Kindness and Charisma

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

Wes smiled. "I'm just out to have fun."

Also to get rich, but that was neither here nor there.

On the last press of her finger against his lips he gently nipped at the tip of it, his smile broadening ever so slightly. It was a playful act of course, not a serious bite.

"We could always go somewhere more private..." He offered, his free hand sliding over her stomach. "I think there's a pretty spacious bathroom...."

The insinuation would get him slapped most times, but right now she was supposed to be the newly wed wife enjoying this just as much as he.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

"Mmmm," she breathed against him, nibbling on her lips. Hand slid over his chest. Forehead pressed against his. Stars, it was hot in here. Head was swimming. She just wanted to drink Wes in and she wished he wasn't such a good kisser. At least his touch was helping her forget the senator's.

She shivered.

"I doubt the bathroom is that spacious, dear. Although it IS tempting," voice trailed off. Hopefully, he'd never find out JUST how tempting. "But I'd like to keep our relationship professional."

Lips found his again, a little more tenderly.

"Because what if I needed a fence again?"

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

His fingers floated over her stomach as he pondered, pressing his lips against hers.

Wes wasn't really experienced with love all that much, in fact in his mind it didn't really exist. No one he'd grown up with had actually been 'in a relationship'. Hutt's were hermaphrodites, his father had left his mother alone, and...well some of the goons had been married but every single one of them had half a dozen girlfriends that they saw on different nights. He didn't really understand the concept of being in a romantic relationship.

"Why..." He trailed off as he kissed her again, his hand floating up her torso. "Can't we do both?"

He breathed against her.

Not like they couldn't be adults about it.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

There went that hand of his. Whew. Head spun. "You're not making this easy," she murmured against him. Fingers dug into his chest. But she wasn't sure if she was trying to draw him closer or push him away.

Maybe both.

She wasn't naive. It was hard for her to picture what real love was too. Her own father would probably sell her out for a big enough con. But that didn't stop her from wanting it - to know what it felt like. Lips trailed along his jaw. "One day, you or I will get jealous and then I'll have to find someone else to fence my jobs and it'll be such a pain...," voice trailed off and she pulled back.

"Besides, I can't have you viewing me as a floozy, can I? That's why I slipped some sleeping pills in your drink."

Would he believe her? Did she?

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

"No jealousy." He told her simply, his lips pressing one last time against hers until his hand slid over the curve of her chest, his eyes locking on hers as she spoke about sleeping pills.

Objectively, the situation was kind comically given that his hand had stopped where it was just as she spoke about drugging him. His lips thinned for a moment, his eyes fell to his own palm hidden beneath the cover of her dress and the blanket, and then back up to her own gaze.

For a few seconds he tried to gauge if she was telling the truth. "No you didn't."

Was his final answer, mostly because he figured he would've felt it by now.

"And if you did." His fingers gently squeezed as his other hand wrapped around her and pulled her closer to himself. "I'm going to fall asleep like this."

Then at least hed still win.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

She gasped as he so boldly...that sly nexu. His fingers were a little cold too though that would change quickly against her skin. She was pulled partway onto his lap. "Wes," she shifted against him. "People will see."

How had he wiggled his hand beneath her dress?!!!

"This may work for your other floozies but I'm not like the other girls you charm with art," she nibbled lightly on his ear. "Don't you want to remove your hand and get some sleep in before our meeting, dear?"

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

"No, no." He told her quietly. "I think I'd rather keep my hand right here."

He flexed his fingers for a moment, but then slowly withdrew. The game was fun enough, but he could tell that he was perhaps pushing her button a little too far. He could acknowledge that at least, and with a sly smile he returned his palm to the flat of her stomach.

"I don't need to sleep." They still had a few hours left on the flight, then they'd head to the hotel.

Their 'plan' as a newly wed couple was to check out the sights on Empress Teta and eventually meet the Countess tomorrow, but Wes had absolutely no intention of doing any such thing. He wanted to get the hotel, go to sleep, and hide the painting until it was time to go meet the buyer.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

Man finally got some sense. Head tucked down on his shoulder, like a newlywed might do. She didn't pull away from the artist, she stayed close. If his hand stayed where it was, they'd be okay. If it went sailing again, she'd give him a quick jab in the ribs.

"I don't think I'll ever let you get me a drink again," she murmured against him.

The rest of the flight went by fast. She eventually retreated and got some business done on her comm after more of the alcohol had left her system. They landed without a hitch, picked up their checked luggage no problem, and finally found themselves at the entrance to an expensive looking hotel. This was the kind of hotel Alex only had the pleasure of experiencing on her long cons. She rarely treated herself to a place like this unless she was scoping for other clients. To her, it was a waste of credits.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

Waste of credits might have been, but the two of them were about to have a lot of credits.

That being said, Wes had mostly picked this place because it was part of their cover. The reservation was supposed to tell a story more than anything else. If security had stopped them he would have been able to show receipts and just what their plans were on Empress Teta.

Booking a dump hotel wouldn't have looked as good.

"This way, Honey." He motioned to her. "We have to check-in before we can go to the room."

He shook his head. "You're always so forgetful after we..."

Wes cleared his throat and looked at the woman behind the desk with a smile.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

Oh she could act too.

She laughed, a hand fluttering to her chest as she smacked Wes with her other hand. A wink went to the woman behind the desk. "I mean look at his face," fingers went to grab his jaw. "These lips. That nose. His arms," hand released his jaw and traveled to his biceps. She gave one a squeeze.

"How could anyone remember anything with ALL of this," she gave a silly giggle to that poor woman behind the desk. Then her hand drifted down and slapped Wes on the bum.

