The Trapped Assassin

By SarahsSupplyCloset

Author's Note: Thanks for being patient with me. Hopefully the chapter is enjoyable enough to make up for the long wait. And really...thank you so much to everyone reading and reviewing, and to everyone sending me messages. If I don't respond to your reviews or messages, please don't be offended. I've got a lot on my plate and not much time to take care of it. But I want you all to know I'm very appreciative. Keeps a girl writing.

Disclaimer: I do not own CHUCK. I do not make any money from this story.

Chapter 10: Burn It Off

Sarah bit her lip as she stood at Chuck's room, her fingers itching to curl up into a fist and knock on the door. But she realized belatedly how rude it was for her to just show up like this. Right around dinner time.

And he probably wasn't even here. He was most likely off eating with his sister and her boyfriend. She decided it was best to just turn on her heel and head down alone, go on her sunset run by herself, and just invite him over the phone next time.

But just as she reached the end of the hallway, Sarah stopped and turned around again, heading back to his room. She was already here, after all. If he was busy or somewhere else, or if he simply didn't want to join her on her run, then so be it.

Really, though, she had to admit, she just wanted to see him.

She was well aware that whatever the hell feeling was coursing through her right now was dangerous for any spy. Though she had no idea what it signified, or how deep it really went. All she knew was that she really wanted to be with him again. Strangely enough, she didn't really mean it sexually. Not that her need was completely devoid of lust.

Sarah just wanted to be around him. She wanted to hear him chuckle, see that smile on his face, or his eyes lightening in the sun, turning to a soft amber color rather than the brown they usually were.

Without pausing, she brought her fist up to knock, and then waited with her hands folded together in front of her, wearing her tight light blue running tank, black shorts, and her New Balance running shoes.

The door opened after about thirty seconds, revealing a rather damp Chuck Bartowski in nothing but his swim trunks. "I—Sarah! Hi!" He lifted the towel he had around his neck and rubbed his hair with it to keep the curls from dripping all over his broad, tan shoulders.

"Hi. Sorry. I don't mean to barge in like this, I just—I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

"Not even a little. Just came in from a dip in the pool. It was hot today."

"It was," she said, nodding. She, herself, had gone snorkeling, knowing the water would be nice and cool on a day that was a lot warmer than usual. "Were you gonna say something when you opened the door just now?" she added, her face set in curiosity.

"Oh! That! Right. My, uh, my sister—Ellie just texted me a few minutes ago about getting dinner and when I heard the knock, I thought it was her."

"Oh, well, if you're eating dinner with your sister, I can—"

"No, no. No. It's okay." For a split second, she was a little terrified that he would make her stay here, and stand by while his sister and the man Chuck called Captain Awesome came back and they would see her and she'd have to meet them and she didn't actually know how to meet people sincerely. She panicked, but she stifled it quickly, afraid it might show on her face.

Chuck's gentle hand closed around her shoulder. "Here, come in here for a sec."

Sarah complied, letting him shut the door behind her.

"I actually bowed out with Ellie and Awesome because I thought…I thought maybe I'd invite you out for a bite to eat. Nothing super fancy. Just eating."

"Just eating," Sarah repeated in a giggle. "As opposed to…"

"Fancy eating?" He winced and she laughed, earning a self-deprecating smile. He looked so adorable, still rubbing his head with his towel, the skin of his shoulders and chest still glistening from his dip in the pool. And his arms. He had such nice arms. And legs, but she decided not to drop her gaze that low. It'd be a little too obvious, whether or not they'd already crossed that line a few times.

There were still boundaries. Blatant objectification of his body was still off limits. Unless he was facing the other way and couldn't see it.

She inwardly smirked at that.

"But uh, what handy timing, you showing up right now," he continued. "Now I don't even have to call you." Chuck smiled toothily, dropping his towel back to his shoulder and putting his hands on his hips. And then he narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Why are you here? By the way. Not that I'm not glad to see you. Because I am." He cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his neck.

"I was actually just gonna go for a run and I wondered if you'd want to join me." Sarah glanced at her sportswatch on her wrist. "Sun is setting in twenty seven minutes."

His eyebrows popped. "Really? How d'you know that? Is it in your watch or someth—Wait. Run? You want me to run with you?"

"Yeah." She shrugged cutely and smiled. "If you want to. I won't make you."

"I mean, you wouldn't have to. I just…I'm a little scared. Not gonna lie."

That made her laugh, as she looked at him with a quizzical brow. "Scared of what, exactly? I promise I won't let the French women get you."

He gave her a flat look, even though his eyes were sparkling in amusement. Sarah wondered at how good it felt to have Chuck be amused by something she said. He was a funny guy. Kinda goofy. But also full of wit and sincerity.

"You just seem like you're…super fit. Like…beast mode status."

"Are you calling me a beast?"

His eyes widened and he thrusted his hands out in front of him in panic. "No! No, no. Beast mode just means you're a bad—okay, I see now that you were just messing with me. Not cool, Sarah. Not cool."

Sarah just giggled and crossed her arms at her chest. "So you gonna come with me?" She glanced at her watch again. "Twenty four and a half minutes 'til sunset." She popped an eyebrow, looking up at him through her lashes.

"I can't say no to you." Sarah beamed and he looked like he was melting slowly, a smile growing gradually on his lips. "But I just want to go on the record saying I will not be held accountable if I end up losing consciousness halfway through."

