THE MUMMY RETURNS COMES OUT ON
DVD/VHS OCTOBER 2!!!!!!!!! (Time to do
the happy dance!)
Disclaimer: The Mummy and The Mummy Returns plot and
characters do not belong to me.
(I've been picturing how
Jonathan might court a woman…I've had chills ever since.)
Courting
Amanda brushed her face in her
sleep, trying to knock away whatever was tickling her nose. It didn't work. Instead the light touch continued across her cheek, down the side
of her neck where it continued down along the line of the nightgown she
wore. She opened her eyes; her sleepy
gaze meeting Jonathan's amused stare. Still not completely awake and thinking she was dreaming she made no
protest when he lowered his mouth to hers.
Jonathan buried his hands in her
hair, as he tasted her lips, feeling her arms slide around his back as she
arched up against him. He'd only
intended to wake her with a small kiss, but the moment his lips had met hers
all thought had fled. The memories of
past kisses had been nowhere near to how it felt to hold her for real.
Amanda's sleep fogged brain
began to register that this was really happening, that she wasn't dreaming as
she had been since he'd left Cairo. He
caught her lower lip in his teeth, dragging a moan from her as he bit her
gently. He released her, but remained
lying half-across her with his hands still buried in her hair as he looked down
at her.
"Good morning,
luv."
The fog sleep and his kiss had
induced began to lift. She tried to
shift out from beneath him but was trapped by the hold he had on her hair. He grinned down at her as temper began to
flare in her eyes.
"What are you
doing?" Amanda demanded.
"I brought you
this." Jonathan replied, freeing
one of his hands to pick up the flower he'd brought into the room with him.
"Why?" She asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes
when he slowly brushed it across her lips.
"Why wouldn't I bring a
beautiful woman flowers?" He
teased, laying the flower on the pillow beside her head. "It's time to get up, sleepyhead. I've arranged for us to spend time
together."
"I don't think so…"
He smothered her protest with a
kiss.
"Jonathan…"
He kissed her again, devouring
her mouth with his. She was breathless
when he released her.
"Are you going to do that
every time I protest?" She asked, eyes
fluttering closed as his lips trailed over her cheek.
"I have a notion to do it
whenever I feel like it." He
murmured against her ear, nipping lightly. "Let me put it this way. If
you don't spend the day with me outside of this room, I'm going to spend the
day with you in this bed."
He pushed himself away from her,
reluctantly. She watched him walk to
the door.
"I'll see you downstairs in
half an hour."
The door closed behind him, and
Amanda pulled the blankets up over her head. Rethinking that decision, she tossed them back and scrambled out of
bed. She had a feeling if she didn't do
as he'd told her, he'd make good on his promise to return…
Jonathan looked at his watch for
the fifth time. It had been 45 minutes,
and there'd been no sign of her. This
courting thing was going to be a pain in the ass, he could tell. He started for her room, raising his hand to
knock on the door when it suddenly opened and she came running out. Smack into him. Her momentum carried them both into the wall behind him. Suddenly finding himself pinned between the
wall and Amanda, Jonathan began to laugh.
"You're late." He teased, linking his hands around her
waist.
"Get used to it." Amanda said with a laugh, trying to pull
free of his grasp. "I'm never on
time in the mornings."
"Get used to it,
hmmm?" Jonathan murmured,
tightening his hold. "Does that
mean you plan on sticking around me?"
"For today. You didn't leave me much choice." Amanda demurred. "Jonathan, what do you think you're doing?"
He dipped his head, brushing a
light kiss across her lips. Though the
contact was brief, it set a slow fire burning within her.
"Isn't it obvious, my
dear?" He asked, releasing
her. He caught her hand in his,
bringing it up to his lips. "I'm
courting you."
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Amanda walked into her bedroom,
her jaw dropping with surprise when she saw that the room had been completely
filled with flowers. The air was
perfumed with their scent and she drew a deep breath, filling her senses with
the smell. She threw herself down atop
the bed, covering herself with the blooms as Rebecca walked in, her gasp
alerting Amanda to her presence.
