by Cabe Sparrow
Her heart ached for him as she envisioned Turner spending hours in this very spot, blaming himself for everything that had gone wrong. It made her problems seem very small and she suddenly felt uncomfortable even talking anymore. Her shoulders stiffened and she almost wanted to pull her hand away...
"I know what you're thinking, Watson and trust me." He stopped, his eyes searching hers out, "whatever is bothering you, it's just as important. You haven't rolled your eyes at me once today."
And he was back to his old playful self again.
The armor was put strategically in place and was strangely comforting. Watson could handle the aggressive, sarcastic, and sometimes irritating Turner, but not the vulnerable, difficult to reach Turner, who seemed to be coming out more often lately.
"I've just been too distracted with this case, but I promise I'll make an extra effort to be annoyed by you come Monday." She quipped back, hoping her response would quell his uncertainty about her well-being.
It didn’t, but Turner was not the type to push when it came to her and they lapsed into a pleasant silence. They still held hands; the warmth was too comforting to lose.
Natalie closed her eyes, trying to block out everything she was feeling, clear her mind, and let herself indulge in the company of the man beside her. Her thoughts didn't give her respite. Images from her past swirled in her head, flashbacks of her brothers crying, her father yelling, her mother's funeral, all jumbled together, until she could't take it anymore.
Suddenly, she felt desperate for oxygen and pushed the car door open, letting the cool summer air fill her lungs as she leaned against the SUV, trying to keep the tears at bay. Turner was beside her in a second, this time notions of personal space and professional decorum were the last things on his mind as he rested both hands on either side of her face and searched for a semblance of lucidity in her eyes.
His breath tickled her cheek and Watson managed to calm down long enough to be overwhelmed by the amount of concern and panic in his eyes. He looked positively startled and she had to smile at the lack of composure the usually suave man displayed. It was then that she realized the depth of his feelings for her, lurking behind the evident worry in his eyes.
It was just as much a moment of vulnerability for Turner as it is for her, but instead of it overwhelming and suffocating her, it gave her a sense of clarity, a moment of understanding and peace so deep, Watson did the only thing that seemed logical.
The first touch of her lips sent his mind into a tailspin. Sensations he hadn't experienced a long time sent spindles of pleasure through his entire body, even though his mind could't fathom what was happening.
She pulled back abruptly, ready to apologize, but when she saw his cobalt eyes glaze over with desire, she knew she just did something they could't take back. There was a brief moment of hesitation, but when the shock faded, Turner drew her closer. He wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her into an incredible slow, mind-numbing kiss. He slipped his hands inside her jacket, caressing her sides, devouring her mouth like a man dying of thirst.
The fluidity and ease of their movements didn’t surprise him. He had always known somehow, someway, that she would be the perfect fit for him, body and soul. The perfect fit for the way he is now. She was the only one who could challenge him and care about him the way that he needs.
Watson melted into his embrace, reveling in the strength and enormity of his body pinning her to the car. She felt safe, cared for, and incredibly turned on. In just a few short moments, Natalie learned that Eric Turner kissed with his entire body.
He didn’t use just his lips or his tongue or his hands, but all of it, all together to pull her under his spell. She sighed into the kiss, oscillating between her need for oxygen and her need for him. When he buried his hand wrist deep in her hair and playfully nipped at her bottom lip, Watson wasn't sure she cared much for breathing anymore.
Her scent intoxicated him. His senses were aware of her softness, her warmth, and the incredible way she fit right into his arms. It seemed like forever and he didn’t want it to stop. He wanted to lose himself in this woman, having finally given in and being no longer afraid, he wanted more. His desire for her became so overpowering, he had to pull back, otherwise he won't be able to stop.
He told her before that he would never seduce her over a meal and this scenario went along with that. When it happened, it will be perfect, because Natalie Watson deserved nothing less.
Reluctantly, Watson broke the kiss, but found that Turner didn’t go very far. Instead of pulling away, he leaned in further, his hand was still around her waist while the other rested besides her head. He placed soft kisses on her neck and his breath sent goosebumps down her body, awakening nerve endings that had been dormant for far too long. She was not sure what to expect now.
She made the move and she didn’t regret it, but she was terrified, because there was still so much more beyond them to consider. Not just their jobs, but everything else. She was acutely aware of how his wedding ring caught the moonlight, sparkling in her line of vision.
There was a weight in her chest now, but she held on to the man in her arms desperately, trying not to think of the worst possible outcome. After all, he still hadn't looked at her or said anything. She wondered if he could be drowning in guilt and hating himself. Watson would never forgive herself for that.
However, when she tried to speak, Turner looked up and before she could muster a syllable, he placed his finger on her lips and smilesd at her, "Just don't say anything," He whispered, kissing the corner of her mouth and smiling against her cheek, "words will ruin it."
She listened, settling in his arms and understanding from the steady rhythm of his heart and the way he lovingly stroked her hair, that Turner didn’t regret anything. All of the sudden, Natalie realized something that had been apparent all along.
