The Ace of Hearts Job: chap 3/?
Title: The Ace of Hearts Job
Author: Trapper Creek Kaniac
Fandom: Leverage
Category: Romance, friendship
Pairing: Eliot/OC
Rating: M
Warning(s): sex, some strong language.
Summary: Eliot spends his downtime from the team with an old friend, to whom there is more than meets the eye. Sequel to More Than Whiskey In Mind. Smutty... Eliot/OC.
Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and places belong to the show's awesome creators John Rogers and Chris Downey, I am only having some fun with them. I do not own Leverage and am not affiliated with the show other than being an obsessed, ahem, devoted fan. That concludes our regularly scheduled disclaimer, so make yourself comfortable and join the fun!
Author's Note: This is a continuation/sequel to More Than Whiskey In Mind, which was originally written for a challenge and intended to stand on its own. Then a plot bunny came along and wouldn't let go, demanding that I write more - so here I am. I strongly suggest reading the first installment, otherwise most of this won't make a lot of sense.
Five days.
Eliot should have learned by now that it would never last.
After at least the sixth time his phone went off in the last five minutes Eliot growled loudly and reached an arm over to the nightstand to feel around for the source of the annoyance. Finding it, he flipped the phone open and snapped, "what do you want, Hardison?"
"What's with attitude, man? I called you like five-"
"It was six and I was... busy-" A pair of long-fingered hands began kneading and massaging his lower back and Eliot stifled a groan of pleasure.
"-times and you couldn't be bothered pick up the damn phone-" Hardison continued blabbing until Eliot cut him off again.
"Just-Hardison, what do you want?"
"Nate may have found a client?"
Eliot knew that it was a statement despite Hardison having phrased it as a question.
"Alright, I'll be there in a little bit."
"And, Eliot?"
"Yeah?"
"Why is your breathing all weird?"
Eliot hung up on him.
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"Eliot has a new girlfriend." Parker, who was sitting near Hardison at Nate's apartment, stated matter-of-factly.
"What?"
"He has a new girlfriend," Parker repeated like the hacker was slow. "That's why he's so snappy."
Hardison shrugged. "But wouldn't that make him happier?"
"Not if you're, you know... interrupting him."
Hardison stared at her. "Y'all are nasty."
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Damn it, Nate, Eliot groaned to himself as he dropped the phone on the nightstand.
"The team?" Tabitha asked, shifting and drawing the sheet tighter around her body.
"Yeah," Eliot sighed. "Nate found us a new job."
He leaned down and Tabitha brushed away the hair falling in his face. "I love you," he whispered, kissing her lingeringly.
Tabitha met his eyes. "I love you, too."
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"That painting is our way in," Nate was saying to the team gathered around the briefing table in his apartment.
"Ooh!" Parker threw up her hand excitedly. "Are we going to steal it?"
"Not exactly." He turned to face the four pairs of eyes watching him. "He's going to think it's being stolen and when the insurance company comes to verify the piece they'll discover that's its a fake, and Mercer will go down insurance fraud and staging a theft."
Sophie played with her necklace. "And we'll be getting this fake painting from where...?"
"Uh, guys, as hard as I rocked forging that lost diary for that Baronies job - and managed to save all y'alls asses while hacking history, I might add," Hardison started. "None of us are forgers... I mean, I painted Old Nate and all that, but that's different... don't you think maybe we should use one of the actual forgers here in the states?"
Eliot scratched the side of his nose before speaking up. "What kind of forgery do we need? I know-"
"Let me guess, you slept with a forger..." Hardison interrupted.
Eliot shot him a death glare.
"There's a forger that I know and worked with several times for past jobs. She's fast and reputable, with reasonable rates." Eliot didn't miss Hardison's little smirk when he said "she" but chose to ignore it.
Nate nodded. "It's settled, then. Eliot, get a hold of your contact and we'll discuss the specifics. Let's go steal a forgery!"
With that rallying cry the team dispersed.
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When Eliot arrived back at his apartment he found Tabitha sitting cross-legged on his plush leather couch with a notebook across her lap and a mechanical pencil in her hand. She looked up and smiled softly at him.
"Hey."
"Hey. How do you feel about a job?" Eliot got straight to the point. To be honest, he was a tad worried that she wouldn't want the job.
"You mean a forging job?"
"Yeah." Eliot raked a hand through his hair. "I kinda said I knew a good forger who might be willing to work with us, so..." He trailed off.
