Foyer

[Deleted]

Foyer Welcome to Paradise.

[plantnerd92]

Linnea Hepworth

Linnea could have cried for joy when they let her get off work early. She was bloody tired from running around all the time, as the Rouge had been thoroughly packed that night. Honestly, the needed more waiters around. She just couldn't take that many orders in one night. Well, she could, but it got really old after a while. Linnea put her serving tray and napkin away, and put the little note tab and pencil back in the box to wait until the next day to have orders upon orders scribbled on its pages.

Sighing with relief, Linnea went and clocked out, before turning and making her way through the foyer so she could get out and go home. Unfortunately, she forgot her coat, and had to turn around and go back to get it.

"Bloody hell!" she muttered the curse as she took her coat off the rack and slung it over her shoulders. Linnea really wanted to go outside as fast as she could, because her form-fitting uniform clung to her curves, and it was hotter than sin, and she was about ready to die of heatstroke.

[blueeyeddevil]

Maksim Volkov

Serious they had to do something about that heater. Someone had either cranked it up obscenely high or it was broken and going out of control. It was January and obviously cold outside but that didn't mean that they needed to make it a suana inside. It would have been one thing if it was focused to the show room where the girls were dressed in such little clothing, but it was also up in the office were he worked, making it impossible to focus.

He decided he needed some fresh air and grabbed his suit jacket, slipping out of the office. He told the secretary to make sure and take any calls that came in while he was gone and to tell the manager that he had stepped out to take care of something in the show room. He didn't need to know where Maksim was really going and he would come up with a good story if the manager happened to ask what had happened.

Stepping out into the Foyer, he saw it was empty (as everyone was inside watching the show) except for a slightly familiar figure dressed in a Rouge waitressing uniform. So the woman from the cafe worked here?...worked for him? Suddenly his night got a whole lot more interesting. He watched amusement as her cell phone fell out of her coat pocket as she pulled it on, heading for the door. He stooped and picked it up.

"Excuse me, Mm. Hepworth...I do believe that this belongs to you," he said with an obviously amused tone as he held the phone up for her to see.

[plantnerd92]

Linnea Hepworth

Linnea had almost made it to the door, when a voice called out, making her cringe. Then, she suddenly perked up. She knew that voice! But then she inwardly groaned when she realized who that voice belonged to.

"Excuse me, Mm. Hepworth... I do believe that this belongs to you," that familiar Russian accent teased her ears as he spoke. Linnea turned around, looking a little peeved.

"You again? I thought I got rid of you!" she exclaimed in mock horror. "Maximilian, isn't it?" Linnea jabbed at him. She was pretty sure that wasn't his name, but what did she care? He was some high and mighty business man, and she was a low-life scoundrel from the slums of South London. Since when did she concern herself with people like him? Though, she did have to admit that she was strangely attracted to him, and that knowledge only irritated her more.

Linnea flashed her signature slacker grin at him as she walked up to him and held her hand out for her phone.

"I do appreciate the time you took to so kindly retrieve my phone for me, Sir," she drawled, her brown eyes sparkling with a challenge.

[blueeyeddevil]

Maksim Volkov

She turned around and looked at him, her expression slightly annoyed which only served to increase his amusement at the situation. There was something about getting a rise out this rather attractive woman that was entertaining. He leaned with an arm resting against the wall, smiling at her as he toyed with her phone in his hand. "You again? I thought I got rid of you!" she said, sounding playfully horrified as she saw who it was.

Maksim tsked at her softly and shook his head. "You have to be more careful about who you talk to like that," he murmured in mock warning. "You never know. They could be someone you work for." He raised an eyebrow to punctuate his point. He wondered if she had guessed at this by now.

"Maximilian, isn't it?" she asked. Maksim winced at the name but he didn't bother to correct her. He gave a shrug as if to tell her it was close enough and didn't give her any other sort of response.

She gave a little grin as she walked up to him, holding out a hand for her phone. "I do appreciate the time you took to so kindly retrieve my phone for me, Sir," she said in a voice that seemed like a challenge.

