Disclaimer: I don't own "The Pretender"

There lives were predestined from the very first time they met. Although he thought of her as beautiful, she was cold to the touch. She reminded him of ice and knew exactly how to paste on a smile when it all became too much. In his eyes, she was an "ice queen". She had a tantalizing affect on him each time those icy blues of hers met his warm dark chocolates. Always on her guard, she has never trusted anyone.

With cautiousness, she watched his every move. A mask she's never tried to break, her coldness never allowed her to boil over, never to melt with the heat of his heart. She never allowed herself the thawing she so yearned with the burning desire she felt within herself. She fantasized about him, his dimpled smile, mahogany colored eyes and what she thought was the perfection of man. She desired the one thing she could never have. Her love for him was disguised in secret. She promised herself never to give into his passion, no matter how much she loved him. She's never known his touch, but, craved for it.

He attempted to win her heart. He's never looked at another woman the way he looks at her. In his eyes she was flawless. Yet, she was untouchable, never allowed him the closeness he so desired. Never has he felt the satisfaction of his yearnings for her. Sadness and loneliness filled their lives. "The Centre" blinded their love and happiness which they so richly deserved.

He greeted her frozen shield with love and warmth. Without realizing, her heart had begun to melt, unlocking the secrets that had been kept intact for as long as she could remember. It was the beginning of a new day. The sunlight shone through the laced curtains in Miss Parker's bedroom.

"Hey there, Sunshine," he said.

Miss Parker stretched her long nude body and yawned. She sat up suddenly, grabbed her head from the excruciating pain, then fell back into bed.

"My head's killing me," she cried out.

"I'm not feeing so great myself. We had a bit too much to drink." He curled up, pulled her into him and lightly kissed the smoothness of her bare skin.

She pushed him aside. "Jarod, get over on your side of the bed. You're squashing me."

"Didn't know I had my own side of this bed," he mumbled.

Her blue eyes widely opened. "Jarod," she said softly.

"Hmm? What?"

"Jarod? Jarod!" Sitting up, she shook him hard.

"Cut it out, Parker. You're making me dizzy," he yelled.

"What the hell are you doing here? Naked! In my bed?" She hollered.

"Look down at yourself, you're not exactly dressed for a prom!"

Miss Parker sobered up quickly and grabbed her tee shirt off of the floor which had been discarded the night before.

"Bastard!" She yelled.

"Halloween's just around the corner, Parker, shouldn't you be gathering sticks for your broom?" Jarod growled.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! What have you done? What have we done?"

Jarod rolled flat on his back. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her. "Ah, you're beginning to remember last night, I see."

Roughly, she pulled the blanket over him. "Cover up, for heaven's sakes! You're a disgusting sight!"

"Rip my heart out, why don't you? You weren't complaining last night! If I recall correctly, you were the initiator."

"Shut up!" She screamed.

"Didn't realized you were such a screamer until last night. I'm sure you woke up the neighbors. Was it good for you as it was for me?" He gleamed at her.

"This isn't funny!" She hit him over the head with a pillow. "Where's my gun? Where is it?" She asked frantically.

"Just in case you'd have second thoughts of us when you got up, I disposed of it temporarily." Jarod sat up and reached for her black-laced panty which hung from the bedpost. "You want this?" He twirled it in mid-air.

"Give me that! You're really enjoying yourself, aren't you? Aren't you?!"

"Need help with your undies? It's only right since I was the one who..."

"I'm going to kill you," she snarled. Quickly, she slipped it on.

He stared at her eyes. "You have a gentle soul, Parker. I can see through you."

"I kill people in my sleep!"

"Your eyes shows full of love and affection, but, you've guarded it so well that no one could see past them."

"So, you think I'm some sort of damsel in distress and you're my knight-in-shinning armor who came to my rescue last night just because you sure did a great job of thawing this "ice queen"?"

"Thank you," he winked at her. "That great, huh?"

"Stop that gloating! I can't believe I, we...Shit!" She hollered.

"Parker, calm down. It's not like we were unfaithful to others. We were two consenting adults, who...let's see. Let me put this in plain english, you were the one who hopped on me!" He laughed. "What are you getting so upset for?"

"Look, I tripped and fell on you! That's all! I barely had anything to eat yesterday, I was hungry and felt slightly light-headed when I, again, I'll say this...I tripped and fell on you! What part don't you understand?"

"Huh! It looked like you were hungry alright. But, not for food. Me! You were hungry for me! What now? I walk away like nothing ever happened? I wasn't playing a "pretend" last night. How about we talk about us?"

"Us? Us? There is no us, Einstein! Get out! Will you just get out?" Parker sat on the edge of the bed and rubbed her temples. "I don't believe I did this. God, what would "The Centre" think?"

"What? "The Centre"? Are you planning on wearing a sign saying, "Boy genius bedded me down last night! Whee! What a night!" You want to advertise this newly found curriculum of ours?"

"It's not suppose to be like this," she mumbled sitting at the foot of the bed.

"What was that, Miss Parker?" Jarod moved closer to her. "Not supposed to be like what? You sleeping with the enemy?" She felt his breath on the back of her neck and lightly felt a kiss.

