The look on Thor's face was enough to thrill Loki. Hopeless, lost and forgotten – just like he had been all of these years. There was still something in that interaction that pulled on Loki's heart – if Frost Giants had hearts – but he pushed it aside. Rather than return home, the sudden urge to explore got the better of him.

According to the records of Midgard, this area of the realm was called New Mexico, with it's largest city being named Santa Fe. Dressed in his mortal clothing, he explored the streets of this city, astounded by what he saw around him. When he happened upon what looked like a gathering place for young and intoxicated mortals, Loki walked up to it's door. With a wave of his hand, he walked past the guards at the front and his eyes spotted a set of stairs. At the top, Loki chuckled to himself to see these mortals at their finest.

Women wearing revealing clothing, men with odd hairstyles and liquid in every shape and size resting in their hands. Some danced oddly, as if ready to fornicate in this very room. Some rested in seats on the side, their eyes glazed over from the ale. The sophisticated men wore suits like his own, ensuring him that he did not look out of place. Loki spotted a door open and saw a small group of people resting outside, and with that, he picked up a glass of bright green liquid and made his way outdoors.

There was something about him. She couldn't tell whether it was his stature, his intoxicating presence or even his out-of-place nature, but she couldn't look away. She inhaled her cigarette and continued to watch him stare off into the distance. When he turned to look at her, his green eyes barely visible in the darkness, this newfound bravado replaced her curiousity.

"Hi," she said over the hushed voices from inside the bar. She watched the way his hair moved ever so slightly while his head tilted and his eyes narrowed.

"Hello," was all he said before turning back to look over the slow rush of traffic on the road below.

"Is this your first time here? I don't think I've ever seen you here before." He couldn't believe this woman continued to talk to him, interrupting his thoughts, but the selfishness of talking to no one since he returned to Earth took over.

"Do you frequent this place often?" He asked, without turning to look at her. Without making a sound, she joined him at the edge of the balcony. Underneath the smell of her smoke, he could almost taste the sweetness of her perfume.

"Well I guess you could say that." He looked over once more to look at the woman beside him. Her long dark hair hung straight to her chest and the subtle makeup she had on made her light eyes shine. She was petite, but the small amount of clothes she wore hugged her femine features. By a mortal's standards, she was attractive, but to a God she was nothing. She reached into her pockets to fish out a small box. "Want a smoke?" She offered, her eyes connecting with his.

"No." She seemed unfazed, shrugging and putting them back in her pocket while taking another drag.

"You never answered my question," she said, attempting more conversation, "Are you new around here?"

"You could say that," he replied. I guess I deserved that one, she said to herself.

"What do you do?" She asked.

"Excuse me?" he asked, a bit of malice on his tongue.

"Sorry, just trying to making conversation, I'm not trying to be rude." She didn't back away or move, just continue to watch the traffic below. It had been a while since she decided to talk to someone out here; obviously she picked the only person in the whole bar who didn't want to talk.

"Are you usually this forward with random strangers?" He asked. If only she knew who she was talking to, how he could crush her.

"You ask a lot of questions for someone that doesn't want to be talked to," she said sharply. "And quite frankly, this is the exact place where you talk to random strangers in the hopes of finding someone worth talking to. Apparently that doesn't seem to register with you." With that she threw her smoke over the balcony and turned back to the door. He was so stunned to be talked to so brashly. If he weren't so offended, he would have been impressed. He couldn't help but watch her as she disappeared. His curiousity got the better of him.

Working as a bartender, she met many people. All types of people: smart, funny, rude, charming. There was one thing she was never without, and that was company. Or so it seemed. After her boyfriend left her a month ago, she seemed craved for attention. You forget how dependant you are for a steady need until it's gone. There is a void that just sits in her chest and will not leave.

Yes, many men hit on her during work, even the occasional female, but there was no reason for her to be declared the whore of the city. But that carnal feeling of being wanted, that was what she craved. Something unexplainable happened when she saw that man outside – it wasn't just because he was attractive. He was by any woman's standards. Tall, eloquent and mysterious. It was his newness that struck a chord in her, because maybe this was someone she would never have to see again and who could solve this emptiness in her body, even if just for a few hours. He could be anyone, a crazy psychopath or the perfect gentleman, but for a few hours, he could be hers, and that is all that she wanted.

