Xander Blake

Suddenly engulfed in a wall of water, Charlie would've normally welcomed the weather she found comforting if not for the materials she was carrying that she did not fancy getting damaged. Film canisters and handwritten notes from her latest investigation for an upcoming article. Desperate to find sanctuary for the duration of the storm, the woman quickened her pace to try and find a dryer spot. "Oh I am being punished," she murmured to herself as she lifted her head to see who was speaking to her and being met with that unmistakeable smirk. Water beaded off of her fringe into her eyes as she begrudgingly sheltered herself under the awning with the other. "You sure you can handle it for so long? I figured you loved the sound of your voice so much," she commented, looking around and realizing very quickly that there was a slim chance of her finding someplace else to wait it out without risking further damage of her precious goods, even if most of them were tucked away in her bag. "You know, I do find you far more attractive when you speak less. Any chance you'll do me such a kindness in charming me that way?" she directed back towards him.

“Harsh. I brave the storm for the pleasure of your company and the first thing you do is insult me.” His voice was smooth, lazy with amusement. “Still, if you’re so convinced I’m better quiet, maybe I’ll give you what you want. For once. Just don’t act surprised when you find yourself missing the sound of my voice.”

"Oh gosh– are you sure that you don't just want the whole thing?" a sheepish giggle leaving her lips as he helped himself to some from her cone and causing her to glow bright pink. Despite him insisting it was fine and he was only messing with her, she couldn't help but feel inclined to hand it off. "I mean, if you're absolutely positive. I can even tell you the flavors I picked if you want," she babbled, although she knew damn well he hardly cared about the flavors she'd chosen when he was only trying to tease her.

“If I took the whole thing, that would defeat the purpose.” Xander’s voice carried an easy amusement, lips curving into that smile that always seemed to cut deeper than it should. Watching her squirm under his gaze was addictive, and maybe it was a little cruel but to him, it was nothing less than a compliment.

"That's more effort than what most men want to put in," Bekah commented with a mutter, but she let herself relish in the way his eyes took her in. She began to sift through the options on the rack, trying to look nonchalant even if some of them were easily some of the most beautiful dresses she'd ever seen. "What do you think of this one?" she turned towards him after plucking one from the selection and holding it up to her frame.

"I do despair for them then, because they can't experience the best of a woman if they give half hearted attempts." Xander murmured as he walked up behind the woman once more. "I've always found that when a woman feels the effort put in, they are more inclined to want to do everything too." He twisted the woman towards the full standing mirror, letting her hold the dress up again. "I think you'd look ravishing but it's not my opinion that really matters here is it." He pointed out as he looked at her in the reflection. "Does it do what you want it to?" He asked, brushing back her hair from her neck to kiss the long pale column of flesh.

"I thought I'd made it pretty clear that you hadn't," Charlie's shoulders shrugging once more in reply. "Does every girl you invite to your casino actually show up? It just sounds like you don't handle rejection well."

"Your mouth says one thing and then your comments and actions contradict." Xander pointed out with a grin. "I'm not that used to it no. I think there is some attraction in power and money. That I happen to be handsome too is just a bonus." He teased lightly.

"I'm well aware. You're a resourceful and cunning little fucker," Bekah commented, having seen Xander at work in a myriad of ways. Whether it was at his actual job or in more intimate scenarios, the man was undeniably talented as getting his way. "Wouldn't you like to know," she huffed vaguely in response to his question as soon enough she was presented with a few dresses that could suit the event.

"The highest of praise." He playfully responded back, giving a flourished bow of acceptance at Bekah's words. "I think it's always in a mans best interests to know what a woman he is spending time with is interested in." Xander smoothly responded back, letting his eyes drift over her for a moment before they returned to the rack of clothing.

Samantha was surprised when she felt his grip on her chin, having to actively bring herself to meet his gaze as he spoke to her. She was admittedly intimidated, but only because he didn't appear to be the type of man who would give her a second thought. While she knew she didn't need someone's words to validate her, it was undeniably nice to hear it all come from someone. "Uh– thank you," Sam replied softly. "Thank you for saying that. I suppose I often forget myself."

A little smile drew across Xander's lips and he let his fingertips fall away from her chin with a nod of his head. "That's something you should never forget. If there is anyone who should back you the most, it should be yourself." At least he always felt that was important. After all, if there was no one else, you always had yourself at least. He'd learned that the hard way.

"I'd argue that I'm the one getting more of the benefits than yourself," Samantha replied, still able to smell his aftershave on her face. The woman certainly hadn't seen something like this coming when she'd left the house today. "But as long as you seem content."

