A slight continuation from Quarrel...
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SARCASM
/ˈsär-ˌka-zəm/ noun.
A mode of satirical wit depending for its effect on bitter, caustic, and often ironic language that is usually directed against an individual.
He feels her pulse quicken under his fingertips as her words ring clearly in his ears.
"Besides, you're married."
There is a sadness in her green eyes. A slight slump in her shoulders. A twinge of regret in her tone. But there is no hint of sarcasm or malice in her statement.
He knows that it is a blanket that keeps her warm at night. It is her defense mechanism. It is a skill that she has honed since she was a child. It protects her from anyone ever getting too close, from getting too personal. It has always worked for her before. But then he strolled into her life.
And try as she might, her sharp tongue and wit cannot even keep her safe from the charm and charisma of Patrick Jane. Nor can it keep him away from her.
He knows that she never means him any harm – intentional or not. It is part of the reason why he feels that he has ironically fallen under her spell. He appreciates her hardened edges and wicked way with words and how it contrasts and defies everything that he thought that he loved. It is part of the reason he is ready to make a leap of faith with her.
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A/N - I really struggled with this one, and though I feel this is neither complete nor my best work, I've decided to make peace with it after fifty drafts (okay, five). Please feel free to pick this (and/or any other chapter) apart. I'm a big girl, I can take constructive criticism. Thanks, k