19. Chapter 19

How great have the last few days been with all the spoilers? So many of my thoughts have been confirmed, including the envelope Jin posted. I'm so psyched! It sucks that Ireland will be so far behind the U.S. (we're currently only seeing season 1 - thank God for the internet ;) )

Thank you to everyone who is reading and reviewing this fic. I really appreciate it. Special shout out to namelessJen who binge read and reviewed every single chapter. I'm in such awe of everyone's appreciation of this fic. I hope I do not disappoint with this undercover op. It will be slow moving but for me, it's all about re-establishing Linestead's friendship/relationship first and foremost. Again, please read and review!

Chapter 18

Erin sat on the couch, wearing jeans and a white t-shirt. She had her knees curled up into her; her chin resting on her knees as she stared at the TV screen in front of her. She shook her head in amazement; wondering what was the point of daytime TV? It was mind numbing.

She heard the lock of the apartment door turn. She turned her head towards the door, waiting for Jay to appear. She was desperate for some adult company; even if it was strained adult company.

"Hey!" She said as Jay stepped through the door. "I hope you had a more productive day than me. All I did was paint my nails. But look, aren't they pretty?" She waved her fingers in front of him.

"You do realise we're having dinner with the Banks in an hour?" Jay retorted, stripping off his suit jacket and sitting it on the back of chair at the dining table. He pulled off his tie and opened his top shirt button. "By the way, Wiltshire and his fiancée Amy are joining us."

"Hey Erin, your nails do look pretty." Erin stated sarcastically as she watched Jay head straight to the fridge for a beer. "I'm sorry your day was so tedious, my day was pretty productive..." She stopped the commentary as Jay shot her a look.

Jay slumped into the armchair, his eyes not leaving Erin. "I thought you'd be dressed."

"I can be ready in twenty." She replied, watching him. She could tell he didn't have a good day. "So how was your day anyway?"

"I am seriously wondering how Wiltshire is successful." Jay replied. "The security teams at his clubs are awful. There is so much to improve..."

"Jay, don't get too wrapped up in your cover." Erin laughed. "You only have to do enough to make sure no one calls for Wiltshire to fire you. His profit margin is not your concern."

"You're right, sorry..." He sighed before taking a gulp of beer.

"Are you not driving tonight?" Erin asked; a little concerned at how fast the beer was disappearing.

"I just assumed that because you'd be in the car, you'd be driving." Jay replied.

"I guess you assumed right." Erin stated. "I thought you'd fight me for it."

"Why fight a losing battle?" Jay retorted and Erin inwardly smiled; knowing he was right. Jay sat himself forward and sat his beer on the coffee table. "So I guess we should discuss the ground rules."

"Ground rules?" Erin asked, confused.

"Yeah about the boundaries of this relationship." Jay replied. "I mean, we're meant to be having problems so I'm assuming we're not going to be touchy feely anyway."

"Oh, yeah...right." Erin muttered, nodding her head. "So are we totally cool with hand holding and touches of PG13 affection?"

"Well it's only right if we're married." Jay replied, teasing.

"And what about kissing?" Erin asked, looking directly at him.

"I guess, I mean we can avoid tongues because we don't need those type of PDAs..."Jay replied, breaking his gaze with Erin to pick up his bottle of beer.

"Oh totally." Erin laughed. "And we can renegotiate when we make it into the club. I mean...sex is out..."

"Duh Erin." Jay teased, catching her eye. Erin blushed. "But you're right, until we actually see what goes on in Walton Manor; we'll just have play it by ear." There was silence. "So um...can I use the bathroom or do you want to go first?"

"No um, go ahead." Erin replied. "I already showered. I just have to pull on a dress and refresh my make up."

"Cool." Jay replied, standing up. "Will we leave in thirty?"

"Sure." Erin replied. Jay nodded and headed towards the bathroom; Erin watching him go.

Erin and Jay were sitting beside each other at a round table in a dimly lit French restaurant. Erin was wearing a black scuba dress with purple panels at the waist and fell just above her knees. Her hair was loosely curled, with half pinned up and the other half hanging down. Jay was wearing a black suit with a purple shirt.

Beside Jay were Tony Wiltshire and his fiancée Amy Stimson. Amy was exactly what Erin had expected. She was tall, thin but curvy, with long blonde hair. She was at least 10 years younger than her fiancée and gave out quite a party girl vibe. Erin silently thought if high society had accepted Amy then she'd have no problem.

