The Office Party
Title: The Office Party
Universe: The Marvel Universe, specifically the Avengers movie-verse MSV
Pairing: (duh) Phil/Miri
Written For: dazzledfirestar
Prompt: How it all started.
Rating: adultish. some sexual overtones. drinking. mentions of Alex's mother
Word Count: 5588
Disclaimer: i don't own Agent Phil Coulson. he's owned by Marvel and whoever the hell else owns him. i'm simply playing with him for my own perverse purposes and will return him. eventually. please don't sue me because i got no money, dude. Miri belongs to dazzledfirestar. she's letting me borrow her on the condition she comes back in one piece.
Author's Note: i am posting this fic early because Daz will be extremely busy the next couple of days and i wanted her to have a chance to read it before the holiday. the other completed fics will go up tomorrow.
"You've been hitting the wine kind of hard tonight, Alex. Don't you think you should maybe slow down? You'll get drunk and sick if you keep downing it the way you are," Miri said lightly as her best friend tipped another glass of cabernet back.
The woman drained the goblet of its rich, ruby red liquid, then set it down hard on the nearest flat surface. Lucky for her bosses at S.H.I.E.L.D. that they were too cheap to spring for real glass or crystal goblets. As it was, the plastic cup cracked from the force with which Alex deposited it on the desk. Her friend and partner turned to stare at her. "I'm trying to get drunk. That way, I'll forget about wanting to strangle my mother."
Miri sighed and held back the smile that tried to creep across her face. "What is it this time?" She had a pretty good idea, but it was still safer to ask than to assume.
Alex shot her a glare just because she could, then she shifted her position so that she'd adopted a favored pose Mary Magdelaine liked to use. Her voice, when it came, was a passing imitation of her mother's. "When are you going to settle down with a nice young man, Alex? You're not getting any younger. Don't you think it would be lovely to have the sounds of childish laughter around the Christmas tree next year?"
If there was one thing Miri had learned about Mary Magdelaine on her many nights spent having dinner at the Quinn house, it was that the woman was ever hopeful Alex would settle down and raise an entire herd of children for her mother to spoil and fawn over. So far, the four Quinn sons seemed unlikely to do so and Mary Magdelaine didn't hound on them the way she hounded on her daughter. She kind of felt bad for Alex. But only kind of. "Why don't you just tell her that you aren't interested in settling down and starting a family? I'm sure she'd understand."
Alex gave her a look that would have scorched charcoal. "Are we talking about the same woman here? Mary Magdelaine Colleen O'Hara Quinn. The woman who had my grandchildren's names picked out the day I was born."
"Your mother is reasonable. Just let her know you aren't ready to have a serious relationship with anyone but your monkey wrench." Miri couldn't help herself. She snickered. Ever so slightly.
"At least my monkey wrench can't get me pregnant and walk out on me," she muttered darkly. That was the last straw for Miri. She let out a burst of laughter that saw Alex trying out some complicated hand gestures on her. Maybe if she hadn't had four glasses of wine already, she'd have been more successful. Some part of her knew she shouldn't tease Alex, that her mother was almost obsessive about seeing her daughter married and giving her grandchildren. She just couldn't help it. Alex was so easy to tease and fluster. All one had to do was mention Mary Magdelaine and grandchildren and Alex's normally unflappable exterior took a hike.
"I'm sorry, Alex. I'll stop," Miri promised.
"Uh-huh. I believe that one as much as I believe that Santa will come down my chimney with his bag of goodies." As she spoke, Alex's eyes watched as the office Santa made his rounds, conversing with everyone and leaving after pressing a small gift into their hands.
"Maybe if you promise not to shoot him," Miri murmured. So far, Parsons had avoided the two of them. Probably because at their Christmas party last year, he'd gotten drunk on some homemade Schnapps and had gotten a little too touchy-feely with Alex. She'd informed him, very politely, that she thought it would be rude to shoot Santa's nuts off. Miri had been sure Alex hadn't meant it. Well, pretty sure.
"If Santa learns to keep his hands to himself, I won't have to promise not to shoot him," Alex replied. Miri chuckled softly. One would think that the male agents would have learned to leave Alex alone, given the number of people she'd threatened or abused since she'd made full agent status. But there was always one or two who thought they were exempt from her threats. She always had to prove someone wrong. It wasn't a problem Miri had, but that was because she outranked just about most of them.
"I think Parsons learned his lesson. Stop scowling at him and maybe he'll bring you a present," Miri chided. Alex glanced from the man in red to Miri, then looked down at her empty hand.
"I think I need another drink. I'm going to go hit the refreshment table. Do you want anything?" Alex asked her.
Miri shook her head. "Don't you think you've had enough? You still have to drive home tonight," she pointed out.
"You can always drive me home and take the car to your place. It isn't like I don't know where to find it. And it isn't like you don't know what will happen to you if you scratch my baby," Alex said with a shrug. Her baby was a 1967 Pontiac GTO in a metallic grape purple. So far as Miri knew, not even Alex's brothers were allowed to touch it. Miri had no reply to that because it meant her friend trusted her implicitly.
When the woman realized that nothing more was forthcoming, she shrugged and headed off toward the refreshment table. Miri watched her go, absently considering the woman she named her best friend. Not unlike many other agents who worked for S.H.I.E.L.D., there wasn't much time for a personal life. They were pretty much always on duty, ready to be called off on a mission at a moment's notice. It was hard to form attachments outside of the job because there wasn't really enough time to put into it. And forming attachments within the job was just as bad because office romances never worked out well. So far as she knew, Alex dated as much as she did. Which was never.
Maybe what they both needed for Christmas was a good, rousing bout of mindless sex.
Her gaze slid Parson's way. The red suit did nothing for his normally florid complexion and the padding around his belly wasn't all pillows. How would the man take it if she was to walk up to him and ask him to bring her and Alex hot studs for Christmas? There was a defibrillator somewhere on premises, wasn't there?
Deciding that it was too much trouble to bother Parsons, and not as much fun if Alex didn't get to see him have a heart attack, Miri turned her attention back to the refreshment table. And frowned. She didn't see Alex's dark head anywhere. Where had the woman gotten to?
She started toward the refreshment table, only slightly worried that something had happened. She'd never seen the other woman go at the wine like this before. Alex was almost always professional when around their coworkers. And their bosses were there, which meant a best behavior kind of thing. Alex shouldn't have been so concerned with getting toasted at an office Christmas party. But there it was.
