Bargain with the Bandit
[ A/N: As "Bargain With The Bandit" continues, Keith must care for the unconscious Eva, even going so far as having to buy her new lingerie when he realizes all that she brought with her were the clothes on her back. When she runs into Angel, whom he had an 'encounter' with at Duelist Kingdom, will she spoil his plans to make Eva his? And if so, for the love of a sister or to quench a thirst for revenge? *reccomended: Read "Forever Love" to understand!!* Please Review & Enjoy!! -- Kat ]
Chapter 2
Keith jumped out of the way of his opponent's bullet, but the thug who had been touching Eva was not that lucky. As usual, the Bandit got his way and the bullet he had fired hit its target perfectly. The man sank to the ground and the other thug dropped Eva and made a desperate escape through a door leading onto the building on the right. Keith let him go, deciding he would take care of Eva first, and the friends thug two brought with him later.
As he looked down at Eva, his mind began to race. He had never imagined that she was in this much trouble, but now that he knew, he would have to act fast. Luckily she had not been hit by any of the bullets, since he was a damn good shot and the thugs who had been planning to rape her had been thinking from below their belts. Snapping into action, he pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around her, then scooped her into his arms so he could carry her to the car.
The drive to the hotel he had rented a room in seemed much longer then it had the night before, and Keith made sure to drive carefully, not wanting Eva to wake up until they were far away from the dangers they had just faced. Finally its blinking lights came into view and he pulled up the winding drive that led to the main parking lot. Once again picking Eva up he walked up to the door that lead into the room he had rented and unlocked it, laying her down on the bed before going back and locking it again. If there were members of the Black Tigers after her, there was no such thing as being too careful.
In sleep, he would have sworn she was an angel. She looked enchantingly beautiful with her long dark hair falling down her back and framing her tiny heart-shaped face like a silken curtain. It was clear she had been frightened from the transparency of her creamy skin, and that she had been hurt by the punk he had blown away, because bruises were forming on her left breast where the jerk had torn her shirt open. Deciding that she might not be happy if she found him looking at that he covered her with a blanket before sitting down in a chair beside the bed and waiting for her to wake up.
One hour passed, and then another. Keith was beginning to worry. Should he wrap her up again and take her to a hospital? Could he have been wrong about her not being shot? He was almost to the point of making a decision in favor of going to the hospital when her dark violet eyes shot open and she sat bolt upright on the bed shouting, " Where the hell am I? "
" In my hotel room. You fainted. " Keith said, turning away slightly because the blanket had once again fallen from where he had placed it. She let out a squeak of terror and a moment later he let his gaze wander back to her to find that it was once again covered. " You had me worried, Eva. You were out cold for nearly two hours. "
" Well that's a record. " Eva said. Her eyes were growing larger by the second as she turned her head in every direction to survey her surroundings. Finally she returned it to where Keith was sitting. " What did you do to my shirt, anyway? "
" I didn't do that. " Keith said, heat rising to his cheeks. Blushing was not a common thing for him, and now that he was experiencing it this was a fact for which he was grateful. " How do you feel? "
" Honestly? "
" Of course I want the truth. " Keith said, standing up and heading toward the bathroom.
" Like shit. " Eva said.
" No, I'm serious, Eva. How do you feel? "
" I just told you. I feel like shit. "
" As I assumed. " Keith said as he stepped through the door that lead into the room, " Which means the best thing for you would be to have a hot bath. "
" In your dreams, Bandit Keith. " Eva said. By the time she had finished speaking she was standing beside him, " I need to borrow a shirt from you, and then I will need you to drive me back to my own hotel. I can manage to take a hot bath there quite well, thank you. "
" If you think I'm letting you go anywhere while those goons are chasing you, I'm insulted. " Keith said. " Now you get in there and take a bath. Where is your hotel? While you're soaking I'll go and get you some clothes. "
" But I - "
" Forget it. I'll go buy you some instead. Just go have a long soak. " Before she could protest he stepped away from the bathroom, pulling his coat on as he walked toward the door. " I am taking the keys with me. Do not go outside, and do not open the door for anyone. I do not care if Christ knocks on the door to announce the second coming. Got it? "
" Whatever. " Eva said entering the bathroom. Pausing a moment she added, " Peek once and I swear you're eyes will not be in their sockets tomorrow morning. "
" Yes, your Majesty. " Keith said, closing the door. He only hoped that Eva was more fun where she wasn't a ball of nerves, or this would end up being the longest evening of his life.
