Paragon - Chapter 8: Chapter 8

"Ten quid." Will announced, slapping down a note. "I'll collect this and yours when we win Fletcher."
"We're not betting. We've barely agreed on playing–" I began.
Then I noticed another note placed down more gracefully and stared at Quinn incredulously. Her green eyes held an unyielding calm under the surface.
Will grinned shamelessly before turning to Jamie and murmuring at a level he thought only they could hear. "Double or nothing mate. The suit has probably never stepped out past the corporate lounge."
Jamie then broke away from their huddle and stuck another ten on the table. I pressed both of my hands on the table slowly. "What happened to your chivalry?"
I wasn't about to let them hustle the woman they had just met to stroke their egos for a night.
Will scoffed and scooped his black fringe back and pointed his beer at me. "If you want to politely step out detective you can. I've seen you play once anyway..." He smirked with a knowing look.
I growled low enough so he wouldn't catch it over the music playing. It's not like I was going to play mortals at any sport and try. That was noticeable. The key to incognito was to be utterly average–
Quinn slipped another ten next to her current one casually and my jaw fell loose.
"Sounds like fun. I haven't played for a while but I think we can manage." She said casually leaning against her cue and taking a sip of gin. My eyes narrowed as I watched her and heard her heart rate that was far too steady. She ignored me entirely and started chalking a cue.
Will and Jamie exchanged a look before laughing and grinning.
"Game on, love." Jamie finished with a wink. "I don't mind buying consolation a round after."
I tightened my grip on the cue involuntarily and stopped when I heard the wood groan under it. Quinn glanced at me with a secretive smile before placing the chalk in my hand. I continued to watch her distrustfully even when her fingers brushed mine with the chalk and my senses became too aware. Her scent suddenly very strong and burning.
"Something tells me that you've done this before." I murmured, briefly rubbing some of the blue powder off on the tip.
She took a slow sip from her drink as the men set the balls in a triangle formation before break. Then she set it down and leant back against the wall watching them as she answered.
"I'm actually the youngest lawyer to practice in my firm." She told me instead.
My curiosity sparked. "Is that because of quick wit?" I returned almost ironically.
"It's because I don't lose." Her eyes met mine and my blood flashed colder again. I noticed the finest details in them. From the darker forest green edges to the lighter more alive central green. Nothing a mortal would see. Her lips twitched slightly under the low light.
"At pool?" I half joked. Trying to calm the dark flow of my own blood that changed and spiked  near this mortal. Trying to un-notice the fine details of her face. The thick, soft scent that kept wrapping itself around me without invitation.
"At everything." She finished with nothing giving her thoughts away.
I watched her pick up her glass again and instantly become another person. A cheerful socialite out enjoying hours off with colleagues. Her personality was going to give me whiplash at this rate...
"Don't worry, we have a double or nothing policy all night." Jamie, smirked leaning his toned arms over the table deliberately. But then he frowned and cleared his throat. "I'm sorry I don't think I caught your name though?" He asked raising an eyebrow.
Instead of answering him she dipped low over the table making the men eye something else entirely and struck the white ball cleanly into the triangle of colour. Two solids shot into both the right and left corners as she drew up to a stand and leant on the stick with a smile.
"Quinn Adams, nice to meet you."
Will choked on his beer. Jamie stared from the table back to Quinn like she had just raised the dead themselves. I laughed quietly. I might actually grow fond of this woman.
"The two you're about to embarrass are Will–" I pointed as Will wiped the beer from his mouth and then jutted the pool cue over to the Irish that still stared at the table. "–and Jamie."
Quinn smiled over her glass. "I wouldn't say embarrass. They'd need to be competition to start with."
Will's eyebrows shot up and Jamie's jaw dropped open. "That is it. I was gonna be nice to you, Quinn." He continued with false hurt. "But with the luck of the Irish on my side I'll wipe that smile off."
"Adorable. Can I just say how cute you two are?" Quinn answered, gesturing towards both the men who instantly distanced themselves more and set down their beers. She dropped to the table again and hit in another ball cleanly before turning to me.
"We're not together!" Will spat out behind us, throwing a look at me for back up.
I shook my head and raised my hand. "You two dug your own graves here and I don't have a shovel." Quinn grinned at me before nodding to the table. "We'll go alternate or I'll be the only one playing."
I snorted and shook my head. "I don't doubt it." I muttered.
