“That sounds like a challenge,” Tony said walking over to her with a mischievous look. He wrapped his arms around her neck and pulled her into a kiss. “Note that I didn’t touch your hands so the bet continues on,” he smirked as he pulled away.
Summer froze. Very slowly, she lifted a shaking hand to her mouth.
“I don’t fuck around when it comes to my fish,” Tony said curtly as he returned to the kitchen to order the pizza.
She forced herself to take a deep breath before she said anything. “I haven’t been kissed in over a year,” she told him quietly. “Please don’t … do that as a joke.” She thought she might be sick.
“Who said it was a joke?” Tony said raising his eyebrows.
“Why would it not be a joke? I don’t think I’m your type, Tony.” One hand caught the back of the chair she’d been sitting in earlier, and she dropped into it, not meeting Tony’s eyes. She could still feel the press of his mouth to hers, and she couldn’t decide if she was annoyed and being taken advantage of, or wanted more.
“That sounds like a challenge,” Tony said walking over to her with a mischievous look. He wrapped his arms around her neck and pulled her into a kiss. “Note that I didn’t touch your hands so the bet continues on,” he smirked as he pulled away.
Summer froze. Very slowly, she lifted a shaking hand to her mouth.
“I don’t fuck around when it comes to my fish,” Tony said curtly as he returned to the kitchen to order the pizza.
She forced herself to take a deep breath before she said anything. “I haven’t been kissed in over a year,” she told him quietly. “Please don’t … do that as a joke.” She thought she might be sick.
She shrugged. “Sure, that’s fine. No pineapple, though. Fruit does not belong on pizza.” It was a definitive statement, and she grinned, waiting for his reaction, before climbing up out of the chair. Going over to the fish tank again, she tapped at the side.
“Hey! No tapping on the glass! Are you trying to give my baby a heart attack?” Tony said, this time waving his phone at her. “Step away from the fish, young lady, or I’ll have to put you under arrest.”
“Make me,” she taunted, not even bothering to look at him. “You couldn’t arrest me if you /wanted/ to.” One hand spread flat on the glass, she traced the end of one long braid against it, trying to get the fish’s attention.
“That sounds like a challenge,” Tony said walking over to her with a mischievous look. He wrapped his arms around her neck and pulled her into a kiss. “Note that I didn’t touch your hands so the bet continues on,” he smirked as he pulled away.
Summer froze. Very slowly, she lifted a shaking hand to her mouth.
“Hey hey hey!” Tony said waving a wooden spoon at Summer. “Get away from that fish tank.” He had been in the kitchen for about 20 minutes trying to figure out what to make them for dinner. “It’s not that I don’t trust you around breakable stuff; I just don’t trust you around my fish.” Tony laughed. “I’m still convinced you’re gunna murder my little Herbie.”
“I /am/ part cat,” Summer teased, ostentatiously putting her hands behind her back. “I’m really not that picky, Tony. If this is a bid to impress me it’s not working.” She straddled a chair backward, propping her chin on the back of it and watching him generally frown at his kitchen.
“I’m not gunna win this bet with macaroni and cheese,” Tony said, rolling his eyes. He turned and opened the refrigerator door and looked inside for the tenth time. “Fuck I give up. How about I just order pizza?” he said, pushing the door close with a defeated look on his face.
She shrugged. “Sure, that’s fine. No pineapple, though. Fruit does not belong on pizza.” It was a definitive statement, and she grinned, waiting for his reaction, before climbing up out of the chair. Going over to the fish tank again, she tapped at the side.
“Hey! No tapping on the glass! Are you trying to give my baby a heart attack?” Tony said, this time waving his phone at her. “Step away from the fish, young lady, or I’ll have to put you under arrest.”
“Make me,” she taunted, not even bothering to look at him. “You couldn’t arrest me if you /wanted/ to.” One hand spread flat on the glass, she traced the end of one long braid against it, trying to get the fish’s attention.
“Hey hey hey!” Tony said waving a wooden spoon at Summer. “Get away from that fish tank.” He had been in the kitchen for about 20 minutes trying to figure out what to make them for dinner. “It’s not that I don’t trust you around breakable stuff; I just don’t trust you around my fish.” Tony laughed. “I’m still convinced you’re gunna murder my little Herbie.”
“I /am/ part cat,” Summer teased, ostentatiously putting her hands behind her back. “I’m really not that picky, Tony. If this is a bid to impress me it’s not working.” She straddled a chair backward, propping her chin on the back of it and watching him generally frown at his kitchen.
“I’m not gunna win this bet with macaroni and cheese,” Tony said, rolling his eyes. He turned and opened the refrigerator door and looked inside for the tenth time. “Fuck I give up. How about I just order pizza?” he said, pushing the door close with a defeated look on his face.