"You are not gonna lose consciousness. Put some clothes on."

"I can't run like this?" He spread his arms out to the side, his palms up. As sexy as he was in just his swim trunks, his hair still damp and oh so curly atop his head, with those broad shoulders and his hint of a six pack…Sarah cleared her throat and looked up at his face pointedly.

"No. Well, I mean, you can if you want. I'm not gonna tell you what to wear. But it might get a little cold once the sun goes down. And if you're sweating, it'll be that much worse."

He sighed and walked backwards towards his bedroom. "Right right. Makes sense. Okay, we'll go running. But then dinner?"

"Sure. Just eating."

He smirked at her teasing and ducked into his room to change. Chuck emerged almost a minute later in black basketball shorts and a plain v-neck blue t-shirt. "Alright, let's do this."

After he pulled his running shoes on, they made their way slowly down to the lobby and out past the pool where Sarah spared a thought that this was where they'd first met. A phone he thought was hers held in between them. She'd taken almost no notice of him, and was even a little frustrated that he'd ruined her plan.

Things had changed since a few days ago, though.

A lot had changed.

And damn it, but she only had until Monday to figure out what she was doing. A feeling of unpleasantness went down her spine and she suddenly had the urge to be alone. It wasn't Chuck's fault. She'd invited him, after all.

It was just that she'd been pushing off her decision. And in a few days, she had to be completely sure. If she wasn't, she'd risk ruining everything. Who was she kidding? Either way, she had a lot to lose.

"Sarah?"

"Hm?" She looked up and realized she'd stopped walking next to him. "Sorry, I was just distracted. We running along the water or on the boardwalk?" she asked, sweeping past him.

But she stopped again when she felt his hand take hers, holding her back gently. Sarah looked up and met his gaze questioningly.

"You okay?"

Chuck seemed almost tentative, maybe even a little sheepish, about asking. Like he'd observed she was the type of person who kept things close to her chest, like he didn't want to seem pushy or nosy. It warmed her from the inside out. "I'm good."

"Work again?"

She didn't mean to blanch, and she regretted it when he let her go like she was made of fire and held his hands up in a purposefully non-threatening way. "Sorry. I just know that look."

"What look?" she asked, her voice soft in an attempt to ease the bite she hadn't meant to deliver.

"Like you're…I dunno…dwelling on something back at the office. Do you have an office?" He winced again. "Sorry. That was random. Just a thing that popped into my head."

Sarah giggled. "No, I don't. I travel around so much for my job that I don't actually have an office. Just an apartment. And lots of hotel rooms." All of that was true. And she felt good telling him the truth again, even though it was built on the lie that she was a government interpreter rather than an assassin for the CIA. "And you're right, I was thinking about work again. I have a decision to make and it's…a hard one."

"Need to talk about it? We can walk for a bit at first." He gestured at the steps that led down to the beach.

"Ha! You just don't want to run," she teased, poking him in the chest.

"What?! No, I—Okay, that's kinda true. I'm still afraid I'm gonna die on you down there. What a way to go, though, right? In Nice. On the beach with a beautiful woman. Mmm."

Sarah rolled her eyes.

But then he stepped closer, his face serious again. "I really mean it, though. If you want to talk about it, you can talk to me."

She really couldn't. And he had no idea just how much she couldn't talk to him about it. She couldn't talk to anyone about it. Not even Carina. Well, she could talk to Carina, but the woman would fly across the world to show up at her doorstep and punch her across the face for even considering leaving the CIA. Not only that, but she thought Carina was probably at this moment attempting to bring down a drug lord in Ecuador.

"Thanks, Chuck, but it's okay. It's just something I have to think about."

"Well, then…let's run. Burn it off, huh?"

He jogged down the steps onto the sand and turned to look up at her, jogging in place.

"Come on, Walker."

Sarah twisted her mouth to the side and hurried down the steps to join him. She'd never felt quite so at ease with another person.

They ran side by side at a pace that was maybe a little slower than her usual pace, but she didn't mind it. This was less about the run and more about the person she was running with.

But he was quiet as they ran together—unlike the first time when they'd happened upon one another while jogging at the same time. He'd been very chatty then. And flirty as well.

She wondered if he was staying quiet on purpose, as though he was trying to give her the time and space to get lost in her own thoughts rather than splitting her attention. It was the sort of gesture she expected from him. Even so, it was such a small kindness, something she was sure anyone else would overlook, or simply just ignore. Herself included.

Sarah took advantage of his gesture, deciding not to let it go to waste.

Time wasn't on her side anymore.

Anymore. She silently scoffed to herself. When was it ever?

She was constantly in a race against time. And Sarah supposed that was why she had grown to cherish this suspension so much. For years, she'd never had a chance to just relax and explore. She'd never had the chance to connect with other people outside of missions. The men she'd slept with had been nothing but a sexual connection, and rarely had she slept with any of them again. And not just because she'd had to drop her cover identity and get out of town before she was found, but because there was nothing there but release.

Not that it had ever bothered her in the slightest. Sex had its purposes. It felt good. Usually. Sometimes it felt better than other times.

Sarah shook her head a little to veer herself away from that train of thought. It had no relevance to the actual decision she was trying to make. About whether or not she was going to continue on with the CIA, or if she was going to leave it all behind, start fresh.

Start fresh doing what, she had no idea. She didn't have the appropriate diplomas necessary to go into the line of work she'd told Chuck she was in. She didn't even know what sort of diploma she needed. What kind of experience she needed.

