Fandom: Murder Call (hint of Stingers)
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters Tessa Vance, Steve Hayden, Malcolm Thorne, Dee Suzeraine, Imogen ' Tootsie' Soames and Lance Fisk. They all belong to Jennifer Rowe and Hal McElroy, and Nine Network. Kristine and Pete (Ellen Mackenzie and Peter Church) belong to the producers and writers of Stingers.
Rating: R (M) (Some adult themes)
Summary: Attending yet another mutual friend's wedding, Tessa and Steve decides to do something crazy.
"I always thought I was going to end up with kids and hubby one day. Maybe even a dog. Now look at me. I'm 37 and the only thing greeting me at home is my 123rd goldfish."
"Then quit."
CRAZY
Written by neela
TEN
"Come on, Tess, he won't bite you." Steve held his hand out, eyes twinkling in obvious merriment over Tessa's discomfort. Dressed in snug jeans and shirt despite the warmth, his hair ruffled underneath the brown brimmed hat, he looked every bit of the country farmer Tessa recognised whenever they were in town. And gorgeous; he was practically radiating masculinity.
Tessa eyed the brown stallion Steve held in his other hand dubiously, not at all at ease with Steve's reassurances. "He's staring at me," she retorted childishly. Steve laughed.
"He's probably wondering why you're standing there and not sitting on his back like you're supposed to," Steve shot back, his tanned grin wide and dimpled. "It'll be fine. You can do this."
Sighing, Tessa accepted Steve's outstretched hand and stepped closer, forced to tilt her head back to stare at him because of the similar cowboy hat on top of her head. "Why did you talk me in to this?" The stallion was looming above her, easily Steve's height. Tessa felt small in her low boots.
"He's very good at persuasion," Melissa drawled, taking over the reins as Steve guided Tessa closer to the left side of the stallion. "Just wait until he's got you chasing crocs." She chuckled at Tessa's wide-eyed expression.
"Mel, don't scare her," Steve chided his sister. "I won't make you chase crocs," he promised Tessa, grinning when she glared at him accusingly, too nervous to take any of his teasing. "Come on, left foot on the stirrup." Tessa huffed as she followed Steve's instructions, pausing once her foot was in the correct spot, staring at him expectantly. "Now take hold of the cantle."
"The what?" Tessa asked confused. Steve gestured to the back of the saddle.
"That's the cantle," he told her. "Now you jump. Remember to straighten your left leg as you swing and don't kick. Think of it like rock climbing."
"This can hardly compare to rock climbing, Steve," Tessa huffed, nonetheless complying to Steve's orders. Taking a deep breath, she gave a little spring and swung her right leg over the saddle, moving her hand from the cantle once up. Sitting astride the stallion, Tessa could feel the muscles beneath her legs and was amazed for a moment at the strength of horses before brought back to reality by Steve's voice.
"Now get your right foot in the stirrup and enjoy the ride."
"You won't let it take off?" Tessa asked, chewing her lip. Steve grinned and shook his head.
"Not on your life. Wouldn't like to scar you for life. If you'd like, I can join you after a round or two?" He looked at her inquiringly and Tessa nodded fervently, only the slightest ashamed of her obvious discomfort. She had never ridden a horse before and now she was sitting a top of one. The closest she had ever come was the merry-go-round at the seaside amusement park when she was little.
"Good luck," Melissa smiled kindly. "You'll do great, Tessa. It's all very basic. You'll get the hang of it soon enough. I've got to go back to the kids. Have fun!"
As she disappeared back towards the farm house, Steve took the reins and Tessa gripped the saddle tightly as the horse began to walk around the paddock. The motion was awkward and Tessa found herself swaying from side to side, the horse's head nodding back and forward.
"Ease up, Tess," Steve told her gently. "Relax your legs. He can sense your fear, you know."
"Easy for you to say, you've done this before," Tessa shot back, forcing her legs to relax against the sides.
Steve had done this weeks ago, only days after they moved here, and found it easy to get back into the habit again. Tessa, however, had fenced off all of Steve's suggestions to try until today when the weather had been hot and she didn't want to stay cooped up at home while he helped out on the farm. She was starting to get restless.
"I've got confidence in you," Steve drawled, tilting his head to grin at her.
