allbedestroyed | A black tie adventure with doesntsing

She feels warm all over when he kisses her. He keeps it very gentle, though she wouldn’t have minded if he was a bit more rough. She’s okay with the fact that he’s rough around the edges.

Her eyes meet his when he pulls back, but she says nothing. Instead, after catching her breath, she leans back in to press her lips to his again.

The hesitation in the first kiss is much fainter in the second. He's firmer, hand pulling her close by the waist. He is more than happy to kiss her properly.

She appreciates that he seems less hesitant with the second kiss. Midge kisses him for as long as she dares in public, then releases his lips from hers.

She pulls back a little, just to breathe and to talk to him quietly. “Do you wanna get out of here? Get a drink somewhere?”

Robert’s done what his boss asked him to do. They’re no longer obligated to stay.

When she pulls away Muldoon isn't sure what she's about to say, but the suggestion to leave is the best thing she possibly could have opened with. Which means that she gets the most genuine and enthusiastic answer of, "Yes I do."

Then he takes her hand and immediately heads to go and get to the car. While they're waiting for it to be returned, Muldoon adds, "I'm not local here, so if you have any idea of where you'd like to go, I'll follow your lead."

Midge grins. “Is that the most attractive thing I’ve said to you all night?”

Then, he’s got a hold of her hand and is pulling her towards the door. “You’re not even going to say goodbye?” Midge glances over her shoulder and happens to catch Hammond’s eye. She gives him a little wave.

Outside, Midge stops Robert so that she can get her bearings. “We’re in Midtown… there a lot of bars and clubs here. I think we’re about two blocks from one I’ve been to a few times.”

"If I hadn't already done so, I would have kissed you for suggesting it," Muldoon is quick to quip in return.

Having left them at the mistletoe and now watching Muldoon hurry off with his pretty lady in tow, Hammond can't help but grin as he waves back to Midge. Goodbyes aren't what Muldoon's concerned with. Especially now his job is done. "They won't miss me. Maybe you, but not me."

One of Muldoon's favourite tips to people travelling somewhere unfamiliar is to make sure they get a good guide. It seems like he's managed to do just that tonight. So he nods, getting into the car as staff open the doors for them.

"Tell me where to go and I'll get us there."

“Well, there’s no limit on kissing, you know. You could do it again.” Just in case he didn’t realize that.

Midge turns to him once they’re in the car. “I think Mr. Hammond would miss you. He seems very kind. Did you ever realize that he’s got a kind of Santa Claus look going?”

Robert pulls the car out into the street. “Go straight and make the first right,” she directs him.

Well that will get a curious side-eye. He'll make a note of that for later.

Alright, that almost gets a snort out of him. Almost. "He'd love that you said that, you know. But he's my boss. He can see me whenever he likes."

Despite being a rather independent man, Muldoon is good at taking direction. It's much easier in a place like New York, the city is laid out so neatly.

She’s so close! She’ll get a laugh out of him one of these days.

“I liked him,” Midge says. “And he likes you, Robert.” That much is obvious to her.

Midge is good at giving direction, so this ought to work out well. “You need to go about two blocks. It’s called The Alchemy and it’s between 8th and 9th Street. Hopefully you can find a parking spot.”

"I'd hope so. He has me running his park."

Hammond has that charming side of him. It's only having to work with him that causes issues. The man is a dreamer, and Muldoon is the one who has to make sure that dream can work in the real world. There are bound to be spats occasionally.

Muldoon's brow furrows in concentration as he takes her directions and then starts looking for somewhere to park the car. It takes a little bit, but he's used to places with worse traffic than this, so he's able to park with minimal hassle. This time he's the one opening the door for her.

"Is this a favourite hangout of yours?"

She takes his arm with a smile as he helps her out of the car. Their not-a-date has seemingly now turned into a date. Midge doesn’t mind. She got to see a vulnerable side of Robert tonight that only endeared him to her even more.

“Not a favorite, per se, but I’ve been here a few times and it has a nice atmosphere. It’s usually pretty quiet.” Intimate. They can get a booth and not be bothered by anyone else. “Where is this park that you run for him?”

A nice, quiet place for drinks sounds pretty good about now. Having Midge on his arm certainly doesn't hurt. He's certainly a bit calmer as they head towards The Alchemy.

"I've been the warden at his park in Nairobi for years now, but he's setting one up in Costa Rica. Hence the need for investors."

Midge can tell that he’s much less tense now. He really didn’t like being at that party. She glad that they can get some time alone where he might feel comfortable enough to loosen up.

“Which is why you were down there recently,” Midge says.

He opens the door to the bar and they step inside. It’s dimly lit with a dark wood and burgundy interior. Definitely way toned down from the party that they just left.

“We can order at the bar and then go sit at one of the booths,” she tells him. “They probably have a better whiskey selection here. I’ll have what you’re having, by the way.”

She likes a good whiskey.

Muldoon nods in the affirmative at her deduction. She really is good at paying attention to what people say. Probably no bad thing for a comedian.

The new surroundings are much more up his alley. The smell of old alcohol and the close air a far more familiar atmosphere. It's Midge's request which gets an eyebrow raise from him. Not quite asking if she's sure, but not far off it.

