CHAPTER 4: THE EXPERT
The white cabana glowed in the moonlight. The Woman had just stepped out of a pre-bed bath and donned her dressing gown when there was a light rapping on her door.
She stilled, fear coursing through her. She silently went to the dresser and withdrew her gun. She slipped out the back door and padded on silent bare feet around the bougainvillea along the side of the cabana. She peeked around the corner, gun cocked.
Standing there, in the moonlight, was a tall man with sharp cheekbones. Alone.
"It's me," he said. "I flew 10 hours to get here, spent a thousand pounds in the market getting information and endured an arse-bruising camel ride. If you shoot me it will officially be a really bad day."
Irene lowered her gun, jaw dropped open in shock. "Sherlock! How did you find me?"
She didn't really care. She was damned glad to see him, to see anyone from home, but especially Sherlock. She disengaged herself from the bougainvillea and threw herself into his arms. He tolerated her embrace, even smiled, sweetly, but after a moment he pushed her gently away.
"I need your help," he said, looking off into the night as if afraid to meet her eyes.
"Come in." She shivered in the cool evening breeze and opened the door.
"So?" Irene adler asked, when they were settled and she'd given him a drink. Well, she was settled in a chair. He was pacing nervously. She'd never seen the cool, impassive Sherlock Holmes like this.
"It was ridiculous to come all this way but there was no one else I could turn to. And I need someone with your area of… expertise."
Irene cocked an eyebrow. This was interesting. "Yes?"
Sherlock stopped pacing and looked at her. It seemed to take a force of will for him to speak.
"I need to know how to seduce someone."
"Oh." Irene was surprised. He'd come all this way to talk about sex?
He hesitated. "I need to know how to seduce… a man."
"Oh!" Irene watched him, an amused arch to her brows. "Well, Sherlock, in my experience, that's not all that difficult. Men are ridiculously easy."
Sherlock flushed. "I need to know how to seduce a… straight man."
"Oh, yes, I see." She studied him carefully. "Tricky business. Are you sure you want to do that?"
"Yes," Sherlock said immediately.
Irene was a little surprised – and disappointed. She hadn't thought him gay. There had been a spark between them once. But perhaps he was bi. She studied his eyes, then smiled a disparaging smile.
"You're in love," she said.
Sherlock said nothing. She waited, watching him. After all, he had come to her.
"I need to…" Sherlock faltered. "Make him stay."
Irene sighed. "John Watson."
"Can you help me or not?" Sherlock sneered, a challenge. "You do know how it's done?"
Irene looked him up and down. He was magnificent, tall and lean. And yet such an innocent in his own way. She wasn't sure which was sexier. Alright, she knew damn well. It's was definitely the innocent that got her. She licked her lips with a slow seductive tongue.
"I can teach you," she said. "I can have him eating out of your hand."
"Begging," Sherlock prompted.
"Oh most definitely begging," Irene said.
Sherlock smiled.
