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Am winding this down..just a couple of chapters or so I think, I'm not that sure... :)
Gotta end sometime right?
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Longest thing I have written and shared to date and it just makes me want to write more. Very inspiring bunch you are :)
Morning arrived and with it, a kamikaze sense of acceptance in Eliot. Waking with Parker wrapped about him, her legs clinging to his, her hand on his chest, he smiled first and panicked second. He decided that would be the blueprint for the entire situation. She was direct and fearless about their new status as sexual partners, and though she still seemed stuck on the fact that it somehow made no difference to their relationship, a reasoning he found charmingly naive if a little hurtful, he couldn't deny his own feelings on the issue. He wanted her. He wanted her more then he could have envisaged wanting another human being, and the desire had not diminished after making love, it had only increased. A rare event that had happened to him only once before. and look how that had turned out. Now here he was again, albeit with an entirely different kind of woman, and his life was being taken from his hands, used by the government he had lost so much for already, as if he were nothing but a human hammer. A machine to be deployed at will.
"Shhhh." Parker was grumpy as she shushed him and he glanced at her face, eyes closed, hair swept back, and raised an eyebrow. He hadn't said a word. Had he?
"You are thinking way too loud Eliot," she yawned and stretched beside him. Rubbing up on him like a cat. A sleek sexy cat.
"Seriously? Guess I'll take me and my noisy ass to the shower." Eliot slipped from the bed and felt her half opened eyes on his naked ass as he crossed the room to grab a fresh towel from the hamper. "Anyone ever tell you it's rude to stare Parker?"
"Yeah. But I could show them you naked and they'd forgive me." He heard her grin and damn if her compliment didn't make him blush. Fuck it. What was the point in fighting it anyhow? He knew that a call would come, that he would vanish for a few days in Boston and when he returned she would look at him with wary eyes and distrust, not sure of the man he was any more. He had tried to tell Aimee once that there were lines he didn't cross, that she could trust him. Looking back, he was never sure if it was his vanishing acts that had torn them apart or her suspicions about what kind of man he was as a result. Sometimes bad situations needed an Eliot Spencer. He had gotten out because he had stopped believing in those giving him orders, but even now, he knew that the work was necessary. He just didn't want to do it. He had found a certain peace of mind working with the team and doing good for ordinary folks. The ability to choose what he did and who for was a gift that had been tested with Nate on occasion, but he knew Nate was a good guy. Despite his issues. The agency were not always so clear cut in motivation. Was it wrong to want to let this thing with Parker run till it fell apart like he knew it would? He wasn't certain he could handle Parker losing faith in him. But that was inevitable. Black Ops did not employ single operatives without reason.
In the shower, he scrubbed himself clean, and told himself he was a selfish bastard, that ending it before it got any deeper was the right course of action. Yet he was honest enough to admit that he was already in deep. Parker thought it was just sex. Great enough sex that she wasn't willing to share, as was her nature, sure, but that was it. So why was he over thinking it? Because the repercussions after the call, would just be Parker not wanting to have sex with him most likely. Which would suck but that wasn't what hung him up was it? No it was the idea that she would look at him differently that killed him. But it was going to happen regardless so why not take what he could whilst it was offered?
"Room for one more?" Parker slipped into the shower with him, and he shut out his churning thoughts. He grinned at her and grabbed some shampoo, spinning her about and once wet, soaping up her hair. She reached down and ran her nails down his thick wet thighs.
"Would you care if I said no?" Parker shrugged her naked shoulders.
"Why would you say no?" Huh. There really was no messing with Parker logic at times.
She tipped her head back and rinsed out her hair and it was crowded, but Eliot really couldn't bring himself to care when she pressed her naked wet body up on his and smiled through the running water sexy as hell.
"Good morning Eliot." Her hand slipped to his already hardening cock and he knew without doubt he'd be taking what he could whilst it was offered. He was an ass hole, but he wasn't stupid. She snaked the other around his back and drew patterns on his skin up and down and over his ass as the spray hit and tickled. His body lurched within itself at her touch.
