"Almost like home? Well, I might have to start coming here more often if a woman as beautiful as yourself comes here that often." Jacen murmured just loud enough to be heard over the music. As games went this was just perfect. It allowed the two of them to flirt and even play with each others libidos while still knowing that this was all fantasy. Fantasy would never go somewhere in real life... would it?

Carrying Kealey into a slow spin before pulling her back, just a little tighter than before, Jacen raised an eyebrow in surprise. Partly it was surprise from Kealey using their previous joke during this game and part was in the mock surprise that would go along with his role. "While I must admit that I normally stay away from places that employ exotic dancers, if I knew where you worked I'd have to make an exception your case." The words were delivered with just the right tone of huskiness to get across the point that the "stranger's" imagination was currently running wild, "And of course your secret is safe with me. I wouldn't tell a soul."

And now it was Jacen's turn. How far would he push the game? What sort of man would appeal to a fashion student/adult entertainer? Something with a touch of riskiness and perhaps a little bit of a bad boy persona? Someone that was a hero but a touch borderline at the same time?

"Well, first off my name is Frank. I provide private security for those that feel they need it." Jacen's voice remained soft as he spoke, his brown eyes focusing on Kealey's bright blue ones, "I protect people so that the unimaginable doesn't happen. Anywhere... anytime... it's what I do. But I don't think I caught your name, Miss..." He trailed off at the end, one eyebrow raised questioningly as he waited to see how she would react. Really the name 'Frank' wasn't that much of a stretch since his middle name was 'Franklin' but as far as he knew Kealey didn't know that.

Kealey almost laughed when Jacen carried on the game another step further. His compliment still made her blush, despite the far bawdier persona she was attempting to assume. She would have to try harder. Kealey tried to put herself into the role as thoroughly as possible. She was a fashion student, going to classes every day, going about her business, nobody knowing that she was a scandalous entertainer during the nighttime hours. It was too fun to play this way, too fun to be someone else, even if it was just for a little while.

Jacen spun her and Kealey grinned as the room rotated with their movements. Was it just her, or was she closer to Jacen than she’d started? That was saying something, too, because they hadn’t started out very far apart to begin with. Jacen seemed surprised by the fact that she’d taken the game so far. Kealey loved it, it was easy to do when she was so fully immersed in being someone else. This woman was more than self-assured enough to pull off this interlude. Jacen spoke and it was Kealey’s turn to raise an eyebrow. ”Well sir, if you went out of your way to make an exception, then I’d have to make sure the trip was worth your while.” she said, the slightly husky tone of her own voice matching Jacen’s own as her blue eyes looked intently back into his brown.

Frank? Jacen was saying his name was Frank. Hmmm, the game had gone yet another step further. Kealey was already coming up with a name for herself as Jacen explained that he was some kind of body guard. Protecting people from the unimaginable. Kealey almost pointed out that it wasn’t fair for him to use the things he did in real life for this fake persona. Most people couldn’t imagine what it was like to feel the emotions of all the people in a room. Most people didn’t know what it was like to be so scared of the feelings in your own head that you couldn’t trust them long enough to do something like she was doing at that very moment. Jacen really did protect people, well maybe not people, but he protected Kealey from the unimaginable when he was around. She didn’t bring it up though, Jacen always waved off her thanks as if he were doing something natural. Instead, she focused back on the name, just as Jacen asked for it.

”Reed…Angel Reed” Kealey provided, pulling the first stripper-esque name that came to her mind when Jacen actually asked for 'her' name. Again, naïve didn’t mean stupid. Kealey had heard the stories about the outrageous stage names strippers chose. This one seemed to fit perfectly, the name Angel a subtle oxymoron...she didn't know where Reed had come from, but it was too late to change it now.

Kealey tightened her arms slightly around Jacen’s neck, almost closing the already small gap between them as they danced. It was almost possible to imagine they were somewhere completely different, as two different people. Kealey looked up again, actually having to tilt her head back to see Jacen at this close proximity.

”So Frank…what are you doing here tonight? Are you here for business…or pleasure?” Kealey’s heart was beating just a little faster as she spoke, but she wasn’t as shocked by her words as she usually was. Tonight, she wasn’t afraid, and that wasn’t bravado from her assumed persona.

Had Kealey just propositioned him? Sure, they were roll-playing at the moment, but that sure had sounded like a proposition. Maybe the line between imagination and reality was starting to get blurred. Maybe it was a lot harder to keep fantasy separated from reality than Jacen had originally thought.

"For you the exception would definitely be worth it." Jacen murmured, his head dropping to just brush a kiss across Kealey's lips even as his mouth continued to move with the words, "Just seeing you would make my trip worth the while."

Lifting his head back up, the man had to smile as Kealey stepped even deeper into her role. No longer were they Jacen and Kealey out for a date. Now they were Frank and Angel... strangers that were most definitely interested in being anything but.

