Title: Games AKA The Photo Shoot

Pairing: Tara/Parker

Rating: M/NC17

Summary: Set after Runway Job (and Bottle, and Future, kinda) minor spoilers. The girls play 20 questions to get to know each other better.

FOR MARY/OhShinyTomato/SaphireSmoke, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

The team, sans Nate, had gone down to the bar so they could bond. Sophie told them it was a good idea. Parker and Tara were sitting at a table watching the boys play pool. Parker slid the Caprina style magazine, from the con a few weeks ago, to Tara. The images on the glossy paper were still surprising to the new team member.

"How did you and Sophie meet?" Parker asked

Tara considered her answer. "On a job over ten years ago. That's seven." They were playing Twenty Questions, the easiest way to keep it non-threatening. Plus, Sophie told Tara to try and play a game with Parker, or give her a challenge. This was good, and Tara loved to play games with people.

"Was not. It was…" Parker counted on her fingers, "Fine, seven. Your turn."

"Number five: Where did you grow up?" Tara asked glancing up to read Parker

Parker scrunched up her face. "Kansas, Nebraska, maybe somewhere else." Her answer was honest.

Tara cocked her head, "You don't know? Why not?" A spark of curiosity was lit.

"I was in foster care." Parker tested. "Was that six?"

"Yes, go ahead." Tara sighed, wanting to explore the subject.

Parker sipped her bottled beer. "Would you rather crawl through an air duct or repel forty sorties, outdoors? And why?"

"What?" Tara snorted. "Okay, uhm, repel. I don't know how many vents I can fit though."

Parker lent over so she could look at Tara under the table, all the way up. "You could fit." Parker nodded appreciatively. Tara sat up straighter and crossed her legs. "We should repel sometime. It'd be fun."

"Thanks," Tara tried to sound genuine. "I guess that'd be fun." A beat. "Seven; Where'd you learn to photograph like this?" She flipped the magazine over and pointed for emphasis. "These are amazing."

Parker blushed. "It helps to have a good subject." Then she brought herself back to the conversation. "I had a girlfriend who taught me…but it was different when the subject had clothes on."

"I had plenty of clothes on!" Tara objected, thinking Parker was making fun of the Caprina outfit. Then she thought again. "Wait, do you mean..?"

"Number eight?" Parker asked keeping to the rules.

Tara blinked, having forgotten about the game for a while. "Sure; eight, when you say girlfriend do you mean..? Are you gay?"

"Bi." Parker chirped as if it was simple.

Tara tried not think to far into it, bi didn't mean she'd sleep with her. It just meant there was a possibility. "And the photo shoots with her were…nude?"

Parker nodded and sipped at her drink. "Uh-huh."

Tara brought her glass up to her lips in both hands. "Ok, your turn."

"I'm on…ten." Parker considered the question far too long. "Do you care if I'm gay? Does it make a difference to you?"

Tara choked a little. Honesty. That was the point of this. "Yes. It does. So, ten, where did you grow up?"

"Wait!" Parker protested. "That's not answer. New rule: No one word answers." The pout was evident in her voice

"Sure it is. And I said three words." Tara tried to balance on coy and collected. "So, when did you first commit a crime?"

"Age nine." Parker shot her answer quickly. "Are you into me?" Her words were not at all coy. But Parker didn't do coy. She's Parker, she plays it fast, foreword, and hard.

Tara leant back into the leathery upholstery of the restaurant booth, raised the glass the glass to her lips and shrugged. "Sure, I could be." Tara smirked coolly. Then asked Parker the next question, without giving her time to interject a follow up. "What was it?"

"Arson." Parker smiled. "What do you mean 'could be'? As in you might be or it's a possibility?"

"Why?" The new teammate laughed, "Are you into me?"

"That's not the way this game works!" Parker shouted, exhausted by the game Tara was playing.

The boys looked up from their pool table to see what trouble was occurring between the girls. Hardison went to help, but Eliot blocked him with his pool cue and shook his head. They wanted to help, but the ladies were still sitting on opposite sides of the table, and there were no utensils available on that table for either woman to use as weapons. Nothing too bad could happen.

"Forget the game, Parker." Tara grinned. "Just, okay, will you take some photos of me? As me, I mean."

Parker knew there was a catch, there had to be, she knew better than to trust a grifter. But she wanted to take pictures of Tara, she just did. "Yeah, I will. When do you wanna do it?" Parker agreed then adding, "That doesn't count!"

"Right, when ever you want to, Parker." Tara smiled sweetly, not the sexually manipulative smile she half-intended for this situation. "I really enjoyed doing that with you."

