Chapter 2
Rubbing the sleep from his eyes Tuck slowly sat up on his bed, gently tossing the sheets off him, making sure to keep Lauren covered. Turning his eyes to his girlfriend who was still sleeping soundly, her hair sprawled out across her pillow. Tuck smiled seeing her cheeks were still slightly flushed from the previous night. Gently he reached over and brushed a stray hair out of her face and over her shoulder before leaning down, brushing his lips softly over her shoulder before carefully getting off the bed pulling his pants back on. Using his special skills to sneak out of the room without disturbing her.
Reaching into his pocket he pulled out his cellphone and glanced down at the screen having a missed text messages from Boyles. Silently he made his way down into the kitchen and sat himself down on one of the many bar stools before typing the passcode into his phone reading the rest of Boyles message. ~Couldn't find much on Connolly, I left all the information I could find on your desk. -Boyles~ Tuck rolled his eyes groaning softly after reading the message. "Ya think he'd just email it to me." Sitting back in his seat he began rethinking his plan. What if FDR didn't go for it? What if she'd just hurt him ever more. However he thought that highly impossible since the road FDR was on right now would eventually lead him right into an early grave, and maybe Tuck would be in there right along beside him, giving the fact they now had this new case they had to deal with. Maybe if FDR could get his mind leveled out before this mission really gets started...maybe this girl could help him.
Running a hand through his hair Tuck then let out a low sigh tossing his head back, looking up at the ceiling as a quick thought ran through his head, was he doing this to help ease his guilt? The guilt that maybe he had be suppressing deep down when Lauren picked him over FDR? Both men had really loved her, but she had made a decision of who she really wanted to be with and they were either going to have to live with that decision or both take to walking. Tuck however couldn't even thing of letting her go now. Even after Katie found out of his real job and asked for dinner that one night, he couldn't even think of leaving Lauren. He loved her way to much.
"Hey, everything okay?" He jumped at the sound of Lauren's soft tone of voice as she came down the steps. Her feet making soft padding sounds on the floor as she walked up beside him, dressed only in his dress shirt, her hair still a mess as it hung every which way, a few strands hanging in her eye.
Smiling softly to himself he reached up wrapping his arm around her tiny hips before pulling her gently against his side, her arms going around his neck resting gently on his shoulders. "I'm fine." He nodded as she tilted her head, making it clear she didn't believe him, he knew he couldn't lie to her...anymore. He could fool the whole world but not this girl. "I'm just thinkin' about FDR, and why he's been in such a rut and I can't help but think that I-"
"Stop it right there." Lauren interrupted him with a soft yet stern voice. "You had nothing to do with this." She stated, reaching up to cup his cheek, running her thumb over his temple. "This is just FDR, you can't be blamed for his behavior. He's a grown adult and fully capable of making his own decisions, bad or good, none of this is yours...or even our fault." Her eyes stared into his, proving the intensity of her point. The last thing she wanted was for Tuck to go into that phase where he blames himself for his friends actions. "Also, we can't help who we fall in love with. You were better for me. FDR and I weren't on the same page. He's a party guy and I'm not." Lauren continued with a stern nod. "My heart belongs to you, and really always did. It just took me until I was standing on the bridge having to making the decision, to realize that you were the one I couldn't lose, Tuck." She rambled with a small smile.
Tuck just smiled and leaned over kissing her gently on the lips. "I love you, you know that right?" He felt her grin against his lips.
"I love you too baby." She smiled gently tugging him up from the bar stool. "Now come back to bed." She smirked before pressing her lips to his a bit harder, clearly giving the sign she had no intention of sleeping when they got back upstairs.
"Yes ma'am." He grinned placing his hands under her thigh's before lifting her up into his arms, her legs circling his waist as her lips went to his neck while he carefully maneuvered them back up the steps into the bedroom. Their night was far from over.
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FDR, having for the first night in many nights, had actually gotten a full nights rest and felt like he had a bit more pep in his step. He was walking down the street towards his favorite coffee shop, softly whistling to himself as the sun beamed down on his face. True he didn't feel a hundred percent yet, but this was a start. He didn't wake up with some random girl on his arm, or in the clothes he wore that past night.
As he reached the coffee shop he pulled the door open and slipped inside, the place covered with busy bodies wanting their coffee before their day started. FDR's eyes scanned the room carefully, knowing that Tuck and Lauren also used this coffee house and he was in no more of a mood to see their lovey dovey crap again. Last night was near torture for him. He had to watch the hand holding, light kisses, and horrid sweet talk that they were spouting at each other all night.
