Taking Chances

Title: Taking Chances- Chapter 6: Squeaky Clean, Or So I Think
Author: Bubukittypuck
Archived: Here of course, Fictionpress, and my laptop
Summary: Marguerite's first person perspective on the relationship she has or does not have with Josef. She is fleshie to Josef's donor.
Rating: It ranges from PG-13 to M later on.
Pairings: OC/Josef
Feedback: Review please though do not flame.
Characters: Josef, Marguerite, Beth, Mick, and any other characters inhabiting Los Angeles.
Beta’s: None
Disclaimer: I don’t own Moonlight or the characters, though I do wish Moonlight does come back. For now, writing fanfics seems to stem the need to hunt down Jason Dohring and bring him back to my bedroom. I do not own the right to Nair though I wish the company could make it less sticky and more perfumy. Plus Saran Wrap is not a patent I hold but it does came in handy when I need to cover up a dish and send it off on its way. I do not own Hostel and I respect Eli Roth. If I ever met him in person, I would ask him to put me in his next movies, whether I am the one being killed or the one to kill. He is a genius and I adore him.


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Whines and whimpers filtered into my ears, Phantom's use to try and get out of receiving a bath. One of the worst dogs when it came to baths, I ended up at times in the tub with him or wet from, head to toe when he shook his fur out. Tonight, I hoped he would behave himself in Josef's house, most of all, I wanted him not to shake his fur out in the vicinity of Josef and I. By the look in Phantom's eye, I caught him in the thought process of doing so. "Nope, don't even try it," I warned Phantom. He tried to distract me by playing cute and dead on the floor, paws in the air, and head rolled to the side. It might work on my niece Juley in pushing her hand to steal him food off of her dinner plate.

Clicking my tongue at him, he lent up, stood up, and let his ears fall to the side and tail dragged against the floor. I swear he thought he was heading to death row but it was merely a bath. He needed him by the smell of dirt and food permeating from his fur. "Why does he smell like pizza?," Josef asked as he sniffed the air around Phantom. Phantom looked over his shoulder, growled at him, and went back to looking solemn and melancholy.

"Iris must have given him pizza when she came to pick him up last night. Doctor wouldn't let him stay while I was in observation. Guy must have thought Phantom would trip the wires or something, but the things are locked into the wall to prevent that from happening," I explained, heading down the hallway with the one crutch beneath my right arm. I was getting used to the thing and even hoped to do a few tricks to pass the time with it. Even decorate it when the family came over for the birthday bash, Beth was throwing this week.

Three more days. Just three days and legally I could drink to my heart’s content. Such joy and yet, I was not interested in the drinking. Instead, I was more piqued at the thought of acing my finals. How could I have a good time at my party if I was bummed over not passing my classes? That would kill the mood for me.

Josef nodded and we ended at the door to my guest room. Phantom tried to find a way out but I blocked him to the door with my crutch pressed softly across him. "He does not like baths does he?," he asked, smirking down at Phantom. The smirk he held was one held for those he enjoyed inflicting unease and pain. With Phantom forced to bathe and soaked to his bones, Josef saw it as payback for the behind wiping Phantom caused in the Porsche.

"Dislikes them like no other brother," I answered.

"Trying to get a part in the next Shaft movie?," he asked, teasing me on my comment.

"I am one bad motha..."

"Shut your mouth," Josef intervened and we both laughed.

A man who appreciated Shaft and did not snub his nose at my movie references made me rethink the possibility of him being a jackass. Though there was the sting of rejection several nights ago but like any woman in the De La Cruz clan, we got over it. We had to in order to make it anywhere in our lives. Why bother groping and moaning over a guy or even a school rejection you when there were better things to do. For example, I could have moped and groaned in agony over Josef pushing me away and firing me, instead, I managed to get it off with chocolate, and then replace it with trying not to die in my apartment with Deacon.

