This chapter is a small introduction to a larger, deeper one that's crucial to the story.
Anyway, I hope you like it and please review, I'd love to know your thoughts on this story so far.
Parker watches that scene over and over inside her head that night; the way he took care of her, gentle fingers working officially on her wound, but always so careful not to brush her breasts unless it was absolutely necessary. Careful not to startle her or make her feel threatened. They were in silence the whole time, he worked and she watched him, his brow frowned in concentration, his lips forming a thin line. The way his blue eyes stared only at the bloody wound not traveling over her body once like is she wasn't someone he desired... That made Parker feel truly safe, to know he was capable of ignoring her as grown woman when he had to, to know he respected her so much not to take advantage on her vulnerability.
What most impressed Parker were his eyes, so blue and focused. She didn't see any desired on them, the same desire she saw on so many other men whenever they allowed his eyes to travel her body, even if she was dressed. There wasn't lust either, not the lust that had hurt her so much, scarring her more than what any physical wound could…
Instead his eyes were filled with care and maybe even love and that's what made her so confused. If he loved her why did he refuse to kiss her? Maybe she had just misinterpreted, it wouldn't be the first time. Why did she care about his feelings all of a sudden? Why was she so hurt he had refused her?
On the morning she goes to see one of the few people she can trust with her silly questions: Sophie Devereaux, grifter extraordinaire. Parker wants to know what love is and who's better to answer that than the woman that can make any man fall for her even after she stripped him naked of his possessions? Sophie frowns a bit at that question, but the thief doesn't notice, the grifter learned to hide any damaging expressions from the girl a while ago so, instead, she shows her an almost sincere smile.
-You know what love is, Parker. - She states simply as the blonde shoves a hand of dry cereal into her mouth. - You are loved and you love back; you love all of us. - The hint on those lost blue eyes tell her that's not the kind of love she wants to know about.
-I tried to kiss Eliot last night, but he pushed me away, why? - She seems so hurt Sophie has to fight the urge to go shout at Eliot until she has no lungs. What was that boy thinking about, hurting the weaker one? You don't do that; everyone knows Parker is like a child when it comes to such a primal, powerful feeling as love, even Hardison walks on eggshells when it comes to her and everyone knows the Hacker can be really oblivious sometimes.
After that initial rage she remembers who Eliot is and who Parker is, they are not exactly archetypes of simple and Eliot is not the kind that would consciously hurt Parker, he is better than that, a true gentleman when he wants to.
-What happened before you tried to kiss him? - As Parker tells her, Sophie's smile grows on her face, genuinely this time.
-Why didn't he want to kiss me? I thought he liked me... - Parker's sentence as a hidden meaning to hit, it reflects an intense fear of abandon, the grifter knows what Parker actually means is "Am I not likable?"
-Dear girl - the brunettes reaches for the blonde's hand and squeezes it lightly. - He pushed you away exactly because he likes you! - Parker stops munching on her cereal, fully paying attention at Sophie's words now.
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