Shoshanna arrived just in time to miss the end of Kenneth's lesson. And it wasn't because she didn't want to see him working. The fact was she could barely ski but she hadn't wanted to admit that to a professional. Besides if she got her way they would be spending far more time together in front of a roaring fire or in the Jacuzzi tub in her room. As much as she would like to see him on the slopes, she'd much rather see the attractive Mr. Crane in complete privacy.
Eliot had really enjoyed himself, all but forgetting that he was on a job as he helped a large group of younger kids learn the very basics of tele skiing. He showed them how to pivot and turn, and how to use the equipment properly and safely. He had a lot of fun with it. The truth was that Eliot liked kids a lot more than he liked most adults. Kids were honest, they told you what they thought and they didn't pull punches or play head games. Kids didn't lie to your face unless they were trying to get out of trouble. He didn't need to keep his guard up and he could smile freely and laugh out loud in a way that he didn't so much when he was around adults.
Except for Parker. Even with the team Eliot maintained a certain distance, he held a lot in reserve, he didn't show his feelings or his motivations so much. He was used to keeping any emotion other than anger locked up deep inside. Yes, he had his moments; with Sophie mostly, when she got inquisitive and tried to get him talking and he would share bits and pieces of his past with her. He and Hardison shared a certain brotherly camaraderie, Alec being this younger geeky brother he loved to pick on but wouldn't let anyone else mess with. And Nate, well Nate fit in somewhere between Father and older brother. He knew he had to keep an eye on Nate, and he knew when to call him to the mat for something that was too dangerous. But he still trusted Nate to get them through the job. He respected Nate but he saw the man's flaws as well. But only with parker did he laugh at dumb jokes or bad movies. He only allowed his emotions to show to her and even then he didn't talk about them in detail. He preferred the actions spoke louder than words theory. Showing someone you loved them in a physical way was so much easier than talking about it.
When he saw Shoshanna waiting for him at the bottom of the hill by the lifts he knew she had not planned to make the trip up the slope and he had rolled his eyes, but from a distance where she'd never see it. Looked like the fun and games were over and he had work to do again. The hardest part was making it not look like work and pretending he was enjoying her company. Her rapt attention honestly made him queasy and the way she fawned on him made him want to cringe away. But he needed to play it up until they got better evidence of her wrong doing than some refutable receipts and pictures that wouldn't stand up to much scrutiny. If they could prove she had spent the week with him, and charged it all to her expense account and that Mr. Baker hadn't been anywhere near New Hampshire then they would have something to work with. They needed to smear her name beyond any shadow of doubt, not just hint at her having done bad things.
She waved enthusiastically and he brought a hand up and acknowledged that he saw her, painted a faked smile on his lips that nevertheless looked effortless and charming. Sometimes you just saw what you wanted to see most and Ms. Gray wanted to see him interested in her. He came to a halt about two feet from her, turning his knees to make the skis stop and setting the poles into the hard packed snow.
"I thought you were coming up for the session?"
He asked with a grin that said he had known she was more the ski bunny type after having spoken to her, but that it was fine with him.
"Oh, I had to take a business call and it ran so long, I didn't want to interrupt once you had gotten started. Let me buy you a drink to warm up with?"
"How could I possibly refuse? Let me stash my gear in my room and I'll meet you in the bar?"
She almost clapped with excitement, but stopped herself and just nodded and told him she'd find them a table in the Lostbo Pub.
Eliot moved off, pausing by the wall of the lodge to remove his skis and talk to Nate and the team over the coms.
"You better have an exit strategy Nate, because I am not getting wined and dined by this woman all night."
"I think something can be arranged."
Nate replied as he stretched out on the bed and watched while Sophie was putting earrings in and smoothing down her sleek little red dress, he had a smirk on his lips as he folded his hands behind his head and took the very appealing view of Ms. Deveraux.
"Parker."
Nate called over the earbud knowing that the blonde theif was hanging on every word that involved Eliot and Shoshanna Gray.
"Think we can arrange something before Eliot gets in hot water?"
"Oh, you mean before it's put out or get out?"
Parker snorted when she laughed and Eliot found himself shaking his head in regards to the far from funny joke she made.
"Yes, I guess we could think of something if Sparky isn't 'up' for the job."
"You're not funny Parker."
Eliot hissed under his breath so that anyone close wouldn't hear him. Parker might be able to joke about this now but he knew for a fact that she wouldn't be laughing if it really came down to him sleeping with Shoshanna or the team blowing this con. Part of him was a little put out that she was taking this lightly, and he wondered if her tune would change if he actually put some effort into flirting with their mark.
He might just like to test that out.
So with a wicked gleam in his eyes he tromped into the lodge and headed to his rooms, Shoshanna would be kept waiting a little longer while he changed but he figured that if she was half as interested as she looked to be then she wouldn't mind once she saw him.
Twenty minutes later his theory was proved to be true. When Eliot entered the room Shoshanna's eyes lit up like fireworks. He looked absolutely lickable in a blue cashmere sweater and tight fitting jeans. The clothing fit perfectly, clinging to the hard muscles in his chest on top and his backside looked some damned good in denim it should have been illegal. He had combed his hair so it fell all sleek and silky down to his shoulders, accenting his angular features and the firm set of his strong jawline as the color of his sweater made those blue eyes look brilliant and breathtaking like a winter sky. He found the woman he was looking for form the entrance to the Pub and waved in her direction as he slipped through the crowd to the small booth she had taken for them by the windows. The view of the mountains was stunning, but not half as nice to look at as Eliot Spencer. Shoshanna was oblivious to everything else in the room.
"Sorry if I kept you waiting, I just wanted to get cleaned up some."
"Don't apologize it was worth the wait."
He smiled and took the seat in the booth across from her and ordered a scotch rocks form the waiter when he appeared next to their seat.