"Angel... that's a beautiful name." Frank murmured, one hand dropping ever so slightly from its place on her back so that now it instead rested right at the waist band of her jeans. Ever so slowly he allowed his thumb to slip inside the waist band and slowly run over the little bit of hidden skin that he could reach. It was still a relatively safe touch but at the same time it was very risque.

"Seeing you and holding you in my arms, any thoughts of business are definitely thrown out the window." Frank replied quietly as he tilted his head down again, gently nibbling at the side of Angel's neck, "Pleasure... pure, unadulterated pleasure is all you even let me think about Angel. A woman like you just leaves me breathless."

The words were somewhat corny but when spoken with obvious heat in the voice while gentle love bites were being applied to the neck, it was fine. Right at this moment it sure didn't seem like she could really care what he said.

at some point,things changed. When had they stopped dancing? Kealey didn't know, and frankly,she didn't care. Jacen's words made her heart lurch and the kiss, as fleeting as it was, set her heart to thudding against her rib cage so hard that Kealey wondered, just like the last time it had happened, if it was healthy.

Kealey smiled slightly at Jacen's obvious approval of the name she picked for her scandalous personna. She couldn't look away from him though, and goosebumps followed the light touch of his thumb on the skin of her back. Lots of goosebumps. Up her back and dow her arms and legs. It wasn't like the goosebumps she got when she was cold though. Jacen's head dropped and Kealey thought for a second that her knees migh buckle when she felt his lips on his neck. That sent a shudder through her, a hard shudder, and again Kealey was shocked at the intensity of her own emotions.

Kealey wanted to examine the feelings, but thinking was getting more and more difficult. Everything wasgetting more and more difficult...except for the pure tactile sensations Jacen was making her feel. He was talking again and Kealey's mind stuck on the name...he was still playing the game. Uh, Kealey had stopped playing as soon as he kissed her. Word games were fine, but at this level, Kealey had to be sure.

Kealey's arms were still around Jacen's neck and she shrugged gently to move his head from her's, ber slightly shaking hands moving to either side of Jacen's face as she looked up at him, eyes full of everything she'd been feeling, was still feeling. She had to swallow before she could talk and her voice was husky, full of feeling.

"Kealey..." she said, "Kealey wants Jacen to think those things.". Then she kissed him, probably a little inexpertly, but with feeling. That counted for something, right? More importantly, it was all laid out. Kealey wasn't playing games anymore.

OOC- ok so as an experiment, I typed this out on my phone...if tags/other things are messed up, that's why. If it's too bad ill fix it when I get home later

The game was working fine and for the briefest of moments, Jacen completely became Frank. Frank was a womanizer that would sleep with any woman that gave him the opportunity... especially a woman as attractive as Angel. Frank was a man that didn't believe in attachments because it would keep him from sampling the variety that existed in the world. Frank... Frank was not Jacen.

Kealey wanted to know what Jacen was feeling and that was the problem. He was struggling with it. A part of him wanted this... wanted to touch this beautiful young woman and take her to places that she'd obviously never been but at the same time he couldn't allow himself to do something like that. He respected her to much to ask her to just be some other woman. As long as things were going with Lori he couldn't... he just couldn't.

Slowly Jacen pulled away from Kealey, his arms moving up from her waist to gently grip her arms and hold her as he drew his head back. The heat was deffinately still in his eyes but there was also a slightly sad smile on his face. He had gone to far. Even allowing things to get to this point had been overboard and now he had to admit as much to her.

"I can't Kealey." He said quietly, "I can't ask you or even let you do this. I didn't expect to feel this way from just one night out with you, but that's a problem." Falling silent Jacen just looked at Kealey as he tried to come up with some gentle way to break the news to her but failed miserably. There was never an easy way to break this kind of news to someone you were beginning to care about. "I'm seeing someone Kealey. I enjoy our friendship and I enjoy every moment with you but until I sort things out I can't... I just can't give you what you really want."

Something was wrong. Kealey knew it almost immediately, then she felt Jacen’s hands on her arms, pulling them down from where they were around his neck. Kealey stood, still completely dumbfounded as he looked at her, hadn’t everything they’d been doing led up to this? Isn’t this what he’d wanted…Kealey had only asked for clarification. Her heart was still pounding against her ribs, but as she stood there a new feeling started to build in her. Embarrassment was one of the strangest and strongest emotions that Kealey knew and it was absolutely flooding her as she stood there, heat of a different kind flooding her body as she waited for an explanation of what had just happened.

Jacen spoke and Kealey blinked once, twice, as the words sunk in. More new emotions, one that Kealey wasn’t incredibly used to feeling. ”You’re what.” she said incredulously, stepping backwards as she spoke.

