A/N Sorry it took me long to post this part. This is actually the last part of this story. I've nearly finished writing the next chapter of "One Fine Day" so that will be up soon :) Thank you all for your great reviews. I hope you'll enjoy the end!
Nate was sitting at the counter of the brewery. For being a Sunday evening, the Brewpub was quite busy.
"Hi, Mr. Ford" Amy greeted him. "Do you want your usual drink?" she asked going behind the bar.
"No, thanks Amy. Maybe just a glass of water." He smiled at her.
"Waiting for someone?" Amy didn't know what to make of him. She knew that Hardison was the owner of the brewery and he was the boss, but she had often heard him call Nathan Ford boss, so he must be the boss of their other job. After her weekend spent with Parker, she tried not to think much about was really was going in the back room.
Nate took a sip of water. "Yes, my date. She's late, like usual"
"Ah," she smiled knowingly "Miss Sophie. You two make a cute couple"
Nate swallowed hard, a bit taken back. "Thanks"
Amy looked up and saw the brunette enter. If the dress she was wearing was any indication, the two adults were going to have a hot date. "There's she is" she nodded.
Nate turned around in his chair and gulped. Sophie was wearing a sexy red dress and red stilettos. Thankfully, at least from Nate's prospective since a lot of men in brewery were already drooling after her, her bare shoulders were covered with a white shawl.
"Hey" she smiled at Amy and then she put an arm around Nate's shoulders and kissed him on the cheek. "Sorry I'm late"
"No problem" he noticed the lack of a bag "I thought you were going to get a change of clothes?"
She smirked. "Already in your car"
"How…? No, I don't want to know" he got up "Are you ready to go?"
She nodded. "Bye Amy" she waved.
"Hardison and the others will be back tomorrow." He informed her knowing that the staff usually got more distracted when the bosses weren't around.
Amy nodded gratefully "Have fun!"
In the restaurant they were seated immediately. Nate ordered chicken fettuccine while Sophie got her favourite dish from that restaurant; vegetarian lasagna. For drinks Nate ordered a bottle of red wine.
"I've talked to Parker" Sophie told him between bites.
"What did she say?"
"Eliot refuses to go to the hospital. At least the bullets wounds were through and through, but he's being the usual stubborn"
"Of course"
"Does he remind you of someone?" she asked with a glint in her eyes and a small tome of irritation.
"Nope" Nate took a bite of his pasta and faked ignorance.
"Hmm… well, Hardison is tormenting them with a Doctor Who marathon, so expect a grumpy Eliot tomorrow"
"When isn't he grumpy? Maybe we should take a few weeks off. Let him recuperate properly before the next job."
Sophie smile grew. "Holiday? Now you've got me interested."
He smirked back. "I thought I might"
Then she groaned frustrated. "Shush, I can't"
"Why not?"
"Rehearsals? If I have to put a show on the stage soon, I need to put more work at the theater."
"I was hoping we would be able to go away somewhere together." His face fell. "Maybe at a hot sea location since you're always complaining that it's too cold here"
"I'm sorry darling, but…"
"How about we compromise." He interrupted her. "The team can take the next two weeks off. The first week you can dedicate yourself full time to the theater and I'll… well, I'll just have to find something to do. And then, the second week, we'll go somewhere exotic where we can relax"
Sophie thought about it, if she worked hard the first week she could do a lot at the theater and the idea of her and Nate spending a week together at the beach with sun, sea and nice cocktails sounded really inviting.
She finally smiled. "Okay"
"Okay"
It was nearly time for them to go to the cinema, so Nate paid the bill and they walked out of the restaurant and they continued for the cinema arm in arm.
After they gave the tickets to the usher, Nate stopped at the food stand inside the cinema. "Do you want something to drink or eat?"
"We didn't have any dessert at the restaurant. Maybe an ice-cream?" she looked at him hopefully.
He smiled knowing that sometimes she had a sweet tooth. "Sure."
He got an ice-cream for Sophie and a packet of M&Ms for him. They got to their seats and once the light went off, Sophie snuggled into Nate as he put an arm around her.
Nate was enjoying the film, black and white noir films were the one he preferred. For Sophie it had too many murders and not a lot of romance to be her kind of film. Once they got outside the cinema it was still not too late in the evening and their short walk to the car was pleasant.
"So, did you like it?" Nate asked as they walked hand in hand down the street.
"Yes, it was interesting"
The mastermind smirked, he had heard too many times her lying voice for him not recognize it. "Really?"
"Yep" she nodded.
"You really are enjoying lying to me this weekend!" he finally exclaimed.
