Findings At The Corinthian [Megan]

[brendan]

10th March, 2009

Brendan had been sent on a job to Las Vegas. He hated leaving his sister for a few days, because it was a two day job plus the time for travelling from New York, but Debbie had said for a few days she would be fine, it was just living without him for months and years she couldn't have coped with.

He smiled and gave her a hug and had went on his way.

Today however was his second day. He had been asked as a VIP for The Chronicle to do a feature on the rise of the Linderman Casino's in the aftermath of Daniel Linderman's death. His son Ryan was the heir to the Linderman Casinos and The Chronicle wanted to know how they were doing and how the young new owner was coping with his rising empire.

Brendan had been impressed so far and he was now on his second day. He already had lots of notes written in his laptop, and for the moment he was just taking a few hours out of downtime for a break before finishing off his article and heading for home.

While sitting drinking his beer his eye kept catching a pretty young brunette sitting in the corner, and every time he looked up, he would smile, showing off his dimples, but when she looked up, he would quickly turn away hoping she wouldn't see him.

Just as he was finishing his first beer however, he heard a raised female voice in the direction of that pretty brunette he had kept smiling at, he turned and saw she was being man handled, and she was obviously not happy with the advances. He took out his camera with indoor lens, so no flash would be needed and took of a photograph of the offending male. He then got up from where he was sitting, wearing his black shirt, with the top two buttons opened showing off the top of his chest, and approached.

"Hey Bruiser, I believe the lady here asked ya to leave, so why ain't ya leavin' already?" he asked, the guy just glared at him, and Brendan didn't wait for an answer, he punched him square on the jaw, "Well why don't ya get yer ass leavin' now before I do ya some more damage, ya son of a bitch" he shouted at the idiot as he pushed him toward the door and then watched with a smile, as the guy fell out the door.

He then turned to the pretty brunette, obviously unable to avoid her now, and smiled down at her, "Ya alright there Sweet Cheeks?" he asked, his Texan accent very smooth like it always was.

[romz]

Megan had just finished her shift on the blackjack tables, and was now clean and dressed in a short pair of ripped jean shorts and a white tunic top. It was too hot to wear anything else. Vegas weather was so hot at the moment, even with air conditioning. Work was quiet at the moment though, which was always a good thing. There wasn't much trouble since Ryan had left luckily, although Meg missed him wondering over to her. He always seemed to brighten a room up, and he was someone to tease too. She loved teasing men.

Speaking of cute guys... A dirty haired blonde had caught Megan's eye almost immediately after walking in. Obviously not from Vegas, as she would know of someone that cute. More than anything though, it was his eyes. Sparkling blue eyes he had. He turned and looked at her, making her turn her head quickly giggling.

Unfortunately, the view was soon spoiled by a large man who Megan had trouble with a few weeks ago. "Can I help you?" She asked. He started rambling on about her ignoring his letters in the hotel, and leaving her table whenever he bothered her. She stood up to leave, pushing her chair out. The man grabbed her wrist tightly, turning it so she couldn't move. Her eyebrows lifted worriedly, until the dirty blonde man suddenly appeared beside them. Watching him confront the other man, Meg smiled slightly. Not only was his accent incredibly sexy, but having hardly ever been defended in her life, it was so comforting to have someone take interest in her and actually have the decency to defend her from harm.

What she didn't expect, was the massive punch to the guys face. Megan held in the fit of laughter that was about to burst from her mouth, it was so difficult. But it suddenly went when he turned to her. His chest was bang in front of her, and she couldn't help but tilt her head slightly, staring at it. Quickly snapping out of the trance, Meg bit her lip, smiling up at him. "I'm fine Mr. Hero," Megan paused, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear, still biting on the corner of her lip. "That was incredible, no-one's ever stuck up for me like that before." She clicked her converse together, folding her arms behind her back. "Let me buy you a drink."

[brendan]

Brendan wasn't too impressed with the fact the girl who seemed to work at the casino had manged to get assaulted without any sign of a security guard coming to her rescue. In a way he hadn't minded coming to her rescue, she was a beauty after all, but really in all fairness it shouldn't have been up to him, a security guard should have been on the scene within seconds of that girl being hassled.

He had been going to give this place a glowing report and he still would, apart from the lack of security he couldn't fault the service or the staff, or even the casino itself. It was clean and tidy, there had been no trouble at any of the tables, all in all the Linderman Empire was building up nicely indeed. Whether he used the photograph of the girl being attacked or not, he wasn't sure, but he would certainly have to mention the lack of security on the premises.

