#fryaway

The Hotel was on fire - of course it was - and Pearl was stalking the outside of it keeping her eyes peeled for the rest of her associates between worried glances at the thick blackness of the sky. The air was heavy with humidity, the night sky crowded with thick clouds, and it was only a matter of time for that rain to come down.  

The first heavy drops landed on her and soaked into her Muslin nightgown as Jacob swept her up into a fierce embrace.  Pearl gasped, and turned to him to get a better look at his clothes.  She realized, with a sudden punch of relief, that he hadn’t been in the hotel at all.  “Oh thank goodness.”  His lips met hers in a blistering kiss, filled with frenzied relief.

They pulled back, just long enough for them both to spill out “I’m so glad you and Wynert -”  The sentence hung between them, heavy with the sudden realization that their other man was missing.

“Is he still in the Hotel?”  Jacob looked up and scowled at the flames, clearly calculating his route to the American’s rooms.

“He must be, unless he sneaked out earlier.  He’s not with you?” 

Jacob responded with a shake of his head and pulled back, but paused a long moment with wide eyes fixed on her chest.  A moment later he dropped his Jacket onto her shoulders. “Stay dry.  Your nightgown -” He paused, clearly thought better of pointing out that the material was becoming quite clear and corrected to, “Don’t want you to get sick”  He grinned, then pressed a soft kiss to Pearl’s lips and stroked her cheek before stepping back and racing to the building.

He watched Pearl as she lifted the stem of her cigarette holder and took a long drag before releasing the smoke into the automobile.  Her motions lacked her usual energy, and were far from the elegant grace she could put on with ease.  No, Pearl Attaway was a certain kind of tired and Jacob hardly blamed her fro the day they had.  And Damnit all if Jacob wanted anything beyond getting her to her rooms to rest.

He stepped out of the vehicle and opened the passenger door.  “Miss Attaway?”  she swung her nearly bare legs out and placed a hand on Jacob’s offered elbow, leaning on it more than usual.  He politely guided her inside and to the Elevator, then up to her rooms.  

“Jacob, be a dear would you, and stay for a moment?” Pearl gestured towards the suite’s lounge, and he complied, only for her to join him and lean heavily into his shoulder.  “Damn that cousin of mine.”

Jacob nodded, “But you shut down the interference quick enough.” 

Pearl gave a long sigh that shifted into a yawn, and leaned against Jacob.  “Perhaps, but it still ate at our profits.”