~Sophisticated Lady~ "Oh, god..." Jazz winced as he woke up. "What happened last night?" Somebody stirred beside him and Jazz flattened his ears against the rustling of the sheets. As whoever was in bed beside him made a sleepy noise of acknowledgement, though, he slowly lifted his ears again. "Oh..." Jazz opened his eyes, blinking painfully in the light, and glanced over to confirm what his ears had heard. "I guess I died last night." "What?" The snow leopard beside him rolled over and opened her eyes - then opened them wider as Jazz leaned in to kiss her. "I'm not sure how I got into heaven, though." Jazz purred softly, although he stopped as the sound brought his splitting headache back to the foreground. "There... ow... must have been a mix-up." Rexana - because of course it was her - laughed. "Oh, hush." "Nope." Jazz smiled, rolling over on top of the other feline. "I woke up next to an angel, there's no other explanation. I'll just have to take advantage of this before somebody notices the mistake." He purred and leaned down to kiss her again, running a hand down her side. So naturally it was then that the door burst open and an annoyed voice growled out. "Cicero Cat?" Jazz closed his eyes. "Tell me that's not actually the devil." "Um..." Rexana shook her head. "It's my landlady..." "Good lord, that's even worse." Jazz sighed and rolled off of Rexana, turning to the bobcat in the doorway. "Mrs Henderson. I've heard so much about you." Mrs Henderson seemed unimpressed. "At three-thirty this morning when Rexana brought you in, you were highly intoxicated." Jazz frowned. His hangover was starting to come back and he needed a glass of water. "Was I?" He asked, slipping out of bed and padding to the bathroom. "I could have sworn I was inebriated. But I don't remember, I was drunk at the time." He picked the glass on the sink up and turned on the tap. After a moment he glanced at the bobcat hesitantly. It was hard to tell through the bottom of the glass, but he sensed a distinct pursing of the lips from her. "Was there something you wanted, Mrs Henderson?" "As a matter of fact, there was something you wanted." Mrs Henderson crossed her arms. "You may not recall this, but last night you were very clear that you wanted to be woken up at eight o'clock because you had to meet someone." "Did I?" Jazz frowned. "Wait, hang on - you're actually waking me up? I mean, you're doing something nice for me?" The bobcat growled softly, narrowing her eyes. "I want you out of the apartment. If I have to be your alarm clock, so be it." Jazz leaned back and raised his hands defensively. "All right, all right. I'm - " he paused as something clicked into place. "Wait, I'm meeting Nathan today about the gig! And Angie about her piano player, and Lilith about something or other- I've gotta go." He finished his glass of water and set it back down by the sink, darting over to the bed to give Rexana a kiss on his way out before heading for the door. He skidded to a halt at the sight of Mrs Henderson blocking his path. He hesitated for a moment. "Uh... was there something else?" The bobcat looked him up and down once. "You might want some clothes." With that, she turned on her heel and strode out of the room, closing the door behind her. Jazz looked down at himself, grinning ruefully as Rexana started to giggle. "Well. Uh, yeah." He glanced around the room, padding over to the bed to retrieve his suit. As he pulled on his shirt, he leaned over to give the snow leopard another kiss. "Hush, you. Plenty of people forget their clothes. Oh!" He grins as he bends down to pick up his pants. "That reminds me. Have you and Jessa picked out dresses for the Christmas gig yet?" Rexana shook her head. "She's taking me shopping today. What's the dress code for it?" "Just wear something beautiful," Jazz said as he tucked his shirt in. "It's not that big an event but I like seeing you all dressed up." "You will see me, right?" Rexana asked. "You won't be on the bandstand the whole time?" "Of course." Jazz brushed her hair behind her ear. "It's as much a social gathering as it is a dance. Besides, I can always sneak away from the band for a dance or two with you." He smiled and stood up, zipping up his pants, and slung his jacket over his shoulder. "See you this afternoon?" Rexana nodded, smiling back. "Mhmm. Good luck with Lilith." "I'll