Chapter 11

Parker braked with some extra violence when they reached the end of the course, Eliot thought. He was still grimly hanging on, rattling off the pacenotes as fast as he could to keep up with her. Frankly, he was pretty sure she'd have rolled the car if she'd thought it would get them across the line faster.

They got the nod from the timing official, and Parker revved the engine and pulled off sharply into the parking area. She'd no sooner got the engine off than there were other riders coming towards them, curious about their time and her sharp finish. Eliot followed the little blonde out of the car, hearing her door slam and trying to keep his own face from being too pissed off.

"Hey, Parker, how'd your…" one of the other drivers started, but he was interrupted by Parker pushing past him. Eliot whipped his head around. Crap. Where was she going?

"Parker," Sophie's voice warned in his head.

"Dammit, Parker," Eliot growled, seeing where she was heading. His driver, all five-foot nothing and a hundred twenty pounds of her, had spotted Darrien over by his car. He was currently laughing at something with his co-driver, and now Parker was making a direct beeline for him.

"Hey, Dumbass," Parker yelled at him. Darrien turned to face the little blonde fury heading towards him and crossed his arms smugly.

"So, blondie, had a little trouble today?" he smirked, and then BAM! Parker hauled back and slammed her fist into his jaw. The man, twice her weight, staggered back, bumping into his car. Eliot was right behind Parker, grabbing her and hauling her back against him. He could see this turning into an all-out brawl. He also couldn't help a trickle of pride at how his girl had just taken down a man that size with one punch.

"What the fuck…?" Darrien bit out, getting his balance back and starting forward. Eliot put himself between the two of them. Fast. Fortunately, a couple of other drivers had the good sense to get in front of Darrien as well.

"You want to cheat, Dumbass," Parker was shouting over his shoulder, "try shooting the tire of someone who can't handle it. Yeah, that's right, I know it was you!"

"You're insane," sneered Darrien. "I didn't go near your race. Didn't have to, you just aren't the hot stuff you think you are." He turned and looked at his co-driver, making a mockery of Parker. "Just like a woman," he said loudly. "Maybe it's that time of the month, huh?"

Eliot heard the growl behind him, and had to physically wrap his arms around Parker again to keep her from launching herself at the big man. "Easy," he gritted out as she struggled in his arms. "Chill, Parker, now!"

"I'm going to kill him," Parker declared. And scary thing was, Eliot wasn't sure she wasn't serious. Everyone else probably took it as hyperbole, but he knew the woman in his arms better than that.

"Parker, Parker!" Eliot finally yelled in her ear. Parker stopped fighting him, but was still tense and straining in his arms. He didn't dare let go of her yet. "We got no proof, Parker," he said, loud enough that the people around could hear. "We got no proof, babe, but I know, you know and all these folks know that you're the better driver. After all, someone shot your tire out and you still managed to finish ten seconds behind the lead."

"No worries, Parker," that older driver Parker had been talking to the day before, "we know what's what." The older man shot a glare towards Darrien. "Believe me, we know."

Eliot finally felt Parker relax. "Ok," she muttered. "Ok." Eliot cautiously loosened his arms and let her go, sliding his hands to rest on her shoulders. She was still strung tight, but wasn't about to explode anymore. Now, he would still like to walk over and beat the crap out of the jackass, however…

"Hang on," he said, squeezing her shoulders warningly. He stepped around Parker and walked up to Darrien.

"What do you want, pretty boy?" the taller man sneered, turning to face him.

Eliot smiled. "You really should stop insulting my partner," he said.

Parker was still complaining as they pulled into the hotel. "But YOU got to hit him again," she groused.

Eliot blew out a breath. "Drop it, Parker," he muttered.

"I wanted to hit him! Lots more!"

Eliot climbed out of the door and slammed it. "Dammit, Parker, I told you to drop it!"

Parker slammed her own door and glared across the top of the car at him. "No! I wanted to beat him up!"

"Fuck… Parker… I did it for you, ok?" Eliot finally broke and snapped at her. Dammit. He still had the earbud in, and he was pretty sure everyone just heard that. Reaching up, he pulled it out of his ear and shoved it in his pocket.

Parker slapped her hands on the top of the car. "What do you mean, for me?" she sounded bewildered and still mad. "How was it for me? I wanted to do it!"

Eliot shoved a hand through his hair. He couldn't believe they were having this discussion over top of a rally car, in the parking garage of a hotel in Nowhere, PA. With everyone surely listening. "You're my partner. Someone fucks with you, they fuck with me," he said, trying to keep it calmer and more controlled than he had before. "And my job is the hitter. I take care of it."

Parker heaved a sigh, and dropped her head to rest between her hands on the top of the car for a long moment before looking up at him again. "Is this one of those things we have to talk about?" she asked, looking maybe a smidge calmer. "One of those things that happens when you have sex with someone?"