"You pick a booth and I'll get the drinks." It really is the least he could do.

It isn't long before he's following her down with two whiskeys. Hopefully she doesn't regret her choice. He's used to drinking rougher alcohol than she's likely used to.

When he approaches with the drinks, Midge slides further into the booth and pats the vinyl seat next to her. No need for him to sit on the other side when they can be much closer on the same side of the table.

“Thank you,” she says as she takes the drink and holds it up to him. “To you surviving the party and making your boss happy.” Midge clinks her glass against his and takes a sip.

It’s definitely not as smooth as the whiskey she usually drinks. Midge feels it burn the whole way down, but she’ll still drink it.

Sitting next to each other feels a bit strange, but it's not like he would deny Midge anything right now. Plus it does make it easier to clink his glass against hers.

"To not having to go to a party like that for a few more years," he toasts before sipping his own drink.

Watching her reaction, he smothers a smile. "Is it alright?"

Midge clears her throat after the sip. “It’s strong,” she says. “But I guess that shouldn’t surprise me. It’s a masculine drink and you are quite masculine.”

She cozies up to him, very close but not quite touching. Now that they’re alone and the night has shifted from a stressful party to a comfortable intimate evening, he’ll find that she’s a lot more flirtatious with him. It probably also helps that he kissed her, which confirms, at least, that he’s interested. Midge hopes she’s made it obvious that she’s interested too.

That only gets his smile to tug wider. "Is that your way of calling me stereotypical?"

It's starting to dawn on him that she's not entirely repulsed by the idea. He does wish she hadn't invited him to sit next to her though. It makes it difficult not to want to just lean in and kiss her all over again.

“No,” she answers honestly. “There are a lot of men who think they’re masculine, but they end up overselling it, trying too hard. You don’t have to sell anything because this is who you are. It’s effortless for you.”

Midge takes another sip of the drink and tries not to wince. (She probably fails a little.)

“Fake masculinity gets on my nerves. Real masculinity is very attractive.”

She’s very much not repulsed by the idea. He probably ought to not fight any urges that he has to kiss her.

He'll try to fight it a little. Just a little. It wouldn't do to just kiss her the moment they sit down.

"You like real people, that's why. You can deal with the fake ones, which is an impressive skill by the way, but that's not what you're drawn to."

"Lucky for me I wouldn't know how to be fake if my life depended on it," he says with a cheeky grin before he sips his drink. "Which is extra lucky for me you don't want me to be fake."

Well, that’s disappointing for her, but it’s probably best if he doesn’t indulge her in everything. She might get too used to him giving her whatever she wants.

That grin is nice. Midge hopes she gets to see it more often. “You’re exactly right,” she tells him. “That’s one of the things I like about you. I think you’re surprised that I’m attracted to you. Why?”

She’s fairly sure that she knows why, but she wants to hear his thoughts on it - and maybe reassure him a bit.

That gets him to pause. He was pretty sure, but hearing her say she likes him so directly catches him out.

He takes the moment to gather his thoughts and put down his drink so that he can give her his full attention.

If she's being straight with him, he'll give her the same courtesy. "Because I'm forty and not a model, or actor. Or particularly rich, though I don't think you care too much about money so long as I have a stable job."

"You're nothing like the women who usually give me attention," he summarises. "And as a rule, I don't want to act like those men back at that party, who chase after young women they can dazzle with gifts."

"Plus, you're young and beautiful and independent, and wicked sharp. You could have any man you want. And this is New York. There are a lot of good choices here."

Midge is curious what sort of woman usually gives him attention, though she won’t ask for now. At least he’s used to getting some attention. “I’m not looking for a man to dazzle me with gifts, although-“ She raises her pointer finger. “-I do enjoy and appreciate gifts. Attraction and feelings don’t always make sense, or at least not in an obvious way.”

She pauses to take a deep breath. “You’re… solid. You know exactly the type of man that you are and you don’t apologize for it. You’ve been a gentleman to me all night, very willing to fight for my honor. That kind of loyalty is something that I’m looking for.” Midge doesn’t want to tell him about Joel cheating on her, at least not right now. This is about him.

“I’m glad to hear that you think all that about me,” Midge continues, “but I think you have some of those qualities as well. You’re worried about how you look compared to me, but a person only becomes more physically attractive the more you get to like them, and I’ve liked you ever since you stopped to talk with me at the zoo.”

The descriptor of 'solid' get raised eyebrows, and Muldoon is ready to make a dry comment before Midge continues on. It's really not the sort of thing he would expect Midge to be worrying about, loyalty. Any partner who isn't loyal to her is an idiot, that much Muldoon is sure of.

Muldoon eyes her thoughtfully, propping up his chin with a hand as he considers her and everything she's said. It deserves a moment to take in, after all.

"My work tends to be a problem for people, for partners," he says finally. "I really like you, Midge, and I don't want to accidentally hurt you."

“I know,” she replies. It’s not as if she hasn’t considered that. She’d just hoped she wouldn’t have to think about it for a little while. “How long are you in New York?”

Midge knows she wouldn’t be able to go with him to Kenya or Costa Rica on a permanent basis. She has her kids and her career to think of.

A black tie adventure with doesntsing

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