They went around the paddock in a slow walk and during the third round, Tessa felt more at ease than when she started it. When Steve stopped the horse, however, she looked at him questioningly.
"Do you want to try a bit faster? I can sit behind you," Steve offered. Tessa considered this for a short moment and then nodded.
"Okay. Don't you dare give me the reins, though! And no tickling."
"Deal," Steve's face split in a handsome grin and he promptly handed Tessa the reins. "Just while I mount," he assured her and she accepted the leather reins with great apprehension.
"Do you need more room? Shall I move?" Tessa asked him, following his movements as he found a box to stand on to compensate for lack of extra stirrups.
"Narr, it's fine. You just sit tight and don't kick him."
Before she got a chance to reply, Steve had taken hold of the saddle and hoisted himself up behind her, arms settling around her as he shifted, his legs taking over the stirrups gently. The strong prescence behind her immediately calmed her and made her neck tense at the same time. They hadn't been so close since the night of her tumble accident and Tessa had been more aware of the electricty between them ever since.
"You okay?" Steve murmured, breath hot on her already heated skin, causing Tessa to shiver involuntarily. She nodded to disguise the shiver, not able to look at him because of their position and the brimmed hat upon her head.
"Yes," Tessa mumbled, handing him the leather reins again and tensing in the saddle. Steve shifted closer, nearly spooning himself against her back, leaning slightly over her shoulder for better view.
"Right, you still have to relax. He gets worried and you wouldn't want to have him taking off on his own, would you?" The low voice was teasing, rumbling against her ear, making her blonde curls wave softly.
Tessa felt a wave of irritation rise within. He knew! He knew how he was making her feel and enjoying every second of it. Positioning her elbow strategically, Tessa jabbed backwards and hit Steve in the ribs, killing the chuckles immediately.
"Keep your mind out of the gutter, farmboy," Tessa growled threateningly, retracting her hands and gripping the front of the saddle. Steve chuckled and his tanned, strong forearms reached forward to handle the reins, easing the stallion into a slow walk while Tessa grumbled over the situation.
But as they wandered around the paddock, first in a walk and then in a trot, Tessa couldn't banish the thoughts of Steve's safe prescence behind her and the strong muscles working beneath them from her mind. Not accustomed to horses, it was only natural for Tessa to fear them, thus making her lean back against Steve's strong chest as they swayed from side to side. She still gripped the pommel tightly and forced her legs to relax, letting Steve handle the steering and silent commanding, but she drew on the man behind her for strength and courage to endure the event.
And to her surprise, Tessa slowly but steadily started to enjoy the sensation of riding, and bent softly to Steve's near imperceptible instructions on how to move in the saddle as the stallion trotted around and around the paddock's large ground.
And then Tessa closed her eyes, spooned against Steve's chest, leaving the awareness to her other senses. The hooves against dirt and earth. The stretch of leather as she moved in the saddle. The stallion's smell of hay and stable was obvious, but she could just make out a tiny drift of something foreign that could only be Steve.
It smelled like her dad. Like security.
Tessa let a smile cross her face then, the uncertainties and fear forgotten as she let the comfort wrap around her and expel time from her consciousness.
After a while, however, Tessa felt her bum was starting to get quite sore and her legs a bit achy. She opened her eyes and put a hand on Steve's dark-haired forearm.
"I think that's enough for today."
"Sure," Steve replied warmly, pulling the reins and turning the horse back towards the stables. As they came up alongside the box he had used previously, Steve halted the horse and climbed off, his dark eyes twinkling up at her. "Had fun?" Tessa found her grin mirroring his easily, accepting his hand as she climbed off as well.
"Immensely," she admitted, blushing slightly as Steve raised an eyebrow challengingly. "Don't push it, though. It's not gonna happen again first thing tomorrow. I think my bum needs recuperation time." Tessa rubbed the sore muscles with a grimace, Steve releasing a laugh while leading the stallion towards the stables.
Seated around Mary Hayden's dinner table in comfortable stuffed-to-the-bursting-point atmosphere, Tessa leaned back in her chair and grinned at Jimmy's crack on Steve's little 'incident' that day.
The two guys had taken the feeding trip around the farm, Jimmy taking the wheels of the tractor while Steve had the pleasure of unloading the food to the cattle, and when Jimmy had taken a unexpected turn, Steve—in the process of rolling a ball of hay off the trailer—had overbalanced and been thrown into the mix of hay, maize and other nutritents. As Steve had been positively reeking when they returned, it was obvious to assume there had been no small amount of cow droppings in the mixture.
