Gavin raised a skeptical eyebrow. They seemed... slimy. Chewy. Well, whatever. He'd try anything once. He popped a mushroom into his mouth and, as he chewed, nodded.

"Not bad. I'd do another."

Leaning back, he flashed his usual easy grin.

"As for hiring me, Tara wants to be in bed with you for business as much as I want to give you the business in bed. She'd be up for anything you wanted to hire me for as long as you didn't keep me away too long and didn't directly or indirectly mess with Philly, Jack, or her. But I've got to warn you, I'm a tough negotiator."

His icy blue eyes looked at her steadily as he rested his laced hands under his chin.

Isabella stared at Gavin for a moment and then chuckled, "You're really good at this... really, really good."  The delight & desire shown in her eyes, it wasn't a scathing remark on his talents at seduction, but something of a genuine compliment.

"If you were in my crew, I wouldn't only use you as an enforcer.  I've seen you employ a good many talents since we've met that makes the need for aggressive problem resolution, unnecessary.  Of course, you might have ethical objections to that line of work...?"  She arched an eyebrow testing him.  DID Gavin Byrne have morals of any sort?  She had spent some time learning about him but in the capacity they'd been together, she couldn't be sure where his lines really lay.  She just didn't know him that well yet.

"For example, if I needed an old woman to release some property into my care and she might have a weakness for younger men... would that be the sort of thing you'd indulge in to get me what I needed?  Many men wouldn't find it an issue, but others... well, they might find it distasteful in the extreme."

Gavin shrugged.

"I mean, I've done it before."

He leaned back as he considered the hypothetical.

"I dunno. Depends on the woman, I guess. Like, if we jumped you ahead 30 years or so, I'd be all over you. But I'd probably be up for seducing you anyways, even if I didn't have to for a job, so I'd be fine with it. But if it was someone that I'd never usually go for... I'd probably try to stay away from it. There's a lot of different ways to get information, and seduction is overrated for short term information gathering. Like, if you bone someone and blow their mind and they roll over to sleep, it's hard to bring up like... 'hey babe... so what does your husband do for work?' without seeming pretty obvious."

"What about you? Had to do someone on the job before? Or would you be unwilling to?

Bella shook her head, "Generally speaking business and pleasure have been separate topics for me and while I've batted my eyes at guys to get past them without much fuss before, the only men I've shared my bed with have gotten there by virtue of having captured my affections, if not at least my interest."

She shrugged.  

"I suppose it's the romantic in me?  Or maybe social constructs... or religion?  Just this thought that sex, with me at least, shouldn't be about getting something... but about sharing it?  Emotions, the experience... but don't read into that too much.  I firmly believe it's possible for sex to just be about two adults enjoying one another's company.  It isn't always about love."

Bella rolled her eyes.

"If I had a dime for the number of times I've had a man I barely know tell me that he loves me..."  She scoffed.  "Love is an overly abused word.  Much like hate.  'I hate broccoli'  'I love flapper dresses' ... you can't hate or love either of those things and yet if you listen to people talk you'd think both could really be true.  Love and hate are powerful things and should be treated with the seriousness of a loaded gun."

She realized she was rambling and picked up her wine to shut herself up, smiling and blushing into the glass.  Gavin said so little and she was dominating the conversation, just staring at her with that grin of his!  She felt naked when he looked at her like that as if she should try to hide from him.  Instead, she'd try to make him talk.

"So what was the best job you've ever done?  Surely you have a few old war stories you can share to amuse or impress me?"

If the trip to Montreal had never happened, and this was a first meeting, Gavin would never have been able to bite his tongue at the word "religion". Instead, he drowned his comments with whiskey. 

"Love is overrated. For everyone, I think, but especially in my line of work. I'm happy with a short life, and a merry one. Anything else seems unrealistic, regardless of my sister's grand plans."

Gavin shrugged.

"Best job I've ever done was Montreal. Quite the memorable few days. Old war stories?"

He studied Bella carefully, trying to read her like she was an opponent at a poker game. It was a surprising question. Bella had probably had her father's soldatos trying to impress her for years with how tough they were... no, this would have to be unique.

"Well... there is one..."

As the pair consumed whiskey, wine, and dinner, Bella forced herself to stay quiet; the delicious meal did make it easier, but she found she needed to almost completely silence herself for Gavin to approach anything close to rambling. Still, when he got going with this particular story he became as animated as she'd ever seen him without involving gambling, sex, or violence.

