Astraea

Tom awoke in his habitat feeling refreshed after his escapade with Lina though not sure how long he had been out. Getting to his feet, he stretched his arms overhead, twisting at the waist. “Forget Stairmaster or an elliptical, try Vaginamaster for the ultimate workout experience,” he said aloud, pulling himself up to the edge of the plastic container to get a look around. He was on the coffee table in the sitting room overlooking the backyard and he was alone.

“Hello?” he called out, resting his elbows on the edge of the container. With no response forthcoming, he pulled himself up and over, dropping to the polished surface of the coffee table. Moving to the edge, he walked around the perimeter looking for a possible way down. Seeing none, he sat down on the edge, looking out into the back yard, a small bird flitting back and forth between the trees.

During his time sleeping, both his mother and the Lina’s attorney Serena Hall had returned to the house to finalize all of the legalities pertaining to the upcoming trip. With everything above board, Serena took leave, grabbing a fresh cup of coffee in the kitchen and walking out to the bannister overlooking the sitting room. Leaning forward on the railing, she spied the tiny form of Tom Wentworth sitting at the edge of the table, back to her.

Bored watching the bird, Tom contemplated going back to bed when he looked up to see the lawyer Serena Hall descending the stairs to the sitting room. Attired in a light grey business skirt, white blouse, she had her incredibly dark hair pulled back into a utilitarian ponytail. Spotting him on the table, she smiled.

Tom remain still and silent, watching as she crossed the room to stand next to the table.

“You’ve made quite an impression I daresay,” she commented, taking a seat on the chesterfield.

Tom grinned, “On you?”

Setting her coffee mug on the table, she smiled back, “On everyone I suppose,” she replied, powder blue eyes gauging him.

Tom walked over and sat down on the edge of the table facing her, legs dangling over the open space, “Serena, right?” he asked, mischief in his green eyes as he smiled Cheshire-like up at her.

She nodded. “Yes,” she replied. “Tom right?” she teased back.

Chuckling, “You’ve just spent all sorts of billable hours sorting things out, so I’m sure you know exactly who I am,” he asserted confidently.

“True enough,” she said, leaning back into the couch and crossing her left leg over her right.

“You could have had your coffee anywhere in this great big house, but you decided to come here,” he stated.

“This looked like a comfortable place to enjoy a break,” she said.

Tom chuckled, “I know why you’re here,” he asserted.

Arching an eyebrow, “Illuminate me,” she urged,

“You’re curious about me. There is no doubt in my skull that there is an incredibly brilliant mind inside that lovely head of yours. You have been trained to focus on the minutia of detail, accustomed to finding the hazy shades of grey that exist between the black and white lines of law. But this?” he queried, spreading his hands apart. “I am way outside your wheelhouse and you’re not quite so sure of yourself.”

Serena chuckled, “I guess you have it all figured out then,” she observed, nodding slowly.

Shaking his head from side to side, “Not at all. I’m just caught in a situation larger than myself and doing my best to try and make it out alive,” he offered.

“Just a victim of circumstance?” she inquired, leaning back and retrieving her mug from the table.

Tom chuckled, “Victim implies surrendering to circumstance. Poor me. That’s not how I operate,” he answered.

Taking a sip from her ceramic mug and swallowing, Serena set the cup back down, “I think I have a solid understanding of how you operate,” she replied coyly, advised by Lina about his disposition, his innate charm and charisma.

“How’s that then? I’m not even as long as your littlest finger. How do I operate? What masterful stratagems have I devised to subvert the free world?” he asked cheekily.

“You know you’re very good, I’ll give you that. You’ve got your shtick down pat,” she lauded.

“Shtick?” he inquired, feigning innocence.

She snorted, “Please.”

“Are you implying I’m using some type of Jedi mind trick to con women into using me? Hardly. I’m the answer to feminine oppression, the key to unlock the shackles of five thousand years of patriarchal repression rolled into a handsome little package. You’ve had to fight against inequality your whole life to be treated the same as your male counterparts in a system slanted against you. For what? Why? Because you’re beautiful means obviously you couldn’t possibly have had to fight twice as hard to prove your merit? Because of this,” he stated, holding his arms apart, “you are free to slip the mask of social convention and let down your hair.”

She had to admit he was good. Was there substance to his impassioned argument? She had not been lying when she had been cautioned against him and now she possessed a better understanding of why. Not only was he eloquent, but that damned smile on his face spoke to something inside her. What might it be like to experience him? As quickly as the notion piqued her, she shut it down again. Clearing her throat, “From my understanding, the flight to Sweden will depart later this evening,” she advised

He angled his head to the side, “Will you be on it?” he inquired.

“No,” she replied, shaking her head in the negative.

“It’s too bad we didn’t enough time to get better acquainted,” he lamented. “I might have enjoyed an opportunity to go over your legal briefs.”

“Are you always this incorrigible?”

Tom laughed. “Your Honor, I plead guilty and throw myself upon the mercy of the court,” he said dramatically, bringing his right arm across his brow before presenting his wrists as if for handcuffs.

Serena stared at him for a minute, inner conflict causing turmoil in her mind. The logical part of her brain knew she should put an end to this banter, but another more primal part of her, something deep down inside her stirred and wanted something different. She could tell by the amused expression his face, he knew the battle she was waging. What should she do?