PLAYING WITH FIRE
BY: THE BARD

  Lady Jaye sat in the small but beautifully decorated hotel room brushing out her wet hair. She had just stepped out of a long hot shower and was relaxing for the first time in days. Beside her the TV was tuned to the late night BBC news.

  She sighed as the brush snagged on something. More plaster she was sure. Maybe getting Destro out of prison by blowing away the wall was not such a great idea after all. Of course, crashing that glider through a greenhouse hadn't helped matters.

  "I think it is time to cut all of this off." She thought to herself as she looked in the mirror, imagining what she would like with short hair. She sighed and gave up.

  "Christie Brinkley you are not, Alison."

  Ah well, at least the mission had been a success. Flint and she had ended up with the plans for the terror-drome and their unlikely ally had deposed the imposter that had taken over his castle.

  It had been her first solo with him, and had wondered if it would work out. She had been surprised that they had been teamed up, as Hawk probably knew that their relationship was volatile to say the least. The two of them were either at each other's throats or flirting in a less than innocent manner.

  Definitely Love/Hate.

  It was obvious since she had first met that he had his sights on her as some sort of conquest. She was less than thrilled about the whole thing and tried to avoid him as best she could. He was persistent...and irritating. All that macho bravado was enough to make her sick.

  Avoiding him was hardly working, and so recently she decided that the best course of action was to fight fire with fire. She was sick to death of being the one pursued. It was time to gain the upper hand.

  Since then she had amused herself by teasing him, flirting with him, just enough to get him going before she would turn and walk off or change the subject. She delighted in torturing him, leading him on and then throwing it back in his face. Ah, revenge was sweet. Boy, had he picked the wrong woman to mess with. She was a professional, a soldier, not some piece of meat. It was time to give him a taste of his own medicine.

  She fully intended to turn the tables on him. And from the look on his face every time she pushed his buttons...well...lets just say she was succeeding. At least she thought she was.

  Scarlet had noticed her change in attitude almost immediately and hardly approved.

  "You are playing with fire, Jaye." She told her the evening before she left for the carrier and ultimately for the British Isles.

  Flint had driven her crazy all day with his posturing. They had been on training together ...some weird maneuver Beachhead had dreamed up...and she had decided to team up with Alpine, knowing full well it would send the Warrant officer up the wall. Flint was less than thrilled and had let her know it.

  "Last time I looked, Flint...I was a free agent." She had remarked snidely, her own pride getting the better of her.

  That night she had pretty much ignored his advances, which only served to ignite his temper. Just when he was about to give up on her and go off to sulk she had pulled him onto the dance floor.

  She had always been a great dancer, probably those damn ballet lessons her mother insisted she take. Flint was not bad himself, especially when he had a few beers in him. She moved lithely to the sultry rhythm, moving closer to him, their bodies rubbing together to the beat, their every movement a graceful play at seduction, all the while her eyes never leaving his.

  Flint's hands began to roam her back while his hard body swayed with hers, locked in the embrace of the music, of the moment. She could tell he was getting more and more aroused. So much so that it was beginning to frighten her a bit. Had she pushed him to far this time? And would she be able to stop?

  As the music died down, she gently pulled away from his embrace and walked off, leaving him on the dance floor looking like he needed a cold shower.

  "Its all in good fun, Red." She forced a smile as she they walked back to the car, "and besides, he deserved it."

  "No, he didn't." She turned and looked at her friend, "I hope you are prepared to deal with the consequences that this little game of yours entails. Flint has been pretty good about this whole thing so far, but I don't know how much longer he is going to let you get away with that."

  "You worry to much. And anyhow, I have everything under control. Did you see the look on his face when we left? I'll have him eating out of my hand in no time." Red just shook her head and sighed.

  "I am warning you. I think this whole thing is going to end up backfiring on you in a very big way. In fact, I think it already has."

  As much as she hated to admit it, Scarlett was probably right. In all truth, she didn't have anything under control.

  The next day on the Flagg he had been curt with her, obviously still angry. Even as Hawk briefed them on the mission he stood with his arms crossed, looking every inch the proud soldier. Acting the part of the condescending jock she remembered oh so fondly from their first meeting.

