Parker pulled up to the cabin. It looked deserted but it was hard to tell for sure in the pouring rain.
"Damn, I must have missed him again." She thought as she got out of the car.
She hurried to the porch as the hard rain fell. She peeked through window as she drew her gun from it's holster. If he was going to be in there she wasn't letting him escape again. With her gun drawn in front of her, she cracked open the door. First her the barrel of her gun then her head poked through before she entered completely.
Once inside she noticed some of his things. Not the normal things he usually left for her.
"He must be here." The thought raced through her mind as she picked up some of the papers laying on the desk next to her.
She made her way from one room to the next when she heard someone enter through the back. A wicked smile danced across her lips at the thought of taking him back with her.
With her gun pointed straight in front of her, she surprised him from behind.
"It's a pleasure to see you again, Jarod." She said in a husky voice.
"Well, Miss Parker, the pleasure is all mine." He turned to face her. "You can put down the gun." He reached for it.
"I think not. You see, you are going back with be." The smile still on her lips.
"Not today. In fact, not for a few days."
"Yes, you are. I'm not going back without you."
"You not going anywhere either, Miss Parker."
Her head tilted a little as she gave him one of her famous looks.
"You see, Miss Parker, the bridge is washed out. It's just you and me." He kicked back on the couch with his hands behind his head as he crossed his legs on the coffee table.
She wanted to knock the smirk off his face. "The bridge is washed out. I don't believe you."
"I don't care if you believe me or not. I'm just stating the facts."
Parker stared out the window, watching the rain fall. "I'm leaving." She opened the door.
"Parker, you can't." Jarod reached for her but it was to late she was out the door.
She walked toward the car but saw he was right. The bridge was gone. She turned back and saw him standing there. "I'll walk!" She stormed off in the other direction.
"Parker, wait!" He yelled.
He watched her disappear down the hill.
"This is stupid. She is going to get hurt." Jarod told himself as he went after her. As he made it to the hill he saw her slide the rest of the way down falling to the ground.
"Ahh!" She yelled as she landed on her butt.
"Parker!" Jarod ran after her. As he got closer, he let out a loud laugh.
"What so funny?!" She demanded.
"You!" He pointed at her.
"What?"
"You're covered in mud." He doubled over from laughing.
"You're so funny!" She tried to get up but fell again.
Jarod continued to laugh as he held out his hand for her.
"I don't want your help!" She stood and took a step forward when she fell again.
"Are you sure?"
She didn't answer.
"Okay." He turned around and started up the hill.
"Jarod, wait." She called out. She hated to ask but she knew she couldn't get up the hill alone.
"Yes." He rotated on one foot.
"Will you help me up?" She asked as she rolled her eyes.
"Are you asking me for help?" He smirked.
She let out a frustrated sigh. "Yes." She barely spoke over a whisper.
"I can't hear you." He cupped his hand to his ear.
"Yes!" She shouted.
He walked back toward her and held out his hand. She took it as he pulled her to her feet. The thunder rolled above them as the lightning flashed.
She let out a yell as he pulled her close to him. "You safe now." He said softly in her wet hair.
"Let go of me." She pulled loose and headed up the hill again.
The lightning cracked in sky as it hit a tree nearby.
"Parker, wait." Jarod screamed as he met up with her.
They reached the porch about the same time. He opened the door for her. She gave him a 'I am not weak' look as she waited for him to enter first.
Jarod threw his hands up in the air as he walked through the door first. She grinned slightly for she knew she had won the battle or so she thought.
"You must be cold." He breath was warm against her neck.
"I'm fine." Her answer was short and snappy.
"Go change. I have some other clothes in the bedroom."
"I said I was fine." Her hands were at her hips.
"Fine, catch a cold. I don't care." He walked away. "I'm going to start a fire." He bent down in front of the fireplace. He placed some more wood in before he soaked it in lighter fluid. Then he struck a match and watched it light. Parker stood back against the wall and watched as her prey so gracefully made it warm in the small cabin. Jarod turned his head back toward her. "If you aren't going to change then I will." He stood.
Jarod returned shortly in a pair jean,no shirt. He entered the room again and found Parker squatted down in front of the fire.
"What are you thinking about?" He asked as he came closer to the fire.
"I was just thinking that no one knows where I'm at." She looked up. "I could be here for a couple of days before they find me." She stood.
"Is that a bad thing?" He moved closer to her.
"I think I will change now." She exited quickly.
Jarod sat down in front of the fireplace. He couldn't believe what he just did. He knew a couple of days with Parker wouldn't be bad but did she feel the same. He saw her walk back in the room from the corner of his eye. He glanced up and saw her standing there in a pajama top and nothing else.
"The pants were too big." She quickly answered. She could tell by the look on his face he was wondering where the rest of them were.