He seemed to enjoy weaving the tale of Jack Mezzo's Scavenger Hunt. Jack had invited each Godfather to particpate, and he was determined not to leave anyone out- even the Godfather of Delaware City. This was shortly after Gavin had joined up with Jack, years before. 

Jack had tried to approach Durden diplomatically, but Gavin had strongly suspected that Jack knew the most likely result- if Mezzo really expected diplomacy, he brought the wrong twin. So Gavin wasn't surprised when Mezzo had used the access to Durden's headquarters to hit their safe and make a run for it, which resulted in Jack and Gavin were soon sprinting down the streets of Delaware City, each carrying a bag of cash.

"Well, we were running for our fucking lives, because Durden has like three thousand people in his crew, and it was at that point we realized neither of could drive a boat. So we're ducking through the crowd, civilians and Durdens everywhere, while I'm trying to keep Jack alive. And we caused such a commotion that Fort Dupont, an Army base a mile or two away, winds up sending troops into the goddamn city to contain the situation. So we fought the Durdens and the Army until we stole a truck, and Jack wound up driving it off a ramp and crashing us onto a ship on the Delaware River."

Gavin frowned.

"I broke a few ribs. Still, fun job overall. Even though Tara was shitting kittens when Jack and I told her about it in the hospital."

At several points in Gavin's story, Bella's expression grew very serious, particularly the first time he mentioned Tyler Durden.  The meeting with Durden was still fresh in her memory, the experience terrified her and made her realize she wanted to survive more than she wanted to be with Elias ... and of course, there was the matter of Will Bowden.  Billy Boy had a bright future ahead of him, provided the baggage he carried didn't weigh him down as hers had done to her.  She'd seen how her presence helped him, and she hadn't found him to be disagreeable at all, it was certainly why they would make a formidable couple.  In time he'd see it that way too. 

He was handsome and strong, and while she always knew that many men willing to die for her, but prior to William's antics with Durden, she'd only ever seen a man display that sort of courage for her once in life.  And now Elias was cold in the ground for it.  Perhaps it was knowing that he shared something in common with her beloved late-fiancee that made her look closer at Bowden.  Perhaps it was his similarities to Elias which made her consider William as an ideal candidate to fill the role of husband in her life.  It was, the logical next step, it was what her father expected and if she wasn't about it soon then no man would have her.  She wasn't getting younger after all, she was practically a spinster by most women's standards! 

Her handsome dinner companion continued on with his story and she found herself grateful she didn't have to worry about such pressures as 'get him to propose' when she spent time with Gavin.  Instead, she allowed herself to imagine the scenes as he described them.  She lost herself in the sound of his voice or how his smile touched his blue eyes from time to time.  There was an authenticity in those brief instances, a peek at the person he was guarding from her and the rest of the world, which she was drawn towards.  This, of course, was the real danger of rogues like Gavin Byrne. 

It was the bait of a pretty lie most women fall into the trap of telling themselves, that a man can be reshaped to be something other than what he wanted to be.  Most women would see his eyes at this moment, that smile, and think 'I can make him be that guy he is right now, forever.'   But Bella had no such delusions.  Gavin's exterior matched his interior... scarred and lovely but scarred none the less.  Those deep wounds might just swallow up a good woman's whole life is she was foolish enough to stand around trying to hold them all closed.  No.  Bella had her scars too and she knew that it was unwise to waste the precious time she had holding them shut for Gavin.  He alone could heal them... if he wanted and by how he looked at her now and how he drank his whiskey, she supposed he didn't care to heal so much as ignore.  And, in that, they had something in common. 

She didn't want to feel her wounds either and Gavin was the most intense anesthetic she'd imbibed since Elias' passing and she had an insatiable desire for more of him in her life.  She would continue this dalliance with Gavin for as long as he would allow it to go on, or until she'd secured Bowden's affections.  Then, she hoped they would still be friends.  He wasn't a bad man - despite all his shortcomings in the husband department.  He was, potentially her very best friend if she was being really honest about that and considering she had a crew full of people back home, she felt somewhat sad about admitting that.

"Don Mezzo is a force of nature when it comes to his businesses, I had no idea he was so exciting in other ways too,"  she smirked.  "I mean, I could see YOU doing something like that but Mezzo?"  