However, now he was standing over this pretty brunette after throwing the jerk who had attacked her out the door of the casino, looking down at her with his trademark smile and dimples. He caught her staring at his chest, which given his height and the fact she was sat down would have been right in the view of her eyes. His smile deepened as did his dimples and he couldn't help but ask "Ya findin' somethin' interestin' there Sweet Cheeks?"

She then answered his question and said she was fine, calling him Mr Hero. "Just doin' what I thought was right Sweet Cheeks" Brendan said still smiling at her. "Well it's about high time someone did stick up for ya like that" Brendan replied when she said nobody had done that kind of thing for her before. She was a good bit younger than him, but Brendan having a soft spot for the younger females wasn't going to let it bother him.

She then asked to buy him a drink, but he couldn't let her do that, it wasn't a girl's duty to the guy a drink, it was the other way around, whether she was doing it by way of thanks or not. "Very kind of ya and all, but I'd rather if ya don' mind buyin' you the drink instead" Brendan said, as he held his hand out to the brunette, "Name's Brendan Harris, pleased to meet ya Sweet Cheeks" alright so he had said it a lot, but Brendan had a thing for calling people nicknames, and regardless as to what her name was, Sweet Cheeks would stick and he'd no doubt call her a combination of that and sweetheart for the remainder of the conversation.

[romz]

Megan wasn't feeling too great about what just happened either. It was all a big mess. Security was messed up at the moment. Not to mention all the bouncers had tried it on with Meg at one point or another. Her brunette locks and her stunning brown eyes, she could pull any guy she wanted. But she didn't just want any guy. Ryan was always a looker, not to mention a talker. He was so darn confident and adorable. Although she crushed on him at first, her taste in men started to change. She wanted a protector. Someone who could take care of her, love her.

Sweet cheeks eh? She pretty much loved the nickname, it was one of those ones you couldn't help but get a small batch of butterflies for. Especially with his accent, and just... him in general. She certainly was finding something interesting. "Maybe..." She replied, poking her tongue out cheekily. He was probably just being polite, I mean come on. Look at him. He was a catch. Someone must have caught him already. Although he wasn't exactly her age, it didn't bother her in the slightest. Megan always had a soft spot for older guys, especially ones like him.

Meg stood up, wiping down her short, jean shorts. She was only drinking ice water. In this heat, you couldn't well do with alcohol. Even though she got served here. The bartender had known her from school. He was only a younging himself, barely twenty one if that. But people knew Meg, they knew she was a sensible girl. "Well that's very kind of ya cutie," She wasn't going to refuse. Besides, after that little tiff, she could do with an ice cold budweiser. Megan looked at him as he said his name. Brendan Harris. Sexy name for a sexy guy. She held her hand out, having to lift it up higher than usual. "I'm Megan, Megan Howlett." She rolled her eyes at her name. It was nothing special. Sure her nicknames came from her first name; Meg, Meggie, Megatron, Meggle. It was different everytime. Surprisingly, her surname also got nicknames... most commonly Howler. Only one person has ever called her it, Ryan. After finding out what she could do, he just couldn't help himself.

Meg looked up at Brendan and grinned. She nudged him playfully, "So how about that drink Brendan?"

[brendan]

Maybe?! Now there was an answer he thought as he just smiled all the more when she cheekily poked her tongue out at him, not that Brendan minded, in fact he thought it added to the glowing personality he could see she already had, and he liked it. He liked it a lot.

"Well tha' sure is good to know Sweet Cheeks" he replied, as his eyes twinkled at her, as they smiled along with his mouth. One thing which was always a give away with Brendan, even if his mouth wasn't smiling, you knew when he was, because his eyes always showed his smile, even if his mouth didn't. His eyes always let him down. He had tried to master the straight face, for pulling off jokes and lies, but it never worked, because even though his mouth wouldn't give him away, his eyes always did.

"I can promise ya one thing sweetheart, I'm gonna make sure they get the security sorted here, not tha' I minded savin' ya sweet ass there, but I ain't always gonna be here fer ya" he said, his Texan accent just as smooth as it always was when it came to talking to the girls, especially sweet looking brunette's like this one.

He was glad to hear she was happy for him to buy her the drink, and having not removed the deep smile from his face since he'd saved her from the idiot, he replied, "Not a problem sweetheart" and then he turned on his heel to head toward the bar so he could buy the pretty girl the drink he had promised.

