Chapter 8

"Happy Birthday, Sly Cooper…happy birthday to you!"

Sly blewed out the candles on his cake, grinning appreciatively over at his two best friends. "Thanks, guys. Now, please…you've got to let me know…what's my surprise? You two have been killing me for weeks!"

Bentley looked over at Murray, who grinned. Bentley then turned to Sly. "Trust me, Sly…you're gonna love it! But, don't just believe us…go, check it out, buddy. It's on your bed," Bentley said with a most mysterious smile. He then grabbed Sly's arm as the raccoon started to make tracks toward his room. "Oh, and by the way, here you are." He tossed Sly the small key to the handcuffs that restrained poor Carmelita's hands.

"Gee, thanks," Sly said, confused yet amused. "I've never gotten a key for a birthday gift before, guys."

Both Murray and Bentley roared with laughter. "Oh, you'll like what that key holds, pal…you can bet on it!" they told him, then shooed him toward his room, and his waiting 'present'.

Sly grinned as he headed up the stairs toward his room. "Now, what have those two gone and gotten yours truly, I wonder?" he mused as he opened the door, still gazing at the silvery key in his hand. He flicked on the light switch, and then looked up from the key in his hand to his bed, where his present was purported to be.

Sly grinned.

There was his present all right, he deduced. Okay, so there was no card, or big bow to mark it as such…but he knew a present when he saw one. And, boy! what a present it was at that! "Aw, fellas," Sly groaned happily. "You shouldn't have…"

For his present was…the one, the only, the enchantingly beautiful Carmelita Montoya Fox. Oh, yes…and angrier than he had ever seen her before too! His grin grew as he saw she was dressed in a svelte outfit that looked like a dark red version of his own…with a distinctly feminine flair.

"Sly! Just remember that she´s got to be back tomorow afternoon!" Bentley called up. "Now enjoy yourself, Birthday Boy!"

Sly closed the door with a snick, turning his most charming smile on for Carmelita, who just scowled back. "Those guys…" Sly mused, his smile warm. "They know me all too well. Still…I wonder just how did they manage something like this?" He reached down to briefly finger the lapel of Carmelita's deep red leather jacket. "Nice, Ms. Fox. My compliments to your tailor," he said, grinning.

"Kidnapping! That's what this is, Cooper!" Carmelita shot back, fury in every word she said. "They abducted me as I lay asleep in my own bed and before I know it I´m in your room!" she added. Then she blushed furiously. "On your bed. Oh, Dios…"

"Those two! They knew exactly what I would consider the ultimate in birthday presents," Sly teased, knowing it would elicit quite a response from the very agitated vixen lying before him.

Carmelita struggled against the cuffs restraining her. "Grr! Believe you me when I get out of these cuffs---and I will!---your friends are dead. D.E.A.D.!" She held up her hands, which were still handcuffed. "Get these off of me!"

"Eventually, Ms. Fox," Sly soothed. He then sat down beside her, and looked the suddenly shy vixen up and down most appreciatively. "Eventually."

Carmelita wanted to sob with frustration, but wouldn't give Cooper the satisfaction of seeing her cry. Still, her eyes glistened with her unshed tears. "Let me go!" she screamed, arching her back and thrashing against the cuffs. She then slumped, turning away. She then steeled herself, and rolled back over toward him. "Please?"

Sly was touched by her emotional response, as well as her asking 'please'. "Okay, I'll tell you what, gorgeous," he proposed. "Tell me how you got here, what Bentley and Murray told you, and I'll uncuff you. Do we have a deal, Ms. Fox?"

Carmelita scowled furiously, but the cuffs were beginning to bite rather unpleasantly against her wrists, so she eventually relented and accepted his offer. "All right. Deal," she replied gruffly.

"You know," Sly then observed, his brown eyes gleaming mischieviously. "Maybe I shouldn't. I mean, just when will I ever have the delicious Carmelita Fox at my mercy…and on my bed, no less?"

