could waste the time to shave, so he lathered quickly and cleaned up. He'd already noticed Caz' razor in the shower. It made him smile. It just made everything so special having a woman around. If she'd festooned the bathroom with her wash he wouldn't have minded.

Her wash!

He remembered he had left her stuff in the drier. That wouldn't do. He threw on his robe and ran down the hall, got her stuff from the machine and carried it back to the flat. Byt the time he walked into the bedroom she was asleep.

Disappointment and relief fought it out within him. He couldn't have said who won. Had she been awake he wouldn't have been able to keep from kissing her. Has he kissed her he would have had to touch her. Had he touched her...
And she would have thought that he thought that she was easy or something... Christ. It even felt good to try and figure out the convoluted workings of a woman's mind again, God bless them.

Or maybe he had just read her wrong. Just when he thought he had a handle on her, how easily she turned and baffled him. Maybe she just did want his company, nothing more. Maybe she didn't. Maybe...

The hell with that thinking business. He knew what he'd meant when he kissed her. He knew that. And that's all he needed for now.

Cautiously he slipped into the bed beside her, trying not to touch her, not to jostle the bed. He laid down awkwardly, not touching her.

He needn't have bothered.

"Lucien?" she asked sleepily.

"Yeah Caz. It's me."

She smiled, her eyes only half open. "It's Cassie." she said. "Cassandra."

Cassandra he thought.

She moved next to him, as trusting as a child, put her arm over him and suggled her head in on his shoulder. She was bed-warm and soft with sleep, and she looked as innocent as a lamb. As she fell back to sleep her lips parted slightly, giving him another one of those gut-wrenching thrills she was so good at. He could be content knowing he had kissed those lips once, and that she had kissed him back.

She immediately fell deeply asleep, content in the safety of his arms. Cautiously he extended his own arm and put it around her shoulders and squeezed her to him, and she hummed happily in her sleep and cuddled closer, sliding her smooth leg over his. He was already achingly erect and throbbing, and another inch and she would run into it. And to make it even worse, as she snuggled against him she caressed him with her breasts, and pressed her crotch against his hip.

Oh Dear God, give me a break, would you? I'm trying to be a decent guy about this! he thought. But Caz juts cuddled her face against his chest and gave a big sigh.

All right love. If you want me just to be your teddy bear, I'll be your teddy bear. But damned if I'll get any sleep!

He kissed her on the top of her head. He willed his erection to go down, to no avail. He thought about the strange and wonderful day, then he thought of Cassie--Cassandra--outside in the cold, walking the streets, looking for a box to sleep in, cold, scared, friendless, hungry, and he squeezed her tighter and slept.

 

[DeliciousMaiden]

Caz

Cassandra sighed softly in her sleep.
Her body naturally moved towards Lucien and wrapped around him.
In sleep her defences were down and rejection was not even considered.
Her arms snaked round him, her legs curling across his as she pressed into his body finding the warmth and the companionship she craved.
Her sighs and murmuring sent her warm breath over his chest, but she was unaware of his initial arousal and discomfort, unaware of his aching erection even as she seemed to push most intimately against him.

Her sleep was deep and long.
On the street she could only catnap. You had to be ever vigilant.
Always aware that at anytime you could be robbed or threatened or attacked!
Somehow she knew that with Lucien by her side she was safe.
And so, her sleep was blissfully dreamless.
For the first time it seemed, Caz let herself relax and sink into welcome oblivion.

***********************************************************

It was the light playing on her eyelids that woke her first.
The reflection from the window danced over her face, the sun seemed to be pretty high and she had no idea what the time was.
She bent her head to shield it from the dazzling rays and came face to face with Lucien’s chest.
Her eyes widened in surprise and she looked about her as if only just realising how she had slept. His arms were wrapped about her, she was nestled close to him and God.. yes… her leg was thrust between his, wound about him.
Her mind raced as she tried to remember the events of last night.
She thought she remembered him coming to bed and then …
They must have moved together in the night she surmised.

Gently she tried to ease her leg free, but only succeeded in moving it up and down between his thighs. She heard him give a soft moan and lay still once more.
She sighed, the breath playing on the sensitive skin on his neck.
She felt his arms tighten possessively around her and his hand move to her hair, stroking gently and yet he seemed to be asleep.
Their bodies seemed moulded together and although she thought it wise to move apart from him before he was fully awake, she could not deny how “right” it felt to lay with him like this.

Almost against her will, she let her hand move across his chest and explore his skin.
Almost as if driven by an inner force she reached up and flicked a tongue tasting the sensitive hollow of his neck just above his voice box.
God … he even tasted good!

She heard him moan and felt him draw her closely against his body.
Only then did she realise that he had a huge erection, which was now digging into her thigh.
Oh.. good God… he was massive!
She ran a hand down his chest and to his abdomen, feeling him flinch as she moved her hand to where he had been kicked the day before.
Soothingly she reached and kissed his cheek, content when she felt his body relax again.
Her hand was now resting on his thigh.
Her fingers itched to move downwards and touch his throbbing manhood.
She glanced at him. His face was peaceful, his breathing deep.
Tentatively she ran her fingers down his outer thigh and then oh so gradually snaked inwards to trace the sensitive flesh between his legs and finally touched the throbbing warmth of his cock.
She lay pressed against his body as gently she grazed the surface of his shaft and let her hand rest over momentarily, cupping his length, feeling its power.
Stroking him shyly once more, she felt him twitch and give a moan.

