.:x:.C.offee {A.shley}.:x:.

[.:x:.A.rtemis.:x:.]

Tex walked into the small Starbucks coffee shop, his lower lip swollen from the gash in it and his cheekbone swollen from the bruise that Colt had inflicted. No doubt that the fight had been fair and influenced by anger instead of alcohol, but it had still been a gruesome outcome. Neither of the men were without large bruises or cuts from the rocks they had wrestled on, but the fight had taken thought and it had taken all the anger out of Colt, leaving only his strange problem. Tex chuckled to himself, it had been a long time since he'd fought somebody like that. Plenty of times he'd been in meaningless 1-hit-knockout fights, but not since he had last lived with Colt had he fought so long before. Colt's and his strength were about evenly matched, that's what made it so fun. Tex loved challenges and whenever he found one, he chased it until he either admitted defeat, or overcame it. He had never admitted defeat as long as he had lived. There had never been a challenge that he hadn't overcome so far, and he didn't believe there ever would be one. He stopped at the counter an ordered a black coffee and soon walked to a corner booth, and settled down to watch the people in the small coffee house. He had a great way of reading people. To him, they were more like books than people, and he always had an uncanny way of understanding their minds.

[aerostarr »-♥->]

ashley walked in, smirking as soon as she spotted tex. hey cowboy. she said, approaching him. she had been out shopping for clothes when she had decided she'd grab some coffee.

[.:x:.A.rtemis.:x:.]

Tex's eyes ran up the length of the girl, a smirk on his face. He wasn't like Colt, he had no need to be subtle or smooth. His own charm attracked women like a moth to a flame, but he was blunt, nothing about him hidden. He looked at her quizzically, then mischief climbed into his pale green eyes. What're you doin' round here, Darlin'? His smirk was full of arrogance, he was full of himself, but was used to bringing women, and men alike down a peg. Ashley looked like she needed to be brought back down to the human level from the pedestal she obviously envisioned herself seated upon. He chuckled at the thought. He stuck his leg out under the booth and pushed the chair away from the edge of the table. Have a seat, Sweetheart. He wouldn't ever hide his emotions, he wasn't shy enough. He was rather forward about what he liked and disliked. Those were the main reasons for all of his scars.

[aerostarr »-♥->]

ashley smirked, sitting down in the chair. i came to see you. isn't that obvious? she lied with a quick roll of her eyes. she smiled at him before she spoke again. so...since you didn't really answer me back at colt's...home...i was wondering...how did you two get in a fight anyway? she said, pausing when she realized she had no idea what to call colt's apartment without making it sound trashy. but ashley had never been a fan of apartments, growing up in mansions all her life.

[.:x:.A.rtemis.:x:.]

Tex chuckled. Little 'ol me? I'm flattered that such a sophisticated woman, such as yourself, shows such interest in an 'ol saddle tramp like me. His eyes sparked with humor and playfulness as he watched the girl with a very frank male appreciation. I could explain the whole entire process of male behavior to you, Miss, but, by the time I was finished, you'd be blushing from your cute little face to your tiny, pedicured toes. Now, that wouldn't be very gentlemanly of me, and, if you've got any brothers, or father, then I'd probably be forced out of town at gunpoint, and I'm actually starting to like this stuck-up little place that you call a home. He spoke in a deep voice as he leaned back in the booth, resting his head against the back. A very inappropriate smirk came onto his face as he watched her, almost hoping that she'd get up and slap him for the words that would have gotten him shot at home. He knew that this girl would take a lot of work on his part, and, for once, he almost didn't want to accept the challenge. Maybe the girl would be repulsed by his words and walk out of his life right now. Suddenly, he laughed to himself. It wouldn't happen. It never had. Plenty of times he'd been shot at by angry farmers with shotguns as he snuck out of their house, but that never stopped him. He smirked, never before had a girl turned him down, and he was arrogant with that knowledge.

