Welcome to Gaia! ::

"You have a point there." Misha took his bait and set her expression into one of supreme innocence. "I would also suggest that you taste excellent."

"Brian, I will always listen. Especially on the big things." Her gentle smile almost reprimanded him for doubting her in the slightest. Of course, she listened. He was her friend. She liked him a lot and wanted him to be happy. In or out of uniform. That thought gave her a moment of pause and she indulged shamelessly in the idea of Brian in his police uniform.

And she would never get to see it in person. That had to count as one of life's disappointments, she decided.

Misha shook the image from her head and another curl tumbled down. This time, she reached up to wind it around her forefinger. "Everything's going well. I'm going to the gym regularly. I don't always spar but exercise is exercise, right? Better yet, though, I found a series of online videos that are letting me pick up the dance class that recruitment interrupted." Her eyes sparkled with eagerness at the thought. "You should see how I'm coming along with it."

It should not have been possible but Misha lit up more at both of his suggestions. Her smile blossomed into something truly lovely and she gave a little bounce in her seat, hands coming up to clap once. Then she settled back, reached up to smooth her hair, and chuckled. "Sorry, that was juvenile."

Of course, she did not look particularly sorry. He wouldn't be able to tell either how she was refusing to let herself think of the last time she had done heavy sparring and how badly she had hurt Briiva. This was Brian, though, and she knew he could (even if he wouldn't) kick her butt easily.

"But sparring would be great. My stamina is pretty good but my arm still gets tired swinging that shield around. As for dancing, though..." A slightly wicked smile curled her lips. "I've been dancing since I was a tiny little Misha. All different kinds of dance. Are you specifically asking about my new class?"

"I'm pretty sure they weren't taking what I'm studying now," Misha laughed. "If they were little when they danced, though, it was probably tap, jazz, or ballet. I know that's how I started." She leaned closer to the camera for him and winked. "Now what I'm learning is a bit more elaborate. I think it's part of what's really increasing my stamina and muscle control. Seriously. I'm using muscles I didn't even know I had."

Her hands disappeared to dash over the keyboard and, within a handful of seconds, music appeared over the Skype connection. She adjusted the volume so that she could still be heard. "Now I haven't warmed up so this might be a bit stiff but it should give you a good idea of where I'm going." Her face dipped back close to the screen again and she grinned. "And you have to be one hundred percent honest about what you think." She blew him a kiss.

Then Misha gave the camera a final tweak and stepped until Brian was able to see her from the top of her head to her knees. He had already seen the fitted tank top but now he could see she also wore low, hip-hugging jeans that might have been a crime against mankind, given the tight temptation they represented.

She closed her eyes for a moment and he watched her lips move to count out beats of the music. Then she suddenly reopened them, met his gaze with a saucy smile, and abruptly dropped her right hip. As her slim, bare arms came up and she began a slow pivot, hip rocking up and down in time, she kept her eyes locked on his. When she arrived in full profile, her body dropped lower and a slow, controlled rolling motion went from hips to shoulders. She winked at him, continuing the dance.

His laughter sent pleasant tickles up her spine and Misha found herself hard-pressed to bring her enormous, glowing grin down to the more demurely seductive and appropriate smirk. A teasing flutter of her eyelashes, though, somehow conveyed her own amusement at his reaction. Then she half-lidded her smokey-lined eyes and buckled down to focus on the steps.

After all, this style of dancing had yet to become second nature to her. There had been two months of classes before her chat room talked back to her and Olivia showed up to spirit her off to Prytaneum. A few more hours of the online classes refreshed things but she needed to think about the motions more than usual.

When she did a slow rotation and came face-forward again and saw the look on Brian's face, though, she considered that the necessary attention was both useful and vital. For one thing, it was clearly working if Brian's expression was any clue. For another thing, it kept that very expression from affecting her beyond another frisson of pleasure up her spine and a warm glow in her stomach.

Focusing, she dipped her body lower until she felt the strain of underused muscles. Then she created another slow wave with her body until she straightened. Again. Another. Then once more until three minutes were up, her body burned from the exertion but her mood was soaring, and she heard the music slow. She gave one final hip shake before inhaling deeply, expanding her chest. Then she released it, stepped forward, and sank back into her chair. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and her smile a close-lipped tease. She said not a word but only waited, grey eyes bright and intent on him.

She thought about teasing him and pressing for more than "that was very nice" but she had seen how his breath had slid from him slowly. She also could not possibly taunt something out of him better than the smile he currently wore. Her own smile grew some until a flash of white teeth shone between her red lips. "You're welcome," she murmured as she leaned in a bit to the camera. "I'm glad you liked it. Next time, it will be better and in person, right?"

"It shouldn't." Her expression remained the same sweet smile but, oh, how her mind crowed with pride at the compliment by way of concern. No, not crowed. Purred. Misha propped her elbow on the desk and leaned her cheek into her upraised hand. "You're a big, tough guy." Her eyes did a noticeable sweep of what she could see of his body and her smile curled more. "Haven't you been trained to resist temptation and bribery? Solder, cop, all that?"

"I think that sounds wonderful but you can't beat me up too badly or you'll be carrying me on the beach." Misha paused to consider this option. She laughed. "Actually, that sounds great. Knock me on my butt, handsome, and then be my personal slave boy. I promise I will be a very kind mistress."