The afternoon had been surprisingly pleasant, given how much anxiety the trip to Philadelphia had caused Madeline these past few days. She had put off coming here in fear of running into Gavin, but eventually, she knew she had to suck it up and check on her shop.

Madeline hadn’t been sure what to make of Alex after their last encounter, and a part of her had been sure she would never see him again, so when he randomly stumbled into her store, she had been surprised. The kind of surprise that leaves a smile on your face for the rest of the day, no matter how many customers you deal with during that time.

When he’d left, he’d given her the address to the hotel he was staying in and asked her to show him around town. At first, she questioned if that was a good idea. Madeline had just gotten her heart broken, was now the time to start getting close to someone else? The physical attraction was undoubtedly there, and the tension had been building every time they’d seen each other. Madeline smiled as she thought about his tattoo and the parts of it that were still unseen.

She knew she would go; she didn’t have very sound impulse control, especially when it came to men. So later in the evening she’d gone back to her little apartment and gotten ready. She was careful with how she dressed, not wanting to look quite as trashy as when she showed up high at his door. It was summertime, however, so she stuck with a dress, this one was plum colored, cinched at the waist with a slight flair at the bottom. It was an appropriate length although on Madeline’s tall frame everything was always just a tad too short.

It was around 8 pm when she arrived at his hotel room. She took a deep breath before reaching out.

Knock knock knock

Alexander was loving living in the lap of luxury. To someone who had survived on the bare necessities, dancing around an expensive hotel room in a silk bathrobe while smoking his trusty camels was simply surreal. As he heard the knock, his stomach grumbled eager to dig into the steak he had been waiting for. Letting the cigarette held delicately between his fingers dangle beside him, leaving a tell-tale trail of smoke behind him, he sauntered over to the door. 

Palming the doorknob, he twisted it and pulled it towards him as he stepped aside to let the hotel staff pass. What greeted him though was something he wasn't expecting and yet something familiar. "You're not the steak I ordered, although" He paused to chuckle and give her a deliberate once-over before continuing "You look just as delicious." A sly smile crept onto his face, as he waved her in and walked back towards the centre of the room. 

"As glad as I am to see you here to take me around the city probably, I can't help but wonder if all these unannounced visits aren't deliberate attempts of catching me in partial states of undress." He teased as he walked into the closet and stubbed out his cigarette. That would never get old, the feeling of having a closet big enough to walk into, surrounded by more clothes than he had ever had before. All the creature comforts that surrounded him were quickly getting integrated into his way of life. Grabbing one of his newly tailored suits, he poked his head into the hall and shouted  "Make yourself at home, I shan't be long."

Returning to the closet, he dropped the robe and stepped into the pants. As he looked up at the wall-length mirror in front of him, he could see the after effects of the comfortable life had begun to dull his define muscles. Resolving to rectify that soon, pulled his shirt over his arms, before buttoning it and tucking it in. Picking one of his large collection of shoes, he quickly put them on, anxious to get back to Madeline lest his tardiness annoy her. Grabbing a tie, he draped it over his shoulder and stepped out. 

With the sly smile plastered on his face, he shrugged and pointed to the tie on his shoulders as he walked over to her.  "Mind giving me a hand?" He said playfully as he stepped in closer than appropriate, daring her to stay restrained.

Madeline laughed when he opened the door and once again seemed somewhat surprised to see her. He wasn't dressed, which shouldn't surprise her anymore; he never seemed to be fully clothed when she arrived, which he was quick to point out as well. Entering the hotel room she responded to his comments with an amused tone of voice. His comment about her appearance elicited a grin; she much preferred that to the comments about looking like shit. 

"Once again, it's not my fault you don't ask who it is before you just pull the door open. And you seem to forget that you invite me, so it's obviously not my fault." 

Of course, she would be lying if she said she didn't enjoy catching him in his various states of undress, but she didn't need to mention that just yet. He disappeared into the back, presumably to get dressed, and Madeline scanned his lavish suite, wondering what she could learn about the man just from the state of his room. 

When he returned a few minutes later and asked for her help with his tie, she noticed how close he stood to her. As she took the tie from his shoulder, she smirked, her eyes meeting his as she slipped it around his neck. Her fingers deftly tied the knots, slipping the tie into place even as she fought the urge to press even closer to him. "I can't exactly show you around town if you're waiting on a steak to arrive you know." Her hands smoothed the tie out, her fingers lingering on his chest as she kept her eyes on his.  

"What does a simple little troubadour like myself have to fear? Enemies found in my line of work offer few threats compared to the ones found in yours." He replied nonchalantly as she worked on his tie. It was something he believed to be true. While he might have some dealings with the seedy underbelly of the criminal underworld, for the most part, he was insulated from the Mafia and it's daily events. If he was being honest with himself, he knew he thought the situation to be perfect, not having the stomach for anything more intense.

Her eyes found his and all thoughts seemed to drift away. The entirety of his being was focused on that one moment where they stood next to each other, gazing into each others soul, anxious to peel the facades away but curious of what they might find and fearful of what it might do to them. With the knot tied, the trance was broken. Her fingers lingered on his chest, seemingly reluctant to part and his own heart thundered at the proximity and the memory of what had almost happened the last time they were that close.

