toil & t r o u b l e, :: open for business

[Lilly Grant]

The weather in Seattle was surprisingly calm for once. The sun was shining, although it was masked by a few whispy clouds, but that Lilly knew that didn't mean a thing. Deep down she had a feeling that there was trouble on the horizion in more ways than one. Ever since the summer started she had this sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach, and she definitely didn't like it.

Even before she had learned to channel her energies and do spells, she had known to trust her instincts. Her mother taught her to observe, to listen to those gut feelings and take note when those little hairs on the back of her neck stood on end. You never knew when something was coming. You never knew when a moment could be your last.

Normally Lilly would have wrote off this gut feeling as another one of her stupid little panic attacks. She knew she was a bit of a worrier and half the things she blew out of proportion turned out to be practically nothing, but there had been way too many hunters coming in, asking for the extra stock of demon texts and holy water she kept in the back and hidden from her normal customers.

She tried to get infortmation out of them as best she could, but failed miserably. Hunters weren't generally known for their loose lips, but for some reason she had a feeling they weren't telling because they just didn't know any more than she did.

Lilly sighed, tucking a loose strand of blonde hair behind her ear before walking away from the window and going behind the counter. There was still work to be done, and she welcomed the distraction.

Even if there were storm clouds ahead.

[Dodger Wells]

Thank God the skies were blue in Seattle; Dodger didn't think he could handle any else going wrong in his already less than perfect life. Trailing was slow, frustrating, and never seemed to yield any results and he was desperate for some kind of distraction. Hence the detour leading him straight to one Lilly Grant.

She was the biggest and best distraction in his list of many. made all the more better by the fact she could never resist him. Dodger just loved to win. And he knew there weren't many other guys in her life just by the way she was with him, which made him feel even better. She was practically his.

He pushed open the door to the store and grinned when he saw her behind the counter. It was like he'd only been gone for a day and not a few weeks. "Hey," he greeted with a nod, closing the door behind him. "Wow, I can't remember the last time I walked in here and saw a customer. Do you ever even sell stuff?"

[Lilly Grant]

She was definitely right about the trouble. Just the sight of Dodger set her on edge, making her skin hum with electric anticipation before he spoke. When he did, he said something smart as usual, but that was to be expected. She let her gaze flicker back down to the inventory sheet on her desk, fiddling with the same strand of hair she had pushed back only moments before.

"It's early," she said calmly, not looking up. "But if you're that concerned about me, feel free to buy something. You seem like just the guy who would love a jar of rats eyes."

[Dodger Wells]

He watched her, his fingers itching to play with her hair, and simply let his grin stay in place. Lilly wasn't paying him any attention and he wondered if she thought it was actually working; if he for one second thought he wasn't welcome. Dodger knew it'd only be a matter of time before she was falling apart and screaming his name for the whole of Seattle to hear.

"You know I'm not into all that voodoo crap," he said after a moment. He turned and flipped the sign hanging on the door from open to closed, sliding off his jacket shortly afterwards and draping it on a nearby chair. "Besides, I'm not here to buy anything."

[Lilly Grant]

Even if she hadn't been watching him subtly out of the corner of her eye, or heard the sign snap into place, she would have known exactly what he was doing. Dodger had stopped asking for an invitation, because he knew he didn't need one. She knew her time was short. She could only milk this aloof act for so long before Dodger got impatient and when Dodger got impatient, he was undeniably sexy.

Lilly gathered up the papers in front of her,bumping them against the table to straighten them out before putting them aside and looking over at him.

"You should consider yourself lucky I'm not into voodoo, Dodge. You'd make a really cute doll," she teased.

[Dodger Wells]

Laughing, Dodger looked away from a jar of god knows what and tilted his head at her, batting his eyelashes. "Aww, Lil, you think I'm cute! I bet you tell all your girlfriends about me, huh?" He asked, knowing full well she didn't. How ashamed she probably was.

He didn't blame her for keeping him a secret; he knew she'd probably give all her little witch buddies a heart attack if they knew she was having some kind of weird affair type thing with him and not a steady relationship. Dodger wondered for a moment if she'd ever wished he was a normal boyfriend or anything but forced himself to inwardly roll his eyes and go back to looking at jars of various creepy looking liquids and parts.

"Seriously, what does all this do? You're not one of those freaky witches who puts curses on men who have wronged them, right?" Dodger picked up a jar and shook it a little, peering through the glass.

[Lilly Grant]

Dodger wasn't much for goofing off or random outbursts of silliness, so when he batted his eyelashes at her, Lilly couldn't help but smile. She really hadn't told anyone about her little tryst with Dodger. She probably wouldn't have even told Mackenzie about it if she hadn't confronted Lilly about it first. Not that she really had any witch friends to talk to.

It wasn't because she was a bit of a loner, though she supposed that was partially true. The problem was every witch had their own way of practicing, their own rules. Everyone had their own invisible line they wouldn't dare cross, and while Lilly didn't think hers lead to anything dangerous, she hated being part of a coven who did nothing but argue over whose ways were best.

If she did have witch friends, she certainly wouldn't tell them about Dodger Wells. They could probably sense the strange energy coming off of him even better than she could.