*+*+*
Eva had traveled a lot in the course of her life, but she was not use to the luxuries that she found in the bathroom. She had been expecting a tiny room with a tub, sink and toilet. Perhaps a medicine cabinet. But not a huge hot tub with internal jet massagers and programmable aroma-therapy bubble baths. Keith definitely had more then Duel Monsters on his mind, or he was a flaming homosexual. Eva elected to believe the former of these two possibilities.
Blushing at the not so innocent thoughts that this sent spiraling through her head she turned on the taps so that warm water would begin to fill the tub and chose a lavender scented bubble bath which she hoped would help her relax. When the tub was half full she pulled off her sweat soaked clothes and slid into the warm depths that the tub provided, stretching leisurely and letting it fill up the rest of the way before turning the taps off again. This was bliss. She was very glad he wanted her to stay. First, because of this incredible tub, second because he was drop dead gorgeous, and third because she had not yet booked into a hotel. The fact that he was buying her clothes made her feel slightly guilty, but she was grateful. She had been wearing the only outfit she had brought with her for two days.
As she grew more comfortable with the idea of staying with Keith, at least for the time being, she started to ponder over what kind of night clothes the Bandit would select for her. What would she want him to pick? A sleek satin nightgown, or perhaps something soft and fluffy. She was not entirely sure. Regardless of what he chose, Eva was determined that she would be gracious, wear it, and not hurt his feelings. As long as it wasn't illegal in several states. No leather, she silently pleaded.
From inside her pants pocket a shrill beep broke the peaceful silence of her watery sanctuary. Cursing softly Eva dried her hands with a towel and reached down to pull her trans-communicator out. Angel would pick just this moment to call her. " Hello? "
" Evelyn Sweet, you'd better write your will, 'cause girl you didn't pay your bill. There's no escape, your blood I'll spill. Tomorrow when its you I kill. " The voice on the other end of the line was tone encrypted, so there was no chance of it being recognized. Remembering the fact that the trans-communicator ran the risk of giving away her location she shut it and took out the batteries to ensure she wouldn't have any more surprise calls. Keith wasn't going to like hearing about this.
*+*+*
Keith called himself every name he could think of as he nervously paced the aisles of Bloomingdate's looking at the women's clothing. Sure, his intentions had been good. But now he was facing a double edged sword: making sure that the clothes he bought Eva were nice, and making sure they would not offend her. But what did women like to wear? The women he normally met at tournaments were groupies who came hoping to get an invite into his bed. He was quite certain by this point that Eva had slightly more important things to worry about at the moment. So for once, his thoughts had to be on her comfort, not his own more lustful desires.
" Are you lost? " The voice invading his thoughts had a sharpness to it that cut like a whip, and when he turned around he found Angelica Sweet staring up at him with a questioning expression. Of all the people he would have to meet at the moment, Angel was the last he would have chosen, " Or are you beginning to embrace your feminine side as Seto has a tendency of thinking you someday will? "
" I'm shopping for a friend. " Keith said, glancing around for a means of escape. If Angel found out that his friend was her sister, she would follow him back to the hotel for sure. Then any chance he had with Eva would be gone. " Do you think you could help me? "
Angel laughed, " With all the women you surround yourself with, I would have assumed you'd be a natural by now. "
" You don't get it. This isn't some groupie. This person is special, and I need to make sure that I don't screw this up. " Whoa, tiger. Shaking his head Keith fought the urge to hit himself. If he kept going like that he was going to start saying mushy crap and ruin his reputation. That was definitely not the plan, unless he was saying it to Eva.
" What do you need to buy for this mystery woman? " Angel asked. Keith wanted to slap her when he saw a little smirk of amusement cross her face.
" Well, let's start with a nightgown and a housecoat. " Keith said. Angel started walking and he followed her through a maze of racks until she came to a section that had sleepwear. " The nightie should be sheer, kinda sexy, but comfortable. "
" Satin, perhaps? "
" Yeah, that'll do. And the housecoat should be soft and fluffy. It's getting to that time of year where it's chilly in the morning. I don't want her to catch cold. " What was with this? He had no reason to give Angel his life story.
