( he has been thinking of that time in the baths, perhaps not actively but it still sits in the back of his mind, how close they'd been, how easily it could have tipped over into something more.
alina wanted to be his equal. this, in itself, wasn't a new concept. luda had had similar hopes, once. zoya, too, when she allowed herself the opportunity to be sentimental and not simply greedy. this was the first time it was an actual possibility, of course. he hadn't been joking when he'd called alina his balance. )
Are you planning on making a mess, Miss Starkov?
( there's a teasing lilt to the question. needless to say, he shucks first the tunic and then the shirt, passing them to her for storage. )
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alina wanted to be his equal. this, in itself, wasn't a new concept. luda had had similar hopes, once. zoya, too, when she allowed herself the opportunity to be sentimental and not simply greedy. this was the first time it was an actual possibility, of course. he hadn't been joking when he'd called alina his balance. )
Are you planning on making a mess, Miss Starkov?
( there's a teasing lilt to the question. needless to say, he shucks first the tunic and then the shirt, passing them to her for storage. )
People might talk.