[aerostarr »-♥->]

ashley's eyes sparkled until he began to speak of her having male family. they turned dull...almost grey. but there was a spark that lit in them. her eyes narrowed. i had a brother...and a father. she said. she wasn't about to speak of them. not to him. and she certainly wasn't about to cry in public and ruin her mascara. she wasn't about to tell him that her father had been killed while he was in the army and her brother was still missing. he didn't need to know that. because at the moment, ashley had a crush on him and she didn't want to push him away. but she felt there was nothing more to say...she didn't want to explain. she crossed her arms determinedly as the tears welled up in her eyes. never had anyone said anything that had made ashley cry. insults, praise...even the funeral sermon. this would be a first. at least, it would be if she'd allow it.

[.:x:.A.rtemis.:x:.]

Tex's eyes didn't soften as he saw emotion almost drown her eyes in tears, if anything, they hardened. He watched her with almost steel green eyes, daring her to break down in the coffee shop. He'd get up and leave if she did he always felt akward around crying females, it always messed up his perfect plans. He glanced at the floor, almost feeling bad for a moment for bringing it up, but soon he returned to his normal self. He wouldn't let a little city girl unsettle him. He'd known too many girls who'd cry to get their way. They'd pout and whimper until they got what they wanted, Tex had fixed many of them. He'd do the same for this girl. Once he'd fallen hard for a girl that cried whenever she broke a nail, whined until she got her way, then, after she had had her way, she dumped him like a bag of dung for a 50 year old lawyer that waved money under her nose. He couldn't complain though, he'd had lots of fun with girls like that, all at their own expense, but he'd never fallen for one again. And, when he did fall in love again, it'd be with a woman, not with a helpless flirt that didn't know her own mind.

[aerostarr »-♥->]

ashley tried not to cry. she bit her lip as she looked at him desperately. she wasn't looking for something to eventually throw away. in fact, she couldn't remember ever feeling like this. maybe he was changing her already. tex. please. say something. she said, hands grasping his shoulders as her green eyes looked into his. i need you to. she murmered. it was strange how even when he was sitting right beside her, she felt like she missed him. like she needed something from him he couldn't give her, and she was convinced he could.

[.:x:.A.rtemis.:x:.]

He looked away from her, down to her hands. When he glanced back up, his eyes were cool, calm, exactly like the calm before a spring storm. Much too calm. The expression that he wore on his face was almost lazy, but his eyes were full of energy that was just pooling, waiting for the first raindrops to start falling. He blinked lazily and shifted in the seat. Suddenly, a savage cruel smirk grew on his lips as he watched her. Girl, you don't know what you need, but I do. With that, he brushed her hands of his shoulders, downed his coffee with one gulp and stalked out of the small coffee shop. She wouldn't find what she needed there. What she needed was a Yes man. A man that would follow at her heels doing whatever she said whenever she said it. She needed a walking credit card with no limit and a mouth that was programmed to say the words "Yes, M'dear." Tex would never be that man.

[aerostarr »-♥->]

ashley stood immediately, beginning to run after him. tex, please. she said, stepping in front of him. her green eyes were cast down at the floor, and the thought of her father and brother were completely gone from her mind. look, we don't have to do this. but at least get to know me. she murmered, looking down at the floor. the traffic in the mall surrounded them, but nobody stopped to look.

[.:x:.A.rtemis.:x:.]

Tex looked at her, then reached down and kissed her roughly. WHen he pulled his lips away he looked down at her harshly. His smirk was cool and cruel There we go. I know everything I need to know about you. I'll be in touch, City Girl, literally. He said as he pulled her against him and kissed her again, not at all softly. It was obvious that he thought that she was just a spoiled rich flirt that wanted what she couldn't have. Would she be able to change his mind? He pushed away from her and walked away, quickly getting lost in the crowd. He'd be around, he was physically attracted to Ashley, if nothing else. Perhaps in tie she'd change her mind.

[aerostarr »-♥->]

finished with this post?

[.:x:.A.rtemis.:x:.]

Yeah...