" So, are you going to tell me what mystery girl's name is, or do you intend on replacing her so quickly that it won't matter? " Angel asked, pulling several long satin nightgowns off of a rack and holding them out. Keith looked at each one carefully, rubbing the smooth material between his fingers. What would Eva like? The blue one with the lace edging on its slight sleeves, or maybe the scarlet one with the lower neckline. Shrugging, he pointed at each of them.
" Those two will do. As for her name, let's just say it's … a surprise. Trust me, you'll find out soon. " And when you do, you'd better not say one bad word about me, he wanted to add. " That white housecoat with the fur trim looks nice. I think that would be just the ticket. "
" Whatever you say. " Angel said, pulling it down and placing it with the two nightgowns. " Listen, my sister has seemed sort of … worried … about tomorrow's duel. Take it easy out there, okay? "
" A duel is a duel. Tell he to tough it up! " Keith said, throwing his hands into the air, " I can't start making exceptions on my performance based on who I'm dueling. Have a little respect. "
" I fear for her health, Keith. And the fact that I have not seen her since before I caught her going to watch your duel with that McTaggert kid isn't helping matters any. "
Keith stopped looking at the rack of pants he had been scanning so that his eyes met Angel's. " What about her health? "
" She has anxiety attacks, and they can lead to ulcers if she lets them get out of hand. For some reason, this tournament has been a giant catalyst for triggering them. Did you say something to her? " The way Angel said it had Keith wanting to choke her.
" Nothing that would have that effect, I hope. " Returning his attention to the pant rack, he panicked. What size of pants did Eva take? " My friend is about the same size as your sister. What size pants would she take? "
" Eva wears a size twelve. " Angel said. Keith pulled a pair of dark blue jeans off one rack and beige hip-huggers off another. He then walked to some racks that held shirts and pulled a baby-blue sporty T-shirt off one and a lilac tummy-top off another. Now all that was left was lingerie. Crunch time had arrived.
" Which pieces of that jungle of lingerie are actually comfortable? " Keith hoped Angel was being honest with him, because this was where he totally drew a blank. He could easily tell which pieces were sexy. What man couldn't? But which pieces were comfortable might be another story entirely, and at the moment that was paramount.
Fifteen minutes later Keith held silk bra and pantie sets that matched the two nightgowns he had chosen, as well as baby blue and lilac socks, and a hairbrush. The rest of his intended purchased were stored in a cart, and he was standing at the jewelry section trying to decide if he had forgotten anything. A few feet away he noticed Angel looking at something. " That's the one Eva wants. I know she'd just love it if I gave her that tomorrow, but Seto would kill me. "
" Which one? " Keith asked, coming to stand next to her and looking down at the pendants. There were certainly some pretty ones there. The collection that Angel seemed to be looking at were gold animals with birthstones held between their paws. " Those are really cute. "
" Cute? " Angel turned to glance at him for a moment, then went back to looking at the necklaces, " I guess there really isn't any other word to describe them. Eva had her eye on that panda when we came in here the other day, but for some reason she didn't buy it. It's not like her to pass up something like this. She collects birthstone jewelry. "
" So you're sister is a Virgo. " Keith said, " Maybe that's why she gets so stressed about dueling. Virgo people tend to be perfectionists, ya know. "
" Well I've gotta go. " Angel said, turning toward the door, " I'm sure you can find your way to a check out aisle. Oh, and one more thing … "
" What? "
" Don't think about trying to seduce my sister. " Angel's tone made it clear that she was not about to be ignored. Keith groaned inwardly. He had really thought he'd had her fooled.
The minute he was sure Angel was gone he called the clerk behind the jewelry display counter over and bought the panda pendant. Checking his watch, he took the clerk up on her offer to ring him through. If he did not get moving, Eva was going to turn into a prune soaking in that hot tub. Pondering over Angel's final words to him, he smiled, before softly saying, " Just try and stop me. "
*+*+*
Eva could swear she smelled pizza. The aroma of the fresh baked pie waffled through the bathroom door to tease her with its mouthwatering scent. If Keith thought he was going to eat that and then give her clothes, he had another thought coming. From the smell of it, it seemed he had managed through sheer dumb luck to get the exact toppings she liked. A soft knock came at the door and then it slowly began to open. Eva made sure that she was, aside from her head, underwater.
