Winnie hadn't noticed the tense air. In fact, she was quite oblivious in the way oblivious people felt too comfortable in their surroundings to ever bother being alert. She had walked a short distance away, the expectation that Cora was following behind her obvious as she mingled and made her orders at the concierge for her table on the lower floors.
Her nails tap against the marble counter, a rhythmic click as she reads the menu with a frown.
"Cora, Grey Goose or Cristal? Naomi mentioned she was bringing company. But I am not sure if they'd - Cora?"
The looming presence that should have been hovering wasn't there and that made her pause, a spike of irritation blooming as her throat tightened. Where did she go? I don't pay her to wander off. Her narrowed gaze flicked across the room, scanning over the lingering crowd of people until it lands on Cora's back.
And on someone who made her breath catch and her head tilt.
Pretty felt demeaning. As though it wasn't enough, the weight of it wrong as she rolled the word in her head. His hair caught in the light, crimson and soft and even with a scowl, he was disarming. She doesn't dare take her eyes away as she drew closer.
Naomi's company wasn't meant to be polite. If anything, it was meant to be rude and intimate. A daughter of a prominent movie director in Hollywood - she attracted all sorts of strays. The type of people who were easy if it meant getting something easy in return. A gift wrapped in opportunity, networking, if not being a hidden, dirty secret on the side. And Naomi knew Winnie was fussy when it came to anything and everything. She's fussy with her hair, her books, her friends, and her skirts. Winnie would often say: I would rather die than be bored.
And Noami had been trying to gather a taste of the type of men and women who would keep Winnie's interest. It's meant to be a playful temptation and Winnie had always ignored her attempts. She thought them distasteful.
"Cora," she says softly and tugs on the woman's shirt. It's immediate, the way how she whirls around and steps away from him, an excuse or maybe a warning on her tongue. It left enough space for Winnie to draw close, dipping around Cora's arm as she attempted to drag her away.
And Winnie reaches out, grasping his chin and dragging him slightly down. He wasn't too tall but she doesn't like looking up at people. It made her neck hurt and prodded at her pride. And if she were to be completely honest, she wanted a reason to really look at him. To touch him. To see if she should bother giving him attention.
Her thumb brushes against the curve of his jaw, tracing smooth, pale skin. It feels perfect and right against her hand. Like he was meant to fit there.
"I thought you'd be waiting downstairs. Noami didn't tell me you'd be the type to wander," she hums. He smells like roses and something darker and she lets go of him to tap her finger against his chest.
"You look like you'd like champagne. I'll forgive you if you don't though. In fact, we can try anything you'd like. Maybe you'll even surprise me."
Cora makes a chokes sound of protest, her eyes wide and she's stumbling over her words. "Winnie, wait. That's not -"
Winnie ignores her, instead taking his hand and dragging him behind her. "Walk. You can tell me about yourself. But don't be dull. I hate dull."