Title: Secret Admirer, Chapter One

Author: Pinkcat4569

Description: Becker is getting gifts. Does he have a secret admirer, and if so, who is it? Jess is his obvious suspect, but soon it seems like it could be someone else...

Rating: Teen for innuendos, mild language and implied adult situations

Pairing/Characters: Becker/Jess, pre-relationship, others from series 4,5

Disclaimer: I only write for fun. I don't own Primeval or the characters.

Author's Notes: Around 6829 Words total, split into six chapters. Written for Primeval Denial's Trope Bingo Category 23: Romance: Secret Admirers. Humorous story.

1290 Words this chapter

Secret Admirer, Chapter One

Becker got out of his truck, shut the door, and turned to head in to the ARC. He was directly in the line of another employee, getting out of a vehicle.

He smiled. The view consisted only of bare legs and a curvy bottom wearing a sparkly, short blue skirt. There was a tiny flash of pink underneath.

He quietly walked up.

"I can see your knickers."

Jess drew back in surprise, smacking her head on the car's roof. "Ow! Becker!"

He laughed.

"That was so mean!" she said, smacking him lightly.

"Mean? I was notifying you that your unmentionables were on display."

"You could have made a sound before so I wouldn't jump and hurt myself!"

"Sorry," he said with a smirk.

She pulled the boxes out of her car and tried to juggle her purse, laptop, and a coffee with them.

"Here, let me help."

"Thank you," she said.

He smirked and took the coffee.

"Becker!"

He laughed again, handing it back and taking the boxes instead.

"Why are you in such a playful mood?"

"I dunno," he said as they walked. "You bring it out, I guess."

She smiled and blushed slightly. "I think you just like to pick on me."

"You are an easy target," he said.

She opened the door for him. "Just because I'm not carrying a weapon all over the place, doesn't mean I'm a vulnerable softie."

He smiled. "Oh, you look soft..."

"Becker!"

He laughed.

They headed into the main corridor. "Where do these go?"

"Would you take them to Ops for me? I'll give them to Lester later."

"Bringing gifts for your boss, Jessica?"

She wrinkled her brow. "I was commanded," she said. "He calls me this morning and insists that I stop by the bakery and get these special muffins. Honestly, I'm not his errand boy!"

"So why did you get them?"

She sighed. "A happy boss bellows less. Anyway, this bakery just happens to have the best chocolate croissants."

Becker laughed. "I should have known."

She giggled. "Yes, you should have." She walked with him as far as the locker room, where she went to drop off her coat and bag, then he continued to Ops with the boxes.

"That's a lot of muffins for one man," he muttered.

"Hardly. I only ordered three dozen," said a voice.

Becker looked up to see Lester standing over him. "Parker pushed this assignment off on you, did she?" asked the boss.

Becker laughed. "I only carried them in for her."

"How gentlemanly," said Lester. "I can manage from here." He picked up the boxes and moved to his office.

"You're really going to eat all of those yourself?"

"To the very last crumb," said Lester. "Pass the word. I'm in conference til further notice."

"Conference with muffins?"

"Indeed," he said, closing his office door and lowering the blind.

Becker heard giggling. "I knew it," Jess said. "Like I said, a happy boss." She sat at the ADD. "He'll be locked away and not bothering me for a good long while." She looked at Becker and smiled.

"Devious."

"He asked for them. I just aided and a bedded." She giggled to herself.

Becker shook his head, chuckling. "It did get rid of him."

"Yep," she said with a smile.

"Well, since it's all quiet here, I'll head to my office I guess."

Jess smiled. "See you later."

"Later, Jess."

Becker walked into his office, tossing his coat on a chair, then he noticed a box on his desk. It was plain brown with a note attached. "For you..." That was all it said. He opened it and his eyebrow jumped up.

Inside was a tea mug. It was black and plain...

Except for a big red heart.

He sat down, holding the mug.

"I seem to have a secret admirer," he said out loud.

Becker looked around outside his office. No one was hanging about. He looked at the mug. Who could have sent it?

One name and image popped into his mind: Jess. He smiled. It was fairly obvious the young woman had a crush on him. She'd never expressed it tangibly, other than blushes, smiles, and the frequent tongue-tied babbling. Although there was the time she crashed his stakeout with Chinese.

Leaving a gift, though, especially one with a big red heart was fairly bold.

He smiled. He liked her. She was sweet, funny, smart, and he had to be honest: beautiful. He sighed. Since joining the ARC it had become apparent that his life would never be normal. He couldn't afford distractions or obligations. It wasn't fair to him or anyone else.

He didn't want to hurt her. He certainly didn't want to lose...whatever it was they had. Jess Parker had quickly become one of the most important people in his life.

Then he had a thought: it couldn't be her. She just arrived, unless she had popped inside the ARC and into his office and then returned to her car. That could be why she was outside when he arrived. She also could have left it last night. He'd left after her though.

Maybe it wasn't Jess.

He had enough wondering so he decided to face this head on. It was the best way. He went back to Ops.

"Hey, Jess?"

She smiled brightly. "You're back. Miss me?" she asked with a giggle.

He smirked. "You arranged it."

"Excuse me?"

He held up the mug.

She looked confused. "Um...nice mug?"

"You left it on my desk."

"No I didn't. It's not mine."

He laughed. "No, Jessica. You left it for me, with a note."

She shook her head. "No, I didn't."

He stared.

"Becker, do you have an admirer?"

"Are you sure it's not you?"

She blushed. "Yeah, I'd remember."

He sighed.

"Why did you think it was me?"

Now he blushed. Then he recovered. "Big red heart...kind of screams 'Jess,' don't you think?"

She laughed. "True, but I wouldn't have chosen a black background."

She was right. She'd have picked some bright 'Jess' color like neon blue or bright green.

"So...someone likes you."

He smirked. "It's been known to happen."

She laughed. "Any ideas...other than me?" she asked with a smile.

He frowned a bit. Now he felt awkward. He'd just hinted that he thought she could possibly like him. She could infer that he hoped it was her. "I just thought," he said, "we're friends, and you like hearts, and you're...thoughtful."

She smiled.

"It seemed like something you'd do."

"It does, actually. I like to make sure everyone takes time for tea."

He laughed. "Yeah, that's kind of what I thought. If it isn't you..."

"Then who is it?" asked Jess. She frowned. Then quickly wiped it off.

"You OK?" he asked.

"What? Of course, why wouldn't I be?"

He smiled. "You just seem...quiet." He had seen the frown. "You aren't bothered, are you?"

She shook her head quickly. "Of course not!"

He smirked. "Oh...good."

She frowned again. "I certainly don't care if someone...wants...your company," she said, but not sounding so convincing.

"Well, I'll have to let them down gently," he said. "I don't have time for..."

"Tea?"

He laughed. "Yeah."

"Don't I know it."

His brow wrinkled. "Are you sure, it's not from you, Jessica?"

She looked at him but smiled. She then turned, without answering. He was less sure now. He'd been persuaded that she wasn't the gift giver. Now though...

Was Jess messing with him?

End of Chapter One