Title: Mixing Business with Pleasure

Author: AnitaB

Rating:pg-13(ish pg-14?)

Disclaimer: I do not now nor ever will own The Lone Gunman or its characters. No copyright infringement is intended in my matchmaking (and matchmaking I am).

Author's note: This story is written post the Tango Dance episode (I have no idea what the actual title is) at the request of a friend and co-writer of mine, Gatekeeper. See I told you I'd write a nice sappy piece for you putting Eva and Byers together.

// //indicates thoughts
Mixing Business with Pleasure

By AnitaB

Chapter 1: Business

It was torture to stand there and watch her in another man's arms, even if it was only a dance. She was beautiful, stunning in a tight red and black dress. Byers fought to keep his face blank --unsuccessfully--as that man touched his Eva.

Half his mind focused on the CD with its radar composite, but it was the half focused on Eva that cried out at the sight of the man with a knife sneaking up behind her. The knife hit That man in the back, instead of its intended target, the woman of his dreams.

Byers rushed out onto the dance floor, fighting the urge to throw his arms around her and instead helped Eva lower the injured man to the floor, trying to ease her pain the only way he could. Seeing that pain in her eyes cut him to the bone. He placed a gentle hand on her shoulder as she hovered over the body.

000

"I suppose I should say something. Thank her for not wigging out and shiving me for real." Byers put a hand on Langley's shoulder.

"Later," Byers looked over to where Eva sat, morosely staring out over the room. "That's not what she needs right now. I'll see you back at the hotel later." He waited until everyone had left before walking over to Eva.

Holding a hand out to her, he waited for a reaction. Eva looked up, seeing the sympathy in his eyes--she took his hand and let him lead her out onto the floor. Awkwardly, he put a hand on her waist and clasped her hand in his. With force of will Byers tamped down the physical reaction of having her in his arms. However, a thought broke through, God, she's beautiful. And she was beautiful, gorgeous enough to make his teeth hurt. But that wasn't the point, that wasn't the reason he was here and dancing (badly) with her. He couldn't stand to see her in pain and the only way he knew how to comfort her was to hold her and offer a shoulder to cry on. Eva's pride couldn't accept a comforting hug without the pretense of dancing.

Byers didn't mind. It was a gift she didn't know she was giving him to let him hold her in his arms like this.

As the music played, Byers did his best to follow Eva in a stilted tango. She smiled a little at his complete inability to dance and how sweet of him it was to try for her sake. Moving closer, she put her head on his shoulder. It surprised her just how good it felt to be close to him, how right his arms felt around her.

Byers closed his eyes at the feel of her body against his. He leaned down to whisper in her ear, the softness of his beard brushing her cheek.

"I'm so sorry, Eva. I never meant for this to hurt anyone. I never meant to hurt you." He forced aside the thoughts brought up by the scent and feel of her hair brushing his face.

She looked up at him, shivering imperceptibly at the soft scrape of his beard against her skin. "It wasn't your fault, Byers." At the sight of her lips forming his last name, he wanted to hear her say his first name in that same quiet tone.

"John." He corrected softly.

Eva rested her hands on his chest, shocked at the correction. Even the other Lone gunmen called him Byers. "John, it wasn't your fault. I never blamed you."

He hugged her closer, a part of him reveling in the contact while the rest of him concentrated on easing her pain. "I'll be there for you if you need me, Eva."

"Thank you....John." She smiled a little sadly, patted him on the shoulder, slipped out of his grasp, and walked out of the room. Byers stood there, arms still curved around the space where Eva had stood, aching at her absence.

000

Just outside the door Eva stopped, glancing back as if she could see Byers through the wall. With a puzzled look on her face she brushed her fingertips over the spot of skin his beard had touched. For some reason her skin felt cold where she'd felt his warmth against her. His arms had felt so good, so safe around her. She shook her head and let her hand drop. That couldn't be right, she didn't feel anything for Byers-- John. He was sometimes a useful coworker and that was all.

She straightened her dress, nodded her head sharply, and walked away. //It didn't mean anything. //

000

[One week later]

Byers looked up at the shrill scream of the doorbell. Leaving the computer in mid-keystroke, he checked the monitor next to the door. On the screen Eva stood looking straight into the camera.

"John?"

Hurriedly unlocking the door, he led her into the room. "I'm here, Eva. What can I do for you?" He tried to slow his heartbeat, but Eva's presence made the task nearly impossible.

"Are Langley and Frohike here?" She sat down on a stool at the counter, fidgeting nervously.

"No, everyone's gone out for a little while."

"Good, I need to ask you something, but you can't tell them about it."

The urgency in her voice made him nervous. He sat down across from her. "Okay, what's the question?"