  On the plane to the RAF base, they had hardly spoken a word. No flirting, no snide remarks, no machismo humor, Flint kept things very professional. She could tell he was burning mad at her. Maybe she had pushed him too far. It upset her more than she cared to admit.

  A small voice in the back of her head told her to apologize, but she ignored it. It nagged at her for the rest of the flight.

  "This is what you wanted all along, wasn't it. To be left alone? You won the battle. He is no longer trailing you..." she thought. How come she wasn't in the mood to celebrate.

  The mission itself was a great success. Flint had dropped the act and was every bit the professional. Well, aside from the occasional arrogant comment. She could tell he was impressed with her performance as well. A nod, a shake of his head followed by a lopsided grin, and the final pat on the back for a job well done. Nothing concrete, but Flint was not one for flowery words.

  She couldn't help but notice his hand lingered on her shoulder, but the moment was cut short as Destro approached, handed her the plans and gallantly kissed her hand. The look on Flint's face said it all.

  She put the brush down and moved towards the bed, grabbing a magazine off the dresser and crashing down onto the pillows.

  What was worse was that she had gone out for dinner with Sgt Day after they had returned to base. Flint was going into a meeting to brief the brass, and Day had offered to take her to dinner and drop her off at the hotel in Glasgow where they would be staying. She accepted without thinking and Flint walked of so abruptly that she knew for certain that she had finally done it.

  She had finally hit the straw that broke the camels back.

  He had yet to return to the hotel. Of course, they were not sharing a room, but he was booked in right across the hall and she hadn't heard that door open.

  She threw the magazine across the room in frustration. Why couldn't she get him out of her head? Why did she care? The last thing she wanted to do was fall for this man. He was everything she had always warned herself to avoid. She couldn't stand him. He was the type to have some fun and then move on. She was getting to old for that kind of relationship. And on top of that she had to work with him, and this job was her life. She couldn't risk screwing it up...No. She was doing the right thing.

  Or was she?

  The doubts that haunted her some time after the PIT was destroyed circled in her brain. His headlong rush into danger, albeit less than well thought out, revealed to her that he was fully capable of backing up any of his braggart ramblings...that he was not all talk. Moreover, after the fighting was done he had suddenly and uncharacteristically revealed another side of himself. A sensitive side that she hadn't thought he had. It intrigued her.

  She sat up and turned down the TV as movement outside of her door alerted her to his return. She waited silently, frozen, as he paused in the hall. What was he doing out there? She looked at the clock on the bed stand. Midnight. Where had he been?

  Soon she heard him fumbling with the keys to his room. A door opened and shut and all was still once more.

  Disappointment teased the edges of her mind, feelings that she angrily pushed aside.

  "Well. Your plan worked, Jaye. Better than you expected. You have thrown him off your scent. Now he will leave you alone...and isn't that what you wanted in the first place?" she thought to herself as she went to retrieve the magazine she had thrown.

  How come she didn't feel any joy in the victory?

  She flipped through the pages, not really paying attention to the content inside. She was tired but too wound up to sleep. Maybe she should go out for a jog, or watch some more television. She got up and made her way towards the mini bar. Maybe a drink would calm her down.

  "So...how was your date?"

  She jumped at the sound of an angry voice behind her and turned to see Flint standing in the middle of her room. All he had on were his camouflage combat pants and his dog tags. She stood for a moment and stared, admiring his body...the broad shoulders, the well-defined muscles, the ribbed stomach...before shaking her head to rid herself of the thoughts.

  "That was pretty nervy of you, walking into my room like that without even knocking, who do you think you are?" she didn't know who she was angrier with, him for sneaking in without permission or herself for being caught off guard.

  "You're just pissed cause I was able to sneak up on you. Exhausted from your evening no doubt."

  "As you are from yours. Off chasing some poor lass at the pub I am sure." She glared at him.

  "Sorry, I don't spend my free time hitting on every person I meet....and why should you care, you seem to be doing a fine job of it all on your own." He snarled.