She didn't even have a real diploma to start with. There was one with a fake name from a private liberal arts university in D.C. She'd gone there while at the Farm, a way to keep herself connected to the world and learn new things while the CIA did its best to cut her off and make her into their own special killer.

They didn't know about Renee Wilson, or her BA in liberal arts. And it had taken quite a bit of skill on her part to get it without their knowledge. She could always use that if she quit the CIA. Maybe teach somewhere.

But she'd have to be Renee Wilson again. And that meant Sarah Walker had to disappear.

There was a really good reason why she didn't want Sarah Walker to disappear. And it had everything to do with the man currently running along beside her. If Sarah Walker disappeared, that meant no more Chuck. Unless she told him the truth. That wasn't an option.

He wouldn't be running along beside her anymore, he'd be running away. And fast.

With that thought lodged in her mind, she pondered her future with the CIA. If she stayed, it meant going right back to the way things were before Nice. Before this blissful vacation. This city had opened her eyes to all sorts of wonders that she'd never allowed herself to experience before. She'd never had the time or the means.

Could she go back to the CIA after this? It wasn't exactly like she was some robot before this vacation, either. She'd been noticing more, taking in the things around her that didn't pertain to the mission or her safety. Looking at things simply because they were beautiful. Smelling the roses, as it were. Now that she'd been given the opportunity to fully appreciate it all and enjoy life, could she jump back into a profession that made her unhappy?

Sarah almost halted again.

She was unhappy.

The CIA had started making her unhappy as far back as a year or two ago. Or had she always been unhappy? She wasn't sure. She didn't hate everything about it, not by a long shot. Getting into a fist fight with another person was thrilling. She loved reading the other person, blocking, punching. She loved the taste of blood at the edge of her mouth if they broke through her defenses just that one time. And how the anger that she'd let them would drive her forward to win the battle.

She loved those silent moments in the middle of the night while she was watching the home of one of her targets. When everybody was asleep except for her. And she felt like the only person in the world, huddled under the window with her cheek pressed against her rifle, watching through the scope with her frosty blue eyes.

And then there was the whole jet setting around the world part. She'd experienced so many cultures, learned so many languages.

And she was good. She was really, really good at her job. Would she ever be able to find anything else that would replace this? Was she even good at anything else? Sex, maybe, if Chuck's reactions the last few days were anything to go off of. But she couldn't exactly make a career out of sex. That was illegal in most places.

And pretty damn gross in all places.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a loud yell down the beach. Startled, she grabbed at the small of her back to pull her knife from where she'd tucked it, only to find that it wasn't there. She'd left her knives at home? What the…?But then she saw the dog racing towards them, its tongue flopping out of the side of its mouth as its feet beat against the wet sand. It splashed a little just as it neared them and Chuck was already on his knees to receive it.

The little black and white tuxedo dog looked a little bit like a rug, its eyes covered with fur and its long tail beating back and forth as it finally leapt at Chuck and started licking whatever it could find.

The explosive giggle that came out of the grown man made her grin wildly, even though she was still startled by the fact that she'd inadvertently forgotten to bring her knives along with her. The same knives that had served to protect her numerous times before. She felt lost without them.

Naked. Vulnerable in a way she'd never felt before.

Because she'd never forgotten them before.

But at the same time, watching Chuck push the dog onto its back and rub its furry belly, chuckling when its back leg started kicking at the sensation, she felt less lost. Significantly.

"She's cute," Sarah said, kneeling down next to Chuck and patting the little creature's fluffy head. It looked up at her happily, its tongue still hanging out. She wondered if most of its happiness came from actually being able to see for a little bit, its fur falling out of its eyes as it laid on its back.

The owner finally caught up, huffing and puffing, the dog's collar and leash in her hand. "Sorry!" she said with a thick Italian accent. "I was trying to put her, eh, her collar back on, and she saw you. She doesn't bite."

"What's her name?" Chuck asked, still laughing as he played with the energetic dog that was currently caked with sand as it rolled on its back batting and kicking at Chuck's hands.

"Lola."

"Hi, Lola," Sarah said, taking one of Lola's little paws and giving it a shake. Lola surged up to snap in adrenaline at Sarah, but missed on purpose and let out a few soft pants, before flipping onto its legs again and darting in circles around them.

"She is still…erm…puppy, you say? Too much…excitement."

"She's energetic," Chuck said, giggling like a little boy at the dog as she raced around them and leapt into the water.

"Lola!" The owner let out a string of Italian admonishments and the dog responded, hurrying back and sitting at her feet calmly, a contrite look on its furry little face. Sarah couldn't help but love those brown eyes. She thought maybe she had a thing for brown eyes, these days, and then wondered if she'd just inadvertently compared Chuck to a dog.

The owner finally got the leash and collar onto Lola and bid them farewell, allowing Chuck and Sarah to pet the little dog one last time before they started their jog back up again.

"You ever own a dog?" Chuck asked. The silent part of their run was apparently only going to last fifteen minutes.

"Nope."

"Really?" He turned towards her and furrowed his brow.

"Really."

"We had one when I was really little. A spaniel. Her name was Peaches and she was the coolest." He paused. "Did you ever want one?"

"Of course I did," she said truthfully. "It just wasn't…possible."

He mercifully left it at that, not asking her a slew of questions she didn't want to have to answer. She loved that he was just as thoughtful and tactful as he was observant.