She chuckled.

"I've always thought of him being 'all business' in his daily life.  I have real trouble thinking of him running amok with you, driving trucks onto ships and ending up in a hospital."  She patted her lips with the napkin, she could NOT eat another bite, nor drink much more without making a fool of herself.  She'd begun to feel a little light headed and tipsy.

"And while the hospital part at the end sounds like a terrible time, I can't say the idea of going on a job with you strikes me as disagreeable.  In fact, I'm pretty sure I'm a little jealous of any girl who has had the pleasure of working alongside of you and seeing you in your natural element."  

Warmth flooded her cheeks and she KNEW she shouldn't even try and tempt Gavin to do anything because he was the very sort of man who likely NEVER refused a challenge, but the alcohol had dulled the voices of her better angels and the devil on her shoulder was emboldened.  She leaned toward him. 

"In fact, I have half a mind to ask you if you'd do me the pleasure of helping me liberate something fun tonight ... just for laughs.  Give me a chance to show off my skills to you and let me see you hard at work too.  Then, when we're done, we can celebrate ... or come together to console one another.  Either way, I assure you we'll be getting breakfast together tomorrow."  she leaned back in her chair and crossed her legs.  "Your thoughts about this plan, Mr. Byrne?"

"Jack... well he's the best man I know. Probably the only good man I can really claim to know. But between you and me, I wish he hit the streets more often. As for us hitting the streets together... what's the job? Whatever it is, I'm saying yes before knowing; I do like breakfast."

He smirked.

"But I am curious."

Bella's smirk became a full-on smile touching her doe-eyes.  "I like breakfast too."

As he affirmed where she thought this date would resolve itself, she reached across the table and put her hand on his.  Now she was touching him in two places, she stroked his hand with her thumb gently as she spoke.

"You know, I don't really keep tabs on the events here in Philly... so, finding something of value will take a bit of work.  I mean, we could go to the usual places ... jewelry shops, museums... or maybe check out a paper and see if someone is dumb enough to be advertising they have something I want to add to my collection.  Which, if you play your cards right, I will one day show you."

She winked at him.  She didn't suppose he'd understand her need to keep things as she did, most people didn't, but her collection was special to her and stealing something with Gavin tonight to add to it would be really nice.  One day, when she was old and gray and married to Will she could always look at it and remember her wild times with the scoundrel Gavin Byrne.

"Not a jewelry shop..."

The first night he and Tara had crossed paths with Madeline, they'd hit a jewelry shop together. Gavin had no plans beyond 48 hours with anyone, but it seemed like bad form to have such similar experiences with two different women he cared about and had fun with. Gavin suspected that mixing up the two of them would prove deadly to him; better to keep things as distinct as possible. At least he only had to worry about his own conversations, since he doubted two women he was seeing would ever find a reason to be together.

Madeline, tall, blonde, beautiful, and bold, was almost entirely based out of New York. They'd shared quite the adventure on their first night together, and she'd been one of the few women who'd left him in the morning before Gavin could leave them. She was special.

Stella, in Vegas, was the sort of woman who seemed to consistently fall for Gavin: young, beautiful, and just a little bit naive. She had no misunderstandings about his level of commitment, but Gavin still felt an attachment to the young Italian woman. They got along well together, and she had a refreshing way of looking at things.

And Evelyn in Chicago... well, she was the craziest lay that Gavin had ever had, and that was saying something. At the moment, she was probably either taking a bath and thinking about Gavin or planning on draining his blood for some sort of love potion. 

There were others, but none else that stood apart from the crowd... and here was "Izzy Luciano", the opposite of everything he'd expected from mafia royalty- at least in some way. The trip to Montreal had been... singular. Great sex. Tons of drinking. Some gambling. Bella killed a guy in a barfight. A joyride, a car accident... lots of crying and emotional talk... and three fairly intense rounds of sex on top of a building, in a hotel room, and laying next to a river. He could honestly say he'd never had a night on the town like that before.

The memories of their trip aroused Gavin, and he found himself looking at her with a shade of hunger. Forcing himself to sit still-for now- he grinned at her.

"What sort of collection do you have? Just... cool things? Art?"

That look. 

She knew that look and she LOVED that look.  If she wasn't fast about picking a crime the only thing Gavin would be stealing very soon was the last bit of shame she had left.  Not that one could technically steel what was brazenly being given.