The bar was slowly emptying out, the drunken young woman being helped by friends and the usuals saying goodbye. Packing up the last of the chairs, she wiped down the bar and went to have her last smoke of the night before the drive home. Forgoing her jacket because of the summer heat, she pushed open the door with her back while checking her phone. Pointless emails and text messages – some from ex lovers looking for a piece of her again. She was almost at the point where she would have said yes, but not tonight.

The cigarette had just hit her lips when suddenly there was a voice behind her.

"That's bad for your health." She nearly jumped out of her skin, but held her ground and turned to look at the stranger. He was glad to see that line worked, hearing it being said from another patron at the bar just minutes before.

"And the bar closed 10 minutes ago, what are you still doing here?" She watched him push off the wall and come to join her at the edge of the balcony.

"I assumed you would make your way back out here, I thought I'd wait." The curiousity in his mind had mixed with something else. Having lain with many women, he debated with the idea of sleeping with the mortal. The only thought that had come to mind was that if he was in this hellhole, he might as well enjoy himself.

The slightly terrifying feeling in her gut was replaced with a warmth in her body for the need to be close with someone, and for some reason, she didn't seem to care that he came from no where.

"Well you guessed right. Just don't scare me like that again, unless you want me to think of you as some strange man lurking in the shadows."

"If I've given you that impression, I apologize," he replied, turning his body to look at her but leaning against the balcony. She smirked at him, extending her hand.

"Chloe," she said. Reminding himself that for tonight, he was mortal just like her and that it was no longer beneath him to shake her hand, he placed his hand in her.

"Loki. Pleasure to meet you." His hands were cold, as if the summer heat had no affect on him. She released herself from his grip and went back to her cigarette.

"Where are you from?" She asked. He watched her inhaling and exhaling, all the while discovering how smooth her movements were.

"Far away."

"Well that explains why I haven't seen you around. Why in God's name would you come to the desert?" She was pleased that he was now answering her questions, finding her trust growing slowly with this tall stranger.

"To get away." He hoped that this would be a sufficient enough answer for her.

"Don't we all," she said back, before throwing her cigarette. Turning to look at him and finding his gaze travelling down her body, she grew hot. "Unfortunately I have to ask you to leave. I'm closing down the bar as soon as I grab my things."

"You work here then?" He asked, and she nodded.

"Not the best job, I know, but one that pays the bills." She turned to walk back through the door and he quickly followed behind her, pulling it open for her. "Thank you," she said with a small smile, as she couldn't help but watch the way his arms moved in that suit he was wearing.

The bar was almost the exact opposite of what it usually is. The chairs were stacked, the music was turned off and they were the only two souls in the building. He waited as she reached beneath the bar and grabbed her bag and coat. Without quite thinking about it, she walked back over to where he stood and placed her hand on his arm. He seemed unfazed, but continued to look down at her.

"Loki, do you have a ride home? I don't know if you have a car, but if you promise to not be some crazed lunatic, I can give you a ride."

This was the first time she heard him laugh, and she was amazed at how natural it seemed despite how shut out he seemed earlier.

"I'll attempt to be on my best behaviour Chloe." She had to turn herself in the opposite direction just so he wouldn't see the way saying her name affected her. Was it just her loneliness that made her so weak, or was he just that charming?

"Great, follow me."

She locked up the doors to the bar and noticed that everyone else was gone. She must have been out on the patio with this man for a long time – not that the thought bothered her.

"Do you escort your patrons home often?" He finally asked, and as she turned back towards him after checking that the door was locked, she looked him square in the eyes.

"Never, you're the first." His expression changed, and she walked past him to her car in the empty parking lot, but he was quick to follow.

"Then why would you do this?" This small girl, giving strangers a ride home, this can't be safe. Maybe she wanted a little relief just as he did. As if she could read his mind, she turned around and walked right up to him, to where he could feel her body heat she was that close.

"Because quite frankly, I think you're attractive and I wouldn't mind taking you home." Never had anyone been so blunt with him, certainly not when he was a God. No one would dare voice these thoughts aloud, but knowing that he looked just like every other human being, he was going to have to get used to being treated like an equal.

