Disclaimer: Please see the other chapter for that stuff.
Aperitif
Chapter II
By Callisto
Parker's residence-several hours later
Blue Cove, DEThe day had been exhausting. They had been close to catching him, the whispers in her mind confirmed this but those same whispers had eroded her eagerness like acid on a stone. Nothing else could have produced this reaction, it was something that had to come from within and it was all she could do to hide the effects from those around her, constantly watching. Conversely, her focus was better than at any other time during the past 6 years of the Jarod pursuit—the inner sense made sure of that as well. So, her recently matured gift at once provided her with a dilemma and a partial solution for it. Therefore, she allowed her sweepers to check the site and the one next to it, knowing full well the Pretender was fleeing down the fire escape on the far side of the building. She had the tedious job of checking the site, finding his lair and cleaning up all traces of his inhabitance. Sydney watched from the distance, quietly observing her with a calculating look on his face. He suspected there was something else going on in her mind but he was at a loss as to the extent of that something's influence.
Once they were done, she corralled the team of sweepers to the jet, returned to the Centre empty handed with a smug-looking Lyle skulking about Raines' office and filled out the mountain of paperwork detailing the trip. She had finished the last report explaining the lead and her team's resulting expenses when she decided to pack it in and call it a night.
Turning the key in the lock and thrusting the door open, her nose was greeted by a most welcome scent. Her little brother had stopped by again. The guest bedroom had never been so well used as to keep him close and comfortable enough to return. She wondered at his motives for coming into her life. He had literally moved into the outer reaches of her heart and was assiduously chipping away at her inner defense systems. Never again, she had told herself after Tommy's murder, would her heart be broken by the death of someone who had become dear and important in her life. Now he was here and it seemed that for all her efforts, she remained susceptible to the need of having a loved one who wanted nothing more than to spend time with her. An unconscious smile lit her features as she placed her laptop computer and her Halliburton-ed DSA player on the consol by the door. Then she removed her heels and her 9mm and put both in the hall closet. She padded silently into the kitchen to find Ethan seasoning something.
Sensing a presence behind him, Ethan turned to find her standing before him. An unguarded smile, almost identical to hers lit his features as he stared at her. She possessed a warmth she seemed unaware of that was never flaunted or wasted. Quite the opposite, Ethan had to work hard to get past her thick, disappointment-hardened coolness. This knowledge freed him in expressing himself in an only slightly constrained manner as he reached up and touched her hair lightly. He was freed but knew his sister suffered a type of damage that precluded the liberties a loving hug involved--even those afforded to an admiring younger brother.
"Hey, what are you doing in here? You'll ruin my surprise," he said happily, shielding his work from her effectively.
"Well, I'm here now, what's going on?"
"Dinner. I'm determined to settle our argument once and for all, so go sit at the table and wait to be served."
"I hate waiting. What do you have there?" she asked curiously while trying to look over his shoulder. Ethan blocked her attempts and stated firmly, "You're still in your work clothes. Go upstairs and get into something more comfortable. By the time you come back down, everything will be ready." He said this as he ushered her out of the kitchen and stood in the doorway until she headed towards her bedroom. A deep sigh and a shake of the head was his response to his sister. She was crawling with stress and unreleased tension. What she really needed to do was soak in a hot bath for 20 minutes before slipping into bed but he knew she would never do that; her curiosity was too strong. When he turned to go back into the kitchen, Ethan was surprised by the reappearance of his other sibling. Jarod had taken it upon himself to finish what Ethan had started. He had finished seasoning and continued braising the delicate cuts of meat splayed out on the prep board.
Without turning around he asked, "Does she really out-do you in the kitchen? I'm surprised one—because you're my brother and I'm an excellent chef and two—because she's not known for her culinary skills."
"She's an excellent cook. It's just that she hasn't had too many opportunities to showcase her talent. Cooking is personal for her, a cherished proficiency handed down from our mother," Ethan replied sharply defensive. He wasn't angry at Jarod's flippant attitude; instead he was distracted and upset by the depth of his sister's fatigue and stress. Unfortunately, it didn't come out the way he meant it.
Jarod looked up mildly surprised. He didn't take offense to Ethan's tone, especially when he noticed his distraction. Feeling like an unwanted element, Jarod smiled with gentle understanding and rinsing his hands clean from the various seasonings, he studied Ethan. "I apologize. I'm in the way and all you wanted was to spend some quality time with her. I know how you feel; I have a recently discovered sister too. Have a wonderful dinner." Jarod replaced the dishrag and started for the door.
"No, wait. I didn't mean it the way it sounded. She looks so worn out and stressed, I'm worried about her. We need to get her away from that place."