Parker sprung to feet. "Let's go then!" She grabbed the older woman's hand and pulled her up. "This'll be fun!"

"Okay," Tara agreed more by coercion than anything else (but with more than a little hesitation). "Should I grab a different outfit?"

This caused Parker pause, "Outfit? I thought you wanted me to do it naked?"

"Well," Tara's eyes widen slightly in surprise. "I guess we could do that…"

"Oh," Parker sighed. "If you don't want to--"

"No!" Tara stopped the younger blonde. "I mean, no, its fine. I want to try posing nude… For you." She stood and started to pull Parker to the door.

Parker smiled, glad to get an opportunity to be creative. "I'll drive."

"Hey, where do you two..?" Eliot started.

"To her place, more 'girl time'. Do you want to tag along?" Tara teased.

"Nah, man." Hardison shuddered at the idea of 'girl time with two known criminals. "We still need to finish this game. Eliot cheats."

"Me?" Eliot grumbled. "How do I know you don't have the balls programmed or some geeky shit?"

Hardison brought a hand to his chest, "I'm hurt that you would accuse me of such an act." Then a glimmer touched his eye. "And I hadn't thought of that."

Tara raised an eyebrow at the two 'men' then turn to Parker who shrugged. She was immune to the boys' antics and arguments. "Hang on," Tara told Parker, walking over to the pool table. "Guys?" They ignored her. "Guys?" Nothing, Eliot lined up a shot.

She bumped the table with her hip, hard, knocking the balls just a little out of place.

"What the hell?" Eliot objected.

Tara smiled a condescending smile. "Is it a good idea to let Parker drive?"

The boys exchanged a look. Hardison answered. "Do you want to get there fast?"

Tara nodded. "Yeah, but I'd like to live, too."

"Oh, Parker's a very safe driver, but she takes laws as" Eliot struggled with an appropriate word, "suggestions."

"Okay," The grifter decided to take a chance. "Thanks for the heads up."

****

It is a fifteen minute drive from McRory's to Parker's place. So how they got there in six is a bit of a mystery. But six minutes was still plenty of time for Tara to get her head on straight. And by the time they were inside the apartment, Tara was certain she was insane.

She could do this. Anything. With Parker. Her new coworker. It would be wrong.

Meanwhile, Parker was putting together what appeared to be a very nice camera. "You wanna take your clothes off now?" a casual enough question. "I'm about ready."

"Sure." The corner's of Tara's mouth twitched nervously. "Just, can you turn around or something?"

Parker gave her a 'seriously?' look, but turned her back. "You realize I'll see you soon anyway."

"Yeah, but," Tara had her back turned as she peeled her clothes off. "It's different."

"Fine." She sighed and fiddled with the lens. "You ready."

Tara fidgeted as if she was pulling down the hem of a shirt. "Yeah."

The woman turned around at the same time. "Whoa." Parker smirked appreciatively.

"Hey!" Tara crossed her arms over her chest, a little more self-conscious than she'd predicted.

Parker stepped a little closer. "No, 'whoa' is good. Very," her eyes drifted, "Very good."

"Okay, okay, I get it. You wanna get flashing now?" Tara was a little less attracted to Parker now that the power had shifted so dramatically against her.

Parker sighed, trying to think of ways to make her new friend more comfortable. "Go pose over there." She pointed. "Hey, how many questions was I up to?"

"Twelve." Tara walked to the place. "Here?"

"Yeah." Parker thought quickly. "Okay, why did you study to be a lawyer and cartographer? I'll count 'em as twelve and thirteen."

Tara started to stretch out on the sofa. "I wasn't always a thief. I wanted to be an attorney so I studied that. And there's a cartographer in my family, I learned from him." Parker began to take pictures. "I like to learn."

"Okay." Parker stored away that information. "What's the scar from?"

Tara tensed. "What scar?"

"This one." Parker said, leaning over Tara and rubbing the scar on her head. "Its from something." She pulled and her hand trailed over Tara's breast. By accident.

A sharp intake of breath went unnoticed but Tara really wished Parker would touch her again. "It's from a time I was held. The time Sophie freed me. The reason I owe her."

"Cool." Parker smiled, truly thinking that was cool. She snapped a few more shots as Tara rolled up on one elbow. "Fifteen--"

"Are asking me stuff so I'll relax?"

"Uhm, yeah." Parker took a few more snapshots. "That okay?"

"Sure, but," Tara rolled a bit more, onto her stomach this time. "I feel like this is really uneven. Me naked and you--"

"You want me to take my clothes off?" Parker wondered.

"Hey," Tara said, "Do what you want, I didn't say that. But it does feel uneven."