"Eliot," Tabitha cocked her head at him. "Of course I'll do it."
Eliot relaxed slightly. "Nate wanted to talk specifics..."
"Should I call him?"
A sly smile replaced his serious look. "Nah, I'll take you to McRory's, freak 'em out a little."
"I like the sound of that." Tabitha was already on her feet, planting a peck on his cheek and heading for the door.
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Tabitha liked McRory's. It was a warm and cozy little Irish pub that seemed to suit Eliot and what she'd heard about the team. A pretty redhead behind the bar nodded a greeting to Eliot and he gave her a small smile in return. Tabitha assumed Nate would meet them at one of the booths but Eliot led her through a back door and up a flight of stairs that could only lead to Nate Ford's apartment.
"So he quit drinking and lives over a thief bar?"
"Yeah, pretty much, except for the not drinking thing didn't last very long." Eliot nodded as he opened Nate's door.
"That's very catholic of him..."
"That's what I said!"
Eliot resisted the urge to groan when Tabitha immediately noticed Hardison's painting the team affectionately referred to as "Old Nate" and made a beeline toward it.
Hardison, upstairs, had heard voices and came to investigate. Coming down the spiral stairs, he was surprised to see a strange woman in her early thirties, with long brown hair and dressed casually, in the apartment. Staring at the painting of Old Nate, no less!
Eliot looked over at the sound of Hardison's footsteps. "Hey, man, where's Na-"
Hardison silenced him with a stricken look behind Tabitha's back.
"Eliot, can I talk to you a moment?"
"Yeah, what?" Eliot asked Hardison after they had stepped out of earshot.
"Vicki Vale? Batcave? Do. Not. Mix. Ever." Hardison whispered furiously.
"I know that, man. She's a criminal like us."
"Seriously?"
"Yeah, ever heard of forger Eva Huntington?"
"Like, the Eva Huntingon? She's your forger friend?"
Eliot's smirk was his answer.
"So where's Nate?" Eliot glanced around.
"He's with Sophie and Parker, should be back soon."
They moved back towards Tabitha, who was still studying Hardison's painting. Hearing their approach, she turned to introduce herself.
"I'm Eva," Tabitha held out her hand to Hardison. "You must be Hardison."
Hardison shook her hand while shooting Eliot a look. Just how much did Eliot tell this woman?
"I am."
Tabitha smiled. "I must say, whoever painted that painting over there has some great technique."
"Finally, someone who appreciates my talent!" Hardison smirked at Eliot and Eliot rolled his eyes.
Eliot was saved from Hardison gloating further by the arrival of the rest of the team.
"Who's this?" Nate asked, studying Tabitha.
"This the forger I was telling you about."
"Eva Huntington." Tabitha introduced herself to Nate and Sophie. Sophie's eyes were warm but guarded.
Parker, who had been watching Tabitha warily, suddenly perked up. "You're Eva Huntington? I think I stole one of your paintings!"
"Oh! Well, I'll take that as a compliment, then." Tabitha replied and Eliot resisted the urge to growl at Parker.
"Should we discuss this downstairs?" Nate said, trying to steer the conversation back in the right direction.
Tabitha nodded and followed Nate out the door, with Eliot following closely behind. Sophie, Hardison, and Parker stayed behind.
Downstairs in the bar Nate slid into a back booth. Tabitha and Eliot slipped into the seat across from him and they got down to business.
"So we need a Monet that will stand up to casual inspection - thanks, Cora." Nate paused when Cora brought him a drink. She offered Eliot a drink as well but he shook his head. "But be an obvious forgery to a certified art expert."
Tabitha nodded. "That's my specialty. Which Monet did you have in mind?"
"The Venice Twilight."
"One of my favorites," Tabitha smiled. "What's your timetable? My fee is one hundred grand, and depending on the painting, I generally need a week and a half to two weeks. I can probably get this finished in a week and a half."
"That's fine, we're still in the prep stage and haven't made the first move yet. The money will be in your account by tomorrow."
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Parker had been casually lurking in the bar, watching Nate and Eliot discuss business with the famed forger. She noticed that when Eva stood to leave, Eliot followed her. Hmmm.
There was nothing else left so see and Nate was still finishing his drink so she headed back upstairs. In the kitchen, she helped herself to another bowl of cereal and flopped down on the couch next to Hardison.
"Twenty bucks they're sleeping together." She blurted out, her mouth half full of cereal.
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Author's Note #2: More lemons in the next chapter, I promise!