Carmelita quickly sucked in her breath, her beautiful eyes going large instantly. "You wouldn't!" she gasped, suddenly very afraid of the hot-blooded raccoon who stared down at her. "You can't!" she added, biting her lower lip, rapidly blinking her large eyes.

"C'mon, Carmelita…you know I wouldn't," Sly quickly assured her, sorry he had scared her instead of simply teasing her. "I respect you far too much, you know," he informed her, then held his head high. "Besides, I'm a gentleman, thank you."

Carmelita pounced on that! "A gentleman would uncuff me," she reminded him.

"Okay," Sly relented with a grin. "So…maybe I'm not that much of a gentleman…"

"Cooper!" Carmelita growled, uncertain again. She didn't like the fact that she was lying on Cooper's bed---she blushed furiously again---with her wrists securely handcuffed to its headboard. She also didn't like the way Cooper was looking at her…and she wished she was suddenly wearing a good deal more than she was right this moment. "If you even try---" she began, only to have him cut her off.

"Relax, Carmelita," he told her. "Why are you suddenly so afraid of me?"

"I'm not afraid of you, criminal," she shot back. But, in reality, she was…though, only a little bit. Okay, maybe more than a little bit, she reluctantly admitted to herself. But, she was damned if she'd admit that to the likes of Sly Cooper.

"Uh huh," he replied, not believing her. He then slowly ran the back of his hand over her cheek tenderly. "Then…why are you trembling, my love?"

Carmelita did indeed tremble…but not entirely because she was uncertain. The feeling of his warm hand against her cheek was electrifying, startling her with the feelings that touch created in herself. "Am not," she told him, trying to still her trembling. "Are you going to release me…or not?"

"Are you going to tell me how you got here…or not?" he responded, infuriating her.

"Gah!" Carmelita growled, then nodded. "All right, all right…I'll tell." And…she proceeded to do just that, although more than a little reluctantly. She wasn't exactly thrilled in admitting she'd been smartly hoodwinked. "…and that's about it. So…what about the handcuffs?"

"A deal's a deal," Sly replied, inserting the key into the handcuffs, and unlocking them one at a time. "There you are, In---"

Carmelita exploded up from the bed, tackling the unsuspecting Sly, driving him to the floor. But, she forgot how quick that damn raccoon was…receiving a startling reminder in a most undignified fashion when he rolled her over, ending up pinning her to the ground, astride her.

"Now that wasn't very nice," Sly chided her, as she struggled madly beneath him on the floor.

"Neither is keeping me against my will, you bastard!" Carmelita shrieked, furious at being overpowered…again.

"Tut tut," Sly softly berated her. "My parentage is all above board, good lady," he assured her. "I've got the documents to prove it as well." He then regarded her again. "Such crass language from such a pretty mouth…"

"Cooper!" she growled, then relaxed…admitting she wasn't going anywhere right this moment. "Let me up," she demanded lamely.

"So you can take another swing at me?" Sly told her, then shook his head. "No thanks."

"All right," Carmelita relented, much to her frustration. "Let me up and I promise I won't try anything further."

Sly looked her over, his strong hands pinning her hands to the ground, gently but firmly. "I'm holding you to your honor, Inspector," he told her then leapt quickly to his feet. He then leaned over to offer her a gallant hand up.

Carmelita eyed his hand a moment, contemplating taking his offer. But, then she decided no, and got to her feet on her own. "Thank you," she told him, begrudgingly. "For the cuff thing, I mean," she amended.

"You're welcome," Sly replied, then gaped as Carmelita made a quick dash for the door. "Oh no, you don't!" he barked, his cane suddenly appearing in his hand as if by magic, hooking its end deftly around Carmelita's slender waist, bringing her to a sudden halt. Sly then pulled the struggling detective back to him. "You're my birthday present…at least until tomorrow."

"I am not!" she protested, her hands trying to free herself from the cane's grip. She was therefore very surprised when she felt his arms come around to gently embrace her from behind. "Cooper…" she growled softly, very uneasy with the feelings being in his arms produced within herself. "I thought you said you were a gentlemen…"

That brought Sly up short, and he reluctantly released her. "I am. And, I do apologize, dear lady," Sly told her charmingly. "I find myself weak in the presence of such beauty, fair Carmelita."

