Chapter 2

Confrontations

There rarely came a time when Paige Arkin was caught off guard. When you spent enough time around low-life drug dealers and criminal masterminds, nothing really managed to phase you anymore. However, when she walked into the living room and took in the attractive red head sitting next to Mike, she felt her muscles go rigid. Inwardly cursing herself for succumbing to such schoolgirl jealousy, she forced a smile and said as brightly as she could manage, "This your new girlfriend, Mike?"

Under normal circumstances, Mike would have accepted this comment as a joke, but given the way that they had left things the night before, not so much. Turning his head to face her, he replied crisply, "No, Paige. This is my new partner, Alex."

"Oh," Paige said, trying to pretend that his curt tone had not hurt her. "Well then, welcome to Graceland."

"It's nice to finally meet you," Alex said, getting up from the couch to shake Paige's hand. "Mike has told me so much about you."

"I guess, as usual, my reputation precedes me," Paige said, giving Alex's hand a brief shake. "But if you'll excuse me; I've got work to do."

Alex's face fell slightly as Paige left the room, "Was it something I said?" she asked.

"No," Mike said, his brow furrowed. "Johnny was right. She's mad at me."

Nodding, Alex said, "Well, I guess that's my cue to hit the hay. I'll see you in the morning."

"Night," Mike said, forcing a smile.

After Alex had left the room, he found himself staring off into space. The anger that had coursed through his veins that morning returned with a vengeance and he contemplated going for another run. Instead, he decided to confront Paige.

Knocking on her door, he was met with a resounding, "I'm busy, Mike."

"Come on, Paige. This is elementary. Open up."

For a moment, he thought she was just going to ignore him, until he heard the click of the door unlocking.

"What do you want?" Paige asked, opening the door a crack.

"We need to talk about last night," Mike said, pushing his way into the room.

"No, we really don't," Paige replied, closing the door behind them.

"Really? Because right now, you are acting ridiculous. Did you forget who came on to whom, last night?"

"Oh please," Paige hissed. "Don't act like you didn't want it."

"I'm not saying that I didn't, but if you remember…I'm not the one who started it; I was just the one who finished it."

"I was drinking last night. I love everyone when I drink too much."

"So today, now that you're sober; you don't feel anything? You don't care at all?"

"That's not what I meant, Mike," Paige sighed in exasperation. "I just don't want things to get complicated."

"They're already complicated. Just tell me the truth. Do you have feelings for me?"

Paige was silent for several minutes before saying, "Of course I do. I have had them since we met, but Mike…I'm not the answer."

"You keep saying that," Mike interjected, the volume of his voice increasing. "The answer to what, exactly? Do you think that I am so broken that I need to be fixed?"

"Yes," Paige said. "After everything that's happened to you, I just can't…"

"Jesus, Paige, I do not need to be saved or fixed or anything. I know who I am and I know what I want. It's you."

Clearing her throat, Paige said, "Mike, I wish it were that simple, but we can't just start dating."

"Why? Are you afraid of what Johnny is going to say? He already thinks we're together."

"I just…" Paige began, but her words were silenced by Mike's warm lips upon hers.

Hot and insistent, their hands began to pick up where they had left off the night before, moving at their own accord. Removing his shirt, Mike pushed Paige up against the far wall. Fumbling with his belt, he quickly unzipped his pants before hiking Paige's dress above her hip. Pressing himself against her, he ripped away the thin lace barrier of her panties before plunging upwards in one fluid motion. Wrapping her legs around his waist, Paige grasped Mike's shoulders as he set a frenetic pace. Eyes squeezed shut; Mike gritted his teeth as Paige ran her long nails roughly down his back. Smiling in satisfaction, Paige allowed her head to fall back against the wall. Forcefully, she dug her heels into Mike's lower back, urging him to take her deeper. One of Mike's hands slapped against the wall, balancing as he supported the rest of Paige's weight with the other. Face red, skin moist with sweat, his body began to shudder violently. Paige felt her own body respond in a similar manner, Mike's name escaping her lips in a sigh of satiation. Paige's blissful expression knocked Mike over the precipice and he buried his groaning face into her hair. For several minutes, the two just stood there, soldered together. Finally, Paige ran her fingers through Mike's silky dark blonde hair, which was now slick with perspiration. His breathing still unregulated, Mike helped ease her down.

Brushing his lips across Paige's forehead, he said. "We could make this work, if you really wanted to."

Closing her eyes, Paige took a deep breath before replying, "You drive one hell of a hard bargain."

Mike chuckled; wrapping his arms around her still quivering, body. "I just wanted you to see what you would be missing out on."

"Oh?" Paige said, cocking an eyebrow. "Someone's pretty sure of himself."

"There are three things that I can do very well," Mike said with a mischievous grin.

Lifting her up, he carried her over to the large queen sized bed. "I can shoot."

He paused, laying her down upon the red Egyptian cotton sheets. "I can lie."

Paige shuddered as he began to place small kisses from her navel to her supple bosom.

"What else can you do?" she breathlessly asked.

"I can fuck."

Gasping, Paige's eyes widened. She had never heard Mike speak so forthrightly. He always chose his words carefully, rarely cursing aside from the random "hell" or "shit."

