Chapter 10
Come morning---a new and glorious morning---Sly awoke, and smiled both inside and out to find his sweet Carmelita snuggled up against him, sleeping peacefully. Her face was angelic, her large eyes and heavy lashes making her seem even more so to him. He shook himself out of his reverie, and smiled as he felt her tail curl up over his hip to hold him closer to herself. Sly smiled again, and began stroking her wavy luxurious black tresses. He just loved the feel of her hair, it's deep color as well as its tantalizing fragrance. Feeling a bit clever, he turned his head and softly kissed Carmelita on the tip of her nose. She twitched once, then groaned softly. He grinned, and then kissed her oh-so-softly on her sweet lips. That got to her, he observed, making her slowly open those exquisite chocolate brown eyes of hers. She looked straight into Sly´s eyes a moment, noted the sunlight streaming through the sheers on the window, then groaned and rolled over away from the light.
"Really now, Carmelita…wakey wakey, Princess," Sly teased, gently pulling her back into his arms to embrace her.
"If you really want me to wake up, Sly," she remarked with a grin, "that's definitely not the way to do it. Mmm, though I like. I like a lot," she added, putting her arms over where he had his around her.
"As much as I would love to hold you like this all day, my sweet," Sly told her, kissing the back of her head, inhaling deeply the scent of her hair. "I believe I'm supposed to return you to your abode before noon…if I'm not mistaken. After all…I did promise, did I not?"
"I could always call in sick, you know," Carmelita proposed, enjoying the feel of his warmth and the comfort of his embrace.
"What?" Sly pretended to be surprised. "Carmelita Fox, call in sick? Oy, what's the world coming to?"
Carmelita laughed softly, then rolled over, still in his arms. She then stuck her tongue out at him at his comment. "So there, funny man," she huffed, but only once as Sly covered her mouth with yet another kiss, one that left her nearly panting after its conclusion. "Oh, my…" Carmelita then initiated the next kiss, pulling him to herself, holding him tightly. The thought of more kisses was most intoxicating…but, she was starting to become uneasy with the feelings she was having about the raccoon snuggled against her.
"I think we'd better stop, love," Sly said in an uneasy voice. Apparently she wasn't the only one thinking that way, Carmelita thought with a grin. "Besides, aren't you hungry? I mean, even a svelte lovely girl like you has got to eat sometime, yes?"
Carmelita liked being called svelte, almost as much as she liked the feeling of him stroking her hip. As alluring as that feeling was though, she and Sly needed to move apart…before they allowed their feelings to get the better of themselves. "Okay, Ringtail," she announced, levering herself up, and swinging her legs over the side of the bed. "Let's go get some breakfast. I'm starved!" she demanded.
"A moment, my love," Sly replied, running his hand though his hair to smooth it down. He then hooked out his elbow, offering her his arm. "Shall we?"
Carmelita couldn't help but grin at his gallant gesture. "Charmed, I'm sure," she said coquettishly, looping her hand to rest on the inside of his arm as they made their way downstairs.
Down in the kitchen, they found both Bentley and Murray already seated at the table, partaking of their own breakfasts. At the sight of the kidnapping duo, Carmelita experienced mixed feelings. A part of her wanted to thank them for forcing her to accept the fact that she had feelings for Sly…while the other part of her wanted to box their ears for their gumption of kidnapping her…from her own bedroom! So, she decided to take the middle ground, sending them both the angriest stare she could manage. She felt better as she watched them both swallow hard, their faces going pale as they scrambled back a few steps from the formidable detective.
Sly saw this, and shook his head. "Now now, Carmelita…play nice," Sly admonished her, to which she snorted. "Be reasonable, Ms. Fox…really now, they just did it to make me happy. Can you really be that angry at them for that?"
"As a matter of fact, yes. Yes, I can," Carmelita replied, then gave Sly a very clandestine wink when Murray and Bentley weren't looking her way.
"Gee, we're sorry, Carme---er, Inspector Fox," Murray blurted out, his cheeks reddening in his shame. "We never wanted to hurt you, or embarrass you…really!" he told her…so truthfully that Carmelita had to cough to cover up the laughter that bubbled inside of herself.
