A/N: I was bored. So here's Chapter Two...have fun, my children :o)
Kate closed her eyes as the water started running, picturing Sawyer, the water streaming over his skin, thinking that her offer of 'maybe later' wasn't such an empty thought.
Realising she now had three and a half minutes to herself, she began pondering ways of entertaining herself once Sawyer returned. Watching him was always a good one, but he was bound to pick her up on that sooner or later...unless...
Kate quietly got out of her chair, and tip-toed to the shower door. She was almost convinced that she could hear Sawyer singing to himself, and was surprised at how much that comforted her. Finding his clothes piled on the floor, she scooped them up and hid them under the bottom bunk of the bunk-beds. Luckily, Ben had left the hatch, or at least that area of it, so there was no evidence of her 'crime'.
Settling herself back in the chair, Kate tried to look innocent and nonchalant as she heard the water stop running and the door scrape open. Smirking inwardly, she waited for Sawyer's much-used curse of 'Son of a bitch!' at finding his clothes gone.
'Son of a bitch!'
Sawyer scanned the steamed up bathroom again, to make sure his eyes weren't playing tricks on him. Where the hell were his clothes?
Damn it.
He tightened the damp towel around his waist, making sure it was secure before stomping out into the hallway, a deep scowl on his face.
'What's the big idea? Stealin' a man's clothes. That ain't kosher!' He yelled out in frustration to no-one in particular.
Ben. It was probably that guy playing some practical joke. He stormed into the living room still clutching his towel. He paced around trying to see if his clothes were anywhere. He moved into the computer room, hair still damp and wild and still only clad in a towel. Kate was probably loving this. He scowled at her some more, then strode back to where Ben was.
'Think you're funny? I should give you a piece of my fist. Where are they?'
Ben looked up at Sawyer and gave out a small chuckle, 'You really think I'd want to see you naked? That's one hell of an imagination you got there, Sawyer.'
Ben looked over at Kate and back at Sawyer, staring him in the eye, 'Besides I was on the toilet. '
'I don't know. Maybe you swing that way,' Sawyer countered, giving Ben a suspicious look. 'Well, I don't, amigo, so hands off the rags, and just keep lookin' at the walls or somethin'.'
He clutched at his towel again, feeling more embarrassed and vulnerable by the second. Maybe Ben wasn't the culprit, though. He didn't seem the lying sneaking type. Which of course left...he looked over to where Ben had glanced.
'Kate!' Sawyer muttered through gritted teeth. He was exasperating? Him? What about her? He marched into the other room. She was sitting there pretending to be innocent. Innocent my ass.
'Oh, don't give me those 'Golly, it wasn't me, officer' eyes. I got your six, Freckles. Don't try to con a con. So, where are my clothes?' There was the slightest hint of pleading at the end, for he knew that she still had the upper hand.
In the background, Ben watched, his face full of humour and interest. 'If only I had some popcorn,' he thought to himself; he loved seeing Sawyer embarrassed.
Kate watched in amusement as Sawyer stormed around the hatch, his towel secured at the waist, leaving her free to admire the rest of his toned body. She managed to subdue herself as Sawyer turned on her, his voice holding a warning of danger.
Looking as innocent as she could, she answered him, 'Sawyer, do you seriously think that I would do something as immature as to hide your clothes? I mean, come on. I've been sitting here for all of about three minutes...besides, what would I want with your clothes? It's not like they'd fit me.'
She had noticed the hint of a plea at the end of his sentence, and had no intention of giving away her upper hand...at least not until he made her.
He ran an annoyed hand through his damp hair again, it was getting in his face.
'Do I think you are capable of being underhanded, sneaky and just a pain in the butt for a giggle or two at my expense? Hell, yeah.' Then his voice took a plaintive tone again. 'You want me to catch a chill, girl?' The hatch was definitely cooler than up top being underground and all. Of course he was exaggerating a little.
Seeing as she wasn't being forthcoming, he tried a different tack.
'Or maybe...you just wanted to see me in the flesh. Got jungle fever, huh, Freckles?' He moved closer to stand by the work station, so he was looming over her, his towel draped waist at her eyeline. His cocky smile was back.
'Hell, if you wanted to see me without my clothes on, why didn't you just say so? I'm sure I could oblige you.' He used both hands to comb back his hair, deliberately taking the chance that the towel might fall. 'Wouldn't be the first time, neither. Comin' back for seconds?'
His voice had dropped to a low, huskier level that he knew was a whole lot sexier for the ladies. Not that he could do much with Ben being close by. Not that Kate'd jump his bones, though a man could dream, right?
No, he was putting on the moves with one goal in mind, to embarrass her enough to give him back his clothes.
Ben was growing tired so he stood up and walked towards the bedroom for a quick nap for two reasons: now they could do whatever they wanted with each other, and if they decided to do it, they couldn't, because Ben was in the only bedroom meaning that they would have to do it on the couch for everyone to see.
Kate felt her cheeks flushing as Sawyer moved closer, his waist at the height of her eyes. She found herself wishing that his towel would fall, but apparently her telekinetic skills weren't that good. Though he did seem to be reading her mind.
'Why would I want to see you in anything but jeans and a shirt? You must have misplaced your clothes, Sawyer, so quit being so stubborn and go find them.'
There was no way she was giving in this easily; there were still eighty-three minutes until the button needed pressing, and she wasn't going to sacrifice her only entertainment. Besides, she couldn't deny how good he looked in nothing but a towel. As he ran his hands through his hair, she had to bite her lip to keep from sighing out loud. Why did he have to be so goddamn charming?
So, she wasn't going give them up. Witch. And he wasn't going to give in and go looking again. He needed to hold onto what dignity he had left.
'I didn't misplace them, sweetheart. They ain't a pair of keys I just set down somewhere and forgot. They didn't get up and walk out of the bathroom by themselves.' He mimed with his fingers the absurd idea of a pair of jeans and a shirt coming to life and strolling somewhere.
'And since you ain't bein' forthcomin' where my clothes wandered off to, I gotta figure this whole thing was to turn me into an object of titillation for ya.'
There was mild affront in his voice, but he wasn't wholly serious, though there was still an element of annoyance in that he'd been caught with his pants down, literally.
'I hope you're gettin' your money's worth, Freckles.'
He sat back down on his swivel chair, rechecking that the towel around his waist wasn't going to just fall open and was tied more securely. He slung an arm over the back of the chair and glanced up at the clock.
'You're gonna make me suffer till this shift is over.' It was a statement, not a question.
Kate rolled her eyes. They both knew that she'd taken the clothes, not that she'd be admitting it any time soon. And the sight of Sawyer lounging around in nothing but a towel was pretty delicious, for want of a better word. Kate figured that this was pretty good pay-back for all the things he'd stolen and hoarded since arriving on the island.
'I guess we'd better find something to occupy ourselves with for the next hour or so, then.' She couldn't help the way her eyes flicked to his towel, before meeting again with his.
'I'd suggest ping pong, but I figure that might be a tad energetic considerin' this get up.' He gestured at himself with a rueful smile, 'We could do each other's hair and swap gossip about what's goin' on in the camp. Word is there's some bonafide romancin' goin' on right under our very noses.' He gave her a conspiratorial look, his smile turning into a smirk again.