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[flippin_peachy]

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[pagekaren]

"Oh, 100%," Karen agrees, evidently unabashed and even downright entertained by his teasing comment.

His follow up comment, on the other hand, earns a laugh as her cheeks pinken, which she can do nothing to hide. "It was mostly at college parties, so tips weren't really involved."

[flippin_peachy]

"Well speaking of college then...." He says and tips her a wink. "Never have I ever had sex with one of my college professors."

Mainly because he didn't go to college.

[pagekaren]

Karen feigns like she's going to reach for her glass...then pulls her hand back and gives her head a shake as she grins.

"I never actually went to college," she says with a grin. "Just got invited to the parties at the closest university. And crashed the ones I didn't get invited to."

She's pretty sure she'd be taking a sip if she had gone to college. She's reliably pretty skilled at getting in trouble.

Considering her options for a moment, she continues with, "never have I ever sent someone a dirty picture...with my face in it."

[flippin_peachy]

"Really? Well you're certainly very well spoken for someone who didn't go."

He reaches for his glass but instead of moving it closer to himself he actually moves it away by an inch.

"I don't do that sort of thing, I've always found it a bit rude and you never know who could get a hold of them."

Plus there's not many people clambering for pictures of a man with war scars....

[pagekaren]

"I was going to major in English," Karen admits with a somewhat nostalgic look on her face. "My only other hobby other than getting in trouble was literature." Really, it's no wonder she eventually ended up in the journalism and investigation field. It's the exact center point of 'magnet for trouble' and 'really enjoys doing research.'

She can't help but smile a little as he pushes the glass away. "To be clear, no one should send those pictures unsolicited. That can be...harrowing." Her nose wrinkles in a way that makes it clear she has absolutely been on the receiving end of an unsolicited picture.

Even so, scars might not be the deterrent he thinks they are. That or it's just her aforementioned affinity for trouble.

[flippin_peachy]

He doesn't doubt that she's been on the receiving end of such photos, she's a beautiful woman and there are so many men out there that don't have the manners he does. He pulls his drink back, turning the glass a little as he thinks about his next go at the game.

"Never have I ever....fallen asleep during sex."

[pagekaren]

Karen pauses for a moment to consider the question, then lets out a snort of laughter as she shrugs and takes a sip. "I'm going to have to drink for a lot of these, and in my defense, I was a real hellion until - oh, 24? 25? And I was really tired that night."

After thinking over her round, she decides on, "never have I ever hooked up with someone in a pool."

[flippin_peachy]

He chuckles and wags a finger at her when she tries to swiftly change the subject. "Hold up. I have a follow up questions. First, how did the person you were having sex with take you nodding off?"

He holds up a second finger, "And second, how old are you now?"

[pagekaren]

"Oh God," she groans, the sound trailing off into a laugh as she runs her hand over her face. "We were both really high?" she admits, looking well and truly embarrassed by it. Her younger self had a lot of ideas about how to best spend her time, and how to avoid thinking about everything that often went wrong. "I think he made a joke about it, so he wasn't mad. It did kind of ruin the mood, though."

His follow up question is met by an amused look. "How worried are you that I'm going to say '26'?" Because she can sympathize. She'd probably turn tail and run if someone were just months out of that much nonsense. "I'm 35. You?"

[flippin_peachy]

He chuckles, "Well so long as you were both laughing about it then that's fine."

It's not 26 he's worried about, it's if she is younger than that, sometimes it's hard to tell and he hasn't always asked before hand.

"You don't look 35." He says and then lifts his eyebrows at her, "Which is partially why I was asking. And if you must know I'm 32."

[pagekaren]

"What does 35 look like?" Karen asks, mirroring his arched brow as she asks, as if emphasizing the question. It's not the first time someone's expressed surprise at her age. She's pretty sure it's just down to using moisturizer and not spending a lot of time in direct sunlight.

"Well, I figured it was fair game since you asked first," she points out, a hint of warm humor in her voice.

[flippin_peachy]

"Don't you know you should never ask a gentleman his age?" He teases before giving her a little look down and up.

"And to be honest I have no idea what 35 looks like, I just know you look younger than that. Must be all that dancing on the pole, kept you in shape."

[pagekaren]

"Oh, is that how that saying goes?" Karen asks, smiling a little as he gives her that quick once over. "How can I make it up to you?"

His theory about her dancing on the pole kept her in shape prompts another quick laugh, and she gives her head a shake. "I think it's actually a combination of uh, adrenaline and anxiety?" she suggests, in a way that sounds like she's making a joke that might have some truth behind it. Her life has been known to occasionally get...high octane.

[flippin_peachy]

"Just don't let it happen again."

He's happy to make her laugh again, it's a nice sound but when she admits to the actual reason behind her slim figure he tilts his head ever so slightly.