Speaking of the office and coworkers, there was a rather large crowd of them in attendance, so she was stopped more than once by someone who wanted to wish her a Merry Christmas or to simply talk to her. Each short conversation was a break she wasn't happy to make. It took her longer than she liked to make it to the table. There was no sign of Alex at all. "Damn it," she muttered under her breath.
"Problems, Agent Grant?" The voice came from behind her, a soft and unassuming voice that saw her tensing just a little. She turned to find Agent Coulson standing there, watching her with a hint of... Hell, she didn't know what kind of look he was giving her. Coulson was an enigma. The entire time she and Alex had worked for S.H.I.E.L.D., she'd never seen him crack a smile. Alex had talked about getting him a hooker for Christmas on the ride over, just to see if the man knew what to do with one. That thought, had while facing the man, saw her blushing and she rushed to get an answer out. The whole time, she hoped that he hadn't seen the flush.
"Agent Coulson. Um... No. Not really. Just... I seem to have lost Agent Quinn and..." she floundered. He was her boss and it felt weird that he was there. She hadn't pegged him as the sociable kind and she certainly hadn't really expected him to show up at the company Christmas party.
"I just saw your partner headed that way," he told her, turning slightly to one side so he could gesture toward the door. Miri frowned at that.
"Where the hell is she going?" she asked softly, mostly to herself.
"It looked to me like she was leaving," Agent Coulson said helpfully. That saw her blinking because, quite honestly, she'd kind of forgotten that he was standing there. One tended to do that with Agent Coulson. He was a very quiet man, normally very unassuming. One usually didn't realize he was there until he spoke or tapped their shoulder or pulled out his weapon and shot them in the face. She thought it made him very good at his job.
"Why would she leave? She's my ride."
Coulson managed a faint smile, though it was more like a subtle twitch of his lips. "She was with someone."
Okay, that was just weird. She'd known Alex for a long time and she'd never known her to just up and go off with some stranger. Alex wasn't into casual sex. It was partially her Catholic upbringing. But mostly, that was just who Alex was. She'd told Miri once, right after they'd been partnered up, that she believed that two people didn't just hook up for sex without there being some kind of connection between them. It had surprised Miri to hear it because it was such an odd view from a woman who more or less shunned traditional feminine roles.
Just how much had Alex had to drink? Did she even realize what she was doing? Maybe she should check on her friend. To be sure. "Excuse me, Agent Coulson." Miri was gone before the man could make a reply.
She heard Alex's laughter when she hit the hallway outside of the large conference room. It was followed by a man's voice, a murmur of sound that was so low and indistinct that Miri couldn't tell who it was. She put some speed on and hurried up the corridor, turning the corner to find that Alex and her mystery companion were farther ahead than she'd thought. They were almost to the doors. Damn it. This was so unlike the other woman. How long had Miri been lost in thought? And who the hell had tickled Alex's fancy enough to get her to loosen up long enough for a night of drunken sex?
Not that she didn't think Alex didn't need to loosen up a little. She did. Ever since they'd been partnered, there had been a kind of tension to the other woman that never fully went away. Miri couldn't remember that tension being there when they'd gone through training together. It was possible it had something to do with the death of her first partner. Watching a close friend die always did odd things to a person. Still...
Running in heels was always a bad idea, but she gave it a go anyway. She needed to catch up with Alex. Not just because she wanted to know who her friend was going home with, but because Alex had the keys to her car. If Miri didn't catch her and get the keys, she'd have to worry about Alex driving drunk. And then Miri would be stuck taking a cab. Neither one of those prospects was particularly pleasant.
Steeling herself, because she was a tough, badass S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and even the male agents could run in heels, she clattered her way down the hall. It almost felt like she was tottering on her heels, swaying back and forth like that one bridge on the West Coast she'd seen in old movie footage once upon a time. It was not a pleasant feeling. Nor was the way her feet seemed to want to slide out from under her.
Well, shit. Running in heels was definitely a bad idea. Especially on the slick as ice floors that permeated S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. Twisted or broken ankles over the holidays were never fun. She had to slow down, which lost her some of the distance she'd made up. Where were Alex and her mystery man? What was going on with those two? It was as if they were on speed. Eager to find a bed or dark closet or someone's unsuspecting desk. Or whoever Alex was with knew she'd pull out of the night if he didn't get her home and naked pretty damned quick. Either way, it felt like they were speed walking and she was standing still.
The main entrance loomed before her, not a person in sight beyond the night guard. Miri flashed him a pained smile as she hurried forward. The door opened easily under her touch, allowing her to step out into the brisk night air. Even though Christmas was more than a week away, it felt like it was the middle of January, when the days and nights were at their coldest. She swore she could taste snow on the air. Shivering against the chill breeze that bracketed her, she cursed herself a fool for forgetting her coat. Of course, stopping to fetch her coat would have meant wasting more time. She'd wasted enough as it was.
A bright yellow car was just pulling away from the curb when she made it outside, its backseat loaded with a pair of passengers. S.H.I.E.L.D. had a small fleet of cabs on call for the night, to ensure that those who'd had too much to drink got home safely. She could see by the lights shining on the vehicle that Alex and her mystery man had obviously decided to make use of the gesture. Because Alex was climbing into his lap, even though they were already engaged in a deep, lingering kiss. "SHIT!"
"Problems, Agent Grant?" The question came out of nowhere and startled her. Miri froze, cursing herself for not paying attention to what was going on around her. The sound of that calm voice behind her sent a tingle of something that was... not quite fear racing through her. Not quite fear, but it was close. And there was something else there. Some unnameable emotion that she thought it might be best to ignore. Because it felt an awful lot like attraction.
After making an attempt to compose herself, Miri slowly turned to face Agent Coulson. She was surprised to see that he had her winter coat in his hand. And he'd put on his own. That was curious. A cloud of steam formed a cloud around him as he let out a deep breath. It was obvious he enjoyed the weather. He held out her coat and helped her into it. Glad to be wrapped up in it, she turned back to him. "Alex was my ride home and she left with the keys. Which means I'm stuck taking a cab home." Sighing, she faced him again.
Agent Coulson's hand dipped into his coat pocket and came out with a set of keys. "I'm perfectly willing to give you a ride, Agent Grant." She thought she caught a twinkle in his eye, but that couldn't be right. He wouldn't be making suggestive comments to anyone. Certainly not her.
