Title: Hugs and Kisses

Author: AnitaB

Author's notes: Third in my post "Duped" series, after 'Not their first kiss' and 'Not just a hug.' This one is set after "Regrets" and continues the dance between friends and something more. Pete/Myka romance. I own nothing and nothing I do own would be worth getting in a law suit.

Hugs and Kisses

By AnitaB

He'd gotten another hug. Another moment of holding Myka Bering in his arms. This time it had been Florida, inside the quartz mine prison of regret and guilt. He had always known she blamed herself for Sam's death in Denver. Pete had also always known it wasn't her fault, but it wasn't as easy to convince her of that. And as they had been standing inside the massive artifact of the prison building itself, he had more than her doubts to contend with. Whatever the Quartz Sam was saying to her, it wasn't good. It was probably the same kinds of blaming and guilt-building things that the image of his father had said.

Pete had to help her, had to glue himself to her side and keep speaking the truth into her ear, keeping pouring his support into her own belief in herself. And when Myka stepped forward to hug Sam goodbye he had to shore her up one more time, catching her against his chest before she could fall. A brief hug was followed by a moment of awkward separation before they both got back to work neutralizing the building.

But there was no way in hell he was letting an awkward moment keep him from helping his partner. And if that meant cracking jokes just to see her smile, then it was worth every bit of humor he could give her.

"I'll have my people call your people…" For that smile on her face he'd put on a jester's outfit and learn to juggle chainsaws.

But even more valuable to him was the dose of trust on her face a few lines before with her whispered, "Maybe tomorrow." For that look on her face, he'd do just about anything and everything, even carve the heart from his chest to give to her.

Three days later, Pete found himself reading on the love seat by the fireplace when Myka appeared in the same doorway he'd joked his way out of before. "Pete?"

Damn she could move quietly when she wanted to, and frankly the little squeak on his lips sounded far girlier than he wanted to admit. "Hey, Myka." He closed the book in his hands and patted the cushion next to him. "What's up?"

There was something that always seemed a little more fragile about Myka when she was in jeans and sweaters. Add hesitant to that mix and he wanted to hug her again. "Not much," She ducked her head just a little as she crossed the room to curl her legs under her on the seat next to him. "I just…" She seemed fascinated with the floral pattern on the fabric. Pete resisted the urge to touch her but let himself turn to give her his full attention. Her eyes met his as she nervously chewed the corner of her lip and just spit it out. "She kissed you. Alice, I mean, in Vegas."

Pete fought back the urge to joke and lighten the mood. The look on Myka's face said that humor was not the right response right now. "Yeah, she did. Supposedly to distract the target from noticing us in the hallway."

She seemed to hug one knee a little closer to her ribs. "And?"

He couldn't quite figure out what she wanted to know and would cut off his own arm before he said the wrong thing. "And what, Myka?" It was even harder to keep himself from pulling her into his arms when she wouldn't really meet his eyes.

"Did you… did you kiss her back?" Suddenly he was looking at how her fingers were playing with the edge of the cushion and he could feel her eyes on his face. The memory of the kiss Myka was asking about rattled the box he'd locked it up inside. Alice may have gotten the kiss all wrong, but it was still Myka's body against his, Myka's lips touching his. What was any man supposed to do in a moment like that? Alice had to drag herself completely out of his arms before he'd even recovered a single functioning brain cell. Then that one cell had been babbling something incoherent about pinning her to the wall for another kiss. But Pete couldn't tell Myka that.

"Myka, I …" He reached for her hand and got his eyes to her face. But there the words just stopped coming. //Myka, sweetheart… what's the right thing to say here?\\

"Just tell me, Pete. When you still thought she was me, did you kiss her back?" Now her fingers were playing with his, not quite holding his hand, but rather sliding the tips of her fingers along the lines in his palm.

She'd asked for the truth. And he couldn't lie to her, couldn't betray the trust she had in him. Even if saying this particular truth scared him more than when the Spine had embedded itself in his back. Pete twisted his wrist, sliding his fingers through hers to hold her hand between his. "Yes, Myka, I kissed her back."

Something in her back seemed to loosen. But rather than collapse her spine into the couch, it actually seemed to shore her up a little. Myka sat up straighter and didn't cuddle her body so close against her knee. "Why, Pete? Why did you kiss her?"

//No regrets. No guilt. No lies. No secrets.\\ He had to trust her with all of him, had to fling open his defenses because… well, because this was Myka. There was no one else he could possibly trust more. "Because I wanted it to be you, Myka. Because I wanted to kiss you."

