Till you drop

He had no idea how women did it. Shylock's legs were killing him and all in the name of beauty. At least he'd been to a salon. He had no idea what might have happened if he'd tried to rip the hair out all by himself.

Right now, he was sitting at a cafe running a hand down his jeans, feeling the difference in sensation and waiting for Jane to turn up.

For once, he wasn't dressed to the nines. Just simple skinnies and a dress shirt. It was easier that way when you were planning on trying on clothes. Much to his distress.

"Jane.... Jane."

Green eyes lifted from the bag Jane was digging through, landing on Lyle's unamused expression. "Where are you right now?" he asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"I'm right here," she replied, lifting one shoulder in an unconvincing shrug.

"No, you're not," he accused. "I know you. And you're going to be late."

Jane's head whipped around to look at the time, a frustrated noise escaping as she pulled her bag up onto her shoulder. Passing Lyle a look that was somewhere between annoyed and thankful, she picked up her wand and popped off. Her feet landed and she thanked Merlin yet again that she had mastered the ability to keep from destroying her heels when her feet found the ground again.

She tipped her sunglasses down onto the bridge of her nose and made her way down the street to meet Shylock. Spotting him at one of the tables, she practically flounced over and sank into the chair across from him.

"'Ello, love," she greeted brightly, setting her elbow on the table and dropping her chin into her palm. "Where're we off to, then?"

Shylock took a last sip of his drink and made a face at the taste, since it was infused with today's dose of potion, then crumpled the paper cup.

"I was hoping you could tell me," he replied. "I don't really know the best shops to get a decent skirt. Or stilettos. Do you think I could walk in stilettos? Maybe I should start with something lower."

He smirked at her, knowing Jane would probably not be all that shocked by his fancy, but still eager to see her reaction.

"I even got my legs done," he told her. "I've no idea how you stand it. Is there some numbing spell only girls ever learn, because if there is I'm afraid I shall have to force you to spill the secret."

"Fair enough!" she replied, sitting up straighter. "Sorry I'm late, by the way. I've been thinking about my next job adventure and it... hasn't really been going too well."

Jane sighed dramatically, but perked up at his complaints. An odd thing to do, perhaps, but if she was known for one thing, it was being strangely upbeat no matter the circumstances. Even whining about something could be made fun if she played up the drama involved.

"Well," she said, leaning in as though she were sharing a most important secret, "I've heard there's a spell to get rid of all that entirely. I haven't gotten my hands on it yet, but you can bet I'm trying. Merlin," Jane sighed a little bit wistfully, "wouldn't that be great?"

Realizing that she hadn't even suggested a place for them to go, Jane glanced around as though inspiration would strike her. Sure, there were decent places not far off, but things to suit his tastes? Or hers, even? These shops weren't quite interesting enough. Just as she was turning back to suggest they walk down the street a ways, she had to lift a hand and pull her sunglasses down enough so that she could peer over the top of them at the man walking towards their table.

"Ooh," she said quietly. "There's an interesting someone at your six o'clock." It was half teasing and half a warning, but she swept the shades back to their intended spot on the bridge of her nose and left Shylock to figure out who was headed over.

"It's probably one of your many admirers," he deadpanned, before turning in his seat to scope out their new friend.

"Sh¡t," Shylock ducked his head, hand sweeping over his hair as if that could hide him.

"That's the guy I've been screwing," he told her from his makeshift hiding place. "I don't think he quite understands the whole no strings concept."

It was just as he finished explaining that the brainwave hit.

"Quick! Jane, if you value our friendship at all, you'll lean across this table and make it look like you're snogging me senseless. He needs a lesson in boundaries."

Jane shook her head at him, knowing that rolling her eyes would be pointless considering the shades would render him unable to tell. "If it were, I'd probably not be pointing him out. I'd be waving him over," she beamed. It wasn't necessarily untrue, either, which made her want to laugh.

When he saw who it was, however, his reaction shocked her. "You've been shagging him? Good for you. Even with the whole clingy issue."

"What-?" she asked, lifting her sunglasses onto the crown of her head. "He's already seen us!" When she saw the distress on his face, though, she drew in a breath, put in a, "you'd better love me for this," and went for the most believable stage kiss she could muster.

It had been a suggestion borne of desperation and silliness and well, Shylock wasn't made of stone, was he? In quiet moments his fingers sometimes itched to roam her body the same way they did Kaiden's, regardless of how bonds of friendship might be severed.

So he gasped as Jane narrowed the space between them. A muttered "of course," escaping in response to her quip.

Her mouth was soft against his, softer than a boy's and Shylock found himself melting into the kiss, even if it was more chaste than the kind of thing he daydreamed about. This was actually happening. His hand slipped off the table to tangle in her hair.

For a few breaths, Jane forgot that people could be watching them. What a sight the two of them must have made, so suddenly closing the distance between them as though it was nothing. It didn't really feel like nothing, though. Things like this never could, Jane had learned. So there she was, caught in the moment - caught in a few unexpected breaths.

They met more gently than she was used to, but the hand that reached for the nape of his neck moved in an unconscious mirror of his own, and her thumb caught the thud of his pulse. Hers probably matched that part of him, too. She could practically hear the blood racing through her veins, and although situations like this weren't unusual for her, exactly, she rarely did such things with her friends. This was a little more than she had ever expected from him, and it hadn't even been on purpose, technically. It hadn't been planned or considered or thought about quietly in the back of her mind until she felt she had no other choice. Now, those? Those were magic.

Not that she was complaining. If his list of conquests was any indication, she couldn't have expected him to be rubbish at it. And she, of course, was certain that she wasn't. So, really, it made perfect sense. A brilliant excuse had been given, and now she remembered how long it had been. Months. Long months of trying to find a new job half-heartedly and instead wishing for more of this.

Her chest lifted as she drew in a breath, her lips parting so she could-

Shit. The footsteps had grown louder and then stopped without her even noticing. The air she had pulled in escaped on a sigh as she tilted her chin away. Well, shit. Whoever this guy was, he better have been bloody interesting to have caused all this. And she loved him and hated him all at once because of it.

Eyelashes fluttered, dark against pale skin.  Shylock usually kissed with eyes open, but knew instinctively this would have been too intense, even for him.  It felt like Jane was permeating all his senses.

She finally opened her mouth and Shylock ran his tongue across her lower lip before catching it in his teeth and then immediately letting go because she pulled away.

...the hell?!

Shylock's mismatched eyes flicked open, a glazed look of confusion and desire directed first at Jane before his gaze travelled to the man practically looming over their table.

"Oh," he drawled. "Hi, Kaiden.  Fancy seeing you here."

Jane rolled her lips together, a twinge of disappointment flickering in her eyes as he flashed her a look. She hadn't intended that to happen, but now that it had, Jane realized just how little she had been doing for the past several weeks. Working, dealing with Lyle and Kasey, and.... Well, that was basically it, unfortunately.

Gathering her wits, Jane tilted her head so she could look up at Kaiden and give him an innocent smile. Lifting a hand out towards him, she held it there until he shook it, her smile widening when he finally did.

"It's lovely to meet you," she offered, her voice a bit higher than usual. "I hear you're really, really good friends with my boy, here."