"Are you going to let me in, Parker?"
He smiled, but was almost afraid to. He probably expected me to pull out my 9mm. That mole under his eye, those dimples, which was visible underneath his unshaven face were his greatest assets. He hasn't changed, he's still dressed in his usual blacks, jeans, tee-shirt and leather jacket.
"Jarod." I'm sure he could have heard my heart as it exploded out of my chest.
He walked into my living room and out of habit, his eyes quickly glanced around the area.
"No one's here. No sweepers. The chase was called off since you've been gone."
He unzipped his jacket, took it off and placed it on my sofa. He did a once over on me, then, twice.
"How are you, Miss Parker?" He walked over to my liquor cabinet and poured himself a drink and swallowed hard. He poured another one and offered it to me.
"No, thank you." He gulped it down, this time faster than the first.
He seemed annoyed. "Put on a robe, Parker. You always answer the door like that?" His eyes slowly moved from top to bottom, then up again to my red laced satin teddy.
There was a time when I would have yelled at him. "What's it to you?" Instead, I reached over for my baggy old sweatshirt which was on my recliner and threw it on me.
He stood by the window and looked out. "I've passed your house several times in the last six months. I had the urge each time to knock on your door."
The reflection of his face was clearly mirrored on the glass. I felt his pain on the inside of his soul. What have I done? I wanted to wrap my arms around him from behind, but I held back. Instead, I gently touched his shoulder. He made no movement by my touch.
"Why didn't you, Jarod? I never wanted you to leave." I'm sure he felt my breath against his neck.
He turned, his face was just inches from mine, but, he moved away slowly. "You got any smokes, Miss Parker?"
"What?" I clutched my chest. "I quit smoking. When did you pick up my once bad habit?"
"After Scotland. Well, do you have any on you or not?"
I pointed to the mantel place. "Probably stale by now."
Like a long time smoker, he packed the box of cigarettes against his palm, than dangled a stick on the edge of his mouth as he spoke. "Not a habit. Just need one from time to time." He lit it and inhaled deeply. He even blew out cigar rings. "Want a puff?" He held it out to me.
"I said I quit those cancer sticks." My pretender inhaled several times before he smothered the ashes into an ashtray.
"So, I gather Sydney and Broots have been checking up on you. Why? Since when does the great Miss Parker need anyone checking up on her."
He spoke with such an attitude. I really wasn't sure at that moment, if I wanted to slap him for his cockiness or for being away. What was I supposed to have told him? That they've been worried about me since the day he left.
His hands ran through his long locks and was due for a much needed haircut. "What I really want to know, what's been eating me up all these years...what did I do to you, for you to have hated me so much?"
"I never said I hated you." I held back my tears. "It's not what you think. I-I...I don't know what to say."
"Yes, that's you're problem. You never know what to say, the right things to say. Have you ever thought of what you were doing to me inside? Slowly sticking a knife through my heart, a little at a time, jabbing me deeper and deeper until I couldn't take it no more. And that's why I left."
It was just like old times as we exchanged words back and forth at each other. "I knew. I knew why you left. I knew every time I said those awful things to you, I could see your heart crumble to pieces."
"And why did you? You kept pushing my buttons until I couldn't take it anymore." His chocolate colored eyes penetrated at me as if he could actually see through me.
"I'm sorry." I gently caressed his face. He surprised me when he allowed it.
"If Catherine could see you now. What you've grown up to be, she'd be disappointed in you." He said painfully.
"Look, I'm not Catherine. My mother died a long time ago. I'll never be like her." I tearfully told him.
"I know. She was a very gracious lady." He grabbed his jacket. "You know, I was wrong in coming here. But, I really did miss you. I thought I could pass all of this hurt, but, I should have left matters alone."
I pulled his arm. "You think you can just waltz right in after six months of your disappearing act and leave again? Over my dead body. I missed you, too! You think it was easy for me when you suddenly decided to leave? But, you left before I had a chance to tell you how I felt about you. I was dying inside. That little light I had inside of me flickered off when you left." I sure as hell wasn't going to let him leave.
Not having believed a word I'd just said, he snapped at me. "Are you the saddest little valentine?"
"I'm your saddest little valentine, aren't I, Jarod?" As I sat on the sofa, I brought my knees up to my chest and buried my face down. I cried. I heard him sigh loudly.
"Stop it." His voice was deep. Again, he spoke. "I said stop it."
I looked up at him as tears dribbled down my face. He sat down and pulled me close. "Oh Parker, I hate it when you cry."
I leaned my head on his shoulder. "And I hate it when you make me cry. I've been crying since you've been gone."
"And I've been crying since I left." His voice cracked. "You're sweating. Raise your hand above your head."
I do as I'm told and he slipped my sweatshirt off. "Cooler?"
I only nodded and rested my head back on his shoulder. I touched his unshaven face. "Why did you come back, Jarod?"
"I left because of you. Before that, I thought things out, the bad outweighed the good." I felt his hand under my top. Gently, his fingers moved slowly on my back, on my bare skin. "You've inherited Catherine's inner sense. So, tell me why I'm back, because I really don't know why." I felt his lips kiss the top of my head.
"Because you love me." I stated and raised my head to him.
"Because I love you, Parker. I can't seem to stay away from you. And I know you love me."
"And I love you, Jarod."
JMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMP
It hadn't been a dream, like those lonely nights after Scotland, where I'd be sprawled on my bed, all alone. He laid beside me on my living room carpet, fast asleep, exhausted from our vigorous workout. We cuddled as he fell asleep. I couldn't, I was afraid I would awaken to find everything we shared had been but just a dream. But, It wasn't. I felt his skin on mine. The tip of his tongue trailed above my low neckline. He felt the rapid pulse underneath my skin. Each time he kissed me, touched me, electrical shocks had gone through my body. And I wanted more.
Having the urgency to touch him again, I reached out to him. He reacted to my touches and flipped me on my back. I grabbed hold of his buttocks, pulled his body on me and felt his hardness burning against me. I wrapped my legs around his waist and repeated our performance which we had done several hours ago. My breath quickened with anticipation. We were ready for each other. Hot, wet and breathing heavily, uncontrollably, we couldn't stop. Our hunger for each other couldn't fade. Our bodies were drenched in sweat. I held back for just a bit and waited for his moment of release as I followed immediately after. Again and again.
"What are you thinking of?" He whispered as he pulled me into his arms.
"We have lives we never chose, never wanted."
"Is there an us, Parker? What do you see tomorrow, a month from now, a year, five years from now? What do you see in your future?" Suddenly, he asked.
"I've never really thought about it. Aside from "The Centre" I saw nothing in my future, the next day would always be a blank page in my book. But now, just this one night had changed my life forever. I see you. I see you in my future." I answered. "And you?"
"I could never see anyone in my book but you. You were always my weakness. You are my future, Parker. Are you ready to face our world?"
"Yes," I answered without hesitation.
TBC - Chapter 3