"Adrenaline I can understand but what are you anxious about?"

[pagekaren]

"I'll do my best," Karen answers, giving the answer as solemnly as she can despite the absurdity of the situation.

His question is met with a reassuring smile, and she reaches across the table to rest her hand on his arm. "Nothing right now, don't worry. It just goes hand in hand, I think, with the kind of investigation I do? Like I can't imagine doing anything else, but there's definitely still times I've thought I was in over my head."

[flippin_peachy]

He suspects it's a lot more than that but now is not the time to start talking about anxiety and fear, he'd rather have a pleasant date with her so he places a hand over hers and gives it a reassuring squeeze and then circles back to her question about the pool.

"There aren't too many people who have pools in London, but I once did it in a jacuzzi tub so should I take a half sip?"

[pagekaren]

The particulars of Karen's career tend to (correctly) alarm people when she gets into it. She's glad when he doesn't ask more, and instead returns the squeeze as he takes her hand. There's a slight smile at the corner of her mouth.

"I think you can be allowed a full sip for that. You shouldn't be penalized for lack of access."

[flippin_peachy]

He returns the little side smile and dutifully takes a sip from his glass, trying to think of another round that might make her laugh.

"Never have I ever done the splits."

[pagekaren]

His offering of a round does prompt a laugh, mostly at the turn of phrase. "I don't think I've ever heard someone refer to it as 'the splits.'" Nevertheless, she picks up her glass to take another sip of her drink. "I think I'd pull something if I tried to do it now though. That's the real way you know I'm 35."

It's an obviously joking reference, and she keeps her glass in hand, looking thoughtful. "Never have I ever gotten a tattoo."

[flippin_peachy]

"I bet I'd still be impressed even if you got half way." He says, "I've never been that flexible. Not even when I was young and made of rubber."

Her next round makes him chuckle and he picks up his glass, taking two sips.

"I've got one on my shoulder and one on my back."

[pagekaren]

Karen's not sure that half way would be that impressive, but she still looks amused. Largely by the mental image of herself trying to do a split at Josie's. Not that she'd voluntarily touch the floor in there.

Even so, she's visibly surprised when he says that he has not one, but two tattoos. "I wouldn't have pegged you as a tattoo guy," she admits, smiling. There's a momentary pause, and she lets out a laugh, her face turning pink. "I almost asked 'can I see them?' instead of 'what are they of?'" She's not even feeling tipsy yet - just apparently quite comfortable in his company.

[flippin_peachy]

The look of that blush sweeping across her cheeks is very charming and beautiful and he tips her a wink, "I'd show you but I don't want to get Josie overly excited. Unless you think that would help us get another round of beer..."

And speaking of beer he takes another sip of his, motioning at his left bicep. "The one here is of a jungle rat, something I got with two other lads in my unit."

"The one on my back is my family crest, I got it after my father passed away."

[pagekaren]

She wrinkles her nose at him when he winks at her, albeit in a playful way. And then she lets her eyes drift over to the bartender, who appears to be making a drink with a pickled egg in it despite the fact that she's never seen pickled eggs in the bar. "Honestly, could go either way with her."

While he explains his tattoos, she listens, taking a sip of her own drink. "I have to guess the jungle rat was either an in joke or a nickname in your unit." That often seems to be the way with the people she knows that have served. The mention of his family crest gets an understanding look, and her hand finds its way back to give his a squeeze again. "I don't think you mentioned that he passed when we briefly talked about family before. I'm sorry. It never gets easier, does it?" There's only a moment of hesitation before she continues, "my mother passed when I was 16." There's - so much more to it than that, but that's exactly when her life starts to get messy. It's not a stone she's eager to flip over.

[flippin_peachy]

Much like her there's more to the story of his father's passing than he's willing to divulge at the moment but her kindness means a lot and he laces his fingers through hers.

"It doesn't." He says, his eyes growing sad. "I didn't always have a great relationship with him but I'm grateful we somewhat put things to rest before he passed a few years ago."

Clearing his throat he circles back to something slightly less upsetting, his army tattoo.

"The tattoo is a bit of an in-joke, we were stationed in the jungle and were always mucking about in the dirty parts. Thus the rats."

[pagekaren]

"I'm glad you were able to have some resolution with him," Karen answers, sincerely. Part of her suspects that they should actually talk about their families one day. The circumstances are different, but there's absolutely an understanding there. Not just with the loss of her mother, but her and her father will never have a relationship more than 'distant' and 'barely cordial' again.

She leaves her hand entwined with his as he goes back to the topic of his service tattoo, smiling a little. "Sounds like you were deployed with a good unit. It's always seemed to me like that kind of camaraderie and trust is really important."