Gavin's eyes snapped open as he heard the key rattle in the doorway. Wiping his mouth and blinking, he sat up just as Bella walked into her... their... place. Gavin stretched, catlike, and rested his hands behind his head as he reclined.

She looked good. Philly agreed with her. They'd just both been so damn busy lately. South Philly had been a warzone- and building it back up was ten times as hard as taking it down in the first place.

"Hey. Long time no see. Any plans tonight?"

"Well, well... this is a nice surprise."  She chuckled dryly and put down her bag.  "I was going to start on some dinner and pray that my fiancee had an early end to his day today - but it seems he's beat me home and has to see me before I've put my evening face on.  If I believe the women downtown ... well, if you see me like this too often you might back out on marrying me entirely!"

She laughed and walked towards him.  "And what, pray tell, were your plans for tonight?"

Gavin balanced the heel of one foot on the toe of the other- both on top of the coffee table.

"Please. Like I could back out. Do you know how many hitmen would be following me from Detroit? And Chicago? And Philadelphia? Shit, all the other cities would probably join in just for fun. Nope... think I'm stuck with you."

He smirked.

"I have work... don't suppose you'd want to tag along. It involves a fancy restaurant, and I need someone who can read more French than me."

Isabella winked at him and prattled on in French, "Je te lirai français, si tu me promets que plus tard tu m'embrasseras comme les Français? Voulez-vous m'embrasser sur une partie de mon corps que je demande? Je veux être embrassé par vous et souvent par mon grand méchant loup."

She giggled.  

"I would tell you what I said... but then we'd be late to your fancy restaurant and I can't keep you from your important work.  That would be... wrong of me."  She walked towards her closet continuing to get out of her 'work' clothes.  "So just tell me what I'm to wear and I'll change so we can be on our way."

Gavin stood up and headed to the bathroom. He yelled back at her as he walked in the bathroom to brush his teeth.

"If I buy you a drink later, will you tell me what you said? And I dunno. Something nice and distracting. Red, maybe?"

He grinned. Hopefully this time he wouldn't get tackled off a balcony. Moving quickly, he changed into a grey suit and a white dress shirt. He'd actually slept later than he'd intended, and the reservation that Tara had made for him was fast approaching. 

"Short or long dress?  I have two red ones I've stashed for a special work night and I have to know which is best for what we're doing."  She sighed.  "I mean, is this the sort of work that might end with us running?  If so the long one isn't best.  But maybe just going for a walk in the park after and then a long one would make more sense cause I have to worry a lot less with my underclothing if I'm wearing a long dress!  I mean, there was this one time in Chicago, I found myself in a park late at night, and I desperately wished I'd wore better clothing for the occasion."

She laughed.  "And yes... I'll tell you what I said later after you put a few drinks into me.  It's wholly inappropriate for a proper lady to say without being truly tipsy."

"Short."

Honestly, he hadn't listened to anything beyond that until "underclothing". 

"I have found memories of that time in Chicago..."

He moved behind her, resting his hands on her thighs.

"Tonight, I plan on being anything but appropriate... but unfortunately, I don't have an hour or two to spare. I'll head down and hail a cab, offer him enough to make him wait until you're ready. But the meter's officially running."

With a wink, he headed out the door.

"Damn you."  She whispered as his hands pulled away from her and he made for the door.  Chicago was a strange night, a fantastic memory, but a strange night.  Only now could she really understand it & the thought made her want him all the more.  So, she moved with all the alacrity she could manage. 

It was the most hastily put together evening attire she'd ever thrown on, her make up wasn't quite what she hoped for and her hair felt careless as if he'd just rolled out of bed, but what could Gavin expect with so little warning!  

Isabella raced downstairs in her red dress and out to the cab, still pulling on her heels as she moved.  Hopping into the cab beside him she fell almost into his lap, more than onto the seat itself.  

Into his ear she made a lusty whisper, "J'ai peur d'avoir été si pressé, j'ai peut-être oublié ma culotte..."  And giggled.  "I can't wait to see where you're taking me tonight!"

Gavin let Bella rest on his lap for a moment, then quickly slid away before he got too distracted. It had been a long time since he'd seen her. 

"You look good. Real good. If it wasn't for this job, I'd just have this fella drive us around and ignore the rear-view mirror...

He sighed, leaning towards her. His lips brushed against her hair, then her ear. To the driver, he seemed to whispering... well, something love or lust induced.

"There's a guy causing major problems for Tara. Wealthy guy. Businessman. Refuses to sell some piece of land that's going to tie some big project together for her. Honestly, I ignored the details. She's tried to overpay the guy, bribe him, scare him... nothing. So he's getting removed. Has a reservation here tonight. Not supposed to hit him at home, since his wife is apparently a "sweetheart".

Isabella giggled.  It was more out of amusement over not really having taken him seriously that there was 'work' to be done, but she played it up that she was amused at her lover's lusty words and she turned her face and kissed him passionately.  Pulling away only barely when she was done kissing him, "So... how does this play?  Who's getting their hands dirty?  Maybe we pull a Montreal? I keep his eyes off you... you take care of business?"

She kissed Gavin again.  "And when do we eat... before or after we take out the trash?  Cause, no lie... I am hungry and you're not getting under this skirt until I get something to eat."

Gavin raised his hand to Bella's chin and slowly moved her lips away; his eyes were sparkling and his smirk was barely contained.

"You need to stop doing that. Or this driver's going to get a show."

He dropped his voice again, and he couldn't help but drop a hand to rest on her thigh.

