Pool Party

This story is not beta read, but is a Birthday Present for a friend of mine...Emma (shabbytiger). I hope you like it. Happy Birthday Emma.

This is my first Leverage story posted. I am working on my real first written Leverage story with another friend and hope to have it posted soon. In fact I'd like to thank Meghan for helping me make the story more real.

I own nothing or anyone from Leverage, if I did...well we'd have way more Parker and Eliot scenes.

There is no real plot here, it's Parker's birthday and she wanted a pool party, so Sophie made sure she had one. I know this may be a little OOC and it's definitely AU since the stupid writer's won't give us our way. I like Hardison, but not with Parker. All I'm saying.

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Parker was the happiest she'd been in a long time. Today was her birthday and Sophie had asked her what she wanted. She wanted a pool party and that is exactly what she got, in true Sophie style no less. A private pool party in a nice hotel. In fact they were on the top floor of the hotel.

Sophie even made Nate, Hardison, and Eliot promise not to plan, hack, or grumble on her birthday. So far, all was going great. Nate sat under an umbrella, sipping something with alcohol in it, she was sure. Hardison still had not come even close to the pool, left over anxiety from being thrown in months ago put him off. Instead, he used his computer to play music that he knew Parker liked. Eliot promised to come swim with her as soon as he finished grilling her birthday dinner. Sophie clad in 40's style one piece and big floppy hat sat on a lounge chair, sun bathing.

Parker looked at her family and how they made her special day just that...special.

She took her robe off, wearing the new bathing suit Sophie had all but forced Parker to put on for the occasion. Apparently swimming in the nude was frowned upon. As Parker dove into the pool, she never saw the look Eliot threw her way when he saw the bathing suit. He sat down his beer shakily, eyebrows flinging upward his jaw works as he swallows thickly. He tries not quite successfully to concentrate on the grill.

Sophie had bought Parker a skimpy two piece bathing suit in black, that barely left

anything to the imagination. When Parker had put it on, she hoped that it garnered attention. Maybe the attention of Eliot. She had unrequited feelings for the hitter, but didn't know what if anything he felt for her. Maybe by the end of the night she would know.

Nate was oblivious as usual to anything but his drink and Sophie in her lounge chair near him. Hardison was too caught up in his computer to even notice the splash of water. Eliot on the other hand, always aware had noticed. Plus Parker splashed him lightly on entry.

He wanted to forget the food on the grill and jump into the pool to join Parker, but he had promised to make her birthday dinner before bringing out the cake that he had baked for her. Parker just swam and splashed in the pool, having the time of her life. And he was powerless to take his eyes off of her.

Eliot tried his best to keep his eyes on the grill, but they kept straying to the pool and the beautiful thief as she laughed and swam. He really wished it was a private party of two right now...no wait, he was not thinking that. Yeah, he had to admit he was thinking that, and more. When did this happen? When did he start thinking of Parker like that?

Yeah, it was true. He tried hard to fight the attraction he had to her, because she was...well, Parker. She was crazy, but in a good way sometimes. He shook his head and focused on the hamburgers she had asked for. He finished the last batch and told everyone that the food was done. Everyone gathered around the table inside, except for Parker. Eliot went back outside to find her, still swimming in the pool.

"Parker, the food is ready. Come on inside darlin' before Hardison eats all of the burgers." He called to her.

"I'm not hungry yet Eliot. I want to swim some more. It's been forever since I got to just swim and have fun in a pool." She whined. When she was six her foster parents had an in ground pool. She missed that, but not them.

"Don't you want your food and cake, not to mention the presents for your birthday?" He asked her as he watched her swim.

He shrugged. "Sides I think Hardison wrapped like fifty empty boxes inside of each other just to make getting to the gift more fun." He sat down on the pool edge.

She thought about that and smiled. "Yes, but not yet. I want to swim for a little while, do you wanna come swim with me?"

Eliot looked back inside where the others were already eating and talking together, then back at her. "Sure, why not darlin'." He took his shirt off, making her mouth water. She tried and failed to avert her gaze.

He dove into the pool and swam under water towards her. As he surfaced, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her towards him. She grabbed onto his shoulders and giggled. Then she pushed him under water and swam away from his hands before he could grab her, laughing the whole time.

Eliot came up for air and laughed and chased her in the pool. He let her think she was staying just out of his reach, then finally caught her once again around the waist. "Thought that was funny, huh?" He asked.

She nodded with a huge smile on her face. "Yep, I do." Then she leaned forward and kissed him, shocking both of them.

Eliot was not expecting the kiss, but returned it with everything he could give. Her lips were soft and driving him crazy. They started going under water, bringing them back to reality. "What was that for?" He asked.

"I wanted too and I'm the birthday girl so I can." He laughed. "Alright then."

He never let go of her, but pulled her to the shallow end of the pool and pulled her back into another kiss.

Pulling away, Parker gave him a quick peck and smiled at him. "Thank you Eliot."

"For what darlin'?" He looked at her, his brow quirked, confused.

She ran her thumb down his stubbled jaw. "Thank you for my birthday dinner and cake. I love all of it."

"But you haven't even eaten any of it yet, how do you know you love it all if you haven't even tasted it yet." He asked her.

She just gave him her patented 'duh' look. "I know what a great cook you are. Everything you make is good. It's even more special because you made it all for me."

He just pulled her closer and kissed her again. "Happy Birthday Darlin'." He said against her lips.

It was the best birthday Parker ever had, made more special by the man who held her in his arms. They wouldn't make it inside for a long time, but as drunk as Nate got and how caught up Hardison and Sophie got with trying to guess Parker's presents...no one noticed. Parker's favorite birthday gift was the one she got in the pool from Eliot. She also got her wish, she spent the night in his arms.

The End

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I hope you like your birthday present Emma, I had fun writing it.