"I need your help. I'm working on a project and the man I need to follow is taking his wife to a marriage counseling camp. I can't go alone because a single woman would stand out. John, will you go with me?"

"You want me to pretend to be your husband so you can follow this man into couple's counseling?"

At her nod, he considered it. Helping her would be a mixed blessing. He would spend time close to her, but it would all be fake--undercover work.

"Why couldn't I tell Langley and Frohike?"

She laughed, "Can you imagine what they'd do to us if they knew we were going undercover as a married couple? We'd never hear the end of it."

Byers forced a small laugh.

"So will you help me?"

He couldn't say no to her and the idea of playing her husband appealed to him. Being close to her appealed to him. "Yes, I'll go. When do we leave?" She smiled and leaned forward excitedly.

"The day after tomorrow. Here's the plan..."

000

"So what did you tell the guys?"

Byers slid into the passenger's seat of Eva's car, tossing a duffle bag into the back. "I told them one of my sources had information for me and told me to come meet him alone. With my source out of state, the excuse should hold up for a week or more."

"Great," she turned to him, "here's your ring. Remember we're keeping our real first names but our last name is Michelson." She handed him a gold band and a few cards. "Here's your fake id."

"Thanks, Eva. Tell me a little more about the camp on the way." He smiled jokingly, "Is it a last stop before a divorce or are we just working on our communication skills?"

Eva laughingly shook her head and started the car. "The camp specializes in communication development, for those madly in love enough to spend a lot of money on learning how to talk to someone they see every day." she smiled at him "so we're not getting a divorce, dear."

His heart flip-flopped against his ribs before he remembered she was acting--this was undercover work. "I don't do a lot of acting, so help me with our histories."

"Fine, you recite and I'll correct you." she turned her eyes to the road and John watched her profile avidly.

"We've been married for 3 years--no kids, not yet anyway. I'm a English professor at Penn. State University. You're a stylist at a salon in Philadelphia. We met 4 years ago when you took a night course at the university." He paused, "I've learned our histories-- plus personal details--but I still don't know anything about the man we're trailing. Who is he?"

Completely straight-faced Eva said, "His name is Fred Flintstone and he has some stone-age technology I'm planning to sell to the Russians."

"Eva!" Byers sighed at her stubbornness. "I'm working with you on this. But you won't give me the smallest amount of information. How can I help you if you won't trust me?"

"John, the only thing you're here for is to make me inconspicuous by playing my husband. You don't need to know who he is or what he has."

"Am I allowed to see what this mystery man we're following looks like, or isn't my security clearance high enough?"

Eva sighed at his stubbornness, "John, I'll point him out to you when we get there. I'll tell you everything you need to know then." Glancing at him, she could see this argument wasn't over by the expression on his face. It was going to be a long drive. //How do people put up with each other long enough to get married in the first place? //

000

"Okay, there's the lodge, can we pretend to be married now?"

"All right, Eva, let's go." Shifting the wedding ring to a more comfortable position on his finger, John grabbed the bags off the back seat and climbed out of the car. Smiling, he held a hand out to her, "Come on, honey."

Smiling, Eva took his hand and together they walked into the lobby. John fought to hold in a soft moan at the feel of her hand intertwined with his.

"Mr. and Mrs. Michelson to check in." John draped an arm over Eva's shoulders and half listened to the clerk telling them about the day's activities. A part of him was enjoying having Eva tucked under his arm. The clerk's words filtered through dimly.

"The bell hop will take your luggage up to the room. Tonight there's an opening social with a dance floor and a live band. Tomorrow morning there's an orientation breakfast before the first seminar."

Eva put an arm around John's waist and smiled at the clerk. "We'll just head up to the room for now."

"Of course, Ma'am. Right this way."

Following the bellhop into the hotel room, the first thing John noticed was the one queen-sized bed. Oh, that's a problem. John sat on the edge of the bed as Eva shut the door and turned to him.

"So far, so good. You did just fine in the lobby." Eva sat down next to him.

"Thanks, but we have a small problem."

"What's wrong?"

He motioned at the room. "There's only one bed."

Eva laughed, "John, we're both adults. It'll be fine. Now back to work, we should go to the social. You brought casual clothes, right?"

John breathed a sigh of relief. Casual clothes meant there wouldn't be a repeat of that black and red formal dress. "Yes, I have casual clothes, Eva."

000

John was getting ready for the social in the bedroom while Eva changed in the bathroom.

"Is it safe to come out, John?" He turned to the bathroom door.

"Yeah, it's safe."

Eva stepped into the room and John's heart leapt into his mouth. She was wearing a halter top and a long flowing skirt. The halter had a low v-neck and a wide strap across her lower back. Otherwise, her arms and back were bare. Her skirt swirled around her ankles above high-heeled sandals. //God, she's gorgeous. That outfit is worse than the dress.//Knowing he was supposed to say something, he choked out "That's casual?" //Oops, wrong response.//

She raised an eyebrow, "Why thank you, John. You look wonderful, too."

