2013.05.16 - Warning of Things to Come

Shaw was going to respond to what Millie had said but then Lex's phone buzzed and he had to depart. After he had said his goodbyes and left he chuckled to himself and muttered, "Old friend" as if it were that set of words that made him laugh.

He looked over to Millie and said, "Well it seems we've become a twosome. I do apologize for interrupting your evening with Alexander, if I had realized I would have stayed away."

He looks at the ready table, "But I'd like to think I am good company so if you would like to adjourn to our table, I promise you the club's chefs are some of the best in the world."

Millie bids farewell to Luthor, then turns her attention on Shaw. "Well, I have a feeling, Mr. Luthor will search me out again sooner or later, and we will finish what was begun. If not, well, I'm known for my stubborness." A warm smile once more. "And I'd be happy to spend some time with you, and likely picking up five pounds I'll have to work off later," light humor there. "But perhaps you can make it up to me by playing Tennis with me sometime?" She does love Tennis, but she finally moves to take a seat once the two of you arrive at the table.

And Shaw holds out the chair for Millie. Once she is seated he takes his own seat as he thinks for a moment before saying, "Tennis? Against Millie Collins? Well I suppose losing a few games of tennis could help teach me some well needed humility."

He looks to Millie and chuckles, "Yes I think I'd like that. But do expect to win as I'm only an average player at best and it has been a few years."

He does frown for a moment and says, "And not to sour the discussion by seeming petty... and a tad hypocritical but be wary around Alexander. He's... He's not what he seems."

A soft mmm, "The goal is fun Sebastian, not win or lose. I'm not even planning to keep track of points." Millie then blinks at the warning, "Is not most people that way in the Hellfire Club? The point is, if I can get him to do good, perhaps that will help. If he does good, we will get along fine, if he does bad, we won't." A slight smile, "Anyway, I have horriable taste in men, haven't you realized? If they are good looking and need saving, I'm interested." A bit of dark humor about herself.

"Fair point on all subjects," Shaw said with a smile and honestly that did sway him to think she could take care of herself around Lex, "Just a friendly warning as he's someone even I feel rather guarded around."

He thought for a moment about things he wanted to say but wouldn't with Lex there trying to play games, "And Emma Frost is only a friend and associate. I helped her nearly ten years ago now rise from a dancer her to a multi-billionare and one of the best school teachers in the country. Alexander assumes our relationship is more than that, but it is not."

Shaw gets a withdrawn look as if remembering something painful, "I...." The look goes away and said, "And I also apologize for the grandstanding of one-upmenship you had to witness."

A nod at that, "I will take your warning to heart," Millie says. And she will watch Lex closely. She has been betrayed before, it's not a good feeling.

Millie falls silent as Sebastian continues, but finally reaches a hand out to gently lay atop his. "I believe Sebastian. Until proven otherwise, if you tell me something, I will believe you." She is giving Shaw her trust. "I know you have secrets, I know there are things you /don't/ say. And that's alright, I like to think I know when to back down and respect your privacy." She then smiles gently, "And don't worry about the one-upmanship. I started it with teasing Mr. Luthor. I know, especially businessmen, are high competitive, and I do strive to use it to my advantage. I am not very good a politics, but I like to think I know people. And I'm a force for good anyway," and Millie winks over at you. "You will often notice I'm silently laughing when I purposely cause michief. My friends tell me, I can't hide a thing, my face and eyes reveal all."

"Your friends are correct," Shaw said with a bit of a laugh, "And for being such a 'good girl' you seem to enjoy making mischief. Normally, I'd say that earned you a spanking... but I believe you can get out of jail free for that."

He looked at her hand on his and then placed his other hand on top of hers, "I have many secrets, you know that. And many of those secrets are shattering not only to how you would view me, but how you would view the world. One day, perhaps, I'll let you in on some. But part of me selfishly wants to keep that air of mystery."

He crafted a warm smile and said, "If you know all my secrets I wouldn't necessarily fit your criteria for your 'horrible taste in men.'"

Funny how things change. If he was being honest with himself, he originally gave her the check to get into her pants. That was no longer the reason, in short time spent with her, his opinion of her has changed, "My secrets are very troublesome, some could be considered downright detestible. But... for some reason, hmmm."

He paused and smiled, "For some reason they don't feel so bad or painful right now. I don't suppose you have something to do with that."

Millie's lashes raise and she looks with concern at Sebastian, "I wish I could help," she says honestly. Not just making Sebastian feel less worse, but to do greater and more 'good' deeds. "Sebastian, nothing is impossible if you put your heart into it. That's the strength of humanity, the ability to change themselves, to improve on themselves."