"I'll order another when I return." He shrugged while taking a hesitant step back, not caring about the unnecessary costs he had been accumulating lately. "Besides," He paused to pick up his coat and draped it over his arm, grinning as he continued. "I'm hungrier for whatever you have in store for tonight."

Walking over to the door, he turned to look back at her over his shoulder with a wicked glint in his eyes. His arm extended towards her , aching for her touch again as he grinned full of nervous anticipation "Shall we?"

"You'd be surprised. Ultimately, our work crosses paths and you could be caught in the crosshairs. You shouldn't let your guard down so easily." Madeline didn't mean to lecture, but if her position had taught her anything it was that no one was really safe, not truly.

She was slightly disappointed when he stepped back, but she'd realized by now that this was like a game of cat and mouse. It wasn't something Madeline was used to but she found herself enjoying it, wondering which one of them would cave first and give into the growing tension between them. He made a comment about simply ordering another steak if he felt like it when he returned and she laughed. "My my, a fancy hotel room, room service whenever you want, you're moving up in the world huh?"  Not that she could really say anything, Madeline hadn't paid much mind to money in years. But she wasn't wasteful with it either, not anymore. 

Moving towards the door where he waited, she slipped his arm into his and walked from the room, smiling as she did. She had come to Philly for work but a little fun couldn't hurt, right? 

"I'll be honest, I'm not one to really plan things. I don't to be more spur of the moment. That being said, just about anything that's anything in this city is going to be found on the pier. Restaurants, clubs, ice cream parlors, stores. Outside of the pier I've heard of a few interesting places as well - a park, a movie theater and a bowling alley, although I can't say I've actually been to any of them."  Madeline had spent most of her time in the city on the pier, so anything away from that was still new to her.  

"I figured we could just go for a walk and see what catches our attention. Or, if you prefer something a little more structured, you could tell me what you enjoy and I can find it."

"I guess I should be grateful that you'll be around to protect me from the big baddies tonight." A dry chuckle elicited out of his throat accompanied by a playful wink. Even though he was teasing her, he believed this woman was more than capable of resolving most unexpected problems. Whether it was the rumours he had heard about her, or her reserved yet intimidating aura when she was sober, he knew for sure that this was not a woman he wanted to cross. As the thought went through his mind, he realized just how dangerous this night out and all it represented was. Now that he had chosen to pursue her seriously, if things didn't work out, he may not live to tell the tale.

Taking a moment to consider his response as they walked towards the elevator, he said  "I'll return your honesty with some of my own. I don't care much about where we go. I'll have time enough to explore the city and all it's hidden jewels in the coming weeks. For now, all I care about is the company."

The elevator doors closed and as they began to descend into a world of new adventures, he turned his head and locked his eyes on hers again as the hint of a smile appeared on his face while he added huskily. "So Miss Madeline, surprise me."

So, he wanted to be surprised. Well, Madeline could do that although she had to give it a bit of thought as they rode the elevator down to the ground floor. Typically, a night of fun for her would involve drugs, a lot of alcohol and/or crime. None of those things seemed fitting for tonight, not with him. Well, maybe the alcohol, if she didn’t go too far. Her mind churned, and she came up with a plan of attack.

First, she took him to the park, since it was on the early side still and a gentle breeze filled the air. She told him what she knew of its history, and they did some people watching. Madeline was good at people watching – even if she was wrong, she could come up with the most creative stories about others just based on their clothing and their body language.

Then, remembering that he had been hungry and waiting for food in his hotel room, Madeline took him to her favorite dessert spot on the Pier, the Shooting Star Bakery and Café. They shared a vibrant conversation over fresh slices of pie covered in ice cream and Madeline shared how she much preferred to eat dessert before dinner whenever possible.

Once they had finished that, she took him down to the docks. They were quiet at night, fewer people moving to load or unload boats. She bought him to one of her favorite spots, a nearly deserted area with an excellent view of the night sky. Walking to the end of the dock, she leaned against one of the small wooden pillars and glanced up at the stars with a grin. “And this, well, this is my favorite place in all of Philly. Especially at night. I don’t normally share it with people, so consider yourself lucky.”

She looked over at him, smiling. She was surprised at herself for bringing him here; it was a place of refuge for her, especially late at night when she couldn’t sleep. She had never shared it with anyone before tonight. "So what do you think, did I live up to your expectations for the night?" She was teasing, mostly.

Alexander had been surprised by her choices. He had imagined a woman like her, used to the fast life of New York, would take him on a tour of the hottest Nightclubs around town. He had not expected a simple journey through the heart of Philadelphia's culture. Watching the city through her eyes, he couldn't help but marvel at the simplistic beauty and it reaffirmed his belief that he had been too quick to judge her. There was more to this woman than met the eye and he wondered what had caused this side of her to remain hidden from view.