And she thought of what it might be like to have a dog. Her lifestyle as it was now would never allow for a dog. How would she care for it? Who would feed it and take it for walks while she was jet setting around the world? How would it get taken care of if she were killed on a mission? Would it get put in the pound? She knew what happened to dogs in the pound if they weren't adopted.

But what if she left the CIA?

Things like…having a pet…having a boyfriend…it was all possible. Real life normal things that everybody else got to do. Having a regular life meant getting to go on vacation, getting to have nice quiet days without carrying around a loaded gun. Getting to walk your dog, planting a garden. She'd always wanted to have her own garden. And eat the things she'd planted herself, with her own two hands. She wanted to feel the breeze against her face because she was jogging along the shoreline in Nice before dinner, like she was now, and not because she was being chased through a crowded marketplace in Taiwan by men who wanted her dead.

Could she survive without the CIA, though? Would her trigger finger get itchy? Would she grow tired of a regular life after a few months and want to dive back in? By then, it'd be too late.

And then what would she do?

But what if this was it?

What if this was her perfect opportunity to cut herself away for good? Before it became impossible? What if it was early enough for her to really start anew, build a life that was hers and hers alone? To be her own woman who could express her wants and needs, who could talk to real people instead of wondering what she could get out of them, how manipulating them could further her cause…it all sounded too good to be true.

And Chuck…

He really was too good to be true.

And yet here he was beside her. Completely real and sincere and more than she'd ever thought a human being could be. Even now, he was purposefully swerving into the receding water to splash a little. Almost like meeting a puppy had brought out his own sense of childlike excitement.

Minutes passed as Sarah sank deeper and deeper into her own thoughts, first swinging one way with her decision, and then backtracking and swinging the other way. Until finally, Chuck grabbed her wrist and slowed to a halt, holding her back. She looked at him in concern and confusion for a moment, her mind still clouded by her deep thoughts.

Chuck was staring off at the horizon and as she followed his finger that pointed at something behind her, she realized why. The sun was finally slipping behind the horizon. It was a vibrant mixture of red and orange, the sky around it tinged a purplish pink, and she unconsciously slid her hand into Chuck's, leaning her shoulder into his side and simply watching.

They were silent for a few minutes as it slid lower and lower, until finally there was nothing left but a soft pink glow over the water.

"Wanna turn back?" Chuck asked.

She looked up at his profile, the way he stared off into the distance, a soft smile on his face. Sarah wanted to wrap her arms around him and just hug him close. She wanted to bury herself in his warmth and lose herself.

But she didn't. Instead she just nodded as he finally turned to look back at her. "Yeah. Let's go."

"Good. I'm hungry."

She laughed as he took off in the other direction at a fast pace, and she wondered how long it would take before he got a cramp, sprinting and laughing like that.

It took about five minutes before he was hunched over and grabbing his side. She giggled and rolled her eyes, stopping and walking back to him, gently making him stand up straight and slow his breathing, rubbing his side a little. "You're so predictable," she said, knowing even while she said it that there were so many ways he wasn't predictable in the slightest.

That was part of why she liked him so much. He was unpredictable in the best way.

"Yeah. Well…" He grunted and winced, breathing slowly. He didn't seem to know how to finish that thought and she just giggled again.

"Think you can jog the rest of the way back?"

He nodded and they took off again at a slower pace. It took them some time to get back, and by then, the sky was navy blue and the air was much cooler, the pinks and oranges of the setting sun totally gone without a trace.

Sarah split off from him to go to her own room after he stumbled over his words awkwardly about them taking showers. She hadn't meant to make a face when he said, "We should probably shower", but she had. And then he'd been forced to backtrack and blush. And then she had to bite her lip to keep from blushing, and she finally got to her room just in time to blush behind closed doors.

Sarah Walker, assassin…blushing. This was ridiculous.

She found him in the lobby 25 minutes later, picking through the brochures near the concierge desk.

He pocketed a few, told her she looked beautiful, and they set off in search of food. Chuck used Yelp on his smartphone, like a true California boy, she couldn't help but tease.

"I'm not even gonna defend myself. This is a handy tool, okay? Look. Look at this. 65 reviews. 4 stars. Best quiche in town. So says this guy named BrunoFood69." Chuck paused and curled his lip a little. "Wait no. BrunoFood69 sounds like the title of a really bad porno."

Sarah laughed for a good solid minute at that, holding onto his arm with both hands to stay standing and pressing her face into his shoulder.

They went to the Bad Porno Cafe, as Chuck insisted on calling it, anyways.

And BrunoFood69 was right about the quiche. It took almost no time for her to get it, Chuck allowing her to buy dinner this time, but only if she let him get the club soda she pulled from the drink case.

They ended up nestled in the corner where the breeze coming in from the door would catch them and make the warm room that much nicer.

"Okay, I'm going to ask a question now and you have to tell me the truth," Chuck said as he swallowed a bite of bacon and broccoli quiche. Sarah tried not to be nervous. He didn't know anything about her. Not really. So whatever question he asked would be easy to answer. "Shoot." She sipped her club soda casually, hiding her nerves.

"Do you wish you'd ordered my quiche instead of what you got?"

"Oh my God," she groaned, dropping her forehead to the back of her hand with a thunk.

"No, I'm just—Like, bacon and broccoli and cheese. It's a staple. There's nothing wrong with that. You got spinach and mushroom. I mean, come on. Bacon? Mushrooms. Bacon? …Mushrooms. Sarah, really."