"I'm sorry, Eva. You look amazing, just not what I was expecting for casual." //This is going to kill me, but I'll die happy. //

She smiled her acceptance of his apology, enjoying the shock and bald appreciation on his face. Part of Eva was shocked and a little worried at how much she enjoyed the look in John's eyes. This man shouldn't be able to affect her like that. "We should go, the social will start soon."

Opening the door like a gentleman, John guided her out of the room with a hand on her back. Both luxuriated in the feel of skin against skin.

000

The social had just started but there were already a few couples out on the dance floor. Eva and John stepped into the room with his hand still resting against her back. He glanced around the room, trying to choose the best table to see all the doors. Eva's eyes made the same search.

"The dance floor has the best view." she decided aloud. John led her to the dance floor. Settling into his arms, Eva was again surprised at how good it felt to be there. Her mind was divided between attention to the job and to John. But both halves agreed on one thing--he needed to be closer. She put her arms around his neck and whispered, "We're supposed to be married, hold me closer."

He obeyed, his hands tightening around her waist and sliding against the skin of her back. Pressing her against him, John rested his cheek against her hair, her head resting on his shoulder. His eyes clenched shut at the feel of her in his arms again, so close.

Her eyes stayed open as Eva wondered why this felt so good. //Stop, you're supposed to be working, that's why you're here//. She told herself with a mental head shaking. //The way you're dancing the two of you can see the whole room. That's the point//. "John?"

"Yes."

"The man we're looking for is short, 5'8" with black hair and blue eyes. Mid 30's, slightly over-weight. His wife is shorter, mid 20's with brown hair and hazel eyes, thin. Both tend towards rich clothes and she's big on tacky gold jewelry."

John scanned the room without lifting his face from her hair. "Not in my half of the room, how's your half?"// He is the smart one of the bunch. Though admittedly the other gunmen are a lot of competition.// "Nothing yet, but it's still early. Let's keep dancing." He nodded and danced, swaying to the band's slow singing.

Without his conscious knowledge his hands started rubbing up and down her back, covering every inch of bare skin. Eva fought to keep still against her body's urge to arch into his touch. //What is he doing to me?// His sudden breath against her ear brought a gasp to her throat before his words registered in her mind.

"Couple matching your description by the terrace doors." John moved her in a smooth turn so she could see them.

Under her breath she whispered, "Good job, John." she pulled back--staying in his arms--and smiled into his eyes. "Let's go for a walk."

Nodding, John draped an arm across her shoulders and led her out the terrace doors. They strolled along the garden path slowly, barely staying within sight of the target couple. "What are we watching for?" He glanced down at her, "What are we waiting for him to do?"

"He's supposed to make an exchange--sell something to someone here, no one knows who." Eva shivered a little at the slight chill in the air. Casually dressed, John didn't have a jacket to give her. Instead he pulled her in front of him, pressed her bare back against his chest and wrapped his arms around her waist. //God, she feels good. //

"Do we know when?" The target couple stopped walking a short distance ahead and John stopped as well. Standing at the railing of a bridge over a small creek, they pretended to gaze out over the water. Keeping her tucked against him for warmth, he felt her shake her head. "This week sometime." She cuddled herself closer against him, half her mind listening for the target couple to start moving again.

Footsteps moved towards them and Eva turned in John's arms. "He can't see me following him." She wrapped her arms around his neck, leaning up to kiss him. He groaned, responding eagerly after a frozen instant. His fingers clenched against her back, pulling her harder against him and deepening the kiss. One hand tangled into her hair while the other rubbed against the length of her spine. Suddenly his mind caught up with his body--and he realized exactly what he was doing. The feel of Eva kissing him back just as eagerly made him hesitate--it felt so good--but he forced himself to pull back. His heart rejoiced at the dazed look on her face, knowing he had the same look on his face.

"They've passed us, we'd better follow or we might miss the exchange." Eva nodded a little uncertainly.

"Yeah, we should go." She dropped her eyes and followed John back down the path towards the building. //What's happening to me? //She panicked silently.//His touch has been affecting me since the tango competition. //She glanced at her hand resting in his. //I shouldn't be so comfortable touching him. Then one kiss and the job flies straight out of my head. How can he do this to me? //

Little did Eva know, John was just as confused, but for a different reason. He knew how he felt about her and how strongly he felt for her, but her feelings were unclear. How much of her reactions to him were real and how much acting? That kiss...either he affected her as much as she did him or she deserved an academy award. He glanced down at her curly hair trailing on his shoulder. //I wish I knew what she was thinking. This week is going to kill me. //He put an arm around her waist as they reentered the social.

000