"Cheers!" For the Short Affair Challenge

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Challenge: The Short Affair

-Prompt Word #1 - Tame

-Prompt Colour – Brown

Author: mrua7

Title: Cheers!

Word count: Approx. 1,000

Napoleon was on the prowl; he’d gone through his little black book without success.

So many of the ladies at headquarters had gotten married, not that he had any problem with sleeping with a married woman but doing that with someone whose husband worked at headquarters, and many of them did, just wasn’t a sane idea.

Both Illya and Mr. Waverly continually reminded him that a woman would one day be the death of him.

Napoleon’s feeling on the matter was summed up in one short, emphatic sentence, “What a way to go!”

He signed out, and left Del Floria’s on a mission, and that was to find a lovely, unattached lady for the evening.

Napoleon Solo never wanted for female companionship and was confident he’d find someone who’d like to enjoy good conversation over drinks and maybe, just maybe she’d invite him back to her apartment.

Taking a taxi to his favorite watering hole, P.J. Clarke’s Saloon over on Third Avenue and the corner of East 55th Street, he was sure he’d find an interesting woman there.

Napoleon was a fairly regular customer, and was known to most of the staff. For some reason he’d never invited Illya along and supposed the employees of the saloon, mostly Irish-American, might not like a Soviet encroaching in their territory.

He and Kuryakin were not just partners, but best friends, and they spent a lot of time together even when not on assignment, especially since they lived in the same apartment building.

Still they weren’t attached at the hip and had their own interests that took them in different directions. It was good to take a break from each other’s company, to say the least.

As much as he loved Illya like a brother, he could become unnerving at times, and Solo was sure Kuryakin felt the same way about him.

When Napoleon walked in the door of the bar he found the place full. Lots of patrons both male and female.

“Hmm, maybe I can find myself a not so tame Irish colleen?” He mused to himself. Sidling up to the bar, he waved his greeting to the bartender.

“Evenin’ what can I get ya tonight?”

“The man had a definite Irish brogue….correction,” Napoleon thought.

He’d been told once by one of the Gaelic speakers here that ‘brogue’ was a misnomer. It was actually the word for shoe and that when the English occupiers of Ireland tried to learn the language, the natives would make fun of them saying they were speaking like they had a shoe in their mouth.  The British, unbeknownst to this, thought brogue meant accent, as the Irish said they were ‘speaking with a fine brogue.’

“I’ll take a glass of MaCallan, straight,” Napoleon answered.

“Is there any other way,” the barman winked.

“Pretty busy tonight. Where’s Sean?”

“Oh ye know him then?”

“I do,” Napoleon said nothing more.

A pretty ginger haired woman sat on the bar stool beside him.

“His wife is due any minute now with their next baby. Sean thought it best he stay home. My name’s Maggie, what’s yours?” She had a gorgeous pair of deep brown eyes.

“Pleased to meet you Maggie, my name’s Napoleon.”

She laughed, “Ah finally the face behind the name. Sean’s mentioned you in passing conversation. Says he keeps the Macallan in just for you.”

“I hope what he’s said was good. Would you care to join me in a glass, Maggie? I detect a bit of an accent, are you from Ireland?”

“One question at a time.Yes I’d love to have drink with you and no, I’m not from the auld sod, but I guess hanging around here has rubbed off on me.”

“Yes I’ve noticed the clientele are mostly from the...auld sod. Though I’ve never seen you here before.”

“And I’ve not seen you either,” she laughed.

The barman, keeping a watchful eye on his customers quickly poured the glass of whisky for the lady, but on the rocks; obviously he knew her.

They tipped  their glasses before drinking.

“Slàinte,” she wished him health in Scots-Gaelic.

“Cheers,” Napoleon responded.“Tell me Maggie, do you come here often?”

“You ask an awful lot of questions,”she laughed. “Now it’s my turn. So where are you from?”

“Oh here and there, mostly here. I travel a lot.”

“Really? Businessman.”

“I work for an import-export company...sales.”

“Oh so a salesman.”

“You sound a little disappointed.”

“Not at all," Maggie smiled." Tell me about some of the places you’ve been? I’ve hardly ever traveled out of New York. Although I’ve been to Great Britain, Scotland to be precise. That’s where my family is from.”

They spent the rest of the evening drinking and chatting, having moved to a more intimate area, one of the booths in the back of the bar.

Before they knew it the barman was announcing last call.

“Well, I guess I better be going,”Maggie rose from the bench.

There’d been plenty of flirting between them, but Napoleon knew it wasn’t going anywhere. Still, he had a lovely evening at the price of a few drinks.

“Maggie, do you think I could take you out to dinner sometime?”

“I’d like that Napoleon sure,” she gave him her phone number, jotted down on a napkin.

“May I get a cab for you?”

“Thank you, no. I live around the corner, same building as Sean. Thank you for such a nice evening and for being a gentleman.”

“Well then, may I walk you home? The streets aren’t always that safe this time of night.”

“Oh I can take care of myself, trust me.” Maggie leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek. “Maybe I’ll see you at headquarters.”

“Beg pardon?” Napoleon hid his surprise.

“I work in Accounting; the name’s Waverly, Margaret Waverly, Maude’s my sister, and that makes him my Uncle.”

“I’ll just say good night then Margaret Waverly.”

“Good night Napoleon Solo,” she winked.

Comments

[threecee.livejournal.com]

*giggling* Poor Napoleon! First Maude and now this one! Napoleon should get a new pick-up line: "Excuse me, miss, but are you related to Alexander Waverly?"

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

OMG what a great pick up line! Thanks so much for reading and for your wonderful comment!

[laurose8.livejournal.com]

A very nice twist! And I love threecee's line.

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Thank you! Yes Threecee's line was too perfect. :D

[jantojones.livejournal.com]

Ha! Poor Napoleon, LOL. As has already been said, threecee's comment hit the mark :-)

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

I will definitely use that line in a future story (giving threecee credit of course) Thank for commenting and glad you enjoyed the story.

Just read your story and it was excellent!

[pfrye.livejournal.com]

Hehehe - poor Napoleon. Great twist to a cute story.

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Glad you liked the twist, still with Napoleon...it doesn't always have to be about sex with a pretty girl. He just needs to mind his p's and q's with this one. LOL!

Thanks for the comment!

[lindafishes8.livejournal.com]

I like how she waited until their 'date' was over to lower the boom. Nice twist.

[mrua7.livejournal.com]

Ahhh sure she was just toying with him now, wasn't she? Thanks for the comment and glad you liked the twist.