"Good morning Parker." He kissed her under the hot spray, and decided there weren't many better ways to start the day. And finally being honest if only with himself, not getting to do this once the axe fell would way more than suck. He just had to keep it light. Casual. Yeah, that'd work.
They packed up, and Eliot drove Cory's car with Parker following in the truck up to the rentals.
In the cold sunshine of morning, the light white and crisp on the trees, the colours were sharp and greens apple bright and reds conker dark. Eliot hated Scarlet for tainting this place for him. He had stripped the cell of its GPS and spent a while scanning his truck for a transmitter just in case and found two. Parker mixed the chips in with bird feed and hung them in a feeder in a tree near his house. He would deal with Scarlet, he was confidant of that. How long it took, well he wasn't so sure. Recruiters were notoriously hard to pin as associates of the agency, but she had mentioned a specific mission, which meant she worked as a match maker too. That should make it slightly easier to dig up dirt on the bitch. Because there would be dirt, he knew that. Her methods were fucked and the area she worked in already littered with those just wanting to bury their past and live a quiet life. Eliot would bet money he was not the first she approached with threats against the people in their life. And that was unacceptable. Parker may be a criminal, but she was his criminal and not a bargaining chip. The sooner all trace of her was deleted from the agency database the better. She was wanted by enough countries already. That knowledge shouldn't have made him proud but in a twisted way it did. Call it professional admiration he figured. She was the best, no question.
They had breakfast with Louise, since the newly-weds and most others were yet to surface, and Parker sat next to him on the patio as she downed bacon and eggs, laughing at Louise's teasing and put her hand on his knee under the table. He let her. Dressed in her black tee, jeans and boots, she looked chic and sunny with a ponytail high on her head and bangs hanging over her shades. His shades, wait when had she taken-
"So will you be back for Christmas honey? Sightings of you are getting rarer in Fayette County than the damn Sasquatch up in these mountains." Louise looked at him, and he wished he didn't think so highly of her. She was a good woman. She was comforting and he'd miss spending time at her place when he visited. The local sheriff thought highly of her too the way he had been dancing with her last night. Eliot had been distracted but he still saw what he needed to. He rolled up the sleeves on his blue check shirt but Parker spoke before he could reply.
"Sasquatch? E-Eric is that real?" Parker was staring into the hills with a fascinated awe, her hand clinging to his thigh and he grinned shaking his head at Lou.
"Big-foot? Sure why not." A hunter's gleam hit her eye and he turned to Louise who was watching with ill concealed interest. "Truth be told I ain't sure when I'll be back Lou. Work you know?"
"The trust? Oh I know there's a lot of travel involved but you gotta recharge sometimes Eric. All work no play makes Eric a dull boy, am I right Parker?"
"Oh Eric is not dull. Trust me. He plays as hard as he works. Harder in fact. What happens at Christmas here?" His cheeks heated at her suggestive comment recalling the shower but neither women seemed to notice. Parker's curiosity surprised him, though not that it would be in conjunction with the holiday. Parker's hand on his knee squeezed a little and he swallowed some OJ and tried not to imagine Parker in his house here, wrapped up in a blanket before the open fire, toasting the damn marshmallows she insisted on carrying any time an open flame was a remote possibility. He was surprised she still had all her damn teeth the amount of sweet crap she ingested.
"Oh we have a festival, and a grotto and put on a trail in the forest for kids to find Santa. It's beautiful it really is."
"We'll come." Eliot almost choked on his OJ at Parker's statement. That was like months away. If it had been anyone else, he'd have figured it was polite small talk. But not Parker. She said as she meant for the most part. "And Eric'll be Santa, he loves it. Don't you Eric?"
He drilled her with a stare and she looked back innocently. What?
"Don't you think that's a commitment we can't really make right now Parker? What with work an' all?"
"No." She frowned, wolfing down another slice of toast. "Christmas here would be awesome."