"No trouble at all," he insisted with a teasing grin. He handed the phone back to the owner and folded his arms. "Care to tell me how you managed to get out of work early? I could have sworn we don't close for another two hours."

[plantnerd92]

Linnea Hepworth

So Linnea worked for him, did she? Brilliant! It was all bloody brilliant. (Note heavy sarcasm.) She almost laughed aloud as she saw the man wince at the name she rattled off, but he didn't give her any answer but a casual shrug of his shoulders. Linnea found herself thinking furiously about what his name was. She was having a bit of trouble remembering. Mack, Max, Macksin... Maksim! That's it!

Linnea held out her hand, receiving a grin from Maksim as he placed her phone back in her hand. Linnea quickly pocketed it and put her hands on her hips.

"No trouble at all... Care to tell me how you managed to get out of work early? I could have sworn we don't close for another two hours," Maksim said, seemingly pondering the rather bizarre coincidence. Linnea had to think about it herself for a moment. Why did they let her out early?

"To be perfectly honest, Comrade, I don't really know. They just told me to go home," she said with a shrug. "Not that I mind, or anything. I'm about to die of heatstroke. What's going on with the ruddy boilers around here?" she asked with her usual flamboyance.

[blueeyeddevil]

Maksim Volkov

Maksim wondered briefly somehow he had caught Linnea skipping out on her shift early. Maybe she had thought with there being such a rush, she could slip away without being noticed. Somehow she didn't seem the type to do something like that; still he couldn't help point out that he was (in a manner of speaking) her boss. Maybe if she was skipping out it would make her think twice before she did. He casually asked her how she had gotted off early.

"To be perfectly honest, Comrade, I don't really know. They just told me to go home," she said with a shrug. "Not that I mind, or anything. I'm about to die of heatstroke. What's going on with the ruddy boilers around here?"

Now it was Maksim who shrugged. "I'm the money, not the maintenance staff. I have no idea what's going on." He looked at her for a moment, realizing just then how attractive she was. He had noticed back the first they had met. Even then when she had been so irritating it had intrigued him and taunted him almost. He got a rather crazy idea. "Well if you're off early, perhaps you'd like to come back to my office and have a drink with me. I'd like to hear stright from the staff how things could be improved," he suggested.

[plantnerd92]

Linnea Hepworth

Linnea questioned Maksim about the boilers, to which he in turn shrugged nonchalantly.

"I'm the money, not the maintenance staff. I have no idea what's going on," he said, before looking at her for a long moment, his eyes suddenly getting a strange glint in them. Linnea hated to admit it, but he suddenly looked very... sexy. Linnea found that her lips quirked up into a smirk, and she was unable to help it.

"Well if you're off early, perhaps you'd like to come back to my office and have a drink with me. I'd like to hear straight from the staff how things could be improved," Maksim mentioned. Linnea wasn't sure if he realized this, but the tone of his voice insinuated that 'having a drink' wasn't the only thing on his mind. But Linnea, even though she didn't much care for alcohol, was perfectly willing to go along with it.

She smiled slowly. "Well, if you insist, by all means. Lead the way, Comrade." She followed Maksim to his office, and went and leaned against his desk like she hadn't had a care in the world. "So, what would you like to know?" she asked, eyeing him with a growing suspicion. In spite of all this, she felt perfectly at ease, welcoming anything he threw her way.

[blueeyeddevil]

Maksim Volkov

"Well, if you insist, by all means. Lead the way, Comrade." she said as she followed him up to his office. The secretary gave them a slightly odd look, but said nothing as they went back into his office. He held the door open for her and then shut it behind him, just the two of them in the close space, both accutely aware of one another.

He smiled as she leaned against his desk. He went and sat on the edge, facing her as he pulled out a bottle of vodka. Call him a stereotype, but it was honestly his favorite. He carefully poured it into a couple of shot glasses before handing one to her.

"So, what would you like to know?" she asked and he thought for a moment.

