Author's Note: I do not own any of the characters originally created by the writers and producers of "Walker, Texas Ranger." I do own all the original characters and the story line.
I would like to thank everyone who has hung in there with me while I wrote this. I know it took forever to finish it, but I sincerely hope you will find it worth the wait. As always, I send my expert beta reader, Pace Fan, mountains of praise and oceans of gratitude. And, no, I do not think your vast knowledge of all things "Walker, Texas Ranger" makes you pathetic; to me, it makes you invaluable. Please review.
Better Late Than Never
by
Moviemom44
Gage fiddled with the collar of his tuxedo shirt for the fiftieth time since taking his position on the first landing of the main staircase of the governor's mansion. Immediately, his partner's voice crackled in his earpiece. She wasn't happy.
"Gage! Quit fidgeting. You're attracting too much attention," Sydney scolded.
"I can't help it, Syd. This thing is strangling me," Gage whispered, trying hard not to whine like a six-year-old forced to dress up for church.
"This isn't the first time you've worn a tux. What gives?"
"I don't know. It feels like the shirt is too small, or Walker tied the tie too tight," he said, wondering to himself if Walker was standing in the shadows somewhere getting a big chuckle out of watching him squirm.
When Gage first learned that he was to be part of the team of Rangers providing security for the governor's daughter's Sweet 16 birthday party, he thought it might be fun. What could be bad about watching over dozens of cute high school girls all dressed in their finest party clothes? He hadn't counted on having to wear the monkey suit, but apparently, if the governor could insist on having the additional security at her party, the birthday girl could insist that they at least dress appropriately.
He went to reach for his collar again, but the voice in his ear stopped him.
"Uh-uh-uh," Sydney said. He could almost see her wagging her finger at him.
"Alright, alright. Hey, where are you, anyway? If you can see me, then you obviously aren't in the dining room anymore," Gage said.
Sydney was assigned to protect the governor's daughter, so she was required to be with her at all times and that meant joining the other guests for dinner. Gage wondered what she had worn to try to look inconspicuous among this crowd.
"No, dinner's over," she said.
"Well, where are you?"
"Turn around," came the answer. It wasn't a command. It was more of an invitation.
Intrigued by the unusual tone in Sydney's voice, Gage turned to look toward the top of the stairs, searching the faces of the young ladies making their way down the steps on their way to the ballroom. He didn't recognize any of them as his partner. Then, from the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a woman staring intently at him from the top of the steps. He looked directly at her, returning her gaze, and it still took a full minute for Gage to realize it was Sydney, a woman he'd spent nearly every waking moment with for the past two years. In all that time, he'd never seen her look anything like this.
A low whistle escaped his lips as he took in the vision before him. She wore an off the shoulder dress made of a deep copper colored velvet that clung to her body like a second skin. Copper sequins sparkled in a diagonal line starting at the right shoulder of her dress and dipping just below the bust on the left. From there the pattern moved south and reversed direction to accent the hip area from left to right. The flecks of light did their job and then some. Gage's eyes traced the entire dazzling trail and by the time he got to her copper-colored high-heeled sandals, he could hardly breathe. So much for inconspicuous.
As she started down the steps toward him, he noticed that her raven hair was swept to one side, falling in a cascade of soft, dark waves that caressed her left shoulder. Gage loved Sydney's long, silky hair. Just yesterday, one whiff of her shampoo as she walked past his desk had inspired a fantasy in which he was in her arms, shirtless, her hair falling across his bare skin. Come to think of it, he still hadn't finished the report his daydream interrupted.
When she reached the bottom of the steps, Sydney could see that her appearance was having the desired effect on her partner. She had chosen the dress carefully. It had to be daring enough to catch a certain blue-eyed Ranger's attention, but tasteful enough to pass muster at the governor's mansion. Off the shoulder and the snug fit met the first requirement and the knee-length hemline met the other. The color and the fabric were purely for her own indulgence.
"Wow!" he said, the word escaping with the breath he'd been holding in since he first saw her. "Syd, you look amazing."
"Thank-you. You look very handsome yourself," she said, smiling.
Gage stood staring at her, waiting for the punch line that usually followed whenever she complimented him. None came.