She couldn't believe that those words just came out of her mouth, but she was so tired of beating around the bush and she wanted someone, something, that she didn't care how she got it. Without notice, he closed the gap between them and his hand reached down to brush the hair away from her shoulder. He leaned down and his hot breath tickled her necked as he whispered.

"I'm glad we have an understanding." Placing a small kiss on her neck, he left her stunned and walked to the passenger side of the car. More turned on than stunned, she pivoted on her heels and simultaneously pressed the unlock button on her car remote. This was going to be fun, she thought with a lust in her eyes.

Short conversation took up only a portion of the car ride back to her apartment, but quite frankly she was too concerned with what lies ahead. She was so set on human interaction, she invited a complete stranger back to her house and fully intended on sleeping with him. She was so desperate to feel anything that she didn't care if her safety was in jeopardy. If he hadn't tried anything yet, she imagined he just wanted to get laid and get out of her sight. Every time her gaze drifted to the man beside her, she could feel her body temperature rise.

Loki was stuck on what to think. He was so bored he was going home with a mortal just to lie with her. Yes, she was attractive, and yes her conversation was good, but this was just so below him. He was King of Asgard, and he always would be. But he might as well enjoy himself in the form of a woman.

When they arrived at her apartment on the top floor of the building, she locked the door behind them and with ferocity she has never seen in herself, she turned to the man behind her and pushed him against the hallway wall. He watched her with a smirk as she reached down to take off her high heels, never breaking eye contact with him. In her bare feet he towered over her, and she grabbed his tie and pulled him until she was the one now backed up against the opposite wall. One of his arms snaked around her back and pulled her body up against his while reaching down to kiss her neck once more. She couldn't help the moan that came out of her mouth, but Loki didn't seem to mind it at all. Her hands ran through his dark hair and she breathed heavily.

"Let's move this somewhere else, shall we?" She was surprised she could even talk, but she managed to form a full sentence and have it make sense. Her hands sliding down his chest to his hips, she carefully pushed him back and with one seductive look, walked down the hallway to her bedroom. Casting the man a look over her shoulder, she kept her pace but wiggled out of her dress.

A jolt of energy ran through him as this woman, clad in black undergarments that were barely there, pushed open a door to what looked like her bedroom. With a big bed in the middle of the room and a large window with a spectacular view, he watched as the light of city reflected off her almost naked body. With her back still facing him, he hurried towards her and lifted her up with ease and threw her on the bed facing him. She let out an excited laugh, before he reached down and placed his hands around her and brought his lips down onto hers.

Fire and ice - that was the only way she could describe it. While his cold body only made the sensation even more amazing, she felt like his touch set her on fire. Her hand crawled up to his hair and pulled him closer to her. It wasn't until his chest sat on hers that she realized he was still wearing his suit. Pulling away, she got onto her knees on the bed, bringing her to eye level with Loki.

"This would be a lot more fun if you weren't wearing so many clothes," she said in a raspy voice and with a heavy breath. She loosened his ties while he unbuttoned his shirt.

"I concur," he said as together they peeled off his shirt and she went to work on his belt. She stole kisses from him as she helped him with the rest of his clothes, and when Loki finally stood at the foot of her bed naked, she fell back.

"Wow," she whispered, her eyes sweeping over his body without refrain. He smirked and crawled over her slowly while laced kisses over her bare stomach. Her stomach lifted in pleasure and Loki seized the opportunity to run his fingers down her hips and remove her underwear. Throwing them aside, she quickly unclasped her bra and threw it. She wasn't quite sure where it landed, and she couldn't care less because this man above her had every ounce of her attention. Putting her hands on his face and pulling him down roughly to meet her lips, she pressed her body against his.

This is exactly what she was looking for.

Loki's eyes opened with the bright light filtering in through the window. The God was disoriented until he saw the sleeping woman beside him. Chloe. Her dark hair spread across the white expanse of pillows and sheets, her face was peaceful in sleep.