”Someone else? Then…then what was all of this? And the other day? Kealey wrapped her arms around her stomach as she spoke, horrified at the embarrassed tears that were trying to well up in her eyes. ”I trusted you Jacen…lord, I almost…”

Kealey shut her mouth, audibly. Jacen had stopped her, she’d been practically throwing herself at him…she had thrown herself at him…and he was seeing someone. Kealey was so confused, what had all of this been about, then? Why the dancing? The flattery? He’d even said at the bar…had it all been a joke? No, not a joke, he’d been trying to do the exact thing Kealey was always worried about when she met men. Stupid, she’d been so stupid, allowing the lure of his ability to blind her. Only his attack of conscious and the woman he was seeing had saved her.

”So what if your conscience hadn’t set in just now? It took all that time… I just don’t understand why you didn't tell me…” Her voice broke slightly on the last word, Kealey wanted to hide her head in the ground and those tears of embarrassment she’d been fighting off blurred her vision. Kealey clenched her teeth. Apparently these emotions were stronger too.

The emotions were too much, there was too much going on inside her head. For the first time, Kealey tried to use the same techniques she used to drown out everyone else’s emotions, on herself. She tried to make them go away or lesson to some degree. Nothing was working, she was still so embarrassed, so…hurt by this new knowledge. Kealey knew she was overreacting, at least to some degree, but she couldn’t help it.

Jacen was silent as Kealey stepped away and wrapped her arms around herself. He deserved whatever she might say about him and probably a lot more but even knowing that he couldn't help wincing slightly as the young woman spoke.

"You deserve better Kealey. I enjoy flirting but with you flirting took on a whole different level. I wanted to be your friend but as the night progressed I let things go to far." Jacen said quietly as he stuffed his hands into the front pockets on his jeans. He knew that an apology would never be good enough for this situation. There was really no way that mere words could fix it but after this whole mess, she at least deserved an explanation.

"The other girl and I started out as sex buddies to be quite blunt. She's wild and adventerous with apparently no desire to put down roots. She was the perfect 'no string attached' relationship and the first time I met you that's how things stood. I don't know how or when it happened, but at some point strings showed up."

It was frustrating to have to admit something like this to Kealey but she still had a right to know the truth. Turning away from her Jacen walked over to her window and stared unseeing at the side of the building opposite her. "what's really pathetic is that I doubt even now she'd do what I just did. She'd probably have sex with anyone she liked even though we're in some sort of relationship but I can't do that, especially to you. I'm sorry if I led you on but... well... look, your first needs to be someone special. I'm not that special of a guy. As tonight proves I'm just your typical jerk."

Why couldn’t he have just nodded his head and left or something? Kealey listened, equal parts intrigued and equal parts horrified as Jacen continued to spill his guts on the situation he’d apparently found himself in. Casual flirting, that’s what this was supposed to have been? Kealey moved one arm from around her mid-drift to press her palm to her forehead. She’d had things so wrong. The embarrassment continued to flow through her as she spoke, and as he shoved his hands into his pockets, Kealey gave him a level look, ”You let it go way too far. Wasn’t this something you should have brought up sometime between the dancing and you telling me I’d make a great stripper?” she said softly, at least the tears had abated. The last thing she needed was to look like the wounded female. She might be naïve, but Kealey Quinn was made of stronger stuff than that.

Blunt was the word Jacen used for his next mini-tirade, and Kealey just looked at him slightly open-mouthed. Did everyone in New York City think it was fun to just run around and sleep with the first person to cast a look in their direction? From personal experience and the things she’d gotten from the people she could trust to tell her the truth, definitely. Kealey shook her head, her smile taking on a bitter twist, “So all that you said…about the strings and caring about someone you want to be with…it was all lip service. It’s better just to run after the one who’ll just hop into bed with you. You’re a hypocrite Jacen.” There wasn’t anger in her voice, Kealey was stating a fact.

Self-deprecation wasn’t something Kealey was a fan of. It was a great way to get the person you’d wronged to feel sorry for you. Besides, if she’d been embarrassed before, Jacen’s little speech about finding someone awesome for her first time made Kealey pretty much want to sink into the floor, maybe just stay there ‘til she died. Was she so obvious? Oh, and awesome, apparently it wasn’t. That’s what Jacen wanted? Kealey had tried to keep a level head here, but as Jacen’s mouth continued to run, she wondered if he was purposely trying to make her angry. Her hands were shaking again, and she marvelled for a second as Jacen looked out the window at how different emotions could illicit the same response so completely.

