It's late, and it's cold. A combination Hugh would like a lot more with some company, any company. After trying a few numbers from his little black book, to no avail, before locking up the museum, he gets in his car and cranks up the heat.

He really wants to just go home and crawl into bed, where it's nice and warm. It's not yet late enough that he's commited to doing that yet though, there may still be time to find someone to drag to bed with him, which would make the whole idea just that much more appealing.

He settles himself comfortably in his seat, checks his mirrors, buckles in, and tunes a station he likes at the moment. He does'nt like to fuss with other things while driving.

He pulls out of his spot feeling the purring rumble of the car's engine vibrate around him. Nothing like the classics, he's driving a 1970 Triumph Spitfire GT6. It's silver, because the red one was too flashy. He has no idea where he's going, just driving till something jumps out at him......

and then something does, a girl, well a young woman really, walking alone, and not dressed for this abysmally cold weather. So it's cliche, and cheesy, but it usually works for Hugh anyway, "Baby, it's cold outside." he says pulling alongside her slowly while rolling down the window.

There are a number of ways Sadah would be rather be spending her time right now. Not wearing three inch heals is kind of at the top of the list, but being snuggled in a nice, fluffy, warm coat is coming in an extremely close second. There's a reason she's not dressed for the weather, and that reason's about a block behind her.

It was a nice party, really. Some of the local art benefactors got together to hobbknob with the people they shelled their money out to. But Sadah got the invite rather last minute (apparently the hot new ceramic artist in town declined) and so got stuck with one of the snobs at the gallery. Rather than put up with an obnoxious date, she left. And rather that wade through a bunch of wine soaked couples necking in the coatroom, she left her jacket. It was from goodwill, anyway, so not a total loss, but it would be nice to have it about now.

The dance sweater she's wearing is at least covering Sadah's arms and at least she's wearing some capri tights under the short jean skirt, but none of it's enough. All she has to do is make it to the bus stop and she'll be fine.

As long as she gets herself to believe she can make it that far, that is.

At first she ignores the car coming up behind her, but as she hears it slow down, she takes a glance, and then decides to ignore it while reaching for her cell-phone and double bladed knife. They stay inside her shoulder purse for now. The blades are for anyone ridiculously normal. The cell phone, particularly her extensively dangerous contact list, is for anything else.

"Baby, it's cold outside."

She turns to look at him and has to laugh. At least he seems safe enough. And maybe it's the light, but right now he doesn't seem like anything to swoon over.

"Don't flatter yourself. If I really wanted a ride I'd be home by now."

Then again, goosebumps don't lie.

"Maybe you don't want to go home." He says, though by his voice, he doesn't even take that statement seriously himself.

She doesn't look especially warm, or especially comfortable in her attire. She looks like she wandered away from a party, which would be the truth.

"Forget to feed the parking meter?" he asks, because it's obvious she isn't some run away street tramp, or ancient bag lady just being in this part of town. Maybe she's a desperate housewife, though Hugh doubts that too really. Maybe as his question suggests, she simply had her car towed off for not paying the parking fees.

Sadah never parks her baby at the meters...mostly because it costs more than her baby's worth to keep it here legally. Her car is a complete piece of crap. In fact, that's another reason why she agreed to the date from IRS hell. He had a 'Stang.

The wind whips through the street, throwing her hair about and causing Sadah to pull her sweater closer in an unsuccessful attempt at warding off the chill.

The artist's vision is partially obscured by her windblown curls and she grins at the man in the car when a thought shoves its way into her head. She walks forward slowly, swaying her hips slightly, and leans against the lamp post.

Her grin is more that of a playful predator, and she makes sure to keep steady eye contact with him. "The real question is," she smirks, "How much don't you want me to go home?"

Hugh smiles. "Not enough to get out of this nice warm car and chase you, but enough to give you a few minutes to think it over." He'll flirt, but not outright bribe, he isn't looking for a street walker afterall. There's no challenge in that.

He losens his tie while he watches her, and turns down his radio.

"Uh huh," she replies in that, 'like I really believe you' manner, and pushes off from the post.

"So you mean to tell me that you wouldn't chase after this?" Vanna White would be done proud to see the pose Sadah strikes. It's a little bit gaudy but still manages to highlight all of her best features. When Sadah notices Hugh loosening his tie, her grin widens at the possible implications.

"Or maybe it's just too hot for you to handle."

She's by no means a street walker, but that doesn't mean that the artist is above making a little extra cash on the side. There isn't one flat going-rate, and she hasn't really decided if she's going to try and strike a deal. But as far as street walker familiarity goes, she's not the one picking random girls up on the sidewalk.

When there isn't a flat going rate, they're called gifts. Hugh isn't above giving gifts, if he likes a person.

"No, really, I don't know you well enough to play games with you, yet. It's not too late for me to make friends down the road if need be. So no, I won't chase you." He is watching her though, his adams apple bobbing as he swallows too often. Her pose is enough to make his mouth go dry.

