" You cheated !" Kat screeched as she pouted at the screen in front of her.
She tossed the fake guitar she was holding down and snatched up a pillow from the back of the couch to throw at him.
Patrick deflected it easily with his own fake guitar and grabbed it from the floor.
" You just can't handle the fact that I'm better than you at something." He smirked, throwing the pillow back at her.
" No, I can easily admit that you are better at cheating than I am. Congratulations." She smiled sweetly as she gave him a bow.
" How did I cheat ?" He asked, loudly.
" You bumped me on purpose right before I could enact my star power thingy and I hit a wrong note." She claimed.
Clearly Guitar Hero had been a bad idea and Patrick suddenly wished he'd left the entire thing at Keith's, where losers could just admit it.
" I can't believe I let you talk me into playing this stupid game. It's stupid. You're stupid." She spat, but there was an underlying smile that made him relax a little.
" If it makes you feel better, I'll let you win next time." He smiled and tossed his guitar aside.
" Why are you so sure there going to be a next time ? I don't play with cheaters." She announced.
He flopped down on the couch and grinned at her cheekily. " You know, you actually stepped into me when I bumped you. How do I know you weren't trying to throw me off since I was already clearly beating you ?"
She huffed and threw another pillow at him. He snatched it out of the air and grabbed hold of the corner of it as he sat forward menacingly.
" Really ?" She asked, raising her eyebrows at him.
He hefted the pillow a touch higher and got slowly to his feet.
She glanced around a bit frantically until she spied a weapon of her own and lifted it from the back of the couch.
" Are you sure you want to do this ?" He asked, mockingly. " It's another game you can't win against me."
She dropped her pillow low enough to peak over its top and stuck her tongue out at him. " Bring it." She whispered. Then turned and took off like a shot out of the room.
He was surprised at first. He thought she'd try to hit him with the pillow. That was the general idea of a pillow fight. But seeing her run away from him enticed him and he took off after her, following her laughter down the hall.
He stopped right outside her father's study and held his breath, listening intently for any movement.
" Wait," He heard her say as she stepped out of the bathroom at the end of the hall.
He raised his pillow, looking for some sort of deception from her. But she held out her hands in a time out gesture with her pillow tucked under her arm.
" Okay." He said, lowering his own weapon and looking her over carefully, still expecting a sneak attack.
" I have an idea." She smiled and with it came a blush to her cheeks and he decided whatever her idea was, he was going to like it an awful lot.
She put a wiggle in her hips that made his mouth go completely dry as she sauntered down the hall towards him. He forgot all about the pillow in his hand or the one under her arm for that matter.
She came within an inch of touching him and took a deep breath causing her breasts to brush against his arm that was still raised defensively over his chest.
" And what idea would that be ? Are you giving up already ?" He grinned down at her, his eyes and attention solely on her lips.
" Oh, no. You know I can't do that." She smiled back and licked her lips enticingly. " But with Bianca at Joey's and Dad gone, we have the house to ourselves for a while. I think we should at least make this a fight worth winning."
" Okay, what do you purpose as a reward ?" He swallowed hard and unconsciously leaned in closer to her.
She looked down, then raised her eyes without moving her head, peering at him from under lowered lashes with a devilish smile on her lips. " Whatever the winner wants." She answered finally.
He chuckled quietly. " I think that definitely makes it worth winning. But how do we decide who wins and who loses?"
" Every time one of us lands a hit, the person hit has to remove an article of clothing." She suggested.
" Strip pillow fight," He nodded as if thinking it over. " I like it. Now how do we do this ?"
He gripped the pillow in his hand tighter as she leaned even closer into him. Then in a surprise move, she snatched her pillow from under her arm, and smacked him in the face with it, before darting around him and taking off down the hall. " I think like that." She called over her shoulder as she rounded the doorway and sped off out of sight.
He muttered a curse under his breath before dragging his shirt over his head and tossing it to the floor. Then he turned on his heel and took off after her in a dash.
Something told him to be cautious so he slowed before he came to the open archway at the end of the hall. It was the perfect spot for an ambush. He grabbed his pillow to his chest and slowed to a creeping pace as he rounded the corner, artfully looking both ways before stepping out into the opening of the foyer. He listened intently for a time, trying to catch the sound of her footsteps or her breathing, but heard nothing.
He was just about to try upstairs when he thought he heard a muffled noise from the dining area, then the unmistakable sound of the swinging door to the kitchen groaning on its hinges. It was squeaky and he had been meaning to fix it for them, now suddenly he was very glad he hadn't yet.
He moved stealthily towards the swinging door, which was no longer moving. But he knew he'd heard the sound. It was definitely from the hinge. There was a bar right beside the door with an opening to the kitchen above it. It was closed by the roll top shudder at the moment. When the family wanted to eat at the bar, the window could be opened and there was a bar on the kitchen side as well.