"I'd just like to know how you're enjoying working here...when things are not resembling a sauna, of course," he asked as he downed his drink. "Though I have to say that I'm pretty certain most women wouldn't look near as good as you after working a rush in heat like that." He smiled warmly, showing he wasn't joking or poking fun at her for once...she really did look rather beautiful even now.

[plantnerd92]

Linnea Hepworth

Linnea watched Maksim as he poured what she guessed was some sort of hard liquor into a couple of shot glasses before handing one to her. Linnea accepted it graciously as she asked him what he would have liked her to tell him about her working there. Maksim pondered for a moment before speaking again.

"I'd just like to know how you're enjoying working here... when things are not resembling a sauna, of course," he told her, shooting his drink in one swallow. "Though I have to say that I'm pretty certain most women wouldn't look near as good as you after working a rush in heat like that," He said with a smile. Linnea still held her glass, and raised an eyebrow at him quizzically before she took a turn thinking.

"You, sir, are way too smooth," she said with a smirk. "As for your other question, working at the Rouge definitely keeps me on my toes," she said with a shrug, before taking a tentative sip of the clear liquid. Immediately, she had to hold back a cough when it burned a trail of fire down her throat, and her eyes started watering slightly. Linnea was not an alcohol person. The most she'd ever really experienced is nursing a glass of red wine every now and then. She took a moment to compose herself, before downing the liquor in one swallow, much like the way Maksim had, only this time she really did cough, shaking her head.

"Do you make it a habit to drink rocket fuel?" she asked only half-teasing, once she'd composed herself enough to speak. "What was that?"

Not long afterwards, she felt the tell-tale signs of her being completely buzzed. It's a good thing she didn't drive to and from work. She and Maksim shared a few more drinks, and before long, Linnea was mildly drunk. Soon enough she was laughing over something Maksim had said, though she couldn't remember what it was for the life of her, until she tripped slightly. She suddenly found herself wedged between Maksim and the desk.

Linnea's breath caught in her throat when the proximity between them registered with her. Every nerve seemed to be lit on fire with how close he was to her. Once again, Linnea was caught off guard with how incredibly hot Maksim was. She smiled, biting the side of her lip, and before she realized what she was doing, her hands found his chest, and she leaned up and kissed him, reveling in the taste of his mouth.

[blueeyeddevil]

Maksim Volkov

They were actually having a rather good time just hanging out together here in the office. He wondered briefly if she was even enjoying the vodka he had for them, but she wasn't declining it so he kept pouring it for her. She laughed a some joke and he began to realize just how little she could hold her alcohol. She tipsy enough already that she tripped as she moved to readjust herself and she was falling forward.

Maksim reaached out quickly and caught her before she crashed into the desk and hurt herself. "You all right there," he asked with slight concern. He could feel his heart racing in his chest as he suddenly noticed just how close she was. His gaze kept flickering between her eyes and her lips and he just wanted nothing more than to kiss her. But she was drunk and he while he was a lot of things, he wasn't the kind of man who would just take advantage of a intoxicated woman.

But then she kissed him. Her smooth, velvety lips pressed to his own and her soft hands rested on his chest. All though fled his mind and quiet moan of pleasure escaped his lips. He wrapped one arm around her while the other hand tangled itself in her rich locks, pressing her lips more firmly to his as he kissed her back intensely. But then he stopped, moving his hands to rest on her shoulders. "Linnea, you're drunk...we shouldn't do this right now..." he murmured though he desperately wanted to kiss her again.

[plantnerd92]

Linnea Hepworth

Linnea was only slightly surprised with how intensely Maksim responded to her randomly kissing him, but it hardly even fazed her as she kissed him fiercely. Suddenly, Maksim pulled away, making a look of outrage flash across Linnea's face.

"What the bloody hell was that for?" she demanded, not pleased with him interrupting their heated liaison. Maksim's hands rested on her shoulders, holding her back gently.

"Linnea, you're drunk... we shouldn't do this right now," he murmured, though he looked like he wanted to do exactly the opposite of what he said. Linnea just looked at him for a moment.