"Thanks a bunch," Steve muttered sullenly, jabbing his brother-in-law in the shoulder.
Tessa laughed as Mary started to admonish him on proper behaviour in front of the two little girls at the end of the table, but was sorely unheard as Melissa joined in on the fun, wanting revenge on her brother for 'harassing her husband'. And then the girls came along, squealing with laughter and making their little swipes at their uncle.
"Help?" Steve looked at her, eyebrows raised expectantly.
"You're on your own, mister," Tessa grinned, holding her palms up, wanting no part in the following battle.
"Some wife, huh?" Steve grimaced, rising from his chair to Paula and Gabby's obvious delight and fear, chasing after them humorously into the garden beneath the porch.
"Don't you dare hurt them!" Melissa called after him loudly, laughing as Steve pretended to be tackled to the ground by his nieces and bashed senselessly. The childish glee was contagious and soon every occupant around the table was watching the battle in the gardens in barely-contained merriment.
"They're gonna hurt him," Melissa huffed mockingly, standing up and getting into the fight as well.
"That's unfair!" Steve yelled as she joined on the girls' team instead, laughing as they all proceeded to tickle him in an array of limbs, clothes and hair.
The mock fight went on for several minutes and Tessa felt more and more content watching Steve interact with his family. It was obvious how much they loved each other and were taking back lost time. Though Tessa had heard him mention his family occasionally, he had never actually admitted to missing them, but she had seen the way his eyes got a faraway gleam as he probably imagined being with them again. She was truly happy for him.
"He'll be a great father," Mary commented beside her as the two of them were left at the table, Jimmy and Tom heading down to break up the fight.
Without thinking, Tessa replied, "Yeah," and didn't notice the knowing smile on her mother-in-law's face, or the soft smile on her own. Her eyes were on Steve's tanned, laughing features, her thoughts drifting around the sense of love and security this atmosphere gave her.
"Traitor," Steve said accusingly as he climbed the stairs to the porch and settled into his chair, his grin betraying the mock-serious expression he'd put on. "A little help would've been nice. I thought that's what partners were for?"
"Ex-partners," Tessa corrected him, "Not that you'd need it, such a strong, handsome country boy as yourself. They were only women." She winked at him teasingly. Steve snorted, sipping his water.
"Three at that," he shot back, pretending to be hurt and Tessa rubbed his thigh in playful comfort underneath the table. Steve raised an eyebrow, grinning coyly, and Tessa blushed only a little. Really, did he have to point out every little uncharacteristic thing she did?
The Hayden-Dawkins family sat for a little while longer before retreating into the warmth of the living room as the night cooled. Though the coolness was appreciated after a scorching day out, nothing beat the comfort of a family living room and years of memories covering the walls. At least Tessa thought so. It was always fun when visiting her in-laws' house on the farm, seeing old and new children's drawings in frames or attached to the fridge door, looking through photo albums and hearing stories.
She was particularily drawn to pictures of Steve, seeing how he'd grown from a chubby little newborn to lanky youth and later in his cadet uniform. Tessa had lacked no amount of amusement when she learned Steve hadn't hit his growth spurt until his late teens, making him about Tessa's height right up until starting boarding high school. She had always hated how he teased her about her height; now she could get back at him.
Jimmy and Melissa said goodnight not long after dinner, the girls worn out and hitting close to bedtime. Steve and Tessa stayed for a while longer, seated on his parents' soft couch and enjoying home-brewed coffee—it tasted way better than the office dishwater—while sitting close enough to feel the heat rolling off the other. When the time edged towards ten in the evening, however, they bid their goodbyes and started on the way home.
Despite Steve's protests, Tessa insisted to walk back and forth the farm and their house, not deterred by raving lorry drivers. She was used to always being in motion and though the country offered a big variety of options to render her tired at the end of the day, she still had a big amount of restlessness when alone in Steve's prescence. Tessa knew it was because of the electricity and pent-up tension, but she would be half-crazed to admit it to him. She just wasn't sure how to mount this huge obstacle in their relationship, or how to break the subject for dicussion to him either. So she tried to keep to what they had agreed on: to let things go as they go.
