BountyHunterpart15

The smile on her face was anything but real. That smile held more contempt and disdain than anything else did on the planet. The disdain and contempt was focused solely on one person; herself. As she smiled back to Michael before pulling out of the parking lot, she had a vision of slamming her head into the windshield. Maybe that, she thought, might knock some freaking sense into her.

She turned the radio up and tried to ignore the wetness between her legs and the lingering touch of Michael Guerin.

Did I actually just get felt up in the parking lot of something as stupidly named as 'Little Green Bar'? Did I just let someone I barely know and not all that sure I actually like that much stick his hand in my pants?

She shook her head and ignored the amber changing to red light overhead and ran one hand over her shirt, over her breast, to see if the residual effects of Michael Guerin had gone away. Not yet. Damning herself, she pulled into the parking lot of her hotel leaving a cloud of dust and rocks in her wake. She got out of the jeep and charged up the steps to her room.

The door was barely closed before she leaned against it and slid down to the floor. Her eyes were damp with unwanted tears. She wiped at the wetness and laughed at her foolishness.

"You are acting like a high school girl," she shook her head. "A stupid girl who just let the star quarterback stick his hand down her pants and then regrets it minutes later." Her smile became real as the tears evaporated. "You are all grown up and can do whatever you want. Mr. Guerin has nice hands and nice mouth. Top that off with a nice ass and maybe, just maybe, me and Mr. G. might have ourselves one hell of wild one-nighter before I either leave this hellish town or melt." Maybe, but on my terms.

She stood up feeling somewhat better about her decision to allow Michael to touch her and stripped off her clothes. The wet ache between her legs wasn't budging and every little thought about Michael made it worse.

She lay down on the bed and took a few deep breaths. Her hands resting on her bare thighs with a desire and loneliness she had grown accustomed to.

* * *

Michael Guerin was hard.

He sat in his truck for several minutes after watching Maria DeLuca pull out of the parking lot trying to figure out what in the hell had gotten into him. Fondling strange women in parking lots was not something he generally did. It wasn't something he had ever done before and honestly didn't think he ever would do again. There was just something about her�

There was something about this bad ass bounty hunter that was making him lose control. Something animal in him had been called and the fact that she didn't scream, run away or shoot him proved to him that this attraction was very much mutual.

The taste of her breast in his mouth, the saltiness of her nipple being rolled beneath his tongue.

He shook his head in amazement. He couldn't believe that she had let him act out some type of fantasy on her right out in the open. Right out where anyone could see. He smiled to himself thinking about the way she had sucked in her stomach to allow his hand to travel down into her shorts.

Was she almost completely shaved down there?

He remembered a little coarseness of hair before his fingers slid into a velvety wetness. He had teased her and as he realized it, his self-confidence was over brimming. Not that he usually didn't have an over-indulgence of self-confidence, Isabel would be the first to agree with him on that point, but tonight with Maria DeLuca he felt like�He couldn't quite put his finger on it. Something Shakespearean, like, Taming of the Shrew.

He shook his head and started the truck welcoming the loud music to take his mind away from an unfathomable experience in a parking lot with a woman he was uncontrollably drawn to.

* * *

Maria pulled the cool sheets around her body and pushed all thoughts of Michael Guerin from her head. There was still only one reason she was in Roswell.

Liz Parker.

Liz Parker was the reason she was staying in hell and being molested by complete strangers. Liz Parker was the reason she seemed to have lost some of the self-confidence she thrived on. Liz Parker was the one who had made Maria DeLuca remember a few things about human nature only to have it thrown back in her face.

Before sleep took over her body, Maria thought briefly about the date she had made with Max Evans for the following night. She knew he was hiding something and was determined to do whatever it takes to make sure he told her all of his secrets.

She drifted off to a restless sleep as the hum of the air conditioner reminded her she was still indeed in hell.

* * *
Maria woke up early, too early, the following morning. After staying in bed until the sun was vibrant through the curtains, she showered and dressed for a day of working side by side with Michael Guerin. Wearing khaki shorts, boots and white tank shirt with a bra she was ready to start the day.

A few minutes before eight, Maria DeLuca walked into the bail bonding office and was greeted by Isabel and a cup of coffee. She declined the coffee and opted for a cold bottled water instead. At eight o'clock in the morning, the temperature was already close to ninety.

"So," Isabel taped her pen on the Teakwood desk. "Do you think you and Michael are going to be able to track down Liz?"

"I know I will and I guess Michael will tag along for the ride," Maria winked.

"He's good," Isabel leaned back in the chair. "Michael is, I mean."

"I'm sure he is," Maria nodded and narrowed her eyes not exactly sure where the conversation was going.

"No, he really is good. His record isn't as impressive as yours, but he's still good."

Maria nodded again and waited for elaboration.

"He called me last night and told me who your uncle was," Isabel admitted. "Chuck DeLuca was a legend and I'm very sorry for your loss." Maria acknowledged her sympathy with a nod. "The reason I'm telling you Michael is good is because it's the truth. If he makes mistakes, it's because he's trying too hard to impress you. I just don't want to see him make a complete ass out of himself and screw everything up."

Maria grinned and took a big drink of water with the hopes some of the coolness would stay in her system. "I'm not my uncle, no one needs to impress me."

"We're talking about Michael," Isabel smiled back at her. "Sometimes he doesn't think before he reacts."

No shit, something else we have in common. Maria nodded and wondered if her head was going to fall off from all the nodding.

"Listen, I want Liz Parker. I don't care what you two have to do to get her," Isabel leaned forward with her elbows resting on the desk.

"We'll get her, Iz." Michael's voice came from the doorway. Tight jeans and an even tighter black T-shirt was the attire for the day. He strode towards the two women with his sunglasses on feeling every bit the part of bad ass bounty hunter. At least until he promptly tripped on the carpet and barely caught his balance on the corner of the desk.

"See what I mean?" Isabel grinned at Maria before they laughed together at Michael's expense.

TBC