Does he even know how to pretend like he's flirting? Maybe Sadah was paying way too much attention to his words, and not enough of his tone, but she can't lie to herself and say she isn't disappointed by the response. At least the verbal one. He is pretty easy on the eyes, and Sadah is most definitely looking, so she doesn't miss the physical cue.

But the girl isn't a tramp. In her opinion, he needs to be trying a lot harder to get her into his car. He might not think he's playing a game but the boy threw the ball in her court. If he wants it back, he's gonna have to ask for it.

At his words, though, she exaggerates a glance down the empty road.

"Uh-huh," she repeats.

"Listen, I'm not going anywhere but the bus stop. I'm completely for getting to know you better, but you've got to make some kind of effort here, Romeo."

Hopefully, by now Hugh knows her well enough to know that she's quite happily blunt.

"Then let me buy you something, a drink, a coffee, a heavy coat perhaps." He isn't the best flirt, the man is a museum currator, somewhere within him there will always be a little bit of a socially inept nerd, he just hides it well most of the time.

Well it took you long enough.

Sadah's sort of been laughing at him the whole time in her head. But that's ok, because he probably isn't going to be that good anyway. Besides, at this point, she's already decided that she's going to get in the car with him. She just needs to get her timing down.

So she stares at him for a few seconds (hopefully enough to make him squirm a bit) before starting a deliberate walk to the other side of his car.

She lets herself in and sits down, "So where we goin'?"

He squirms more than a little. His pulse hammering away in his neck as he watches her walk around.

"Where are we going....." He muses. "Should I surprise you?" He rolls up his window, and cuts the radio down more still, to allow for conversation.

Sadah sits very casually in his car. She's already made herself comfortable, seatbelt on, of course. Her shoulder's leaning against the door of the car, head resting lightly in her hand. She's not exactly shy about personal space or personal property, and her shoes are already off with her legs curled up onto the seat. She's much more relaxed now that she's in the heat of the car, but she's got the in-between shivers and goosebumps all over.

She makes a low noise in her throat at his suggestion. Surprises can be nice.

"Sure, just as long as you don't go all American Psycho on me," does he joke, too? She hopes so. But there are more important matters to attend to just now: "So what's your name, Stranger?"

Her joke gets a soft laugh. "My name is Hugh." he tells her. He doesn't seem to mind at all that she's gotten so cozy in his car.

Since she is settled, he pulls away from the curb and gets underway. "Hungry?" he asks her.

There were people running around with trays of little snacks all over the party. Sadah had a few, but that hardly constitutes a dinner. She would have had more if she hadn't been playing a game of 'Oh god, help me leave unnoticed.'

So.."A little. But if you're not then don't bother."

"'Hugh,' huh? So what do you do when you're not stalking people?"

Yeah, she forgot to give him her name.

"Lectures mostly, and I'm always hungry. I just left work." He tells her.

He drives to a little Indian restaurant he knows and parks. "They have good curry, unless you favor something else?"

"Mmm, no, I love curry." It's a recent discovery, but no less life altering. Some of her friends can't get past how it smells but Sadah thinks it's well worth it.

She contemplates a moment, looking at her shoes. They were strappy little instruments of horror and yet she still wore them. But tonight...well there could be broken glass. Better safe than sorry.

"Night classes? Sounds a little rough."

"No, I'm a museum currator too. We took in some new artifacts and I stayed late checking in the shipment." he said turning the car off. He got out and walked around to open her door for her.

Normally, Sadah might protest. Normally she'd be out of the car before he even got to her side. She appreciates the gesture but absolutely detests being treated like she's weak just because she's a woman. It doesn't matter that, that isn't the motive behind the act. The remnants of an oppressive history cling to her brain and she can't see the act without seeing the established school of thought behind it.

Fortunately for Hugh's efforts, she's too busy putting her shoes back on to be a feminist right now. So when he does open her door, she pushes the thoughts back and thanks him anyway.

"Wow, what kind of artifacts were they?" Hooray for small talk!

"Some Incan ritual pieces. They're on loan for the next month. I think I'll set up the display in the blue room." He says.

He opens the door to the restaurant too, though he does not pull out her chair once they're at the table. He's more motivated to help her in and out of the cold quickly in light of how she's dressed than he is chivalry. Chivalry should really be a thing for the third date.

It's obvious the waiter knows him, he brings over a drink and appetizer before Hugh's even ordered.

Sadah can't help but grin. She's sure that it's probably ethically wrong to be thinking about stealing things from a museum but the ideas are hatching and there's a small cha-ching in the back of her mind. She might never go through with it. Heck, she's never really the person actually stealing things but the commission is enough to make her consider it.

"Incan ritual pieces? Like what?" What were they used for? Could there be inherent supernatural power in them? How much are they worth? ...did I mention she deals in the innish black market?