She just laughed and shook her head. "You just want to try mine, and that's a fact."

"Um, no it isn't."

"It is. You've been trash talking the mushroom and spinach this whole time and now you're curious about whether or not you'll like it. Aren't you?"

She didn't spend years in the CIA to not be able to read people. She inwardly smirked.

Chuck's jaw dropped. "How…did you know?"

Sarah knew he was joking, but she cut off part of her quiche, skewered it with her fork and thrust it across the table towards him. He eyed it for a moment, then leaned in to take her fork in his mouth, letting his lips drag over it as he pulled back, munching on her quiche.

She must've messed up her priorities or something in the last week, because she really should not have been turned on by that. They were eating quiche for shit's sake.

"That actually is…kinda good. Not gonna lie. …Still like my bacon better."

She snorted and shook her head. "You're a dweeb."

"Nerd."

"No. No, Chuck. Dweeb." She winked to take away the sting of it and he merely smiled and wrinkled his nose.

The couple continued with their banter, finishing off their meal slowly, and all the while, Sarah found herself unable to get rid of that tingle she'd been feeling ever since she fed Chuck from her own fork.

She felt silly for the hint of shyness. But the truth was, they'd only known each other for less than a week now, and in that time, she really hadn't learned all that much about him. And yet, she trusted him implicitly. More so than she'd ever trusted anyone. This was all so good and so new and she didn't quite know what she was doing with any of this, where it would all go…

So she thought to herself, feeling a little ill-behaved for it admittedly, just this one last time, she would push off her decision and just enjoy the night. Enjoy him.

And she slid her her foot out of her sandal and slowly pressed her toes against his ankle. His eyes lifted to meet hers, the flame from the candle on the table dancing in his golden gaze. She slowly dragged her toes up under his jeans, going as high as possible before stroking them back down again to play with the thong of his sandals between her toes, giving it a little tug.

Sarah knew he was well aware of what she was doing, and where she wanted this to lead. She could sense he felt the same way. But they were a good 35 minute walk away from their hotel.

And she was fine doing this for a little while longer. Stroking up and down his leg, propping her chin in her hand as she leaned her elbow on the table, looking at him in a way that let him know exactly what her intentions were.

She felt his other foot against her leg then and a thrill went through her as she realized anybody looking over at their table would be able to tell exactly what was happening.

"Sarah?" he asked, picking up one of her hands and stroking his thumb over her palm oh so slowly. It sent tingles up her arm.

"Hm?"

"If I pay for it, what do you say to taking—"

"A taxi?" she finished for him. "Yes. Absolutely. Definitely."

"Let's go."

They stood up as one and left the cafe quickly, heading out to the main road and walking along the street towards their hotel while searching for a taxi to take them back. It took a good five minutes before they finally hailed one down and Sarah practically dove into the back seat, her hands clasped over her knees to keep from yanking Chuck in after her.

As he plopped down, she told the driver the hotel name and they settled back into the seat, their shoulders pressed together.

Sarah and Chuck turned to one another at the same time. He blinked just once and she clasped her hands onto his face, tugging him in for a heated kiss. He responded in kind for a good solid twenty seconds, his hands grasping at her waist over her blouse, then sliding his fingers down into the waistband of her jeans.

He seemed to come to his senses then, pulling out of the kiss quickly and grabbing her by her arms, as though he was holding her at a safe distance.

Chuck didn't say anything. Instead he cocked his head towards the driver and widened his eyes.

She got the general idea. He was embarrassed about making out in front of the driver. But when would they ever see this guy again in their lives? And she didn't think she could handle sitting in one corner of the taxi's backseat while he sat in the other. She wanted to be close, pressed against him, his lips covering hers, his large hands dragging over her.

Well, she wanted much more obviously but she would take this for now. At least until they were nestled away in one of their rooms.

"Who cares?" she whispered under her breath.

He curled his lip in something of a pout, sighing. And then he grabbed her and kissed her again. She giggled into the kiss and rounded his neck with her arms, letting him pull her so tight against him that she was practically in his lap.

Sarah ignored the huff of amusement from the front seat and put even more energy into locking lips with Chuck, teasing him with her tongue until he opened his mouth wider and met her halfway. She couldn't help it. She needed to feel his curls between her fingers. So she slid them up into his dark hair and hummed softly into his mouth. God it was like silk, this man's hair.

She didn't know how long they stayed that way in the back of the taxi, but then the vehicle came to an abrupt stop and nearly sent Sarah spilling off of the seat. Chuck, however, had a tight grip on her, and he kept her upright.

He helped her off of his lap and fished in his wallet for money.

Once they were out on the pavement in front of their hotel, Sarah found herself grinning at the sight of the middle aged couple not-so-gracefully waltzing to the street musician's accordion music, laughing with each other over how poorly they were dancing, stepping on one another's toes, not caring what they looked like, or who was watching.

Sarah would have ignored this couple two years ago. Maybe even a few months ago. A few weeks ago.

She'd been trained to look for threats, escape routes, targets, marks. Which meant that nothing else warranted her attention. It was a waste to do something if it wasn't for the job. She completely missed these moments, the small bits of happiness in the world. She'd never felt like she deserved happiness…even a little. It had never been a part of her life. Contentment, sure. Excitement, yes. Adrenaline, desire, curiosity…But never happiness.