They would sit for a while and sip their drinks, make small talk about her career and his. Eliot ordered a bottle of wine that would complement their meal selections and Shoshanna was very impressed by his knowledge about such matters. He went into some detail about how he loved to cook and how the right wine just accented an excellent meal and how once you experienced that perfect pairing that no meal ever seemed complete without it again. She talked about her life, and how she was living in Boston but originally from Miami; she only touched upon her current job as a political advisor and told him that what she really wanted to do was work with athletes, in a sports management position. She figured if she could make a politician look good she could do the same easily for a professional athlete.
"I am really ready for a career change too." She began as she sipped her chardonnay and stared deeply into those mesmerizing blue eyes as Eliot sat across the table from her but leaned in close enough that the conversation felt intimate. He met her gaze the entire time she spoke as if every word she said was the most important thing in the world to him. Eliot was a great listener, and thanks to Sophie's pointers and training he could read more into a conversation and the accompanying body language than he ever could have before he had joined the team. Just another instance where one team members strong points were passed along to the others and made them all just a little bit better and more versatile in the field. "I just…" Shoshanna smiled and let her gaze rise to the ceiling for a moment as she seemed to struggle to find the right words, but Eliot was certain that she was just doing so for emphasis, and once he heard what she said as she continued he had to smile because his hunch had been dead on. Thank you Sophie. "I want to be involved with something, and someone I can feel passionate about. It's too hard to promote a person that you just don't seem to have any kind of intimate, personal connection with. How can I make others interested in him, if I'm not?"
Eliot nodded; it made perfect sense, even when he allowed himself to consider what she said in broader terms. Of course, as he moved closer and took her hand in his and held it there close to his lips but not brushing those sultry tiers across the knuckles, he made the moment that much more alluring and intimate. Those calculated actions made certain that she got the impression that he was thinking that her words were indeed meant for him; and him alone.
"Now wouldn't any man want someone to work for him, to better him; to help him achieve his goals that he knew was personally invested in what he did? A man likes to know that someone is really in his corner, that they want the same things he does…professionally and personally."
Shoshanna bit her lower lip and made to reply in kind but the meal arrived then and with a smile and a shrug Eliot released her hands and sat back so their server could place the dishes before them on the table.
And she did so with a bit of a bang and some clatter, all but dropping the plates as she painted a huge fake smile across her face.
"You two enjoy your meals now. Hope I'm not interrupting anything by bringing the food."
Eliot looked up and caught the flash of jealousy in the depths of Parker's currently chilled blue eyes. Only the fact that Shoshanna was watching him so intently kept him from responding to that glare with an audible gulp.
He knew he'd be in for it later. But for now he just had to keep going as he was, he had Shoshanna Gray right where he wanted her. Even if that position had her a bit too close for his own comfort and he hadn't yet figured out how exactly to end the evening without her following him to his suite, or vice versa.
The thought of sleeping with this woman alone was enough to make his meal less appealing, the fact that Parker was all but grinding her teeth in frustration and becoming obviously upset with him didn't help matters any. Eliot picked at the poultry dish he had ordered. The Cornish game hen was really very good but he just didn't have much of an appetite. Shoshanna didn't seem to notice, she just prattled on leaving him to make the right comments at the appropriate times and to interject when necessary. Thankfully the conversation didn't require too much of his continued input. Ms. Gray was capable of keeping up her end as well as his and then some. In fact it didn't even dawn on him for some time that when she stopped speaking. He looked up to her form his half eaten meal and realized that the brunette's eyes had gone all glassy and her smile was a bit tipsy.
"Shoshanna, are you alright?"
"Well…uhm, yes. I'm perfectly fine."
Yes she was wonderful, except that she was slurring and had this comical expression plastered on her face.
Shoshanna Gray was stoned, completely and utterly stoned. Eliot glanced around until he found Parker. The blond server smirked at him and handed the black check folder with Eliot's bill in it to another waiter and walked away with the most self-satisfied smile on her face.
Eliot took the check and had it charged to Shoshanna's room. Then it was just a matter of getting the inebriated woman out of the booth and off to her bed, alone.
Shoshanna hung on him like a wet blanket, all giggling and hands moving over his chest and stomach. She could barely plant one foot in front of the other and would have walked into a few walls if Eliot hadn't been there to keep her straight and steady. The trip to her rooms took three times as long as it should have and she tried to take his pants off the elevator but he managed to keep her in check enough that he remained clothed and she got to her door without any serious mishaps. He led her inside and over to the bed where another fit of giggling over took her as he leaned down to help her off with her shoes.
"Okay now sweetheart it's way past your bedtime."
"Only if you're joining me Mr. Crane."
"I don't think that's a very good idea. I'd like you to remember it in the morning and you have let the wine go to your head."
He ran his hand down her arm just the way that Sophie had taught him to. It was a soft caress, almost a petting touch that he hoped would help convince her that he was right and she just needed to get to bed, alone.
He need not have been worried. Because she was asleep before he got her legs upon to the mattress.
"Guess this was your idea Parker? You drugged her, really?"
Parker's voice came over the com loud and clear and he could hear the smile that was curving her lips at that very moment.
"I wasn't sure you'd be able to get yourself outta that one Sparky, it looked like you needed a hand. It was a lot less violent than the rest of my ideas, even Nate approved."
Eliot took a moment to consider that and realized that Parker really could have done much worse to Shoshanna Gray. He decided it was against his best interests to argue the matter with the thief any further.
"Alright, point taken. I'm coming back to the room. I need a hot shower."
"I'll be waiting."
Just because Eliot didn't need her help in the shower anymore didn't mean she minded sharing with him at all. And if it meant she got to help scrubbing the scent of Shoshanna off of him that was just an added bonus.
