"Where have you been?" Barnes complained as Steve slowly walked through the door.
"Watching dolphins with Laurie" he replied quietly walking straight past him and up to the bedroom they shared.
"What's up with Capsicle?" Stark asked and Barnes just shrugged preferring to head out to the pool where the others were enjoying the last day of their supposed team building exercise. He was slightly disappointed that he had not got to spend time with the woman from the bar but who could blame her. Steve was impressive, he knew all the right things to say and was utterly charming. As he reached the poolside a brightly coloured rainbow appeared over the pool depositing Thor and Loki in the deep end. Bucky ducked as tiles from the pools floor flew everywhere.
"I don't fucking believe this" Gracie stormed as she followed Wilson to the pool area and she saw the cracked and damaged pool. "What the hell did you guys do? Laurie is going to go ape shit"
"Laurie already is ape shit" came a reply from opposite them and Wilson looked up to see the woman he had pulled from the water looking furious, standing with a camera in her hand. "Yes it will be covered by my insurance but the premiums are already fucking ridiculous" she complained.
"Oh no" Wilson muttered as Tony Stark came wandering out of the house a martini in one hand and his credit card in the other. Both Gracie and Sam raced around the pool to get to Laurie before Stark did. Gracie physically putting herself between the two to stop her now growling sister punching the billionaire. Twisting she slapped a fake smile on and took the card and told him it would be returned when the pool was fixed.
"How can I make this up to you?" Thor asked glumly as he sat down by the bar opposite the blonde haired woman whose pool he had destroyed. He could understand why Barnes and Rogers both watched her she was utterly gorgeous and he had a nagging feeling he knew her from somewhere else but he didn't know where.
"You can't. I've had to cancel the rest of the seasons bookings and that means I'm currently working out who to let go in my staff so unless you know a contractor who to an fly out here and repair the pool to its previous standard over night not a lot." As she spoke Laurie looked up and swore as she saw who was walking into her bar
"Hey beautiful lady" A tall muscular man called and sat smugly at the bar. "I hear your villa is out of use. Maybe it's time to look at my offer to you and your sister about the island."
"I'd rather burn the whole place to the ground than let you get a toe hold in here." At her snarled reply he snorted and eyed Thor carefully.
"Weight lifter huh? Let me know when you need some 'roids I've a contact." Laurie grinned as Thor exploded from his chair grabbing Swaro around the neck. Immediately two of his friends were trying to pry him off of him.
"I wouldn't" was Lauries only comment as everyone froze at the sound of a pump action shotgun being racked. Gracie stood beside Swaro her gun pointed at his temple.
"Tell your boys to leave Swaro and maybe l, just maybe, I'll tell Gracie not to kill you" her voice was perfectly calm as she walked around the side of the bar taking care not to get in-between Gracie and her target. "You know we'd get away with it. We've removed little annoyances before and I'm not about to let you destroy my hard work. Let him go Thor". For a moment it looked like Thor was not going to listen to her "he's really not worth it." As she asked him to, Thor just dropped his victim and Laurie crouched next to the collapsed man. "If I've got a god on my side how far do you think you would get?" She murmured and without hesitating the now dishevelled man scrambled up to head out the door but the sight of his men being held at gun point by Natasha Romanoff, a scruffy dark haired man with piercing eyes and a tall, long haired man dressed in green leather holding a dagger at another's throat made him pause before running. The scruff Laurie realised was the man from the bar the night before.
"Didn't even ask me not to kill his foot soldiers how pathetic" Loki snorted loudly and motioned to Nat whose guns disappeared instantly. "Sir, I'd rather you didn't spill their blood on my floor" Laurie smiled at Loki and watched cautiously as the last one fled. "Thank you"
"What was that all about?" Romanoff demanded as Laurie lent on her knees feeling slightly faint.
"That" Gracie explained "was the local bad boy who wants Lauries bar to front his drugs. He's been trying to drive Laurie out for a couple of years. Honestly the police around here are useless. She's all that stands between this island becoming a drug dealers haven."
"No one is selling drugs in my bar if I can help it" Laurie grumbled taking the shotgun off of Gracie and putting it back behind the bar. Loki stood silently looking at the woman he vaguely recognised her and didn't know where from. If she was one of his many past conquests she wasn't showing any signs of recognising him.
"We need to do something" Clint sighed accepting another drink from Romanoff as he raised the glass to his lips Loki appeared, holding the woman of their discussion who was successfully punching him in the face.