But everything was different. She was different.

And it wasn't just about Chuck. It was something that had been blossoming in her lately, even before Nice. That desire to want more, and to be more. It was that desire that made her notice Chuck in the first place. She wondered if his charms would have been lost on her if she'd met him when she was 21 or 22. Or was he that special that he would've broken through even then?

She didn't know or care because he was currently pulling her away from the musician and his spur of the moment performers, into the lobby and past the concierge desk.

Letting him lead her into the elevator in their building, she bit her lip to keep from grinning too hard, and held a hand to her chest to keep from breathing too deeply.

And the second the doors slid shut, Sarah crashed into him, pushing her hands underneath his shirt and teasing his skin with her fingernails. Her lips found his pulse point on his neck as she melted into his warm body, sighing as he grabbed onto her and tugged her in close with a teasing jerk.

His fingers curled under her chin and tilted her head up to catch her lips in a fiery kiss and she felt that same fire cascade down her body. She ignored the ding and the elevator doors sliding open.

She didn't care.

She would have Chuck in the elevator if she had to. She didn't know if anybody was there when the doors opened. She didn't have the patience or willpower to pull away from him.

She even went so far as to grind her front against his, earning a low growl from deep in his chest.

They kissed as they slowly moved out of the elevator, Sarah pulling him along even as she pecked his lips over and over again, her touch playful. That was a word she'd never have used to describe herself before: "playful".

She giggled as he pressed her against the wall in the hallway, bracing his palm beside her head and pinning her with his body, still kissing her passionately. And as she slid her hand down his back to his ass, giving him a quick squeeze, he pushed his lower half into hers and she felt the very pronounced bulge under his pants. "Mmm," she hummed, pulling her lips from his just enough to gasp out a breathless, "We should at least try to make it to the room."

"Try being the operative word?" he panted back, kissing her again, but more chaste this time, his hand coming up to cup her jaw.

A giggle came from deep in her chest and he joined in on the laughter. But then they heard the unmistakable sound of someone opening their door down the hallway. Chuck cursed under his breath and leapt away from the wall and Sarah.

Her eyes immediately dropped to the obvious erection his pants were just barely keeping in. It was only natural for her gaze to be attracted to it, and the rest of her body was as well, it had to be said. But when Chuck followed her line of sight, he reached out and grabbed her, yanking her to him and holding her to his front, her back pressed against his chest.

The other guest stepped out of his room with an ice bucket in his hand, dressed in his pajamas and slippers, his long hair in a ponytail.

Sarah didn't blame him for eyeing them strangely, considering the way they were hobbling down the hallway pressed so close together.

She could feel Chuck against her lower back as he held her close, his arms around her midsection. It was distracting to say the least, but they only had to make one more turn before they could lock themselves inside of Chuck's suite.

They were quite the sight, penguin waddling together to the corner, but the man had lost interest by the time he passed them by, and they were home free. Sarah threw one last glance over her shoulder, laughter threatening to erupt from her, the bubble of amusement rising in her chest to her throat where she forced it to stay for the time being.

And then they were at his suite and Chuck was grappling in his pocket for his key, still holding her against him. She could feel him shaking with suppressed laughter, and it made it that much harder to hold hers in.

But then they were inside, shutting the door and collapsing against it in a fit of explosive laughter. Sarah leaned against his sturdy height and let it all come out, holding onto his arms as he held her up by her elbows.

"What the hell kind of reaction was that?" she gasped between giggles, wiping at the tear that escaped her eye.

"I don't know!" he squeaked, shrugging while still making sure she didn't tip over. "He was coming out and I didn't want him to see!"

"So you used me as a shield?"

"Spur of the moment reaction!"

That made her laugh hard again and she fell forward, wrapping her arms around his torso. She felt his arms round her back and pull her close, and she buried her face in his shirt collar, still grinning like an idiot. "That was priceless."

"Hope that guy enjoys his damn ice."

She snorted loudly, which made the giggles start anew. Sarah was absolutely positive that nothing in her entire life had ever made her laugh this hard. There was that one day a few years ago when her partner at the time had stepped on thin ice, sending his entire foot through it. His high pitched yelp had cracked her up, but the situation they'd been in when it happened had only afforded her a moment's amusement, lest they get caught by their prey.

But that old memory had nothing on this.

There was no reason for her to stop laughing, here. Nobody was waiting around the corner to shoot her. She didn't have to keep quiet for fear she'd be heard. There was no danger here.

There was warmth. Always warmth.

The last few days had afforded her more warmth than her entire life before it combined. It was more warmth than she thought she deserved, honestly.

But she was selfish, and she would hold onto this for as long as she could. It would have to last her a long time, no matter what decision she made by the time Monday rolled around.

She forced that back out of her mind and looked up at her companion and smirked. "You know, it's probably good that he came out of his room when he did, else we might've ended up getting kicked out of the hotel and possibly arrested for lewd conduct in public."

He chuckled and then made a face, thinking it over. "Eh, would we, really, though? Is the hallway 'public'? I mean, technically, it's—"

Sarah didn't let him finish. Talking about being out in the hallway had brought everything back. The humorous interlude was over. And she wanted him to touch her again. So she kissed him, grabbing him by his shirt and tugging him against her.

Not that she didn't find the fact that he talked too much endearing, but it didn't change the fact that he talked too much.