He moved carefully across the floor, thankful for the beige carpet under his feet. Crouching down quietly, he positioned himself under the bar and held his pillow at the ready. Then he waited.
He didn't have to wait for long. It was a few moments later when the door began to slowly open. It was just a crack at first and he glanced up to see her eyes darting around, looking for him. When she decided the coast was clear, she opened the door further and stepped out into the dining room. He let her take a couple of steps, waiting until she was standing beside the table before he sprang out and tagged her across the back with his pillow. Then he fled quickly to the other side of the table and stared at her, waiting.
She huffed at him in exasperation, but dutifully bent and began to remove her article of clothing. He had chosen to lose his shirt first. Kat was craftier in her decision. She was removing her shoes and he sighed in disappointment.
She laughed at the look on his face. " I guess you'll just have to get me again if you want me to get rid of the good stuff."
He thought about her choice and realized that she had just made a carefully considered tactical move. Now that she was barefoot, hearing her footsteps would be decidedly harder. He glanced down at his own black combat boots and inwardly cursed his stupidity. The only way to fix it would be to let her have a shot. His teeth ground together at the idea of seeing the smug look on her face if she managed to get him again. But he had no other choice, so he took a deep breath and took off around the table, letting himself get close enough for her to tag.
She took the bait and smacked him across the back as he flew past her. Turning back to her, he tried to hide the smile of his victory as he stopped and tugged off his boots.
" Wow," She said, realizing what he had just done. " You're pretty good."
He shrugged and smiled at her. " It was my mistake for leaving them on to begin with."
He was easing out of the dining room, slowing backing towards the foyer. And she was advancing on him. Neither of them acted as if they noticed the space between them getting smaller and smaller.
" I can't wait to see you running through the house in nothing but a pair of panties." He told her mockingly as he reached the hardwood that announced he'd arrived at his planned escape route.
" Ha," She answered. " You'll have to catch me first. And from my count I'm already one up on you."
He stepped back again, seeing the staircase come into view through his peripheral vision. That was his goal. He had it in sight now. Now he just needed to slow her down a bit so he could make a run for it.
She was still moving towards him, her pace slow and cautious as if she were trying to corner a wild animal.
" You know," He told her, lowering his voice. " I think when I get whatever I want for winning, I'm going to pick a lap dance." He said with a dreamy look in his eyes. " No, wait, maybe I'll make it a Kat Slave. Yeah," He nodded. " I'll even go find Spock's collar for you."
Her eyes went wide at his suggestion and she stopped in her approach, shocked into stillness. Apparently she hadn't imagined that possibility when she'd planned this game.
It was all the opportunity he needed. He dashed towards the stairs, not looking back until he was at the upstairs landing. She was still at the bottom of the stairs, having finally pulled out of her shock enough to give chase.
He didn't pause to watch her climbing the stairs. Instead, he took off again, darting down the hall and out of her sight.
He thought at first about her room, but decided against it at the last minute. Once in there, there was really no place to go. He decided instead on her father's room, running inside and quietly shutting the door behind him.
He waited at the door, knowing she would try her own room first and she did. He heard the door down the hall open and cracked his own door to look outside. She wasn't in the hall, but her bedroom door was opened, so he knew she was inside. Shutting the door again, he raced to the window beside Dr. Stratford's bed and opened it as quietly as possible. Then he went to the balcony outside and closed it behind him.
He had been on the outside of the house enough times to know that there were three separate balconies on the second story, one for each of the bedrooms. He went to the railing of the one he was standing on and gauge the distance to the one that connected to Bianca's room. It wasn't far and if he stretched, he could make it with little problem. The one thing that was a problem was the pillow in his hand. He looked down at it, trying to decide how he would scale the side of the house while still holding on to his weapon. If he lost it, the game would be over. He'd have to go all the way back down the side of the house to get it.
Then the answer came to him and he knew it was a risky move, a move that left him vulnerable for a short amount of time. He wasn't sure he liked that idea. It was one thing to be crawling around on the balconies without a shirt. He certainly didn't want to get caught and have to do it without his pants as well.
Realizing that if his plan was going to work, he'd have to take the chance, he gave the pillow a toss and thanked God when it landed with a soft thump on the metal grate that made the floor of Bianca's balcony. Then he quickly made his way over the side rail and gripped it tightly with one hand while reaching out with the other. Once he had a good purchase on the railing, he let go and his body swung over to the other balcony. Just as he left the view of the window, he saw the door to Dr. Stratford's room open and Kat stepped inside.
He snatched his pillow from the floor before trying Kat's sister's window. It was locked, of course. And he muttered another curse under his breath. This would have been quicker if it was opened.
