Stuck In The Middle With You
Title: Stuck In The Middle With You (1/4)
Author: Meredian
Email: mere_dythe@hotmail.com
For Summary and DISCLAIMERS, see index page.
Distribution: Only here at the archives, and through email. Feel free to
recommend it, but if you'd like to post it, or whatever, (yeah, right. ;-) )
just drop me an email first. Thanks much!
Feedback: Always appreciated! 
Note: * indicates thought. 

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The weight of the day began to settle on Justin as he unlocked his door. *Mr. Pink??*, he thought to himself in outrage. *What's up with that?* The humiliation of that name had been plaguing him ever since the meeting earlier. As he walked inside, and tossed his coat on the couch, he observed his apartment. The small, dark rooms, the musty scent in the air. Perfect. The apartment of a professional. But this professional had no food. *Time to make a grocery run...*

Getting into his car, Justin's mind switched gears. He began to think of what had gone down at the meeting. The joking with the other Mr.s in the car on the way, the sharp reprimand by Joe afterwards. This job was going to be simple, he thought. With Joe's perfect plan, and the group of specialists assembled, it should be an easy heist. Especially with Scarlett on the job. Scarlett...

..."Sorry I'm late, Joe. I was tied up with something."...

That voice, soft, yet commanding. The sound of heels clicking on the stone floor.

... "But I got what you wanted,"...

The sight of perfectly painted red nails dropping a small purple velvet bag into Joe's withered hand. Justin remembered being taken aback by the woman walking in, bringing with her a light floral scent that overtook the stale air of the warehouse. He could picture in his mind her suit of charcoal gray, with an ivory blouse underneath. An elegance that gave a brutal contrast to the random everyday clothes he and the other Mr.s had been sporting...

... "Thank you, Ms. Scarlett. Gentlemen, this is Ms. Scarlett, the last member of our little crew. She is an expert jewel thief. Observe." ...

Justin's mind brought back the image of the sparkling gems Joe poured from the velvet bag. He remembered his awe that this classy woman was a thief of great capacity. He also remembered his arousal at watching one black heeled leg swing back and forth as they recieved final instructions for the job.

The thought of Ms. Scarlett had been plaguing him throughout the store. As he selected his foods, as he roamed the aisles, the thought of her persistantly kept hitting him. It didn't leave as he drove home, as he pulled his nondescript car up to the darkened apartment building, as he headed upstairs, arms loaded with paper bags.

*Why are you thinking about her?* he asked himself furiously, as he looked for his keys. *Act like a professional, here! She is just another crook for the job. Just another coworker. Keep your thoughts on the job, not on the way you could see a hint of cleavage through her neckline...Stop that!* Justin found his keys and violently shoved them in the door. He wasn't going to let his professionalism slip just because one of his partners was female...an extremely attractive female...

He walked into the small kitchen, and started to put groceries away. As he was reaching to put a bag of chips in the cupboard, he paused, sniffing. There was a scent on the air that was not usually in this apartment. A floral scent.

*No, it couldn't be. Could it? Is she here???*

Forgetting the groceries that lay on the counter, Justin followed the scent through the house. Stopping by the wall mirror on the way, he glanced at his reflection. Seeing his familiar large brown eyes, his thrown back dark hair, reassured him that this wasn't an odd dream. He reached back and touched his hair, smiling the same sardonic grin he had lived with since birth. Confident with himself, Justin headed towards the bedroom.

When entering, he couldn't see anything. The lights were off and the shades drawn. But the scent of jasmine and honeysuckle was evident. Blinking, Justin called out, "Hello?" His voice, normally firm and confident, wavered a little.

"I've been waiting for you, Mr. Pink," a familiar voice came floating out of the darkness. "Let's go to work, shall we?"

-----------------------------------------------

The sensations of cold water running down his face cause Justin's mind to return to reality. A little. He still couldn't believe his luck. Laying on his bed in the next room was a beautiful, intelligent, vigorous woman who wanted him. And she was a damn good thief, as well. *This is the life*, he thought, as he reached for his toothbrush. Good jobs, good sex, and, to top it off, he remained a professional.

So to speak.

"Pink?" Her voice came wafting out of the bedrrom, soundng chipper and perky. As if she hadn't just spent the past few hours frolicing in the bed of a man whose first name she didn't even know. *What a woman!*

"Yeah?" he replied, his voice slightly muffled as he dried off his face.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?"

"I think it is going to go smooth. After all, Joe did hire a good group of professionals."

"True. It's going to go fine."

"Now don't say that," Justin said quickly. "You can't say that because you can't say for sure. And, if we go into this thinking that confidently, we're fucked."

Silence in the next room. *Hmm... maybe I offended her*, he thought to himself. *But, I am just acting like a professional here, using my head.*

"I understand. But, hey, I am an optimist. And, I am a damn good thief. I have the right to be confident." Ms. Scarlett's voice sounded calm, rational.

And Justin believed her.

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The breakfast had gone okay, in Justin's mind. There was good conversation, passable food, and the constant looking in Scarlett's direction. But, when Joe had come back, and told them it was time, his mind had gone into business mode.

The group had headed off to the cars they would be using. As per Joe's order, the thieves had dressed in nondescript black suits, ties, and sunglasses. Even Scarlett. They all looked normal, blah, forgettable. Which was Joe's intent in the first place.

The group piled into the car, Mr. Brown at the wheel. Joe peeked his head in for last minute reminders. However, even as he listened intently, Justin's eyes kept wandering to Scarlett. He admired the cool, calm head she was keeping. He wondered what was going on behind the dark lenses.

*Hopefully, she is thinking on what diamonds she is supposed to grab*, the sensible part of his brain offered. True, she was the one meant to select the diamonds. A job that kept her with him.




On to Part Two

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