Sarah quickly undid his jeans and grabbed him by his waistband, pushing him up against the wall. Granted, it would only take them a few seconds to walk to the bedroom, but they'd waited long enough. And Sarah took only a moment to think about the fact that Chuck seemed as content as she was not to budge from this spot, instead making out heavily.

She struggled to get her pants undone, pushing them down while still trying not to break contact. His lips felt so good on her neck and jaw, his hair tickled her skin. She wanted more.

It felt like ages passed before Sarah had her panties at her feet and was kicking them off to the side.

Chuck's hands, so large and warm, cupped her backside and squeezed, before hoisting her up into his arms and turning around to press her against the wall, pinning her there much like he had in the hallway. Except this time, she wasn't wearing a damn thing from the waist down. And Chuck? Damn it, why was he still in pants?

She nearly grumbled in frustration. He was so focused on her that he'd neglected to undress. Pure and unadulterated Chuck behavior.

She tried to drag her hand down between their bodies to help him. She couldn't reach, though, pinned as she was with her legs wrapped around his waist.

It seemed, however, that Chuck got the message loud and clear. And with a grunt of effort, he reached around her legs and…Well, she couldn't really see what he was doing, since her body was in the way. She just heard the rustling of denim, cotton…

And suddenly he was there, brushing over her sex. She whimpered softly and reached up to wrap her arms around his shoulders. He slowly lowered her body as he thrusted himself up, and she felt him fill her. He went deeper and deeper, until he was as deep as possible.

"Oh, Chuck…" she breathed, her fingers tightening in the shirt he still wore.

Chuck pressed his body close, looking up into her face, before he surprised her by tucking his arm under her left leg and pressing his palm against the wall. She tilted her head back and whimpered, holding onto his bicep, wrapping her other leg securely around his body. His thrusts were slow, but so deep. He didn't pull back until his groin bumped against hers, and then he did it over and over again.

Sarah simply held onto him and pressed her forehead against his, angling her head to look down between their torsos. It was definitely turning her on, getting to watch him like this, his strength on display, as she enjoyed the sensations of having him inside of her.

He let go of her leg after a few more thrusts and she quickly mimicked her other leg to keep from slipping, wrapping it around his waist and linking her ankles. She then tightened her grip on him, tugging his front to hers, burying her face in his hair. "Ooooh yesss," she moaned in his ear.

Chuck whimpered, his hands clutching her thighs, holding her up as he began thrusting even faster. Sarah gasped his name and dug her fingers into the muscles of his upper back, loving the way they moved under her hands.

She could feel just how close she was getting. Sarah dragged her hands down his back as far as she could reach and massaged him there, sliding his shirt up to feel his hot and smooth bare skin. "Almost there," she panted. "Come on… Oh God, that's it!"

She came a moment later with a whimpering gasp of his name, squeezing him so tight in her arms that she felt a pop in his shoulder. He didn't seem to care, however, as he slowed his thrusts to keep her climax lasting.

Sarah finally went limp in his arms and he gathered her up securely, pulling himself out of her, before cradling her and stepping back from the wall. She let him carry her wherever he wanted, content to stay like this for hours and hours if need be.

Her body was buzzing as he carried her…somewhere. She assumed the bedroom, but her eyes were shut, her face buried in his neck. And then her assumptions were confirmed when he lowered her to what was definitely a mattress—a mattress she knew the feeling of now that she'd spent a few nights wrestling with Chuck on top of it.

Sarah finally opened her eyes when his warmth and weight lifted away from her, and she watched him as he pulled his shirt off and quickly got rid of everything else. Realizing she was maybe looking a little too closely, she diverted her eyes from his package and sat up to pull her shirt off. For a moment, she was amused at the thought of her clothes and shoes being scattered throughout his suite at the moment thanks to that quickie against the wall just inside the door.

She'd worry about finding everything later, because Chuck was climbing over her again, his features set in eagerness.

The guy wasn't even going to bother trying to play it cool, apparently. He was owning the fact that he wanted her as bad as he did, and she found herself incredibly pleased by that. When his body finally blanketed hers, she welcomed him with a hot kiss, offering him her tongue, which he accepted immediately, humming happily.

He pushed his arms underneath her body and tugged her as close as possible so that she was wrapped up in him, in every sense of the word. She slid her hands up his back and hugged him, holding onto his shoulders and nudging him with her hips.

He smiled into the kiss and shifted down a little so that she felt him at her entrance again. In this particular position, trapped (but not unhappily so) in his embrace, it was tough for her to get much weight into it. But she was used to overpowering even larger men than Chuck, and in much more dangerous situations than this. So she found a way to swing them both to the side so that Chuck landed on his back beneath her, his arms still around her so that she laid flat on top of his body.

Chuck pulled back from the kiss just another to chuckle, "O-o-okay, then."

Sarah smirked and kissed him some more, extracting an arm to reach down and find his hard member with her fingers. He twitched under her as she wrapped her hand around him, gently stroking him as she shifted her weight, moving down a little to line his cock up with her entrance.

She guided him inside of her then, slowly pushing herself back and arching her body to take in as much of him as possible. "Mmmm, Chuck," she muttered against his chin, gasping at how good he felt in this position.

And then she slid him out of her just enough so that the tip was still in and she used her fingers to stroke him a few times. He pulled out of the kiss and whimpered her name, until his hands slid around to grasp her by her waist. He thrusted himself into her a few times, taking away some of her control. And as good as it felt, she bit her lip and held him still, a teasingly chastising look on her face.