She couldn't help herself. She blinked at that. "Uh... Thank you, sir. But that isn't necessary. I can just take one of the cabs. I'd hate to drag you away from the party if you weren't ready to leave."
"I only show up to make sure people behave themselves at these things. After the incident with Agent Quinn and Agent Parsons, Director Fury gave me official babysitting duty. But Agent Romanova is here tonight. I believe she can handle anything that comes up." Agent Coulson offered her a smile. Or, rather, his approximation of one. It was mostly just a slight upward tilt at the corners of his mouth. It was funny how that look could do odd little things inside of her.
Holy shit! Was she imagining things or had she just been struck by lightning?
She realized a moment later that he was still staring, still waiting for an answer. Embarrassment sluiced through her like ice cold water, bringing her completely back to herself. "That would be lovely, then. Thank you, sir."
"My car is in the lot this way," he motioned and, much to her surprise, waited for her to click past him on her heels before he fell into step beside her. She had the insane idea that he wanted to touch her, wanted to put his hand on her back and guide her. But that was really insane because Coulson was like some untouchable god or something.
She was mildly surprised when, upon reaching a patch of ice, he took hold of her elbow and helped her across it so that she didn't slip and fall. By the time they stopped beside a black car that didn't seem to have a speck of dirt on it, she was cold and tired. And her feet hurt. Going home and getting out of these clothes held a great deal of appeal to her. His thumb pressed a button on the key fob. The car beeped, the lights blinking twice. He reached around her to open the passenger door for her. Miri slipped into the car thankfully and didn't think too hard about it when he shut the door after her.
Agent Coulson climbed into the driver's seat and slid the key into the ignition. The car's engine turned over easily and purred to life. He didn't put the vehicle into reverse right away. Instead, he let the engine idle and warm. And he turned in his seat to face her. "This may be a little too forward, but would you like to stop and get some coffee or hot chocolate? The night is still early and you look a little chilled. I don't know about you, but I could go for a cup of coffee."
Miri stared at him for just a moment. This was... unexpected. And any other time, she'd simply say no and leave it at that. The man was her boss. It wasn't exactly a wise move to fraternize with one's boss. But it somehow didn't feel like he was asking her for anything other than a companion to drink some coffee with. Truth be told, there was some mysterious quality to the man that drew her in. A moth to the flame type thing. She had no explanation for it and chose not to dig too deeply. She should ask him to take her home. But that didn't happen. Instead, she smiled and nodded her head. "Coffee would be wonderful."
"Great. I know a place," he said. This time, he gave her a real smile. One that was more than a mere quirking at the corner of his mouth. It was an honest to God smile. A smile that did really funny things to her insides.
They drove in a comfortable silence. It didn't feel like one of those silences that needed to be broken by inane chatter, as if they could sit together and communicate an entire book with a single look or a touch. One of his hands reached up to turn the radio on. Probably for background noise. Lots of brass came pouring out of the speakers. It was tuned to a big band station. He gave a faintly embarrassed look and went to change it. "I'm sorry. I don't normally have passengers. Most people would find my tastes in music odd."
Miri couldn't help her smile. It was such a personal thing to know, and no one knew anything personal about Agent Coulson. She felt terribly privileged. "Don't turn it. Must have the same weird tastes that you do because I love big band music." His gaze flicked her way for a second before turning back to the road. She didn't miss that tiny, real smile of his as it flickered across his face. But his hand drew back and they settled into same easy silence so that they could enjoy the song playing.
By the time he put the car in park, they'd crossed over the river into Jersey. It was and wasn't amazing that they'd traveled the entire way without feeling the need to speak and break the comfortable quiet between them. They were in the lot of an all night diner that looked to be about fifty years older than New Jersey. He motioned to it with one hand. "It doesn't look like much, but I promise they serve the best coffee in the tri-state area."
She'd expected some place high priced and trying too hard to be hip and classy. Some place like Starbucks. But this joint was none of those things. It was a small, modest diner tucked between a U Mail It and a run down laundromat. Bright, cheery yellow light from the interior splashed across the cracked blacktop and concrete under the windows, allowing one to catch a look inside the building.
It wasn't late, but it wasn't early, either. And the diner was only sparsely filled with people. Even so, she could see a pair of waitresses in jeans and holiday sweaters moving back and forth between the counter and the tables, Multi-colored mini lights twinkled in the windows and one corner sported a large, festively decorated tree. Despite its kind of shabby exterior, it felt warm and welcoming.
They crossed the lot in silence. Someone had taken care to remove the ice patches from the blacktop so the way was clear and easy to maneuver. Agent Coulson held the door open for her, allowing her to enter before him. A bell tinkled cheerily over their heads as they stepped inside, bringing a smiling waitress with a plump face their way. Her sweater was black and red with tiny green trees mixed in and she had a Santa hat resting on her head. "Welcome to Joe's, folks. I'm Dorothy. Let me show you to a table."
Miri shot Coulson a look. Really? Joe's Diner? How cliched could it get? He looked smug, but he said nothing. They followed Dorothy in silence to a table near the back that was well away from other customers. After sliding out of her coat, Miri took a seat on the bench and smiled at the woman when she laid a menu before her. "What can I get you to drink?" she asked brightly. "Hot chocolate? This is the old fashioned kind, made with real milk. Or a steaming hot cup of Joe's java? Best you're going to get anywhere around."
"Coffee is fine," Miri replied.
"I'll have the same," Coulson told her, his gaze already skimming the menu.
"I'll have a pot out to you in a jiffy," Dorothy told them, then hurried off to fetch the requested beverage. Miri spent time looking at the menu even though she didn't think she would be ordering anything to eat. Her stomach was aflutter with nerves. She was beginning to wonder why she'd said yes to his invite. This was Agent Phil Coulson, one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s best. There wasn't a person who worked at S.H.I.E.L.D. who didn't know who Coulson was. And why it was that one didn't cross him. A few people liked to say that he could kill a man with that almost smile of his. Miri had no business drinking coffee with him.
"Is everything alright, Agent Grant? You look... uncomfortable." His voice pulled her out of her thoughts. She found him watching her closely, that almost smile on his face. Shaking her head, she set the menu down and leaned back against the seat. Giving him an immediate answer was put off by Dorothy's return with one of those black and gold coffee urns that one saw at some restaurants and a pair of heavy ceramic cups on saucers. There was also real sugar in a bowl and a matched pot of creamer. Everything was on a tray that she balanced on one hand.