Still thinking of what was yet to come tonight, and what had been between them on their trip to Montreal, combined with his refusal to steal something as banal as jewelry; it made her realize that nothing she ever did with Gavin should be simple or boring.  No matter how 'normal' it was everything they did would always be something just a bit more than it was with anyone else.  This was the magic of Gavin Byrne and it was a very good thing.  

Whatever they stole had to be unique.  It had to be as memorable as flying down a Canadian highway in a priceless car with the peddle to the floor, as incomparable as the thrill she got breaking into a building just to make love atop it, as positively foolish and insane as watching him punch a moose.  She didn't know how many of these dates they would have together and so she resolved she would fling herself headlong into the whirlwind that was the gravitational pull of Gavin Byrne.  Instead of fighting the chaos, embracing it fully.

That in mind, there was only one thing big enough and crazy enough to begin to compare to their previous antics.  It was something no one likely had in their personal collection, something no one would think to steal and it was the rarest of the rare.  It was wildly popular with the public and likely to be guarded at least a bit.  A challenge, but not overtly deadly.  She wanted a good time... not to die, at least not anymore. 

There would probably be a guard or two to worry about.  Surely locked doors to be picked and maybe a safe to be cracked if they picked a smaller one.  After all, not all of them were huge.  She'd seen the exhibit.  Oh, it would be fun to take a massive one, but it was impractical.  But the small ones... one of those she could take it whole for the Port Huron house. 

It would be a priceless and very personal jewel in her private collection.  No future husband of hers would ever know or suspect why she always looked at it with such fondness in the later years of her life when marriage became a dreadfully dull affair.  It would be her secret pleasure to revisit the memory of tonight.  A way to remember how much she desired this life which she always knew she could never keep for her own.  Like visiting a boardwalk park as a child, it would be a happy recollection of a place and time that everyone loves to go, but no one realistically lives in.         

She put down her napkin, eyes locked on his, burning with an intensity that matched his own.  She slithered up to him, letting her body brush on his as she came alongside him.  The way he was looking at her now, she could imagine him pulling her down onto his lap as if she were there solely for his amusement.  As a Don, it would have been galling in the extreme to have anyone handle her in that way in such a public setting - especially in such a classy establishment as this. She was no simpering Moll to be claimed, and yet, she wanted him to do it none the less.  Just once.  She felt like she was breathing too hard, in her mind she imagined kissing him but instead, she spoke.

"I want a dinosaur."

Gavin grinned.

"Check, please."

Izzy clung to Gavin’s arm as he waved down a taxi.  Her heart was racing, his hand was holding tight to her hip opposite him and pulling her tight to him, possessive and urgent.  She stared up at his impossible blue eyes, anchored in place by them, anticipating what would happen next.  Planning.

In a fluid motion he opened the door for her and let her slide across the backseat as Izzy instructed the driver, “Philadelphia Museum of Natural History, please.”

Gavin had his wallet out and a large sum of bills fluttered down onto the seat and he added, “Eyes forward and this is a deposit on a large paid in full at the end of the ride.”

The driver pulled his cap low over his eyes with a quick, “Yes, Sir.”

He shut the small divider between them and sunk down in his seat.  This wasn’t his first time having two amorous young lovers in his back – just the first time one of them thought to overpay him for some illusion of privacy.  The man wasn’t stupid, he had bills to pay, the two in the back could do whatever they liked and he wouldn’t look no matter how tempting it might be.

Even before the car was moving, he had his hands on her.  Elias had always been such a generous and gentle lover, but Gavin was very different.  Gavin didn’t just want to be with her, it was as if he wanted to devour her utterly.  Each touch, every kiss, it was as if he were a condemned man frenzied with the idea of survival finally in his grasp and she, his only salvation. 

There was little room in the backseat but they made the most of it.  Gavin hovered over her, hands flowing over her as he kissed her lips.  She shivered as he found the hem of her dress’ skirt, just above her knees and his fingers finally touched her flesh.

Izzy gasped.

Gavin watched her face and the tilt of his head caused his eyebrows to create a near sinister shadow over those eyes of his lips turned up into a devilish smirk.  He hesitated only a moment before he looked down to his own hand working upwards and she began to unfasten the buttons of his shirt with a feverish need that echoed his own. 