Eliot wondered if Parker actually knew what a relationship or more specifically, not a relationship meant. Or if she just really liked the idea of the grotto in the forest. Who the hell could tell? Did she not get that it would be way too risky to return? Did she not know that plans were the opposite of casual? Santa grotto temptation notwithstanding, she was crossing a line here.
"You make sure an' bring him Parker. I'll hold off on signing him up for the red suit job just yet though. You can come eat at my real house next visit. " Louise watched him with those kind and worldly eyes and Eliot coughed, discomforted. Louise seemed to have worked out the route to Parker's heart was her stomach already as she nodded that the blond imp could help herself to leftovers.
"We gotta hit the road to get back before morning so, you'll have to convey my goodbyes to the newly-weds Lou." He stood and Parker followed, draining her juice and wrapping up what she could in a napkin. She had hollow legs his thief.
"It was nice meeting you Louise. See you at Christmas." Parker sounded so sure, Eliot bit back a snapped retort. What the hell was wrong with her? They could be in jail, dead or god knows where in a few months. It had been a touch and go thing getting to this wedding, what with all of Nate's work OCD lately. And the Scarlet issue made this place about as inviting as a Columbian crack house
Louise hugged them both, and waved them goodbye as he peeled from the Resort entrance.
Parker broke the silence after forty minutes on the road. Eliot had managed to keep it shut, despite her niggling at him for a response. She messed with his radio. She put her feet on his dash. She pretended to spill a bag of chips into the foot well, hell she even opened the door as if to drop out again. Still he refused to acknowledge her. He had no clue where to begin and felt pissed off but without being entirely sure on the why, or where talking may end up, silence seemed the safest option. Parker wasn't so keen on the idea.
"Eliot you don't have to be Santa if you don't want to. I really didn't think you'd be such a baby about it." She sighed theatrically and he was answering before he could shut his damn mouth.
"Parker for a woman intent on keeping this sex only, you sure are free with making promises for both of us you have no way of knowing we can keep." Eliot spoke without thinking and his tone was far too probing for his liking. He was aiming for a telling off and ended up fishing. How ironic.
"Oh. Do you have plans for Christmas?" She sounded slightly stricken and deeply curious.
"Hell Parker I haven't got plans for tomorrow you know that. That's not exactly what I was-"
"Well then why can't we come back?" Cutting him off she sounded puzzled.
"Because-because that's a long way off and you have no idea where we'll be, and it's no longer a secure safe house since Scarlet-" She rolled her eyes at him, he knew it for fact despite the shades and interrupted again.
"We'll have dealt with her by then, jeez." The vote of confidence was as touching as it was alarming. We? This just sex non relationship was becoming the realest freakin' thing he'd had since...crap. He wondered how casual had gotten so bulldozed when he wasn't looking.
"Anything could happen before then Parker. You understand what I'm gettin' at here?" He tried gentle and she actually digested his words. Then spun him away again as she nodded in understanding, mouth pursed in serious reflection.
"Got it." So solemn. "Eliot Spencer if we aren't in jail or dead can we come back?" She clasped her hands in a pleading fashion and gave him the eyes she did when she wanted pancakes over the rim of her glasses. He tried not to smile at the way she echoed his earlier thoughts. Blunt as ever Parker.
"Parker honey, this thing ain't likely to last. You know that right?" Light. Casual. His new mantra.
"Ah, so you do want us to sleep together in Boston. I figured." Airily she put her elbow on the window and let the morning sunshine light her upturned face through the window.
"What? How d'you get there from that?" The breeze caught her ponytail and his own loose hair billowed slightly at his jaw as he turned to her, feeling like this was getting away from him way too fast.
"You called us a thing. It's a thing. We're a thing." She tapped out a celebratory drum roll on the dash. "Eliot & Parker." She spread her hands high as if highlighting the word in lights."Thing. Has a certain ring to it doesn't it?"
"Anyone ever tell you you're a verbal ninja?"
"No. But I like it. That's mug worthy. So we can come back at Christmas then?"
"You think we'll still be a thing at Christmas?" Eliot Spencer, he thought grimly, smooth as fuck. Aged fourteen. Casual. Light. His mantra was failing damn it.
