With a splash (Heavenly, Garrett)

[Lovely]

August 4, 2007
7pm

*clatter of a diving board and a clean splash... skilled diver.. splash splash...*

She heard the splash and swore under her breath, she'd hoped to be totally alone in here. Turning she glanced around and realized that she was mostly alone, at least it wasn't crowded in here. What was she doing anyway? Did she really just duck into this 'room' to avoid seeing the guy she was supposed to adore? Trying to be all little miss sweetness and sunshine for him just wasn't something she felt like doing today. Heavenly walked casually across the room, watching the form in the pool and acting as if she'd come in on purpose.. everything was under control..

The lap back to the ladder was fast and strong though Garrett was no champion. He was here to enjoy himself, relax in his own way and cool down after a long day on his feet. Working downtown had its disadvantages sometimes, but the city gave him a pass for the pool... all was right with his world. The Y wasn't the shiniest, sparkliest part of town, but compared to where he spent his time, it was ... "Ahh... heavenly," he muttered in a soothing exhale, pulling himself up the ladder near the board for another dive. Water streamed off his dark hair down the lean muscled form as he stepped quietly to the next ladder and stopped. "Tickets go on sale next week!" He hollared out to the girl who watched him, tossing a smile across the water and concrete.

She had stopped dead in her tracks and was staring at him, most wouldn't have heard his contented sigh and words, but her sharp hearing picked up her name. Her eyes had narrowed a semi paranoid suspicion creeping up her back. She hmphed at herself and rolled her shoulders after he called out his greeting, she was just being stupid. "I'll be sure to tell my friends, I'm sure they would love the show."

"Sorry, you were staring. I was just... you know.. Emabarrassed... a little," he said, holding up his hand, holding an inch of air between his fingers - a little bit. He shrugged. He was far from embarrassed really and the machissmo sprung to life as he bounced up the ladder for a better view - his, and hers of him. If she was here for a show, he'd give one, this time a backwards jump - fearless, not to mention the nice show of his chest and his poise as he shot himself into the water.

"I wasn't staring.." She muttered with an angry tone in her voice, her hands setting on her hips, though she did watch his flip and found herself sighing. He was nice to look at.. muscular and wet and mmmm. She licked her lips and brought her gaze over to the far wall so she wouldn't be looking at him in the water.

The normal sounds of kicking and swallowing air as he moved over the water didn't follow though he'd plummeted to the depths this time, snaking around the bottom, perhaps looking for something, not that anyone would have noticed.

After a moment of trying not to look at him she realized she didn't hear him either. She moved closer to the edge of the pool to try and see where he'd gone to. She was almost glaring as she leaned over a bit to peer into the water.

He'd been down there some time it seemed, though seeing the shadow over the edge of the water he came back up, trying not to splash her as he surfaced. As he bobbed back up, he reaffixed a cord around his neck holding a small brassy medallion. "Not staring... uh huhn. You sure?" He smiled and spoke more quietly this time. "Sorry... water... carries sound," he explained, though there were other reasons he had no trouble hearing her.

Her eyebrow arched slightly and her lips held a slight frown as she regarded him for a long moment. "I'm sure it does.. I wasn't staring, I was pretending to care if you drowned.." She replied a bit tartily, sighing and rolling her shoulders again, she was tense but that had more to do with her reasons for coming in here than it did with him. Her eyes slowly moved over his well muscled shoulders and then back to his face, d**n he was attractive.. and his eyes.. wow.. When had any guy ever made her go 'wow'? "..since you didn't.. I guess I don't have to care either way." She added, feeling suddenly vunerable in her current outfit.. she should have worn something leather.

"Thank you for caring enough to say so either way," he chuckled, looking her over. Nice girl, nice curves, nice scent although he determined she was a cat lover or something about her was 'cat' beside the commentary. "Were you here for a few laps or just waiting for the guard to call adult swim so you can be alone? I'm about done, but I don't mind company."

[Lovely]

"I was.." She took a step away from the edge and glanced around the room. "..looking around.. I was thinking of joining.. wanted to see what the equipment looked like... you know what they have to offer a girl like me.." Her hand smoothed over her hips and she regretted wearing this dress. Of course there was nothing wrong it, showed off her legs with the short skirt and her small waist as well as her curves with the close fit, a simple light button up shirt was worn over it, also a close enough fit to accentuate her form.

"Work for the church or work for the city, you get in free," he offered. The way she was dressed he wondered if she was even from around here. "Guessing you don't work for the church. No offense. You don't have a moustache," he said quietly.

