This is a short one but I hope to add more to it this weekend!
As Chase and Parker danced, Parker seductively drawled "I guess I really should apologize for threatening to kill you on your birthday," and she snuggled closer to him.
But Chase smiled in answer, "Hey, it made it a memorable day."
They danced for a moment in silence before Parker spoke again, lacing her tone with compassion, "I'm sorry about your friend Joey."
Chase gave her an assessing look before replying, "Yeah, I miss 'em."
"Did he have a family?"
"No," Chase shortly replied and looked away. "He and I were the bachelors of our group. We were always teasing the married guys, rubbing it in about the running around we did, our trips to Vegas, all our gambling," Chase smiled sadly at the memories.
Parker was about to pose her next question when Jarod's voice broke into her thoughts.
"Can I cut in?" Jarod's manner was all politeness but when Chase met his eyes, he saw the resolve there.
"Sure," Chase conceded but he had his eyes on Parker. "It's truly been a pleasure...Parker," and he kissed her hand before he walked off the courtyard.
As Jarod encircled Parker in his arms and began to slow dance, Parker grumbled, "Great timing, Sherlock. I had Chase talking about Joey, you know the guy they think you killed. If we want to make it out of here in one piece, we had better find a more likely suspect than you..or me."
Jarod gave Parker a bemused look.
"What?" Parker demanded.
"You're turning into a real Nancy Drew."
"This Nancy Drew should have let them put a bullet in your Hardy Boy head," she growled lowly.
"Now where would the fun be in that."
"Oh you'd be surprised," Parker countered icily.
Jarod laughed and slowly pulled her tight against his chest, letting his hand rest at the base of her spine. This earned him an uncharacteristically surprised expression from Parker as her eyes met his.
His breath fluttered across her face like a summer breeze when he softly spoke, "It has been brought to my attention that I need to 'stake my claim.'" At Parker's confused look, Jarod raised his head, surveyed the hungry look of the "claim jumpers" that rimmed the courtyard. He settled his look again on Parker's beautiful features, "You know, stake my claim on you to ward off claim jumpers."
A lady like snort escaped Parker, "Claim jumpers, Jarod? You really need to "pretend" to have some culture."
Jarod's eyes held Parker's as he lowly drawled, "Oh, I have culture, Parker, but this "pretend" calls for something you and I have been avoiding. Romance." And he slowly began to bend his head toward Parker.
"Jarod?!" Parker warned but her voice was a whispered gasp.
Halting his descent, his lips a mere inch above Parker's, Jarod's eyes seared into hers. He breathed with amusement, "I don't think this is too high a price to pay for survival, Miss Parker." And then his lips captured hers, gently at first then hungrily.
Instantly, Parker sank against Jarod's firm body and, of their own volition, her arms slowly crept up his body to wrap themselves around his neck. Any protests her mind had, her heart had discarded the second his lips met hers.
Finally pulling back, gasping for breath, Jarod's eyes met Parker's equally shocked and vulnerable. Gently, Jarod stroked her cheek, not even aware that they had stopped dancing amid the dance floor. He wanted to say something, to bridge the gap that had kept them isolated for so long, to erase the fear he saw gathering in her eyes. She never gave him the chance.
Stepping back from Jarod, Miss Parker assumed the ice queen façade that had sheltered her for most of her life. "I think your claim has been staked," her voice icy. She made to turn on her heel but Jarod again caught her in his arms.
"Parker, wait." Jarod demanded, lowly, gripping her tightly enough to conceal any struggles she may make. But her eyes met his and he knew the stone hearted professional Centre employee had returned. Emotions could not be shared now, not with this Parker. This Parker would only concern herself with survival and objectives. "You're right, we need to find other suspects for Joey's murder."
"Suspects?! We need the guilty party given to Chase on a silver platter." Parker sneered, glad that Jarod had not tried to breach the subject of her moment of weakness.
Moving them both with the music, Jarod scanned the guests, "You're assuming the murderer's here."
Parker's voice was bitter with knowledge, "The Centre has taught me that it's always an inside job."
Jarod met her eyes, doubtfully but then nodded his head. "Alright, then let's mingle. First one to discover the killer, wins."
"You mean "lives", don't you?" Parker corrected.
Jarod smiled, "Not today, miss Parker, not in this. This hunt we play on the same team. Ok, you see what the ladies have to say about Joey and I'll see what the gents have to say." And he began to guide them off the dance floor.
"You take the ladies, Jarod. I'll take the men," Parker countered but her suggestion met with a look of protest from Jarod. "Woman don't talk to me, Jarod."
"And men do," Jarod stated unhappily. "Alright, I've got the ladies. Good luck," leaving his 'and be careful' unspoken as they parted company and blended into the crowd.