"Of course," Carmelita scoffed at his attempt at flattering her. She brought her hands up to brush back her raven hair and was surprised to find herself wearing a peasant hat…very much like Cooper's own. Yet another reason to kill both Kitty and Cooper's flunkies, once she got herself free. "So..you're going to hold me prisoner here…is that it?" she demanded.

"Perish the thought, O Winsome One," Sly replied, his back now turned. He whirled suddenly around, and added, "Smile!"

Carmelita blinked then gaped in surprise as a bright flash temporarily robbed her of her sight. A moment later, she rubbed her eyes, growling, "Just what the hell was that?"

"Temper, temper, Ms. Fox," Sly counseled. "What would your poor sainted mother think if she heard you speaking that way?"

"Leave my mother out of this, Ringtail!" Carmelita returned, feeling a hot rush of blood to her face when she realized he was right. Her mother would be appalled.

Sly slipped his binocucom that he had been holding into its holder, where it whirred briefly before printing a most incriminating five by seven inch picture of the stunning Carmelita in her criminal regalia. "You know, sweetheart…you've got to be the most photogenic woman I've ever met. " He held the picture out for her review. "See?"

"Give me that!" Carmelita barked, swiping the picture out of his waiting hands. She gazed upon it, and then slumped back against the wall, groaning. She then glared at him and promptly tore up the picture, a sweet triumphant smile on her face.

"Tsk, tsk," Sly observed, pushing a red button on the camera deck again. Yet another print of the same picture appeared a moment later. He then looked at her quizzically. "Not quite to your liking, eh? Well, I can always take another…if you'd like."

"What I'd like is to give you a punch in the nose, Cooper!" Carmelita told him, shaking her smaller fist under his nose.

"So hostile," Sly remarked. "So beautiful too…but definitely hostile."

"Cooper!" she said again, this time stamping her booted foot in her fury. "Stop that!"

Sly looked at her in confusion. "Stop what?" he asked. "The pictures?"

Carmelita couldn't meet his gaze. "No," she corrected. "Stop that…that flirty talk of yours. All that sugary flattery you don't even mean…"

"Hold on a minute," Sly protested, his expression becoming hurt. "I'm not telling you anything but the absolute truth, Carmelita. C'mon…you know me…just when have I ever lied to you, hmm?"

"I---" Carmelita began, then stammered to a halt, her face becoming introspective a moment. "Then, there was that time when---" she tried to continue, but again she trailed off. She finally hung her proud head, knowing what he had just said was the truth. He might sugar-coat things with her…but, never---not even one time---could she remember him ever lying to her. "Let me go," she demanded again…though not with much heart.

"Sorry, no can do, my sweet," Sly responded, shaking his head in negation. "That's what the picture was for, you see. I couldn't bring myself to keep you here against your will, you know…"

"Could of fooled me," Carmelita retorted, crossing her arms before herself. "So, you're telling me I could just walk out that door…and you'd do nothing to stop me?"

Sly nodded, then shook his head. "Yes…and no," he replice cryptically. "Would I physically restrain you from leaving? Heavens no! However, there is the matter of this remarkable picture of you, you understand…" He left his words hanging, knowing that Carmelita would eventually want to know what he was thinking.

Carmelita waited, damned if she would let him know he was getting to her. A minute went by…then another. Finally, the waiting grew intolerable, and she snapped. "What about that blasted picture?" she barked.

"Oh, this you mean?" Sly said waving the incriminating photo about, grinning. "Well, it's like this, gorgeous…every picture I take with my binocucom also get transmitted to my pal Bentley's PC. So…let's just say that if you choose to ruin my party…a certain picture might just make its way into…let's say, Chief Rob's inbox. That make it any clearer, beautiful?"

"You wouldn't!" Carmelita gasped, imagining the look on her volatile boss's face if he found that picture of her in his email. "Cooper! That's not even funny. I'd lose my job!"