Into the guest bathroom, Josef and I stopped at the sunken tub. Bathroom door was closed and locked behind, further preventing Phantom escapes. The bathroom was painted in a warm blue scheme while the tub, shower, toilet, and sink contrasted in the color white. "I might need help with covering my cast," I asked as I leaned in to start the water pressure. Josef beat me to it and made himself the one to start the bath up.

"Are you trying to saran wrap yourself into mummification?"

"Why of course, then I might grease myself up, cook to a nice broil, and let Phantom have at it with me."

"Weird part about it is you would throw yourself in the oven while saran wrapped. That would mess up the oven and set the house on fire. Go sans the wrap, use olive oil, and better if you let yourself cook to a simmer instead," he teased and winked at me.

This man was trying to get under my skin. Hell, he might even want to burrow beneath and stay there. His eyes told me all I wanted to know. Enjoyment of this banter we had between the two of us lingered in his eyes and even on his mouth. Whether he liked my company or something more, I pushed it far back in my mind. What I needed most was healing and even study my bruised ass off for my finals.

Once the water started to hit the half-way point, I turned as graceful as I could on a crutch, and waved to Phantom. The little sucker covered his eyes with his paws and played the old you-cannot-see-me-if-I-cover-my-eyes routine. That might work on a baby but not on me. Crooking my finger at Phantom, I whistled him over. Josef settled himself on the edge of the sink, hands crossed over his chest and his legs over his ankles. He watched me as I corralled Phantom away from the door towards the side of the tub.

Comments were thrown back and forth as I pushed Phantom into the tub. Water sloshed over the sides and Josef even clicked his tongue in amusement at the sight. He disappeared for a few minutes as I settled Phantom into getting used to the water. There was a love-hate relationship between water and Phantom. When he needed water to refresh him after a bout of running after squirrels, he loved H2O. However, when it came time to clean him up, he loathed and hated water.

Hums and little lullaby’s helped to soothe Phantom even when he growled and tried to jump out of the tub. "Back with the Saran Wrap," he answered with the package in tow. Giving a few commands and even food threats to Phantom held him in place as I went to have my cast wrapped up.

A while back, before Iris turned, she broke her left hand after falling in a puddle of ice cream. Long story to explain, but mostly, a food fight ensued, and my sister needed a cast. Doctor mentioned saran wrapping her hand when she bathed in order to prevent water soakage and foul odors that might arise from the soakage. I am a big baby and disliked foul smells, even after living with my father in the house before heading off to college whenever I smelled human gas it reminded me of my father. Most people think of their parents in other ways but his gas brings a smile to my face.

Round and round went the Saran Wrap over my cast and wiggling fingers. Every once in a while, it hurt when I wiggled my middle finger though it was worth to flip the good doctor off when I was released from the hospital. The man merely smiled and shook his head, almost as if it were a daily occurrence to receive the gesture. "Mmm, one more wrapping should do it," I commented as I looked at my cast now covered with Saran Wrap. Oh, if only I had my camera with me but Mick and Beth were doing all they could in getting my stuff out of evidence. I had a sneaking suspicion; a few of the LAPD men had a panty fetish because when Iris came to the hospital with a spare change of clothes, she informed me my panty drawers were empty.

Mortification ensued when I searched the room with Phantom and noticed Josef had placed in a few of the thought to be empty drawers, new bags of Hanes panties, bras, jeans, and t-shirts in my size. Even if Iris helped which was a problem for the fact I had lost a bit of weight around my thighs and stomach, making my old jeans bagged in the areas where I needed to be nice and curvaceous, she would not know my new sizes. This meant Josef had someone in my size warming him between the sheets and used the other female’s configurations to purchase the clothes for me or he knew what my body fit into more than I thought he might look at.

