Her single word, and accompanying grin, were enough to complete his journey towards sobriety. He glared at the dirty grey concrete to his side. As some of the blood returned to his brain a flash of anger set in as her intentions finally registered with him; but he couldn't be angry with her. It was his own fault. He'd revealed just how he felt about her on that island and now she was using it against him. All credit to her for exploiting his Achilles Heel, he'd done it often enough to other people. He just never thought she would use herself in that way.

He had, albeit sometimes rather clumsily, tried to make his feelings for her apparent over the years. Each profferred olive branch had held a risk on his part; all she had to do was feign repentance, or offer herself to him, and she'd have had him. It was a risk he would have been more than willing to take. But she had never once tried. He liked to think it had something to do with her feelings for him. That she had finally crossed that line could only mean one thing: she must be desperate. His anger dampened at that thought. She wouldn't be able to charm Raines as she had her father - and Mr Parker hadn't been the easiest person to persuade to begin with. The Centre was now a much colder and dangerous place to be - even for the Ice Queen herself. He shook his head slightly; she'd caught him and he was feeling bad for her. He drew his eyes back to her form. God, he found her beautiful - and didn't she know it.

"You cheated," he managed to say, rather sadly to his own dismay.

She continued to smile predatorily. "Get up Jarod," she ordered coolly. She was obviously enjoying herself immensely and it hurt. Not because he was going back to the Centre but because she was going to take him back. It felt like betrayal even though she had always maintained she'd catch him. It felt like rejection.

He nodded once and she rose first keeping her gun on him as he reluctantly followed her lead. His head cleared a little more with the slight change in altitude. He did have an escape route not too far away - it was where he had been heading before he took his fall - and he supposed he should be attempting some way of getting there but he felt unable... or unwilling, he wasn't sure which. Despite the precarious position he found himself in he was, to a certain degree, enjoying this. Enjoying being so close to her. She seemed so happy he felt honoured seeing her that way. What harm would a few more minutes do? Plus, she was the one who was currently armed - in more ways than one.

"Against the wall," she said strongly, still beaming and waggling the gun to her left, indicating exactly where she wanted him. So in control and so alluring.

Sighing softly at his own 'weakness' he raised his arms in surrender and walked towards the wall. Maybe he should've ran. With his back now to her he listened intently for the familiar clack of handcuffs but he heard nothing other than his own steady breaths. What was she doing? He wanted to risk another glance over his shoulder but that was what had gotten him into this mess to begin with. Hell, at this point he was willing to concede that it was that first meeting as children that had gotten him into this mess.

"Turn around."

The tone of her voice had now changed, there was a lighter edge to her silky tones. But there was something else in there too, he thought, but he couldn't discern what exactly. It was that 'X' quality again. A possible explanation sloped into his thoughts but he dismissed it immediately; it was a step too far even for her. Wasn't it? But hadn't she revealed just as much as he on that island? He turned around with a heavy heart, unsure of what he'd find. She surprised him for the second time in the space of ten minutes - three times if he included her unexpected arrival. Though her smile had disappeared there was still a hint of mischief, of obvious joy - no doubt at having caught him - in her eyes. Her eyes. Beautiful eyes that twinkled at him, more than making up for the fact that she had rebuttoned her blouse whilst his back was turned.

Slowly closing the gap between them she pressed her gun into his chest, exactly over his heart, her eyes burning deeply into his. The cool metal pierced through the thin layer of his shirt and he felt a shiver run down the length of his spine. He didn't think his reaction had anything to do with the cold gun because, right then, he was feeling rather hot.

"I didn't cheat, Jarod," she purred.

The sultry tone of her voice sent another shiver down his back. If Sydney - or anyone from the Centre for that matter - were observing the situation from afar it would seem to them that he was caught; that he would very shortly become intimately reacquainted with The Centre. But that earlier thought forced its way into his head once more. There were no sweepers, no handcuffs, no... anything vaguely Centre related. And her current actions weren't exactly as he'd have expected. He stopped that thought from taking over completely. At this point, he could just about bluff out his 'fall' as an accident - anything else might be a bit trickier. He wasn't completely abandoning that thought just yet though, best to 'feel out' the situation a little further first. Without his hands, that is. He kept them raised and out of reach.

"Then what would you call it, Miss Parker," he countered, keeping his voice low and risked letting his eyes pass over her blouse. Even buttoned it left little to the imagination, not that he would ever have to rely so heavily upon his imagination any more. He grunted softly as she pressed her weapon harder into his chest.

Her smile was back, making his earlier decision to stick around for a little longer entirely justified. Whatever the outcome of the day he was going to have some very fond memories to look back on. "I prefer to think of it as exploiting your weakness, genius," she replied confidently through her smile.

"And what weakness would that be," he asked as casually as he could. The look that she shot him positively thrilled him and he found himself falling all over again. Just not literally this time. He held his breath expectantly hoping beyond belief that she wasn't toying with him.

"You're a man, Jarod. Despite all your abilities, you're still just," she paused, letting her eyes trawl the length of his body slowly before meeting his eyes again, "a man."

Her voice burned into his ears and seeped through to his soul. He worked furiously to keep his hands from reaching for her. She was taunting him, had to be. It was some kind of revenge for all the pranks he'd played on her and all the times he'd sent her the long way round rather than telling her something directly. Any minute now she was going to change back to the Ice Queen, having had her fun. Had to be. Didn't it?

Hell, he was always the optimist. And he wanted so badly to believe what he was seeing. "I guess this means you win," he said softly. He was rewarded with another beautiful smile that reached deep into her eyes. "But what are you going to do with your prize?"

She met his steady gaze keenly, not bothering to hide the smirk that was now covering her face, "Something I've wanted to do for a long time."