She was chewing on her lower lip as she moved closer. Myka came to her knees at his side, her free hand lifting to slide along his jaw in a line of heat. Somehow Pete was frozen in the face of that warmth, waiting to see if she would let him in or lock him out, maybe forever. His eyes desperately searched for face, needing some evidence of her response. //Myka…\\ "You wanted to kiss me, Pete." He could only nod, the motion rubbing her palm along his cheek. "Do you still want it?"

The hope in her eyes thawed his vocal chords, but all he could get out was a rough, low, "Yes," It was almost exactly how he'd imagined it. Her hand started shaking just a little as she cupped his face. Those beautiful lips whispered his name, soft and low just before they crossed the distance to press gently against his own. This was the soft, sweet kiss he'd hoped for every single time she'd hugged him.

Every inch of his body melted into the simple, meaningful slide of her lips over his. His arms moved on their own, wrapping tight around her waist and pulling her close against his chest. Myka responded in kind, her arms curling around his neck to slide gentle fingers through his hair. //Sweet Myka,\\ Pete wanted her closer, but he needed to know what she wanted. Dragging himself back from her lips, he cupped her face in his hands and searched her eyes. "Myka?"

She was… so beautiful here in his arms that his chest felt tight. Then his Myka gave him a soft smile and rested her hands on his chest. "I'm here, Pete. It's me." It was her. This was his Myka, in his arms giving him the soft, sweet warmth of her kiss. But she still wasn't close enough. Pete found his hand sliding along her hip to her thigh. Her breath caught in a gasp when he pulled her down into his lap sideways, but her arms only tightened around him. She was still smiling when he leaned forward to claim her lips again.

Now it was his hand trembling as he cupped her chin in gentle fingers, his turn to whisper her name before his lips reached hers. Soft, warm silk heated his skin. But this time the kiss didn't stay a simple press of lips. Now, he needed a little more. Feeling her soft groan vibrate against his ribs, Pete stroked just the tip of his tongue against the corner of her mouth, adoring the welcoming gasp that parted her lips. //Myka,\\ She tasted like heaven as she met every little stroke of his tongue with one of her own. She felt so good in his arms, pressing closer against his chest as her arms tightened and her hands clutched at his back.

Pete found his hands moving to pull her even closer, one set of fingers sliding into her hair to slowly deepen this amazing kiss. The other hand spread wide against the curve of her waist before sliding down her hip to the outside of her thigh, pulling her closer. His Myka was still not close enough. She would never be close enough.

Eventually the need for air pulled them back for a gasp, but there was no way in hell he was letting her out of his arms or off his lap just yet. "Stay, Myka, stay right here." His eyes searched hers, his hands keeping her face just that breath away from another kiss. "Please,"

She bit her lip, slid her arms around his neck, and relaxed against his chest with a soft sigh. "I'm not leaving, Pete. Not going anywhere."

Now he was sighing a little with relief. Pete smiled into a quick kiss, just a taste of those pretty lips before cuddling her close against his chest and burying his face in her hair. "Good, 'cause I don't think I could let you go."

They'd managed it without a serious physical injury and it was even better than he'd ever imagined it. Now it was his job to keep his partner close. Myka wasn't going to get a chance to run from this since he was going to be hard put to ever let her out of arm's length again. And certainly he was going to be hugging her a lot more… starting right now. Running his fingers through her hair, Pete soaked in the warmth of her skin and the fierce strength of her arms around him.

If he had his way, Myka would stay like this in his arms as long as possible. Pete tightened his arms around her, feeling her relax even deeper into the most amazing hug he'd ever had. He loved getting hugs and kisses from his Myka. //I got you, my sweet Myka, and I'm not letting go.//

His Myka gave a soft, little laugh against his shoulder before she pushed off his chest just enough to meet his eyes. "She was right, you know."

"She Alice? About what?" Pete's hands rubbed up and down her back before resting on her hips. He was allowed to touch her like this. It was like the best present ever.

"She said you were a good kisser. She was right." Myka's hands rubbed over his chest, fingers warm over his heart through his shirt. Just her touching him like this sped up the heart under her hands. When she threw in the hot flick of her eyes to his mouth and the sight of her biting her lip… it was hard to hear her words past the rush of blood in his ears. But he still knew just what he wanted to say.

"Well, it's always good to check a witness's facts. Maybe you should verify her testimony." Pete tried to play it calm and matter of fact, but the smile on her face said she heard the want and desire in his voice.

"That would be the professional thing to do, wouldn't it, Pete?" Her hands played at the edge of his collar before sliding around his neck to tangle in his hair. Pete helplessly met her half-way, groaning into the soft heat of her kiss. //Anything for more hugs and kisses.\\

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