Hello my darlings, this just popped into my head during a very boring 8 hour shift. R&R please!
The gala was in full swing, chandeliers glowing with low light over the heads of the guests that mingled and chatted beneath their glow. The marble floor shown as finely dressed people glided about, expensive jewelry glittering as they sipped from flutes of champagne and nibbled at the offerings on tuxedoed waiters.
The room dripped with opulence and money and Carmen hated every second of it.
Black Sheep Inc. had been invited to a charity gala for children and Carmen, being a top percent donator 'simply had to attend' according to her team.
So, here she stood, bedecked in a red gown that hugged her curves, her wild hair half up and half down about her naked shoulders and back and enough jewelry to make her blend into the crowd leaning against a wall nursing the same glass of champagne she was offered an hour ago.
She hated events like this; rich people hen pecking at each other, back handed compliments and social climbing to the point the had no shame. These people didn't care about the children, they just wanted to flaunt how much money they could throw at the charity and claim to be philanthropists.
Huffing softly, the woman moved to leave out the balcony doors when a familiar voice caught her ear.
There was no way, there was simply no way that the owner of that French accented voice was who Carmel thought it was!
Carefully maneuvering her way closer to that voice Carmen felt her breath catch and a flush decorate her cheeks.
There, standing casually as he nodded to some simpering woman in a gaudy gold gown was none other than Chase Devineaux, Interpol Detective Inspector.
Unlike all the men around him bedecked in tuxes and fancy suits, Chase wore a suit that accented his wide shoulders and trim waist; dark ash in color, his jacket strained over his shoulders as a white collared shirt was left open at his throat, not a tie in sight. Gone was the five o'clock shadow and thoroughly mussed hair. His face was clean shaven, smooth skin stretched over a chiseled jawline and his grey dusted mahogany hair was styled back, only a few rebellious strands hung over his forehead.
Gone was the slightly frumpy detective inspector and in his place a high society gentleman stood, one long fingered hand cradling an untouched glass of amber liquid while the other was tucked into his pocket as he listened to the woman prattle at him.
Carmen had had enough interactions with the man to see the tense set of his shoulders and the pinched corners of his mouth as he pretended to smile at the woman prattling at him. The red hair thief could see him tense as the woman stepped into his space, a flirty smile on her overly made-up face as she pawed at the arm with his hand in his pocket, her wedding ring glittering obnoxiously.
What a harlot! She was clearly married yet she was trying to seduce her Inspecter? Not on her watch!
Carmen didn't pause at her own thought of 'her inspector' instead, placed her untouched glass on the nearest table and swept forward. Countess Chleo would be thrilled at her elegant walk, chin up, shoulders back, gliding on the balls of her feet so her dress didn't leave the floor.
"Chase my darling! I thought I lost you!"
Chases' head snapped in her direction, those lovely grey eyes widening at the sight of her before a smile tugged at his lips.
"Ma chérie, I do apologize! I thought you would think poorly of me if I ignored Mrs. Marco."
Chase lifted his unoccupied arm, curling it around her waist to tug her against his side before pressing a kiss to her temple.
"Mrs. Marco, allow me to introduce my fiancé, Carmen Sandiego, soon to be Carmen Devineaux."
Mrs. Marco offered a greeting to be polite, but Carmen could see the displeasure on her face for having her attempts of adultery curtailed so easily.
They chatted only for a moment longer before Chase easily guided Carmen away and onto the secluded balcony that offered a breathtaking view of the city below, glowing and glittering against the dark night sky.
"Bon Dieu woman! What are you doing here? Here to steal jewelry from the guests?" Carmen blinked at the mans angry face before easily producing her gilded invitation from the folds of her skirt.
"I was invited."
Chase ripped the invitation from her hand, examining it before blinking in surprise.
"Black Sheep Inc? They have donated millions to various charities across the globe." His head jerked up, staring at her with a slackened jaw, clearly making links in his mind.
Carmen had always wanted to explain to the Inspecter but the cat and mouse game they played was far too fun for the thief to give up.
"I only steal from other thieves. All proceeds are donated to charity. I may be a thief Inspecter, but I am an honorable thief." Carmen hummed, moving to lean over the railing, staring down at the city while the man behind her came to grips with the new information. The woman couldn't even begin to understand the pain that lanced through her when he accused her of stealing from the guests.
Carmen had always though Chase was a handsome man, even in his frumpy creased shirt and perpetually crooked tie and five o'clock shadow decorating his cheeks.
They stood in silence for a good while, Carmen shivering at the cool chill of the night wind as it swirled around her bare shoulders.
She jumped as a warm jacket was draped over her shoulders, a smokey woodsy scent filling her nose as the man now sitting against the rail next to her, head bowed in thought. Carmen felt the blush crawl across her cheeks as she took in the man beside her. She had thought he was handsome in passing, looking sleep deprived and rumpled with that shadow on his jaw, but now? Now he looked damn near edible. She had never realized how muscled his arms were, his shirt sleeves straining to hold the thick muscles of his folded arms. His wide shoulders, trim waist, and long legs, thick mahogany hair and sharp grey eyes, he was a very handsome man.
"I apologize ma petite renarde for assuming the worst about you. I remember the basement, you stayed. You protected me, defended me, waited until the police had arrived to leave me. Julia had always been right about you. She told me from the beginning you weren't stealing for yourself."
The man sighed, rubbing a tired hand over the back of his neck as he tilted his head to meet her eyes, a soft almost shy smile tugging at his lips.