A cup was set before each of them and Dorothy poured the first cup for them. She left the creamer and sugar between them, tossed a knowing smile their way, then hurried off to deal with another table.
"May I be candid, sir?" Miri asked him when their waitress was gone.
"Of course." Coulson lifted his cup and sipped at the steaming hot liquid. Miri merely wrapped her hands around it and stared at the black surface while she put her thoughts together.
"This all seems... unusual. Out of place." She motioned vaguely to their surroundings with one hand before lifting her gaze to his. She was startled by the intensity of his stare. How had she never noticed that his eyes were so blue before? "You always seem so aloof and apart from the rest of us. Yet here I am. With you. Having coffee in a tiny little diner that no one has likely ever heard of." She paused and lifted the cup to her lips, sipping carefully. Wow. The brew was just the right strength and one of the best things she'd ever tasted in her life. He hadn't been kidding about the coffee.
"I see. You're wondering why I would offer you that cup of coffee and a ride home. Why would I even pick you?" he leaned back on the bench and stared at her. Miri nodded her assent. That was exactly what she was wondering. She watched as his eyes studied her face intently. "I'm going to ask you a question, Agent Grant. And I want you to think about it before answering me."
"Fair enough, sir," she agreed.
"Why did you agree to have coffee with me? Why did you accept my offer of a ride home?" She hadn't been expecting one of them, much less both. Miri blinked at him, momentarily at a loss for words. Then she did exactly as he'd requested and gave both questions serious thought. She recalled those funny feelings she'd had earlier. Those had happened more than she was willing to admit. Something about Agent Phil Coulson fascinated her to no end. It had for some time now, though she'd never actually admitted as much to herself. It hadn't seemed appropriate or really wise to admit that she might have developed feelings for a man who was notorious for being stoic. Untouchable. Dispassionate.
Now though, with him sitting across the booth from her, she could finally admit the truth to herself. There was this... thing, a trait or a quirk or... she didn't know what it was, but it was there. It was undeniably and uniquely Phil. She'd never found it on anyone else, even if she hadn't been aware she'd been looking. He wasn't one of those cookie cutter, Hollywood hotties that had as many brains as a dead snail. One might say he wasn't even traditionally handsome. But none of that mattered to her.
She thought he was beautiful to look at. She loved the calm, serene exterior he showed to the world. She loved that he could convey so much with a single, simple look. She loved that no one knew what he was thinking, that he kept all of himself hidden away behind the armor of his well made suits, neatly pressed shirts and expensive ties. He was the epitome of what a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent should be. She didn't know a single agent who didn't have secret aspirations to be just like Agent Phil Coulson.
But for her, it was more than that. She found she was truly intrigued by what the suit hid. She wanted to know the man behind the expensive ties and the polite, calm facade. She wanted to know... everything.
The revelations were mildly shocking to her. She'd always held that office romances were a bad idea. A romantic relationship with a coworker could only lead to trouble. And yet, if he was saying what she thought he was saying... Wasn't that exactly what she was considering doing? Did she really want to go there? Did she want to risk the problems that would come if things went to hell in a handbasket? And they would. They always did. Was she willing to put herself through everything for a little bit of sex?
Lifting her gaze to his, finding that those deep blue eyes of his were watching her steadily, she knew the answer. And he obviously did, too, because he smiled at her. Full on smiled. And one hand came up with a twenty. He tossed the bill on the table. "That, Miriam, is exactly why I offered you a ride home."
Her name was a caress that fell from his lips. She'd never had anyone turn her name into a physical touch. She shivered and let him see it. His smile got wider. Became more knowing. It was a good smile. A masculine smile. A sexy smile. A smile that did things to her, deep down inside. She made to rise, but he put a hand out. Let it touch hers. "Finish your coffee, Miriam. Dorothy is right. It really is the best coffee around."
"Yes, sir." She picked up the cup, slowly swallowed every last delicious drop of the heady brew down. When the cup was empty, she set it back on its saucer and slid from the booth. "I think I'm ready to go, sir."
He gave her the almost smile as he slid out of the booth to join her. Again, he helped her into her coat and, this time, she didn't boggle over it. She watched with new appreciation as he shrugged into his own coat. Then one hand motioned for the door. She went before him. Wasn't surprised that his hand landed on the small of her back. A light touch. A guiding touch. A possessive touch.
She didn't know how she knew. But she did.
Dorothy's voice caught them just as they were stepping out into the cold night. "Merry Christmas, folks. Thanks for stopping in and do come again."
She watched as Coulson turned and waved a hand toward the woman. Then his touch urged her forward and they slowly made their way back to his car. It was parked under a street light and, instead of beeping the door locks open, he stood there and just watched her. Miri frowned. "Is there a problem, sir?" she asked, suddenly hesitant and unsure.
"Just one, Miriam. I think, given the circumstances, you should call me Phil." There was a smile in his voice that didn't quite reach his lips. One hand lifted to tip her head up. Just a little, so that the light overhead fell across her face. Before she could respond to that, he was leaning forward.
Miri found herself pressed against the side of his car, the metal of it cold and hard against her back. Phil was pressed up against her front. And while he was hard, he was anything but cold. His mouth captured hers, startling her for just a moment. The kiss was soft and tender, testing and tasting. She sighed and relaxed into him, let him take the lead. He kissed her until they were both in need of air.
When he pulled back, he gave her that smile of his again and she felt her heart melt. Her toes curled in her shoes. The car beeped to announce that it was unlocked. She made no move to get in. Instead, she watched as he leaned in once again. This time, the kiss was hard and demanding. More like the man she knew from work. And where their first kiss had been almost tentative, this one came with a force that said she'd feel thoroughly plundered when he was through. His tongue dipped into her mouth and commenced with the plundering.
She had to cling to him to stay on her feet when he finally drew away.
"Look at that. Its snowing," he said, tipping his head back slightly to watch big flakes of white drift down from the sky. Miri looked up and watched as a few flakes landed on the top of his head. In his eyelashes. "I think its time we get going, Miriam. There's nothing quite so amazing as watching the snow fall with a beautiful woman."
She nodded and let him help her into the car. He leaned down so that he could look her right in the eye when he said the next part. "Especially if we're doing it naked from the bed."
He shut the door, walked around to get in on the driver's side, and tossed her a grin as he started the engine. Well. How could she argue with that?