do my best." Jazz nodded and leaned down for one last kiss before he left. "There's no telling what she wants, but nothing good ever comes from somebody that rich. Love you, dear." "Love you too." Rexana purred softly as she watched Jazz pace out of the room. ~ Jazz shivered as he stepped out of the building onto the street. December in St Coltrane was almost always a howling, blustery affair; there was the occasional day of calm, where one could admire the freshly-fallen snow in the crisp air, but today was not one of them. He really ought to stop by his apartment and get a coat... or had he left it at the bar last night? He frowned as he stepped up to the curb, wrapping his arms around himself. "No cabs in snowstorm," somebody murmured. "Have to valk, da?" Jazz glanced over to see a wolf slumped on a nearby bench. The canine had obviously seen better days - his fur was patchy from more than a few back-alley skirmishes, and his clothes were threadbare and ill-fitting. "We have a cab service in this city?" The wolf shrugged. "Not today." Jazz sighed, shivering again. After a moment he frowned at the wolf. "Aren't you cold?" "No." Jazz waited for a moment, but the wolf seemed to be done. Eventually he shrugged and turned to leave. "If you say so." "Vait." Jazz glanced back as the wolf called out. "You are cold. I warm you up?" "Oh." Jazz shook his head. "No thank you. I'm broke." There was a moment of hesitation, then, where the gears turned in everybody's head. Then the wolf snarled, baring his teeth. "I am not hooker." "Oh, I - " Jazz bit his lip. "Sorry. I just - " "Have ice magic. Can make cold, or warm." The wolf growled again. "Not hooker." Jazz held up his hands. "Okay, all right." He shakes his hand. "Sorry. There's a lot of them around here." The wolf settled back, slightly mollified. "Am musician. Not hooker." "Hmm?" Jazz glanced back at the wolf, having been turning away again. "What do you play?" The wolf eyed him suspiciously. "Vhy do you care?" Jazz frowned. "I'm a musician, too." "Go avay." "All right, fine." Jazz shrugged. "Have a nice day." He turned and paced off into the storm, squinting against the wind. ~ * ~ Rexana was just starting to get up when she heard a knock. She padded over to the door and opened it a crack, glancing out, and was greeted by the cheerful face of Jessa Cat. Smiling, she opened the door and stepped back. "Hey, Jessa." Jessa purred and leaned up to give Rexana a playful kiss. "Hey, toots. How've you been?" "Uh - " Rexana blinked at the kiss. "Pretty good, actually. You?" "Oh, I manage." Jessa grinned, bending down to pick a length of rope up off the floor. "Jazz leave this here?" "No." Rexana blushed, crossing the room and pulling the rope out of the other cat's hand. "He, uh, coils it nicer than that... You're early, aren't you?" "Am I?" Jessa glanced around for a clock. "What time is it?" "It's just past nine, I think," Rexana said, stretching up to put the rope back on the shelf. "I was expecting you at ten." Jessa nodded and sat down on the bed to watch as Rexana padded over to her wardrobe. "I don't pay that much attention to time, I guess. I finished a gig and I was in the neighborhood." "You could have killed an hour somewhere," Rexana murmured as she wriggled into a shirt. Jessa grinned. "Probably. I was hoping to catch you still in bed, though, maybe see you naked." Rexana paused in the act of pulling on a pair of panties, glancing back at Jessa. "Well, it worked." She stuck her tongue out and wiggled her tail at the tabby playfully before dressing the rest of the way. "Tease." Jessa chuckled and stood up as Rexana adjusted her skirt. "Shall we, then?" "Sure." Rexana glanced in a mirror and combed her fingers through her hair briefly. "Lead the way." Jessa nodded, padding out to wait by the door. "Actually, I was hoping you'd walk in front," she replied as Rexana locked up. "With the storm, you know." She glanced out a window at the snow swirling through the air. "Oh, right." Rexana slipped her keys into her pocket and started down the stairs. "I love the weather around here in winter." "You snow leopards." Jessa rolled her eyes as they stepped outside, shivering for a moment before Rexana pushed out a circle of warm air around them to keep the snow out. "I hope Jazz is okay in all this." ~ "The hell is wrong with this weather," Jazz growled as