Charmed. Cole and Phoebe Guardian Series.How quaint the ways of paradox?

Charmed. How quaint the ways of Paradox Chapter 10

Part 1: Time and Time Again

Chapter 10

"How quaint the ways of paradox; At common sense she gaily mocks" (Gilbert and Sullivan. Pirates of Penzance)

Francesca had apparently orbed back when Cole returned to his office.

She was in her office working away on her computer. "Sorry about rushing off" he said urbanely.

"Are you?" Francesca asked implying she did not believe him.

"Did Kline take new s of my absence okay?" Cole asked smiling pleasantly.

"No" replied Francesca.

Even though he was not far from wanting to kill her, Cole still gulped, in response to the tone she was using "No problems while I was gone" he asked pleasantly.

"No" she answered "Why would there be?", as if he was not really necessary.

"The Ellison contracts weren't delivered" he asked.

"No" Francesca answered not giving an inch.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"I'd know if they had come Cole" she answered dismissing him.

Cole without another word stalked into his office. "Lying bitch" he said softly.

He went to his desk and dialled Phoebe's number. " Hi baby" she started to say.

"Can you get over here straight away? " he asked.

"Sure" she said "Why? "

"To stop me doing something I just might regret tomorrow" he snapped.

"Sure I'll be there in 20 minute" Phoebe said.

She was there in 17. She all but ran into the office "Mrs Rinaldi. What's wrong with Cole?" Phoebe asked "He rang me acting really weird. Nothing wrong with partners?" Phoebe added concerned.

"Nothing worse than usual dear" Francesca said.

Cole heard Phoebe's voice and was at the door. "Thanks for coming baby" he said and meeting Francesca's unconcealed expression of curiosity with a smile that was closer to a sneer, he reached for Phoebe and pulled her into long and deep kiss opening his eyes at the end to glance over Phoebe's shoulder to see Francesca's reaction. It was bland with just a trace of sardonic amusement.

He caught Phoebe's wrist just in case she decided to run. "Phoebe" he sighed then and said in a tone of pure malice "You know that old bitch watching is jealous as hell of you don't you. Ever since we got back together, she thinks she's losing control of me. Maybe she's even regretting she's not getting what you get. She never stops bitching about me being with you. "

Phoebe gasped "Cole! " in shocked disbelief. She spun turning back "Mrs Rinaldi Francesca" she "I don't know what's wrong I'm sorry" she gasped. And as she could not pull free of Cole's grasp, she leant forward and shoved him back into his office. Inside the office, the door still open Cole put his head down, pressing his lips to hers, working hard to get her to open her mouth, mechanically and with absolutely no feeling, trying to tease her into giving.

To no avail. Phoebe stamped her foot, shut her mouth tightly and hissed through her teeth "Stop it Cole what's the matter with you?"

Cole glanced over her shoulder as Francesca appeared at the open door "Come on in... Francesca" he said just as nastily as he could "Shut the door and then you can watch what you've been dreaming about. Or do you already do that? "

"Cole! " gasped Phoebe absolutely disbelieving the way he was behaving.

"Or you can always orb out if you get to embarrassed at what you see. " The malice in Cole's voice turned into venom. "She's a fucking whitelighter Phoebe" he added.