"True. So true," Sly agreed affably. "So…I guess it comes down to this, Carmelita dear: you can go, and lose your job; or…you can stay and spend some time with me…and still have your job the day after tomorrow. Your choice, my sweet…"

Carmelita felt like she was squeezed between a rock and a hard place. She wanted to leave the cocky raccoon standing there…just to spite him! Just to let him know that nice girls like her wouldn't be caught dead associating with criminals like him. But, that would mean her job…her livelihood. Could she give up her career…just to spite Sly Cooper? She continued to wage that mental battle for minutes.

Sly watched her with frank admiration. She was so beautiful…even when she was beside herself with fury. Everything about her was attractive: her beauty, her spunk, her fire. The way she walked, the way she talked---that slight Spanish accent was oh so sexy!---moved him. He shook his head, understanding that he loved her…even when she seemed to hate him.

"All right, Ringtail," Carmelita grudgingly returned. "I'll stay…but under protest, mind you." Carmelita closed her eyes and tried to compose herself.

"Understood," Sly told her, then grinned that damn charming grin of his, and coyly patted the covers of the bed beside him, beckoning her to sit. "C'mon, sit. You've had a trying day, dear girl."

Carmelita sighed heavily, closing her eyes a moment, resigning herself to her fate. "All right," she acquiesced, and she moved hesitantly over to sit at the far edge of the bed on the same side as him, but further down.

Sly grinned, and quickly shuffled himself over closer to her.

Carmelita eyed him warily, feeling her heart begin to pound at his close proximity to her. She looked at the grinning thief. "Why do you always do that?" she asked.

"What?" Sly asked, perplexed by her question.

"That," she replied, indicating where he now sat so closely to her. "Why do you always try to make me feel uncomfortable?"

"Carmelita," Sly said in a patient voice. "I'm not that close to you."

Carmelita frowned, finding herself blushing again. "Are too," she argued, though none too convincingly. Why did that blasted---though very handsome---raccoon effect her this way? She blinked as she caught herself thinking of him as very handsome. But, she told herself---albeit a bit reluctantly---he really was a very handsome fellow. His smallest smile could make her heart race. When he was close to her---like right now!---she could feel an electric tingle race up her spine. She had to look pointedly away from his brown soulful eyes…lest she get caught in his gaze.

"Carmelita," Sly replied, more to say her wondrous name more than anything. He subtly shifted nearer to the very nervous vixen, finding his own heart racing at being so close to this alluring young woman. "You are so beautiful…"

Carmelita blinked and looked up, almost against her will, at hearing him say those words to her. She found her eyes going to his own, and once they met, she gasped softly, feeling an intensity in their mutual gaze. She swore she could feel the heat of his body…even from where she now sat. Despite herself, she found herself actually trembling slightly. "Cooper…no," she murmured.

Sly moved closer to her still, so that he was practically sitting directly beside her. He could now smell the fragrance of her luxurious hair---green apples, he thought---as well as the subtle musky perfume she oft-times wore. "Carmelita," he husked softly, in his most manly of voices, angling his head nearer to her own, his gaze never leaving hers.

Carmelita felt as if she were somehow entranced. She could see him move closer to herself, causing a ripple of excitement to blaze within herself. She watched in almost rapt fascination as he began to move his head closer, his face now a mere half foot from hers. Without realizing it, she opened her mouth slightly…and with a mental start, realized she was hoping he'd kiss her…right here and now!

Sly felt himself breathing rapidly, his heart pounding in his chest, the most exhilarating feeling rushing up his spine. He then saw Carmelita softly part her sweet lips, her gaze searching his own oh so tentatively. Like a woman that wanted to be kissed. "Carmelita," he whispered to her again, opening his own mouth and moving forward, canting his head in preparation for kissing the highly desirable vixen seated oh so close to himself…

Carmelita lowered her lashes on her large brown eyes, and canted her head opposite of the way his moved. This was it! He was going to kiss her! But, she suddenly thought to herself…did I want him to? At the last moment, her lips tingling with almost excruciating anticipation, she turned her head away from him, losing her nerve. "No…don't," she mumbled, mentally chastising herself for missing the opportunity.