he leaned into the wind, shielding his face with his arm. "Can't even see th-three feet in f-front of me." He grit his teeth to keep them from chattering too badly. ~ "I'm sure he's fine," Rexana murmured. "This doesn't seem like a very malicious storm." "Storms have personalities?" Rexana nodded. "Sure, why not? They're alive." Jessa raised an eyebrow at that. "Yeah?" "It's sort of - well, it's hard to explain." Rexana shrugged. "But this one seems friendly." "Good to know." Jessa leaned forward and pointed. "We're crossing the street here. Our first store is at the corner." "First store? We're going to more than one?" Jessa grinned and nodded. "Oh, yeah. We've got a whole day ahead of us." Rexana couldn't help but smile. "I don't have a say in this, do I?" "Nope." Rexana bumped hips with the snow leopard playfully. "You're being taken shopping." ~ * ~ Jazz grit his teeth as he pushed forward into the storm. He'd decided about twenty minutes ago to give up on ever getting to any of his meetings and just duck into a building to wait out the storm - but of course he'd gotten so hopelessly turned around that couldn't find his way back. For all he knew, he could be half a mile away, or he could have been circling the same block for the last hour. This was not looking - Wait a second. Jazz frowned and lifted his ears up. Was somebody playing harmonica? He turned his head this way and that for a moment, trying to pinpoint the sound. There it was - muffled by the snow, but definitely there. He ducked his head against the wind and turned towards the sound. He may be lost, but at least he had something to aim for now... and hey, somebody was playing the blues. That was always worth going out of your way for. Just when he was getting close, though, the music stopped. He hesitated, pausing in place, and a familiar voice growled at him. "Is you again." Jazz sighed and took a step towards the voice. "Yeah. Got a bit lost. Mind if I join you?" "Ya, mind. Go avay." "I tried." Jazz paused for a moment to strain his ears. The wolf couldn't be more than ten feet away, but he couldn't see him. "It didn't take." "Go find prostitute somevhere else." "What were you playing just now?" Jazz asked. There was a pause. "The song?" Jazz turned towards the voice and took a quiet step. "It vas... old tune. Limehouse Blues. You should recognize - hey!" he growled as Jazz found the bench and sat down next to him. "Vhat are you doing?" "Just having a seat out of the wind." Jazz scooted towards the wolf surreptitiously. He really was surprisingly warm. "You ever heard Django Reinhardt's recording of that piece?" "Da, of course." The wolf frowned. "You think I am rube, just off street? And vhat - g-get off of me!" He pushed at Jazz as the cat leaned against him. Jazz shook his head. "Nope. You're warm." He brought his knees up to his chest and wrapped his tail around him. "You are... strange person." The wolf hesitated for a moment before holding out a hand. "I am Volk." Jazz grinned and slipped his tail into Volk's paw, shaking it. "Jazz Cat. Nice to meetcha." "'Nice' may be wrong word." The wolf frowned. "If I get you vhere you vant to go, vill you leave me alone?" "Maaaybe." Jazz grinned again. "Might come back just to screw with you." Volk's eyebrows shot up. "Vhat? No. There vill be no screwing. Shut up." Jazz tilted his head curiously. "That was... just an expression, toots." "Not toots." Volk scowled. "Not hooker." Jazz laughed and bumped agaisnt the wolf playfully. "Right, got it." He grinned. "So, about the storm? I've gotta be somewhere in..." he glanced at his watch. "Oh. Well, I've missed most of my day... probably lost that gig. Can you get me to a bar across town in twenty minutes so I can at least see what Lilith wanted?" The wolf sighed and stood up. "Fine. Come - I mean, follow." He raised a hand in the air and the snow around them froze into an umbrella. "Stupid cat," he growled under his breath. ~ * ~ "Are you sure this is my size?" Rexana asked as Jessa started pulling up the zipper. The two felines were in their third store of the day, trying on yet another outfit that Jessa insisted would look great on Rexana. This time it was a latex bodysuit that, admittedly, Rexana had been hoping Jessa would talk her into trying. "It seems a little - mrwrf - small..." She bit her lip as the suit closed around her hips. "Trust