A distraction is a fascination to an inappropriate attraction.

[dorian-excolo.livejournal.com]

[Sunday, June 13th (Day 378)]
[Noon, The Sacred Whore]

Ah, boredom.  My old friend.

It's slow, even for a Sunday, and by the time I've finished with all the little tasks that must be done - sweeping, dusting, reordering the clothing racks, and tidying the displays - only a few hours have passed.  And there's nothing left to do.  It's times like these that having the two assistants is more a burden than a boon, and I actually toss Winnie a look when she moves past.  

I throw some money at them and send them away.  Buy something, go take a nap, I don't care, just go.

I'm minded to flip the sign to closed after that, as everyone else has the good sense not to be open on a Sunday, but I don't.  Anything could happen, anyone could show, anyone at all...  I keep the bedroom door open, to listen for the bell, as I move back to change.  It's humid today and I'm not dressed for it, I've suddenly realized.  And my other shirt was a little dirty, from the cleaning.  Yes.

In a moment, though, I'm back to sitting on the counter, glancing around the shop and near-to-tears with nothing to do.  It's ridiculous I know, but with three of us here all the time, and two so hard-pressed to be busy little worker bees, there doesn't seem enough activity to go around.  That's it, that's the rub - they are just bothersome, underfoot and annoying.    If a customer came in they'd both be sure to just run over, before I even had the chance to give a go.  Start a conversation.  Maybe have some lunch.  Socialize. 

Hmph.

And you think they could have left me a bit of alteration to do in the meantime, something, to break up all this waiting.  All this god-awful wanting (nagging) to go do something foolish.  Like I even need any more supplies.  

Though I wonder if the General Store is even open on Sundays.

[Open to Jane]
[Continued http://estdeus-innobis.livejournal.com/446918.html]
[And there is sexy time...]

Comments

[janeveniver.livejournal.com]

He gives me a long and patronizing speech about how it was really a good and sensible thing he was doing, even going so far as to pick the dress up and bring it back to me. I stay right where I am and fume, trying to ignore the warm air on my bare arms and legs.

His eyes as he finishes tell me he's not ignoring anything. I can feel my face getting hot as he looks me over, but I'm still far more angry than I am embarrassed. "So this has all been a-a manipulation, just to get me to pick the dress you want?"

I can't believe anyone in their right mind would do something so convoluted and rude to someone to whom they were trying to sell something. "That'd be like me giving out free samples of a pie I'd overspiced and then begging people to try the plain ones in hopes that they'd buy those."

He is stupid. "Just give me the dress you think will suit me and...and whatever I need to wear under it." I can just see his opinion of my underwear forming behind his eyes, and I don't want to hear it.

[dorian-excolo.livejournal.com]

I roll my eyes. "Everything's manipulation, Jane, you're only upset because you haven't figured that out yet." Honestly. But she wants the dress, fine by me. This'll get old soon, I imagine, so it's best to move it on towards it's natural conclusion.

Though I still don't understand why people can't see it's the journey that's all the fun.

The dress (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v40/risen_one/excolo/mishka-designs-dress.jpg) I had in mind is hanging near the counter where I left it and I take the time to swing by the lingerie section before returning, dress is one hand and bra and panty set in the other. The bottoms she's wearing now are almost as long as the dress and it's not as though the top is doing any great favors. Hopefully she'll get the point.

"Here you are," I say, polite as can be, before handing it all over. "Don't beat yourself up too much, when you realize I was right." At that I just move away, putting the first dress back on the rack and tidying a bit while I wait for her to change.

[janeveniver.livejournal.com]

He hands over a dress the color of daffodils and the nicest underwear I've ever seen. "Thank you," I tell him very primly and retreat to the dressing room. It takes me a little time to work out how it all stays up, but once I have it on and have taken a good look in the mirror, I'm quite pleased. It is a nice dress, comfortable but trim, flirtatious without seeming garish. I imagine it will take me some time to get used to showing this much of my shoulders and back, but I'm sure I'll manage.

Steeling myself, I pull the curtain aside and step out, turning slowly in front of him. "What do you think?" I can't manage to sound indifferent, but I can at least hide my pleasure at the success of the outfit.