"Yeah, Ms. Fox," Bentley added, unable to look her in the eye. "Our most sincere apologies…from the both of us! Our intentions were good…though, perhaps our methods left much to be desired. It's just…" Bentley faltered then, uneasy with what almost spilled out of his mouth. "Well, it's just Sly is so swell on you, Ms. Fox…and we figured that getting you to spend some time with him would be the best birthday present we could ever get him. You know?"
Carmelita was touched, but still…she had a reputation to maintain. So, she looked at the two crestfallen fellows, and looked down her nose at the pair, giving them a disdainful snort. "I'll think about it," was the best she'd give them.
After that, everyone turned their attention toward their own breakfasts in earnest. Well, at least Sly and Carmelita did…as Bentley and the ever-hungry Murray both seemed to of lost their collective appetites. The two moved away after a few minutes, cleaning up after themselves and exiting the kitchen.
"Aren't you just being a little hard on them both?" Sly questioned, feeling bad for his two well-meaning chums.
"A little, maybe," Carmelita admitted with a wry grin. "But, they're both tough, they'll recover. Consider this a sort of lesson for the both of them. Just in case they might have had plans for repeating this next year…"
Sly wasn't ready for that, and snorted into his coffee with laughter. "Good point, beautiful. I hadn't really considered that. You know…it was possible they could have been doing just that. Well, I'll be…"
Fifteen minutes later, breakfast was finished, and Sly cleaned up after the both of them…enjoying a light conversation with Carmelita as he washed up their dishes. Carmelita then moved quietly over to the kitchen door, and pressed her ear to it a moment. She then grinned, and sauntered back over to Sly, who was drying the last bowl and putting it away. "Oh, Sly?" she said.
"Hmm?" he answered with a smile, looking over into her lovely face.
Carmelita moved forward and threw her arms around his neck, pulling him close to kiss him one last time. It was a good thing that Sly had stowed away that last bowl, as the kiss lingered, or he most likely would of dropped it for certain.
Carmelita reluctantly broke the kiss a moment later, regretfully…ending up giving him a quick series of short kisses that left them both sighing in each others arms. "I can't believe it," she said wistfully.
"What?" Sly asked, curious.
"When I came here, I couldn't wait to get free," she observed. "And, now…now that I can go…I don't want to leave."
Sly smiled to hear this from her. He looked over at the beautiful vixen before him, and realized that he truly did love her. More than he could of ever imagined he could love someone. "You and me both, mi muy bonita senorita," he told her with obvious regret.
Both of them sighed then, exchanging longing looks at each other. "Well," Carmelita said, softly moping. "I guess it's time for you to take me home, huh?"
"I suppose so," Sly said, feeling a bit let down. "C'mon…it's time."
So, ten minutes later, Sly carefully blindfolded Carmelita…so she could truthfully tell her counterparts at Interpol that she truly did not know the whereabouts of Paris most sought-after Master Thief. After Sly carefully led the blindfolded Carmelita to the gang's van and had her comfortably seated, the rest of them piled in, Murray doing the driving as always. It was a somber group that finally pulled up outside the Fox residence on the outskirts of a nearby Parisian suburb.
"Well," Sly said somberly as he moved to open Carmelita's door. "You're home, Inspector." He gingerly untied her blindfold, and removed it.
Carmelita blinked as her eyes adjusted to the sunlight again. She found her gaze drawn to Sly once more, and she frowned slightly both at his somber expression as well as the pang of loss she herself felt at the thought of being away from him. "Um, yeah," she said gruffly, even though she did nothing to hide the sadness in her own brown eyes from him. "It's about time, Ringtail."
Sly's arm twitched as he had to resist the impulse to caress her cheek. That wouldn't do, he told himself, after all…we both have reputations to maintain. So, his heart heavy, he tried gamely to keep up their façade with a clever line or two. "See ya around soon, beautiful!" he called after her as she walked up the path to her front door.
Carmelita understood what he was doing, and loved him all the more for his doing it. She pulled herself back into character too…by thinking about that pain in the neck roommate of hers! "You still here, Ringtail?" she tossed back in challenge. "If you know what's good for you, you'd be gone before I can get to my shock pistol, buster!"
"That's our cue, gents," Sly teased to Bentley and Murray. "Let's get while the getting's good!" Murray punched the accelerator, and the nondescript panel van moved quickly into the morning Paris traffic.