She chuckled at his comment about the church and it felt good like a release of some sort, she'd been holding in and back too much for too long. "No, I don't work for the church.. and thanks for noticing my lack of mustache.. it does wonders for my facial hair complex.." She was still chuckling softly, looking back at him again.

"A laugh... good. That's nice. That does wonders for the complexion. Just trying to be convincing that I'm not going to bite or anything. Seriously, if you're coming in, I'll wait," he said, moving away from the wall a little.

Her eyes flickered from him to the water and then back. "I wasn't.. didn't bring my suit.. besides I prefer.. outdoor swims.. I'm not a pool party kind of girl." Her eyes stayed on his face, seeming to study him a little. "Thanks for the offer though.."

"Too bad. Mind if I get out then? It's not the nicest block to be on this time of night. I can walk you to the door." So he was wet head to toe and wearing only the trunks. He could still be a gentleman. "Unless you want a tour of the place. So you can join?"

She couldn't help it and blamed it completely on the wild animal side of her, her eyes dragged over him, taking in every ripple of muscle and drop of water than ran over them. Then he was out of the pool and standing in front of her -all masculine and strong and god she must be getting close the 'that' time -it was the only logical reason she could come up with for feeling so ..wild and staring at him like she wanted to throw him down. Heavenly swallowed and willed herself to look back up at his eyes, rather than his chest or.. "Hmm? Oh.. no.. that wouldn't be a good idea at all.." because I just might have to throw you down and.. d**n it! "..I wouldn't want to trouble you.. and.. my boyfriend is.. waiting.. I'm.. supposed to meet him.." There she'd said it, now he'd know and just leave her alone, and he'd stop looking so yummy standing there in front of her. Why hadn't her mother ever explained -this- to her??

"Exactly why I should walk you to the door. You might have noticed it's not the most crowded place. A lot of corners around here," he said, knowing most of them well. He held out a hand that steamed from the heated water and cool air. "Garrett.... Caruthers," he added, full name, though it wasn't entirely his.

She scowled lightly as he gave her his full name, mother had taught her to always be polite and she replaced the scowl with a pleasant smile, reaching to take his hand in a grip that was usually more firm than most expected. "Lee.... Heavenly... Carpathia..." It was obviously a bit painful for her to admit to having such a sweet name. "and thank you.. Garrett.. but you're soaking wet.. and I can .. I'll be fine.. "

"I'm sure you will be, but I insist. I need to get something from my car anyway," he added, pointing toward the door. All he'd brought in had been the trunks, but that was a long story for another time.

"How very kind of you.." She forced the smile as she turned and started for the door, she didn't need a babysitter. She could best any normal man without blinking... she'd discovered at a young age she was much stronger than a human -even in this form. It wasn't his fault she was above average -he was just trying to be nice. "Thank you." She said with a little more sincerity and warmth in her voice. She wondered if her boyfriend was still waiting or if he'd thought she stood him up by now? She'd been late to begin with.. it had taken her awhile to be able to get her 'nice girl' face on tonight.

"Let me put it this way. You're meeting someone and if that someone isn't there... you're safe and not alone out there. Kinda my job," he shrugged a little again sending another rivulet of water down his chest.

"I don't mean to be ungrateful, but it's really not neccessary.. I'm a big girl, if I dallied too long and my date left.. it's my own fault and I'll have to deal with the consequences." She shrugged, half hoping he wasn't still waiting for her, part of her didn't have the energy tonight and part of her was pumping with energy, but a far different kind that didn't want to play with the fragile human boy.

"Okay, so maybe I'm hoping that maybe if I keep you company a few minutes more, he'll go home safe himself and you'll have time for a cup of coffee? Sue me, I liked the laugh, okay?"

She laughed again, was he reading her mind or what? "Trying to pick up another guy's girlfriend... classy.." Her frown tipped to a small grin and she shook her head. "I should be totally offended and outraged, you know.. I should probably slap you and walk off in a huff.." She didn't make any move to do either of those things though.

"Not if you see it my way. If you really wanted to go, you wouldn't be in here telling me about it. Cream and sugar? How about espresso? I'm thinking it's going to be a long night. Unless you want to huff now," he offered, waiting casually with a smile. As his hair dried, it hung dark, nearly black behind his roman chiseled features and the medallion shone gently over a fading tan. "You can be offended, but I still like the laugh... Heavenly... wait... what's your middle name?" The idea, whatever it was, was curling around his mind and making his eyes shine like a little boy with a new toy to play with.

