CHAPTER FOUR

'Oh my god Auggie, I wasn't expecting to see you this afternoon. The place is a mess,' Annie sounded frantic.

'Looks fine to me,' Auggie followed Annie into the threshold of the lounge.

'Stop!'

He did as instructed.

'Danielle has everything in boxes, she's decorating. I'll just be a second.'

Auggie heard heavy objects being pushed in all directions.

'What colour is she going for?'

'It changes by the hour. I think she's settle on a muted stone shade, just be grateful she didn't go with the sunshine yellow, even you'd be able to see than one.'

'Thanks.'

'There, I've made you a safe zone,' Annie gently led him by the elbow into the middle of the room.

'I like the sound of that. Hey do you want to join me in my safe zone?' his voice was playful. He pulled her close and nibbled on her ear lobe. She smelt sweet, in fact she tasted it too.

'Perhaps not so safe for me,' Annie's hands thread through his hair, her nails gently scraping down his scalp. It felt wonderful. Their lips locked in a passionate kiss. Being around Annie was good for his soul.

'Annie, what's that smell?' he looked around the room, an old habit hard to break.

'Oh shoot, I was baking cookies for the girls. I completely forgot. Wait here.'

After a few slamming doors and a couple of oaths Auggie couldn't resist finding out what disaster had befallen her.

'Do you ever follow orders Mr Anderson?'

'Never Ms Walker,' he chuckled to himself as he tentatively walked to the middle island in the kitchen, pulled over a bar stool and settled himself on it. His hands crept over the work top and made contact with the plate of cookies. He raised one to his nose then took a big bite. It was as hard as rock and tasted of charcoal.

He could sense Annie watching him and in his mind he saw she had her arms crossed. He giggled.

'Ok cooking isn't my forte.'

'Or even your fifty.'

'What time are the kids arriving?'

'A couple of hours.'

Auggie carefully got off the stool.

'Ok point me in the right direction, lets start from scratch.'

Working together, they whipped up another batch of cookie dough. Finding every excuse in the book to clash into each other and take an opportunistic touch or kiss. Taking no chances they'd forget to take them out of the oven they settled at the kitchen table and drank coffee.

'So, did you just come round here to show off that you're a good cook on top of everything else.'

'Hardly. No I came over here to see my girlfriend,' he felt Annie lean into him.

'Awh sweet but spill,' she whispered into his ear. Her hot breath made his skin prickle with a delightful feeling.

'I need to take a vacation,' he said when he finally found his voice again.

'Don't we all,' she moved away, he could hear her swallow a few mouthfuls of coffee. He pulled her back. He liked to feel her, it was like an anchor to the world, she had that effect. Ever since she'd stormed into his life she had been very demonstrative, her own way of compensating for his not being able to see her, to visually know she was there.

'Would you fancy coming with me?'

'Oh I could be convinced, especially if blue oceans and golden sand are on the cards.'

'Ah, how about greys skies and concrete?'

'Where the hell are you planning on taking me Auggie, a nuclear bunker?'

'No,' he laughed, though that wasn't such a bad ass idea, pretty cool in fact. She must have read his mind as elbowed him in his ribs.

'London, well the UK. I need to help a friend out and I could do with another set of eyes. Actually come to think of it, make that just a set of eyes.'

Annie squeezed his arm.

'Anything to do with that mystery woman that tried to visit you the other day?'

Auggie gave her a wide smile. 'Absolutely everything I'm afraid.'

'Great,' Annie's voice sounded flat and she had edged away from him slightly. He pulled her back and captured her by putting his are around her shoulders.

'Not jealous are you?' He could sense a scowl and her prolonged silence confirmed it. 'She is in a bit of a jam and needs me to get her son out of the country and over here to join her.'

'And why is she coming to you?'

Now was the time he could come clean, tell her everything but he wasn't ready to speak the words. He hadn't figured out he felt about being an father over night and couldn't begin to find the words to explain it to Annie. Besides he didn't want to emotionally blackmail her into helping him. There was always Hashim if Annie decided not to take him up on the offer.

'Have you got any idea how you're going to do this?' her voice was no longer playful.

'Nope.'

'Huh.'

The timer on the oven started to ding, it was insistent. Auggie got up and made his way confidently over to the oven, pulled out the baking tray and placed it on a folded up tea towel. The cookies were browned to perfection, like a picture in a magazine spread.

He sensed her reaching out to steal one and slapped his hand down. Bulls eye.

'Owh.'

'I thought these were for the girls.'

'I was just testing them.'

Auggie chuckled.

'When do we leave?'

He felt a wave of relief. Annie was almost a part of him. If he was going out on the field to undertake an unsanctioned op, she was the person he trusted to be by his side.

'Soon.'