"I have some boxers in there if....."
"That's okay. I'm fine." She took a seat next to him on the floor. They sat there in silence not knowing what to say. Their minds wondering what the other was thinking.
"Parker...."
"Jarod....."
They spoke at the same time.
"You first." Jarod offered.
"Nothing. It's was nothing." Her voice trailed off. She turned her head cause she didn't want to look him in the eyes.
The fire cracked and a log fell from another one. Jarod grabbed the poker and kept it from falling outside the fireplace.
"I'm going to grab some more wood off the back porch." He left her sitting there.
When he returned she was still sitting there this time her legs were draw to her chest. He sat the wood down then began loading another piece onto the fire.
"There, that should keep us warm a while longer." He flashed her a smile.
"Jarod, thank you for everything you have done for me."
"You're welcome. What that is what are friends for."
"Friends?"
He couldn't believe he just said that. Sometimes he hated it when his mouth was faster than his brain.
"I meant..."
"I know. I guess I haven't been a very good friend to you lately."
He mouth flew open.
"Yes, I said friend and meant it." Parker couldn't believe she just told him that but she meant it.
He knew she saw his mouth fly open. "I'm sorry...."
"It's okay." She turned her eyes back to the fire. "You know I remember when my family sat in front of the fire on those cold winter nights."
Jarod could hear the sadness in her voice.
"What did you do?"
"Sometimes we played games but I liked the long talks with my mother the most."
"I'll talk with you, Parker."
"I'm not much on talking these days." She leaned over and touched his shoulder. "Jarod?"
He turned his head to look at her when their eyes met. Their faces were inches apart.
"Mmm." Jarod's voice was gentle.
She reached over and kissed him. His lips were soft, smooth.
"Parker...?"
"Yes. Jarod." She broke the kiss just long enough to answer him.
"I want to but...."
"No buts. I want this. I want you." She kissed him again.
Jarod embraced her into his arms as he deepen the kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to the floor. Soon everything around them seemed to disappear.
******
Jarod woke to the sound of thunder rolling across the sky. It rattled the windows causing Parker to raise up.
"Jarod." She couldn't find him.
"It's okay."
"Where are you?"
"By the window."
She got up from the bed with the bed sheet wrapped around her. She walked over to him. She kissed the back of his neck as he watched the lightning flash.
He turned to face her. "I think the storm is starting to calm down."
"Come back to bed." She took his hand and he followed.
"Parker?"
"Mmm."
"When did we make it to the bed?"
"I'm not sure." She freed herself from the sheet and climbed back in the bed with him. "Let's not worry about that. I have more important things to concentrate on." She gave him a kiss.
"I like the way you think."
******
A ray of light peeked through the window and hit the bed. Parker covered her head with a pillow.
"What time is it?" She asked.
"10:00"
"Can we stay in bed all day?" She rolled over and stared into his eyes.
"Sounds good to me but when do you plan on leaving?"
"Are you trying to get rid of me?" She backed off from him.
"No, but yesterday you were in a hurry to leave."
"I changed my mind. I'm in entitled to do that, you know."
"A woman's right." He rolled his eyes at her. Then smiled.
"That's right and don't you forget it!" She leaned in for a kiss.
******
A couple of days later, she walked into her office to find Broots and Sydney standing there. She stopped dead in her tracks when they looked up at her.
"We were worried." Sydney replied as she brushed past him.
"Well, I'm fine. You can get back to work now." She took a seat behind her desk.
"That's it. Get back to work. You had us worried and that is all we get!" Broots shouted.
"Yes. Father. That is all you get. Now you better leave before I hurt you for talking to me that way." She looked the tech straight into the eyes.
"Glad to have you back." He hurried out. She didn't have to tell him twice.
She glanced up from her desk to see the old man still standing there. "What?"
"I was wondering if you have heard from Jarod lately."
"No, should I?"
"It's probably nothing but he hasn't called in a few days and you were gone for a few days." He rattled on.
"Syd."
He looked down at the dark hair woman.
"I haven't heard from Jarod. Now will you leave me alone. I have work to catch up on."
"Oh. Yes. Talk to you later." He turned and left.
Just as Parker began to glance over the papers piled on her desk, the phone rang.
"What?"
"It's nice to see you have gotten back in the swing of things."
"Jarod." She smiled. "Can we meet again soon? I need to see you."
"Maybe."
"Maybe?" She couldn't believe he said that. After all, they had shared a lot of things over the last few days.
"If you promise to come alone."
"I promise."
"Then, I guess I will see you soon." He hung up the phone.
"I hope so." She pulled the receiver out from her ear and sat it down on the phone. A small smile came across her lips as she muddled through the papers on her desk.
The End!