"Well I'm gonna want to sleep with you for a lot longer than that so I think we're good." Her tone was serious and considerate and his pants tightened. Jesus Parker just get right to the punch line why don't you.
"Right." Well. Eliot wasn't really sure whether to be flattered or terrified.
"Wait, I guess I should...do you think you'll still want to sleep with me?" She sidled him a glance in a very sneaky Parker fashion, over the mirrored lenses and he couldn't help note the flash of anxiety in her blue eyes. So bold and bewildered. She could never bore him he knew that for a fact.
"Oh I think we'll be okay on that score darlin'." Like he would ever not want her? That was hardly the point though was it? Somehow they had gotten sidetracked off a topic he couldn't really recall having a point in the first place and somewhere along the line, the argument against them being any kind of anything had crumbled beneath her conversational wizardry.
"So it's settled. We'll be back for Christmas. Good." She smiled into the sun pushing her glasses back up and he re-gripped the steering wheel, very aware of a seismic shift between them. How could he tell her that she wouldn't want him soon enough without coming off as a jerk? Like he was palming her off, when in reality he wanted to avoid the train wreck bound to arise after the thrill had worn off for her and distrust replaced the rapport that existed so effortlessly now? Fuck. There was no good exit from this. Not a one.
"You are a hell of a lot more dangerous than folks give you credit for darlin'."
"Aww Eliot that's sweet of you to notice." She raised her brows and made a face like he had called her beautiful. Oh man. He grit his teeth and put his foot down and elbow hanging off the window. He really could love this crazy blonde.. And what a complete disaster that would be.
The radio played an eclectic mix of songs designed it seemed to make him fidget uncomfortably as they sang his feelings all over the freakin' place, and Parker hummed along whenever he felt most exposed because she was Parker and possibly the devil intent on ruining him, and the morning sun warmed up, and they both fell quiet awhile.
Sarah Jane from Weston requested a song for her sister who was having a hard time at school and was dreading going back and Parker turned up the volume. He glanced at her, but since pretty much all his road trip rules were screwed what the hell could he say? Besides she was glowing as the music started, and Jimmy Eat World burst into his truck interior with The Middle and Parker played air guitar as it began.
And sang along with every word.
Rocking out with her-his aviator shades and her all in black Goth thief vibe smacking the side of the passenger door like she was all alone and free and young and hopeful. The butterflies shone in her ears and at her throat and his lungs lost function for a moment and he was pulling over into a dirt road before he could stop his hands turning the wheel and she was so into her anthem she didn't notice him put the truck in park.
He watched her belt out the final chorus, switching to air drum sticks against his dash and he realised he was a complete dick for even attempting to find an exit from this, however good his intentions. He should be working on the opposite. The song was over and he undid his seat belt.
"Hey Eliot?" Parker was looking about now, baffled.
"Hmmm?" He was undoing her seat belt and pulling her into his lap and she was willing if confused as he kissed her breathless. Hard and joyful and greedy, need itching in his skin and snapping in his veins. She tasted like juice and orange tic tacs. Gasping for air finally, she pulled back, straddling his thighs and pushed the glasses back onto her forehead.
"What was that for?" Her blue eyes were almost black and man if that didn't turn him on even more.
"You woo'd." He stared at her, wondering how she could be so unaware of her effortless ability to get him, get right to him without even trying."You freakin' woo'd. How's a man not supposed to kiss you after that Parker?"
She stared at him, a secret smile on her face and her cheeks pink as she leant forward to whisper in his ear, tickling his hair with her lips.
"Woo?" Bless her heart she was a flirting ninja too.
He grinned and kissed her again, and she sighed into it and parted her lips to tease his tongue with hers, and Eliot figured it was a good thing they'd made an early start because this was going to take awhile. But his heart was lighter than before and he couldn't even begin to give a damn as the words she had sung so earnestly rang in his head.
Everything, everything will be just fine, everything, everything will be all right, all right.
If his broken thief could think it, couldn't he?