Dive on in [Aiden]

[Olivia Ward]

The breeze kicked up and slithered its way through Olivia's dark brown hair, blowing it sideways over her shoulder. She was sprawled out on her back, dress and hair flowing around her body, book propped open in her hands. She gently chewed on her lower lip, a characteristic her mother hated, saying it would ruin them. But it was something that Liv couldn't help, when she was thinking hard, or absolutely enthralled in a book, she chewed on her lower lip. She shifter her body on the grass, trying to find a more comfortable position. Her eyes flickered across the page, breathing in the words, but she wasn't just reading the book, she was in the book. Liv turned the page, finding a start to a new chapter. She let the book fall flat against her chest and she looked up into the sky. She spotted a few clouds and watched them lazily make there way from one side to the other.

Liv was really good at tuning out the people and sounds around her, if she thought about it she could hear people strolling past her, children running and screaming, and the occasional chuckle of laughter. It was a beautiful day out, and she had a day off from work. So, naturally she wanted to spend it outside, reading, relaxing and exploring the park. She turned her head and watched a couple strolling down the path, arm in arm. They were both flirting and smiling, tilting their heads in close. The man even brushed a soft kiss across the girls cheek. How she wished she had that, but she was new in town and didn't have any friends yet. She smiled at the couple, then picked up her book and once again submerged herself in the words.

[Aiden Calder]

He wasn't paying any attention whatsoever, looking through a book of his own... which was probably a lot different than the book this woman ahead of him was reading. His book was about... well, vampires. He knew if anyone knew he was reading this, they would think he was crazy, but they hadn't seen what he had seen! ...Ok, he hoped he wasn't crazy.

As he flipped through the book, eager to find out different ways to kill the beasts, Aiden walked across the park, dressed in a black suit with a black vest and white shirt. He was so drawn into his reading that he didn't see her and had no idea she was there... until he tripped over her that is, tumbling to the ground, book flying from his hand and landing on the ground. "Oww," he groaned, lying in the grass, having fallen flat on his face.

[Olivia Ward]

Liv turned to the next page, taking in a slow breath, enjoying the sun on her face, wind in her hair. She was so into the book, deep romances out in the wild west, that she didn't notice some man walking right towards her. Next thing she new, a foot hooked into her side, and a body tripped over hers. Her book went flying, landing right next to him, and her nice white and light blue dress had a nice shoe mark on the side. She scowled and began trying to wipe the dirt off, but as she was, she looked at the man that had tripped over her. He was still down, perhaps nursing a bruise or sore arm. She smiled and began laughing under her breath, but it came out a bit louder than expected.

She stood up and walked over to the man, picking up his book along the way. She stood over him, looking down in his face gave him a dashing smile. "Book so good you trip over a nice young lady? Making a fool of yourself?" She held out her hand, offering some assistance to help him to his feet. She then looked down at his book, just about to hold it out for him to take back, but the cover intrigued her. She pulled her hand back to her before he could take the book back, and began flipping through the pages. Her eyes grew wide. She has never seen such a book. She turned her back from him, engorging her curiosity now. She almost forgotten about the man while reading about...vampires.

[Aiden Calder]

Aiden looked up at the sound of laughter, letting out a sigh. "Apparently it's what I do best," he said to the girl, seeing the hand she offered to him. He accepted it, being careful not to pull her down to the ground with him. He didn't even notice that she was holding his book and was now reading it as he brushed himself off. "I am sorry, Miss," he said, making sure he didn't have grass all over him or any tears in his suit. His mother would have a fit if he did.

"I hope I didn't ruin your dress or bruise you mis, but I-" he stopped short, realizing when he looked up that she was hardly paying any attention to him. All of a sudden, he was behind her, sliding the book from her hands and snapping it shut. She would think something was seriously wrong with him if she read this book. "Quite a curious book, I know," he said with a charming smile, holding it shut. "I'm Aiden," he said, bowing his head slightly in a polite greeting. "Aiden Calder."

[Olivia Ward]

Liv smiled at Aiden when he took her hand, getting to his feet. But the book was really the only thing on her mind at the moment. When Aiden realized what she was reading and snatched it out of her hand, Liv put up a fight, trying to keep hold of the book but Aiden was too strong and shut the book on her. Liv gave a bit of a frown and looked at the man. She didn't realize that fighting for the book moved her body very close to his, and only now did she really look at him and see how handsome he was. She blushed a little and took one step back.
"Quite the interesting book. Where did you find it? Could I perhaps borrow it sometime?"