But he knew that Kat's window was unlocked. He'd left it that way himself just the night before. Repeating the move he'd just executed, albeit, a touch quicker this time since these balconies were closer together and he knew exactly what he needed to do, he exhaled a breath he hadn't realized he was holding when he landed soundlessly right outside of her window. Rising it as quietly as he could, he was just about to dart inside when Spock, who was sleeping peacefully right below him, looked up and noticed him. He let out a bark of excitement at seeing his master and Patrick turned back to try and shush him. But it was too late, the noise had drawn Kat to the window and he saw the curtains move as she looked out.
He plunged head first inside her room before she spotted him and landed with a thud on her floor.
He was out in the hallway by the time she made it to her father's door. The look on her face as she jerked the door opened said she knew she was had. There was nowhere for her to go.
She stepped back instinctual and he stopped her before she could go back into the room any further.
" Please, don't make me tackle you on your father's bed." He asked her, advancing steadily towards her. " While the thought does have some obscure appeal, there is just something very wrong and icky about it."
She stopped moving and came back into the hallway, shutting the door behind her. Her eyes darted from the door that led to the bathroom, over to her sister's bedroom. Both had no exit and she would be just as trapped in either space.
Then he thought he saw something cross her face for an instant and decided he didn't want to give her any more time to contemplate her position. Racing forward, he raised his pillow and hit her on the arm with it before retreating back down the hall.
" I guess I underestimated you." She said as her fingers moved over the buttons of her shirt. " I won't let that happen again."
She tugged it from her shoulders and let it fall to the floor at her feet.
" That's two for two. How about we just call this a tie and I'll let you take off the rest of my clothes without hitting me with a pillow first ?" She suggested.
He blinked at her in surprise but refused to let his guard down. " Are you conceding ? Why ? Scared?"
" Hardly. I've just decided I'd rather be doing something a lot more fun with you half naked." She answered.
She was moving closer and he couldn't help but notice that she was still holding her pillow.
" Oh, no. I'm having way too much with this." He smiled. Then he darted for the stairs, but instead of taking them, he leaped over the wooden railing and slid skillfully down the banister.
He had been wanting to do that since he first saw the staircase and it didn't disappoint. It was a ride worth repeating. And it was made all the more precious by the look on Kat's face as she peered over the railing at him. He gave her a little salute and a wave before running out of the foyer.
He leaped over the back of the couch once he got to the living room and slid himself as far into it as he could manage, effectively blocking his body from view from the doorway.
Holding his breath, he waited for her, knowing she would come in here first. He was right again and he silently patted himself on the back for his intuition.
Know your enemy, he thought to himself. It really was a phrase to live by.
As soon as he heard her getting closer to the couch, he leaped up and was surprised to find nothing there. Then out of nowhere, a pillow connected with his chest as she leaped up from behind the couch where she was hiding.
He narrowed his eyes at her and the smile on her face changed as soon as she realized her mistake.
He reached for the button of his jeans and yanked the zipper down, letting them fall away as he walked towards her.
She was trapped again. He was between her and the only door from the room. So even as he finished walking out of his pants, his smile was victorious.
He reached out and quickly grabbed the pillow from her hands and she stumbled a little as she tried to back away from him.
Then he took his own pillow and hit her softly on the shoulder. " Let's see." he smiled. "That's one for the bra." He tapped her again. " Another for the jeans." He hit her a touch harder this time. " And that one is for the lacy black panties under them."
He dropped both pillow to the floor and stalked towards her again. " I'll help you, if you'd like. But I think that makes me the winner."
" I guess it does." She answered as she stuck her chin out while her hands went to the button and zipper of her own jeans. " So, what do you want from me ?"
She had already stepped out of her jeans and was working on her bra. He couldn't stop himself from staring at her hands as they worked at her clothing. He would never, ever get tired of watching her undress.
" Patrick." She said to get his attention.
He raised his eyes from her chest reluctantly and gave her a smile. " What ?"
" What do you want from me ?Are you really going to make me wear Spock's collar ?" There was a hint of fear in her eyes as she asked him.
" Of course not. That's just weird."
" Then what ?"
" I was just in the kitchen, making myself a snack earlier and I spotted a few items of interest. How about I go get them and you meet me upstairs ?" He suggested.
" What kind of items ? What are you going to do to me ?" There was that touch of fear again and he smiled at her reassuringly.
" You know I'm not going to do anything to hurt you." He told her.
She was completely naked now and staring up at him like a scared child. Then she smiled back at him and nodded. " Of course, I know that."
" Good." He said, stepping close enough to kiss her. " Now, get upstairs. I want my reward." With that, he playfully slapped her ass before darting quickly away.
Her eyes widen for a brief moment before narrowing at him. " You are going to pay for that."
" Promises, Promises." He called over his shoulder as he left the room, reminding him of the way she'd mocked him in the diner after their date. He still hadn't really gotten his revenge for that. He figure now would be the perfect opportunity.
He was whistling as he pushed open the swinging door of the kitchen.