" Don't worry, I'm not trying to peek. I'm leaving your new clothes here. You can get dressed or change into one of the nightgowns. I hope you like what I got you. " Keith sat the bags by the door and paused for a moment before closing it, " I ran into your sister, so it shouldn't be too face off the mark. "
One of the nightgowns? Was this his idea of a joke? Stepping out of the tub, Eva wrapped herself in one of the huge cream colored towels and went over to see what he had bought. Her jaw dropped as she sorted through the bags. The clothes were tasteful, cute and comfortable. And none too cheap, either. She noticed he had forgotten to take the tags off, and that there was not one thing in any of the bags that had been on sale. What was he trying to prove? Even Seto Kaiba wouldn't go out and do something like this. So why had Keith?
Good god, the nightgowns were real satin, and gorgeous at that. Of course the fact that she was going to wear one of them in front of Keith made her flush, but how could she not after all this? It was still pretty early, though. No later then eight o'clock. So she slid a pair of blue jeans and a T-shirt from the third bag and left the bathroom in search of the pizza she had smelled.
She found it, and Keith, at the table in the main part of the room. He was sitting in one of the chairs and the table was set with plates and glasses filled with chocolate milk. It was childish, but seemed to fit the moment perfectly. Walking over to the other chair she sat down, her damp hair falling across her face in thick patches. " Don't tell me I forgot to leave you the brush. "
And indeed he had. He was holding it in his left hand, and from the little smile on his face, he had done so on purpose. " Seems so. "
" Guess that means I'll have to make it up to you when we're done with the pizza, then. " Keith said, setting the brush down on the window ledge by his chair. He then turned to the pizza box and used a knife to slice the huge pizza. " Pass me your plate, Eva. "
Up close the pizza smelled almost as good as he did, and Eva used every ounce of control she possessed to keep from drooling. As she had hoped, the pizza was topped with pepperoni, mushrooms and sausage, with tons of sauce and cheese. Keith put two slices on her plate and she set it down again, preparing to give it a taste test. Taking a bite, she smiled. It definitely passed. " Thanks. "
" No need to thank me. " Keith said, taking a bite of pizza, " Oh, and if you want more just let me know. "
" Sure thing. " Eva said. This was really good pizza, possibly the best she'd ever had. She couldn't help wondering where he'd got it. She made a mental note to ask him later. " It's kinda funny that we both like the exact same things on pizza, though. "
" Really? That was a gamble. After we ate the steaks, though, I figured I didn't have to worry that you were a vegetarian. " Keith was finished his first slice of pizza by this point and was ready to start his second. " Do you have your deck with you? "
" Yeah, it's in my purse. " Eva said. Warning bells went off for a minute, and she thought they might be about Keith, but then she remembered that she did not have anything but her deck with her. " But I just remembered something … All of my other cards are back at the stadium! "
" Can I see your deck? " Keith asked. Eva bit down on her bottom lip, unable to decide how to deal with this. " After we eat, silly. I hope you didn't think I was trying to sabotage it by getting it covered in pizza sauce. "
" Sure. " Eva said, laughing, " Can I see yours? "
" I haven't set mine up yet. " Keith said. " I never set my deck up until I have some kind of understanding of what my opponent is playing. "
" And you think I'm still going to let you see my deck after hearing that? "
" If the rumors that you do not go back on your word are true. "
" Which they are, so you win there, Keith. "
" Let's get one thing straight, baby… " Keith said, placing emphasis on the last word, " I always win. "
Eva didn't bother replying to this obvious innuendo, instead focusing on eating the rest of her pizza. But if the Bandit thought he was going to win her so easily, he was sorely mistaken. Because if he wanted to play a game with her, there was one crucial fact he had yet to catch: Eva always played for keeps.