Xander's fingers gripped the girls chin in place with just enough force for her to feel their intention when she spoke again. Where as before they had touched her like a feather brushing over a surface in passing, they now held her gently in place. "Enough. A woman should always own who she is. Accepting that is far more sexy than anything someone could wear or look. There is nothing wrong with who you are." He spoke with a firm authenticity to his tone. "Never apologise for who you are, be that in actions or words."

While he'd set up the reality that he was going to kiss her, that didn't stop Samantha from being utterly stunned when he gently closed the gap between the two of them. Goosebumps trailed across her skin as she tried to process the fact that a man like this was actually kissing her. Her stomach tied itself in knots as she tried to mentally capture this feeling. It's not that she'd never been kissed before, but there was an element to it that was certainly more exciting to her than ones of the past. And yet it was still so gentle and almost sweet. "I– I hope you can forgive me for earlier," she mumbled out when they finally came apart, feeling a little dizzy from the experience.

There was nothing hesitant about Sam's response. She seemed more than happy to be on the receiving end of his attention and Xander was more than happy to accommodate given he'd not been lying when he said she was beautiful and he would have been happy to kiss her. It was why he made the most of it now that he'd been given the green light, allowing the action to linger. She didn't exactly feel as though she was eager to part anyway though her ability to speak as soon as their lips parted drew a smile to his face. "I think I can manage forgiveness this once." Xander returned in good humour. "You made up for it after all."

"A brick wall, hmm? Well that's how the third piggy protected himself from the big bad wolf so I don't see that as a negative thing," Charlie shrugged back simply. "You know there's plenty of other ways to ask a girl out besides flaunting your big flashy casino at them," she told him with a playful smirk.

Xander found himself rather amused at her response. She was feisty, that much was for certain. "Asking you out? You are really making some big jumps here, but I am flattered that you are thinking about dating me. Have I made that much of an impact on you?"

Perhaps it was a testament to just how uncommon something like this was for her, but hearing that he 'was not adverse to the prospect' was enough to stir her insides. He was barely saying he'd like to kiss her and it was enough to make her giddy. It would've been sad to a degree if it weren't for the fact that there was still something so sincere and gentlemanly about the way he'd left the ball in her court. Sam also didn't have a lot of people in her life who maybe would've pushed her to just go for something like this, just for the sake of taking random chances and living a little outside of the lines she preferred to color inside of. "It would be pretty Grinch-y of me to not respect a tradition, wouldn't it?" she considered.

"Well... I didn't want to say it..." Xander responded with some humour when she pointed out how much of a grinch it would make her if she didn't follow tradition. Still, her words gave him the confirmation he needed to close the space between them, his hands where they might have normally found purchase around a woman's waist instead coming to ever so lightly touch along her jawline, curving her face upwards so that he could lean down and capture her lips with his own. By his standards, it was an extremely gentle kiss but it seemed the right tactic given the person he was dealing with. She was flighty enough and he didn't want to scare her away once more.

All Samantha could really do was swallow a lump that was forming in her throat at the vague psychoanalysis she was receiving from the other. Just when she thought she couldn't be any more stunned, the man's next words caught her completely off guard. "There's no way you actually want that... right?" she finally managed to squeak out in reply, her mouth suddenly dry.

The response he'd received was about what he'd been expecting from the woman and he swallowed back his chuckle. "I am somewhat teasing you, yes, but equally, I'm not adverse to the prospect or I wouldn't have offered it up now would I, not even in jest." Because he wasn't the type to do something like that when it could end badly for himself. "The decision is entirely yours."

"Doesn't everyone?" Samantha piped up quietly when he'd asked her if she always compared herself. "Like... comparison is always the main culprit. Nothing kills the spirit quite like it," she elaborated with a shrug. She was definitely talking in circles, still feeling her head spin lightly from the barely intimate interaction. "Anyways I just wanted to apologize for darting away like that earlier. Hopefully there's no hard feelings. Like I said, it was not personal at all."

"To an extent, perhaps. You appear to do it so much more wholly though." Xander explained, like she allowed it to have more impact on her than she should. "Despite that though, your spirit seems very much intact." He added with a grin. "Oh, but it felt very personal. I feel like a doughnut, considerate as it is, isn't going to quite cut it. I have a different request if you wish to truly make it up to me." And now, whilst he was teasing her, he also wasn't going to complain if she took him up on it. "The kiss I missed out on."