Warren and Lorna -- Chinese Food Experts

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Warren and Lorna take a break from organizing the office.



This had to be a first, Warren thought to himself, as he loosened his tie. Chinese food in a private investigator's office with a beautiful young thing. Key word: young. Somehow they'd been paired up to organize the new XFI office, put files where they needed to be, and even though he could've found a way to rope someone else into this, he enjoyed Lorna's company.

There was a freshness to her that was intriguing. Plus he really wanted to see if he could make her blush.

And there was the whole fact that Adrienne was convinced he was going to do something dastardly during her time away. As if. Ocelots weren't legal to own in New York.

After a few hours though, Lorna was hungry, and Warren couldn't stand to see a beautiful woman need anything. Therefore, at Lorna's request, chinese food was bought, and delivered. So here he was, sitting cross-legged on the desk, picking at a horribly calorie laden item (pork perhaps?), trying his best not to laugh at Lorna's stories.
"You've truly been everywhere, haven't you, sweetness. And all of that has led you here, to this moment with me. And General Ping. So maybe I'm the lucky one."

"I wouldn't say I have been everywhere, but I have been to a lot of Chinese restaurants." She pointed her chop sticks at him before taking a bit from her fried rice. It was unfortunate events that brought her to New York, where her sister lived, to where she meet the people of XFI and received a job. "General Ping is up there on the list." She said after swallowing her food.

"What about you? Traveled a lot?"

"A fair amount," he answered, reaching for his beer. "Mostly North America and Asia, a bit of Europe, some of the Caribbean. Never been to Africa yet." Warren went through his mental list of work trips. "Or Australia. I think I need to remedy this.". He leaned back on the desk and took a drink of his beer. "I also don't think I'm as passionate as Chinese food as you are though. Do you like all food, or just Chinese?"

"Been to more places than I. For sure." She watched him for a moment and then shrugged. "All food. I used to have Chinese food with my mom all the time."

"So it has positive memories then." Having decided he'd had enough, he set aside his food. Canting his head at her,he smiled. "I have very few fond memories of my parents. I envy you. You always light up when you talk about your mother and sister." And clam.up about your father, he thought to himself.

"Yea. I guess you can say that." Lorna nodded and looked up at him with her bright green eyes. She was quiet for a moment before she spoke. "My mom died when I was ten and I didn't know anything about my sister until only a few years ago. They are the only things that are positive." She felt a pang of guilt, her dad wasn't bad to her - just his methods of going about things. Never once did he harm her.

"Wanda is your sister, right?". He'd tried to piece the information together but he wasn't sure how accurate it all way. "I always wanted a sibling," he announced. "But my parents are proud of the fact that once I was born, they never had to touch each other again, so.". Warren shrugged. "At least this way, my inheritance stays complete."

"Yes. I also have a brother, Pietro." She wondered for a moment were her brother was and wondered if he was alright. She looked up with a raised eyebrow when he said his parents never touched each other again. "Did they not love each other?"

Warren couldn't help the laugh that escaped from his mouth. In fact, he found himself almost doubling over in laughter. "My parents? Love?" He shook his head, and put a hand on his side, as if to hold himself together. "My father only loves himself, and my mother only loves herself. I think they both have a certain fondness for me, but that's probably more biological than anything else." He thought for a moment. "I don't even think they're capable of any love."

Lorna's eyebrows frowned a bit. "So they married out of duty? Sorry if I am butting into personal affairs."

He shrugged. "I have nothing to hide. My dad needed an heir and an attractive wife. My mother needed money. Lots and lots of money." Warren tilted his head thoughtfully. "I think at one point they might have enjoyed each other's company, but I'm 35 and I haven't seen it in my lifetime, so there's that."

Lorna mouth dropped open. "Oh MY God. Warren..." She leaned forward. "You are so old." Her facial expressions then turned into a big smile followed by a wink. "They might tolerate each other...my parents did."

Warren flashed her a dimpled grin. "I'll have you know that men don't get old. They become distinguished." He straight up, and gave her an important look. "Regal. Pompous." The last one was said with a wink.

"Yeah...you keep telling yourself that. Maybe one day it will come true." Leaning back in her seat and took another bit from her Chinese food.

"It's common knowledge that men age better than women," Warren pointed out, finishing his beer. "The clock's ticking, sweet Lorna."

"Is that what the teach you in prep school?" Kicking up her feet on the desk. "Unless you mean the stinky French cheese. Then I can see that being true."

He ticked the items off his fingers. "Cheese, wine, and men. All things that age well, and all things can stink. Except for me. I always smell amazing. Like money." Jean didn't like that, but most women did.

"Money smells like feet." She made a face with her nose all scrunched up. "Might have to use that money to buy yourself a new smell. Try vanilla and spice."

"It's metaphorical," he said with a sigh. "That line used to always work. I guess now I have to admit that I actually smell like Hugo Boss."

"I am not most girls. You might have already noticed." She chewed another piece of her chicken. "Hugo Boss?"

Warren smiled. Lorna was definitely one of a kind. "Yes, Hugo Boss. Drugstore. So pedestrian, but I've liked it since I was in my teens. I have others I use depending on the event but it's a good standby. Do you have a signature scent?"

"You are weird, you know that. Not really. I smell like coconut oil most of the time."

"Me?" Warren pointed to his chest, a shocked look on his face. "Haven't we had this conversation before? Rich people aren't weird, they're eccentric.‎". He drew out every syllable of the word to make his point. "Smell is important, my sweet. It ties memories togethers and creates an impression. Coconut oil smells like food. Do you want to be ravished? "

"Eccentric weird people." Lorna nodded in agreement. "I guess it depends on who does the ravishing." Putting down her food and grabbing her bottle of beer. "I just like how coconut oil does wonders to my skin and hair. If I smell like a tasty desert all the better for me."

"And me," Warren added. "It would be terrible if you smelled like vinegar or something.". He shook his head sadly. "I'm a very sensory oriented person, you see."

Lorna made another face, "Vinegar is not good." She took another sip of her beer. "Where you a dog in a past life? Might explain a few things."

That was something different. He'd never quite been compared to a dog before. "Like what?"‎

"Sensory oriented person. Your cute puppy eyes when you are trying to get something. I never felt your wings but I bet they are soft and great to snuggle up against."

"The best," he agreed with a smile. "Feel free to experience it whenever you want. Shirts are constricting."‎

"Maybe one day when we can actually go flying together? I bet they are for your case. You get your clothes tailored right?"

"We could go flying now," he offered. That was the appeal to his loft -- the roof was an ideal take off spot, along with ‎a more out of the way area. He never had to worry about being caught. "And to answer your second question, yes,I do get my clothing tailored....but to let you in on a secret, I tailor a lot of my own clothing."

Lorna set down her beer, "What are we still doing here than? Filing can wait until afterwards." She smirked at the thought. "And you sew? Impressive? My Mr. Worthington, you are full of surprises." Getting up from her chair and stretching a bit.

Adrienne would be most displeased, he thought to himself. The office looked in worse shape than it did before Lorna and he arrived.

But flying was so tempting....

"Indeed," he said with a smile. Tossing their empty containers on the trash, he extended his arm. "I am a man of many things. Maybe one day you'll find out."

She took his arm, "Maybe one day. Until then I like the surprises part."