"Who cares?" she offered, grinning as she pulled Maksim's hands off her shoulders, and practically attacked him with her lips, kissing him wherever she could reach. He was quite a bit taller than she was, so it was a tish hard to reach his mouth without him leaning down ever so slightly, so she let her lips wander along his neck and his jaw, relishing the sand-papery feel of his five o'clock shadow.

"You're a ruddy good kisser, by the way," she murmured against his jaw, before pulling away, but only a little bit. "I really wouldn't mind if you kissed me again, actually," Linnea said with a devious little smile, her brown eyes twinkling with the challenge.

[blueeyeddevil]

Maksim Volkov

Maksim had long ago promised himself that he would, at the very least, show the women in his life the very basic of respect. That included not making out with them if they were drunk and unable to really understand what they were doing. Kissing Linnea was beyond amazing! He wanted to keep kissing her, but she drunk and probably didn't even have any idea that they were crossing any lines. He stopped the kiss and expained the situation.

"Who cares?" she demanded before shoving his hands from her shoulder, suddenly kissing him anywhere her soft lips could reach. She trailed over his jaw and down his neck. He balled his hands into fists and bit his lip in as he tried to keep from grabbing right then crashing his lips to her own again. "You're a ruddy good kisser, by the way," she whispered, her breath tickling his jaw. "I really wouldn't mind if you kissed me again, actually."

A grin turned up the corners of his mouth and a low sigh escaped his lips. "You're going to hate me tomorrow..." he muttered defeatedly. Without another word, he bent his head to meet her lips once more. He backed her up against the wall, pinning her as he pressed his body to her own. One hand cradled the back of her neck, molding her lips to his and just enjoying the sweet taste of her mouth.

[plantnerd92]

Linnea Hepworth

Linnea smiled when she felt Maksim begin to yield to her. "You're going to hate me tomorrow..." He said with a sigh, before he lowered his head to press his lips to Linnea's, and she accepted them eagerly. She could feel him back her up against the wall, and began giggling when he pinned her there, letting his long, lean frame mold to her supple curves, accentuated by the form-fitting waitress uniform she was wearing.

Her laugh was suddenly muffled when Maksim kissed her again, running his hand through her hair as it rested against the back of her neck, as he kissed her feverishly. Linnea had her hands clutching his lapels as her mouth moved with his slowly. She smiled against his lips, before gently nipping his bottom lip, letting her tongue glide over it to sooth the sting. She found it rather funny that she happened to be making out with the very man she worked for, but honestly, how had she not realized how incredibly attractive he was before?

How was she going to react to him after this? Things were starting to get awfully confusing,but at the moment, Linnea was enjoying this little interlude too much to even care. She simply couldn't get enough of Maksim. She could taste the vodka on his mouth, and that that thrilled her even more.

Eventually, she had to pull away for the sake of air, and she had to take a moment to catch her breath, as Maksim had left her breathless.

"Bloody hell," she said with a smile. "That was pretty amazing..." Her brown eyes twinkled mischievously at him.

[blueeyeddevil]

Maksim Volkov

Something deep inside of him kept nagging at him that it was wrong to be making out with someone who working for him, let alone someone who was also currently drunk. He hadn't been able to help himself though, though he had been serious when he'd murmured that he was certain she was going to hate him when she remembered this in the morning. But he couldn't bring himself to regret it at all as Lineea nipped at his lip, soothing it with her tounge, driving him completely crazy.

They forced themselves away only when the need for air became desperate. They were both breathless and Maskim kept her pinned there, not ready to step away just yet. Slowly he met her gaze, curious as to what he would see there. Anger? Disgust? Attraction? Yet as he looked into her warm brown eyes, they sparkled with a sort of mischief that intrigued him. "Bloody hell," she said breathily with a smile. "That was pretty amazing..."

Maksim smiled at her and chuckled softly as his hand came to rest on her waist. "I'd have to agree," he said, running his hand through his dark hair before returning it to her waist. His dark eyes were slightly confused as he looked up at her again. "So where exactly does this leave us?" he asked aloud. "What are you wanting? It felt completely strange to be questioning this, but before things continued they needed to make sure they had some clear boundries.