FDR was happy Tuck was happy, but he still felt hurt. He really loved Lauren and was surprised she didn't end up with him. His emotions were mixed about the whole thing. On one hand he wanted to hate Tuck and Lauren, but on the other, he couldn't be happier for them. Being so lost in his thoughts FDR walked right into a table, his pants catching the corner of a book and pulled it off into the floor, along with many pieces of paper. "Oh.." He jumped looking down at the mess he just created. "I'm sorry!" He dropped right to his knees and began trying to scoop up the papers.
"No no, it's fine." Came a soft voice from next to him. "I can get them." FDR glanced up and his blue orbs met with a pair of emerald green ones. FDR's breathing caught in his throat as he stared back into the eyes. They were the most beautiful eyes he had ever seen. Green, clear, and a black circle outlining the edge of the eyes, making the green seem even brighter.
For what felt like forever, FDR just sat there entranced until the other's eyes pulled away from his and back down to the floor. FDR was now looking at a mess of red, bright red hair that was tied back in a pony tail, little strands falling down around the other's ear. "Let me help you." He muttered looking down at the papers. His eyes drifting to the set of petite hands that were grabbing up papers.
"It's fine." The woman spoke again, her voice still soft. "Accidents happen." She muttered looking back up at him, FDR's eyes caught her's for a second time. The girl returned his gaze for a few more moments before forcing her eyes away, reaching out and taking the papers from his stilled hands before standing. "Thank you so much.." She paused tilting her head, waiting for him to say something else as he sat there on the ground kneeling.
As if being slapped, FDR jumped from his thoughts and stood up, causing the girl to take a step back, her books clutched to her chest. "FDR.." He said extending his hand, watching as she raised an eyebrow. "My name, it's FDR."
The girl offered a small smile also extending her hand taking his, shaking it firmly. "Oh, I'm Emma." She said with a smile, her free hand tossing the books to the table where she had been siting.
"I'm sorry again about your books." He muttered glancing around the table, noticing a man sitting there with slightly curly ginger hair. He was dressed in a dark blue suit, a pair of glasses perched on his nose. FDR supposed by girl standards this guy would be "handsome" but hell if he knew. He turned his eyes back to Emma. "I know how annoying it is to have a date interrupted but someone's stupidity." FDR grinned, silently taking a jab at Tuck, who wasn't there to feel the burn.
Emma quickly shook her head glancing to the other man. "Oh no, we work together." She stated, her fingers moving back between herself and the man still seated.
FDR just smiled and slightly cocked his head to the side. "Really? So what is you two do?" FDR faked small talk glancing to the man again, who held a look of annoyance.
"We're art dealers." The man spoke quickly with a thick British accent causing FDR to raise an eyebrow. The man tapped his pen on the desk top carefully eying FDR then Emma. "Emma, we really have some work to do." He muttered.
~Why are they always British?~ FDR mentally asked himself before turning his eyes back to Emma who was glancing between the two men with a raised eyebrow. The sudden tension was insane and everyone could feel it. "So, Emma, let me make it up to you-" FDR started holding his arm out towards the counter. "-let me at least buy you a cup of coffee." FDR offered, flashing her his ever so famous grin.
Emma smiled and shook her head. "Thank you but no, it wasn't that big of a deal so there's no need for that." FDR's smile faded as she sat back down at her table, opening up the books. FDR's eyes caught a glimpse of the name listed on the inside of the book. ~Gryffin's Collectables~ taking a mental note FDR nodded his head.
"I see. Well it was a pleasure meeting you Emma and.." FDR cut his gaze towards the man who just frowned. "I'm sorry I didn't get your name." He flashed a friendly grin.
The man forced a smile and stuck out his hand, faking niceness just as FDR did. Clearly to this man Emma was something of importance to him, which now made this sport for FDR. Oh how he loved a good chase. "It's William."
FDR nodded shaking the man's hand, almost laughing at the roughness in which this man tried. "Pleasure meeting you, /William/." FDR mocked William's accent playfully before flashing another grin to Emma and walking off. Leaving Emma with a very amused smirk on her face.
Getting his coffee, FDR kept stealing glances at Emma, her hair, her eyes, her body, ~Good God that body.~ He thought licking his lips as he paid for his coffee, a vanilla latte with no foam. Now for some reason he got a bit of a /sweet tooth/ and he knew just where he needed to sink his teeth. The coffee was a test to prove how easy she might be. If she jumped on free coffee, he was sure he'd have no trouble having her in his bed by the end of the night. The fact she denied him, well, his coffee, just seemed like he could have a bit of fun pressuring this one.