Street lights flashing over them sent irregular illumination across his body.  She could see the hard lines of taut muscles and the pale scars decorating his smoldering flesh.  The scars were a roadmap along the full width and breadth of his body, for some women it would have sent them running, maybe unnerved or revolted, but not Izzy. 

She could only see his strength, his determination to fight and win pronounced in each and every line.  This man wasn’t a soft thing shoved into a suit that was meant to make him look powerful, HE WAS POWER, occasionally shoved into a suit to make him look like everyone else.  And for this brief moment, he only wanted her.

She could sense his frustration as his hand was prevented from reaching its destination by her undergarments and leg placement.  It amused her to no end until at last she was giggling against his scars not just kissing him.

He leaned near to her ear and in a breathy whisper he asked, “You could help.”

She turned her head slightly to look at him, their faces nearly touching, her hands falling away from his chest to his belt.  “Why?”

In a swift motion, the belt came open and she went for his button.  

Gavin’s eyebrow arched up high, his smirk never faltering as she touched his breastbone again this time giving him a gentle shove instructing, “Sit.”

Her lover shrugged and did as he was told, watching her move towards him with intention.  His hands were able to move all over her now, but she knew damn well that in a moment he was unlikely to feel motivated to anything other than let her see to her choice affairs.

A stream of yellowed street light washed over his face, and looking up from his lap she could see his delighted expression as he became fully aware of her intentions.  His hand brushed her cheek softly as she turned her attention to the task at hand.  Her heart quaking so loud she could hear the pounding in her ears. 

Above her Gavin slid his jacket off one arm then another alternating between watching Isabella and the man driving who did not dare glance into his rearview mirror not even when Izzy claimed her prize and Gavin let out that first unintentional moan.

Darkness came over her as Gavin reluctantly draped his jacket atop her.  For a time it was this way, darkness, warmth, him shifting and writhing under her ministrations.  His hands alternatively caressing her, gripping her, leaving her alone in the darkness.  She could hear his breath and he could hear her steady almost musical rhythm. 

The car stopped, likely at their destination, Izzy didn’t mind.  In fact, she was quite pleased when she heard the driver step out for a smoke.  He’d been paid well enough to take a week off… what did this lost time matter to him?

Izzy was merciless, neither quickening her motions nor her enthusiasm instead she tried to focus on what she’d meant to do here – make him feel just how much he meant to her.  Gavin Byrne wasn’t a man who could appreciate fancy words or elaborate gifts, even a silly one like the moose, but he would understand this communication.  The intimate nature of it, the sacrifice of her own pleasure for his, the pace at which she moved to draw it out and deny him release.

What she did not anticipate, however, was the growl that eventually emitted from his throat followed by him taking a firm hold of her and pulling her up off of him.  His eyes connected with hers.  She could see a whole new level of hunger all across his features.  It told her without words, he was done letting her play.  Izzy responded wordlessly with a quick lash of her tongue across her lips cleaning up the small hints of his pleasure painted there.

What followed was a flurry of motion and no small bit of contortion to make the most natural thing in the world possible within a confined space.  Izzy was reasonable certain her undergarments were likely trash as she felt them coming free, but she didn’t care.  She didn’t even care her $1200 dress cried out just shortly before he finally did, splitting along its seam on her hip.

Steam covered the windows, she realized from her place beneath him.  No one could see in, but no one could mistake what was going on within.  Gavin kissed her softly.  She could feel gooseflesh all over him.  Was it the heat of their bodies contrasting with the chill of the night air, or did he feel what she felt every time they finished?  She wanted to ask him – but it was the sort of thing you asked someone you meant to love.  It wasn’t words or thoughts you shared with a fling who might run at the first hint of a desire for something more than a good time.

Izzy knew herself well too.  It was natural she would want to keep this in her life forever as she kept all things that brought her this much joy; but Gavin Byrne would be owned by no woman – especially her.  As he looked down on her in that way, she knew how dangerous these feelings were and she tried to dismiss them by making a joke.

“Not bad… but I think you owe me a dress and that one wasn’t cheap.”

Gavin lay back for a moment and closed his eyes, simply enjoying the moment. What a night. What a girl. A few deep breaths, savoring the atmosphere, almost had him in a dreamlike state.

Wait what did she want? A dinosaur? Gavin cracked an eye open as she spoke, eyeing her mostly destroyed dress.