A few flexes of my fingers and stretching the bend in left arm, all was ready to bathe Phantom properly. No hissy fits would be made if Phantom drenched me in my pajamas and t-shirt. My feet were bare, toes painted a nice blood red, and I noticed I needed to shave my legs in another day or so. Nair worked well but the smell and the stickiness on my hands made the need for a razorblade much better to work with.

However, Josef dressed in an impeccable suit sans his jackets made me ask him to leave me be with Phantom. "No, I am staying here. Who knows, you might slip and break your other hand and I am not about to have Iris out scream the banshee at my ears again. I am barely starting to get back the hearing in my left ear after she screamed that I needed to have escorted you back myself. I am guessing she knows little about what happened the other night?," he asked as he toed off his wing tipped shoes and removed his socks, throwing them in the hamper by the toilet.

Until now, we were careful not to hedge into territory which concerned the night we almost sexed each other in his private library. Much better to keep the nature of the conversation away while I was grew stronger under his house but he had other ideas in mind. Using the bucket for the toothbrushes, I poured water over Phantom's head and back, his tail tucked beneath his legs and ears back in an attempt to try and win me over with his solemn-looking face.

"Nope, there is no reason to tell her," I commented as I grabbed the various shampoos and conditioners, dumping a few over Phantom's fur. He scooted away but I reached over the edge of the tub and pulled him back. Josef was right there with a hand on my shoulder to hold me from slipping into the tub with Phantom.

"Is that so?," he asked, clearly amused with the scene before him. Myself perched on the edge of the sunken tub, crutch lying on its side to the right of me, t-shirt sleeves pushed back showcasing the light bruises and cuts, left wrist casted and Saran Wrapped, and hair coiled in a semi-messy bun with several strands of curls framed my face.

"It was not that big of a deal."

"Oh really?"

"Yes, really?"

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes, why shouldn't I?," I asked when I looked over my shoulder at him. He stood close by and watched me intently. Too intently if I looked closer at the narrowing of his eyes where beneath his collar, I noticed a red flush started and seeped slowly into his cheeks. I guessed the blood warmed his blood more than necessary. Maybe he even felt the pain medication mixed in with my blood in his veins. Hopefully, he would not fall over and drool himself into oblivion. Even drooling out of the corners of his mouth turned me on.

Damn it, when would I ever learn to keep my hormones under control. I felt twelve again when I started puberty early and for a few months, I thought about how the older men appealed to me. Well, it seemed I still had a love for older men, mostly Josef, who by any human standards was ancient. Though I never voiced his age aloud to him it had to affect him in one way or another. See human friends and foes age and wither as mortal clock ticked-tocked to inevitable death slumber.

Dia de Los Muertos, Day of the Dead, celebrated in her family and in several countries of Latin and Hispanic origin to commemorate the lives people led before passing onto the other side and celebrate the life which still needed to be lived. Sugar skulls, picnics on graves, and areas covered with candles, pictures of the departed, and food lined the hand-made altars to the loved ones. For her Don Pedro, she left him a shot of tequila, his poison of choice and a Mexican bread to be consumed in his own way.

When I turned back to the task at hand, Phantom growled, and I felt the presence of Josef at my back. He sat down on the edge of the tub with me, his hand on my lower back, either to keep me from falling into the tub or something else. The something else was not what I wanted to find out anytime soon. "Good to hear that I have no effect, whatsoever, over you," he whispered into my ear as he removed the cup from my hands, placed it under the water, scooped it up, and splashed it over Phantom's sud-soaked fur. The way Phantom looked at me, removal out of his vicinity was needed.

"Uh, Josef," I whispered as I tried to move away from the edge. He stopped me with his hand pressed even harder against my back. At one point, I thought I felt nails score through my shirt, the whisper of a rip resonating through the room.

"What's wrong? Cat got your tongue?," he asked, his breath brushed against my bruised neck.

