C'mere (Paul Banks fanfic)

Serendipity

Around the end of June, Lee had gone to Asia again. Korea this time. Rhi felt uneasy, but in order not to create drama, she decided not to say anything. Her sister, Valerie, who was a painter and lived in California, was visiting New York for the week. She convinced Rhi to go to a sculpture exhibition in a SoHo lounge.

Rhi adored her little sister, who was 3 years younger than her and she liked to encourage her in whatever it was that made her happy. She was the free spirit of her family, and, being the youngest, everyone had a weak spot for her. Even their stern late father couldn't help but give in to the charm of this little blonde marvel.

They were like day and night. Val looked like a hippie beauty queen, Rhi looked like a XIX century prima donna. This night, Val wore sandals, a long ethnic-motived dress and Rhi, Loboutins and a black cocktail dress which showed the whole of her beautiful back skin, down to her very waist. Val was short and graceful. Rhi was tall and elegant. Yet they both had their mother's intensely green eyes.

- I should buy this. It's so fab. – Val commented, looking at a big bronze sculpture which consisted in little more than a metal chunk that didn't look like anything in particular. Rhi thought it wasn't exactly "fab".

- What is it, anyway?

- It is obviously a man lying down, Rhiannon, c'mon. – Val tried to speak with an American accent, but usually failed. She too, had grown up in London.

- It doesn't even look like a man. – Rhi laughed.

- Ugh, realism is such a vulgar movement, I will never understand why it's the only one you seem to enjoy, it's like you're a communist deep down inside.

Rhi chuckled, sipping on her champagne.

- You can be such a twat sometimes... - Rhi whispered in her sister's ear and they both roared with laughter.

- Ooh là là... hunk alert at 3 o'clock. – Val suddenly muttered. – Totally checking you out. Beautiful a.f.

Rhi pretended to rearrange her side braid's lose locks behind her ear and turned to see where her sister told her. Her gaze met a pair of smiling eyes. She smiled back and waved her hand, graciously.

- I know him. – She said, trying not to move her lips. – He's my client.

- Well, he wasn't looking at you the way a client looks at his lawyer... - Val sang.

- Piss off. – Rhi scolded her as she followed Paul around with her eyes.

He was holding hands with a tall, slim, platinum blond woman. She looked adoringly at him, smiling and talking. He just nodded politely, smirking every now and then. He was elegantly dressed, completely in black and looked, like Val had accurately described: beautiful.

After a while of speaking and laughing around with her sister, Val found a fellow East Coast painter and sat to talk about art with him. Rhi felt a bit bored and went to lean on the balcony edge. She was wishing for a fag now, so much that she thought she smelt smoke.

- Looking very sharp tonight, Ms. Yeatts. – She heard a very familiar voice from behind her.

She turned to see him swiftly, with a puzzled smile on. He was smoking placidly with one hand inside his pocket, standing right next to her.

- You too, Mr. Banks. – She said, turning away again. 

- Why, thanks. - He chuckled.

She could almost feel his stare fixated on her lower back. That was the effect this dress had in most men. She felt self-conscious and decided to face him.

- Out with the Missus? – She asked casually.

- Uhm, something like that, I guess...

Rhi nodded.

- May I have a puff? - She asked.

He politely gave her the fag, brushing his fingers against hers.

- Tease. – She murmured, breathing in.

- I would be incapable. – He assured humbly. – You're someone else's woman.

- I'm glad you know it... - She commented, staring at his eyes.

 His big pupils due to the darkness in the balcony made him look like a stray puppy. Rhi wondered if it was the champagne's doing, but she felt like throwing herself at him... again. She was not at all unfamiliar with this feeling now. Instead, she gave him his fag back and turned away again. He came to stand by her side, very close. She could feel the heat that radiated from his body.

- This is a very happy coincidence. – He thought out loud.

- You think so?

- Aha. You're completely different when you're not working.

- Well I do try to treat my clients like they deserve it...

- I like you better when you treat me like I don't deserve it. – He confessed.

She eyed him, turning imperceptibly to him, her hair almost completely concealing her eyes.

- Are you looking at me? I can't tell with your hair on your face... - He slowly lifted his hand and put the bit of hair behind her ear, like he had seen her do when they first saw each other in the gallery. Rhi gasped, surprised and stepped back.

- You're walking on dangerous ground, Mr. Banks. – She said, sternly.

He shrugged, looking away.

- I just wanted to see your eyes. - He confessed, innocently.

- Paulie, baby, I've been looking for you like crazy. – A high-pitched voice resonated from behind them. Rhi was glad they were around a feet away from each other now. The voice continued as they turned around. – Paolo wants to meet you, he's delighted you're here, he's a fan!

Paul took the hand she offered.

- Have a good night, Miss Yeatts. – He told Rhi.

- You too, Mr. Banks... - She answered with a bored voice.

The woman eyed her suspiciously and after dedicating her an unpleasant grimace, they walked away.

- She's my lawyer... - She heard him explain.

Rhi rolled her eyes. It was almost as if he told everyone she was his lawyer in order not to forget it himself.