"Megan eh?" he said repeating her name, saying around in his head a few times, it was definitely a pretty name. "Pretty name for a pretty gal such as yourself, but am pretty sure am I'll be callin' sweetheart or Sweet Cheeks" he said winking at her ever so slightly.

When Megan nudged him playfully about the drink, it was as if it brought him back to the reality of being with the beauty which was Megan. "Why yes, of course, sorry, kind of lost maself there for a minute sweetheart" he said as he got to the bar, and then turned back to her, eyes twinkling, "So what will it be for ya?" he asked smiling, waiting on her response.

"And then if we take it to a booth, would ya mind if I asked ya some questions about what happened tonight? There's dinner in it for ya" he said with another wink. Then he thought he better explain himself more, and let her know why he wanted to ask her some questions, otherwise she might think he was a total loon.

"I work for The Chronicle, and I've been doing a review on The Corinthian, given what happened earlier, I'd like to get your opinion on working here, would that be alright?" he asked, as the bar tender asked for his order, he turned and smiled at him, "Just a sec, waitin' on the lady givin' me her order" and then he turned back to Megan with a wink.

[romz]

Meg blushed slightly, the colour in her cheeks turning a gentle crimson colour. His eyes were just mesmerising. She couldn't help but just stare into them for a moment, before shying her face away by looking down at her converse. The colour grew in her cheeks when Brendan promised her he was going to sort out the security. Just for her? It sure seemed like it. Her sweet ass? She giggled, resisting the urge to pounce on him right this second.

Gosh. He sure was a flirt, every bit of him just screamed sexy; attitude, looks, dress sense, hair, eyes, stubble, accent... especially his accent. Pretty eh? Was the nicest compliment of the day, so she didn't mind. Pretty was so bleak though, it was just polite. Megan had bad experiences with guys calling her pretty, it normally led to trouble. Not for him though, he was somethin' special.

They wondered over to the bar. Megan leaned against it, one elbow touching the counter lightly as the other dangled by her side. She had her hand on her hip loosely, just wanting to look cool in front of him. "Ah budweiser please Nicky darlin'," She said winking at the young bartender who she knew. Her eyes then looked up at Brendan, "Well sure, that'd be a blast. I'm starved actually, I only have good things to say so no problem."

Nicky handed over the budweiser. Megan put the ice cold bottle to her lips and took a long gulp, swallowing it with ease. "Ah that's the stuff." She grinned up at the handsome man in front of her. The nicknames were going over in her head. They were adorable. Completely and utterly. But she had the sudden urge to find out why he was calling her them. "So... why sweet cheeks and sweetheart? Do you just lurve the word sweet?" She lifted her wrist to his mouth, having sprayed a few touches of her favourite perfume after she changed, she thought the sweet smell would certainly lift to the name.

[brendan]

A slight silence fell upon the two of them for a short while after he had spoken to her about the security. It sure was true that he hadn't minded saving her sweet ass, but somebody like Brendan wasn't always going to be around and in a way he was surprised that Ryan Linderman didn't have better security on the premises than there was. But it really was the only fault he had found so far, and it wasn't much of a fault, after all it was easy in a place as big as The Corinthian to be short on security.

He noticed some blushes on Megan's face and it made Brendan smile all the more, with his eyes twinkling away. Of course this flirting and nickname thing, was the way he always treated women, they were one of his weaknesses, but there just seemed something different about this one. She wasn't like the usual females he flirted with, no she was far better than that, and he was damn well sure he wasn't going to treat her like just one of the many women he chatted up for the sake of it.

When she asked for her own drink and called the bar tender by name, he rolled his eyes, still grinning. Of course she worked here, she was going to know the staff. He was glad to see that she was on the strong stuff, and not some pathetic WKD or Breezer, they were so girlie. Although she was a girl and he probably wouldn't have been too bothered about it, not with this one. He ordered himself a Budweiser too and grinned as he watched Megan take a huge gulp. Definitely a woman after his own heart, he did likewise, and then gently laid his hand on the small of her back as he began to lead her toward a booth.

"Well how about that?" he asked, when she said she was starved, "What's your favourite kind of food?" he asked, and then took a sip of his drink before elaborating on that question more, "That's to say, Italian, Indian, Chinese..." he trailed off, "Or, I could take ya to ma all time favourite place" he added, with a grin and wink, because he really was joking with her, but he just loved KFC, southern fried food was his all time favourite. But he wasn't going to say that unless she asked, this was going to be a dinner by way of thanks for her time, and he sure as hell wasn't going to take her to any fast food restaurant, she deserved much better than that.