Universe: The Marvel Universe, specifically the Avengers movie-verse MSV
Pairing: (duh) Phil/Miri
Written For: dazzledfirestar
Prompt: How it all started.
Rating: adultish. some sexual overtones. drinking. mentions of Alex's mother
Word Count: 5588
Disclaimer: i don't own Agent Phil Coulson. he's owned by Marvel and whoever the hell else owns him. i'm simply playing with him for my own perverse purposes and will return him. eventually. please don't sue me because i got no money, dude. Miri belongs to dazzledfirestar. she's letting me borrow her on the condition she comes back in one piece.
Author's Note: i am posting this fic early because Daz will be extremely busy the next couple of days and i wanted her to have a chance to read it before the holiday. the other completed fics will go up tomorrow.
"You've been hitting the wine kind of hard tonight, Alex. Don't you think you should maybe slow down? You'll get drunk and sick if you keep downing it the way you are," Miri said lightly as her best friend tipped another glass of cabernet back.
The woman drained the goblet of its rich, ruby red liquid, then set it down hard on the nearest flat surface. Lucky for her bosses at S.H.I.E.L.D. that they were too cheap to spring for real glass or crystal goblets. As it was, the plastic cup cracked from the force with which Alex deposited it on the desk. Her friend and partner turned to stare at her. "I'm trying to get drunk. That way, I'll forget about wanting to strangle my mother."
Miri sighed and held back the smile that tried to creep across her face. "What is it this time?" She had a pretty good idea, but it was still safer to ask than to assume.
Alex shot her a glare just because she could, then she shifted her position so that she'd adopted a favored pose Mary Magdelaine liked to use. Her voice, when it came, was a passing imitation of her mother's. "When are you going to settle down with a nice young man, Alex? You're not getting any younger. Don't you think it would be lovely to have the sounds of childish laughter around the Christmas tree next year?"
If there was one thing Miri had learned about Mary Magdelaine on her many nights spent having dinner at the Quinn house, it was that the woman was ever hopeful Alex would settle down and raise an entire herd of children for her mother to spoil and fawn over. So far, the four Quinn sons seemed unlikely to do so and Mary Magdelaine didn't hound on them the way she hounded on her daughter. She kind of felt bad for Alex. But only kind of. "Why don't you just tell her that you aren't interested in settling down and starting a family? I'm sure she'd understand."
Alex gave her a look that would have scorched charcoal. "Are we talking about the same woman here? Mary Magdelaine Colleen O'Hara Quinn. The woman who had my grandchildren's names picked out the day I was born."
"Your mother is reasonable. Just let her know you aren't ready to have a serious relationship with anyone but your monkey wrench." Miri couldn't help herself. She snickered. Ever so slightly.
"At least my monkey wrench can't get me pregnant and walk out on me," she muttered darkly. That was the last straw for Miri. She let out a burst of laughter that saw Alex trying out some complicated hand gestures on her. Maybe if she hadn't had four glasses of wine already, she'd have been more successful. Some part of her knew she shouldn't tease Alex, that her mother was almost obsessive about seeing her daughter married and giving her grandchildren. She just couldn't help it. Alex was so easy to tease and fluster. All one had to do was mention Mary Magdelaine and grandchildren and Alex's normally unflappable exterior took a hike.
"I'm sorry, Alex. I'll stop," Miri promised.
"Uh-huh. I believe that one as much as I believe that Santa will come down my chimney with his bag of goodies." As she spoke, Alex's eyes watched as the office Santa made his rounds, conversing with everyone and leaving after pressing a small gift into their hands.
"Maybe if you promise not to shoot him," Miri murmured. So far, Parsons had avoided the two of them. Probably because at their Christmas party last year, he'd gotten drunk on some homemade Schnapps and had gotten a little too touchy-feely with Alex. She'd informed him, very politely, that she thought it would be rude to shoot Santa's nuts off. Miri had been sure Alex hadn't meant it. Well, pretty sure.
"If Santa learns to keep his hands to himself, I won't have to promise not to shoot him," Alex replied. Miri chuckled softly. One would think that the male agents would have learned to leave Alex alone, given the number of people she'd threatened or abused since she'd made full agent status. But there was always one or two who thought they were exempt from her threats. She always had to prove someone wrong. It wasn't a problem Miri had, but that was because she outranked just about most of them.
"I think Parsons learned his lesson. Stop scowling at him and maybe he'll bring you a present," Miri chided. Alex glanced from the man in red to Miri, then looked down at her empty hand.
"I think I need another drink. I'm going to go hit the refreshment table. Do you want anything?" Alex asked her.
Miri shook her head. "Don't you think you've had enough? You still have to drive home tonight," she pointed out.
"You can always drive me home and take the car to your place. It isn't like I don't know where to find it. And it isn't like you don't know what will happen to you if you scratch my baby," Alex said with a shrug. Her baby was a 1967 Pontiac GTO in a metallic grape purple. So far as Miri knew, not even Alex's brothers were allowed to touch it. Miri had no reply to that because it meant her friend trusted her implicitly.
When the woman realized that nothing more was forthcoming, she shrugged and headed off toward the refreshment table. Miri watched her go, absently considering the woman she named her best friend. Not unlike many other agents who worked for S.H.I.E.L.D., there wasn't much time for a personal life. They were pretty much always on duty, ready to be called off on a mission at a moment's notice. It was hard to form attachments outside of the job because there wasn't really enough time to put into it. And forming attachments within the job was just as bad because office romances never worked out well. So far as she knew, Alex dated as much as she did. Which was never.
Maybe what they both needed for Christmas was a good, rousing bout of mindless sex.
Her gaze slid Parson's way. The red suit did nothing for his normally florid complexion and the padding around his belly wasn't all pillows. How would the man take it if she was to walk up to him and ask him to bring her and Alex hot studs for Christmas? There was a defibrillator somewhere on premises, wasn't there?
Deciding that it was too much trouble to bother Parsons, and not as much fun if Alex didn't get to see him have a heart attack, Miri turned her attention back to the refreshment table. And frowned. She didn't see Alex's dark head anywhere. Where had the woman gotten to?
She started toward the refreshment table, only slightly worried that something had happened. She'd never seen the other woman go at the wine like this before. Alex was almost always professional when around their coworkers. And their bosses were there, which meant a best behavior kind of thing. Alex shouldn't have been so concerned with getting toasted at an office Christmas party. But there it was.