For a second she's a little off-balance because of the waiter, wondering if she spaced out enough to completely miss the whole "ordering" exchange. Fortunately, she picks up on the familiarity between her (for lack of a better word) date and the server.

"Most of them are headdresses, there are two daggers, used in blood rituals." They're priceless, which goes without saying.

Hugh has noted she's more than a little enthused. She won't be making out with him at his office in the museum in light of that. Sometimes it's fun to take women to the exibits after hours, but he's got a wierd vibe about doing so tonight. Likely because women are usually interested in cashing in on his sucess, or using his intellect towards their own academic ends, and he hasn't figured her out yet, but he doesn't feel like it's either of those.

She makes a face at the artifacts' use. "I'll never understand how someone can do something like that to themselves.." Her tone is softer, not quite so forward as it has been. The table seems to have her attention now, but Sadah's eyes are quite useless when she's looking back into her memory.

Then she smiles after the briefest second, eyes drawn right to Hugh's face. "So," she flips her hair over a shoulder, "I guess you come here a lot, huh?"

"In the modern day, it's harder to say what might motivate people to bloodletting, in the past it was a way to curry the favor of fickle gods. Maybe it even worked, who can really say." Speculation is something he enjoys but some dinner companions might find it macabre. He checks himself and clears his throat.

"I like Curry, what can I say."

She allows a mental second to scoff at the gods, then lets the subject pass.

"Well then you're a good man," referring to the curry, "And there are too few of you in the world. I wish I knew how to make it myself."

"It's more time consuming than difficult. Got my taste for it from one of my professors back when I was still doing graduate work."

The waiter returned with whatever she'd asked for to drink, and on noticing Hugh hadn't yet touched his appetizer asked if everything was alright. Hugh nodded.

Well if he isn't going to eat it then Sadah is. She doesn't believe in being shy. Coy, yes, but not outright shy.

"You know, I can really pack it away, you might want get your share now." She doesn't wink, but her tone of voice suggests that there could be a wink sometime in the near future.

"I can always order more." he tells her not at all bothered by the fact she's willing to nibble. It tells him at least she isn't self concious. He does help himself as well.

Sadah happily enjoys the food. She wasn't aware that this place is here. Now that she is, she's going to have to either sell more pieces, work more hours, or make some more questionable contacts to keep her in her curry habit.

Unfortunately, her date from before is wondering where she is. She's less than excited when she hears her ringtone, and she rolls her eyes at the caller I.D.. She'd like to ignore it...but she's nearing her text limit for the month so decides to answer instead. The excuse is brief and generic: She wasn't feeling well, so she took the bus home and can he let her go, she's really tired and just wants to go to sleep.

When she hangs up, she puts the phone on silent.

Hugh politely pretends this isn't happening, and orders more appetizers and food. "I come here every Thursday." Hugh tells her when she's rung off. It could be an invitation, she seems to be enjoying the food.

Thursdays, huh? A standing dinner date might be nice.

"Thursdays are nice. I don't work quite so much Thursdays."

"Well then, that might work. I haven't found many people who enjoy Curry, but if this is going to be a weekly thing, it might be nice if I know your name."

"You mean you don't want to call me 'Goddess Divine'?" She asks with a sarcastic flair. "I'm sorry, I guess I wasn't thinking. My name's Sadah."

Somehow her foot finds his leg under the table and she runs it up and down his calf.

"So how soon do you want to kick this popsicle stand?" 'Cause if he wants to keep eating that's fantastic. She's not quite sure that she's had her fill yet.

"Patience is a virtue, Sadah. I haven't even got food on my tie so you'll have an excuse to take it off me later." He tells her. He isn't full yet, dessert is in order.

Finally, Sadah's face is the visual equivalent of a giggle. There's the banter she's been looking for all evening.

"Well then, by all means," she leans back in her chair, "I do hope the next course is sufficiently messy. That is a horrible tie." She's kidding, of course, it's a lovely tie.

"I like my desserts messy, don't worry." He assures her. "If it makes you feel better, go on and order me the messiest one."

"Hugh, when I'm done you'll be so past messy..." she peruses the menu. "You're not going to know what hit you." Especially if they get some of it to go because she's a big fan of 'food fights'.

Hugh's maid is going to want a bonus, because getting it to go seems like a good idea with her foot doing what it's doing under the table.

Sadah's a big fan of chocolate. Tall, towering, chocolate things are in their near future. So she calls the waiter over and places the order, anxious for the rest of the evening. But even though she wants to get going, she takes her time. It really is fun watching him squirm.

"So do you want this in a to-go box or are we staying here?" She hasn't sent the waiter away yet so Hugh can decide.

"Let's get it to go. We're the only one's here, no sense in making the folks here wait to close up." He says smiling.

The dessert is soon in her grasp. Sadah's purse is swung back onto her shoulder, her feet stop teasing her date, and she's ready to go out the door.

Oh yeah. He's gotta pay.

Right.

She sits back down.