"You're an arse" Laurie raged as Romanoff and Wanda both helped her by grabbing Loki and moving him physically away from her. Sneering Loki just waved his hand and the large wine stain on her top vanished and her bare feet had her shoes on.
"Perhaps I should have waited until she had finished her wine." Loki conceded as Thor slowly shook his head trying to hide his smirk. "But we cannot help without involving her. Her mind is blocked and I don't know why. What's she hiding?" He mused.
To Lauries surprise she was able to explain the situation to the Avengers and they didn't over react. Instead Stark started asking pertinent questions of his computer who was now investigating Swaro.
"Are you going back to the boat tonight?" Sam grinned filling her glass again and Laurie just shook her head.
"I understand my sister is expecting a visit from someone so no. I've got rooms above the bar I can go to." She explained mildly holding her dingy keys out to him. Grinning Sam just accepted them and quickly headed for the boat.
Gracie smiled as Sam climbed over the swim platform and onto her sisters boat. Without hesitating he pulled her towards him and kissed her studying her eyes carefully. It had been a long time since he felt this strongly about anyone but Gracie did something to his very soul.
"Welcome aboard soldier" she grinned leading him towards the cabins. "So how do you feel about midnight skinny dipping?" There were days when Gracie hated baby sitting duties but every now and again there came a distraction that made it worthwhile and Sam Wilson was definitely a worth while distraction.
"Are you busy?" Barnes asked as Laurie headed for her apartment, startling her enough that he had to grab her waist to keep her on her feet. Barnes was pretty sure he had never met anyone who seemed so clumsy around him. Wide eyed she shrugged she had been planning on spending an evening catching up on sleep but she did find the super soldier easy on the eye and slightly better company than his judgemental friend. "I need someone else for tonight's poker game with Stark" he explained keeping his hands on her waist. A wicked grin appeared in Lauries face as she stepped backwards making him let go ignoring how hard her heart was hammering. "Oh can you wear a dress Stark loves a woman in a good dress" Laurie nodded and led him upstairs and pulled him into the tiny apartment.
"I have just the thing" She smirked heading for her wardrobe confidently remembering something she had bought for a party and Gracie had deemed too much for her to wear. "two questions. Do you have a dinner suit and what's the buy in?"
"No. Ten grand" Barnes replied and snorting Laurie nodded opening a small safe behind her clothes and pulled out a wad of money.
"My winnings from the other night." She tossed the money on her bed and produced two dresses. One long red silk with a neckline that plunged almost to the waist and the second with a high cowl neck but completely backless to the bottom of her spine." Bucky swallowed hard and pointed to the backless dress so Laurie went back Into the wardrobe and changed into the sheer dress. It was so fine it was almost invisible. Her modesty protected by an intricate design of crystals. Barnes knew that every man there would be looking at her and not concentrating on their cards. She carefully put on the matching nude shoes and some simple jewellery before she stepped out of the closet holding a dinner suit and shirt for Bucky.
"Kirk's emergency suit and your about the same size so go pop this on" she instructed ignoring the look on his face as he saw her finished outfit. "Barnes. Go put this on" she insisted and shaking his head slightly to dispel his carnal thoughts Barnes did as she asked unable to take his eyes off of her. When he emerged Laurie blinked.
"Oh. I think you should wear dinner jackets more often" she swallowed stepping towards him she brushing an imaginary speck from the jackets collar. "It's a good look on you". She nodded and smirking he took her hand in his and kissed her knuckles.
"I like your dress." Laurie smiled as he pulled her towards him her breath catching "if I mess your lipstick up you can repair it right?" Laurie nodded and allowed him to pull her closer and brush her lips with his. Her body instantly felt on fire.
"If you do that again we are not leaving this room" she informed him faintly running a hand down his chest blinking.
"We have to go to the game, you have to win. No distractions remember?" Barnes breathed as he kissed his way up her neck eliciting a moan from her as he drank in her scent.
"We are so screwed" she replied her hand snaking around his neck to keep his lips where they were burning on her skin.
Barnes led Laurie into the back room Stark had booked for his poker game. Swaro sneered as Barnes entered ready for the Poker game and his eyes bulged as Laurie followed him in and sat at the table depositing her buy in in front of her.
"That's very unfair darling" He drawled "This isn't strip poker"
"Well that's good because I've only got one thing on." she replied her eyes in the chips that had been swapped for her cash.