His coffee in his hand FDR made his way to the door, making sure on his way out to say a final goodbye to William and Emma. Once out the door, FDR glanced back at Emma whose eyes were still on him, a small smile tugging to her lips. FDR winked to the girl who quickly looked away, her smile only growing as she went back to her work, and FDR went right back to whistling, a cheeky grin on his face as he walked, if he had been even more excited thrilled he would have been skipping down the street. Luckily he was able to restrain himself from doing so.
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Meanwhile back at the office, Tuck sat at his desk, leaned back comfortably in his seat with his feet propped up on the desk top skimming through Emma's file. He read ever page carefully, making sure not to miss a thing. "Boyles, was right." Tuck muttered to himself. "There's hardly anything in this file. Tuck frowned reading over the girls history, orphaned at five when she went to live with Julius Griffin who ended up being the permanent foster-father of the girl the following year after she never got adopted out. Emma studied abroad at Cambridge University, the University of Galway, Julliard, and The École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris. Tuck raised an eyebrow. That alone impressed himself enough. This girl had to be something special to be able to study in all those school and now be head buyer at Gryffin Collectables. Tuck even did his reasearch on the business and everything came back legit. It was run by Julius Griffin, and William Griffin. Tuck snorted a laugh at that, a father a son business, it was no wonder how Emma got the job and was able to study at such high class schools.
Tuck kept flipping through the girl's profile, age, twenty-six, soon to turn twenty-seven on Halloween day. "Nice.." Tuck muttered as he kept reading down to her personal life. A part of him felt like a creep reading all this, but he wanted to know who he was possibly setting his best friend up with. Rubbing his chin with his left hand, Tuck kept reading. ~No current love interest at the present time. Longest running relationship; four years with William Griffin.~ Tuck wrinkled up his nose, wouldn't the two be like brother and sister at that point?
"TuckTuck!" FDR called as he walked down the hall, causing Tuck to slam the folder shut in surprise and sit upright in his seat. FDR looked cautiously at his friend before smirking. "If you're gonna watch p-"
"Oh shut it!" Tuck snapped knowing just where FDR's perverted little mind was going with that statement. "I was just reading." He said placing the file in his lap, watching as FDR walked around to the his seat, flopping down with a nice long sigh. "You seem a bit perky today." Tuck smirked leaning his elbows on the desk watching as FDR sat his coffee cup down and opened his laptop.
"Yes I am." FDR answered simply typing away on the key board.
Tuck couldn't help but watching in amusement. "Any reson why?" He asked.
FDR just smirked and looked up at his friend. "I just met a beautiful girl down at the coffee shop." He started, his eyes drifting off. "I mean it, Tuck she was just...wow. Red hair, green eyes that just trapped you. Light freckles...not to mention nice rack." He rambled on as Tuck glanced down at the file.
"Oh?" He muttered picking up the file in his hands. "It wasn't JoeMugs coffee shop was it?" Tuck smirked leaning back in his seat.
FDR just nodded. "Yeah.."
Tuck just chuckled watching as FDR went back to typing. "You didn't by any chance get her name did you?"
"Yeah," FDR looked up at Tuck confused. "Emma. I didn't get her last name cause she was with some stuck up dude who really didn't let her talk much," FDR then started mocking William's voice again, "We have a lot of work to do Emma." he mocked causing Tuck to chuckle. "Don't talk to the good looking American, Emma. Sit next to me Emma." FDR went on, now just making jokes.
"So William is british then?" Tuck watched FDR carefully, wondering if he'd catch on soon.
FDR just nodded, his fingers working away at the keys to his lap top. "Yeah, where do you people keep coming from.." FDR paused and his eyes shot back up to Tuck who just grinned. "How did you know his name?"
Tuck just stood up walking around to FDR's desk. "Her name is Emma Connolly, and I have her file right here." Tuck waved it around out of FDR's reach.
FDR's eyes flashed before he slammed the laptop shut holding out his hand. "Give it to me."
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A/N Sorry it's been a while since I updated, I've just been very very busy. Thanks so much to all seven reviews! You guys are the reason I'm updating now. Please forgive spelling errors, it's 5:30AM and my spell check decided to stop working all the sudden. Also I'm sorry this chapter isn't as good as my first, I just got stuck on this one for some reason, trying to figure out how to get FDR and Emma to meet before Tuck told him. Anways, I hope you liked it, please review and let me know.