by Hunterseyelandgrl

"The fish may have smelled good, but it would have tasted better if we hadn’t burnt it."

John nodded, a slow, sexy grin spreading across his lips. "I can’t say that I mind very much that we burnt it. Now we have more time for other activities."

Evangeline took a step towards him, a smile playing over her features. "And what other activities might you be talking about Detective?"

He leaned closer to her until their lips were less than a millimetre apart. "Maybe a little..."

"A little what John?" Evangeline’s voice was heavy with anticipation. He leaned back slowly and smiled.

"Maybe we could go back to Rodi’s and play some pool."

"Huh?"

"Pool. You know the game where you take a long stick and use it to push little coloured balls into holes on a table covered with green felt?"

"Pool?"

At this he starts chuckling quietly, while Evangeline sits, staring at him indignantly.

"What are you laughing at?"

"You."

"Me?"

"Yes you. What is it with all the one word questions?"

"Okay. Why are you laughing at me?"

"You should have seen the look on your face."

"Oh so you think it’s funny?"

"Uh-huh."

"Well it’s not!" she said, slapping him lightly on the upper arm.

He grabbed her wrists lightly evoking a puzzled response from Evangeline.

"What are you doing?"

"Protecting myself from your assault."

She laughed. "Oooh, am I hurting the big manly man?" He smiled at that and shook his head.

"Manly men have feelings too, Evangeline."

"Yes but those huge muscles should be able to take a few hits."

"Are you trying to distract me? Because if you are, I’m not letting go."

"You’re on to me." A cool breeze swept across the rooftop, causing Evangeline to shiver involuntarily.

"You cold?"

She shrugged dismissively. "Just a little."

"I know the perfect game to warm you up."

Evangeline groaned softly. "What is it with you and games today?"

"You started it with tennis earlier. But trust me, you’ll like this game."

"Alright. What is this game that you’re so sure that I’ll like?"

"Hockey."

"That just goes to show you how wrong you are. I hate hockey."

John raised his eyebrows and smiled slowly. "Even tonsil hockey?"

"Well I’m not averse to that version of hockey."

"Talk is cheap."

"We wouldn’t want that."

They both smiled and leaned closer to each other until their lips met in a searing kiss.

Evangeline’s POV

This is the life. After a leisurely lunch with John, Nora and Daniel Coleson, John set up a nice private picnic on the roof of the hotel. And although we burned the fish, I’m not in the least bit upset. As John pointed out, that gives us more time to engage in other activities. Such as making out on the roof of the hotel.

I open my eyes partially and examine my surroundings. I seem to have forgotten my previous, almost paralysing fear of falling off of high things. That seems to be the norm whenever I’m with John. I forget where I am when I’m with him. Maybe not so much forget and more disregard where I am.

I try to push the fact that we’re on the roof and very close to the edge out of my mind, but with no such luck. It seems as if now that I’ve brought it to my attention, I can’t ignore it anymore. And it’s starting to make itself noticed. Sweaty palms, nervous fluttery feeling in my stomach and the awful feeling of not being able to breathe. Great. I never cease to ruin my own perfect moments.

I brace my hands on John’s chest, causing him to pull away and look at me concernedly.

"Evangeline, what’s the matter?"

"I just noticed that we were on the roof."

He gives me a confused look and says, "Are you worried about someone walking in on us? Because the only people who come on the roof are Natalie and I and she knows that we’re up here, so she won’t come up here."

"It’s not that. Have I mentioned to you that I have an almost paralysing fear of falling off of high things?"

"No you haven’t. Trust me if you had, we wouldn’t be up here."

"I have no doubt in my mind. When I was twelve, I fell off a flight of stairs and broke my arm. Ever since then I’ve been scared of falling off of high things. And just a while ago I noticed that we were on the roof and I started getting short of breath."

"So does this fear come and go? Because, no offense, but five minutes ago you didn’t notice that you were on a roof and now you’re barely breathing because of it."

I’m pretty sure that I’m turning bright red. A glance at John’s amused smile confirms it.

"It doesn’t come and go. I’m always scared of heights, it’s just that when I’m with you I tend to forget it."

He grinned! I can’t believe he thinks this is funny. If I didn’t like him so much, I ‘d probably throttle him.

"Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

Even as I roll my eyes, I can feel my cheeks getting hotter and I know by now my cheeks are probably crimson.

"It’s a good thing. I feel safe when I’m with you. You make me feel safe. Although..."

He rolls his eyes and says, "I know. I know. You’re not the kind of girl that needs saving."

We both laugh at that before settling into a brief silence.

"John?"

"Hmm?"

"We’re still on the roof."

His forehead starts to wrinkle like it does when he’s worried about something and he jumps up and takes my hand before going in to full babble mode. How....cute. Cute, but very unlike him.

"I’m sorry, I wasn’t thinking. You must think I’m pretty insensitive to have you up here still after you just told me that you’re scared of heights. I’m-"

I place a brief kiss on his lips that does a perfect job of silencing him.

"Don’t be sorry. I forgot, myself. Now how about we take this party elsewhere?"

"I’d say that sounds like a pretty good idea."

As we walk down the stairs a cast a sideways glance at him and say, "I’m guessing that I’m never going to hear the end of this one. The girl that doesn’t need saving, but might need to be resuscitated if you put her on a ladder."

"I wouldn’t say that. But I’m going to have to cancel the plans I made for us to go skydiving. And I was really looking forward to it."

"I’m really sorry about that. But unless you want a dead girlfr-"

I stop speaking abruptly when I realize what I almost said. I mean, we’re just getting started and I don’t want to move too quickly. I glance sideways at John, who instead of looking like I just hit him with a bag of bricks, has a speculative look on his face.

"What were you about to say, Evangeline? Finish it."

Oh what the heck. It’s gotta come out sooner or later. I might as well get it out now. "I was saying that you wouldn’t want a dead girlfriend."

"Hmm."

By the time we reach his room, he still hasn’t said anything else. He sits heavily on the bed and I perch nervously beside him.

"John, aren’t you going to say anything? You’re making me nervous."

"Sorry. I just needed a little bit of time to process what you just said."

"And?"

"And..... you’re right. I wouldn’t want to have a dead girlfriend."

We smile at each other and I let out a small sigh of relief before saying, "Well this is new."

"Who would have thought that a burnt fish and a fear of heights would bring this about?"

"You know what? I don’t want to talk anymore."

He gives me an amused glance and raises his eyebrows. "Really?"

"I can think of better things to do with our time."

"Well you might have to show me, because I have no idea what you’re talking about." he says with a teasing light in his eyes.

Alright McBain. You wanna play coy, you do just that. I’m making sure that I get my own way tonight.

Finis