"Right honey?"

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

"Definitely." If Wes at all minded Alexia's advances, he didn't seem to show it.

The girl behind the counter didn't seem to mind either, hiding a small giggle behind her hand and then quickly clearing her throat so that she could actually help them with what she was supposed to. Wes smiled and told her the name the reservation was under, then pulled out one of his fake credit cards.

"There." He said looping an arm around Alexia. "If you can just send someone to grab our bags."

Save for the briefcase of course. "I think my wife and I need to find the nearest closet."

This time the girl behind the counter just blanched.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

She looked at the knock-off chrono on her slender wrist. "Since it's only been about seventeen minutes since...well, I think you're right, darling," she gave Wes a dopey, wide smile, lips twitching at the corners. A small tell.

Reaching across the counter, she took the offered room key cards.

"But maybe we should try somewhere more comfortable this time?" She winked at the woman again, who blushed and handed back Wes' fake credchit too. Arm looped around the painter's waist as she pretended to drag her 'husband' along to the lift.

"Come on, babe."

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

"Maybe." He told her as his hand swung around to give her a hard smack on the rump.

By now, Wes actually did feel like he needed to sleep. Sure there were still a few hours left before they actually had to go meet the Countess, but he couldn't run on this forever. Eventually he'd need to crash, and he'd much rather do that in a bed than right in front of their buyer.

It was better that way.

"Top floor." He told her as they stepped into the turbo-lift. "Room One zero zero one."

The Forger yawned.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

A squeaking-yelp left her mouth as his hand came down hard. "Ouch jeeze," her own hand went to rub the sting away as she jabbed at the top floor button. No one else was in the lift with them.

"Looks like I owe you one," eyes drifted down to his own rear. Oh he'd get one soon. The doors opened and she tugged on Wes' arm, making sure he didn't have easy access to her backside for another slap. Mister Handsy.

She inserted the keycard and their door opened with a flash of green. It was a suite. There was a couch and entertainment counsel along with a huge king bed and mini kitchenette. The door closed and locked behind them. She plopped her purse down and perched on the edge of the king bed bouncing on it a few times.

"Pretty nice digs." She grinned. "You should sleep, though. You don't look as cute with those circles under your eyes. I think I might go on a little field trip."

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

She was right of course, he really should sleep.

Wes felt tired, exhausted, but there was one thing he still had to do. Without a word to Alexia he wandered over towards one of the closets, popping it open to reveal a heavy duty floor safe. It was the latest model of course, completely secure and almost impossible to hack. It had both an electrical and mechanical lock and require biometrics as well as a numbered password. Wes opened it, installed his own biometrics in place and then quickly threw the briefcase inside.

Before Alexia could object he slammed the safe shut. "There."

He said with a wide smile, stripping off his shirt as he wandered towards the bed.

"You can take your field trip." He told her simply, glancing towards the safe to ensure that she got the message. He still didn't trust her, not when it came to this amount of money, but he was more than willing to let her run around. "Just make sure you join me later, honey."

Another smirk.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

If anything, she didn't trust him. They'd come this far. How easy would it be for him to give her the slip? Sure it'd ruin his reputation, but for those millions maybe he'd be willing to do it.

Still.

A part of her had to make some of those contacts at the gardens. "Just make sure you're still HERE for me to join you later, darling," cerulean gaze locked with his sleepy eyes, a silent warning there. Probably wasn't the best idea to go out alone. Who knew what other bounty hunters were out?

She could take care of herself, though. She always had and she always would.

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

Neither of them could really run off with the painting, not if they wanted to sell it to the Countess.

The woman wanted to meet both Fence and Thief in person. Of course Wes could claim that he was both, but that story would fall apart pretty quickly if the Countess started to ask questions, and with a sale price of fifty four million credits she would be asking a lot of question.

"I'll be here, Dear." He told her. "Buy something nice to wear while you're out."

He winked at her. "I'll love to watch you take it off."

A second after the comment was made Wes threw his pants onto the floor and jumped onto the bed.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

Eyes traveled to his form on the bed. She wasn't shy and neither was he. "Huh." She mused,a playful expression on her face as if she were measuring and weighing what she saw. He'd never know if he was wanting.

"Sure you would, darling." Grabbing her purse and the key, she waved one last time at him before slipping out the door.

"Toodles."

 

[Aela Talith]

[member="Alexia Santiago"]

He knew the painting was all good, having checked on it just before tossing it into the safe, and he knew that she likely wasn't going to kill her, so Wes allowed himself to relax.

That put his mind at ease. Eight Million credits wasn't the most he'd ever gotten from a single job, but it was close. Most of his profits were stashed away, hidden either on Nar Shadda or in his little shop. He could have lived better, but Wes had found out a long time ago that he didn't really want to.

Still, the money was there if he ever needed it, more than enough to run away and live happily wherever he wanted.

Right now though he was relatively happy doing what he did. He liked running the shop, he liked working on his craft, and msot of all he liked being tapped into The Underworld. As a Fence you pretty much heard news of everything and everyone doing...well all sorts of things.

Wes loved it.

 

[Alexia Santiago]

[member="Wes Spalding"]

A few hours later, she was back at the door to the room. Keycard extended and she half expected it to be rejected with Wes long gone. Kriffin' underworlders. A few new contacts were plugged into her comm from this little outing. She also had a few extra thousand credits. Not a bad afternoon.

The doorlight turned green as her room card worked.

Huh. Maybe Wes was actually a professional at his job. Just not with his hands.

She did try hard to be quiet when she entered, in case he was still sleeping in the nude.