Parker pulled her shirt over her head. "Done."

Tara tried very hard not to laugh as the younger thief stripped. "Better."

"Good, now stand up. I want some different angles." Parker instructed. Tara did as she was told. "Okay, now move your arm here," Parker grabbed her model's arm and repositioned her. "Perfect."

"Tell me and I'll--"

"Shh." Parker corrected, camera clicking.

She moved around Tara, taking photos from high angles and low, against the light and with. And Tara was taking advantage of this time to view Parker's naked figure. Her lovely naked figure. It was only a matter of moments, between Parker's demands and constant reshaping and their combined nudity, before Tara could feel herself getting wet. Just thinking about, just watching this woman was enough to-- Bad. But still, if Sophie would be back soon, then why shouldn't Tara have a little in the interim?

Tara was still considering her options when she felt a hand slide down her thigh. Part of her want to jump, the rest of her wanted to lean into it. Tara was almost thankful when the hand slipped away, except that meant it was gone. Parker turned Tara gently, guiding her with a hand over each hip. Again, when she pulled her hands away they brush the hot, tender skin of Tara's breasts. This time felt more deliberate: The fingers lingered longer, the touch seemed more teasing, and the shiver that it sent through her was more shocking.

"You okay?" Parker asked, noticing the change in Tara's breathing.

"Parker?" Tara whispered. "Thirteen: Shut up and kiss me."

Parker clicked the lens one last time. "That didn't sound like a question." She pressed her mouth to Tara's. They kissed with lips, tongues, and teeth. Their bodies melded together as the heat built. And any thoughts of games or film were long forgotten.

They pulled apart for air to find themselves in Parker's bedroom. The fact that they didn't know how they got there had no effect on Parker. She started kissing down Tara's neck, drawing a low moan. "Fine, you want me ask a question?" she panted, pulling Parker back gently by her hair. Parker whined, a low, sexed, whimper in answer. Tara licked her own lips in anticipation, and as a way to psych herself up.

"Will you please," the need was heavy and evident in her voice, "do me, NOW?"

Parker's eyes widened. She spoke rich and huskily. "Yes." She moved further into the room.

"What happened to no one word answers?" Tara teased.

Parker pushed Tara back on to the mattress. "We've got twelve questions lest between the two of us." She crawled so she was hovering above her new coworker. "I know I want to use mine wisely." She kissed Tara, her tongue traced over the other woman's lips, begging for reentrance. Then she was gone again, her hands roaming over Tara's sensitized skin. "I want to fuck you." A beat, they made deep eye contact. "Do you really want to tell me my word count?" Her lips were making their way across Tara's tan, toned stomach.

"Mmhh, no… Yes…" Tara mumbled as Parker's kisses got lower. "Oh Parker," she groaned, "I need you." Somewhere in the lust, all Tara's composure had dissolved and left her weak, needy, and wanting for the other thief's touch. Tara had never been one to tremble or beg but--

"Fuck, Parker!" Tara pleaded, as Parker's tongue traced circles around Tara's navel. "Please," the moan was now a whimper. Parker smiled wickedly as she slid between Tara's smooth thighs. She could almost taste the other woman's anticipation.

Parker is the same way about sex as she is about crime: impulsive, compassionate, and fully committed. It's a rush, it's fun, it's a game. This can be great, this can be a completely fucking satisfying experience for everyone. If you're ready for it. Thankfully, Tara has sex the same way she runs a con: consequence free, ready to win, and always willing to do what it takes to get what she wants. It's a mind game, usually, but if she can find someone that makes her shake, melt, beg, and (if it's possible) stop thinking; that the perfect night.

When Parker entered Tara's tight heat with two fingers, her tongue swirling tightly around Tara's sensitive clit, and Tara cried out, the first wave of her orgasm crashing through her; something struck her. Tara realized that all she was wanting was for Parker to keep touching her. She wanted to touch Parker, too. But, fuck, she felt like…She didn't even want to play games. She couldn't think of any games. She could barely breathe.

Parker moved up the bed and lay softly next to her lover. Tara reached a hand up and threaded her fingers through the blond hair. A smile touched her lips and eyes. Parker snuck another kiss before resting on her elbow.

"So, fourteen--" She started, a dirty as fuck grin on her face.

Tara looked up and hushed the younger woman with a finger. "No games." Parker looked confused. "I don't need to play games with you."

Parker didn't get the cryptic significance, but she still smirked and replied. "I'd win anyway."

"Wanna bet?" Tara laughed, and with that the two rolled into another kissed. It was Parker's turn, well you know, not like they were keeping score.

Poorly proofread, I know. But feedback? Please?