"Oh, uh, thanks. Aren't you supposed to be with the guest of honor?" he asked, hoping she hadn't noticed his stammer and trying to get his mind back on the task at hand.
"She's in the ballroom with her family, so Walker and Trivette are keeping an eye on her until I can get in there. I had to make a pit stop after dinner."
"So, do you think I could steal you away for a minute?" he asked, smiling back at her with a mischievous gleam in his eye.
"I guess so… what have you got in mind?" she asked. Something in the way he was looking at her made her heart skip a beat.
"Come with me," he said, lightly laying a hand on her back and directing her down the final flight of steps to the foyer. From his perch on the landing, Gage had noticed a photographer taking pictures of the party guests as they arrived and it had occurred to him that he and Sydney had missed out on having their picture taken at his reunion. Now was his chance to rectify that.
As they rounded the corner of the stairs, Sydney saw the photographer snapping a shot of a pretty blonde girl and her dark-haired date.
"Is this where you're headed?" Sydney asked, pointing at the photographer and taking a step backward.
"Yeah, I was hoping we could get a picture together while we're all dressed up," he said, bracing himself for her flat refusal. He knew she hated having her picture taken, although he never understood why someone as beautiful as her would be camera shy.
"Sure, but can I take a look at my hair first?" she said, moving toward a full-length mirror hanging near the entrance to the ballroom. Gage stood stunned for a second or two before following her to the mirror. No snappy comeback on the compliment and now agreeing to being photographed without a hint of protest? Who was this woman and what had she done with his partner?
Sydney smiled secretly to herself as she walked ahead of Gage. She'd managed to both impress and surprise him – twice – this evening. Ever since they'd returned from the movie set in Mexico, she had noticed that he was flirting with her more than usual and she'd decided that tonight would be the perfect occasion to find out whether it all meant what she hoped it did, or not.
At first, she wasn't sure how to conduct her investigation. Then it hit her.
Act like a girl, not a Ranger. If he responded to her as a woman, then she had been reading the signs correctly. If he didn't, or couldn't or wouldn't…well, her heart would shatter, but at least she'd have her answer.
Looking at their reflection in the mirror, Gage couldn't help but smile. Nobody could say they didn't make a handsome couple. Except for those earpieces, maybe. He removed his and put it in his pocket. Sydney did the same, dropping it into her tiny shiny copper colored purse.
He watched Sydney fluff her curls and nudge her bangs a fraction of an inch to the left and suddenly he had an overwhelming urge to wrap his arms around her and kiss her. His best hope for success, he thought, would come when they posed for the picture.
"Ready?" he asked when she stopped primping. She nodded, took his hand and said, "Let's go for it." This time Gage's heart skipped a beat. He couldn't have said it better himself.
They crossed the room hand in hand to where the photographer was finishing up with another couple. Gage noticed a sign next to the backdrop that read, "Devon Rhyme, Portrait & Wedding Photography".
"Excuse me, Mr. Rhyme?" Gage said, still holding Sydney's hand.
"Yes?" Rhyme said as he turned around. "What can I do for you?"
"We'd like to have our picture taken," Gage answered.
"And well you should, my good man, with a lady as lovely as this one," Rhyme said, beaming at Sydney.
"My thoughts exactly," Gage said softly as he looked into Sydney's eyes and gave her hand a squeeze.
Sydney's stomach did a flip and for a second she forgot how to breathe. Maybe it was the prom-like atmosphere, but she suddenly felt positively giddy, like a teenager who just found out that the cute quarterback she'd had a crush on felt the same way about her, too.
"Shall we?" Rhyme said, pointing toward the backdrop.
"Oh, uh, yes, of course," Sydney and Gage both mumbled in response. "Should we stand here?" Sydney asked, letting go of Gage's hand as she stepped in front of the painted backdrop and turned to face Rhyme. She laid her purse on a small table next to Rhyme's sign.
"Yes, that's fine. What is your name, dear?"
"I'm Sydney Cooke and this is…"
"Gage," he said, offering his hand to the photographer who gave it a brief but firm shake.
"Well, Mr. Cooke, if you would just stand behind your lady fair…" he directed, but Sydney cut him off.