"We?? That's a decision she has to make on her own. Trying to force her into something will just spell disaster and probably place her in more danger than she's prepared to handle," Jarod reasoned slowly, making certain his words and their meaning got through Ethan's stubborn will.
Lowering his voice to a whisper, Ethan responded, "She doesn't realize what kind of danger she's facing. If we can somehow get her on neutral ground and show her that she has alternatives, then I'm sure she'll leave."
Copying Ethan's volume, Jarod whispered back, "Let's discuss this at another time. Right now, you have a dinner to share with your sister."
Ethan stared at his brother and picking up a heavy blindfold mouthed the word, "Stay". Before Jarod could respond, Ethan slipped through the door.
"I was about to ask 'How was your day?' but the tiredness in your eyes speaks volumes. Would you like to do this another day? You should get some rest," Ethan stated softly, concern lacing his words as well as his expression.
Parker offered her brother a weary smile and replied, "Don't worry about it. It's just the jet lag. You would think with all my frequent flyer miles that I would be used to it by now but I never do. What's for dinner?"
"It's a surprise. What I want you to do is relax and clear your mind." A shy smile appeared on his face and glancing down he noticed the blindfold in his hands as though he had forgotten it was there. "Oh, put this on. The challenge here is to guess what I'm serving you and the seasonings involved."
"You're right, I'm tired and I don't feel like putting on a blindfold," she answered definitively.
"It's only for a few bites," he said quietly allowing his disappointment to show through in his face and posture. "I wanted to surprise and challenge your taste buds." Then brightening up he said, "I'll leave. Perhaps next week you'll be feeling more receptive."
Not wanting to be alone, Parker surprisingly relented. "Alright, alright, I'll put this stupid thing on for only 5 minutes and not a second longer." With that she hastily tied the cloth around her head and covered her eyes.
"No peeking. Bringing the dishes into the living room with Jarod's help, Ethan quickly chose fresh, uncooked tuna. Placing the delicately seasoned morsel on a thin skewer he elicited his sister to eat it. Parker unhurriedly took what was offered and chewed slowly, savoring the delicate blend of spices and started speaking.
Jarod was impressed by how quickly she identified the ingredients they had used. He was equally impressed by how easily Parker slipped into the roll of a sister. Gone was her Centre persona of a coldly daunting executive. Her smile for Ethan was genuine and her laughter at his rising frustration from her uncanny accuracy, effortless. Jarod stared at her, almost transfixed by the changes in her—here was the woman he always knew existed but was rarely given the chance to see. Ethan had already given her 4 different morsels of flavored meat and vegetables, one smothered in an exotic cheese sauce and was met with the same result, she guessed the seasonings the second the food touched her tongue. Inspiration hit Jarod as he placed a finger to his lips to warn Ethan, then held up one finger to indicate that he had something else to test her skills. Ethan informed her, this would be the last test. Jarod disappeared in the kitchen and rifling through his bag he came up with a can of Spam. He sliced a small portion of it, then sprinkled a tiny amount of dill and pepper on it. Carrying it to the table on a plate, Jarod offered it to Ethan who shook his head and indicated that Jarod should be the one to feed it to her.
The temptation was overwhelming. Jarod expertly skewered the meat and he found himself staring at her moistened lips which parted as he brought the food to her mouth. Instead of placing the food there, Jarod seized the opportunity by leaning over and tasting her soft lips. After an initial shocked pause, Parker's reaction was as swift. She whipped the blindfold from her eyes and found herself face to face with Jarod. He pulled away quickly and before Parker could accuse her brother of the betrayal she had in her eyes, he spoke up. "I came in at the end of it. Seeing you there with a blindfold on, I just couldn't resist," he said with smug smile. The kiss had been sensuous and Jarod, in those few precious seconds before she reacted, not only tasted her but was able to enjoy the feel of her.
Glancing at Ethan, he sealed Parker's shifting opinion by stating, "Hope I didn't shove you too hard, little brother but some openings happen once in a lifetime and this was one." Retreating to the front door, Jarod paused and looked back. "You taste better than I remember, Miss Parker." Winking at a nonplussed Parker, Jarod quickly took his leave of both of them. It was all Ethan could do to keep from smiling. Jarod got what he wanted—a chance to kiss Miss Parker wholeheartedly; Ethan got what he wanted—his sister becoming aware that she had a very amorous devotee that pointed directly to the alternatives still present in her life and Parker got what she needed—the knowledge that her life wasn't over yet and that good things could still happen to her and not just one at a time. In this case it was clear there was another person eager to engage her heart, though he was looking for a different result than her little brother and that passion was still alive and kicking her life—even if it did come from a renegade pretender.
Fin