She was the Ice Queen. She was "daddy's" Angel. Miss Parker. He was a pretender. One who could become anyone he wanted to be. Jarod.

She wasn't trained to fall in love with him. She was the huntee and he was the hunted. "You run, I chase". The predator and the prey. He was the enemy.

She felt his presence, she always could. She undressed slowly and pulled off her wet clothes. Her lone audience watched her with a yearning sensation. Miss Parker was not at all surprised when she stepped out from behind that screen.

He wore an undershirt over his muscular physique. She caught his chocolate browns as he eyed her from top to bottom. She did a quick once over and when he looked away, her eyes moved slowly up and down to the man she so secretly wanted to feel.

Imagination. What laid underneath that white robe of hers as she knotted the sash securely. Was she just as beautiful as the outlined silhouette of her naked body behind that screen? In his mind, he pictured the feel of her silken skin, his hands slowly roamed every inch of her. Would she have allowed him to go further in depth?

A moment of weakness. She thought of that night, the night she almost let her guard down. Would she have kissed him? It was only a split second away before she would have felt his lips on hers. Yet, they pulled back as Ocee walked into the room. Had she been relieved by the interruption? Secretly, it tore her heart apart and at the same time it frightened her to have allowed him and herself to have come so close in a tender moment. Would it have gone further than a kiss? Would they have finally fallen into their temptations, broke down that barrier of theirs they so invisibly built between them? She'd often wondered of that night, that kiss they almost shared and the feel of his breath as he moved his lips closely to hers.

There were so many lies that stood between them. But, what they felt for each other was not a lie, yet, they secretly buried their feelings for one another. The Centre took away their childhood. Also, their freedom. Freedom of the passion they felt for each other. The freedom to love.

Things happen for a reason. Fate played a part in the cruelty of their happiness with each other they so deserved in the past. But, what possible reasonings could have brought them back together? Love. Destiny had given them a chance in love. Jarod and Miss Parker took things slowly and carefully regarding their newly found relationship.

Careful what you wish for. It just may come true.

JMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPJMPMPJMP

Jarod slid out of his wife and off of her. He struggled to put on his shorts. Quickly, Parker jumped out of bed, put on her panty, threw his oversized tee-shirt over her head and dashed out of the bedroom. Taylor. Their one year old son sat upright in his crib as he cried. His mommy held out her arms, picked him up and comforted him. She saw her husband's form sprawled on their bed and joined him. Their little boy laid in the comfort of his father's chest.

Married...with children. They were indeed. Katherine trotted into her parent's bedroom. She was daddy's little girl. The four year old climbed into bed with them and cuddled her father. Family. Something the "Pretender" never imagined. He feared for them. The Centre. It was always in the back of his mind. Tucked away. Afraid of those two little words "The Centre" would somehow someday destroy his happy family.

They never called each other by their names anymore. Just their sweet terms of endearment. He called her "honey". She, "sweetheart". Although, years of togetherness, love and happiness, the perfect family he thought he had was "Less Than Perfect."

TBC - Chapter 2