Fragments

by CycloneT

It's the fragments that build a relationship; the little pieces of love, attention, desire, mirth; the moments that have no beginning and no end, the laughter, the sorrow, the jealousy, that all twine together to make a whole.

4. Repercussions

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Repercussions

XxX

She hates the easy way that women seem to think they can flirt with him right in front of her. Like she's not standing right there beside him with a badge and a gun and the will to use both. How they look her up and down and instantly dismiss the idea that she could hold a man like him. She could, if she so wanted to. She could do a lot more than that if the inclination took her. Not that it has, or will, but if it did. Well then.

It especially galls her when he notices her noticing, and plays along. A compliment here, some innuendo there, a wink, a smile and she's left fuming silently while said woman attempts to lock him into a night of fun. To his credit he doesn't take the bait; at least, never with a witness or suspect. She doesn't really know about the others, the ones he meets in bars or clubs; she supposes that he has but he's never let on. She thinks she's probably better off not knowing.

But that they automatically assume that she has no claim on him whatsoever; that he's free game and willing and able and up for anything, or that they can put their hands all over him without repercussions, well, that triggers something inside that burns. And she's not sure why. So when this latest one literally forces herself between them and steps on her foot in the process, she's ready to snap.

She says nothing as this. . .this bimbo looks him up and down with greedy eyes and suggestively rubs his chest. She yawns deliberately as Dempsey plays up to it; as he watches her watching them. She rolls her eyes when he says something particularly salacious, and it goes right over the bimbos head. She waits until she can see that he's bored with her, and signals that she'd like another drink. He turns to the bar to do her bidding and she takes the opportunity to tap the bimbos shoulder and state with a deceptively bright smile and a deceptively light tone, "Touch him again, and I will break your hand."

Dempsey turns back to her with a smirk on his lips and a question in his eyes. She smiles again, genuinely this time, and shrugs.