Thread: The Manor (Mr. Quixotic & Malicious Lullaby)

The taste of chardonnay on her tongue was most welcomed and the liquid went down her throat easily and warming her insides so well. To her, chardonnay was what hard liquors like scotch and whiskey were to others. It gave her more liquid courage than she could have expected and anticipated but there was also the help of the many flutes of champagne she consumed earlier like it was the most delicious tasting water ever. Harper wasnt very good at flirting. It took months before her current boyfriend asked her out and even longer before she actually slept with him. When it came to men, she was very ill-equipped. Even if she was under the moniker of Izabel, she couldnt seem to let Harper drift away. It never happened in her life where she was dressed like a raunchier Cinderella at a beautiful masquerade ball where there were very handsome men dressed impeccably and even gorgeous women dressed like they belonged on the red carpet so glamorous, so fine and expensive, it all screamed rich and decadent. Even if a mans hand silently crept down the frame of a fine womans backside, a subtle brush of a finger against the side of her clad breast or even a slight graze of lip against her neck. It was subtle, it was tasteful and it was not full on groping or copulation in public for the world to see. The closest she came to a scene like this was when she took a step into a fraternity part in college. She smelled sex, booze and saw a guy and a girl making out very intensely right by the door before she turned and ran back to her dorm. That was the last time she went to a party. To say she was awkward when it came to the opposite sex was an understatement so the fact she even had a boyfriend is a very impressive feat to be reckoned with. She finished her glass of wine and requested another, just as a man came up to the bar and requested for his own drink as well. She took her refill and he took his scotch and she had every intention of walking away when she saw him looking at her. Even with his mask on, she saw where his eyes were and they were on her. Were they? Awkwardly, she even looked around to make sure and saw no one else that he could be looking at. All the other women were otherwise engaged and she had a feeling he was not checking out the bartender. Oh god, he was checking out her. A quick gulp of her wine gave her the courage she needed to even endure being stared down by this man. Stephanie told her many times that when a man was appraising a woman, there was always some kind of grin or smolder aligned to his facial expressions. Even though he was wearing a mask, she saw a smolder of a kind appear on his face. Was he undressing her with his eyes? Her? Her, of all the women here? Harper took another hasty sip of her wine, although smaller and not large gulps like before and seemed to swallow difficultly. She was buzzed for sure now but not at all drunk. No, she still had enough awareness to practically wilt beneath his heady gaze. Beautiful green eyes that shone like emeralds, she couldnt tear her gaze from his. H She started to say her actual name but stopped herself. Her name was Izabel. Izabel. Izabel. My name is Izabel. Pleasure to meet you Robert. She nodded her head to him before chancing a look off into the party. She could see Stephanie silently walking off with a man in a pinstripe tuxedo and a rather elaborate mask. That was quick. Then again considering it was Stephanie who had no filter and knew how to walk, talk and flaunt it, she shouldnt really be surprised. Well, if Stephanie was going to be occupied now, it meant that Harper was really on her own now. Maybe if she tried to channel her inner Stephanie she could survive this easily and live to tell the taleto no one! Only problem, she had no idea what she was supposed to say, do or even suggest now for a line of conversation or action. She was only there to make a little bit of money without having to sell her body, thats what Stephanie promised her. But looking at this man and the more she drank, she was very quickly forgetting her life outside of Izabel. Harper Collins left the building and all that was left was Izabel, a true lady of the night. And she hoped this man would pick her just to be able to spend a little bit more time with him. Even if she had no idea what to say, do or how to act. Glancing down at his hand, her cheeks turned redder. Had he been holding his hand out this entire time? She took his hand and offered a smile and while it looked confident, her eyes said otherwise she was very nervous. S-Sorry, this is my first-- She didn't know how to phrase it but perhaps she could pass it off that this was her first time doing this sort of thing. M-My first night. I'm a little nervous. A part of me is telling me to stay calm, hence the wine and the other part is wondering just what you might be thinking or expecting of me. Or she could very easily put her Christian Loubatin-clad foot in her mouth.