Christine first showed Marcia to her room. It was a spacious and very clean and tidy, with the only two things in the room being a four-poster bed, which was complete with a large down-comforter and a large number of pillows, and a large armoire for clothing. The second thing she was shown to was her bathroom. It was equally clean and spacious, with a shower/bath combination and a large mirror. "I hope this will be suitable," Christine said. Her tone was a mix of authoritative and slightly apologetic.
"It's more than fine, especially for what's likely to be a short stay," Marcia replied. Christine's expression flashed to something unreadable in response.
"Wonderful," she replied. "If there's anything I can do to make your stay here more comfortable, don't hesitate to let me or one of the staff know." She smiled at Rusty, and her hand touched his elbow. "Now, let's get you settled." Rusty allowed himself to be led away by the enchantingly attractive woman. He was an inch or two taller, and fairly muscular. His shaggy brown hair and slightly unkempt beard, along with his rumpled clothing echoed his slightly rough-around-the-edges demeanor. But it was a demeanor that was certainly softened by their hostess, Christine.
By contrast, the room Christine led Rusty to was considerably more sparse. There was a bed with a bare mattress and a single blanket. An old television stood on a dresser with a small wooden table next to the bed. Rusty turned to face her, a wry grin on his face. "The place looks like it's seen better days," he said, nodding at the TV. "Only Marcia gets the glamorous treatment, huh? I mean..fair enough, I guess I'm just her assistant. She's the detective."
"You didn't strike me as someone who needs the royal treatment," she said, and gave his shoulder a little squeeze. Her hand moved to his bicep and she squeezed it experimentally, seeming to admire the muscle tone hidden by his shirt sleeve. If Rusty didn't know better, he'd think that maybe she was flirting with him.
"And what kind of man did I strike you as?" he asked.
"A strong one," she said. "A rugged one. And the kind of man who prefers things simple and to the point." Her hand trailed up his shoulder and touched the side of his neck, her fingers brushing the skin gently. She had the most intense eyes.
Rusty was taken aback. She was definitely flirting. He did what he could to hide that shock, however. He kept his expression and voice steady and stoic. "Well, you're not wrong," he said.
"It's Rusty, right?" she asked. She moved her hand slowly back down his shoulder, then his arm.
"That's right," he said.
"Well, Rusty..you strike me as someone who'd find working for a psychic detective like Marcia to be a bit...complicated. Are you and she.."
"What?"
"Intimate," Christine said.
"No," Rusty answered, maybe a little too quickly. He shook his head. "I mean, we've never...you know, done anything together." Rusty was definitely caught off guard by the question, and he didn't do a good job hiding it. He hadn't lied - they weren't, nor had they ever been. But..he certainly wouldn't have minded. He was a man, after all, and she was quite a beautiful woman.
Christine smiled knowingly. "But you'd like to be," Christine she said with a slight smile. Her eyes held Rusty's.
"You're a clever one," Rusty replied. His eyes narrowed. "But it's not gonna happen." He was slightly confused, and mildly irritated. He wasn't used to having someone read him so easily. Even his psychic boss didn't normally read him this well.
"And why's that?" she asked, moving closer.
Despite being shorter than him, she had a commanding presence. And those eyes...it was hard to resist the urge to just give in and let her have her way."She just..doesn't see me that way, I guess," he replied.
"What if I told you that I could make that a reality for you?" Christine asked him. Her eyes stayed locked on him, and her voice seemed to be even more commanding, her eyes more intense. She moved closer still, her hands coming to rest on his chest.
"How do you plan on doing that?" Rusty asked. His irritation faded as he was pulled into the intensity of her gaze.
Christine smiled. "We can help each other, Rusty.." she said, her voice softening. "I could use someone of her talents to help me with future plans. And if you can get her...committed to me, I can make sure that she is committed to you." Her hand reached out and brushed his fingers.
Rusty's heart pounded. He might be a stoic man, and he might prefer things simple. He left the supernatural things to Marcia, but he had learned how to spot things. And he could tell that Christine was SOMETHING more than human. He was conflicted. He could have Marcia, but what was the cost?