With a smirk, Sarah reached up to hold onto the bed's headboard, grabbing his hand in her free one and pinning it to the mattress up by his head. Bracing her knees on either side of him, she began to rock back and forth on top of him, their fronts grinding as she moved fluidly.

Chuck's free hand found her backside, and contrary to before, he didn't guide her. He just held on, squeezing in time with her thrusts. It felt amazing, and she threw her head back with a whimper to let him know as much.

She adjusted her grip on the bed and put more power into riding him, rocking slowly, pulling him in as deep as possible with each thrust and clenching to make sure he felt it as much as she did. He must've, because he groaned her name loudly and moved his grip from her ass to the mattress, twisting his fist in the sheet.

Her arm started aching just a little, then…Maybe because she had to reach a little too far to hold onto the headrest properly. So she let go of the bed and him, pressing her palms to the mattress beside his shoulders and pushing her torso up so that she was sitting in his lap and their bodies were perpendicular.

The way he was looking up at her, anticipation lighting his brown eyes so that they looked like they were made of gold, his eyebrows knit in passion and awe, sent a wave of heat through her. His sincerity in his admiration of her was such a turn on.

She'd never had this happen to her before. Not with anyone. And it was exciting. Invigorating.

So much so that she let the urges and emotions overcome her, she let them guide her, dropping safeguards and letting loose. Her fingers twisting in the sheets on either side of him, she braced her knees more comfortably against the mattress, sat as heavily on his cock as she could, their groins pressed tightly together, and started gyrating fast and hard on top of him.

His groan only served to ignite her body even more and she hunched her shoulders forward a little to put even more strength into her thrusts. As she felt his large hand close over her thigh, she pushed herself to sit straight up again and started bouncing, over and over and over again, noticing the way his gaze fell to her breasts.

When his hands closed over both of them, kneading her sensitive mounds as she bounced on his cock, she let her head fall back. "Oh yes, Chuck," she whimpered. "Yes!"

"Sarah," he grumbled, turning his face into the pillow and groaning into it.

And as she licked her lips, starting to swing her hips back and forth again, she saw him shut his eyes tightly and bite the pillow between his teeth. She'd never seen anything that sexy ever in her entire life, and she didn't know why it affected her so much. It was like the room was on fire. Her skin was hot. That telltale ache was mounting behind her bellybutton.

Sarah doubled down on her efforts, riding him fast and hard, holding onto the mattress for dear life as he reached up with his other fist and slammed it against the headboard. His eyes were wide, his mouth gaping as he watched her.

She came with his name on her lips, reaching for just a little bit more, clenching, aching with pleasure. She shuddered, letting out a long breath and sitting still on his lap for a few seconds.

But when he made to move and let her off, she grabbed his shoulders in both hands and started rocking on top of him again. He hummed in pleasure and set his hands on her thighs, massaging her muscles there. Chuck must have figured out why she kept going because he was now smiling up at her, his eyelids half shut in ecstasy, her name on his lips.

She slowly dragged one hand down from his shoulder and let her fingernails skirt along the indentations of his abdomen muscles. He groaned as she lightly stroked his happy trail. And when she started applying pressure against his lower stomach, she could see his shoulders starting to tense up.

He came soon after, and she whimpered softly, rocking a little slower into his groin until he'd emptied himself completely inside of her.

Sarah flopped onto her back beside him, breathing hard, grinning just as hard, and feeling like she'd just ran three miles. In the best way possible.

Was it possible for sex to just keep getting better? Did that even happen in real life? Was it him, or was it her? Or was it both of them? She didn't know. She decided it was best not to question it. And as she turned over to look at the clock, she saw it was close to 11 at night.

"I should get back," she said, pushing herself to sit up and running her fingers through her hair to get rid of the tangles.

"Oh."

He had sounded a little…odd…when he said that, so she turned to look at him, all splayed out and satisfied, his arms folded under the back of his head. "You okay?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

He lifted both of his. "You kiddin' me?" She giggled and he smiled warmly. "Let me walk you out."

Chuck moved to sit up but she quickly turned over and put a hand on his chest, forcing him to lie back down. And then she swung her leg over him and hovered teasingly, her lips close to his.

"You stay in bed. I know my way out." She closed the distance kissed him softly at first, but then he opened his mouth and she had no choice but to accept the invitation, opening her own and tasting him a little more. She pulled back from the kiss, let the shiver run through her, smirked down at the dreamy look on his face, and climbed off of him, standing up and making sure her legs worked before she went any further.

She gathered her clothes from where they'd ended up scattered on the floor, even having to go out in the main room to find some of it. When she finished pulling them on, she went back to stand in the door of the bedroom and smiled. "Night."

He merely lifted his hand in a cute little wave and grinned.

Sarah left him alone again, shutting the door behind her and heading down the hallway towards the elevator.

This was becoming an incredibly familiar journey for her, she thought to herself, unable to keep the smug look from her face. For the moment, the future seemed far away, much further than her comfortable bed was at least.

And when she finally folded herself up in her sheets, letting out a long, satisfied sigh, she let her mind go blank, falling asleep almost immediately with a feeling of security and of contentment, two things that had heretofore been a rarity in the assassin's life.

Thanks very much for reading. I'm really going to make an effort to get chapters out sooner now that a bit of my life craziness has simmered down a bit. Appreciate the patience!

Please review! Thanks!

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