This story was written due to a challenge that was put out. So if anyone has an idea for a different pairing but along the same plot line please try it. I challenge anyone that thinks they can do it! It was a lot of fun to write. Do it! You know you want to.
Lin tall, dark, and mysterious the perfect combination for a hero in a romanced novel. Mai thought as she sat watching the monitors. Well she was suppose to be watching the monitors what she was really doing was watching Lin's reflection in the monitor. The case was going nowhere, nothing had happened since they got there and it was becoming evident that the case could be a big hoax. Bored beyond belief Mai let her mind wander. Recently Ayako had giving Mai a book to read saying that it could help give her ideas to help with a certain someone. But after reading the book, and not reading the book after it made her blush for two hours, she decided Naru wouldn't make a good hero. He was arrogant enough and he certainly brooded enough but he wasn't tall and he didn't have any redeeming qualities. The hero is always a jerk at first but slowly the heroine works her way into his heart and he softens up. Mai had been working for SPR for years now and Naru has shown no signs of ever softening up. Lin on the other hand . . . well he was perfect. He was brooding, has an arrogant stand offish personality, but he also has an inner kindness that just makes you want to throw yourself at him.
Sighing Mai looked down at the cover of the book and could feel her cheeks start to heat up. A man standing with his shirt half torn, and a good portion of his ripped torso showing, was clutching a half naked woman. Her seventeenth century dress torn around the bodice showing her, as it said in the book, heaving bosoms. Somehow without her wanting it to Mai's mind went back over what she read. It was a really bad story. The Heroine was running away from a arranged marriage when she was accosted by a hunky Highway man, who not only stole her money but her heart. It then starts with the Highway man falling for her and taking her to his small cabin in the woods to make sweet sweet love to her. Mai skipped most of this part thinking that if it made her blush she wasn't going to read it. Also if someone caught her blushing she would have to explain why. After skipping this the Heroine is now in the clutches of her jilted Fiancée. The Highway man confronts the Fiancée and they fight. The Highway man is hurt and the Fiancée drags the helpless Heroine away. On the ride back to the Fiancée's estate, where they are to be married without delay, for some reason they stop at a close inn to rest. The Heroine finally takes the initiative and escapes by saying she needs to visit the privy. She then steals a maids outfit and escapes out the back door the Fiancée none the wiser (obviously if he fell for a stupid plain like that).The Heroine then runs back to the cabin, and that's as far as Mai had gotten before Naru demanded that she take her shift at watching the monitors now. Man was he cranky.
Sighing again Mai glanced at Lin's reflection again and decided that he wouldn't see if she read her book instead of watching endless rounds of nothing on the monitors. Trying to be stealthy Mai grabbed her book and opened it in front of her, trying to make it seem like she was still watching the monitors.
Mai rushed through the woods heedless of the branches that scraped against her skin. All she could think of was getting back to the cabin. The cabin where she had, for once in her life, found any source of happiness. She prayed that she would find him standing there by the fire, his arms open and waiting for her to come home. But somehow she knew that it was fruitless. Her love was lying dead on the road pierce by the deadly sword of her fiancée.
Finally the cabin came into sight, Mai stopped, smoke was coming from the chimney. Was someone there? Was it her love? Excitement coursed through Mai giving wings to her tired feet. Unconscious of any source of danger Mai burst through the door and stopped dead in her tracks.
"I knew you would come back." Lin said as he stood up from stoking the fire. His bare back glowed from the light of the fire. Mai felt her heart flutter at the sight, she knew she was being wanton but all she could think of was how wonderful it would be to feel that skin under her hand. How much she wanted him to gather her in his arms and kiss her. Shaking her head Mai attempted to gather her scattered thoughts.
"Of course I came back. I could never leave you." She said her heart in her mouth as his silence filled the room. Slowly he turned around and Mai could see his dark eyes burn with an inner passion. A passion for her and only her.
"I thought you had left me. I was wondering how I could ever live without you." Smiling Lin reached out his arm and pulled Mai into a tight embrace. Mai could feel tears fall down her cheeks, she knew she loved this man more than anything in the world.
"Don't let go. Don't ever let go." She whispered against his bare chest.
"Never my love. Never." Lin slowly pulled back to look at Mai, who raised her face towards him. His mouth swooped down and captured hers in a hungry, searing kiss. His lips were voracious, taking everything she had to give and then demanding even more. She was melting. Dear God, she was melting, and she wanted so much more.
"Mai? Mai?" Mai jumped startled by the voice close to her ear.
"Yyess?" She stuttered. Looking up she saw Lin standing above her amusement giving his eyes a mischievous gleam. Mai thought her heart would stop there and then. The amused gleam in his eye, the relaxed posture, and the faint smile tugging at the corners of his lips were making Mai . . . melt. Lin had always been handsome but unapproachable but here and now it almost felt like Mai could reach up and bring his head down for her to kiss him. Realizing what she just thought Mai blushed. Where the hell had that come from. Damn books give people the wrong ideas.
"What are you thinking about?" Lin asked softly.
"Jjust . . . nothing . . . yeah just nothing." Mai stammered her thoughts scattered and refused to come back.
"It doesn't seem like it was nothing." Gently Lin reached down and tugged the book out of Mai's unresisting hands. "Maybe it had something to do with this? And the fact that you had been staring at me." Mortified Mai wanted to crawl under the floor boards and never come out. How the hell did he know that she had been staring at him earlier? Unless . . .
"If you knew I was staring at you . . . then at means you were staring at me." Lin looked away from the cover of her book, which made Mai's blush intensify, and smiled, which made Mai's heart stop. No man should be that handsome, it should be illegal.
"I like staring at you." He said as he leaned down his face inches away from Mai's. This wasn't happening. This wasn't happening. She was in love with Naru . . . who treated her like crap, didn't care if she lived or died, all he ever wanted was tea. Lin on the other hand always seemed to be there. He was there when Naru said something that made her cry. He seemed to always be there when something was attacking her. If she was up late watching the monitors he was always there typing on his computer keeping the shadows at bay.
"I . . . I like it . . . I like it when you stare at me." She whispered her heart beating so hard she knew Lin could hear it.
"Oh good. I was hoping you would say that." Smiling Lin leaned forward and captured Mai's lips. Mai felt like she had been shocked. Electricity coursed from Lin's lips to her own slowly destroying any rational thoughts Mai might have had. Lin licked Mai's bottom lip asking for entrance. Without even thinking of it Mai opened her mouth and her knees when to jelly. Lin slipped his hand down Mai's back and pulled her out of the chair she was sitting in and pressed her flushed against his chest. Mai snaked her arms around Lin's neck and held on for dear life. Breathing finally became a top priority and the two reluctantly broke apart. Mai had the distinct pleasure of see that Lin was breathing heavy and slightly flushed, just like Mai.
"I think . . . we should continue this at another time." Lin said as he slowly released Mai. She slide down into the chair, her energy completely sapped.
"I would like that very much." She replied a smile lighting up her face. Lin smiled back and reached out to gently brush a piece of Mai's hair behind her ear.
"So would I."