Aaaand there it was. Great. Eliot was willing to bet he was going to get some phone calls in pretty rapid order. He sighed. "Parker, take out your earbud," he said, and started walking around the car.

Parker was tucking it in her pocket when he reached her, and Eliot put a hand out to her. "Come on," he said, feeling calmer as his fingers wrapped around hers. "Let's go upstairs and I'll explain it all to you."

Parker heaved a sigh. "Dammit," she muttered. "I hate not knowing what's going on."

Eliot squeezed her hand, feeling a surge of warmth through his chest as they started walking toward the hotel. "I know, darlin'," he said quietly. "But that's what I'm here for."

Parker sighed again, and leaned her head against his shoulder as they walked, fingers still linked. "Yeah," she said. "That's good."

Eliot flipped off his cell phone as they stepped into the elevator. He really did not want to answer any calls right now. He kept a hold of Parker's hand as they leaned back against the railing and watched the numbers tick upward. Parker was quiet next to him, and that gave him a chance to try and sort out what he was going to say to her. Because now she was expecting him to say something. Knowing Parker, who knows what she was expecting, but he'd better come up with something.

Their floor dinged, and the two of them stepped out and silently made their way down the hall, hands still joined. He liked holding Parker's hand, Eliot thought absently. It was slender and surprisingly delicately boned, with those nimble thieving fingers, but it fit beautifully with his. Those long, slim digits curled around his just right.

This time, Parker actually let him keep hold of his keycard and open the room. Eliot led her in, and she kicked the door shut behind them. Eliot headed for the bed. He wanted to be sitting down for this talk.

Parker let him tug her onto the bed next to him, until he was sitting, sprawled, back against the headboard and she was curled into his lap. When they were finally fitted together, Eliot sighed. That felt good.

Parker craned her head and looked up at him expectantly. "So why couldn't I hit him again?" she asked.

Eliot abruptly dropped a firm kiss on her lips. "Don't ever change, Parker," he said, with a healthy dose of humor. Of course the first thing she wanted to know was why SHE didn't get to hit him again.

"Why would I change?" Parker frowned, confused. "I'm me, who else would I be? Unless you mean like a part for a con, like Alice, but that's only for the con, right?"

Eliot chuckled and propped his chin on her hair. "I just mean I like you the way you are. As Parker."

"Oh." Parker was quiet for a second. "Well, I like you as just Eliot, too."

"Yeah?" Eliot was absurdly pleased by that statement. His chest warmed at her words. "Thanks."

"So, WHY couldn't I hit him?" Parker asked again.

Eliot shifted a little, trying to find the right words. "I thought the hit you did get on him was great," he finally said. "Good form, by the way, and he deserved it. But if you'd kept going, it was going to start a problem. Big guy like that, doesn't like getting shown up by a little blonde woman. And then to get knocked off his feet when you punched him? No way he'd have stood for it a second time, and then his co-driver would've gotten involved, and probably some of the other drivers…"

Parker was thinking it through, he could tell. You could almost hear the gears turning. "Ok," she said. "Ok, but why did YOU get to hit him?"

"I only hit him once," Eliot clarified, "and I made it about how he'd spoken to you when I did. And that was ok to the other drivers."

"But WHY?" Parker was getting frustrated. "Why could YOU punch him for me, and I couldn't?"

Eliot resisted the urge to squirm. Dammit. He hated this kind of stuff. It was… sticky. Hard. "Because…" he trailed off. Fine. Man up, Spencer, he thought. "Because when I did it, I was defending my woman. And other men get that, they're ok with that."

"Humph." Parker got very quiet. And Eliot wasn't really sure what to say after that. He wasn't even sure if Parker realized how much he'd just laid on the line. He was rather worried, nervous, even, and that wasn't something that Eliot Spencer was used to feeling.

Parker finally sighed. "Ok," she said. Then she squirmed a little and looked up at his face. Her eyebrows drew together in a question. "Does that mean I get to beat the crap out of someone that insults you?"

Eliot grinned, feeling a whole lot lighter. "Only if I'm done with him," he told her.

Parker snorted. "Screw that," she muttered. "If he wasn't right about you being pretty, I'd get to beat him up."

Eliot laughed and leaned down to kiss her. "I… Don't ever change, Parker," he said again, catching himself. What the hell had just about come out of his mouth? Holy crap. He shook it off. Parker kissed him back, lips firm and tasting as good as every other time he'd kissed them.

"Hmm," she hummed with pleasure. She pulled back and looked up at him. "So, can we have sex now?"

Bwahahahah… Yep. Stopping there. And making you wait for Monday. Enjoy your weekend, everyone!