"Actually, it's not…We're not..," she stammered as Gage moved into position behind her.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I just assumed," Rhyme apologized. "I hope I didn't offend?"
"Not at all," Gage said, coming to Sydney's rescue. "I should have introduced myself properly. I'm Francis Gage and my lady fair and I are partners with the Texas Rangers." Unable to resist, he added with a grin, "but we get mistaken for an old married couple all the time."
Sydney's elbow shot into Gage's midsection, knocking the wind out of him.
There's the Syd I know and love, Gage thought as he straightened up and rubbed his ribs.
"Yes, I can see how that might happen," Rhyme said, smiling and playing along.
"Hey, what's that supposed to mean? Whose side are you on anyway?" Sydney griped, albeit jokingly.
"The side of true love, my dear, and protest all you like, I have been in this business too long not to know it when I see it," he said, raising the camera to his eye. "Ready?"
"Whoa! Hold on a minute," Gage barked.
"What now?" Sydney asked, turning to look up at him.
"Well, I mean, if we only get one shot at this…I just want it to be right. How about if you stand like this," he said, turning Sydney so she leaned into his left side with her right arm behind him and her left arm wrapped around his waist in front. "And I do this…" he said, draping his left arm across her shoulders and pulling her close.
"This feels awkward," Sydney said, stepping away from his grasp.
"May I make a suggestion?" Rhyme offered. "Perhaps if you stand facing one another…" his voice trailed off as he waited for them to follow his instruction. When they didn't, he gave them a stern look and made a small circling motion with his finger.
Gage was beginning to think he had made a terrible mistake. This was turning into a much bigger and more public production than he had intended. All he had wanted was to have a picture of Sydney in his arms in that gorgeous dress. He wanted something to capture the moment forever, because God knew when he'd ever get another chance at either one – seeing her in the dress or holding her in his arms. In the end, he had to admit, it wasn't really about the dress.
Sydney wondered why he was so hesitant to put both his arms around her, which he could have easily done either from his position behind her or by facing her as the photographer suggested. Had she imagined the way he looked at her tonight? Had she misread the things he was saying?
"Are you sure you still want to do this?" Sydney asked, almost shyly. Her questioning tone and tentative touch on his arm nearly broke his heart. He may have had a doubt or two, but she obviously didn't and he wouldn't disappoint her, not for anything.
"Yes. Yes, Syd, I really do," Gage answered firmly.
"Excellent!" Rhyme chimed in. "Now, please face Sydney, put your arms around each other and…do…what comes naturally," he directed, as he aimed the camera at them.
"You heard the man," Sydney said, sliding her arms around his waist and leaning toward him as he put his arms around her. Gage smiled down at her as she moved in even closer, tilting her head just a bit. Their eyes closed a split second before the flash went off and their lips met a split second after.
Gage was experiencing sensory overload – Sydney's soft, warm lips on his, the scent of her perfume surrounding him, the velvety feel of her dress as he moved his hands over her strong muscular back. It was dizzying and the only thing he could think of to do to keep from falling was to hold onto his lady fair for dear life.
Sydney had never been so happy. He did love her! He had to. Nothing else could explain the way he was kissing her, so tenderly, so sweetly and yet she could also feel the passion, so long hidden, yearning to come to the surface.
He moved his hand up her back and started to entangle it in her hair when he encountered the jeweled comb that held her hair to one side. She flinched as her hair was tugged.
"Sorry," he whispered, his lips still barely touching hers, his hand moving instead to caress her chin.
"It's OK," she whispered back, breaking the kiss and looking up at him. She reached up and removed the comb, shaking her head to let her raven locks fall around her bare shoulders. Gage thought he might faint.
The couple were so lost in one another's gaze that neither one noticed the small crowd that had gathered behind Rhyme, who for his part was smiling a self-satisfied smile that clearly stated, "I told you so."
A tall, lanky, dark-skinned man in the crowd cleared his throat loudly and said, "OK, Walker, pay up."
The sound of their colleague's voice and the mention of their boss's name jolted the pair out of their trance.
As Gage and Sydney turned around to face him, Trivette led the little audience in a round of enthusiastic applause. Red-faced, but still smiling, they looped their arms together and took a bow.
Gage couldn't help noticing that Walker was neither smiling nor clapping.