  "If you spent as much time thinking with your brain instead of your crotch you might actually come to the realization that I am not trying to jump into bed with every guy I talk to."

  "Well you could have fooled me." He cut the air in an angry gesture, cutting of her rejoinder and changing the subject, "You haven't answered my question. Was Day a gentlemen at least?" her eyes narrowed at his tone.

  "I don't think that is any of your business." She put her hands on her hips, a classic pose for her when she was about to blow. As she brought her hands up though, she suddenly realized she was walking around in boxers and a Calvin Klein sports bra. She looked up and noticed for the first time how Flint was eyeing her.

  She felt a flash of heat and knew she was blushing. Hopefully, he will mistake the color in her cheeks for rage.

  "As your CO it is my business. I could report..."

  "Report what, Flint? That the sergeant and I went to dinner and then returned to an evening of mad, passionate sex. " she sneered at him, "He just left Flint, I am surprised you two didn't cross paths on your way out."

  His eyes burned into her, "Passionate sex? With you? I am surprised you didn't tease him and then leave him standing in the hallway as you slammed the door in his face."

  Touche.

  He moved closer to her, grabbed her arm tightly in his grip and lowered his voice. "You didn't think you could play with me like you did all these weeks without getting a reaction, did you?"

  She froze. What are you doing? Get him out of your room before it is too late! Her body had other ideas. They stood there, both of them stock still. They glared at each other for what seemed like an eternity. Soon, she saw the fires of anger in his eyes shift slightly...they began to burn with another kind of heat.

  "You arrogant son of a bitch," she whispered angrily, trying to control the tremor in her voice as his hand brushed her bare stomach.

  He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "You know what I think?" he paused, releasing his grip and gently taking her hand. "I think this all started off as a game to you, didn't it? But now..." he leaned in closer, she felt his hot breath on her ear...on her neck "...now I think you are afraid because suddenly it is no longer a game."

  Slowly, he pulled her hand up, turned it over and kissed her palm, looking up at her face, his eyes alight with desire. "You can't play with fire unless you are ready to get burned."

  She trembled as she tried desperately to regain control of the situation, which was rapidly spiraling out of her control.

  "What makes you so sure I am not going to throw you out of here, Flint. As unusual as it may seem, I am less than thrilled at the prospect of becoming another notch in your belt."

  He smiled wickedly as he took her hand and placed it on his stomach near his pants. She felt his warm skin under her fingers, the contours of the muscles beneath. She couldn't pull away.

  "As you can see, I come bearing no belt to notch." He leaned in and continued as he kissed her gently on the neck. "You have been all I have wanted since I first set eyes on you. And..." he kissed her again harder this time, longer...unconsciously she arched her neck in pleasure "...and I think you want me just as badly."

  "You assume too much. You don't know anything about me..." she whispered as she tried to stop her hand from exploring the contours of his abdomen. He responded by pulling her closer.

  "I could say the same of you...given the assumptions you have made about me so far. Given the cruel game you have been playing with my heart." His hands roamed her back as he spoke, his voice lowering huskily as she brought her own hands up to his chest.

  "Your heart?" she gasped as she felt his hands brush her breasts. Even under the fabric it was all she could bear. Her breath quickened in her throat.

  "The question remains, however," He stopped suddenly, pulling away with obvious difficulty "Is are you willing to play this game out until the end..."

  She stood, her body on fire, her desire for him almost too much for her to handle, and considered what Flint had just done. If she was in this state, she could imagine what was going on in his mind. She looked down and noticed a tell tale sign that his body was just as aroused as hers. Yet he had pulled off.

  He was giving her a choice. He would only stay if she wanted him to.

  She looked up into his eyes and studied them. They were wild with desire, they were drinking her in as he stared back. But as she looked closer, she saw something else in them. Fear.

  As much as he tried to hide it, he was as afraid as she.

  She knew then what her choice would be.

  She didn't trust her voice to convey her response to his question, so instead she slowly made his way towards him, watching his eyes, his face, until she was standing mere inches from his body. He didn't move, but the tension and heat from his body conveyed his feelings, and it was obvious it was taking some effort on his part not to lunge forward.