"Not sorry. Worth it."

With a catlike yawn and stretch, Gavin began lazily dressing himself.

"It's not too late, yet. And if you want to hit the museum, later might be better."

Gavin glanced down the street, recognizing the area.

"Come on."

_______

24 Years Later

"Well," said Gavin as he licked his ice cream with a raised eyebrow and a flush of heat near his stomach at the memory, "your grandmother and I went out to eat. And we had a very nice meal. Being a gentleman, I of course paid the bill. And then, because your grandmother and I were both very curious, educated people, we decided that visiting the museum would be a wonderful date. We were both very excited to see the dinosaur skeleton there, but it was important for us to take a nap in the car on our way over to make sure we were well rested. And, unfortunately, when your Grandmother woke up from her nap and stretched, she tore her dress. So we had to find her something else to wear, and fortunately one store was still open...

_______

24 Years Earlier

A few minutes later, after dismissing the cab driver and walking through the streets of Philadelphia, Gavin heard the perfect click of his lockpick in the rear entrance of the clothing store.

"Alright. Should be able to grab anything you need here. Maybe something a little more practical for a heist? Not that I'm complaining. And if you see another dress you like, you can take that too. Or save that for later, tomorrow, whatever."

Isabella walked around the racks of clothing with a bright smile, pulling off items and holding them against herself.  She was a child let loose in a candy store.  Of course, she had money to buy anything she wanted, but there was something special about being here alone in a store, no rules and encouragement to take whatever struck her fancy.

"I've always been fond of the color orange but it just makes my skin look terrible."  She held up an orange blouse near her face.  "See?"

She touched the fabric of several items and seemed not to find them acceptable before stopping at a rack of men's leather jackets.  She picked one up.  

"Oooo!  It's heavy."  She slid herself into the thing, she was small enough the coat seemed to swallow her.  Izzy laughed.

"How tough do I look?"  She smirked. 

"I'm willing to bet it would look great on you and then you can leave it at my place after visiting from time to time so I can just... wrap myself up in it."  

She pulled the coat closed around herself tight, as if it were hugging her and then slipped out of it, tossing it onto his lap where he was sitting atop the register counter.  Izzy dug through a pile of slacks and found some she found acceptable in a dark navy, a sleeveless tank with a high collar, a pair of underwear, some socks and flats.  Once she had these in hand she returned to Gavin.

"Unzip me if you would, please?"  She pulled her hair aside and felt him unzipping her slowly.

She chuckled and pulled away from him.  Sure enough, he was smirking.

"You're incorrigible.  Do you never grow tired of flirting?"

She dropped her dress in a pile at her feet and dressed, all the while feeling his eyes on her.  

"You gonna let me see that jacket on you or not?  I am modeling for you after all and tomorrow - after breakfast I'll try on anything you like, so long as one of the items is a new dress to replace this sorry thing."  She picked up the dress off the floor.

Gavin slipped on the jacket with a grin. A little more... urban than his usual, but it fit well enough.

"Do you never grow tired of flirting?"

"Do you?"

With a grin, Gavin headed outside, enjoying the feel of the night air. Sticking his hands in the pockets of his new jacket, he extended his arm to Bella as they made their way to the Academy of Natural Sciences. There were a couple guards patrolling the place... but they were easily evaded, which seemed preferable to knocking them out. As they snuck into the dinosaur exhibition hall, they raced each other in picking the locks to the two entrances- and both finished at about the same time.

Gavin was about to make a wisecrack when he noticed the giant skeleton of a T-Rex staring down at him. He raised an eyebrow as he walked beneath its mouth, Bella following at his side. Blinking, Gavin moved to read the plaque... and Bella saw his eyes go wide, one of the most genuine reactions of surprise from someone who usually appeared unflappable.

Tyrannosaurus rex

Pronunciation:

tie-RAN-oh-SORE-us REX

Meaning of name:

tyrant lizard, king

Length:

35-40 feet (10-12 meters)

Weight:

Estimated 6 tons (5,500 kg)

Diet:

Meat

Range:

North America (Alberta, Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Saskatchewan, South Dakota and Wyoming)

Age:

Late Cretaceous, 68-65 million years ago

Gavin took a step back with wide eyes, and his voice was not nearly as quiet as it should have been.

"These things are fucking real?! I thought they were fake... like dragons... giants... Atlantis... the pyramids..."