[ End Notes: Will Eva really let Keith see her deck? Will Angel try to keep Eva and Keith apart? Do Eva and Keith even belong together? Read on and find out when "Bargain with the Bandit" continues... ]
[ A/N: As "Bargain With The Bandit" continues, Keith must care for the unconscious Eva, even going so far as having to buy her new lingerie when he realizes all that she brought with her were the clothes on her back. When she runs into Angel, whom he had an 'encounter' with at Duelist Kingdom, will she spoil his plans to make Eva his? And if so, for the love of a sister or to quench a thirst for revenge? *reccomended: Read "Forever Love" to understand!!* Please Review & Enjoy!! -- Kat ]
Chapter 2
Keith jumped out of the way of his opponent's bullet, but the thug who had been touching Eva was not that lucky. As usual, the Bandit got his way and the bullet he had fired hit its target perfectly. The man sank to the ground and the other thug dropped Eva and made a desperate escape through a door leading onto the building on the right. Keith let him go, deciding he would take care of Eva first, and the friends thug two brought with him later.
As he looked down at Eva, his mind began to race. He had never imagined that she was in this much trouble, but now that he knew, he would have to act fast. Luckily she had not been hit by any of the bullets, since he was a damn good shot and the thugs who had been planning to rape her had been thinking from below their belts. Snapping into action, he pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around her, then scooped her into his arms so he could carry her to the car.
The drive to the hotel he had rented a room in seemed much longer then it had the night before, and Keith made sure to drive carefully, not wanting Eva to wake up until they were far away from the dangers they had just faced. Finally its blinking lights came into view and he pulled up the winding drive that led to the main parking lot. Once again picking Eva up he walked up to the door that lead into the room he had rented and unlocked it, laying her down on the bed before going back and locking it again. If there were members of the Black Tigers after her, there was no such thing as being too careful.
In sleep, he would have sworn she was an angel. She looked enchantingly beautiful with her long dark hair falling down her back and framing her tiny heart-shaped face like a silken curtain. It was clear she had been frightened from the transparency of her creamy skin, and that she had been hurt by the punk he had blown away, because bruises were forming on her left breast where the jerk had torn her shirt open. Deciding that she might not be happy if she found him looking at that he covered her with a blanket before sitting down in a chair beside the bed and waiting for her to wake up.
One hour passed, and then another. Keith was beginning to worry. Should he wrap her up again and take her to a hospital? Could he have been wrong about her not being shot? He was almost to the point of making a decision in favor of going to the hospital when her dark violet eyes shot open and she sat bolt upright on the bed shouting, " Where the hell am I? "
" In my hotel room. You fainted. " Keith said, turning away slightly because the blanket had once again fallen from where he had placed it. She let out a squeak of terror and a moment later he let his gaze wander back to her to find that it was once again covered. " You had me worried, Eva. You were out cold for nearly two hours. "
" Well that's a record. " Eva said. Her eyes were growing larger by the second as she turned her head in every direction to survey her surroundings. Finally she returned it to where Keith was sitting. " What did you do to my shirt, anyway? "
" I didn't do that. " Keith said, heat rising to his cheeks. Blushing was not a common thing for him, and now that he was experiencing it this was a fact for which he was grateful. " How do you feel? "
" Honestly? "
" Of course I want the truth. " Keith said, standing up and heading toward the bathroom.
" Like shit. " Eva said.
" No, I'm serious, Eva. How do you feel? "
" I just told you. I feel like shit. "
" As I assumed. " Keith said as he stepped through the door that lead into the room, " Which means the best thing for you would be to have a hot bath. "
" In your dreams, Bandit Keith. " Eva said. By the time she had finished speaking she was standing beside him, " I need to borrow a shirt from you, and then I will need you to drive me back to my own hotel. I can manage to take a hot bath there quite well, thank you. "
" If you think I'm letting you go anywhere while those goons are chasing you, I'm insulted. " Keith said. " Now you get in there and take a bath. Where is your hotel? While you're soaking I'll go and get you some clothes. "
" But I - "
" Forget it. I'll go buy you some instead. Just go have a long soak. " Before she could protest he stepped away from the bathroom, pulling his coat on as he walked toward the door. " I am taking the keys with me. Do not go outside, and do not open the door for anyone. I do not care if Christ knocks on the door to announce the second coming. Got it? "
" Whatever. " Eva said entering the bathroom. Pausing a moment she added, " Peek once and I swear you're eyes will not be in their sockets tomorrow morning. "
" Yes, your Majesty. " Keith said, closing the door. He only hoped that Eva was more fun where she wasn't a ball of nerves, or this would end up being the longest evening of his life.