She then asked him about why he called her sweetheart and sweet cheeks, asking if he was in lurve with the name sweet, before holding her wrist up to his mouth. He caught the scent, and it was sweet, but it was also very nice, and now that he had the scent, he would always remember Megan when he ever caught that scent again.

He put his hand up to her wrist and held her hand there longer, as he inhaled deeply savouring the scent, before kissing her hand gently. "Well it sure is a sweet scent, but ya taste so much sweeter than yer scent Sweet Cheeks" he said as he winked at her again, and showed off those dimples again. "I don' have a thing fer the word sweet, I jus' have a thing fer nicknames, if I look at someone and a name springs to ma mind, that's what they get called, and when I first looked at ya, Sweet Cheeks is what came to ma mind" he explained as he took another sip of his beer.

He located a booth which looked quiet and sat down, hoping she would either sit beside him or opposite him, it didn't matter to him much, just being in her company was good enough for him. For now anyway he thought with a grin. His heart was beating rapidly against his chest, and quite honestly, it had never done that around any female before. He had notebook in his pocket thankfully, everything else was in his hotel room across the road from the casino, "So, answer me a few questions and I take ya straight out to dinner the minute we're done, deal Sweet Cheeks?" he asked her, as he got his pen poised to write down some answers.

[romz]

Tingles sent down her spine as she felt his light touch on her lower back. A batch of butterflies were let loose in her stomach, sending flutters through out her body. She had to put her hand to her stomach for a moment, feeling so amazingly special that moment, that she just had to make sure it was real.

Megan didn't answer about her favourite food, she was too keen to know about the 'sweet' thing. She speak until after Brendan had smelled her scent. "Sweet eh?" But then he took her hold of her wrist. Such a gentle grip. He kissed it; his soft lips brushing against her skin. There they were. The butterflies again.

Meg couldn't remember ever feeling this way about any guy before, even Ryan who she had the biggest crush on in school. Brendan... she just felt permanently wanting him; wanting to hold him, play with his hair, stare into his eyes. Those dimples, they were so chiselled, so perfect. He was perfect. She opened her mouth to talk, "Um... er, Italian. I love Italian... being my heritage and all, you can't really blame me. I cook a mean pesto spaghetti." She giggled, staring up into his eyes as they walked along the row of tables and booths full of couples and families.

He led her to a booth, a nice quiet one where they weren't likely to get bothered. Brendan sat down first, his eyes darting up to her for once. She smiled at him, shrugging her shoulders lightly. As much as she wanted to sit next to him and huddle into him, she wanted to play hard to get. So she elegantly shuffled in opposite him, placing both elbows on the table and clasping her hands together as she looked across at him. "That's fine..." She said, agreeing with the questioning before dinner.

He said he had a thing 'fer' nicknames. So maybe she should play along, get in with this little thing he had going. What stood out except everything? Wow. This was going to be hard. She studied him for a moment, his top half only unfortunately, as the rest of him was tucked underneath the table in the booth. His eyes were mesmerising, she had established that the first moment she saw him. But no... something else that stood out. Then she saw him smile. She grinned, "So what do ya wanna know... Dimples?" Her left eyebrow raised lightly. The playful side was just starting to coming out.

[brendan]

Brendan smiled softly, "Oh sweet for sure" he agreed when she asked if her scent was sweet, but of course he had already told her she tasted far sweeter, he wasn't even sure if he caught a tiny glimpse or flicker of a blush there or not. One thing he did know, he couldn't stop smiling at Megan, at his Sweet Cheeks and then he blushed ever so slightly himself, because right now she really wasn't exactly his, now was she?

Brendan tilted his head to the side when she said Italian, and that it was in her heritage, he thought she looked a little exotic and now he knew why. "Mamma Mia!" he exclaimed in his best Italian accent which still couldn't help but come out slightly Texan, "*Hai un bel viso" he said as he lifted his hand up and touched the side of her face with it and gently stroked the cheek with his finger tip.

"Italian it is then" he said with a smile, as he remembered seeing an Italian restaurant called La Dolce Vita on his way to The Corinthian, so that's where he would take her, he remembered it looking very beautiful inside, and the perfect place to take such a beautiful girl with him. "Ya hav'ta cook me some of that one day Sweet Cheeks" he said with a wink when she told him she cooked a mean pesto spaghetti.