Speaking of the office and coworkers, there was a rather large crowd of them in attendance, so she was stopped more than once by someone who wanted to wish her a Merry Christmas or to simply talk to her. Each short conversation was a break she wasn't happy to make. It took her longer than she liked to make it to the table. There was no sign of Alex at all. "Damn it," she muttered under her breath.
"Problems, Agent Grant?" The voice came from behind her, a soft and unassuming voice that saw her tensing just a little. She turned to find Agent Coulson standing there, watching her with a hint of... Hell, she didn't know what kind of look he was giving her. Coulson was an enigma. The entire time she and Alex had worked for S.H.I.E.L.D., she'd never seen him crack a smile. Alex had talked about getting him a hooker for Christmas on the ride over, just to see if the man knew what to do with one. That thought, had while facing the man, saw her blushing and she rushed to get an answer out. The whole time, she hoped that he hadn't seen the flush.
"Agent Coulson. Um... No. Not really. Just... I seem to have lost Agent Quinn and..." she floundered. He was her boss and it felt weird that he was there. She hadn't pegged him as the sociable kind and she certainly hadn't really expected him to show up at the company Christmas party.
"I just saw your partner headed that way," he told her, turning slightly to one side so he could gesture toward the door. Miri frowned at that.
"Where the hell is she going?" she asked softly, mostly to herself.
"It looked to me like she was leaving," Agent Coulson said helpfully. That saw her blinking because, quite honestly, she'd kind of forgotten that he was standing there. One tended to do that with Agent Coulson. He was a very quiet man, normally very unassuming. One usually didn't realize he was there until he spoke or tapped their shoulder or pulled out his weapon and shot them in the face. She thought it made him very good at his job.
"Why would she leave? She's my ride."
Coulson managed a faint smile, though it was more like a subtle twitch of his lips. "She was with someone."
Okay, that was just weird. She'd known Alex for a long time and she'd never known her to just up and go off with some stranger. Alex wasn't into casual sex. It was partially her Catholic upbringing. But mostly, that was just who Alex was. She'd told Miri once, right after they'd been partnered up, that she believed that two people didn't just hook up for sex without there being some kind of connection between them. It had surprised Miri to hear it because it was such an odd view from a woman who more or less shunned traditional feminine roles.
Just how much had Alex had to drink? Did she even realize what she was doing? Maybe she should check on her friend. To be sure. "Excuse me, Agent Coulson." Miri was gone before the man could make a reply.
She heard Alex's laughter when she hit the hallway outside of the large conference room. It was followed by a man's voice, a murmur of sound that was so low and indistinct that Miri couldn't tell who it was. She put some speed on and hurried up the corridor, turning the corner to find that Alex and her mystery companion were farther ahead than she'd thought. They were almost to the doors. Damn it. This was so unlike the other woman. How long had Miri been lost in thought? And who the hell had tickled Alex's fancy enough to get her to loosen up long enough for a night of drunken sex?
Not that she didn't think Alex didn't need to loosen up a little. She did. Ever since they'd been partnered, there had been a kind of tension to the other woman that never fully went away. Miri couldn't remember that tension being there when they'd gone through training together. It was possible it had something to do with the death of her first partner. Watching a close friend die always did odd things to a person. Still...
Running in heels was always a bad idea, but she gave it a go anyway. She needed to catch up with Alex. Not just because she wanted to know who her friend was going home with, but because Alex had the keys to her car. If Miri didn't catch her and get the keys, she'd have to worry about Alex driving drunk. And then Miri would be stuck taking a cab. Neither one of those prospects was particularly pleasant.
Steeling herself, because she was a tough, badass S.H.I.E.L.D. agent and even the male agents could run in heels, she clattered her way down the hall. It almost felt like she was tottering on her heels, swaying back and forth like that one bridge on the West Coast she'd seen in old movie footage once upon a time. It was not a pleasant feeling. Nor was the way her feet seemed to want to slide out from under her.
Well, shit. Running in heels was definitely a bad idea. Especially on the slick as ice floors that permeated S.H.I.E.L.D. headquarters. Twisted or broken ankles over the holidays were never fun. She had to slow down, which lost her some of the distance she'd made up. Where were Alex and her mystery man? What was going on with those two? It was as if they were on speed. Eager to find a bed or dark closet or someone's unsuspecting desk. Or whoever Alex was with knew she'd pull out of the night if he didn't get her home and naked pretty damned quick. Either way, it felt like they were speed walking and she was standing still.
The main entrance loomed before her, not a person in sight beyond the night guard. Miri flashed him a pained smile as she hurried forward. The door opened easily under her touch, allowing her to step out into the brisk night air. Even though Christmas was more than a week away, it felt like it was the middle of January, when the days and nights were at their coldest. She swore she could taste snow on the air. Shivering against the chill breeze that bracketed her, she cursed herself a fool for forgetting her coat. Of course, stopping to fetch her coat would have meant wasting more time. She'd wasted enough as it was.
A bright yellow car was just pulling away from the curb when she made it outside, its backseat loaded with a pair of passengers. S.H.I.E.L.D. had a small fleet of cabs on call for the night, to ensure that those who'd had too much to drink got home safely. She could see by the lights shining on the vehicle that Alex and her mystery man had obviously decided to make use of the gesture. Because Alex was climbing into his lap, even though they were already engaged in a deep, lingering kiss. "SHIT!"
"Problems, Agent Grant?" The question came out of nowhere and startled her. Miri froze, cursing herself for not paying attention to what was going on around her. The sound of that calm voice behind her sent a tingle of something that was... not quite fear racing through her. Not quite fear, but it was close. And there was something else there. Some unnameable emotion that she thought it might be best to ignore. Because it felt an awful lot like attraction.
After making an attempt to compose herself, Miri slowly turned to face Agent Coulson. She was surprised to see that he had her winter coat in his hand. And he'd put on his own. That was curious. A cloud of steam formed a cloud around him as he let out a deep breath. It was obvious he enjoyed the weather. He held out her coat and helped her into it. Glad to be wrapped up in it, she turned back to him. "Alex was my ride home and she left with the keys. Which means I'm stuck taking a cab home." Sighing, she faced him again.
Agent Coulson's hand dipped into his coat pocket and came out with a set of keys. "I'm perfectly willing to give you a ride, Agent Grant." She thought she caught a twinkle in his eye, but that couldn't be right. He wouldn't be making suggestive comments to anyone. Certainly not her.