*+*+*
Eva had traveled a lot in the course of her life, but she was not use to the luxuries that she found in the bathroom. She had been expecting a tiny room with a tub, sink and toilet. Perhaps a medicine cabinet. But not a huge hot tub with internal jet massagers and programmable aroma-therapy bubble baths. Keith definitely had more then Duel Monsters on his mind, or he was a flaming homosexual. Eva elected to believe the former of these two possibilities.
Blushing at the not so innocent thoughts that this sent spiraling through her head she turned on the taps so that warm water would begin to fill the tub and chose a lavender scented bubble bath which she hoped would help her relax. When the tub was half full she pulled off her sweat soaked clothes and slid into the warm depths that the tub provided, stretching leisurely and letting it fill up the rest of the way before turning the taps off again. This was bliss. She was very glad he wanted her to stay. First, because of this incredible tub, second because he was drop dead gorgeous, and third because she had not yet booked into a hotel. The fact that he was buying her clothes made her feel slightly guilty, but she was grateful. She had been wearing the only outfit she had brought with her for two days.
As she grew more comfortable with the idea of staying with Keith, at least for the time being, she started to ponder over what kind of night clothes the Bandit would select for her. What would she want him to pick? A sleek satin nightgown, or perhaps something soft and fluffy. She was not entirely sure. Regardless of what he chose, Eva was determined that she would be gracious, wear it, and not hurt his feelings. As long as it wasn't illegal in several states. No leather, she silently pleaded.
From inside her pants pocket a shrill beep broke the peaceful silence of her watery sanctuary. Cursing softly Eva dried her hands with a towel and reached down to pull her trans-communicator out. Angel would pick just this moment to call her. " Hello? "
" Evelyn Sweet, you'd better write your will, 'cause girl you didn't pay your bill. There's no escape, your blood I'll spill. Tomorrow when its you I kill. " The voice on the other end of the line was tone encrypted, so there was no chance of it being recognized. Remembering the fact that the trans-communicator ran the risk of giving away her location she shut it and took out the batteries to ensure she wouldn't have any more surprise calls. Keith wasn't going to like hearing about this.
*+*+*
Keith called himself every name he could think of as he nervously paced the aisles of Bloomingdate's looking at the women's clothing. Sure, his intentions had been good. But now he was facing a double edged sword: making sure that the clothes he bought Eva were nice, and making sure they would not offend her. But what did women like to wear? The women he normally met at tournaments were groupies who came hoping to get an invite into his bed. He was quite certain by this point that Eva had slightly more important things to worry about at the moment. So for once, his thoughts had to be on her comfort, not his own more lustful desires.
" Are you lost? " The voice invading his thoughts had a sharpness to it that cut like a whip, and when he turned around he found Angelica Sweet staring up at him with a questioning expression. Of all the people he would have to meet at the moment, Angel was the last he would have chosen, " Or are you beginning to embrace your feminine side as Seto has a tendency of thinking you someday will? "
" I'm shopping for a friend. " Keith said, glancing around for a means of escape. If Angel found out that his friend was her sister, she would follow him back to the hotel for sure. Then any chance he had with Eva would be gone. " Do you think you could help me? "
Angel laughed, " With all the women you surround yourself with, I would have assumed you'd be a natural by now. "
" You don't get it. This isn't some groupie. This person is special, and I need to make sure that I don't screw this up. " Whoa, tiger. Shaking his head Keith fought the urge to hit himself. If he kept going like that he was going to start saying mushy crap and ruin his reputation. That was definitely not the plan, unless he was saying it to Eva.
" What do you need to buy for this mystery woman? " Angel asked. Keith wanted to slap her when he saw a little smirk of amusement cross her face.
" Well, let's start with a nightgown and a housecoat. " Keith said. Angel started walking and he followed her through a maze of racks until she came to a section that had sleepwear. " The nightie should be sheer, kinda sexy, but comfortable. "
" Satin, perhaps? "
" Yeah, that'll do. And the housecoat should be soft and fluffy. It's getting to that time of year where it's chilly in the morning. I don't want her to catch cold. " What was with this? He had no reason to give Angel his life story.