[dorian-excolo.livejournal.com]

I turn from the folding I've busied myself with and smile. "I think that I'm a genius, obviously." I move over to where she's standing and do a quick walk around, just to make sure everything fits properly. And it does, of course. "You want to make an impression, this is how you do it."

We're not done yet, though, not nearly. I motion for her to wait as I collect a pair of sandals, a knitted shoulder shrug, and a hair tie. When I return, I pull her over to the mirrors. There's no point in all of this if she can't see herself.

"You see, every good outfit has at least one secret weapon," I say, sweeping her hair from her shoulders and tying it to one side. "This is yours. The legs, everyone will notice, you have nice legs. But what you need to remember is just here-" I touch the curve of her neck just slightly, smiling at her in the mirror. "This is grace and beauty and sex rolled into one, without ever having to show much of anything at all."

I slip the shrug around her shoulders at that and laugh. "Everyone always forgets that. It's the small and subtle things that get the attention."

[janeveniver.livejournal.com]

He sizes me up again, talking all the while, of course. I roll my eyes and try to stand up straight while he brings me more things. I like the shoes, though they're not practical in the least, and I have a nicer hair tie at home, but I'm not going to tell him any of this. I slip on the heels and let him pull my hair back. He's very quick and clever with his hands, which I already knew. I'm glad he's being nice with them now, though.

"Thank you." That's all there is to say, really. I'll remember what he said about the secret weapon. That's important, and I didn't know it before. Turning around as he finishes adjusting the knitted thing, I lean against the mirror. I'm not small and subtle, just short and sensible, but I think, I think I've got his attention.

I square my shoulders and tilt my head, watching him watching me watching him in the mirror. "Dorian. Are you very good in bed?" Is he happy and poised like this, I wonder, or smug and infuriating like he was earlier, or all of them together? I could ask Glass, but I'd like to find out for myself. It would take my mind off Jamie, certainly, and it's not as though I'm in danger of getting pregnant.

[dorian-excolo.livejournal.com]

A slow grin eases onto my face, I can feel it. "There's only one real way to find out." Things have taken an unexpected turn, I'll admit. And oh, but those are my favorite sort of afternoons. "Are we done shopping now?" There's the urge to move forward, I think she'd like me to, but I stay where I am for the moment. It's part of the fun, seeing exactly how this will go without pushing one way or the other.

[janeveniver.livejournal.com]

He doesn't smirk, for once. This is mostly a real smile, if very lazy and smug still. "I'm done shopping," I tell him very firmly. "And I've already taken my clothes off any number of times for you." He couldn't see me, but I don't really care. "I think you should take off yours. In the dressing room."

I fold my arms and look at him expectantly. I think this is a game I can play.

[dorian-excolo.livejournal.com]

Oh God, she's serious.

I laugh, I can't help it. "In the dressing room? Well that hardly sounds like fun," I say, starting to unbutton my shirt. "Are you sure I can't just take them off right here?" Of course, we are technically still open for business. The door's unlocked and either Winnie or Damien could be back at any time.

I slip out of my shirt and toss it her way.

[janeveniver.livejournal.com]

He doesn't go quietly, of course. I catch the shirt he tosses me as I eye the lean lines of his chest. "You should eat more. You're far too thin." But I can't help smiling as I say it. I won't mind baking him pies at all.

I point towards the dressing room. "You can prance around your shop all you want, but that's where I want you to make me forget my ex-husband." And oh, Dorian, I really, really do.

[dorian-excolo.livejournal.com]

"You should eat more. You're far too thin."

"What can I say? I'm a man half-starved," I say. "In obvious need of Excolo's finest pies." Oh God, if Iago were here...

"You can prance around your shop all you want, but that's where I want you to make me forget my ex-husband."

"Prance? I don't prance." I'm still smirking a bit though, of course, backing towards the dressing room. "Strut, yes. If you're very lucky."

My shoes, my socks, they're easy enough to take off and kick into the corner once I'm behind the curtain. There's something amusing about all of this, especially now that she can't see me.

I toss my pants out of the dressing room.