"Stop it, Jarod! Just because I let you in me last night, doesn't mean I'll ever allow it again. I said stop it!"

He didn't and playfully blew in her ear.

"I mean it," she snapped and glared at him. "Quit playing around."

"Okay." He pulled away. "Is it so wrong to want some human contact? You're lonely, too."

Parker watched as he pulled up his briefs and jeans in front of her. Images of their night flashed through her mind.

Jarod sat shirtless next to her. "Parker, I'm sorry I took advantage of you. You may have initiated that kiss, but, I should have stopped before it escalated."

"I should have shot you. Why do you do that? You don't want to be caught by "The Centre", but yet, you lurk around here at my place." She fluffed her hair.

Jarod shrugged. "Just making sure you're alright. You come across cold, unfeeling and detached to people. And you seem to have the pleasure of doing it. Apparently, you have difficulties in dealing with reality and life."

"Well, Jarod, if you had a life like mine, wouldn't you be like me? Distant and unable to trust anyone?"

"Oh, my life's just picture perfect. Want to trade? I've watched you. You seem at ease in your homey surroundings, but, out in the real world, you have an image of an "ice queen". Why?"

She sighed. "I think that people in life don't express as much as they should. People hide their true feelings most of the time."

"And what about last night? Did you express exactly what you felt about me, in the privacy of your own home? Do you remember the events of last night?" He waited for what seemed like forever before she answered.

"I remember. Everything." She softened.

Miss Parker recapped their moments which surprised Jarod.

"I remember I forced you at gunpoint into the house. You called a truce. I agreed. Stupidly, I suppose. You joined me in a drink, another and then another." She turned to him. "How many did we have?"

"Too many, Parker." He turned locking his eyes on hers.

Unconsciously, she relaxed and grabbed hold of his hand interlocking their fingers. "I wanted to kiss you. So, I did. I knew what I was doing."

"So, did I," he replied looking down at their hands thinking how perfectly they fit together.

"Even if you had wanted to stop, I wouldn't have been able to," she said.

"I didn't want to stop. I couldn't stop," he said.

"You made me feel warmth in the comfort of your strong arms. You made me feel safe, you made me feel like there were no more pains and sorrows of the past." She brought his hand to her lips giving it a soft peck.

"Parker, I think I'd better leave before we forget..."

"Jarod, you made me happy even if it were only for that moment. A lot happier than I've ever been. I loved the way you carried me into the bedroom. You stripped me of my clothing slowly and carefully. I watched as you undressed slowly. All the while even if it was for only several seconds, it felt like an eternity. I wanted to tear your clothes off. You took your time. You whispered words of sweetness. I loved your soft kisses on my neck, the taste of alcohol on your tongue on mine, your nibbling and soft sucking of my breasts. You made me tingle even more when I felt your mouth all over. Then, you slowly crawled atop of me. Do you remember what happened next, Jar?"

"I remember everything, every detail. You flipped me over, kissed every inch of my body. You got a little out of hand."

"Uh-huh." Parker pointed to the love bites on his chest.

Both seemed happy, as they reminisced and simply enjoyed each other's presence.

"You lost control, I lost control. You were very loud. You surprised me. You've hissed and snarled at me lots of times, but, Parker, it was to a different tune last night. And then we...I guess we weren't that drunk. We remember it all. I hadn't expected you to have woken me up three hours later for a repeat performance."

Miss Parker smiled. Silence filled the air.

"What are you thinking of?"

"You," she answered wrapping her arms around him.

"What about me?"

A sigh escaped from her lips. She lifted her gaze to him. His fingers lightly brushed over her cheek. Her hand ran affectionately across his chest.

"I've missed you, Jarod. The way everything use to be...you were my best friend. I went away. You ran for your life and when I returned, you became my enemy. I'm sorry. I never meant for your life to be the way it is. Always on the run. It must be so lonely out there."

"You get used to it." He stroked her hair.

"I can't help but sometimes hate you. You left "The Centre". I'm still there," she said sadly. "And I don't know what it is about you, but, I'm not just existing when I'm with you."

"What happens next, Parker?" Jarod asked concerned about the obstacles that awaited them.

"Don't know". She stood up and faced her "pretender". She looked into his eyes and fell into his arms. "Does this have to end?"

"Do you want it to end?" He asked as he held on to her.

"No," she answered without hesitation.

"I asked myself many times, if I could spend the rest of my life without you. The answer's always the same. No." Jarod pulled his "huntress" on him laying back into bed.

"Jarod, it's dangerous being around you. We could get in too deep and..."

He lowered her face to his and their mouths met. "What are you going to do about it?" He muttered between kisses.

Parker pulled away and hovered over him. "Exciting and dangerous, that's what you are. You do know what you're getting yourself into?"

"I know. Do you? I'll walk away now, if you tell me to, Parker."

"I can't and I won't."

Their kiss wasn't hard and passionate, but, warm and tender.

"Jarod?"

"What?"

"So, you think I'm an "ice queen"?"

He laughed.

"Jarod, I'm not strong enough to let you go."

"And all I can promise is to never let you go, Parker."

TBC - Chapter 2