" So, are you going to tell me what mystery girl's name is, or do you intend on replacing her so quickly that it won't matter? " Angel asked, pulling several long satin nightgowns off of a rack and holding them out. Keith looked at each one carefully, rubbing the smooth material between his fingers. What would Eva like? The blue one with the lace edging on its slight sleeves, or maybe the scarlet one with the lower neckline. Shrugging, he pointed at each of them.
" Those two will do. As for her name, let's just say it's … a surprise. Trust me, you'll find out soon. " And when you do, you'd better not say one bad word about me, he wanted to add. " That white housecoat with the fur trim looks nice. I think that would be just the ticket. "
" Whatever you say. " Angel said, pulling it down and placing it with the two nightgowns. " Listen, my sister has seemed sort of … worried … about tomorrow's duel. Take it easy out there, okay? "
" A duel is a duel. Tell he to tough it up! " Keith said, throwing his hands into the air, " I can't start making exceptions on my performance based on who I'm dueling. Have a little respect. "
" I fear for her health, Keith. And the fact that I have not seen her since before I caught her going to watch your duel with that McTaggert kid isn't helping matters any. "
Keith stopped looking at the rack of pants he had been scanning so that his eyes met Angel's. " What about her health? "
" She has anxiety attacks, and they can lead to ulcers if she lets them get out of hand. For some reason, this tournament has been a giant catalyst for triggering them. Did you say something to her? " The way Angel said it had Keith wanting to choke her.
" Nothing that would have that effect, I hope. " Returning his attention to the pant rack, he panicked. What size of pants did Eva take? " My friend is about the same size as your sister. What size pants would she take? "
" Eva wears a size twelve. " Angel said. Keith pulled a pair of dark blue jeans off one rack and beige hip-huggers off another. He then walked to some racks that held shirts and pulled a baby-blue sporty T-shirt off one and a lilac tummy-top off another. Now all that was left was lingerie. Crunch time had arrived.
" Which pieces of that jungle of lingerie are actually comfortable? " Keith hoped Angel was being honest with him, because this was where he totally drew a blank. He could easily tell which pieces were sexy. What man couldn't? But which pieces were comfortable might be another story entirely, and at the moment that was paramount.
Fifteen minutes later Keith held silk bra and pantie sets that matched the two nightgowns he had chosen, as well as baby blue and lilac socks, and a hairbrush. The rest of his intended purchased were stored in a cart, and he was standing at the jewelry section trying to decide if he had forgotten anything. A few feet away he noticed Angel looking at something. " That's the one Eva wants. I know she'd just love it if I gave her that tomorrow, but Seto would kill me. "
" Which one? " Keith asked, coming to stand next to her and looking down at the pendants. There were certainly some pretty ones there. The collection that Angel seemed to be looking at were gold animals with birthstones held between their paws. " Those are really cute. "
" Cute? " Angel turned to glance at him for a moment, then went back to looking at the necklaces, " I guess there really isn't any other word to describe them. Eva had her eye on that panda when we came in here the other day, but for some reason she didn't buy it. It's not like her to pass up something like this. She collects birthstone jewelry. "
" So you're sister is a Virgo. " Keith said, " Maybe that's why she gets so stressed about dueling. Virgo people tend to be perfectionists, ya know. "
" Well I've gotta go. " Angel said, turning toward the door, " I'm sure you can find your way to a check out aisle. Oh, and one more thing … "
" What? "
" Don't think about trying to seduce my sister. " Angel's tone made it clear that she was not about to be ignored. Keith groaned inwardly. He had really thought he'd had her fooled.
The minute he was sure Angel was gone he called the clerk behind the jewelry display counter over and bought the panda pendant. Checking his watch, he took the clerk up on her offer to ring him through. If he did not get moving, Eva was going to turn into a prune soaking in that hot tub. Pondering over Angel's final words to him, he smiled, before softly saying, " Just try and stop me. "
*+*+*
Eva could swear she smelled pizza. The aroma of the fresh baked pie waffled through the bathroom door to tease her with its mouthwatering scent. If Keith thought he was going to eat that and then give her clothes, he had another thought coming. From the smell of it, it seemed he had managed through sheer dumb luck to get the exact toppings she liked. A soft knock came at the door and then it slowly began to open. Eva made sure that she was, aside from her head, underwater.