Turner was no longer an opponent in this game they kept playing. It was damn good to have him on her side...
Chapter 6
Despite how uncomfortable she was, Watson didn't want to move. A light breeze played with her hair and the sun shone brightly. Even the air seemed fresher somehow. She wanted to blame it on the full night's rest or something equally inane, but when she looked up, she know the tranquility she felt could only be attributed to one man.
The man sleeping in what appeared to be a very uncomfortable position in the backseat of her car. The light hit his features at a perfect angle, highlighting everything about his face that had recently begun to make her toes curl and her body shiver. She wasn't sure when these feelings started to develop, but she was now certain that she couldn't run from them.
Not after the night before, not after she let her guard down just for a moment and was sweetly rewarded by kisses that were still making her body tingle. She was afraid to move because she didn’t want Turner to wake up. He was a light sleeper and appeared to be in deep slumber. Watson thought the slightest movement would force them both to disentangle from each other, which she was not quite ready to do. She relaxed again, letting the warmth of being in Eric Turner's arms take over again.
She traced the buttons on his vest; thinking how she had always wanted to feel the softness of the material, but never thought she would have the opportunity to do it. It should have scared her that she was so enthralled by every aspect of his man, but it didn’t.
It was as if the night before, with his attentiveness and concern for her, that the advisor broke the last barrier Watson had against him and now she was at his mercy and found herself liking it. She enjoyed that he worried about her, wanted to make her smile, and always in his own way thought of her whenever they were at a crime scene.
She never noticed it before, but it was interesting how much a person could miss when they fixated on one aspect. As she thought about it, everything over the last few months had made complete and utter sense. His lingering on the couch until she was ready to go home almost every night. His creative apologies for antics on the job, his
flirty glances, all culminating in one realization.
She trusted him and she always had. She had just always been afraid to face that possibility. After everything that happened last night, the kiss, the conversation, the way she'd let him hold and lull her to sleep, it all underscored just how much she trusted the man laying beside her.
Even if it took a near break down to make her realize it.
He spent several hours in a cramped backseat of an SUV, dead to the world, and it was proof of the comfort the woman in his arms instilled in him.
Turner rarely slept through the night anymore, but somehow with the vivacious woman peacefully slumbering with her limbs wrapped around him, he didn’t care about the car door biting into his back or the unnatural position of his legs, because she was finally sleeping.
He was still a very light sleeper, so when Natalie woke up, no matter how careful she wanted to be, he opened his eyes. He wanted to stretch or pull her closer, but for some reason his body was paralyzed. He remained still, waiting to see what she would do, already realizing she had no plans to shift or do anything that would give her away. However, when her small fingers reached out to finger the button on his vest, the urge to take her hand in his and give her a proper good morning became overwhelming.
He didn’t let himself dwell too much on the previous night, over the enormity of it, the extent to which he knew it would undoubtedly change things between them. He didn’t want to confront the doubt in the back of his head that reminded him of the journey he still had to complete, even with Natalie by his side. He didn’t want to think about how much his obsession with Red River Killer could ultimately drive a wedge between them.
All he wanted to do was run his fingers through her hair and pull her closer, letting her know that he didn’t regret a single second of their night spent together and that if he had to do it all over again, he'd only kiss her sooner.
The first touch of his fingertips against her cheek made Watson flinch and he felt a heat spread on her skin that makes him smile. He knew she didn’t like to be caught off guard, but man was it a pleasure of his to see the slightly annoyed but amused look on her face when he did something unexpected.
"Hi." She said almost bashfully, meeting his eyes with anything but annoyance.
"Beautiful morning," Turner smiles, his hand still stroking her cheek, "isn't it?"
"The best," Watson murmured, before snuggling further into his chest, inhaling the remnants of cologne on his clothes. Turner had to physically restrain himself from mounting her when she stretched against him, and as if sensing the building tension, Natalie slowly slid off him and sat up.
It didn’t really quell his desire, because as soon as he clearly saw her sleepy green eyes, hair curling slightly at the ends, the shirt she was wearing ride up just the perfect amount, he wanted nothing more than to kiss her again, and maybe do other things.
Watson felt his eyes on her and it brought a strange sense of empowerment. After her revelation, it felt like every move Turner made was just a confirmation of what she's known all along. It gave her a strange sense of anticipation and comfort, knowing she hadn't thrown her heart out on the line for nothing. She hadn't butchered a slightly dysfunctional, but very effective working relationship for a few kisses and a peaceful night of sleep.
"You okay?" He asked, his voice laced with genuine concern.
"Yeah, I am." Watson nodded, her hand reaching out to squeeze his, "I honestly haven't slept so well in weeks, maybe months." Her admission should have been difficult, but it's wasn’t.
Her honesty earned Watson a wide smile, the one only reserved for her, paired with a mischievous glint in his blue eyes. He leaned forward until they were face to face and she automatically sucked in her breath.