She pulled her hand back guiltily as if burned by the intimate touch she had initiated.

”Cassandra … “

She found the hoarse exclamation of her given name from his lips strangely erotic.
She knew it was too late to pull back, to pretend now that she realised that he was in fact awake.
Instead she greeted him shyly.

”Morning Lucien …. “

Her voice was husky, her cheeks flaming red, but she made no move to pull away.
Rather she pressed her burning cheek against his chest and dropped a light kiss on the flesh there.
Their bodies were still entwined as she looked up at him meeting his eyes.

”I must have fallen asleep last night … before you came to bed … sorry … but I was whacked … I slept so well though … “

She confessed softly, each word a light caress to his ears as she lay in his arms.

"How... How are you feeling this morning...?"

She enquired, wondering if he had slept well too...?

 

[dr_mabeuse]

It was Cassie--Caz--still dressed in her street clothes, sitting on his chest, her blonde hair falling in her face, a knife at his throat. The very knife he had used for the cheese.

"The money, motherfucker! Give me the money, you worthless liar!"

He couldn't believe it. After all he had done for her, after the way he'd taken her in, given her his own bed, she was still going to rip him off.

"No!" he heaved off the bed, throwing her aside, They fought for the knife, and then it was gone. She was faking. She had no strength, she was as light as a bundle of twigs. He got on top of her, held her wrists up over her head. She arched her back and bit at him like an animal, but he held her fast with one hand now.

"If that's the way it's going to be, Caz, then this is what you're going to get!"
With his free hand he pulled her shirts up over her boobs, grabbed one of her breasts in his hand, so warm and soft. He couldn't help himself. he had to taste her.

The touch of his mouth on her exposed flesh set her off and she fought like a wildcat, kicking and bucking her hips. Somehow he got her pants off. He ripped her knickers off her, he got his cock out, hard and stiff, and with one savage thrust he shoved it into her.

The little bitch was already wet and the feel of his cock subdued her. He sunk into her and she gave up the fight. She raised her hips to him and closed her eyes. "Oh yes Lucien! Oh God this is what I wanted all along! Didn't you know? Didn't you know?"

"Then why all those games, Caz? This is what I wanted too. Why didn't you just ask? It could have been so easy."

"Oh!" she grimaced with a mixture of pleasure and pain as she wrapped her legs around him and began to fuck him with wild hunger, biting her lip in pleasure. "I couldn't, I couldn't! What would you have thought of me? Oh God, Lucien, you feel so good! Take me now! Just take me!"

She felt better than he could have imagined, fervid and responsive, her body insticntively knowing what he wanted and charged with a feral instinct that drove him wild.

"Oh fuck me, Caz! Fuck me!"

"I am darling! I am! Oh! Come in me, Lucien. Come in me!"

He moaned with pleasure as he felt her kissing his chest in her excitement. Her pussy was driving him wild. And then, just as he thought he was about to ejaculate, she leaped from the bed.

"You idiot!" she spat at him, "You really are pitiful! What a joke you are! You cheap asshole! Now I've got better things to do. There's real men waiting for me, with real money. Not some loser like you."

She pushed him down. She raised her foot to kick him, and he awoke.

He opened his eyes, the dream receding as the light filled his eyes. He could still feel where she was about to kick him, and then he realized where he was. In bed, with Cassie curled up on top of him, her blonde hair fanned out on his chest.

<<<<To be continued. be right back>>>>

 

[dr_mabeuse]

"Cassandra..." he said, so happy to find it was a dream.

"Morning, Lucien." she said. She pressed her cheek to his chest and kissed him sweetly.

”I must have fallen asleep last night … before you came to bed … sorry … but I was whacked … I slept so well though … “

Her voice was soft, like honey. In his half-dream he confused her voice with the light and with the warm feel of the bed and her warmth upon his skin. They all mixed together and seemed somehow one. It made perfect sense to him.

"How... How are you feeling this morning...?"

"Mmmmm." he hummed in his half-sleep, not wanting this to end, his sleepiness, the delicious feeling of Cassie's body against his.

Wait a minute.

Had he just felt her hand upon him? On him...there?

He had. He know he had. It was not the kind of thing a man forgets. He could still feel the delicate, curious touch of her fingers upoin him. She had touched him. He was still hard.

She was watching his face and saw him smile.

"What are you smiling about?" she asked with a smile of her own.

He couldn't very well accuse her. He just smiled. Her leg was still on his, smooth, feminine. He loved the way she fit next to him. he loved the fact that she had been exploring his body while she thought he slept.

He shifted up, wincing slightly at the pain at where he'd been kicked, and raised himself up on his elbow, wanting to look at her, to make sure she was still as good as he remembered. She was. She was better. She'd lost her haggard, slightly grey look and looked wonderfully rested. More than that, she looked very happy to be where she was.