"Oh sure, I'm telling the whole world how lucky I am to be one of Dodger Wells' conquests," Lilly said dryly, finally coming out from behind the counter and gently taking the jar from his hands. "And lucky for you, I'm not. Although I guess you haven't really wronged me yet. I wouldn't push your luck though, I have a real talent for boils and sores. Oh, and making parts fall off."

It was a total lie, but she couldn't help but feel a little smug as she watched Dodger, waiting to see if he knew it was one too.

[Dodger Wells]

He rolled his eyes and lazily slid an arm around her waist, tugging her closer to him and plucking the jar from her fingers. Once it was back on the shelf, he slid a strand of hair behind her ear and leaned closer until he could feel her breath against his skin. Lilly really was a gorgeous woman, even more so up close, and he let his eyes drift towards her lips for a split second.

"You know that my parts are far too valuable to you, no matter how much wrong I'm doing," he murmured to her, ghosting his lips across the smooth line of her jaw. "And the fact you hate me just makes the sex even better, don't you think, Lil?" Dodger grinned, continuing to press slow kisses.

[Lilly Grant]

He always was just a little too quick for her, or at least one step ahead. As Dodger pulled her to him she already started to feel that all too familliar dizzy, lightheaded feeling. She hated that feeling, though part of her didn't know what she would do without it. Deep down, she dreaded the day when she and Dodger would end it for good, but for now she kept up her walls and the fight, determined not to give into his charms just yet.

Of course, it was hard when his lips were on her jaw, murmuring words that definitely had a ring of truth to them, even if on some days, she wasn't entirely sure.

Lilly told herself she hated Dodger on almost a daily basis. In the back of her mind she would list his faults or remind herself what was at stake and how badly she could get hurt, but she knew she was in denial. The truth was, she liked Dodger much more than she should, flaws and all.

"Mmm... I do. And they are one of your better qualities," she said with a smirk, leaning back into him and pressing just lightly enough to make it almost seem accidental. "I'd hate to ruin one of the only things you have going for you, after all."

[Dodger Wells]

Posing his lips in a pout, Dodger tried to give her sad puppy dog eyes. Tried being the operative word as he hadn't had to do any such thing since he was about eight years old. He imagined he probably looked like a confused dog or something, but he soldiered ahead anyway.

"You only like me for my body? God, Lil, how could you? That's so evil and shallow," he continued, kissing down her neck and pausing to press one just over the dull throb of her pulse point. "Now, lead me to the back room so you can use and discard me like a toy. You know I like it when you get all sexy and bossy."

[Lilly Grant]

His pout made him look even more kissable, not that she needed anymore temptation. Her gaze flickered down to his lips for only an instant before she reminded herself that he hadn't won the battle yet. As her brown eyes met his startling clear blue, she nearly sighed with frustration. Every bit of Dodger was just as impressive as the last.

She managed a little laugh. "You're talking to me about evil? Well, at least I'm hearing it straight from the source," Lilly teased. She slowly untangled herself from him, her ballet flats echoing on the hardwood floor as she made her way to the back room at her own sweet pace. Though she'd never tell him, Lilly liked being in control as much as he did. Probably because she felt like she barely had any when he was with him.

She leaned in the doorway, resting a hand on the doorframe and beckoned him closer with one finger.

"There is one thing I'd love to tell you to do, Dodge."

[Dodger Wells]

He watched her as she moved away from him, taking in all of her while he still had a chance. Lilly truly was a beautiful girl and his eyes trailed down the curve of her body, the length of those amazing legs, until he realised finally that she'd stopped moving.

Dodger looked up just in time to be called closer. He grinned and rubbed the back of his neck, knowing she was probably gonna tell him something that was anything but sexy, but who was he to deny her when she was being so tempting?

"Oh yeah?" He asked, walking over to her. "And what's that?"

[Lilly Grant]

"Shut up," she murmured, leaning closer and pressing her lips to his.

As she slowly sucked on Dodger's lower lip, she idly thought that he didn't taste like rain this time. She was used to him coming in from a downpour, slightly drenched, with speckles of rain dotting his often unruly blonde hair. As he returned the kiss, she pulled him closer almost eagerly, her hand resting on the back of his neck.

When oxygen became an issue, she slowly pulled away, though their lips were still only inches apart.

"There, that wasn't so hard, was it?" she asked, smiling slowly.

[Dodger Wells]

He was all ready to reply with a smart remark, but her lips on his made him lose every damn thought in his head. This was what he'd been waiting for. There was no way in the fiery depths of hell that he'd ever tell her, but her kisses were magic. All worries or fears about his job just melted away, and he leaned into her, letting her invade his senses.

Dodger tried not to be disappointed when she pulled away, even though he needed to breathe just as much as she did, and he watched as she spoke and smiled and made him want to do way more than just kissing.

His arms slid around her waist, pulling her against him. "You may want to shut me up, Lilly," he began, his lips brushing against the corner of her mouth. "But I wanna make you really, really loud."

[Lilly Grant]

Even as she pulled away and air filled her lungs, the dizzy, almost drunk feeling that Dodger always seemed to leave behind remained. Her breath hitched as he pulled her to him, but she tried not to make a sound. Something about being so close to him felt so right. As cheesy as it sounded, she fit perfectly in his arms, like they were puzzle pieces that had spent far too much time apart.

"It's been a long time, Dodger," she mumured as she let herself relax into him. "You sure you're up to the challenge?"