When she realized how much she was speaking, and forgetting her manners, she shut her mouth, covering it a bit with the back of her hand. She smiled again, looking down at her feet. "I um, It's nice to meet you Aiden. I'm Liv." She should have said Olivia, it was the correct and polite thing to do, but she much preferred Liv. She raised her eyes and looked at Aiden and felt butterflies in the pit of her stomach. Heat came to her cheeks, and she turned away looking for her book and trying to fix her dress.

[Aiden Calder]

Aiden looked down at the woman, smiling handsomely. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Liv," he said, stepping aside and picking up her book for her. "Perhaps," he said, when she asked if she could perhaps borrow it sometime, though it was unlikely. She would think he was insane. "I received it from a friend overseas." He watched her fixing her dress and had to laugh a little at the blush on her face.

"Here's your book, Miss," he said, holding it out to her. His blue eyes took her in, realizing that she was rather pretty. "I didn't hurt you when I foolishly tripped over you, did I?" he asked her, a little worried. He would feel bad if he bruised her. Tripping over her was something Aiden would typically do. There were a number of sides to this man, including a charming, lady's man side and goofball side. But he was a decent man... at least, that's what his mother liked to say. He was also a mama's boy.[/blockquote]

[Olivia Ward]

Liv took a deep breath, relaxed and let everything go. Her shyness vanished some and she made eye contact with Aiden. She flashed her smile at him again and said, "No you did not hurt me, Im tougher than I look." When he went to return her book, her fingers grazed him, and she let them linger a bit. She crossed her hands in font of her, book in hand. From what she has seen from Aiden, she liked him a lot. He liked a good book, which was always a plus for her, a warming smile, dashing eyes, and seemed rather relaxed yet playful. The perfect mixture of spirit and sense.
"Whats a fine looking man like yourself wandering the park alone for? Shouldn't you have a woman on your arm?"

As she looked at Aiden, she noticed he had a blade of grass sitting on his shoulder. She moved towards him slowly, reaching forward gently flicked it to the ground. "Can't dirty a fine suit like that." She said softly. There was something about this man that just seemed to connect with her. He was kind yet intriguing, shared a love for books, so it seemed. She would like to get to know him a bit better, hopefully he would like that too.
"You live around here Mr. Calder?"

[Aiden Calder]

Aiden smiled, feeling her skin against his. "I think the real question is, Miss," he said, giving her his charming smile. "What's a lovely young lady such as yourself doing out here, alone and without a chaperon?" he arched a brow, using this as an excuse of course. An excuse to stay with her longer. "Seeing as you have no one to accompany you, I must insist upon doing so myself."

He had to chuckle about what she said about having a woman on his arm. He was quite the ladies man, but it took a lot for him to really love a girl. "Well, my mother was too busy to come with me to the park today," he joked, watching her brush the grass off his suit. "Yes, I do indeed live nearby, over on Benedict Lance. I just returned a short while ago from my travels abroad." That always seemed to impress the ladies...

[Olivia Ward]

Liv smiled, looking down for a moment, "What makes you think I need a chaperon sir? I'm very capable of going about my business without the watchful eye of some guardian. But, I'd like the company." She knew a lot of men didn't appreciate a woman that was so independent, and although she enjoyed mens company very much, didn't need someone to hold her hand. Although, she would not object to this one doing so. She bent her arm, holding it out so he could link his arm with hers. She laid her other hand gracefully upon his and gave him an innocent, yet seductive smile.

When he made the joke about his mother she laughed, tilting her head back slightly. But the minute he mentioned traveling abroad, she turned to him. "You've been overseas? What's it like? I so wish I could have been there. I've wanted to travel all my life." She hesitated again, this man cannot be available, he must have some young wife, or lady, somewhere. She slowly and softly added, "Does your family, or wife miss you when you go away?" This didn't come out as subtle as she had hoped, but at the moment it was the only way to word things that she could think of. After all, she wanted to find out if he was with someone.

[Aiden Calder]

Aiden couldn't keep the smile from his face, linking arms with her and walking along for a stroll around the park. "I don't have a wife," he said to her, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand. It was a habit, usually a nervous one. "Though I'm quite sure my mother wishes differently, always trying to introduce me to young women... and sometimes widows." He sighed, shaking his head.

"It was amazing..." he said, thinking about the highlights of his travels. But then he thought about the other things that happened... the things he had seen when the sun would set... the very thing that had driven him back home to Devil's Hollow along with his family's financial difficulties. If he could, he gladly would have taken this woman with him overseas sometime in the future... had he felt it would be safe. "I'm surprised your husband doesn't chastise you for being so rebellious, Miss..." He was only saying this because he wanted to know if she was married. He didn't mind a rebellious woman at all... hell, he preferred it.