  She stood up on her toes and slowly, gently brushed her lips against his.

  "...I say..." she sighed, "may the best man win..."

  With those words the floodgates opened and Flint grabbed her roughly in his arms, kissing her passionately. Her lips parted and she felt his tongue dart into her mouth. He tasted of apples and vermouth.

  His hands roamed her back, then as he began to kiss her neck and chest they moved around so that they rested on her breasts. She bit back a moan as his thumbs softly caressed her nipples. Her hands, which had been exploring his back, shot down and squeezed his tight buttocks, pulling him closer to her.

  Suddenly she felt herself being lifted off the ground. Flint was carrying her, still entwined in each other's arms, towards the bed. It was as if she weighed nothing, so little effort was made. As he lay her down, she noticed that at some point he had unclasped her bra, as it now fell from her shoulders, revealing her to him for the first time.

  "Smooth..." she whispered.

  "Mmmmm." He began to kiss them tenderly, "Lady, you ain't seen nothing yet."

  She laughed softly as her hands caressed his stomach. "Modest as always."

  He propped himself up next to her and smiled, his eyes sparkling as his free hand roamed her body.

  "Have you ever known me to brag..." he whispered as his hand slowly wound lower, "...about something that I don't have the skills to back up."

  She gasped as his hand reached its goal.

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  Lady Jaye stood alone on the tarmac of the RAF airfield as she waited for the signal that the Prowler was ready to board. She had said her goodbyes to Day and Jingles and was looking forward to getting back on the Flagg and back to work.

  She hoped that her job would get the events of last night out of her mind. What had she been thinking? What had she done?

  The memories came back in a rush.

  My god, she had never felt like that before in her life. She was no virgin, but for all Flint's bragging about his being 'god's gift to woman', she could now find little to argue with. It was incredible. For her at least...but for him? She had thought so at the time...

  However, she had awoken to an empty bed in the morning. Flint was nowhere to be found. The concierge at the hotel had told her he had checked out early and had left a message for her to meet him at the base at noon for their flight home.

  So Scarlett had been right, her plan had backfired. Flint had gotten what he had wanted after all and she was left hanging. She should be more angry than she was, but right now all she felt was disappointment. And hurt.

  And any anger she had should be directed where it squarely belonged. At herself. What a fool!

  She started as she felt a hand encircle her from behind. She turned immediately and reached reflexively for her gun.

  Flint stood there, sporting a huge lopsided grin.

  "I figured you would be mad at my leaving you high and dry this morning, but is it so bad that you want to kill me?"

  She stared at him. What game is he playing at? Is this how it is going to be, act all buddy- buddy like nothing happened and then move on? And why do you care, Ali? You never liked him, right?

  Flint noticed the look on her face and reached out to take her hand, "What's wrong?"

  She turned away and began to walk towards the aircraft. "Nothing...lets just get out of here, ok?"

  "Hey." He grabbed her by the arm and held her fast. "Last night, I asked you if you were willing to play this game out to the end..."

  "And we did. You won...you got what you wanted." She sighed and shook her head, "Don't ever let it be said that I am a sore loser. Just keep your locker room brags to a minimum. I have to work with these people."

  "God, you really think ...that's not what I meant..." he drew her closer "The game hasn't ended, Jaye. We are just in the first inning."

  She looked at him, confused. He brought his hand up to her cheek.

  "I want to get to know you better, Lady Jaye. I want to see where this leads. Last night was...well...it was fantastic. I would really love for you to at least try 'us' out for a little while. Play the game. See where it leads. I think we might both be in for a surprise."

  It was tempting, she thought. But it was a big risk. He was a co-worker who she hardly knew. She was risking her career with the Joes if things went bad between them. She had been trying desperately to avoid him since she had first met him, but no matter how hard she tried she could not deny the attraction.

  Ah, why not...it might be fun.

  She smiled at him, looking around to see if anyone was watching and finding everyone pretty much distracted by other things, she leaned in and kissed him on the lips.

  "All right then, handsome...let's play ball."

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