Cautiously, Gavin reached up and poked one of its teeth.

Isabella chuckled.

"They're real, though they're all very dead.  And... I hate to break it to you but there is this whole exhibit on Egypt somewhere around here that would show you that the pyramids are real too."

She smiled at him.

"I like this one but he's a bit large to take home.  I was thinking maybe something a bit smaller."  Izzy walked among the various displays, looking for one that might be no bigger than a housecat when fully displayed.

"Hmmm.  I wonder how you say this."  She looked at the name and began trying to sound it out.  "Comp...sog...nathus?" 

She wrinkled her nose.  "It could definitely fit on my desk.  Though I'm not sure I'm saying it's damn name right.  How the hell will I be able to brag about it if it has a name like that?"

Gavin stared at Bella when she mentioned the pyramids, 80% sure that she was fucking with him. Shaking his head and dismissing his thoughts, Gavin looked up at the mouth of the T-Rex.

"Do you want a whole little one? Or a piece of a big one? A tooth from this guy would be pretty damn cool."

He shrugged.

"And portable."

Bella considered the tiny dino in the case and then the giant teeth of the one Gavin looked at.  "Well... now that you say it... one of those teeth would be pretty impressive.  But how the hell do we go about getting it?  It's a good twenty feet up to take it... to say nothing of the extraction process.  I mean... unless you're secretly a dino dentist?"

She laughed, and with her hands on her hips looked up at the tooth that she wanted so badly now.

"How do you propose we get the damn thing?"

Gavin looked up the dinosaur and glanced around; there was nothing nearby to use to get at the tooth.

"You worry about your... Compsockagus thing. I'll look around here."

Bella moved over to the case with the Compsognathus. The skeleton was small, and the bones all seemed to be attached to each other with metal wiring. Removing her knife, she slid it under the glass case and began the process of separating the glass from the mounting table; she was careful with the knife, not wanting to damage anything, and her eyes narrowed in focus, ignoring the sounds coming from behind her- whatever Gavin was doing. Her task completed, Bella was looking down at the Compsognathus skeleton with a grin when she heard Gavin behind her.

"Oh... shit."

When she turned around, Gavin had managed to climb up on the neck of the tyrannosaurus- but the extra weight was starting to tip the whole thing over. Bella quickly ran up and through her weight against one of the sturdy looking legs as Gavin leaned down and cut two of the teeth free from the metal. Climbing carefully down the dinosaurs neck and back, he jumped down to the floor with a feline grace before handing Bella the teeth. 

"Want to take that little guy too? We can try to find a box?"

Izzy made a subdued squeal as she took the teeth and gave Gavin a kiss for his troubles. 

"You're insane!"  she looked at the two teeth in the same way some women looked at priceless jewelry.  There was something truly special about how she looked at them.  "Good lord they're fucking huge!  Can you imagine the damage something like this did?"

And then she looked at him with the same brilliant gaze, as if he and the teeth were all wrapped up together somehow.  She stared a little longer than she should, a lusty affectionate gaze that only became more intense the longer she let it linger.

"Yes..."  She forced herself to speak and break the silence and she looked away from her lover and back to the tiny dinosaur. 

"Let's get the little one.  I can't imagine anyone would mistake these for anything but dino teeth, but I want an actually mini-dragon for my office."  She laughed.  "The little guy is quite the contradiction!  He's so tiny ... like a cat really, and yet look at those teeth!  And imagine how his body looked.  He would have been terrifying in his own right.  I wouldn't want one of those pissed off and chasing me."

She hovered over the glass box, clutching her teeth trying not to look at Gavin whose eyes she could feel all over her every time she wasn't looking.  How any man could have such insatiable hunger was beyond her, but she liked it.  She caught sight of his blurry reflection in another bit of nearby glass. Even distorted as he was, he was unquestionably handsome.

She turned to look at him, "This was easier than expected. I should have thought of something really challenging but, I am glad to be the proud owner of some fine teeth and this fierce little guy."  she nodded back towards the compy.

"And... it was something to see you climb a T-Rex.  I mean, what man can say they've done that?"  She smirked at him.  "You really are one of the most exciting men I've ever met.  Do you really live like this, Gavin, running off to other countries on impulse, crashing cars, punching moose, climbing dinosaurs... making love to whatever woman who happens to catch your eye... or are you just trying to impress me?"