me, sweetie, this was practically made for you." Jessa purred softly as she pulled the zipper up Rexana's back. "These things always run a little small at first... but once you get settled it'll fit you like a glove. And believe me - it's gonna look stunning." Rexana frowned. "You asked me to trust you twice just now. That makes me worry a little." She flexed either fingers as the sleeves of the suit pulled in, the material a little stiff and restrictive. "Oh, nonsense." Jessa planted a playful kiss on Rexana's shoulder as she finished zipping her up. "I mean, just look at yourself." She grinned and gently turned Rexana around to face the mirror. "See?" Rexana had to admit she looked great. The latex clung to her figure like a second skin and even added a bit if a corseting effect, pulling in her waist and emphasizing her curves. She'd had to remove her bra to fit into the outfit, but with the latex cupping her breasts, pushing them up and out, she certainly didn't need one. And Jessa had been right about another thing - now that she was getting used to the outfit, it didn't seem to fit so badly. It was still tight, sure, but it didn't feel as restrictive or clammy. It wasn't even wrinkling at the elbows or knees. "What did I say?" Jessa murmured in Rexana's ear. "You show up at our place wearing that and Jazz won't even remember he's got a gig. He'll just take you right then and there." Rexana watched her reflection for a moment longer before frowning. "Well, I kinda do want to go to the gig, though. It sounds fun." She glances over at Jessa. "This is nice, but we really should be shopping for something more suited to a public event." Jessa pouted playfully. "Okay, but you've got to get this one, too. It looks so good on you." "Well..." Rexana sighed. "I don't know if I can afford two outfits right now..." Jessa sighed back at the snow leopard. "That's too bad. This is too sexy to leave behind." She shrugged and reached up for the zipper again. "Now, let's find you something for the... uh." Rexana glanced back at Jessa. "Uh?" "Hmm." Jessa frowned. "The zipper seems to have disappeared." "What?" Rexana turned around, reaching over her shoulder for the zipper pull. "What do you mean it disappeared?" "Pretty much what it sounds like. It's not here." "How can a zipper just vanish? Are you sure it's not behind a flap?" "I've seen enough latex to find a zipper when I want to," Jessa murmured. "I hope this isn't one of those cursed suits." "Cursed suits? What?" "All right, calm down, sweetie. Come on, let's go ask the manager about it." Jessa unlocked the door to the dressing room and slipped outside, beckoning Rexana after her. The snow leopard seemed hesitant, though. "What - dressed like this?" "Well - " Jessa bit her lip. "I don't want to leave you here like this." Rexana thought for a moment and then nodded. "You're probably right." She combed her fingers through her hair nervously and stepped out after Jessa. "All right. Come on, we'll be fine." She took Rexana by the hand as she glanced around, spotting an employee and making her way towards him. "Pardon me -" "Hmm?" The dragon glanced up from the rack of leashes he was stocking. "Can I help you?" "I hope so." Jessa glanced back at Rexana for a moment. "We were just trying on this suit -" "Ah, say no more, I've got you covered. Right this way." The dragon grinned and gestured for the pair to follow. "See?" Jessa murmured, elbowing Rexana lightly. "No problem. We'll be fine." The dragon pulled out a set of keys and unlocked what appeared to be a specialized dressing room. "All right, if your sub will step in here for a moment, we can fix you right up." "Oh, no - " Jessa shook her head. "She's not my sub." The dragon raised an eyebrow. "Well, the snow leopard, at any rate." He put a hand on Rexana's shoulder to usher her into the room. She glanced at Jessa for a moment, but when the tabby nodded, she stepped inside. She took a few deep breaths as she waited for Jessa to follow her, her ears swiveling as she caught a few snatches of conversation between the two outside. Jessa seemed... surprised by something at first, but then thoughtful. After a moment the door opened. Rexana's eyes widened. Jessa had changed into... well, it was a dominatrix outfit. There was no other way to put it. A tight leather bustier cinched around her waist and rested