Sebastian thought for a moment on what she said and replied, "Of that I have no doubt Millie. The things I do, the reasons I do them is because I do believe in that strength. The Hellfire Club has a motto that taught me that: If it cannot break from it's shell the chick will die without being born."

He decided to explain a bit, "It's a parable, it means that we are the chick, the world is our egg. We have to force our way out of the world to truly live."

A gentle squeeze of her hand upon yours that lies beneath it. Though her lips twitch upward a bit, "Though I admit, I do wish you were a bit more conservative in your expression of such a philosophy. I always have to watch where my eyes land unless I wish to see more than I ever wanted to." Light humor about her conservative, small town upbringing. Millie's eyes do not leave your face. "Sebastian, if you ever, truly need a friend though...please, know that I'm here for you, alright?" Millie is sincere in the offer, deeply so.

Shaw can't help but chuckle a bit at Millie's conservatism, especially since there are scores of magazines showing her in various outfits and lingerie that would not be defined as such, "I know you are Millie, that's something I appreciate very much. Despite the jokes about Alexander, I don't really have many people I would consider an actual friend."

"Well, you got me now," and Millie smiles warmly at Sebastian, teeth flashing in the grin. "So you are one friend richer now." And something potentially more, though Millie has never verbally mentioned anything serious in that direction. "So, charity balls? I'll have to actually learn how to waltz then." A gentle change of topics.

Shaw chuckled at her statement, "I can not believe that with all the charity events you've been to, all the years as a super-model and even a tennis pro you never once learned how to dance."

He looked her in the eyes and said, "I'm just a poor Pittsburg boy who worked in a steel mill and even -I- know how to ballroom dance."

"Oh, I know how to dance, club dancing anyway," Millie says. "I'm told I'm very good and can move my body very well," she teases. "But I never bought professional dancing lessons before, and no one back home did such a thing. Not that I haven't watched the show occansionally, Dancing with the Stars I believe. It looks beautiful and interesting, I just haven't had the motivation before, or a dance partner to try."

"Hmmm," Shaw says to himself and then gestures over the waitress and says something to her. She nods to him and rushes off towards the backstage, "Well I'm not quite 'Dancing with the Stars' level good but..."

The music suddenly changes from the club beats it was playing to a more traditional waltz music. He looks towards the back and smiles. Sebastian rises to his feet and hold his hand out to her, "Would you care to dance, Millie Collins."

Millie blushes once more, a light blush. But she then offers her hand to you, "I would be delighted, Sebastian Shaw." Her movement is regal, carefully played as only a model can, though without the hauntiness that actresses can imbue within it.

Once Millie's hand is within yours, she moves to stand, and to follow you to the spot you have selected to dance. Of course the young woman's heart is beating wildly, she is dancing with the infamous Sebastian Shaw, and learning how to dance a waltz at that. Saying it is romanatic would be an understatement.

Sebastian was a bit nervous himself to be honest. Not because he couldn't dance, not because he thought he couldn't teach her to dance. But rather he doesn't really know -why- he's doing these things. Normally by now he'd either have the woman in his bedchamber or would have moved on to a new girl.

And yet here he is, and he positions Millie's left hand to his shoulder and holding her other hand far out. His free hand moved to the small of her back, "I'll guide you with my hand, feel the pull or the release and take one step with your left foot and then your right foot. I'm promise you this is easy."

"So you say," Millie says with a light smile, though a slight flush to her cheeks linger. She gently rests her one hand on your shoulder as indicate, being about to feel that Shaw is far from a small man, the shoulder is muscular. Her other hand is easily swallowed up by Shaw's. Millie is not a tiny woman, especially when she wears heels like this, though she feels like it next to Shaw. She then nods, indicating that she is ready to begin, "So, step where you pull, left, then right?" She just wants to make sure she doesn't completely embarass herself, but knowing her...she likely still have fun anyway.

To say that Shaw was larger than life was a very accurate thing to say and especially standing about a half a foot taller than Millie. Despites the strength that is obviously in his body right now Sebastian wears a very warm and inviting smile.

"That's right and don't worry about stepping on my feet, you can't hurt me like that," Shaw said as he started to indicate where she should move as he moved in rhythm with the song.

"Well, they are only two inch heels," Millie's tone teasing. But she then starts to concentrate, moving as you indicate, first the left, then the right foot. She takes instructions well considering her profession, though it's a little 'off' to the rythum while she adjusts to the movements. Considering the cuts in her dress, Sebastian can feel warm flesh instead of fabric against part of his palm where he touches. And the entire time? Millie doesn't look away from your face. She gets a little smoother as the steps continues, relaxing a little more and trusting Shaw to keep her moving correctly.