She shrugged. “Sure, that’s fine. No pineapple, though. Fruit does not belong on pizza.” It was a definitive statement, and she grinned, waiting for his reaction, before climbing up out of the chair. Going over to the fish tank again, she tapped at the side.
“Hey hey hey!” Tony said waving a wooden spoon at Summer. “Get away from that fish tank.” He had been in the kitchen for about 20 minutes trying to figure out what to make them for dinner. “It’s not that I don’t trust you around breakable stuff; I just don’t trust you around my fish.” Tony laughed. “I’m still convinced you’re gunna murder my little Herbie.”
“I /am/ part cat,” Summer teased, ostentatiously putting her hands behind her back. “I’m really not that picky, Tony. If this is a bid to impress me it’s not working.” She straddled a chair backward, propping her chin on the back of it and watching him generally frown at his kitchen.
“That’s the point. You’ve known me for a few hours. You don’t know shit about me so why act like you do?” Tony growled not looking at her. “The last dude with red hair I was with ended up killing my gold fish and stealing my car,” he said in a mocking voice. “So why not just assume every red head is a murderer of adorable fish and plans to commit grand theft auto?”
“On one experience, your point is valid. But twice, thrice, a dozen times? If every redhead you meet kills your fish and steals your car, are you not safer assuming every one you meet will do the same?” Her voice was sad. “Change my mind. We’ve this bet. Change my mind, Tony.”
Tony turned and looked at her. “If you kill my fish I swear I will drop kick you so hard.” He rolled his eyes. “You’d better be prepared to lose this shit.”
“If I kill your fish, I’ll deserve it.” Summer threw her head back against the armrest. “Unless you’ve, hmm, persuasions to apply, though, right now I really ought to do some of my reading. I won’t mind your continuing company, but I’m not like to be very attentive. The Inferno’s a bit complex.” She tipped her head up to look Tony in the eyes. “Benefit of the doubt, yes?”
“Just because I don’t freak out every time you said something I didn’t like doesn’t mean that shit didn’t hurt me.” Tony rolled his eyes. “’I know your kind. You think you just have to crook a finger and anything you want will drop at your feet’,” he said imitating her voice. “I’m not a god damn type. I’ve worked for most of what I have. Yeah I was lucky enough to have a rich daddy but he hates me and I hate him so that’s kind of irrelevant. I kicked ass in high school to get enough scholarships to get myself into college and I work my ass off now to keep myself there. Learn more about people before you go around reading them.”
“You say that like I have a choice, with you all but shouting your emotions at me.” She pressed a hand to her temple. Very quietly, she added, “For as much as you harp on being irresistible, what was I supposed to think? I’ve been prey for the pretty people all my life, and the ones who know they’re attractive are the worst.” She blinked, and a tear escaped.
Tony rolled his eyes again refusing to give into tears. “I’m confident in my looks; that’s not a crime. I’m an entirely separate person from anyone else you’ve ever met. You need to calm down with the generalizations.”
Summer drew a deep breath, swiping at the tears. “How much data do I have to have before I can base assumptions on it? Yes, you’re not those people, but in a few hours how am I supposed to know that?”
“That’s the point. You’ve known me for a few hours. You don’t know shit about me so why act like you do?” Tony growled not looking at her. “The last dude with red hair I was with ended up killing my gold fish and stealing my car,” he said in a mocking voice. “So why not just assume every red head is a murderer of adorable fish and plans to commit grand theft auto?”
“On one experience, your point is valid. But twice, thrice, a dozen times? If every redhead you meet kills your fish and steals your car, are you not safer assuming every one you meet will do the same?” Her voice was sad. “Change my mind. We’ve this bet. Change my mind, Tony.”
“Just because I don’t freak out every time you said something I didn’t like doesn’t mean that shit didn’t hurt me.” Tony rolled his eyes. “’I know your kind. You think you just have to crook a finger and anything you want will drop at your feet’,” he said imitating her voice. “I’m not a god damn type. I’ve worked for most of what I have. Yeah I was lucky enough to have a rich daddy but he hates me and I hate him so that’s kind of irrelevant. I kicked ass in high school to get enough scholarships to get myself into college and I work my ass off now to keep myself there. Learn more about people before you go around reading them.”
“You say that like I have a choice, with you all but shouting your emotions at me.” She pressed a hand to her temple. Very quietly, she added, “For as much as you harp on being irresistible, what was I supposed to think? I’ve been prey for the pretty people all my life, and the ones who know they’re attractive are the worst.” She blinked, and a tear escaped.
Tony rolled his eyes again refusing to give into tears. “I’m confident in my looks; that’s not a crime. I’m an entirely separate person from anyone else you’ve ever met. You need to calm down with the generalizations.”
Summer drew a deep breath, swiping at the tears. “How much data do I have to have before I can base assumptions on it? Yes, you’re not those people, but in a few hours how am I supposed to know that?”