above a pair of black panties, followed by a set of vinyl stockings that reached up to mid-thigh before clipping onto the bustier with a set of garter straps. The ensemble was completed by a pair of eight-inch black heels and riding crop flexed dangerously between her hands. Oh, yes, and an intimidating-looking strap-on jutting from her groin. "Apparently the suit can only be removed after a proper display of submission," the cat murmured. "I thought I'd dress the part." Rexana swallowed hard. "Jessa, what - are you actually doing this?" "I am." Jessa nodded. "This really is what the guy said will get the suit off. But - " she grins. "To be honest, I've always kind of wanted to try this." "But - " Rexana's eyes widened as Jessa leaned forward and put a finger to the snow leopard's lips. "Shh." She grinned. "No words. Just do as I say, and everything will be fine. Got it?" She waited for a moment, then narrowed her eyes and growled softly. "I said, got it?" Rexana swallowed again and pulled back, nodding. "Yes. I mean - " she pulled back as Jessa arched an eyebrow. "Yes, Mistress." Jessa grinned widely at that, putting a finger on the top of Rexana's head and guiding her to the ground. "That's better... now open wide. Good girl." She slipped her fingers into the snow leopard's hair as she opened her mouth obediently, pulling her head towards the tip of her strap-on, purring softly. She bit her lip as the feline bobbed forward onto the shaft. After a moment, though, Rexana raised her hands to the member, and Jessa growled, shaking her head. "Hands behind your back... you're getting me off with just your mouth this time, pet." Jessa's voice had a hard edge to it, and Rexana nodded slightly, slipping her hands behind her back as instructed. To her surprise, the suit reacted to the motion, strips of latex emerging from the wrists and binding her hands in place. She looked up at Jessa nervously, but he cat just narrowed her eyes. "I didn't tell you to stop." Rexana swallowed and nodded, pushing forward again, taking the head of the shaft into her mouth and suckling gently, running her tongue along the underside. She felt Jessa's hand tighten in her hair and she braced herself, but Jessa seemed content to let her work at her own pace for the moment. Of course, that wasn't to say she didn't give the snow leopard a bit of encouragement. "Don't be shy, love... I know you can take more than that. I'm not letting you out until your nose is pressing against my stomach." She tapped the riding crop against Rexana's cheek and the snow leopard winced slightly. Jessa smirked as she took a deep breath and closed her eyes to push forward onto the shaft. She gagged for a moment as the tip pressed against the back of her throat, but Jessa held her in place until it subsided, letting her relax her throat and push forward again. It took a couple tries, but as Rexana finally managed to take the shaft into her throat, Jessa moaned in pleasure and curled her toes as the base of the cock rubbed against her folds. "Ohh, that's it... now brace yourself." Rexana's eyes widened, but that was all the warning she got before Jessa started to thrust into her mouth, the shaft buried in her throat and bulging her neck out slightly. She struggled to pull back against the cat's grip, but Jessa was having none of it, and she just growled and pulled her back against her crotch. Fortunately for Rexana, the tabby seemed to be heading towards climax pretty quickly, already starting to breath harder. Just as Rexana was starting to struggle from lack of air, Jessa arched her back and yowled, pinning Rexana's muzzle against her groin as she came. She shuddered for a moment, body tense as fluids gushed from her folds, and Rexana screwed her eyes shut as she gagged again. Eventually she managed to pull off of the shaft, gasping for air. "Please, Mistress... " She swallowed back a gag and shook her head. "Let me out?" "No." Rexana looked up in surprise, then winced as the riding crop snapped against her thigh. "No," Jessa repeated, "I'm not done yet. Stand up and bend over." "But - " Jessa growled, striking again with the riding crop. "Bend over. Now." Rexana whimpered softly and nodded, getting up on shaking legs and bending forward over the bench in the corner of the dressing room. She winced as the crop pressed against her ass, but it didn't