"What kind of cake did they get at the wedding?" Quinn asked me with a smirk, when I dropped lower to the table to take a shot.
"I think it was red velvet." I answered with a serious expression as I struck the white slightly to the left causing the ball to avoid the hole and send a few others scattering.
"You are not my partner! I'm requesting a transfer!" Will called, as he grabbed his pint and moved to take the next shot. He snapped a striped ball into the pocket with a bit too much force.
They fist bumped each other and muttered something about the female gender. Quinn watched them with the eyes of someone who knew how to rile her competition not just play with them. This mortal was going to be trouble.
She moved to take her shot, dropping before the ball as Jamie wolf whistled. Before I could respond Quinn was already at hand. "I wouldn't accept that kind of behaviour from him, Will. It will only make the couple's therapy harder."
I chuckled as she hit the white into a solid potting it easily and setting up another for me. She wasn't only good. She was enjoying it now. The music picked up into a steady rhyme and crowds grew louder near the bar.
"Sounds like you speak from experience." Will shot back with a grin.
"Ah no time for that. We're too busy finding ways around the law you try to enforce." She said with a wink that made Jamie laugh loudly.
"I'll tell you what, Adams. You're a fire starter. I rate that." He told her with a slow smile. I sighed through my nose and took a deeper drink. I had to wonder how far his flirting would go with a cut throat lawyer. Maybe she was into that kind of mindless flirtation–who was I to even have this one sided debate?
"Glad I have approval. Your husband needs convincing though." She said taking up position against the wall again to let me take my shot.
I shook my head watching her. What the hell was going on?
She didn't just join the game. She took command of it. Were all the timid and hesitant words before that a front? The easily confident woman that was obliterating my coworkers on the pool table was just not the same person. She couldn't be.
"Forget him. There's nothing like a good fling." Jamie retorted, watching the way her figure cut finely against her pencil skirt. I had never wanted to dump my entire drink over the mortal more than I did in that moment.
"And suddenly I'm so very not single." She uttered, taking a longer drink as I laughed missing the white ball entirely and sending one of theirs into the pot. I heard Quinn's light laugh sing through the air before anyone else's.
"Jesus, Fletcher. I didn't ask for your help in the game. We can still take her." He said through a laugh.
I leant up slowly with a shrug. "Bad coordination I suppose."
Quinn eyed me from her spot on the wall curiously but I didn't dare ask. I had an average reputation to maintain. Jamie lined up his shot and Will started suggesting using more chalk. I drifted to the wall a safe distance from the lawyer with eyes that seemed to pick up on too many details. She still turned her head to me anyway and nudged closer to be heard over the music.
"Interesting comment."
I raised an eyebrow at her waiting.
"Well detectives have firearms training that requires high levels of coordination. What is it for a final pass these days? 50 yard close cluster shots?"
"How do you know that?" I asked calmly, noticing her drink empty and her turn the ice around in it slowly.
"Lucky guess." She dismissed. "I still don't see how someone could even pass initial or basic training without good–"
"Will the jury be joining us for this trial too?" I interrupted.
She laughed and it reached her eyes turning her whole face lighter. It suited her. Despite the tan, the bright green irises and full lips she still had a very natural complexion–no make up was needed to compliment her anyway–
"You're right I'm sorry. I sound like I'm putting you on the stand." Her expression turned slightly sheepish and a slight pink coated her cheekbones. The burn heightened again. "I can't seem to switch it off to be honest."
I looked at her sidelong with a nod. "I know exactly–"
"Hey! Fletcher!" Will's voice cut over the music and moment. "You guys getting a cab home together or can we play?!"
I levelled him with a glare. I'd had enough of their back and forth tonight. He grinned at me and Jamie crossed his arms with a smirk ready for the usual game I played. To hell with it all–what was one night of real play.
I stepped up to the ball smoothly and took all of a few seconds to find an angle and slot the white directly into the solid at a harsh angle, sinking it into the corner pocket. I didn't pause there. I stepped to the side, dropped down and hit the next. Then slotted the last solid before the final black ball, but not before the white tapped it just inches from the pocket.
I turned to Quinn then who stared at the table before slowly looking at me again. But I could hear the men calling out already in an absolute mess of horror and accusations. I was focused on the lawyer with the green eyes and unmistakable scent.
"Do you want to finish this?" I asked simply.
She stepped up from the wall and grabbed her cue before dropping her voice next to my shoulder.
"Bad coordination my ass."