[Olivia Ward]

Liv looked around the park as they walked, the cool breeze blowing her hair to the side, gently brushing off Aidens shoulder. "No wife...yet" She said teasingly. "If your mother is as persistent as I feel she is, it won't be long, I'm sure." The last part of her sentence revealed that she hoped he didn't get married, but she tried to hide it, hoping he hadn't heard the tone of her voice. After all, they had only just met. But she liked the man, the way he smiled, his interests, and even the way he rubbed his neck with his strong hand.

At the comment about her husband, she merely laughed, followed by a sigh, "Oh, that. Hmm. I have never been married. And I'm sure, or I would certainly hope so, that any man I married would love me for that. But one can only hope." Her mother had tried on several occasions to marry her off to older wealthy men. But Liv would never care about how rich or poor her future husband was, just as long as she loved him, and he loved her.
"My mother has tried playing matchmaker. But I'm not one to marry an older man whom I have never met, purely on the size of his wallet."
They continued to walk, and Liv couldn't help but like the feel of the man beside her. Not thinking, she pulled his arm into her more, almost hugging it with her arms, leaning her head against his shoulder. The moment she closed her eyes to take it all in, she realized what she had done. She lifted her head off his shoulder, and released some of the pressure off of his arm.

[Aiden Calder]

Aiden chuckled, cocking a brow and looking at her as she got closer. He didn't mind... not at all. "I think my mother has given up on me ever getting married," he said, not at all worried about this. "She's focused her eyes on my sister now." Mostly considering their financial difficulties. "Then again... my mother has enough energy in her to chastise all of us, so perhaps she will continue to badger me about finding a lovely wife."

He looked down as he walked with her, glancing up at other people and couples every so often. "It doesn't matter though. If I was ever to go to her and tell her I was getting married, the poor woman would probably have a heart attack or collapse from shock."

[Olivia Ward]

Liv loved the sound of his laugh, and she couldn't help but smile at it. They headed towards a small pond that had a few ducks paddling around. "I've heard mothers do that sometimes, they try so hard to find a suitor for their child, then once it happens they just about die of shock." She gave a soft chuckle. She looked at him again, "You have no intention of getting married?" They reach the pond and stopped at its edge. The waves rippling softly with the breeze. The flowers that surrounded the edge filled the air with their sweet smell.

Liv began walking to a small bench several feet away, with Aiden still on her arm. But her eyes failed to pay attention to where she was walking, and a small rock sitting right next to a small root, caused her to trip. Out of response, trying to catch herself, she clung to Aiden, but the momentum had her falling into his arms, face to face, chest to chest. Her breasts heaved at the effort of trying not to fall, and heaved right against Aiden's own chest. "Oh god, I'm so sorry." She said all flustered, trying to right herself, realizing how close their eyes, faces and...lips where. A soft glow rose to her cheeks.

[Aiden Calder]

"I'm not so sure it's what I want," Aiden admitted to her regarding marriage. He opened his mouth to say something else, but before he could, she was falling all over him. He grabbed a hold of her waist, his blue eyes wide. His face went red and he helped her regain herself, making sure she was properly on her feet... and then he laughed. Why? Because it was funny. He would have liked to have kissed her, but he didn't want to be slapped... yet.

"You didn't hurt yourself, did you?" he asked her, concerned and looking down at her foot and ankle. Before she could answer though, he lifted her off her feet and carried her easily to the bench they had walking toward. He carried her as if she weighed nothing and set her down on the bench.

[Olivia Ward]

Olivia opened her mouth to say she was ok, but before she could she was off her feet and in his arms. She gracefully wrapped her arms around his neck to hold on while he carried her to the bench, gently putting her down. Her ankle felt a little twisted and sore, but after rotating it around a few times the pain slowly started to recede. She thought about him saying he wasn't sure if he wanted to get married, but for now, that was ok with her. For she wasn't sure she wanted to get married right away either.

She pulled her dress up to her knees so she could get a better look at her ankle, just to make sure it wasn't red or starting to swell. So far it appeared to be just fine. "Thank you." She said to him. She watched him for a moment, trying to figure him out a little more. He was an interesting character, and he completely intrigued her. She tilted her head down to look at her ankle, for if she didn't she feared she would just stare into those blue eyes of his. A strand of her long wavy brown hair slipped into her face, but she left it there, perhaps better to hide her growing interest in the man. She wondered what her mother would think of him. Of course she didn't know how rich he was, and she was sure that would be the first and perhaps only thing her mother cared about. She was not going to ask about his financial status though, that would be just rude.

"Do you ever feel trapped?" Not knowing what came over her, or why she asked, she looked away. But something inside her said to look at him. So she raised her dark brown eyes and looked him right in the eye, almost pleading with him. But for what she did not know.