He couldn't take his eyes off of her as he waited for her to sit down at the booth he had found, she chose to sit opposite him, which was probably for the best anyway, he had a feeling if she sat beside him he wouldn't have concentrated anyway. There was definitely something about this Megan which was making him feel things he had never felt before.

He smiled when she agreed on the few questions before going for dinner. And then she did the ultimate thing which made him fall for her even if he tried hard not to, she called him Dimples, gave him a nickname, and even though it was the same one his sister used and which he didn't particularly like and constantly rolled his eyes over, he couldn't help but love it when Megan said it. It just sounded so beautiful. "Usin' ma trick there I see Sweet Cheeks" he said and grinned showing off the very thing she was calling him and followed it through with a wink, "I like it" he added, as he tilted his head to the side again.

Alright so she was ready to start the questions, he wasn't going to bombard her with a lot, he knew enough about the place from his general looking around and watching how things worked, but he was more concerned about the fact according to him, security wasn't strong enough.

"How d'ya like workin' here? Would ya say they treat ya fair? Takin' into consideration ya were accousted earlier?" he asked, trying to sound serious and probably quite possibly failing, seeing as a flicker of a grin swept across his face as he looked up from his notebook and looked into her eyes waiting on her response.

*Translation: You have a beautiful face.

[romz]

Butterflies swarmed her stomach once more. His touch was so soft and gentle. He called her beautiful. Megan wasn't used to being called beautiful, her mother and father certainly never called her it. Most guys never called her it either, it was always; "Hey sexy" or "Hey sugar!" Stuff like that. It never appealed to her much. Hence why the nickname thing was so adorable. Not to mention the 'beautiful' compliment in Italian. "Grazie eroe." She replied, grinning.

Italian. It was her favourite, she couldn't help it. Pasta, pizza, ice cream. Not the processed stuff. It wall about the home-made. She loved home-made food, it just tasted better. Sure she liked a burger now and then, but it still didn't beat the good stuff. Oh he wanted her to make it for him? Well she wouldn't say no of course, but it wasn't going to be easy.

"Of course, I need to try and 'get' you, if you get my drift." Megan winked back at him, making it blatantly obvious that she was trying. She burst out laughing, dribbling some beer down her chin. Messy girl. Not that she cared. Megan was one of those girls that if you didn't like what you saw, you could hit the highway. She had been through enough with guys to know that. Most of them only wanting one thing, and rarely getting it. Like everyone else, Meg had made mistakes. Especially when it came to men. She had been hurt almost beyond repair. Her face turned sad for a moment, and she let out a long breathy sigh.

"Oh the questions, right," She took a deep breath, stared in his eyes and smiled. "I love working here. Although I'm on the tables, I also help with managerial duties when Ryan is away. It's just helping a friend out. Known him a long time now," Megan watched Brendan scribble on his notebook. "Yes Ryan treats me perfectly, sure the security is pretty lame at the moment, but that's only because Ryan's away, mind you, that's quite often nowadays. But it doesn't matter, I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself." She could feel herself being deadly honest. It was the only way to be, and she had no intention of lying to Brendan of all people. He was a journalist after all, he was bound to tell when she was lying. "I get ruffed up now and again, but it's just how a casino works. Young girl, addicted gamblers just don't go well together ya know? It's fine though. Like I said, I can take care of myself." It's not like she had anyone to take care of her anyway...

[brendan]

Brendan just continued to give her his winning smile when Megan said 'thank you Hero'. It was wonderful for Brendan to know that she thought of him in such a way. She thought of him as her hero, and Brendan always liked to think he could play the hero, but had never been big headed about it, and he would never be big headed about it either, at least, he hoped he wouldn't.

"Siete i benvenuti bella*" Brendan replied, Brendan wasn't particularly fluent in languages, but being a reporter, being able to understand certain languages came in handy, and he'd learned a thing or two when interviewing people with a translator at hand. He couldn't help but call her beautiful, because to Brendan she was beautiful.

After Brendan had said that she would have to cook him one of her pesto spaghetti sometime, she said that she would have to try and get him first and did he catch her drift. Oh he caught her drift alright, but she obviously wasn't aware, she already got him, from the moment he had been her saviour for the night.

"Sweet Cheeks, ya already got me, haven't ya realised tha' yet?" he said in a smooth voice, winking at her and showing those ever popular dimples of his. They were like a trademark, the minute he smiled deeply, they automatically came out. They were like a package deal, take Brendan, you take his dimples, whether you like it or not.