Wiltshire's club promoter Connor Banks and his wife Poppy sat beside Erin. Connor and Poppy both looked to be in their early thirties. Connor was of medium height and build; had grey eyes and white blonde hair. Poppy was shorter and curvy; her eyes were green and her red hair sat in short bob. Erin could tell Poppy was highly intelligent and was probably calling the shots with her husband's career as she once ran her own PR firm before becoming a parent to three year old twin boys.

Erin had a hard time believing any of these people; especially the Banks could be involved with anything as seedy as a secret underground sex club. But then again, she never would have included the Montgomery's or Professor Finley either.

Erin glanced over at Jay who was talking about his plans for Wiltshire's security teams; he made this look so easy; he was so at ease; although, Erin knew it was easier for him as he worked with Tony and Connor. She glanced at his left hand as his fingers played with his napkin; her eyes locked on the gold band; still not believing it was there.

"Enough about the business talk!" Amy Stimson interrupted. "I want to know about you two." She pointed at Jay and Erin. "How long you two been together?"

Jay glanced over at Erin; he could tell she was distracted. He reached over and took her hand in his; his thumb grazing her hand; a gesture he has done many times before. The jolt of electricity between them grabbed Erin's attention.

"We've been together 11 years and married nearly 10 years." Jay replied, looking at Erin with a smirk in his lips. She returned the smile.

"Wow! That's a long time for being so young." Connor exclaimed.

"Well Jay enlisted when he was 18 and we met soon after." Erin replied, remembering their cover story. She glanced at him; she could tell he was watching her. "We got engaged within a few months and then we married before he got sent to Afghanistan."

"So why have you no kids?" Amy asked.

Both Jay and Erin were taken aback by the abrupt question but before they could respond, Poppy quickly hissed. "Amy!"

"Oh shit!" Amy gasped, covering her mouth. "I'm sorry...I didn't even think. I mean, infertility is becoming quite common now...and there are solutions..."

"Amy, it's okay." Erin said, giving a quiet laugh. She was trying to diffuse the tension as Amy dug herself a bigger hole. Erin glanced at Jay; he was watching her, wondering what direction she would take Amy's gaff. Erin knew this could be an opportunity to poke a hole at their marital woes. "We can have kids...we think anyway."

"Yeah, we've just decided to hold off until the right time." Jay added.

"Yeah, I wanted to wait until Jay was finished playing soldier." Erin said.

"I was fighting for my country sweetie." Jay stated, looking at her. He quickly caught onto the plan.

"You were discharged after 4 years Jay!" Erin shot back. "But no, you had to go back to Afghanistan."

"My time in Afghanistan is what is paying for our apartment; our car; your shoe collection; your clothes; your beauty treatments..." Jay hissed, staring directly at Erin.

"Well at least you're back home now." Poppy said, now trying to diffuse a completely different situation. "And you're together."

"Exactly and you can start practising the baby making." Tony Wiltshire joked. The rest of the table forced a laugh, desperate to move on. Erin and Jay glanced at each other; both of them smiling inwardly; they set the ball in motion.

"Well I think we can call tonight a success!" Erin laughed as she entered the apartment. She tossed off her heels and began to take off her ear rings as she walked towards the couch. "We actually played 'bitter' quite well."

"Maybe the last couple of months of our partnership were the perfect training for this." Jay stated before realising how it sounded. "I mean..."

"It's fine Jay." Erin replied, looking at him as he grabbed a bottle of water out of the fridge. "We both know our relationship has been less than perfect lately." She tossed her ear rings onto the coffee table.

"Yeah, well I guess there are worse girls I could be fake married to." Jay teased, trying to ease the tension. "At least one perk of being your faux hubby is I always have a designated driver." He sat beside her on the couch.

"That's the only perk of being married to me?" Erin retorted, turning her head to look at him.

"Well that and you let me watch sports." Jay replied, smirking as he avoided her swiping arm.

"Well at least I have two perks, with you I'm struggling." Erin shot back.

"Hey!" Jay scoffed. Now it was his turn to swipe his arm, only for Erin to catch it.

"Okay, I guess it is good that you cook." Erin stated, releasing his arm. "And you do keep things remarkably clean."

"Anything would be clean for you saying you create such as mess." Jay teased.

"I never said I was perfect." Erin stated. There was silence. After a few moments, Erin stood up. "I guess I better head to bed saying I'm meeting Amy and Poppy for lunch."

"Yeah, another success from tonight...the girls seemed to like you." Jay declared.

"What do you mean seemed?" Erin shot back as she walked towards the bedroom "I'll have you know I'm extremely lovable!"

"Don't I know it." Jay muttered under his breath as he watched her go.

To be continued...