lash out this time. Instead, it trailed down between her legs, the suit parting in its path and exposing her folds. "Well, well, well... our little toy is enjoying herself," Jessa murmured, rubbing the head of the crop against Rexana's pussy. She grinned as she lifted it, the leather coming away dripping. "Nice and ready for me." With that, she reached out to take hold of Rexana's hips and pushed the head of the strap-on into the snow leopard. Rexana gasped at the penetration, mewling in pleasure and discomfort, and Jessa just chuckled as she worked herself in deeper. "Mmmf... I can see why Jazz likes this so much..." She grinned and started thrusting gently, slipping in further with every motion. Rexana groaned softly as the strap-on made its way into her, spreading her open around it slightly as it pushed inside. She opened her mouth to protest, but she was too worked up by now to do more than whimper as her toes curled. Jessa was being surprisingly gentle despite the fact that she obviously wasn't holding back, and as the tabby rocked her hips against her, Rexana was starting to work her way to a climax of her own. She started to pant as she struggled against her suit, her wrists still bound behind her back, her breasts pressed against the bench beneath her, her legs locked apart - had the suit grown a spreader bar without her noticing? It seemed so. Regardless, her breathing was starting to become erratic as Jessa's thrusts sped up, the pair of felines nearing the edge rapidly. Rexana managed to gasp out a few last coherent words. "Mistress... may I... come?" A grin spread across Jessa's face, even as she grit her teeth against the pleasure building in her loins. She nodded, leaning forward to slam harder into the snow leopard's folds, and growled out a reply. "Do it," she grunted as she hilted into the feline beneath her. With the force of the last thrust, Rexana moaned and tensed up, her folds clenching around the shaft inside her as she came. The sensation set Jessa off as well, and she pushed forward to grind herself against the base of the strap-on, pulling Rexana towards her by the hips. The two remained locked in pleasure for a long moment, their respective climaxes wracking their bodies. It seemed like hours before it started to fade. Eventually Jessa took a deep breath and started to pull out. "You all right?" Rexana nodded faintly. "Mhmm." She squirmed. "Maybe get me out of here?" "Oh, right." Jessa set the riding crop down and reached up to unzip the suit - the zipper had reappeared at some point, just as promised. "I, uh... kinda got a little sidetracked there..." Rexana wriggled a bit to help peel out of the suit. "It's okay. I think I enjoyed it." Jessa raised an eyebrow. "You think? Seemed like you were enjoying it to me." "Well." Rexana frowned. "I would have liked a bit more warning." "Right... sorry." Jessa sighed and folded the suit over her arm. She reached out to put a hand on Rexana's shoulder, then thought better of it. "Well, you want to keep going? I mean, finding a dress? Or..." "I'm okay." Rexana brushed her hair behind an ear. "But let's stick to just finding a nice dress, for now?" Jessa nodded. "All right, no problem." She paused. "I'll... go find your clothes." ~ * ~ In the poorly-lit haze of the bar, a black cat tapped her foot impatiently. She glanced at the clock on the wall again, sighing as she realized for the fifth time that it was broken. Shaking her head, she started to stand, but she looked up as the door opened and Jazz stepped into the club hurriedly. She sat down again and smirked as the tabby made his way towards her table. "You're late," she purred as Jazz sat down across from her. "Maybe I'm just behind the beat," he replied as he pulled his chair in. "And I'm doing fine, thank you. How about yourself?" The other cat raised an eyebrow. "I took the liberty of ordering for you," she stated flatly. "So that we wouldn't have to waste time vacillating over the menu." "Fine." Jazz sighed and leaned back in his chair. "But really, Lilith, you're no fun." "Clearly you've never seen me in bed." Lilith leaned forward, crossing her arms on the table. "Now, on to business. Put simply, I wish to engage your services at my holiday gathering this year." Jazz just stared for a moment. Eventually he leaned forward again, letting the front legs of his chair drop