"Vaya con Dios," Carmelita bade him when his van was out of sight, remembering the feel of his lips on her own, of how even thinking of him could make her pulse quicken. "I'll be thinking of you, Sly Cooper…"
She then turned to her front door, and quickly worked her keys, opening the six deadbolt looks that secured her front door. She then opened it and stepped quickly inside, closing it without a sound. She took a quick look at herself in the mirror in the hallway, smiling then shaking her head at her outlandish appearance this morning. She had to admit it---but only to herself, mind you---that she looked pretty fine this wun-der-ful July morning. However, she reminded herself, she still had a pretty big case of payback yet to dispense this day. So, composing herself, she turned and made her way into the kitchen of her home.
There, she spotted Kitty at the breakfast table, reading the paper, and munching on a bowl of her favorite breakfast cereal. "Eh-hum!" Carmelita said, loudly clearing her throat to get her roommate's attention.
Kitty looked up sharply, then grinned. "Woo! Look what the cat dragged in this morning, would you!" Kitty remarked cleverly. "Lookin' good, girlfriend!" she then added, chuckling and shaking her head in wonder.
"You like?" Carmelita then asked, putting her hands on her hips, then holding up her left hand above her head, her hand cocked to the left, eyeing Kitty as she posed.
"Do I ever!" Kitty replied, falling ever deeper into Carmelita's carefully crafted trap. "Shall I alert the media, sweetie? Carmelita Fox is in da House!" Kitty laughed.
"No, allow me, Kitty," she assured her, picking up the phone out of its cradle. She then moved over to make herself a quick cup of coffee, blatantly ignoring her amused roommate.
"Yeah, sure," Kitty scoffed, thinking the chances of the stuffy---but loveable---Carmelita calling the press to debut her new outfit were cosmically infinitesimal, at best! "What a goof…" she said under her breath before she shoveled in another mouthful of her cereal.
Carmelita grinned as Kitty ignored her, taking a sip of her hot coffee…which she didn't know just how much she needed. Ah, that's good, she remarked mentally to herself. She then began to dial the number she had memorized, and waited patiently for someone to come on the line. "Hello?" she said as someone greeted her over the phone. "Yes," she said then. "I'd like to make an appointment. Oh my yes! The whole works…a facial, a massage, pedicure, manicure, yes…everything!"
Kitty grinned, knowing how Carmelita---only on rare occasion, mind you---liked to go get pampered at the Salon. "Goin' all out, huh?" she questioned.
"Nothing's too good for what I have in mind, dear," Carmelita replied…in a mysterious voice.
Kitty frowned…then shrugged, eh…if she went in for that sort of girlie stuff, well, more power to her. None for her, thanks.
Carmelita was still on the phone. "Hmm? Oh, yes…this afternoon would be just perfect, thank you!" she exclaimed happily. "My name?" she responded upon being asked, her clever brown eyes snapping over to Kitty, watching for a reaction. "Kitty Petro," Carmelita then stated. "Yes. That's P-E-T-R-O. Petro. Yes, thank you. Bye!"
Kitty choked on her cereal upon hearing that! She sprayed cereal and milk all across the table. "W-W-What?" she gasped.
Carmelita grinned triumphantly. "You didn't think I was going to let you just get away with all this, did you?" she questioned, giving her a hard look. "Oh, and before I regret it…" Carmelita added, and before Kitty knew what was happening, she found herself handcuffed---with her own set of cuffs, she realized---to the kitchen cupboard's door handle. "There!"
"Hey!" Kitty protested…but too late, however. "No way! I ain't going! You can't make me!" she shrieked.
"Just you watch me, Kitty Petro," Carmelita stated, her eyes full of steel.
Kitty then tried to resort to her tried and true back up plan: tears. "Please!" she wept. "Don't make me do this, Carmelita! I---I won't do it! I can't!"
"A little late for those, don't you think?" Carmelita told her, unaffected by the poor girl's weeping. "I can accept your need to play matchmaker, kiddo…but, you let Cooper's gang kidnap me out of my own home! That's just not done, Petro…not in Interpol. We're supposed to look out for one another, sweetheart," Carmelita explained.
