I finally managed to be somewhat productive today and get this chapter done :) Enjoy
Jack was just finishing the pasta when he heard the front door close. He quickly put down the strainer, grabbed a dishtowel and headed for the sitting room to find James staring at the empty sofa, rubbing his forehead.
"Are you over your little tantrum? Or are you back for round two?" asked Jack from the doorway
"It's just that she's so bloody obstinate sometimes"
"Yes I know and that's why you love her"
"Where is she?"
"Give me one good reason why I should tell you?" replied Jack coolly
"Because..."
"Because what? Look, she's upset enough without you getting your shorts in a bunch every time she turns around"
"I just want to apologize ok?"
"Now that's more like it"
"So is she in the kitchen?" James asked as he turned to face Jack
"Upstairs" he replied nodding toward the steps "She went to have a bath. Why don't you go up and see if you can talk her into coming back down to eat. You know she hasn't eaten all day" said Jack with a hint of concern in his voice
"I'll try, but I'm not making any promises" replied James as he slowly ascended the steps.
Once again, James found himself on the wrong side of the door, debating on whether he should knock or just try his luck and walk in. He could tell that she had finished her bath and judging by clinking of the perfume bottles, was most likely sitting at her dressing table. He opened the door slightly and could see her sitting with her back to the door, so he cautiously entered the room.
M looked up, saw James in the mirror, and then went back to filing her nails, purposely ignoring him. James crossed the room and put his hands on her shoulders as he leaned down and gently placed a kiss to the top of her head.
"I'm sorry Olivia" he said softly
M turned in her chair and glared at him
"Who the hell do you think you are? You have no right to call me that, I could have you shot just for thinking it" she snapped as her eyes filled with tears
James pulled her up from her chair into a tight, protective embrace, buried his face in the crook of her neck, and held her tighter than ever before. M struggled against him for a minute before she finally gave in and wrapped her arms around his waist, as she began to cry.
"James...promise me that you'll never leave me" she sniffed
"I promise" he said cradling her against him "I just don't know what to do to keep you safe"
"Yes you do...Let me talk to Ivan" she said softly
"We've been over this..."
"Just let me try" she pleaded as she looked up at him "For some reason Sergei thinks I know something, and if Ivan was with me, he may be able to tell me just exactly what it is...I may be the only one he will tell, so you have to at least let me try"
"I can tell by the look in your eyes that your mind is already made up about this isn't in" replied James with a bit of a crooked grin
"Yes, as a matter of fact it is" she said in a determined tone
"No chance talking you out of it?"
"No"
"Alright, but I want to be there" he said in an equally determined tone
"Fine... but not in the room, he may not tell me if you're there"
James shook his head and smiled as he leaned down and pulled her into a deep kiss as he maneuvered her back toward the bed.
"What do you think you're doing?" she asked with a grin
"Well...now that you're in a better mood there was something I wanted to ask" he replied as he fiddled with the tie on her dressing gown
"Oh...and what was that?" she asked as she climbed on the bed and pulled him next to her, curling up beside him with her head on his chest
"Well, I need you to be completely serious for a minute and look at me"
"When have you ever known me NOT to be completely serious?" she said pulling back to look at him
"I just thought that possibly I should ask you properly to marry me" he replied as he leaned in and kissed the tip of her nose "I know you already said yes, but you have to admit it wasn't much of a proposal"
"Oh I see" she said in a mock serious tone "So if you were to properly propose, just what would you say?"
"I would say Olivia..."
"What?" she said narrowing her eyes
"Well I can't very well propose to you using your title can I?"
M gave him a curious look before she finally consented
"I suppose not...very well please continue" she said as she did her very best not to giggle
"I would say Olivia Mansfield, would you marry me?" he said as he looked at her, waiting for her response, which took longer than he expected
"Well...Let me see...Marry you...I'll have to think about that for a minute, after all marriage is a big step and we wouldn't want to make a hasty decision now would we" she said with a twinkle in her eye
James watched her intently as she "thought" about it before he finally couldn't stand it anymore
"Are you going to say yes or not?" he asked impatiently
"James" she whispered as she leaned up and captured his lips in a tender kiss "I already said yes once, what on earth would make you think my answer would be any different the second time around" she said with a laugh "But let me make one thing perfectly clear. You may only use my given name at home, when no one else is around"
"Of course" he replied as he pulled her to him
"And I am still your boss, so no funny business at the office"
"I assumed as much" he said with a grin "Unless..."
"Unless what?"
"What if I were to push that handy little button on your desk and seal off your office?"
"James, that button is only to be used in case of emergencies and I hardly think..."
"What? Kissing my wife doesn't qualify as an emergency?"
"James!"
"Alright...Hands to myself until we get home" he said sounding rather disappointed as he kissed her temple "I love you"
"That's good, because I love you too" she replied as she snuggled closer
"I don't suppose you're hungry?" he said changing the subject
"Why do you ask?"
"Well, I happen to know that Jack has dinner waiting downstairs if you're feeling up to it"
"I don't suppose he would be willing to bring it up to us?" she asked teasingly"
"He's an agent not a waiter, and besides it would be rude to expect him to eat alone" replied James as he untangled himself from her and got off the bed pulling M along with him
"I guess you're right" she said with a small laugh as she followed along behind with a slight pout
"Don't worry, we can pick up where we left off after dinner" he said with a mischievous grin
As the two of them made their way downstairs, they found Jack setting the table.
"I see you've set the table for three?" said James as he stood in the doorway grinning at Jack
"I was trusting in your power of persuasion to get her down here to eat something, we can't have her collapsing when she goes to see Ivan" replied Jack with a knowing look
"How did you know I agreed to let her go?"
"Because she always get's what she wants" he replied as he walked over and offered her his arm "Right this way Ma'am" as he escorted her to the table
"Thank you Jack" she said as she sat
"James, be a good boy and go fetch the wine in the kitchen"
"Why me?"
"Because I cooked, and the least you can do is get the drinks, besides I'm already sitting down" he teased as he quickly took a seat next to M
"You two!" she said with a wide grin "I haven't had this much attention in God know how long, and how is it that you know I want to talk to Ivan? I didn't tell you that?" she asked curiously
"Yeah...How did you know about that, we've only just discussed it upstairs? Were you listening at the door?"
"NO!" Jack replied defensively "It only makes sense that she would want to know what he knows given what he has already said, and she may be the only one who can pull the rest of the information out of him"
"There...You see!" she said proudly as she looked at James "I told you it was a good idea for me to talk to him"
"I didn't say it was a good idea for you to talk to him, but I do think it's our best option of getting to the bottom of this mess" replied Jack in a serious tone
"So do you think you can arrange it?" she asked
"Yes, but you're not going in alone"
"That's what I said" interjected James
"Well of course I wouldn't be alone, you two Knights of the Round Table will be on the other side of the glass" she smirked
"There's just no point in trying to reason with her is there" replied Jack in a perturbed tone
"I would think you would have learned that by now" said James with a grin
Jack just let out a long, deep sigh as he picked up his wine glass.
"Cheers" he said as he took a drink "Now eat your dinner you two, we have a big day ahead of us tomorrow"
TO BE CONTINUED...