”This is better.” Kealey said, even though she was having trouble convincing herself that any part of that was true. ”I obviously can’t give you what you want either. Get one thing straight though Jacen King. she said with quiet intensity, “I am not a child. I’ve told you this repeatedly. I don’t need someone, especially you, looking out for my virtue or my tender sensibilities. I knew exactly what I was doing, and you’re the naïve one if you think anything different. Just because I react strongly to things doesn’t mean that I’m stupid, or completely oblivious. I’ve seen things that would probably make your big strong army stomach turn and I felt them. It’s a mean, nasty world out there Jacen, there’s a reason your ability is so fascinating to me.”

Kealey had started pacing at some point, her socked feet not making any noise as she crossed back and forth across the floor, she stopped and turned again, ”You think I’m some kind of emotional idiot, and apparently I am because I thought that just maybe I’d had it wrong all this time.”

Kealey stopped and sighed, shaking her head again, then speaking softly once more, “I think you need to leave. Good luck with that fantastic adventurous girl who, according to you, is probably out banging someone right now. I hope you get everything you were hoping for.” Kealey could be crass too, she was usually just above it. This was obviously not one of those times.

Jacen didn't say a word as Kealey went on her rampage. He felt like he was being ripped up one side and back down the other but he couldn't blame her. Everything she was saying was completely true... except for when she was wrong but this was most deffinately not the time to argue with her. He really wasn't looking for the person that would be the easiest for him to go out and 'bang' as Kealey put it. Heck, when he'd first started talking to this particular blond and hanging out with her, he hadn't been expecting anythin emotional to develop with Lori.

Turning away from the window, Jacen silent walked across the room. After collecting his cowboy hat and boots, he continued over to the door in just his socks. He'd take the time to put back on his footwear after he was safely outside of the apartment.

"I am sorry Kealey... I didn't mean for things to end up this way. I didn't want to hurt you." He said one last time before opening the door and stepping out into the hallway.

The sound of the door closing had a finality to it that Jacen knew he could probably never overcome. After what had just happened he didn't even know if he and Kealey were still friends. He doubted it which meant that he would not be the one to make contact again. If Kealey wanted to talk to him she knew his number. If she wanted to forget he even existed, that was most deffinately her right.

As Jacen climbed back into his truck he found himself wondering what might have happened if he'd just lied and gone along with the whole situation. Would have have found something special with Kealey that was better than what he had with Lori? It was the kind of question that would most deffinately keep him awake most of the night.

Instant regret. That pretty much summed up what Kealey was feeling as soon as the door to her apartment shut. Jacen hadn’t even put his shoes on before he’d walked out the door. Kealey hadn’t know she had that much scathing ire in her. Jacen was gone though, and there was nothing to do about it. Kealey had forgotten about his field, and the moment he was far enough away the building’s emotions flooded into her and she groaned, putting her hands to her head.

Over and over she played the things she’d said, the bitter spiteful things that she’d said, and every time she heard herself saying the words she felt a little bit worse. The scathing anger faded as quickly as it had come on and Kealey cursed her Irish temper. Jacen had been wrong, but he hadn’t deserved that Kealey walked to her kitchen and stared at the card that had Jacen’s number on it…she could apologize, but God knew she probably didn’t even deserve that chance. She went over the conversation in her head again and it made her stomach twist. No, calling now would be bad. Maybe the next day…maybe she could apologize later.

God, she was so confused. On one hand, she felt completely justified in the things that she’d said. He should have come clean immediately, why had he let it go so far? Kealey had totally embarrassed herself. She sighed at the key word in that sentence herself. The other emotions were there, but they were niggling in the back of her mind instead of overwhelming her like they usually did. Her own emotions were way too out of control at the moment for anything else to get in the way. Kealey was concentrating too, trying to figure out why she’d just done what she’d done. The answer was easy, Kealey had been hurt and embarrassed and she hadn’t wanted to feel alone in that. She’d wanted to make Jacen feel every bit as bad as she had felt. Only…it hadn’t really been his fault.

He’d been wrong, but ultimately Jacen had done the right thing, then Kealey had punished him for it. Punished him harshly, he’d probably never want to talk to her again. Suddenly, with that realization, Kealey was way more upset than she had been even a few minutes before. She’d basically just stomped her foot and thrown a temper tantrum in the middle of her apartment. She nearly rolled her eyes at herself, she professed to be such an adult…but when presented with an adult situation she’d acted like a spoiled teenager.

The night had started out so great…the dancing had been so much fun…everything had been so much fun. Then Kealey had heard something she hadn’t liked and absolutely lost her cool. Jacen had been kind enough not to do the same.

Kealey hadn’t ever really had a true friendship, she didn’t know how it was supposed to work, discrepancies at the convent had been settled in the confessional. The blond had a feeling that wouldn’t work in this particular case, but she could try to make it right herself. Tonight was not the night, though, Jacen was probably furious with her. He’d need time to cool off. For the time being, though, she just had to deal with the guilt, and Kealey had a feeling that it was going to keep her awake for a long time. It would be small penance if she could make this right.