" Don't worry, I'm not trying to peek. I'm leaving your new clothes here. You can get dressed or change into one of the nightgowns. I hope you like what I got you. " Keith sat the bags by the door and paused for a moment before closing it, " I ran into your sister, so it shouldn't be too face off the mark. "
One of the nightgowns? Was this his idea of a joke? Stepping out of the tub, Eva wrapped herself in one of the huge cream colored towels and went over to see what he had bought. Her jaw dropped as she sorted through the bags. The clothes were tasteful, cute and comfortable. And none too cheap, either. She noticed he had forgotten to take the tags off, and that there was not one thing in any of the bags that had been on sale. What was he trying to prove? Even Seto Kaiba wouldn't go out and do something like this. So why had Keith?
Good god, the nightgowns were real satin, and gorgeous at that. Of course the fact that she was going to wear one of them in front of Keith made her flush, but how could she not after all this? It was still pretty early, though. No later then eight o'clock. So she slid a pair of blue jeans and a T-shirt from the third bag and left the bathroom in search of the pizza she had smelled.
She found it, and Keith, at the table in the main part of the room. He was sitting in one of the chairs and the table was set with plates and glasses filled with chocolate milk. It was childish, but seemed to fit the moment perfectly. Walking over to the other chair she sat down, her damp hair falling across her face in thick patches. " Don't tell me I forgot to leave you the brush. "
And indeed he had. He was holding it in his left hand, and from the little smile on his face, he had done so on purpose. " Seems so. "
" Guess that means I'll have to make it up to you when we're done with the pizza, then. " Keith said, setting the brush down on the window ledge by his chair. He then turned to the pizza box and used a knife to slice the huge pizza. " Pass me your plate, Eva. "
Up close the pizza smelled almost as good as he did, and Eva used every ounce of control she possessed to keep from drooling. As she had hoped, the pizza was topped with pepperoni, mushrooms and sausage, with tons of sauce and cheese. Keith put two slices on her plate and she set it down again, preparing to give it a taste test. Taking a bite, she smiled. It definitely passed. " Thanks. "
" No need to thank me. " Keith said, taking a bite of pizza, " Oh, and if you want more just let me know. "
" Sure thing. " Eva said. This was really good pizza, possibly the best she'd ever had. She couldn't help wondering where he'd got it. She made a mental note to ask him later. " It's kinda funny that we both like the exact same things on pizza, though. "
" Really? That was a gamble. After we ate the steaks, though, I figured I didn't have to worry that you were a vegetarian. " Keith was finished his first slice of pizza by this point and was ready to start his second. " Do you have your deck with you? "
" Yeah, it's in my purse. " Eva said. Warning bells went off for a minute, and she thought they might be about Keith, but then she remembered that she did not have anything but her deck with her. " But I just remembered something … All of my other cards are back at the stadium! "
" Can I see your deck? " Keith asked. Eva bit down on her bottom lip, unable to decide how to deal with this. " After we eat, silly. I hope you didn't think I was trying to sabotage it by getting it covered in pizza sauce. "
" Sure. " Eva said, laughing, " Can I see yours? "
" I haven't set mine up yet. " Keith said. " I never set my deck up until I have some kind of understanding of what my opponent is playing. "
" And you think I'm still going to let you see my deck after hearing that? "
" If the rumors that you do not go back on your word are true. "
" Which they are, so you win there, Keith. "
" Let's get one thing straight, baby… " Keith said, placing emphasis on the last word, " I always win. "
Eva didn't bother replying to this obvious innuendo, instead focusing on eating the rest of her pizza. But if the Bandit thought he was going to win her so easily, he was sorely mistaken. Because if he wanted to play a game with her, there was one crucial fact he had yet to catch: Eva always played for keeps.
[ End Notes: Will Eva really let Keith see her deck? Will Angel try to keep Eva and Keith apart? Do Eva and Keith even belong together? Read on and find out when "Bargain with the Bandit" continues... ]