Their conversation had flowed smoothly, unceasingly, playfully, emotionally. They talked about everything and nothing in particular. It was like rediscovering an old book and finding subtle plot points that slipped through the first read. But all of it paled in comparison to their final stop. An unobstructed view of the starry sky over the sparsely populated docks, coupled with the calming with the welcoming breeze moving over the calm waters splashing against the shore. 

His mind wandered to a different time, a different place. He thought of the Hollywood sign he frequented in Los Angeles when the pressures of the city life got to him. He remembered the ratchety BSA motorcycle he rode in on that he loved to death. He recalled the time he had brought a woman along with him, into his shelter from the storm. A woman, who disappeared from his life without warning, drifting away like dust on the wind. 

Tilting his head to gaze upon his companion, Alexander wondered if she would disappear as well. As he saw her staring at the stars, blissfully ignorant of his eyes on her, he wondered if she would disappear in much the same fashion. He knew despite his apparent indifference and his cynicism, he hoped she would be different. Not wanting to contemplate unhappy possibilities he chose to stay in the moment instead, hoping it never ended. Her teasing voice drifted into his ears like a melody and for the first time in a while, he had no witty retorts. 

A sombre smile stayed on his face, as he knelt on the floor, before slowly laying down on his back as he gazed up at the sky. Ever since he had earned enough to avoid sleeping on benches, he had forgotten what laying down under a starry night felt like. No longer caring about his new suit, no longer haunted by the past, no longer afraid of the future, he rested in his momentary trance enthralled by the minimalistic beauty. 

Unconsciously, his hand stretched out towards where she stood. Even as his eyes stayed glued up above, his skin ached for her touch and his heart craved her presence beside him.

Madeline was trying something new; she had told her father that she wouldn’t run from these sorts of situations and so she wasn’t. Besides, being with Alex, it was easy. Their conversation was effortless, and she had laughed more in the past few hours than she had in weeks. She expected a witty retort to her question, but he didn’t give one, which drew her gaze from the stars down to him. She watched as he laid out on the ground, comfortable in the open air.

She couldn’t help but wonder again what his story was, what drove him to be who he was today. Having recently been so focused on self-discovery, she found herself also wondering what made other people tick. He reached out for her, silently inviting her to lay there next to him. She hesitated for a moment, the part of her that rejected emotions flaring up like a giant warning signal, one she had listened to for so long. But not tonight; tonight she reached out in return, accepting his hand and moving down next to him. She lay close and rested her head on his shoulder, returning her gaze to the stars.

“They’re beautiful, aren’t they? Some nights I just come here and watch them for hours. There’s no place like this in New York, it’s too bright, even on the docks. But here, well…it reminds me of home.” She’d never really thought about it that way before. She remembered the nights she’d lay out in the fields with Sadie, usually falling asleep until she was woken by the rising sun.

As she lay down next to him, with her head on his shoulder, his heartbeat quickened. Their fingers interlocked and his thumb caressed the back of her palm. He felt her silky tresses graze his neck, leaving goosebumps in their wake. Reaching behind his ear, he pulled out the cigarette tucked there. As he placed it in his mouth, he recalled her teasing him about smoking the last time they were this close. The thought brought a smile to his face as he wondered yet again how things might have turned out if he had stayed. 

Reluctantly, he pulled the cigarette out and tucked it back behind his ear. Tilting his head to a side, he brushed his stubble against her ear as he looked at her out of the corner of his eye and whispered.  "Yes, beautiful." Turning his eyes back upwards, he let his hand slip through her finger and brought it under her head. Holding possessively onto her shoulder, he pulled her in closer. "Thank you for bringing me here, I don't want to ever leave."  He said as his warm breath fell on her cheek.

His free hand, began its slow journey upwards, travelling along his ribs till it reached her chin and his thumb brushed across her lips. A sudden pang of anxiety afflicted him as he felt her shudder at his touch and the awkwardness came rushing in like a cold winter rain. His hand moved away from her face hesitantly and choosing to make light of the awkwardness he made a failed attempt at humour instead.  "Although, with all the stuff that moves through here every day, this place will smell like shit come morning. I don't wanna be around for that."

And there it was again - the sudden withdrawal from a moment. She had felt his every movement, from the way his thumb caressed her hand to the stubble on her cheek and the warmth of his breath. He had pulled her closer, but she didn't mind, no she was pleased by the motion. She wanted to be closer to him, to press herself against him and bring her lips to his. She felt his hand travel up along her body until his thumb brushed against her lips, causing her to shudder in anticipation.

But then he had stopped. 

She resisted the urge to growl in frustration. She also resisted the urge just to lean up and kiss the man. No, something was holding him back, and she didn't think pushing forward herself would be the right solution. Besides, she was trying new things, right? And this was indeed new to Madeline. 

She let out a deep breath and sat up, pulling her knees to her chest and looking out over the water. She wanted to say that she had been here at sunrise and it was stunning, but she didn't think that was a right answer for the moment. Instead, she looked at him with a smirk and said: "I guess it's time for me to walk you home then." After all, that's how a normal date ended, right?

She came to her feet and waited for him to join her before heading back in the direction of his hotel.