[Lovely]

She was right with him, even smiling a little as he teased and she admired how he looked with his hair starting to dry. That was until he asked about her middle name, her own eyes darkened a bit and her jaw tightened. "Bob.. my middle name is Bob." She sighed and folded her arms, giving him a look that said if he laughed she was going to slap him. "It's Angeline.. okay." She nearly growled the name past her lips, watching his eyes shine.

"Yes!" He shouted and laughed but as his revelation, not her name as it was. "Perfect. It has to be an A... and it's an A," he hummed, delighted with his play with words. "Angeline, that's really beautiful," he paused, serious and sincere as he looked at her expression. Even if it ended up being a stage name, it was perfect. "I'm sorry, but listen. Heavenly... Angeline... definitely angelic, just had to say so... Carpat.. Carpathia? Carpathia... right... H...A... C... get it? Hack... ever been a 'hack', Hack?"

Her eyes went wide and then narrowed sharply as he seemed to make fun of her name, her hands clenching into tight fists at her sides. Then he complimented it and she didn't know what to make of it or him. She swallowed and watched his face as he went through the 'wonder' he found in her name. "No.. but I might hack you into little pieces.." She started out meaning it but ended up chuckling a little at the and and her hands unclenched. She reached out to give his shoulder a push. "Don't go telling anyone.. .. That's why I go by Lee.. but.. Hack is.. good.. sounds.. tough.."

"Lee works. I like Lee," he defended, giving in to the push, though she'd notice he wasn't one to push easily. "It's a habit. A way I remember names, not that I could or would want to forget yours. It's a pleasure... Lee...," he added, using the name she preferred more.

She looked at him a bit oddly, he didn't push as easily as other people, she was used to barely having to put any effort into moving someone. Lee nodded a little as he settled on her name and she offered a shrug. "The flowery name was my mother's doing.. how was she to know I wouldn't end up all sweet and fluffy?" Her tongue ran over her bottom lip as she looked up at him. "It's alright about.. the thing with my name.. I'm just a little over sensitive about it.. You try growing up with the name Heavenly.. every year at every new school I got to hear the same jokes about it.. and then as I got older it was guys with lame lines like 'did it hurt when you fell?' So yeah.. Lee.. much simplier.. " Why was she babbling at him like this? She was a complete idiot.. and now he knew it. "You can call me whatever works best for you... really it's okay." Great now she was her mother, being all accommidating and nice.

"No, fluffy is over-rated, trust me," he said. The flash in his eyes, his own sensitive reaction to things she didn't know about, may not have been overly noticeable but the smile paled a little. "Your mother, like most moms, knew what was best. I think it's perfect, and trust me not ask that kinda dumb question, cuz if you fall, I'll be there to catch you first."

She kind of smiled but didn't know what to say to that, she wasn't expecting anything like what he'd replied with. She faltered over her words and finally replied with a soft. "You will?" She wasn't sure what to make of him or what to think -of anything. Nothing had been normal since she'd ducked into the pool room and come across him. Maybe she was ill.. she'd never felt like this or reacted like this to someone. His scent seemed unusually strong and pleasing to her -even for her normal sensitivities to such things. Her boyfriend never smelled this.. powerful, this appealing.. ".. About that coffee.."

He'd been wrong. Maybe it was the chlorine or just the way she bit at him to start but it wasn't cat at all, just his reaction. Closer up the scent... was definitely something to pay attention to. He nodded, "Let me change first. Abby hates it when I get pool water on her booths."

"Okay.." She took a deep breath, closing her eyes and nodding. "Yeah.. the chlorine smell.. they must have just spiked the pool or something.. it's kind of strong.." She played it off as if she wasn't super sensitive to the smell, but that was really why she preferred outdoor swims.

He agreed again. "Let's be nice and give your friend a fair shake. If he's half a gentleman, he'd have waited for you. If he's not there, meet me out front. Ten minutes? Your chance to escape?" He hoped she'd be back, but he was pretty certain he could track her down if he needed to and he definitely wanted to. Another man's girl in this town could be a deadly prospect, though, which he knew well.

Her eyes snapped open and she blushed deeply, she'd forgotten about him for a moment.. was he still waiting outside? "Wow.. I .. yeah I should go.. check." She took a step and then stopped, looking at Garrett again and giving him a gentle smile. "It was nice meeting you.. either way.. "

"Offer still stands. Ten minutes," he reminded her in case the sudden blush erased her memory of the invitation. "Or next week, same time at the egg and coffee place off of 5th. It's just south of the race track," he said, giving her an opportunity for a graceful exit but a chance to meet again if she wanted.