Phantom took it upon himself to answer Josef's question. He did so with a snap of his jaws that held the bottom of my t-shirt and tugged me into the tub. What a sight to behold. Half of me was laid soaking in the water, the other half held in upright with Josef's arm wrapped around my chest. His fingertips brushed up against the side of my breast and a flutter of desire shot into my breasts, a tight sensation overtook even my lower insides.

I bit the inside of my cheek which helped squelched the moan wanting to fall off my lips. "Thanks," I whispered on a breath. When he tried to pull me back in, I wanted him to join in on the pool party. What was a party if no one got in the fun whether he knew it or not? Pushing myself against Josef and back, I tried to pull him into the tub with me. Underestimation was on my part when Phantom and I were the only ones in the having a bubble bath.

Still perched on the edge of the tub, Josef shook with laughter. "You should have known better," he commented as he glanced at his manicured nails. The need to have him eat his own words would come soon enough. Even if he had not fallen into the water, Phantom and I would remedy that.

Silent signals went between Phantom and I as we went with our plan. Not much time we gave Josef in preparation for the attack. With as much strength the two of us had Phantom shook out his coat while I splashed and threw water with my good water. Much thanks to the way I feel and Saran Wrap prevented my cast from soaking up the water.

"Got you now," I snickered when I scratched Phantom behind his ear. His tail wagged and I looked around at the water to which was slightly brown. After this, I needed a bath of my own. A smack on Phantom's backside indicated his bath was over and he did another shake of his fur before scurrying out of the tub. He stood by the door, scratching his paws at the closed contraption barring him from jumping on the plush bed.

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Josef spluttered and spat out the water he accidentally caught in his mouth from the splash attack. "Very funny," he answered, wiping the water out of his eyes and face. He should have moved quickly but wanted to see her execution. At first, he guessed Marguerite would merely pout and ignore his presence. However, when the mangy dog and her double-teamed and soaked him to the bone, Josef was impressed. Shirt and pants plastered against his skin outlined every inch of him. Massive sparks of molten, hot pleasure shot into his lower stomach and regions which made his hair stand on end when he saw the heat that lingered in her eyes.

He noticed that she noticed the way his shirt splayed over the ropes of muscle in his stomach and arms. Caught the direction of her eyes head south towards his powerful thighs and where all of the blood in his veins at the moment surged towards. A blush leaked in her cheeks and at that moment Josef wanted to take Marguerite in his arms and learn how hot her cheeks were against his lips. Realization of his thoughts appeared on her face. Frustration ran through him when she turned her attentions towards her casted arm.

The vision of Marguerite stepping out of the bath water rivaled that of the Sandro Botticelli's, 'The Birth of Venus' painting. Strands of her wet curls plastered themselves against her face, rivulets of water hung sensuously off her eyelashes, nose, and lips. Lucky bastards, he commented on the water. With her cast over her chest and the other arm reached out to grab her crutch, he regretted giving up on his love of painting. In this post, Marguerite showcased femininity and eroticism by the way she bent over, bottom stuck out in enticement, hand, even if it was in a case over her bountiful breasts, head cocked to the side as if she wanted to hear all the secret desires a man wished for and he damned himself for not having his phone out and capturing his very own water nymph.

"Like what you see?," she asked as she wobbled out of the tub, squishing sounds made on the tiled floor with her wet bare feet. Oh, he liked what he saw though the only problem was the need to find ways to keep her at arm's length, away from his precious heart. A heart for the longest belonged to Sarah and now, slowly, but surely, he felt it slip away from his former love's fingertips and scurried towards Marguerite open hands.

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Once more, I felt the heat roll right off Josef and made my clothes dry themselves a size too small for my comfort. The glances he made in my direction felt too sensual, too desirable, too much of a man who wanted to brand himself onto his female and mark her for everyone and anyone to view who she belonged to. Myself, I belonged to no one and I planned on it for as long as I could put off the prospect of marriage. Don't get me wrong, I like seeing people who genuinely care and love one another celebrate the intermingling of lives into one both share for the rest of their lives. The thing is, I dislike attending weddings and then the aftermath ensued if and when a marriage heads south. No, I am not stating all marriages end up in divorce but I have noticed in Los Angeles, it is a common thing.

