[ he needs her to say yes. it's only just struck him the danger they're in, and though a part of him prickles with an inconvenient excitement — the part of him that ash always said had a death wish — the rest of him doesn't want ash caught up in it at all.
already having snagged her by the wrist, he pulls her closer, their mouths abruptly only mere breaths apart. ]
I'll sweeten the deal — [ if she considers this a bonus, anyway. ] And throw myself in.
[ Her breath catches in shock -- and a pulse of excitement -- when he tugs her in. ]
Embry--
[ It's surprisingly hard not to kiss him. But she puts a hand on his chest, holds him back. ]
Fucking hell, you're not pimping yourself out to get an exorcist on call. Jesus! I'll find you someone when we're back on land, some Georgetown Jesuit or something.
[ She has a bad feeling, though, so close to his lips, that that offer won't sway him, and an equally bad feeling that he's going to talk her into it. God, two hours ago she was swanning onto a yacht to cause a little harmless gossip. ]
[ he could kiss her, and he wants to, equal parts because he wants to convince her, and well. she's pretty and he wants to. he's never needed that much persuasion to swan into someone's lap. ]
Some old priest cannot be seen suddenly flocking around the president at random events, Johanna.
[ this is america?? his family might be hypocritically republican, but he's not that desperate to affiliate himself. ]
It has to be you, because I can be your cover. No one would bat an eye, because they're used to me being — [ he waffles over the words, reluctant. ] Rankly promiscuous.
[ Her fingers flex against his chest, sliding over the fabric of his shirt. The way he says rankly promiscuous makes her wonder if it's something he's been called -- if it's something that bothers him. ]
You want to pretend we're fucking so I can do magic for the president.
[ Oh, no. She takes a deep breath. ]
I want you to know I wouldn't do this for the queen. And she did ask before she kicked it.
[ it never used to bother him, and it's always been true. it only started to rankle after — everything. after letting ash go and realizing that was his role. ]
It would be preferable to my staff if we pretended we were dating, actually. Not just fucking.
[ this seems both promising and not, somehow at once. he leans into her touch, letting go of her wrist only so he can trace his hand down her arm, feather light. ]
I'm not the queen. I don't have a hundred incredibly irresistible dogs that'll flock to my dead body in the event of a demon killing me.
Fine. Fine, until I can figure out who's got it out for your administration. That's only, what, fifty percent of the country or something?
[ Sighing, she lifts a hand to straighten the collar of his shirt. How does this always happen? She makes a sensible decision like "don't work for royals" and yet. ]
So are we going to be fucking while we pretend to be dating, or ... ?
[ hey, at least he's not actually an inbred royal. he's just rich and happens to be holding office, the true american way. ]
And that depends on you.
[ his fingers snag on her torn dress again, gripping the fabric and giving a sharp tug, threads snapping as the tear widens, her sleeve slipping down her bare shoulder. he leans in, his lips ghosting along her collarbone. ]
Though if you want my input, it would definitely sell the act better.
[ In spite of her earlier protests about not letting him pimp himself out just to secure her services, it is sounding like a pretty decent perk. She tips her chin to the side to give him better access to her decolletage and throat, her breath coming a little deeper. ]
I know you're getting me a new dress, but you don't have to tear all my clothes off first.
[ She puts her gin down on the floor and brings her hands to the buttons of his shirt, undoing the top two. ]
'Course, trying to smuggle me off the ship naked might distract people from whatever they might find in the supply closet, huh?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
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And then realizes he's not laughing. ]
Oh, Christ, walked into that one, didn't I?
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already having snagged her by the wrist, he pulls her closer, their mouths abruptly only mere breaths apart. ]
I'll sweeten the deal — [ if she considers this a bonus, anyway. ] And throw myself in.
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Embry--
[ It's surprisingly hard not to kiss him. But she puts a hand on his chest, holds him back. ]
Fucking hell, you're not pimping yourself out to get an exorcist on call. Jesus! I'll find you someone when we're back on land, some Georgetown Jesuit or something.
[ She has a bad feeling, though, so close to his lips, that that offer won't sway him, and an equally bad feeling that he's going to talk her into it. God, two hours ago she was swanning onto a yacht to cause a little harmless gossip. ]
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Some old priest cannot be seen suddenly flocking around the president at random events, Johanna.
[ this is america?? his family might be hypocritically republican, but he's not that desperate to affiliate himself. ]
It has to be you, because I can be your cover. No one would bat an eye, because they're used to me being — [ he waffles over the words, reluctant. ] Rankly promiscuous.
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You want to pretend we're fucking so I can do magic for the president.
[ Oh, no. She takes a deep breath. ]
I want you to know I wouldn't do this for the queen. And she did ask before she kicked it.
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It would be preferable to my staff if we pretended we were dating, actually. Not just fucking.
[ this seems both promising and not, somehow at once. he leans into her touch, letting go of her wrist only so he can trace his hand down her arm, feather light. ]
I'm not the queen. I don't have a hundred incredibly irresistible dogs that'll flock to my dead body in the event of a demon killing me.
no subject
Fine. Fine, until I can figure out who's got it out for your administration. That's only, what, fifty percent of the country or something?
[ Sighing, she lifts a hand to straighten the collar of his shirt. How does this always happen? She makes a sensible decision like "don't work for royals" and yet. ]
So are we going to be fucking while we pretend to be dating, or ... ?
im sry about my slowness work has ended me
[ hey, at least he's not actually an inbred royal. he's just rich and happens to be holding office, the true american way. ]
And that depends on you.
[ his fingers snag on her torn dress again, gripping the fabric and giving a sharp tug, threads snapping as the tear widens, her sleeve slipping down her bare shoulder. he leans in, his lips ghosting along her collarbone. ]
Though if you want my input, it would definitely sell the act better.
omg no worries! very happy to backtag
[ In spite of her earlier protests about not letting him pimp himself out just to secure her services, it is sounding like a pretty decent perk. She tips her chin to the side to give him better access to her decolletage and throat, her breath coming a little deeper. ]
I know you're getting me a new dress, but you don't have to tear all my clothes off first.
[ She puts her gin down on the floor and brings her hands to the buttons of his shirt, undoing the top two. ]
'Course, trying to smuggle me off the ship naked might distract people from whatever they might find in the supply closet, huh?