"Eat first. Make sure his wife isn't with him. Follow him until he's vulnerable, then..."

He grinned. 

"... then after, we can have some fun."

The driver braked so hard that Gavin leaned forward, and he started to say something until he realized they were there. Grimacing slightly as he stood up, Gavin handed a few bills to the driver and led Bella out of the car. 

The maître d′ greeted them in French... Gavin just said his name, although the waiter and Bella seemed to chat as they were led toward their table. It was a small place- they could see 80% of the tables from where they were sitting. A quick scan revealed that the target wasn't there yet. Although the way they'd been seated, Bella had the better view of the place. He'd have to tell her what the guy looked like before he forgot. 

Looking around the room, Gavin saw that the decor was ornate- just shy of opulent. Gold was the dominant color, though white was prevalent as well. Gavin sighed as he stared down at the menu- which was entirely in French.

"And here I am. Back to not being able to read."

He smirked.

Isabella marveled at the restaurant.  If he hadn't told her that they were here to wack someone, she'd be convinced that Gavin was upping his dating game.  This really was an incredible place!  Under the table, she put her foot beside his and on top of the table she picked up the menu.

"Filet de boeuf grille, sauce au poivre vert Gratin Dauphinois et haricots verts."  She read.  "It's beef, cheesy potatoes, and some green beans... just written fancy.  I'll just have them bring water to drink.  Save something a bit more flavorful for later.  What do you think?"

Gavin smirked.

"Wine? And what the hell? Beef and cheesy potatoes? Doesn't sound French at all. Thought I'd be eating snails and fish eggs and shit."

He grinned, closing his menu.

"By the way. Guy's big. Stocky. Tall. Longer hair. Maybe 50 or so? If he comes in, let him sit down and give me a tap later. I'll try to confirm without looking like I'm a tourist."

"The French don't know shit about wine."  She said snobbily.  "But if you must... I'll order it.  And yes, the French have snails and things, if you'd rather have that I can order it but it's not like they missed out on the advent of beef and potatoes.  And as for cheeses, the French have more cheese than anyone else in the damn world."

She laughed.  "But they really don't know shit about wine."  She looked around the room and noticed a man being lead to a table which seemed to match Gavin's description.

As the waiter came up Isabella made their order and included what she hoped would be a passable French wine as well as an appetizer of escargots just for Gavin.

"I mean, we don't have to get the wine. Didn't want to start World War II in Europe."

He grinned. Like the continent would ever stupid enough to suffer another round of that particular conflict.

"I'm fine with cheese. Or whatever."

Looking over Gavin's shoulder, Bella saw the target stroll in. His was big, but still light on his feet. The guy was wearing a navy blue suit and a wide smile- the latter most likely due to the woman who followed him in. She was a knockout who drew glances from every guy within 5 meters. She was blonde, with a figure that looked like it'd been carved out of marble two thousand years ago. Her light blonde hair fell to her shoulders, and she laughed appreciatively as the target pulled out her chair for her. She crossed her legs and rested her hands on her lap, looking around like she owned the place. She seemed to stare at Bella for a moment- or maybe it was just the red dress? Regardless, she seemed to shake her head slightly and picked up a menu, focusing her attention on the man across the table from her.

Isabella tried and failed, to hide her annoyance.  She then picked up her clutch and opened it with no small amount of annoyance.  "He's here."  She muttered.  "And he's not alone." 

She waved over the waiter and changed their alcohol order to something stronger and once the waiter was gone, she pulled out her small pocket mirror.  She quickly checked her appearance, nothing seemed out of place which meant the look was either a statement of the woman's thoughts on her or maybe they'd met before and she just couldn't recall?

"Please tell me your sister won't complain if his date is collateral damage cause... yeah, I already don't like her and we haven't even met."

Gavin didn't turn around. Didn't want to be too obvious. Still, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Why don't you like her?"

"Oh... well, of late I've found platinum blondes wear on me faster than most, and this one looks like she thinks she owns the damn place.  And the look she shot me suggests she doesn't approve of my dress." 

She shifted in her chair as if this unknown woman actually had the ability to unsettle the former Don with only her disapproving glance.  "So I don't approve of her smug little face which every man in the room isn't bothering to even look at.  My guess is she's a high price call girl trying to act above her station and that makes me want to remind her where she belongs."

Isabella returned her mirror to her purse trying not to look as catty as she felt.  She was suddenly very glad she was going to be killing a man tonight... it would help her get out some of her annoyance.
 

Gavin laughed, then ceased abruptly and leaned forward on the table. 

"... are her shoes silver?"

Bella looked, then nodded. A weirdly specific question. Gavin looked like he was fighting the urge to turn around.

"... shit."

Sighing, he leaned back in his chair.

"That's... Evelyn. A former... acquaintance of mine. In case you wanted another reason not to like her. She's in town for some business, and I asked her to get some information on Doyle, the target, but it looks like she's trying to get a little more out of him..."
 

Isabella sat so still that Gavin might think her a snake coiled to strike.  Silent.  All the mirth from earlier and the discomfort from a moment ago was gone from her eyes in an instant leaving behind a just a distant gaze that seemed cold and thoughtful.

She wet her lips.  Still, she said nothing, her brown eyes drifting back to the platinum blonde giving her a slow analyzing look... up and down taking in every inch of her the way every man in the room had.

Her nostrils flared slightly and her eyes narrowed as they drifted back to Gavin.  She swallowed the lump in her throat before speaking ever so softly,  "Well, this... complicates things, doesn't it?"