Sly could only grin and back away…but, damn! he'd been so close! "It's okay," he said reassuringly. Then, he decided to change tacks…abruptly! "So…how are things at the office, dear?" he said with a grin.

Carmelita was still not quite herself yet. "Like you really want to know," she scoffed, trying very hard to get her act back together.

"But I do!" Sly protested, then added. "I really do want to know. Hey, I always try to keep track of what's going on with my favorite girl…"

His favorite girl, she thought to herself. Now why did that particular expression leave her feeling absurdly pleased with herself? she questioned. "Same old, same old, basically," she answered.

"Those mindless strutting peacocks still treating you like a slab of meat?" Sly questioned.

Carmelita found herself doing a double-take. "Wha-What? H-H-How did you know about that?" she blurted.

"A little bird told me," Sly answered mysteriously, grinning a moment. "Well…are they?"

"Well," Carmelita said, knowing full well that Kitty had informed him. "As a matter of fact, they're even worse now." She was unprepared to see Sly grit his teeth, his brown eyes suddenly angry and irritated.

"Bastards!" Sly hissed, then looked at her, and apologized. "Sorry…but that just irks me."

Carmelita blinked, feeling somewhat flattered that he even cared. About me, she added, mentally grinning. "I can handle myself around those jerks, Cooper. Don't you worry your pretty little head about it," she said with a grin.

"Oh, never doubted that a minute, beautiful girl," Sly returned, the old carefree Sly now back. He then grinned. "Thanks for the compliment, by the way," he added cleverly.

"What?" Carmelita questioned, then rolled her eyes. Of course, the 'pretty little head' remark, she deduced. "Don't flatter yourself, Cooper…it was just a figure of speech."

"Aw," he teased in reply. "But you said…"

Carmelita couldn't help herself and smiled at the irascible raccoon. If he weren't a criminal…he would be a pretty decent guy, she found herself thinking. "You are such a goof, Cooper…"

Sly then moved like lightning, and before Carmelita knew it, he had his arms around her again, pulling her close. She gasped with a start, and locked eyes with him once again. "Cooper…" she started to protest, but faltered. She found herself silently hoping he might actually kiss her this time, and despite the flutter of butterflies in her stomach, her wish came true. Before she could utter a single word of protest, she tasted his lips on her own. He was a patient, determined sort of kisser…which suited her just fine. For more than a minute, the only thing that mattered was that kiss. Carmelita found herself putting her arms around him and holding him tightly to herself. She could scarcely believe she was doing this…yet, at the same time, she never wanted it to stop.

Eventually, Sly ended the wondrous kiss, releasing his lips from Carmelita's own luscious lips…only to kiss her again quickly once, then twice. When he didn't feel her protest, he delighted in the feeling of the beautiful vixen willingly in his arms, and sighed a heavy sigh of contentment. He then relaxed his hold on her and eased her back so he could look into her exquisite brown eyes. He smiled when he saw the small contented smile on her lips and the dreamy expression in her eyes.

"Mmm," she sighed, then looked up to meet his eyes, and blinked. "Er…um, I…that is," she began, feeling frightened by the tumult of emotions racing through herself just now.

"Easy," Sly counseled. "Here, let me give you some air, huh?" He moved over a few inches, and watched in rapt fascination as Carmelita re-composed herself after their second kiss.

"Er, thanks," Carmelita replied, thankfully moving away from him…but not too far away. She couldn't bring herself to look into his gaze immediately…feeling a bit embarrassed and unsettled. "That…that was…er, nice," she said, mentally grimacing at her paltry description of a kiss that had left her practically speechless!

"I know I thought so," Sly commented softly, giving her a smile. "Okay…now. You were telling me about what's been going on with you. Before the interruption, I mean." He grinned cleverly at her, then waved a hand, beckoning her to continue. "So, go on…spill it, lady…"

Carmelita sighed once more, then composed herself, and finally began talking. Talking like she'd never stop…