TBC
As Chase and Parker danced, Parker seductively drawled "I guess I really should apologize for threatening to kill you on your birthday," and she snuggled closer to him.
But Chase smiled in answer, "Hey, it made it a memorable day."
They danced for a moment in silence before Parker spoke again, lacing her tone with compassion, "I'm sorry about your friend Joey."
Chase gave her an assessing look before replying, "Yeah, I miss 'em."
"Did he have a family?"
"No," Chase shortly replied and looked away. "He and I were the bachelors of our group. We were always teasing the married guys, rubbing it in about the running around we did, our trips to Vegas, all our gambling," Chase smiled sadly at the memories.
Parker was about to pose her next question when Jarod's voice broke into her thoughts.
"Can I cut in?" Jarod's manner was all politeness but when Chase met his eyes, he saw the resolve there.
"Sure," Chase conceded but he had his eyes on Parker. "It's truly been a pleasure...Parker," and he kissed her hand before he walked off the courtyard.
As Jarod encircled Parker in his arms and began to slow dance, Parker grumbled, "Great timing, Sherlock. I had Chase talking about Joey, you know the guy they think you killed. If we want to make it out of here in one piece, we had better find a more likely suspect than you..or me."
Jarod gave Parker a bemused look.
"What?" Parker demanded.
"You're turning into a real Nancy Drew."
"This Nancy Drew should have let them put a bullet in your Hardy Boy head," she growled lowly.
"Now where would the fun be in that."
"Oh you'd be surprised," Parker countered icily.
Jarod laughed and slowly pulled her tight against his chest, letting his hand rest at the base of her spine. This earned him an uncharacteristically surprised expression from Parker as her eyes met his.
His breath fluttered across her face like a summer breeze when he softly spoke, "It has been brought to my attention that I need to 'stake my claim.'" At Parker's confused look, Jarod raised his head, surveyed the hungry look of the "claim jumpers" that rimmed the courtyard. He settled his look again on Parker's beautiful features, "You know, stake my claim on you to ward off claim jumpers."
A lady like snort escaped Parker, "Claim jumpers, Jarod? You really need to "pretend" to have some culture."
Jarod's eyes held Parker's as he lowly drawled, "Oh, I have culture, Parker, but this "pretend" calls for something you and I have been avoiding. Romance." And he slowly began to bend his head toward Parker.
"Jarod?!" Parker warned but her voice was a whispered gasp.
Halting his descent, his lips a mere inch above Parker's, Jarod's eyes seared into hers. He breathed with amusement, "I don't think this is too high a price to pay for survival, Miss Parker." And then his lips captured hers, gently at first then hungrily.
Instantly, Parker sank against Jarod's firm body and, of their own volition, her arms slowly crept up his body to wrap themselves around his neck. Any protests her mind had, her heart had discarded the second his lips met hers.
Finally pulling back, gasping for breath, Jarod's eyes met Parker's equally shocked and vulnerable. Gently, Jarod stroked her cheek, not even aware that they had stopped dancing amid the dance floor. He wanted to say something, to bridge the gap that had kept them isolated for so long, to erase the fear he saw gathering in her eyes. She never gave him the chance.
Stepping back from Jarod, Miss Parker assumed the ice queen façade that had sheltered her for most of her life. "I think your claim has been staked," her voice icy. She made to turn on her heel but Jarod again caught her in his arms.
"Parker, wait." Jarod demanded, lowly, gripping her tightly enough to conceal any struggles she may make. But her eyes met his and he knew the stone hearted professional Centre employee had returned. Emotions could not be shared now, not with this Parker. This Parker would only concern herself with survival and objectives. "You're right, we need to find other suspects for Joey's murder."
"Suspects?! We need the guilty party given to Chase on a silver platter." Parker sneered, glad that Jarod had not tried to breach the subject of her moment of weakness.
Moving them both with the music, Jarod scanned the guests, "You're assuming the murderer's here."
Parker's voice was bitter with knowledge, "The Centre has taught me that it's always an inside job."
Jarod met her eyes, doubtfully but then nodded his head. "Alright, then let's mingle. First one to discover the killer, wins."
"You mean "lives", don't you?" Parker corrected.
Jarod smiled, "Not today, miss Parker, not in this. This hunt we play on the same team. Ok, you see what the ladies have to say about Joey and I'll see what the gents have to say." And he began to guide them off the dance floor.
"You take the ladies, Jarod. I'll take the men," Parker countered but her suggestion met with a look of protest from Jarod. "Woman don't talk to me, Jarod."
"And men do," Jarod stated unhappily. "Alright, I've got the ladies. Good luck," leaving his 'and be careful' unspoken as they parted company and blended into the crowd.
TBC