"I… what…" she looked at him shocked. From the look on his face, she knew she was busted. "Okay, it wasn't really my type of film"
"And you knew this yesterday when I showed you the tickets. Why did you come anyway?"
"Because it was something you wanted to see and I know you're not very happy when I drag you shopping or make you watch some of those romantic comedies but you do it anyway. Compromising. That's what being in a relationship means"
"So, we're finally admitting we are in an adult consensual relationship?"
"Oh, we've been in one for some time now, Nathan, where were you?" she grinned turning around and walking slowly backwards.
He chuckled. "I love you, you know that?"
She suddenly stopped and looked at him with her mouth open.
"What?"
"Did I hear you right? Did Nate Ford actually say those three little words, without choking this time?" she teased him. "I might be dreaming"
He rolled his eyes at her "Very funny" he started walking again making her turn around and walk beside him.
"I'm just saying. If it snows tomorrow, I'll know who to blame."
"Are you finished?" he stopped next to his car.
"I don't know" she smiled at him ran her hands up his chest. "How long will I have to wait to hear them again?"
"If you will make such a big deal all the time, don't count on hear them again" he teased her putting his hands on her hips.
"Of course" she leaned over and kissed him gently. "By the way, I love you too"
"Glad we've cleared that too" he told her before giving her another kiss. She returned the kiss, deepening it and raising a hand to run through the short hairs at the base of his neck.
"Hmmm… now take me home and make love to me." She nibbled his lower lip.
"Yes, Madame"
The following afternoon…
"No, that was not the first time we've danced together. You can't call that dancing!" Sophie pointed out at him. She was sitting on the counter at the Brewpub. Nate was standing between her legs, his hands running up and down her thighs while hers were latched behind his neck.
"I can definitely remember some movement"
"Barcelona! That was the first time we've danced together. Do you remember that fantastic ballroom?" she smiled memories of that night flashing in her mind.
"I remember the Dalì painting you stole and me chasing you"
"Oh…." She frowned.
The door opened and Sophie saw Hardison, Parker and Eliot walking, well Eliot was more like limping, inside. Monday was the brewery's closing day, so they had the all place for themselves. Nate turned around in Sophie's embrace, but the couple didn't let go of each other which raised a few eyebrows from the other team members.
"Well," Hardison sat on a free chair and smirked. "I can imagine what you two did all weekend"
Both Nate and Sophie glared at him annoyed and Eliot just laughed.
Parker had already gotten herself something to eat and she too sat on the counter. "What?" she asked confused.
"Each other" Eliot exclaimed.
"Will you guys stop it?" Sophie groaned.
Parker had still a lost look. "I still don't get it"
"Sex, Parker!" Hardison shouted. "They had sex!"
"Oooohhhh…" she finally understood.
"Can we please drop the matter?" Nate tone was hard. Embarrassed he tried to get away from Sophie, but the grifter tightened her hold on him. "How are you doing?" he finally asked Eliot.
"Fine, I guess. If I had to see another episode of Doctor Who, I would have murdered someone" he eyed the hacker.
"Hey, man. How can you not like Doctor Who? It's a classic"
"It's…" he grunted. He took a deep breath and turned back to the mastermind. "It will be a couple of weeks before I'll be at my best"
"That's good because Sophie and I decided that the team can have the next two weeks holiday" he smiled.
Hardison eyes lit up and he stood up from his chair. "Seriously?" he bumped a fist in the air. "Yes, Comic-con here I come! You will love it, baby" he told Parker.
The thief didn't look too convinced, but nodded anyway.
They decided to have dinner together at the brewery. Eliot insisted that he could cook and the others didn't argue. After they finished eating they said their goodbyes and that they would see each other in two weeks.
"So," Nate slowly approached Sophie who was picking up her jacket and purse. "Since the weekend is over I guess you'll be going back to your apartment."
She gave him a knowing smile. "About that, I'd like to renegotiate our terms of agreement."
"Oh, really?" he was smiling too now.
She nodded "About our living arrangements."
"I thought we agreed on having two places so we wouldn't kill each other."
"True" she leaned against him. "But what if, I don't know, I stayed at your place for a week and then we stayed in two different places the next one and so on…" she waved her hand. "There could be less chance of us getting on each other nerves."
He lifted his head up like he was thinking about it. "So, let me get this straight. Technically we would be only sharing two weeks a month?"
"Exactly!"
"I guess I can agree with the new terms" he teased her.
"Thought you would"
"So, when is this week together going to start?"
She took him by the hand grinning. "Follow me and I'll show you"
