Approaching the lounge, Coatleque realized that business was slow as she expected. She had a small twinge of pride at knowing her city so well. Jameson led them to the table near the railing and pulled the first chair for her, gesturing for her to sit.
"Lady first."
She took the offered seat with a quiet "Thank you." and flattened out her dress after crossing her legs. Jameson came around to the other side and motioned to the servant as he took his own chair. The man quickly came over and two drink and plates of their freshest dish of the day were promptly ordered. Coatleque folded her hands in front of her as the servant left.
"You express your worry over how busy mine own schedule is, yet I rarely see you yourself as much.", she began.
"Alas. My days... are rarely unoccupied."
"Mine as well.", she admitted with a slight hum.
"But it is the life I thrive in.", Jameson replied with a nod. "Even the opera, it was for business actually. One must cater to certain families with grand outings in order to gain their favor."
"And here people claim that I work too much myself."
"If you are at all like me, our work is our life, and we are granted brief respite from it with... distractions. Sometimes welcomed, and other times not so."
She found herself nodding along with his words.
"It is... as I was telling Ser Tarry earlier this afternoon. I found myself with free time today and had no idea what I was to do with it. I am somewhat familiar with the busy schedules of nobility, though."
He smiled. "I found myself in the same quandary. I, however, had a dinner date that I had been neglecting."
"Oh? More business? Or was this distraction?"
As if on cue, the server returned with two glasses of dark burgundy wine which were placed before each of them. Coatleque smiled as the glass was set before her. Her eyes began to travel to the server, but with some measured restraint she was able to keep them trained on Jameson. She could not avoid the odd feeling it left her with.
"You, Lady Crofte. Business or distraction... I will leave the which of that up to you."
"Well, that would depend on if a distraction is required."
His eyes met her gaze as his lips slowly curled into a smirk. She met his smirk with a sly smile of her own.
"Is it?"
"I've certainly not had any distractions recently. Have you?"
Jameson took a slow, deep breath and let it out slowly through is nose. He picked up his glass and swirled the wine a bit.
"I usually do not make it a habit to have many distractions."
She tilted her head at this, her interest now piqued. And perhaps a hint of jealousy.
"Many? Are there other distractions beyond myself then?"
He took a languid sip of his wine, seeming to ponder the question himself for a moment.
She took up her own glass now, taking a sip while watching him, waiting for his response.
"It seems you are my singular distraction.", he said at length. It came out oddly however, as if he was not sure if he should be pleased or not with that fact. Coatleque slowly lowered her glass and tried to keep her composure, but she could not help from laughing.
"So the rumors are false then! I had heard it said that Jameson Taeros has many lovers. This was in the Quicksand, mind you."
His own tone lowered as he chuckled at the notion while she took another drink from her glass.
"Lovers? I suppose that depends on the meaning of the word. But I would never put too much weight on anything said in that bar."
She tsked at him.
"But I am not known for mincing my words. So I am the only distraction now? I must say that is rather flattering."
His expression returned to its pleasant and unwavering smile.
"A distraction I welcome and seek out. I daresay, you may be a hazard to my disciplined lifestyle."
"Am I so unruly?", she replied with a coy smirk.
He did not answer her. Not immediately. In fact, it seemed he was purposefully redirecting the conversation away.
"Now... that brings me back to business."
"Lady first."
She took the offered seat with a quiet "Thank you." and flattened out her dress after crossing her legs. Jameson came around to the other side and motioned to the servant as he took his own chair. The man quickly came over and two drink and plates of their freshest dish of the day were promptly ordered. Coatleque folded her hands in front of her as the servant left.
"You express your worry over how busy mine own schedule is, yet I rarely see you yourself as much.", she began.
"Alas. My days... are rarely unoccupied."
"Mine as well.", she admitted with a slight hum.
"But it is the life I thrive in.", Jameson replied with a nod. "Even the opera, it was for business actually. One must cater to certain families with grand outings in order to gain their favor."
"And here people claim that I work too much myself."
"If you are at all like me, our work is our life, and we are granted brief respite from it with... distractions. Sometimes welcomed, and other times not so."
She found herself nodding along with his words.
"It is... as I was telling Ser Tarry earlier this afternoon. I found myself with free time today and had no idea what I was to do with it. I am somewhat familiar with the busy schedules of nobility, though."
He smiled. "I found myself in the same quandary. I, however, had a dinner date that I had been neglecting."
"Oh? More business? Or was this distraction?"
As if on cue, the server returned with two glasses of dark burgundy wine which were placed before each of them. Coatleque smiled as the glass was set before her. Her eyes began to travel to the server, but with some measured restraint she was able to keep them trained on Jameson. She could not avoid the odd feeling it left her with.
"You, Lady Crofte. Business or distraction... I will leave the which of that up to you."
"Well, that would depend on if a distraction is required."
His eyes met her gaze as his lips slowly curled into a smirk. She met his smirk with a sly smile of her own.
"Is it?"
"I've certainly not had any distractions recently. Have you?"
Jameson took a slow, deep breath and let it out slowly through is nose. He picked up his glass and swirled the wine a bit.
"I usually do not make it a habit to have many distractions."
She tilted her head at this, her interest now piqued. And perhaps a hint of jealousy.
"Many? Are there other distractions beyond myself then?"
He took a languid sip of his wine, seeming to ponder the question himself for a moment.
She took up her own glass now, taking a sip while watching him, waiting for his response.
"It seems you are my singular distraction.", he said at length. It came out oddly however, as if he was not sure if he should be pleased or not with that fact. Coatleque slowly lowered her glass and tried to keep her composure, but she could not help from laughing.
"So the rumors are false then! I had heard it said that Jameson Taeros has many lovers. This was in the Quicksand, mind you."
His own tone lowered as he chuckled at the notion while she took another drink from her glass.
"Lovers? I suppose that depends on the meaning of the word. But I would never put too much weight on anything said in that bar."
She tsked at him.
"But I am not known for mincing my words. So I am the only distraction now? I must say that is rather flattering."
His expression returned to its pleasant and unwavering smile.
"A distraction I welcome and seek out. I daresay, you may be a hazard to my disciplined lifestyle."
"Am I so unruly?", she replied with a coy smirk.
He did not answer her. Not immediately. In fact, it seemed he was purposefully redirecting the conversation away.
"Now... that brings me back to business."