When she laughed and dribbled some of her beer down her chin, Brendan didn't even mind, he thought it was rather cute, but still, he picked up the napkin and reached across and gently wiped it away and then pressed her nose with his finger ever so gently. "Can't take you anywhere eh?" he said but he laughed too. "It's actually a cute look, I shoulda' left it."

Brendan listened to her answer his questions truthfully, and he knew she was being truthful just by the way she answered them, and somehow he didn't think a woman like Megan could possibly ever lie. He didn't deny she could take care of herself, but why should she? She seemed to only have nice things to say about the place she worked, so Brendan really couldn't give the Casino anything but a glowing report now, could he? Maybe just a little suggestion to crank up the security, but Brendan wasn't daft, a young woman working in a place like this was bound to bring in the odd sleaze ball.

"I'm sure ya can look after yerself sweetheart, but why should ya? When ya can have someone like..." he trailed off, what was he going to say? When she could have someone like him taking care of her. Way to completely scare her off, and yet somehow, he didn't think he would. "...me" he said softly under his breath, as he took his hand and cupped her face with it and then leaned across the table and bringing her face to his ever so gently, he gave her the smallest and yet sweetest most tender kiss.

He pulled back gently, staring into her eyes, holding his gaze, "I think its fair to say ya ain't too troubled workin' here, fancy tha' dinner now?" he asked, he couldn't be bothered to ask any more questions, besides he had plenty to go on for his report on The Corinthian.

* Translation: You are welcome beautiful

[romz]

Megan blushed enormously. She already had him? How? It was so sweet. The butterflies still swarmed through her. And when he dabbed at her chin with napkin, ever so softly. "Sorry. I'm not one of these 'proper' ladies. Bit obvious considering my choice in clothing and drink." She said indicating her short shorts and her nearly empty beer bottle. He was definitely flirting now. And for once, Meg didn't mind it at all.

All of a sudden though, her eyes suddenly darted to his hand placed over his notebook. No wedding ring. That was always a good thing. But what if this wasn't real? What if he was just... like the rest of them. All the heartache, all over again. The butterflies flew away and now she was left with this sudden heartache, pains in her chest. Not tears... please God not tears. Not in front of him. She'd probably scare him off. But what if he was just like every other guy? Just better looking that the rest of them. She sighed, leaning back into the leather seat.

Brendan suddenly perked up about her being able to look after herself, but then came back saying why should she have too? When she can have someone like... "When I can have someone like?" She said quickly, avoiding eye contact. Her eyes shut for just a moment. Then she felt a soft hand touch her cheek and even softer lips brush against hers for only a split second. When she opened them, her eyes didn't know where to look other than straight into his. Their heads were still only inches away from each other; what should she do? Kiss back or pull back? Meg quickly pulled back, gulping loudly. Her eyes stared down under the booth at the floor. The butterflies were stronger than ever for a moment when their lips touched, but they had now flown away again. Was this right?

"Dinner... yeah um, yeah." She grabbed the bottle and quickly downed the rest of her beer. Shortly afterwards she slid out of the booth, clasping her arms around herself. Tears prickled against her eyes. Did he actually care? Or was he just trying to get something out of her like the rest of the bums? Megan didn't know what love was. Her parents never showed her it, no-one else really had. She feared it... it was something she didn't understand, and therefore didn't know what it was. Whether it was the butterflies, the paranoia, or the sudden long to know what it was. Love...

[brendan]

Brendan looked at Megan with a slight puzzled look on his face when she apologised for not being one of 'them proper ladies' when she had dribbled her beer down her chin. Had he even mentioned that he had wanted her to be one of those? He didn't think so.

"Hey" he began softly, still smiling at her, "Ya don' hav'ta be one of those with me, I don' go fer all that anyway, ya just be yer beautiful self and we're doin' just great sweetheart" he replied, as he brought his hand up to gently stroke her cheek with his finger tips, so she would know he was telling her the truth. He then looked her up and down, and gave a low whistle, "And those clothes, look mighty fine to me Sweet Cheeks" he added as he gave her another wink.

Something was going through her mind now, and right now Brendan would give anything to have telepathy to be able to read her thoughts. But she leaned back in her seat and gave out a sigh and it tugged at Brendan's heart a little. He couldn't help but say, "What's wrong sweetheart?" he hoped he wasn't being too nosey, but she seemed really happy a few seconds ago and now she was seemingly a little upset, down, depressed, he couldn't really tell which, but he didn't like it.

