Disclaimer: I do not own Leverage nor am I associated with Dean Devlin, Beth Riesgraf or Christian Kane.
Julia and Emeril
Teresa and her daughter had left first, telling everyone to lock up on their way out. Hardison's phone rang about 10:00 and he had to run home to shut off the water in his apartment before it started flooding the hallway.
"Damn dogsitter⦠Don't he know you're supposed to turn the water off after you give a dog a bath?" he grumbled around a goodbye.
Nathan and Sophie had headed for home not longer after that, but they took a cab instead of either of their cars so the remaining team members were left to wonder where they were really going. They decided they didn't need to know; it was like walking in on your parents.
"You heading out?" Eliot asked as he slowly began clearing the table.
Parker shrugged. "I'll help you clean up first."
"You don't have to do that," he protested, balancing several dishes on his arm.
"I don't have anything better to do; there isn't a single museum show this weekend. Can you believe that?" Parker shook her head as though it was the most tragic and ludicrous thing she'd ever heard.
Eliot didn't bother staring in confusion; he was long used to her untraceably rambling logic. They worked quickly and efficiently in the kitchen by the light of an uncovered bulb hanging from the ceiling. He washed, she dried and before they knew it, they were stacking the last few dishes on a shelf.
"Well, that was easy," Parker commented, wiping her hands on her pants.
Eliot nodded, a slightly awkward silence settling over them. Suddenly, his eyes lit up. "Hey, there's still some gelato left; I don't want it to go bad just sitting hereā¦"
Grinning, Parker opened several drawers until she found the silverware. She handed him a spoon, saying, "Show me the way."
The cook swung open the large freezer door and pulled out a wrapped bowl. Setting it on the counter, he pulled the plastic wrap off and 'dunked' it in the garbage can by the door.
"And score!" Parker jabbed him with the end of her spoon. "Dinner was really good, by the way."
"Thanks. We should team up more often; you make a good dishwasher," Eliot said, unsuccessfully biting back a smirk.
Whacking him on the arm, she stuck her tongue out. "I'll have you know I am a regular Julia."
"You can cook?" Eliot looked faithlessly disbelieving.
She leaned against the counter, tapping her spoon against her nose. "Mhmm. I used to work in a restaurant in Germany before I figured out I could make a better living stealing jewels."
Eliot raised his eyebrows at the blond, pointing a spoonful of the Italian ice cream in her direction, "Well, Julia and Emeril; don't we make a fine couple?"
Parker sucked the sweet ice between her lips, darting a tongue against them. "I don't know; one lush in this patchwork family is enough, don't you think?"
Eliot stared unabashedly, swallowing hard as she tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. "Huh?" he reflexively grunted, not hearing her words in the least.
"I said, don't you think-" Eliot took her face in both hands and cut her off with his mouth on hers. Parker's hands flew to the counter behind her in surprise but her eyes quickly shut and she again darted her tongue across her lips. Eliot groaned as she pulled away a fraction of a second to hop up on the kitchen island. Settling her palms at his neck and her legs around his waist, she leaned back in for another kiss. He dragged a hand down her thigh to her knee and his tongue along hers.
"That is some damn fine cooking, if I do say so myself."