She was, for a mortal at least, worthy of his attention. Her skill as a lover could be battled with any of the women from Asgard, but this was different. That underlying tone of fear that he saw in other woman he took to his chambers was not evident in this woman. The way he could love them for a few hours and completely ruin their existence if he wanted to. But this woman, even for taking a stranger home, was not terrified of him in the least. In a sense, she was almost acting as if she were dominating him, that she was the one in control. This absolutely infuriated him.

His eyes closed once more and he slipped back into sleep.

When he opened his eyes again, the sun was still beaming in through the window, but there was the sound of music leaking in from behind the door. Loki turned and saw that the woman was missing, but her scent lingered on in the sheets he was wrapped in. Gently removing himself from the bed and pulling on his pants, he walked out into the living area of the house.

Chloe turned up the music a little bit more, trying not to wake the sleeping man in her bed. For all of the fears she felt on the way to her apartment, it all diminished at his touch. The night they had was absolutely unforgettable, but she was not naïve. This was a one-time thing, not to be repeated. But until that moment, she would cherish every single second. Just as she turned around to place the bowl of pancake mix on the island in her kitchen, the unexplainably handsome man fell into her view.

"Oh, hi!" Chloe said, feeling slightly ashamed of her partial nudity. In a tight fitting tank top and bright red underwear, she sat frozen in her kitchen

"Good morning." He replied with a nod of his head. And why would he come out into her kitchen without a shirt on? Did he want to be jumped?

"How did you sleep?" She asked, turning back towards the stove and turning it on. He took a seat on a stool and continued to watch her sway through her kitchen.

"It was good."

"Great," Chloe said, turning back around. "Look, I know this was just a one shot thing, and you most likely just want to get out of here, but I'm making breakfast and you're welcome to stay and eat." He looked quizzically towards the bowl of pancake mix and the pan, his one eyebrow raised slightly. "No hard feelings if you just want to leave," she added.

"What is it that you are making exactly?" Loki asked.

"Pancakes. There's also coffee if you'd like it?"

The King of Asgard watched this small woman prance around her kitchen, her delicate body keeping to the tune of the music, drinking a dark beverage from a rather tasteless looking cup. The small fluffy cakes that she made were rather delicious, and she managed to make food and keep a conversation going all at the same time.

"How are they? Satisfactory?"

"Very satisfactory indeed," Loki replied. The woman smiled, before making a plate for herself and sitting in the stool beside him. She placed her hand on his back for just a quick second, before retreating to her food. Her warm hands shocked him, and when he looked over to her, she flashed a small smile at him.

"So are you returning to wherever it is that you came from soon?" She asked.

"Tonight," he said without missing a beat, and she nodded her head.

"Huh. That's quick," Chloe said, cutting her food into small pieces. "Well I hope you've enjoyed your stay?" Loki turned to look at her, standing up from the stool and trying to decipher what he was going to do next. Gently grabbing the utensils from her hands and placing them on the counter, with little strain, he grabbed her body and forcefully pulled it off the seat and against him.

"I think I would like to enjoy it even more before I leave," he said in a low and dark voice. Chloe raised her eyebrows and her hands went through his hair once more.

"I don't think I'd mind that at all," she whispered before her lips fell onto his. In a mess of skin and kisses, he carried her back to the bedroom.

"So this is it, I guess." She asked awkwardly at the front door of her apartment. He was once again dressed in his perfectly tailored suit. She was wrapped haphazardly in the white sheet from her bed; where she and Loki managed spend the rest of the day. There was no talking, just two people fulfilling one another's sexual desires.

Or at least, while Chloe tried to convince herself that that's all it was, she couldn't help but admit to herself that she wished he was staying longer. Of course to have more sex, but is it so wrong for her to wish this beautiful man would stay in her bed a little longer?

Loki looked down at this loud and small mortal, her large blue eyes staring up at him, and he pulled her up against his body once more. He leaned down and kissed her lips, but not in the harsh and unforgiving way he had been since they arrived at her apartment hours ago, but in a soft and gentle way. She was so stunned, but she enjoyed it nevertheless.

"Unfortunately yes. But I'm sure our paths will cross once more."

"I hope you're right," Chloe said as he opened the down to her apartment to leave. "Goodbye Loki."

"Goodbye Chloe," he said and when the door closed, she knew she would be waiting for the day they would meet again.