She repeated his words back to him, when she could have someone like, but she didn't finish the sentence, because he finished it for her under his breath, even if she hadn't heard it, but then he chose that moment to give her the sweet gentle quick kiss and now he wondered if he had done the wrong thing. Her reaction wasn't necessarily a bad one, but it wasn't necessarily a good one or what he had hoped for either.

"I'm sorry sweetheart, did I do the wrong thing then?" he asked, as the smile disappeared from his face, even though his god damn eyes were still giving his smile away. He shouldn't have done that, shouldn't have taken her by surprise like that, she probably thought he was just some flashy bastard out for everything he could get. "Sorry Sweet Cheeks, maybe I shouldn't have been so forward with ya, my apologies" he said, putting emphasis on how bad he actually felt for making her feel awkward.

It was just Brendan had never felt that way about any other female he'd ever spoken to, he knew she was different, and he knew he was falling and falling hard. Yes it was true he had only really just met her, but it was like that moment he always read in the newspaper columns, when you meet the one, you just know they're the one? Well that's how he felt about Megan, and damn it Brendan you're sounding like a god damn girl he said to himself with an inner chuckle.

She seemed a little hesitant over the dinner now, he was somewhat a little downhearted, he didn't want to force her, he wasn't that type of guy. "That's if ya really do still want to go fer an Italian, *bella ragazza" he said, as he looked down at his feet, scared to look up to see the reaction he would get from her, as of now, he was pretty sure he had blown his chances.

*Translation: Beautiful girl.

[romz]

Brendan continued to compliment her, despite her sudden batch of pessimism. Megan didn't know why it came over her, it just kinda did. "Thanks." She mumbled, flattening her tunic top over her stomach. Her eyes were avoiding his at all costs, she didn't want to look at him. Inside she was terrified he would think bad of her, think she was just an immature girl who wore her heart on her sleeve. And honestly... she did. Any man that she thought could treat her right, she'd hang on to them, not want to let them go. But no-one had made her feel like this before. And it was starting to scare her. He could be anyone, have a wife and three kids, hell she didn't know. Meg hoped he didn't, but who knew nowadays? It was almost impossible.

How could she answer? Say everything suddenly rambling on in her mind? She was terrified. Men had never treated her right. She was so insecure that telling him was starting to sound promising... No. She couldn't do that. He wouldn't understand... would he? She shook her head, putting on a false smile. "I... I'm fine." Why couldn't she bring herself to look into his eyes? They were so honest, so brutally honest that she just couldn't. He could actually like her, Megan. She didn't think it was possible, there was nothing special about her. Never did she classify herself as beautiful or talented or amazing. No-one had ever told her so apart from all the guys and Brendan here... That's what made her worry.

"No... it wasn't wrong," She said, finally bringing herself to look him in the eyes. "It was just... unexpected." God. Way to go Meg, he obviously thinks your crazy now. Why this fear? This complete fear for her heart. She had to get out of the casino, just get out of there. Dinner, bar, his hotel... wherever. As long as he was next to her, it would be fine. It would.

A couple of meters away from the booth as she got up and walked, Megan noticed Brendan didn't follow. Part of her felt so incredibly guilty, but the other... felt secretly pleased. Now she could actually take his hand and hold onto it, whilst dragging him out of the booth. And that's exactly what she did. "Come on, I'm hungry." She grabbed his hand and pulled him out, smiling genuinely and widely at him this time. She could feel the small sweat drops in his hand. He must have been nervous, but she didn't see why. Brendan had been Mr. Cool all evening, not once had he slipped up. It wouldn't even bother her if he did. No-one was perfect. Maybe that was another thing scaring her, the fact she couldn't fault him whatsoever. He seemed perfection walking.

"I'm sorry," She started, looking up at him for a moment. Megan then sighed, hanging her head as she looked down at both their feet. Her eyes looked sideways to see their hands connected. The grip harder than it was a moment ago. "I just... You're..." She took a deep breath, looked up into his piercing blue eyes and said, "Voi sono le più belle uomo ho mai incontrato*."

Megan giggled for a moment, then finished, "Inside and out." She wondered if he'd understand or not. She was almost fluent in Italian, and he seemed to know his fair share. There was only one thing left to do... see if he'd run a mile, or see if he'd squeeze her hand back.

*Translation: You are the most beautiful man I have ever met.