He took her hand in his and rested it on her chest. He looked into her eyes. "Been up long?" he asked her.

"No." she lied, but her eyes were sparkling. She knew he knew, and she couldn't keep a bit of excitement and embarrassment from showing.

He kissed her softly and she closed her eyes.

"I was dreaming about you." he said, his lips almost touching hers. He kissed her again.

"Were you?" she asked. "Was it a good dream?"

"It was a wonderful dream." he kissed her again, leaving his lips on hers. He took his hand from between hers and opened the top button on her shirt.

"Lucien..."

"Shhh." he said, kissing her again. He unbuttoned the next button on her shirt and touched her between her breasts, running his finger up and down her smooth skin. She closed her hands over herself so he moved his hand below the covers and touched her leg.

"What are you doing?" she asked, pretending shock.

He didn't answer, just kissed her again as he felt her leg above the knee and slowly traced up, moving towards the inside of her thigh.

"Lucien..."

"I'm sorry. I don't know what came over me." he said, but his hand stayed where it was, rubbing the creamy milk-soft flesh on the inside of her thigh, just where his boxer shorts stopped, hardly touching her at all.

"Ooh!" she breathed. "You tickle!"

"I do?" he asked in mock sympathy. "Then what about here?" he moved his hand up another inch, till he was inside the oversized leg of her shorts and only inches from her sex. "Or here?" and he was about as high as he could go without actually making contact.

She bit her lip and her body jerked as if he'd touched a nerve. She said nothing now, but she didn't move her leg away. He trailed his fingers lazily up and down the length of hthe inside of her thigh. She was as soft as a baby. SOfdtly he pressed her legs open slightly and she didn't stop him.

He brought his hand back out and opened the third button on her shirt. She just lay there watching him with her big eyes, as if this were happening to someone else. He used his nose to nuzzle the shirt aside, revealing the soft swell of her breasts, and he planted a row of slow,m lingering kisses there between them and his finger returned to her legs.

"Oh God..." she whispered.

He kissed up her chest and up her neck, pressing his lips to the underside of her jaw, feeling her pulse on his lips. Out of the corner of his eye he saw her lips part in that way that drove him wild, as if she were ready for a kiss now.

His cock was pressing hard against her hip. He knew she felt it, but he wasn't even thinking about that now. He was thinking abnout how she felt under his fingers and lips, how sweet and warm, how fresh and clean. He coudl not remember ever having been with a woman who felt so wonderfully pure. She was just such a joy to lie with and be close to, to watch her as she breathed, to feel her blood move in her body beneath his lips.

He felt terribly horny and desirous of her to be sure, but if sex meant losing this deliciously languid moment, he could wait.

His teasing finally got to be too much for her and she sought shelter by sliding down a bit beneath the covers, but the result was that now his fingers slid higher up on her leg, and at last brushed the lips of her sex. She sighed deeply and turned her face to him. "Oh, Lucien..."

He silenced her with his kiss, and he tentatively explored the object of his desire, topuching her softly, as if the slightest pressure would destroy her. She was wonderfully soft, and a few soft hairs tickled his fingers.

She looked at him as if watching his reaction to how she felt, with a kind of soft anxiety on her face, but he was so overwhelmed with feeling for her that he just lay his head on her breast as he explored her.

She held her breath, waiting for him to do something, but he just sighed deeply as he felt her there, lost in wonder for her body. He turned his head and found her breast, kissed it, and moved the shirt out of the way with his nose until her nipple was explosed, pink and excited. He breathed on it and she gasped. He closed his lips on it and she held her breath. He touched her with his tongue and she arched her back up at him.

Her hand fell to his head and she began to play idly with his hair, telling him not to leave, that she liked him there. Her other hand was under the covers and found his hand and she took it and pressed it to herself, showing him what she liked, how she liked to be touched.

Her shorts were getting annoying, and he sat up and tugged them down.

"Lucien..." she said, but she lifted her hips and let him slide them off her and throw them on the floor. He cupped her behind and pulled her to him as he rolled onto his back and she threw one leg over his, spreading her legs as he approached her from behind, sliding his hand down the roundess of her ass and extending a finger to touch her along her crease. SHe kissed his chest as he touched her there. His cock pressed into the flesh of the inside of her thigh.

She raised herself up off of him and pulled her hair out of her eyes so she could look at him, trying to see how far he was going to go. There was no mistaking the look in her eyes. It said now, she was ready now. She looked at him as if she wanted to have one more look before their relationship changed forever.

She sat up and took the shirt off completely and lay back on top of him as she'd been, with her breasts now naked against his body and her hair spilling across his chest. As he touched her between her legs she kissed his body, licked him and pressed her face to him, felt him with her hands, her passion rising and feeding his own.

"Lucien." she said again, but this time not as a question or as a reprimand, but as a confirmation. His name in her mouth.

Her hand went down his body and found his patch of springy hair and she closed her fingers around him, not shyly, not tentatively, but claiming him, and she sought to do to him what he was doing to her.

"Lucien." she said.

"Oh Cassandra," he moaned, "Oh Cassandra!"