Kitty quieted the waterworks, realizing that ploy wasn't going to work with the clearly much put upon feeling Carmelita. "Okay, message received," she returned a bit truculently. "I get it. I apologize."
"Thanks," Carmelita said dryly. "But, still…I find a burnt hand teaches best, my friend." She eyed Kitty then, seeing the misery on her face, and nodded. "Your day at the spa will teach you much better than any tongue-lashing I could ever give you."
"Thanks," Kitty said bitterly, tugging futilely at the handcuffs. "Thanks a bunch."
Carmelita could sympathesize, but stuck to her plan diligently. "Look, now I'm going to leav you to think hard about your actions. But, don't you fret now, okay? I´ll be back soon," Carmelita said, finishing her coffee. "I just need to get out of these idiotic clothes. Be back in a flash." She turned and disappeared, on her way to change in her bedroom.
Once she had left, Kitty put her own Plan B into effect, reaching and extracting her cellular phone---with great difficulty and with some excruciating pain---and flipped it open. Luckily, the number she wanted was on her speed dial, so contorting her hands she was able to push the appropriate buttons to make her call. "Come on, come on," she muttered, thinking to herself, send me to the salon will you? I think not! She then sighed in abject relief when she heard a most familiar voice sound at other end of the line.
"Hola, la Familia Fox. Carmen speaking. May I help you?" Carmelita's older sister answered, wondering why her sister's partner would be calling her at this hour.
"Carmen! Thank heavens! Hey, it´s me, Kitty," Kitty said, grimacing at the effort it took to hold on to the phone and speak. "Listen, I need you to get over here quick! Immediately, if not sooner! Your sister's gone muy loco in her cabesa again!"
"Eh? Muy loco in…Kitty, have you been watching that Speedy Gonzales cartoon marathon again?" Carmen questioned suspiciously.
"Well, as a matter of fact, yes, I have…but that´s not important, Carmen! Please, you just have to get over here pronto…or I´ll be worse off than dead!" Kitty wailed quietly, sniffing.
Carmen was used to this by now. She had received a goodly number of such calls in the past while the mercurial Carmelita had gotten used to Kitty and her odd ways. "All right, all right, Kitty. I'll come…just let me grab my coat first," Carmen grumbled. Then, Carmen arched an eyebrow as she heard what had to be her sister, Carmelita's, spirited whistling coming over the line. Ooh, that never boded well, Carmen realized…for Carmelita never whistled that tune unless she was contemplating mayhem.
"Please hurry, Carmen! She´s whistling that song…again!" Kitty pleaded.
"Okay, okay, Kitty…relax, I´m on my way," Carmen said over the phone before hanging up.
Kitty swallowed hard, then whimpered as she folded her phone closed and managed to slip it back into her pant pocket. Carmelita then reappeared into the kitchen, dressed in her normal clothing again. She smiled at Kitty who gulped, visibly pale.
"Really now, Carmelita…don't you think this going a bit too far?" Kitty questioned, trying to discover some way to evade a fate worse than death…at least to her!
Carmelita arched an eyebrow, then gave her a steady look, pretending to think. "Hmm, that's a fair question, Kitty. Why don't we think on that, hmm?" Carmelita responded dispassionately. "Let's go over the facts first, shall we? Let's see…you let two wanted criminals---both felons!---into my own house. And then, you let them kidnap me…without lifting a finger to help or defend me. Am I on target so far, dear? Yes, I think I am." Carmelita then paused to pour herself another cup of coffee. "Then…then you gave them your very own set of handcuffs, just to make sure that I couldn't escape them. Does that sound like I've described the whole thing pretty well, dear?" Carmelita said in a sweet voice…but Kitty wasn't buying her act, for she could see the fire in Carmelita's brown eyes. "So…no, I think that this punishment will fit the crime rather nicely, thank you."
Kitty gulped, her complexion turning decidedly green and pale. Kitty was white with fear and was actually beginning to shake like a leaf in a stiff breeze. Carmelita moved over and gently kissed Kitty on her forehead. "Now now, buck up, girlfriend! After all, I did tell you, Kitty, did I not?" she said and forced Kitty to look at her. "Exactly what would happen if you tried to play matchmaker between me and Sly Cooper? Hmm, didn't I? Well then, maybe your day at the salon will help you understand just how much I don't want you to..."