[brendan]

Brendan wasn't sure where to look when Megan just said thanks in a bit of a mumble. She was so beautiful, and yes she was definitely a good bit younger than him, but Brendan didn't care. Every other girl he had ever spoken to or flirted with for that matter, their reaction had never bothered him, because to Brendan, the smooth talker, they were just girls, and he loved them. But Megan wasn't just any girl, not like the others, no, she was special and yet she seemed, he wasn't sure what she seemed, unsure of him possibly?

Well he couldn't have blamed her for being a little dubious about him, and if the thoughts running through her head were about him, he still couldn't blame her, after all, he was older than her, a stranger almost, neither of them knew each other before tonight, and for all she knew he could have been an axe murderer, or a married man with a family. But Brendan was neither of those, he was a sweet, gentle guy with a wild streak sure and he certainly wasn't married, but he did realise after being with Megan, that he didn't want to just flirt around with any female now, he wanted to finally have that perfect woman beside him and he truly thought that person might have been Megan.

But she seemed to be stalling ever so slightly and it was definitely worrying him. He really would have given anything to get into those thoughts of hers. She was fine she said, he tried to hold her gaze, but she wasn't looking at him, and that was a little frustrating. He tried to bend his head down a little to look into her eyes, but it wasn't really working very well, he was going to lift her head up to face him, but he didn't want to appear pushy either.

"Well sweetheart, I don' know who yer tryin' to kid there, yerself or me, but I don' think it's workin' too well, come on, jus' tell me Sweet Cheeks" he said in a soft voice, and then he sighed a little, and dared to say what he thought might have been on her mind. "It's the age thing yeah? Or you've been so messed around in the past, ya don' feel like ya can trust me?" he said putting words into her mouth. The smile still gone from his face, but those eyes still sparkling like always. "I promise ya Sweet Cheeks, I ain't goin' to mess ya around, and I'm legally allowed to date another woman" he said possibly rambling slightly, but he wasn't about to let this one slip through his fingers, not now he knew how he felt, and those feelings were honest.

She had finally looked up into his eyes, and he was glad to know that the kiss wasn't a wrong move, just an unexpected one. Well it was unexpected for him too, he hadn't planned on meeting a woman he thought he might want to actually settle down with sometime, and certainly hadn't planned on kissing anyone either. "Trust me sweetheart I never planned it, though I can't deny it was nice" he said softly, as his smile returned, making his eyes sparkle all the more and those dimples come out in force once more.

Brendan had stopped because he wasn't sure she had still wanted to go for the dinner, and he had been waiting on her response. He then suddenly felt a smaller hand in his own, which felt so perfect, and he was being dragged as he heard Megan say she was hungry and gave him a brilliant smile, which just simply lit up her face and made her even more beautiful if that was even possible. "Now, see tha'?" he said winking and using his other hand to point to her smile, "Tha' is worth waitin' fer, ya should do that more often, makes ya even more beautiful and I didn't think that could be possible" he said returning to his smooth talking and slight flirting, but this time he wasn't flirting for the sake of it, he was flirting because he meant what he was saying to her.

She then suddenly stopped walking, and looked down at their feet, as she said sorry, confused Brendan asked "What ya apologising fer? Ya got nothin' to be sorry about" he added, as he decided this time he would do it, and used his free hand to tilt her face up toward his, as his eyes gazed into her own, with them darting from side to side, as he took in every inch of her beauty, then she began to stumble over her words, but then said in Italian that he was the most beautiful man she had ever met and then finished in English with inside and out. Brendan's heart physically skipped a beat and melted.

"Sweet Cheeks, that's quite a statement" he said, as he, Brendan, actually felt his face flush, nobody had ever said that about him before. Sure all the girls he had ever chatted up, might have said he was handsome, but they never said it quite the way Megan just said it. He then brought up his hand with Megan's hand in it, and kissed it, allowing his lips to linger against her skin for a few moments.

"Vi ringraziamo Megan. Credo che tu sorprendente e sono molto lieto ho incontrato lei stasera.*" he said softly, as he allowed both their hands to drop down by the side and he squeezed it gently, and continued to hold the grip.

"Come on then sweetheart" he said as he gently pulled at her, and began heading toward the Casino door, there was an Italian restaurant just along from the Casino and it was next to his hotel which was rather convenient for Brendan. "Off to La Dolce Vita we go" he finished as he opened the door and and held it for Megan to leave with him.

*Translation: Thank you Megan. I think you're amazing and I'm so glad I met you tonight.