"This is nice," Tessa murmured, entwining her hand in Steve's as they strolled down the road in the darkness. Far off they could see a hint of light coming from the porch lights outside their house. Like fireflies.
"Mm," Steve agreed, his arm wounding around her shoulders and hugging her tenderly against him. The warmth sent a shiver down her spine and he drew her closer, probably thinking she was cold though Tessa was anything but.
"You know, I never thought I'd enjoy this as much as I do," Tessa continued mysteriously, not divulging whether she spoke of the country life or their relationship. The arm around her tightened nevertheless and Steve kissed her hair.
"Me neither. But I'm really enjoying this, Tess," he muttered lowly, stroking her upper arm gently. Breath caught in her throat, Tessa didn't reply, trying to work out a sensible thought from the mess inside her mind. Steve continued as if he didn't notice, "I'm very happy." After another few steps he stopped and pulled her face to face. Tessa could barely make out his features in the darkness from the little moon light filtering through the stray clouds. He seemed to be smiling. "You make me happy, Tess."
Tessa became aware of the sudden rush of blood to her head and the wild beating against her ribcage. Her knees weakened enough for her to step into Steve's embrace, finding his lips in the dim darkness. The pull on her nerves seemed to reach new heights, the warmth and shivers alternating between domininon as they melded together.
There was no time, no place. Only the heart trapped in her throat and Steve's hands in her hair massaging her scalp. It was unbearable. Tessa's hands wanted to pull on the front of Steve's shirt, to push him onto the ground and ravish him. But the sudden whine of a car pulled her back to the present.
They broke away from each other in the blinding headlights rushing towards them, the sudden fear on Tessa's features unexplainable and reason enough to step close to the edge of the road and let the car pass them.
Heart still competing with her breath, Tessa glanced at car rolling past them and saw only the shadow of the driver. It wasn't the same car from three nights ago. The thought should have calmed her, but after the massive make-out session seconds earlier, Tessa was trapped in the more emotional part of her brain. She snuggled into the crook of Steve's neck, hugging his waist as his arms came around her back snugly, comforting.
"Come on," Steve mumbled lowly, his voice low and bland, "Let's get home." Tessa didn't argue and just nodded, following his lead as they went back to the house still wrapped in each other's arms.
The house was dark and looming above them as they ventured up to the porch, the lights glowing eerily in the dimness. Unable to think clearly outside her frightened state of mind, Tessa held on to Steve's arm as he unlocked the door and got them inside.
Tessa was left standing in the middle of the hallway as Steve turned on the lights, arms crossed defensively, shifting as every little sound made her startle. Despite the lights surrounding her, Tessa felt exposed and trapped. Like someone was watching from a distance, intent on psyching her out before moving in for the kill. It was ridiculous, she knew, and still she couldn't shake off the feeling born from the car passing them on the road, lights glaring them in the eyes.
And you chided Steve on his fright. You're no better, getting spooked by cars. No doubt this is actually your fear for taking things further with Steve. You're just passing it off on something else.
"Tess?"
Jumping and cursing herself the second after, Tessa faced Steve with wide eyes.
"You okay?" he asked worriedly, gazing into her eyes as he rested his palms upon her shoulders. Tessa forced her emotions under a lid, tucked at the back of her mind.
"It's nothing. I'm just getting spooked." Steve didn't seem to want to let it go, so Tessa continued hurriedly, "Any messages while we were gone?" She glanced over his shoulder at the answering machine on the low table in the hallway. It was blinking red.
Steve turned as well and saw it, stepping away from her to push the button before glancing at her again. Tessa trained her eyes on the answering machine as if it was the real image of the imbodied person speaking monotonely.
"—we're not in at the moment, please leave a message after the tone." Her voice citing the words of pleasant apology. The machine beeped once.
"Tessa, Steve, I was surprised to hear you got married... Congratulations." Malcolm Thorne's slightly casual voice. Tessa could picture him behind his desk, eyebrows reaching the hairline when hearing what his two prime detectives had done. It made her smile.
"Fisk said something about New England. Well, good luck with that. However, I'm afraid this is not a social call. I'd hate to tell you this over a machine, but Bradley Mumm's been released on parole. Thought I'd let you know."
Two beeps: end of messages.
Tessa froze.