"See, your doing just perfectly fine," Sebastian says with a bit of a laugh, "Soon you'll dance nearly as beautiful as how you look."

And then a bit of the playfulness overtakes him and he dips her, not suddenly or quickly but smoothly, making sure she has her balance and that his grip on her back is strong so she will not fall. It's technically not part of a waltz but the mood struck him.

As he hold Millie there he has to hold her much closer than they were dancing a second ago and their faces are very close to each other.

A soft gasping, "Oh!" of surprise, but Millie is soon laughing softly, more of an escaped giggle. "Isn't this part of the can-can or something?" Though her eyes seem to darken a bit, with how close Sebastian is, her fingers having tensed on his shoulder for additional support. Shy and nervous...Millie feels like she doesn't exactly have full control over the situation.

"Something like that, but what's life without a surprise or two along the way," He answers her with a sweet smile looking right into her eyes. He holds there for a moment as he makes a decision. And that decision is made in an instant.

He moves his head closer and kisses her, holding her steadily so that she will not fall if she pulls away.

Millie is not /that/ innocent, and yet her breath catches and her cheeks flush. This is because it is not a normal friend giving her a kiss, but someone...she thinks about often with more than mere fondness. The fact she permits it and doesn't pull away would likely surprise a number of Hellfire Club members as Millie is not the type to date anyone here, and she's the 'steady girl' type. Still...her lips press back into that kiss, and her fingers tighten further on Shaw's shoulder, and within Shaw's hand even as a shiver goes through her. It's obvious the girl has some survival instincts, otherwise she wouldn't have made it this far, so of course her logic is screaming at her to run...yet, instead, she kisses back.

Pulling her back up to her feet the kiss stays intact for just a moment longer before Shaw himself pulls away. He looks Millie in the eyes and says, "I'm sorry. That was inappropriate of me, I should have... I mean I shouldn't have..."

He trails off for unsure what to say, or even why he was apologizing to her. This was not 100 normal behavior for Sebastian Shaw, not normal behavior for nearly ten years. He feels silly right now, like he had turned into that highschool boy with a crush he told himself not to act like.

And the blush brightens at the apology, and Millie's breathing isn't what one calls the most steady. But she says calmly, "Let's continue to dance," as that would appear less awkward and cause less of a scene. Only if Sebastian agrees, will Millie speak further as the two begin to dance again, rolling her eyes, "I didn't realize I was /that/ bad, Sebastian." Light humor to soften the situation, and being considerate of your feelings...though her blush still hasn't fully faded.

Shaw nods in agreement to Millie's suggestion. And as they begin to dance again her he laughed at her comment, "You weren't bad at all, I would say that was one of the best kisses I've had." Yes, light humor, pretend that what just happened wasn't a surprising big deal. That did sound the way to go from here.

Though Sebastian was still a bit shocked on how embarassed he was about the whole thing. He did what felt right, why should he be embarassed, the answer was of course he shouldn't. So he smiled and regained his composure and stated, "And I did note that someone was kissing back."

And Millie's hand on Shaw's shoulder moves. She actually punches you lightly on your shoulder, pouting a bit, "Why wouldn't I? It's not like you have bad breath or something." That threw her dancing off a bit, but her hand is then back on your shoulder. Yep, her cheeks got a little pinker rather than less at that tease. "Humpf," she says lightly. But then she glances side-long, away from Shaw. "Even though I know you are trouble, I still like you, so of course I would kiss you back," the words spoken softly, and perhaps could be missed.

The song ends and the music goes back to the club beats of earlier, Shaw stands there for a minute, he had heard what she had said and it had made him smile. But he wasn't going to press his advantage today. Millie was not going to be just another conquest in the long life of Sebastian Shaw.

He touched her chin and turned his head to face him again, "Ms. Collins, thank you for the lovely dance, one almost as lovely as you."

He half bows to her, "So when shall we play Tennis together?"

And back to the Ms. Collins. But Millie smiles gently, actually thankful that Sebastian did not take advantage. "Next week at the latest," she says. "How about I give you a call later with my work out schedule when I have it, and we will see what matches up?"

Shaw smiled at her and then kissed her on the cheek gently, just because he wasn't pressing his advantage didn't mean he wouldn't let mer know he was still interested, "Don't worry about it Millie, my schedule is always going to be open for you, and that is a statement that you can trust."