Everything about him intoxicated her, even up close. Now that she had a taste of him and learned what it was like to kiss and be kissed by Eric Turner, she only wanted more. As his gaze stopped at her mouth, she already prepared herself for his soft lips.
"You know what would make this even better?" Turner murmured, watching as she was almost hypnotized by his soft voice and warm breath against her face, "A really good breakfast, I'm starved."
Just like that, her eyes grew wide, her lips formmed into a mock frown, and she playfully shoved him, "Damn it, Turner."
He laughed heartily as Watson tried to hide her embarrassment, but she just shook her head, "that wasn't fair." She admitted, running her hands through her hair.
"If you think I'm not being fair, take a look at yourself before you start making accusations."
He had her blushing again from the subtle compliment. Others might have missed the innuendo in his voice, but with his look trained on her, admiring everything about her in a glance, Watson could't blame herself for squirming and blushing.
Eric Turner had many talents and one of them was that he could almost always get a rise out of her.
"Does this mean I can’t drive?" Turner asked, putting on his best groveling face.
It was Natalie's turn to laugh, as she slipped out of the car leaving the door open for him, "not a chance in Hell, Turner."
"I guess I'll have to work on my powers of persuasion." He said cheekily, but Watson was already behind the wheel when he moved to the front.
"You could definitely try," she replied back and Turner didn’t miss the flirty look in her eye.
“Oh I intend to," he promised before sliding his hand in hers.
She was just about to take the lasagna out of the oven when there was a knock on the door.
She set the dish down on the stove and stode over to the front door, and opened it to find Turner leaning against her doorframe, a paper bag in his hand. He looked at her briefly before a smile spread over his face, "Your casual attire is killing me."
Natalie rolled her eyes, despite the heat spreading to her cheeks.
"Well, hello to you too Eric, would you like to come in?" She quipped back, trying to act nonchalant, even though the temperature in the room seemed to have risen since he stepped inside.
"No, seriously, first that damn jersey, now this?" He gestured to the shorts and tank top she wore.
"Would you like me to change?" She settled her hand on her hip and cocked her eyebrow at him, but he just shook his head and approached her slowly.
"Don't you dare," Turner said in a low voice and found immense pleasure in seeing her shiver beneath his gaze. He settled his hands on her hips then, liking the way Watson's hands automatically reclined against his chest, fingering the lapels of his jacket gently. It was nice to know his clothing inspired just as much curiosity in her as her lack of attire did in him.
"You're seriously torturing me, woman." Turner murmured against her neck, trailing his lips to the hollow of her throat.
Natalie let out something akin to a moan, but she could't be sure, considering how recently any contact with the had her head spinning and her thoughts in disarray. "Maybe I should make you feel better then," She suggested, her eyes boring into his as she raised on her tiptoes and captured his mouth in a kiss.
It had been about two weeks since they spent the night sleeping in the back of her SUV. Between work and other obligations, they had not spent as much time together as either of them would like.
He always waited for her to finish at work, walked her to her car, sometimes made playful comments or left lingering touches, but nothing had come close to the intimacy Watson was feeling right now. It occurred to her that she missed that, missed kissing him and just being around him without the weight of work obligations.
Although she was slightly worried that things were intensifying too quickly, Natalie indulged in the soft way his tongue traced her lower lip and the way his hands created delicate trails of fire across her skin, through the thin material of her tank top. Turner eventually released her and rested his forehead against hers.
"I missed you too," he announced and she shook her head again, loose curls framing her face.
"I didn't
even say anything."
"You were thinking it though."
Natalie just smiled, moving away from him and to the kitchen, hips sashaying as he watched her saunter into the other room. For the first time since coming in, Eric smelled the rich aroma coming from the kitchen and grinned in triumph when he realized she had made dinner for them.
"Hope you like lasagna". Watson called from the kitchen and his smile broadened.
"I wouldn't be human if I didn't."
She turned around then, giving him a bright grin and a wink. Turner conceded that he also wouldn't be human if the vision in front of him didn't somehow warm his heart, despite the many beatings it had sustained. They ate facing each other on the couch, sharing a plate between their laps.
It was messy and childish, but as Natalie fed Turner bits of noodles, she could’t help but think how easy all of this was. Just a few weeks ago she was reluctant to let him see her apartment, but now it seemed that the newfound trust she had for him had made everything easier between them. Even his smile had less of an edge to it.
"What are you thinking about?" He asked in a quiet voice, his eyes watching her contemplation with calming ease. She thought he already knew what was on her mind but didn’t want to ruin the moment.
"Just wondering if you own anything other than three-piece suits. It does get hot here occasionally."
The teasing in her tone made him laugh a little bit, "Wouldn't you like to know?"
Before she could reply, he put the fork to her lips and found that Natalie retaliated by wrapping her mouth around the utensil and running her tongue across her lower lip after she chewed. The entire time, her green eyes were trained on him and Turner didn’t realize how exciting lasagna could be.