Blushing at Paige's apparent shock, he added, "I didn't mean to…"

"Just shut up and fuck me," Paige demanded, her shock quickly dissipating. She pulled him down for a passionate kiss, their tongues exploring each other's mouths.

"Wait," Mike panted, coming up for air. "What is your answer?"

Paige smiled, holding his face in her hands, "I'm willing to give this a go, but only if you promise to do it my way."

"Name it?" Mike said his eyes full of warmth and affection.

"No public displays of affection. I don't need my various C.I.'s and suspects to know that I have a boyfriend…it won't look good."

"That sounds pretty reasonable," Mike said with a grin before recapturing her lips.

Despite his suggestive declaration, the next time they united, Mike took it slow. He took the time to get to know Paige's body, exploring it, making it sing with desire. But Paige would not let his gestures go unreciprocated. She played his body like a violin, inciting him to call out so loudly that everyone in the house would, undoubtedly, confront them about it the next morning.

Afterwards, they lay tangled in the sheets, whispering to each other.

"God, you're amazing," Mike mused, stroking Paige's cheek.

"You're not too shabby yourself, Agent Warren," Paige said, running her fingers down Mike's heaving chest. "I honestly have never had three orgasms in a row before."

A blush erupted on Mike's cheeks at her directness. Now that his arousal was sated; he was easily embarrassed. However, he also felt a sense of masculine pride as well.

Clearing his throat, he couldn't hide the amazement in his voice when he replied, "Really?"

"Yes," Paige said, kissing his muscular arm. "All that running is really working for you. You know how to work those hips."

Before long, their conversation was cut short as the wave of endorphins that had engulfed their systems forced them to fall asleep, content in each other's embrace.

The next morning, Paige walked downstairs to the kitchen wearing Mike's shirt. She anticipated the jibs and jabs of her raunchy roommates, but surprisingly, was only met with the new girl. What was her name, again? Arwin, Andrea…

"Hey," the girl said uneasily, "How are you?"

"I'm fine," Paige responded with an awkward smile. She regretted acting like such a bitch the night before. It wasn't Anna's fault that she and Mike had been fighting. "Listen, I'm sorry about last night. I acted like a total asshole."

Shaking her head, Alex said, "Don't worry about it. You were busy. I act the same way when I'm on a case."

"No, I was being a bitch," Paige said in her brash manner. "Could we start over?"

"Sure," the new girl said, setting her spoon beside the bowl of oatmeal before her. "My name's Alex Petrova, I'm ICE."

Paige shook Alex's extended hand. "My name's Paige and I'm normally not a bitch. I was just having a fight with Mike so…I kinda took it out on you."

"No harm, no foul," Alex smiled, retrieving her spoon.

"Where is everyone?"

"Mike's running, I think Johnny and Briggs are surfing and Charlie went to the grocery store. I still haven't met the other customs agent."

"D.J.?" Paige asked rhetorically. "He keeps to himself. We hardly ever see him anymore."

"Oh," Alex said, clearly surprised that one of the house's residents did not want to be a part of the group.

Paige was just about to ask Alex about her case when Mike entered the kitchen drenched with sweat.

"Mornin' ladies," he said brightly, crossing over to the refrigerator. Reaching inside, he pulled out a bottle of orange juice with the initials, D.J. emblazoned on the side in black permanent marker. Pouring himself a glass, he turned to Alex, "How did you sleep?"

Before Alex could answer Johnny swept into the room, smelling of salt, his black hair soaked from the brine. "How could anyone sleep with the way you two were carrying on last night?"

"Are we seriously going to go into this again, Johnny?" Mike said with exasperation.

"I'm not crazy!" Johnny cried defensively. "I know what I heard."

"Yes, John Tuturro, we had sex," Paige said matter-of-factly, her arms crossed in front of her chest.

Just then, Johnny took in her outfit and a smile erupted on his face.

"You dirty dog!" he shouted in triumph, clapping Mike roughly on the back.

By now, Alex was practically drowning herself in her cereal; she was blushing so hard.

Noticing her discomfort, Mike said, "Alright, now you know. So, how was the surf?"

"No, no, no," Johnny said, grinning like the Cheshire cat. "You're not getting off that easily. I want details!"

"Get out of here you pervert," Paige said, grabbing the dishrag off the faucet and throwing it at his face.

"Ah, come on!" Johnny said, hurtling out of the projectile's path. "Don't be like that. I would tell you guys."

"And, we probably wouldn't want to know about your twenty-second encounters," Mike said, swallowing back the rest of his OJ.

"That's cold, man," Johnny said with mock seriousness. On his way out of the kitchen he added, "I'm telling Jakes that you're drinking his juice again."

"Damnit, Johnny!" Mike cried, but he had already left the room.

"Well, that was interesting," Paige said. "Sorry about that, Alex."

"It's alright," Alex said, but she wouldn't meet either Mike or Paige's eyes as she carried her dishes to the sink. Alex's discomfort struck a nerve in Paige, but she couldn't pinpoint, why.

"I'll see you both later," Alex said, looking up briefly. "I have to report to my case manager."

"See ya," Mike said in his affable way. Paige merely smiled.

When they were alone once more, Mike pressed a firm kiss upon Paige's lips.

"Well, by tonight, everyone in the house will know of our illicit affair," he said.

"Who cares," Paige replied. "As long as I can have you all to myself, I'm good."