back to the ground. "You want to hire me for a gig?" "As you put it, yes." "But..." Jazz frowned. "Why? I mean, why jazz? Don't you uptown types usually go for a string quartet or something?" "I hired the Philharmonic last year. I'm looking for a bit of variety. Besides, your music seems to be gaining popularity lately... I like to appear to have been in support of such successful endeavors." "The - you hired the entire Philharmonic? For a private event?" Jazz rubbed his temples. "I'm a bit hungover, I might not be hearing that right." Lilith grinned at the tabby's bewildered expression. "Is that so unusual?" "Unusual? Maybe not. Expensive as fuck? Yes." Jazz paused. "Hey, speaking of which, how much - " "You will be compensated handsomely," Lilith said easily. "But not excessively." Jazz crossed his arms. "Just how handsomely are we talking?" "You will find the details written here, along with the time and location of the event," Lilith replied, sliding a piece of paper across the table. "I trust there will be no haggling." Jazz picked up the paper and glanced at it. After a moment he looked up. "Is this a total figure?" "No. That's for each musician." Jazz swallowed. "Then no. No haggling." "Good." Lilith settled back in her chair as the waiter arrived with their food. "Now, let's talk business." ~ Epilogue ~ "Pardon me, miss..." Jazz tapped on Rexana's shoulder and she turned away from the lion she was talking to, smiling as she saw him. "May I have this dance? We'll just be a moment," he added to the lion as he slipped his arm through Rexana's and tugged her away. "This is our song." Rexana glanced back the lion as she and Jazz stepped onto the dance floor. "I think he was hitting on me," she said. "I don't know if he realized I was here with someone." "You do look pretty great. And that dress is beautiful on you. I guess Jessa got my message about our budget going up?" He smiled as Rexana nodded. "You'd think the collar would be a bit of a giveaway, though," hemurmured. "Maybe I oughta give you a little tag, too. 'If lost, return to studly musician.'" "Oh, shush," Rexana replied, trying to hide a smile. Jazz just laughed and kissed her gently, slipping an arm around her waist to pull her closer. The snow leopard rested her head on Jazz's shoulder as they danced, closing her eyes and letting him lead her in slow circles around the dance floor. He could feel her purring against him, a softer, more feminine sound than his own low rumble. Eventually, he knew, the two sounds would settle into harmony. He was never quite sure if that was natural or something he did out of habit as a musician. Either way, it made him happy. He smiled as he held her close, the fingers of one hand idly stroking her back. "So this is our song?" Rexana asked. "Mhmm." Jazz broke out of reverie and listened to the music for a moment. "'Embraceable You.' This was the first song you fell asleep in my arms to." Rexana nodded and closed her eyes again. After a moment she opened then and spoke up. "Wasn't there a car alarm going the first time we fell asleep together?" "Oh, yeah." Jazz grinned at the memory. "You were too exhausted to care, though." He smiled down at the snow leopard. "Somebody kept you up all night." "I wonder who that could have been." Rexana purred happily and leaned up to give the tabby a kiss. "Of course, my sleep schedule is pretty bad to begin with." "Your sleep schedule is even worse than mine," Jazz replied. "And I'm a musician." Rexana shrugged and nodded in response. A moment later she glanced up as the musicians still on the bandstand finished the song to a polite round of applause. "Do you have to get back?" Jazz hesitated. "Well, I should..." "...But?" "Well." The cat grinned. "I could spare a few minutes to steal you away for a bit of fun..." ~ ~~ ~ ~~ ~ ~ ~ ~ More epilogue ~ "So, you kept it, hmm?" Rexana jumped and turned around, the latex suit dangling from a hanger in her hand. "Oh." She grinned at Jessa and nodded. "Yeah. I'm gonna surprise Jazz with it sometime." "Not gonna give me another chance, then?" Rexana shook her head, blushing. "Maybe if Jazz is okay with it." Jessa smiled at the snow leopard. "It's all right, hon. I'm just teasing you." Rexana nodded and hung the suit up, stepping back to watch it for a moment with Jessa. "Still." Jessa grinned. "Jazz is in for quite the night."