She couldn't help herself. She blinked at that. "Uh... Thank you, sir. But that isn't necessary. I can just take one of the cabs. I'd hate to drag you away from the party if you weren't ready to leave."
"I only show up to make sure people behave themselves at these things. After the incident with Agent Quinn and Agent Parsons, Director Fury gave me official babysitting duty. But Agent Romanova is here tonight. I believe she can handle anything that comes up." Agent Coulson offered her a smile. Or, rather, his approximation of one. It was mostly just a slight upward tilt at the corners of his mouth. It was funny how that look could do odd little things inside of her.
Holy shit! Was she imagining things or had she just been struck by lightning?
She realized a moment later that he was still staring, still waiting for an answer. Embarrassment sluiced through her like ice cold water, bringing her completely back to herself. "That would be lovely, then. Thank you, sir."
"My car is in the lot this way," he motioned and, much to her surprise, waited for her to click past him on her heels before he fell into step beside her. She had the insane idea that he wanted to touch her, wanted to put his hand on her back and guide her. But that was really insane because Coulson was like some untouchable god or something.
She was mildly surprised when, upon reaching a patch of ice, he took hold of her elbow and helped her across it so that she didn't slip and fall. By the time they stopped beside a black car that didn't seem to have a speck of dirt on it, she was cold and tired. And her feet hurt. Going home and getting out of these clothes held a great deal of appeal to her. His thumb pressed a button on the key fob. The car beeped, the lights blinking twice. He reached around her to open the passenger door for her. Miri slipped into the car thankfully and didn't think too hard about it when he shut the door after her.
Agent Coulson climbed into the driver's seat and slid the key into the ignition. The car's engine turned over easily and purred to life. He didn't put the vehicle into reverse right away. Instead, he let the engine idle and warm. And he turned in his seat to face her. "This may be a little too forward, but would you like to stop and get some coffee or hot chocolate? The night is still early and you look a little chilled. I don't know about you, but I could go for a cup of coffee."
Miri stared at him for just a moment. This was... unexpected. And any other time, she'd simply say no and leave it at that. The man was her boss. It wasn't exactly a wise move to fraternize with one's boss. But it somehow didn't feel like he was asking her for anything other than a companion to drink some coffee with. Truth be told, there was some mysterious quality to the man that drew her in. A moth to the flame type thing. She had no explanation for it and chose not to dig too deeply. She should ask him to take her home. But that didn't happen. Instead, she smiled and nodded her head. "Coffee would be wonderful."
"Great. I know a place," he said. This time, he gave her a real smile. One that was more than a mere quirking at the corner of his mouth. It was an honest to God smile. A smile that did really funny things to her insides.
They drove in a comfortable silence. It didn't feel like one of those silences that needed to be broken by inane chatter, as if they could sit together and communicate an entire book with a single look or a touch. One of his hands reached up to turn the radio on. Probably for background noise. Lots of brass came pouring out of the speakers. It was tuned to a big band station. He gave a faintly embarrassed look and went to change it. "I'm sorry. I don't normally have passengers. Most people would find my tastes in music odd."
Miri couldn't help her smile. It was such a personal thing to know, and no one knew anything personal about Agent Coulson. She felt terribly privileged. "Don't turn it. Must have the same weird tastes that you do because I love big band music." His gaze flicked her way for a second before turning back to the road. She didn't miss that tiny, real smile of his as it flickered across his face. But his hand drew back and they settled into same easy silence so that they could enjoy the song playing.
By the time he put the car in park, they'd crossed over the river into Jersey. It was and wasn't amazing that they'd traveled the entire way without feeling the need to speak and break the comfortable quiet between them. They were in the lot of an all night diner that looked to be about fifty years older than New Jersey. He motioned to it with one hand. "It doesn't look like much, but I promise they serve the best coffee in the tri-state area."
She'd expected some place high priced and trying too hard to be hip and classy. Some place like Starbucks. But this joint was none of those things. It was a small, modest diner tucked between a U Mail It and a run down laundromat. Bright, cheery yellow light from the interior splashed across the cracked blacktop and concrete under the windows, allowing one to catch a look inside the building.
It wasn't late, but it wasn't early, either. And the diner was only sparsely filled with people. Even so, she could see a pair of waitresses in jeans and holiday sweaters moving back and forth between the counter and the tables, Multi-colored mini lights twinkled in the windows and one corner sported a large, festively decorated tree. Despite its kind of shabby exterior, it felt warm and welcoming.
They crossed the lot in silence. Someone had taken care to remove the ice patches from the blacktop so the way was clear and easy to maneuver. Agent Coulson held the door open for her, allowing her to enter before him. A bell tinkled cheerily over their heads as they stepped inside, bringing a smiling waitress with a plump face their way. Her sweater was black and red with tiny green trees mixed in and she had a Santa hat resting on her head. "Welcome to Joe's, folks. I'm Dorothy. Let me show you to a table."
Miri shot Coulson a look. Really? Joe's Diner? How cliched could it get? He looked smug, but he said nothing. They followed Dorothy in silence to a table near the back that was well away from other customers. After sliding out of her coat, Miri took a seat on the bench and smiled at the woman when she laid a menu before her. "What can I get you to drink?" she asked brightly. "Hot chocolate? This is the old fashioned kind, made with real milk. Or a steaming hot cup of Joe's java? Best you're going to get anywhere around."
"Coffee is fine," Miri replied.
"I'll have the same," Coulson told her, his gaze already skimming the menu.
"I'll have a pot out to you in a jiffy," Dorothy told them, then hurried off to fetch the requested beverage. Miri spent time looking at the menu even though she didn't think she would be ordering anything to eat. Her stomach was aflutter with nerves. She was beginning to wonder why she'd said yes to his invite. This was Agent Phil Coulson, one of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s best. There wasn't a person who worked at S.H.I.E.L.D. who didn't know who Coulson was. And why it was that one didn't cross him. A few people liked to say that he could kill a man with that almost smile of his. Miri had no business drinking coffee with him.
"Is everything alright, Agent Grant? You look... uncomfortable." His voice pulled her out of her thoughts. She found him watching her closely, that almost smile on his face. Shaking her head, she set the menu down and leaned back against the seat. Giving him an immediate answer was put off by Dorothy's return with one of those black and gold coffee urns that one saw at some restaurants and a pair of heavy ceramic cups on saucers. There was also real sugar in a bowl and a matched pot of creamer. Everything was on a tray that she balanced on one hand.