"Forgive an old exhausted Interpole Inspector with a bloated ego?"
Laughter bubbled up before she could stop it, Carmen throwing her head back with her joy before being able to control it down to giggles as she stepped to stand against her inspectors' hip, relishing in the heat that rolled off his body.
"Only if you can forgive an honest thief with a crush on an older man she thoroughly enjoyed leading on merry chases."
Chase straightened, his eyes widening as she pressed against his legs, smiling shyly down at him.
"W-well, ahem,"
"There you two are! Come inside! The dancing is about to start!" The obnoxious voice of Mrs. Marco shattered whatever bubble had encapsulated them on that balcony. Chase frowned at the gaudy woman who batted her eyes at him with a flirty smile on her bright pink lips.
Shuddering, Chase stood and offered a hand to the petite lady in red at his side.
"Just one dance my darling, then we shall go home."
His heart fluttered as she placed her delicate hand in his, easily shrugging off his suit jacket as she did so and smiling up at him with a radiant smile.
Mrs. Marco scowled as the petite lady helped him back into his jacket, easily retaking his hand as he guided them past the pouting woman and into the glittering room once more, the string quartet winding up into a waltz number.
Chase twirled Carmen elegantly around him, easily tugging her against his chest as they fell into step with the music, Chase taking pleasure at the woman's giggles as he twirled her around the dance floor.
Together, they danced, Chase taking care to twirl this petite goddess and hold her close, their eyes meeting sparking with affection and pleasure as they dance together.
One dance transformed into three before they finally took a break, both out of breath and the petite thief muttering her feet hurt.
Without even thinking, Chase easily swept the tiny woman up into his arms laughing softly at her shocked squeak at his show of strength. Carmen blushed as Chase placed her gently down into his lap as he seated them at an empty table, gently tugging her shoes off her feet.
"Les pauvres petits pieds, being trapped in these things! Why women wear such torture devices on their feet I never understand."
Carmen giggled at his mumbling, her giggle breaking off as Mrs. Demarco and her husband made their way through the crowd towards them.
"Ah, Mr. and Mrs. Devineaux! Taking a break from the dancing?" Mr. Demarco smiled at them while his wife scowled, clearly still miffed that Chase avoided her advances.
"Yes, my little fox tortures herself with these shoes." Chase huffed, dangling one of her red heels, the gold filigree catching the chandelier light and glittering more than Mrs. Marco's golden dress.
Carmen giggled softly, stealing the shoe from his hand and slipping it on; she made a show of twisting her leg this way and that, enjoying the glittering gold that decorated the toe of her rouge heel.
"But they look so fetching with this dress!"
Chase wrapped his arms around her middle, resting his chin on her shoulder as he admired the delicate tanned leg attached to that petite little foot. She was so delicate and small, but he knew firsthand she was as fearsome as a tigress when fighting.
"My darling, as fetching as they are, you need not torture yourself to look beautiful, you are as radiant as the sun."
Mr. Marco smiled, a soft look taking over his face as Carmen tilted her head to rub her cheek against Chases.
"I can see your marriage will be long and loving. Congratulations to you both, now, you two enjoy your night. And Mr. Devineaux, my soon to be ex-wife won't be bothering you are your fiancé again tonight. I believe they are playing one last song for the night, you two should enjoy it."
Chase and Carmen both smirked at the gob smacked look that overtook the golden garbed woman as she spluttered, looking back and forth between the couple and her now ex-husband.
"Never flirt with an Interpol Special Inspector, especially when the Inspector belongs to the CEO of Black Sheep INC." Carmen purred as Chase tugged her heel back off, resting it beneath their chair with its twin before sweeping her up into the air and leaving the pale faced woman to try and handle the fall out of her marriage while Chase twirled her around his body until she felt her feet touch the floor.
Neither noticed the crowd leaving the floor, awed eyes watching them as Chase led her through the dance, neither able to take their eyes off the other.
They made an image, Carmen decked in red, golden accents of her dress glittering and glowing against the clean white of Chases shirt, her bare feet barely making contact with the floor as Chase twirled her easily about the polished floor. The music was a tango, the heat of the song easily transferring to them, their bodies twining together with the passion of the music pulsing between them.
All too soon the music came to a stop, Chase dipping Carmen towards the floor with his hand cupping her bare knee as it hooked around his hip, his lips inches from hers. They hung there for several heartbeats, lost in their own worlds neither snapping out of their daze until loud applauds pulled them apart.
The crowd was clapping; Carmen looked up at Chase who looked down at her with that sexy crooked smirk and threw his head towards the doors in a silent question.
She just nodded, the pair pausing long enough to pick up her shoes; Chase scooped her up once more before they even reached the stairs, the woman wrapping her arms around his neck as he raced out of the ballroom as quickly as his feet could take them, their caring that they left his suit jacket hanging from the balcony railing.
Many years later, a stone sculpture of that jacket and Carmen's heels were forever placed there with a small bronze plaque that proclaimed the pair making the largest joint donation in history, and where their love was affirmed three years later with their marriage at the same location on that balcony.
The balcony was forever known as the Lovers Balcony, and for many generations love was found on that same balcony and many weddings were held there, the brides and grooms touching the heels and coat as a totem of good luck in their marriage.
It was told that all couples that married on that balcony and touched the stone heels and coat never divorced.
The End.
Translations:
Bon Dieu- Good God
Ma petite renarde- My little fox
La pauvres petits pieds- Poor little feet
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