Wedding vows are taken for granted and instead for the "better or worse" bit, it is for the better part of a few months before I dump your ass for someone better kind of vow. When that happens it made me wonder if marriage was worth the hassle. My parents were never married but committed to one another for more than twenty-two years. Hell, my mother became pregnant with me nine months to the day she hooked up with my father. Wow, did that surprise my maternal grandmother. She condemned my pop-pop for not making my mother an honest woman and the heartless manner of conceiving a bastard child. At times, I can be a bit of a female bastard but in actuality, marriage has never been an important matter to my family. As long as you love the person and give it your all a piece of paper cannot define what 'marriage' can and should be.

Seeing Josef in this manner freaked me out a bit. His eyes turned colors to a deep white, the kind he had in a time of feeding. Stepping away from him, he took several steps towards me. Almost as if a tango ensued, I took a hobbled step to the left, Josef went right. I went back and he came forward. One hand reached out to wave him off, the other shot out to take a hold of my hand. Fingers were entwined and both of us started at our clasped hands.

The air grew thin and pregnant with the wants and desired need held between us. A knife could have broken and taken a slice of the sexual and erotic tension that needed a way out. Our eyes met and held, the growling and whining sounds of Phantom filling the master bathroom. Phantom's barks bounced off the walls and grabbed a hold of my ears. The spell held over me was not broken even by Phantom tugging on my soggy pajama pants.

Josef pulled me against him and I gasped. This was not happening, again. After what happened the last time and in this condition, what we were might do was out of the question. As I chewed on my lower lip, he zoned in on the ministration of my pink tongue glide along the lower lip and he growled low in his throat.

"Marguerite," he whispered.

"Yes?," I asked, anticipating lacing my question.

"I hope you get the smell of dog off of you," he answered and with that he pulled himself from me.

A slight shock embedded itself in my heat before embarrassment took over. Touching the back of my neck with my healthy hand, I tried to keep my composure as he walked towards the bathroom door. When he opened the door, Phantom thanked him by way of growl and swing of his tail, and Josef stopped. He looked over his shoulder at me, a look of regret and longing splayed across his features but he quickly regained his cool demeanor. Pasted on his face was the patented smile used on those he wanted at arm's length, nodded towards me, threw a wink, bid me goodnight and left me to my own devices.

I, Marguerite De La Cruz, hereby concluded, Josef was the biggest man-tease/emotional basket case to ever hit the greater Southern California I have ever met. I have met several emotional rollercoaster’s but he topped the whole she-bang. One minute, I assumed we were about to have a make-up fest in the bathroom, slick and wet bodies pressed against one another, and the next he told me I needed a bath and pushed me physically and emotionally away.

Shaking my head, I smiled ruefully and went about cleaning up the mess and bathing myself. Dressed in a new set of pajamas, I settled in for the night with Hostel Part: 2, the remainder of the chocolate cake, Phantom on the bed at my side, visualized the fact I would be back in my apartment soon enough and away from a man I wanted in my bed but wanted out of my life. Only tomorrow would tell of what might come to pass, whatever it might be.
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Eh, it is better than the last chapter. Last chapter I knew there needed to be some form of establishing a truce between the two. This one was to further it and make the two feel at ease with one another. What with two guys out to kill the freshie's that made up Josef's meal. Sorry for the late update. Remember when Marguerite spained her ankle, well, I did sprain my ankle this week. I have been hobbling around in pain and tried to get that healed up before doing anything else. Well, here is the next chapter and I love everyone's reviews and appreciate the backgrounds I have made for the other characters. Hope you enjoy it and the next chapter might deal with a bit of Josef more and how he came to be in America. Remember he keeps his history hidden and what lies behind Josef's past? Until next time.