A cup was set before each of them and Dorothy poured the first cup for them. She left the creamer and sugar between them, tossed a knowing smile their way, then hurried off to deal with another table.
"May I be candid, sir?" Miri asked him when their waitress was gone.
"Of course." Coulson lifted his cup and sipped at the steaming hot liquid. Miri merely wrapped her hands around it and stared at the black surface while she put her thoughts together.
"This all seems... unusual. Out of place." She motioned vaguely to their surroundings with one hand before lifting her gaze to his. She was startled by the intensity of his stare. How had she never noticed that his eyes were so blue before? "You always seem so aloof and apart from the rest of us. Yet here I am. With you. Having coffee in a tiny little diner that no one has likely ever heard of." She paused and lifted the cup to her lips, sipping carefully. Wow. The brew was just the right strength and one of the best things she'd ever tasted in her life. He hadn't been kidding about the coffee.
"I see. You're wondering why I would offer you that cup of coffee and a ride home. Why would I even pick you?" he leaned back on the bench and stared at her. Miri nodded her assent. That was exactly what she was wondering. She watched as his eyes studied her face intently. "I'm going to ask you a question, Agent Grant. And I want you to think about it before answering me."
"Fair enough, sir," she agreed.
"Why did you agree to have coffee with me? Why did you accept my offer of a ride home?" She hadn't been expecting one of them, much less both. Miri blinked at him, momentarily at a loss for words. Then she did exactly as he'd requested and gave both questions serious thought. She recalled those funny feelings she'd had earlier. Those had happened more than she was willing to admit. Something about Agent Phil Coulson fascinated her to no end. It had for some time now, though she'd never actually admitted as much to herself. It hadn't seemed appropriate or really wise to admit that she might have developed feelings for a man who was notorious for being stoic. Untouchable. Dispassionate.
Now though, with him sitting across the booth from her, she could finally admit the truth to herself. There was this... thing, a trait or a quirk or... she didn't know what it was, but it was there. It was undeniably and uniquely Phil. She'd never found it on anyone else, even if she hadn't been aware she'd been looking. He wasn't one of those cookie cutter, Hollywood hotties that had as many brains as a dead snail. One might say he wasn't even traditionally handsome. But none of that mattered to her.
She thought he was beautiful to look at. She loved the calm, serene exterior he showed to the world. She loved that he could convey so much with a single, simple look. She loved that no one knew what he was thinking, that he kept all of himself hidden away behind the armor of his well made suits, neatly pressed shirts and expensive ties. He was the epitome of what a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent should be. She didn't know a single agent who didn't have secret aspirations to be just like Agent Phil Coulson.
But for her, it was more than that. She found she was truly intrigued by what the suit hid. She wanted to know the man behind the expensive ties and the polite, calm facade. She wanted to know... everything.
The revelations were mildly shocking to her. She'd always held that office romances were a bad idea. A romantic relationship with a coworker could only lead to trouble. And yet, if he was saying what she thought he was saying... Wasn't that exactly what she was considering doing? Did she really want to go there? Did she want to risk the problems that would come if things went to hell in a handbasket? And they would. They always did. Was she willing to put herself through everything for a little bit of sex?
Lifting her gaze to his, finding that those deep blue eyes of his were watching her steadily, she knew the answer. And he obviously did, too, because he smiled at her. Full on smiled. And one hand came up with a twenty. He tossed the bill on the table. "That, Miriam, is exactly why I offered you a ride home."
Her name was a caress that fell from his lips. She'd never had anyone turn her name into a physical touch. She shivered and let him see it. His smile got wider. Became more knowing. It was a good smile. A masculine smile. A sexy smile. A smile that did things to her, deep down inside. She made to rise, but he put a hand out. Let it touch hers. "Finish your coffee, Miriam. Dorothy is right. It really is the best coffee around."
"Yes, sir." She picked up the cup, slowly swallowed every last delicious drop of the heady brew down. When the cup was empty, she set it back on its saucer and slid from the booth. "I think I'm ready to go, sir."
He gave her the almost smile as he slid out of the booth to join her. Again, he helped her into her coat and, this time, she didn't boggle over it. She watched with new appreciation as he shrugged into his own coat. Then one hand motioned for the door. She went before him. Wasn't surprised that his hand landed on the small of her back. A light touch. A guiding touch. A possessive touch.
She didn't know how she knew. But she did.
Dorothy's voice caught them just as they were stepping out into the cold night. "Merry Christmas, folks. Thanks for stopping in and do come again."
She watched as Coulson turned and waved a hand toward the woman. Then his touch urged her forward and they slowly made their way back to his car. It was parked under a street light and, instead of beeping the door locks open, he stood there and just watched her. Miri frowned. "Is there a problem, sir?" she asked, suddenly hesitant and unsure.
"Just one, Miriam. I think, given the circumstances, you should call me Phil." There was a smile in his voice that didn't quite reach his lips. One hand lifted to tip her head up. Just a little, so that the light overhead fell across her face. Before she could respond to that, he was leaning forward.
Miri found herself pressed against the side of his car, the metal of it cold and hard against her back. Phil was pressed up against her front. And while he was hard, he was anything but cold. His mouth captured hers, startling her for just a moment. The kiss was soft and tender, testing and tasting. She sighed and relaxed into him, let him take the lead. He kissed her until they were both in need of air.
When he pulled back, he gave her that smile of his again and she felt her heart melt. Her toes curled in her shoes. The car beeped to announce that it was unlocked. She made no move to get in. Instead, she watched as he leaned in once again. This time, the kiss was hard and demanding. More like the man she knew from work. And where their first kiss had been almost tentative, this one came with a force that said she'd feel thoroughly plundered when he was through. His tongue dipped into her mouth and commenced with the plundering.
She had to cling to him to stay on her feet when he finally drew away.
"Look at that. Its snowing," he said, tipping his head back slightly to watch big flakes of white drift down from the sky. Miri looked up and watched as a few flakes landed on the top of his head. In his eyelashes. "I think its time we get going, Miriam. There's nothing quite so amazing as watching the snow fall with a beautiful woman."
She nodded and let him help her into the car. He leaned down so that he could look her right in the eye when he said the next part. "Especially if we're doing it naked from the bed."
He shut the door, walked around to get in on the driver's side, and tossed her a grin as he started the engine. Well. How could she argue with that?