"My goodness." Rebecca said, her voice tinted with
amusement. "He certainly doesn't do
things halfway, does he?"
"I don't believe so." Amanda replied, grinning up at her sister in
law. "It's been like this all
week. First it was chocolates. I don't know how he transported 5 lbs across
the desert, but he did it."
"So that's why the children have
been following you around." Rebecca
mused.
"Yes, I gave it to the
children." Amanda confirmed. "He had Denari make up that perfumed oil I
like."
"Is
that the jug?" Rebecca asked, nodding
towards the large jar in the corner as she perched carefully on the side of the
bed.
"Yes. Now it's flowers." Amanda
said, picking up a handful and letting them fall on her stomach. "If he's trying to get on my good side, it's
working."
Rebecca smiled, knowing that
Jonathan had closeted himself with Ardeth. She had a pretty good idea what the topic of discussion was.
"Do you love him?" Rebecca asked, her expression serious.
"Yes." Amanda said simply. "I
don't think I'm right for him, but I love him."
"Why don't you think you're
right for him?"
"I've lied to him nearly the
whole time I've known him. I stole from
him. He has no reason to trust
me." Amanda said, her good mood fleeing
as she rose, pacing the room. "His
sister doesn't like me."
"She didn't like you." Evy corrected, stepping into the room. "But I've revised my opinion."
"Why?" Amanda asked bluntly, folding her arms across her chest.
"You've saved my son. You helped my sister when she needed it
most." Evy said, coming forward to take
both Amanda's hands in hers. "Now
you're going to get drunk with me."
"I'm what?" Amanda asked, confused as Evy began to pull
her to the doorway.
"Rick's got Emma. I'm free for the night." Evy said with glee. "I need to celebrate."
"Denari's watching Ahmed." Rebecca added. "So, let's go over to the home you were offered, Amanda. We can toast it in."
Hours later…
"You didn't." Amanda said, her eyes wide as Rebecca
nodded. "Poor Jonathan!"
"Poor Jonathan?" Rebecca asked, annoyed. "I was the one who's hair got dipped in
ink!"
"You have to admit your revenge
was a bit out of proportion to the crime." Evy said with a giggle as she poured refills.
"True." Rebecca admitted with a laugh. "Having one's underpants flown from the
flagpole may be a touch more humiliating."
Amanda could only shake her head
at the stories she was being told. She'd drank a much as the other two had, but did not show the effects,
much to their disgust. Evy had the
giggles, which Rebecca, her voice mildly slurred, informed Amanda was
normal. Evy had tried to defend
herself, only to break into another fit of giggles. Amanda had shaken her head at both of them, and listened as
Rebecca told yet another story. They
were interrupted by a knock on the door. All three women's heads turned as the door opened, and Jonathan stuck
his head inside.
"Am I interrupting?" He asked, ducking the pillow that Rebecca
threw in his direction. "Ladies! I come bearing a plea form your husbands!"
"And for what are they
pleading?" Rebecca demanded, one
eyebrow lifted.
"Your babies are crying,
nonstop." Jonathan informed them,
smirking when both Rebecca and Evy scrambled to their feet, worry on their
faces. They were falling for it.
"You certainly know how to kill
a party." Amanda commented as Evy and
Rebecca left.
Jonathan stepped into the house,
shutting the door behind him. Amanda
heard the latch fall into place and she pushed her hair back from her face as
she rose, looking across the room at him. Jonathan stepped forward, until he stood directly before her. He brought his hands up to her shoulders,
lowering his head until his face was buried in the curve of her neck. He breathed in; pleased to note she smelled
of the oil he'd given her.
"You smell divine." Jonathan murmured, brushing his lips against
her soft skin.
"I should." Amanda said, her voice shaky as her hands
clutched his arms. "It was your gift."
"And how have you liked my
gifts?"
"I've loved them." She replied, looking up at him as he raised
his head to stare down at her.
"I have another one for
you." Jonathan said softly.
"Jonathan-" Amanda began to
protest as he reached into his pocket. "You
don't have to-"
"But I do." Jonathan said firmly, pulling a small box
from his pocket.
Amanda's heart began to beat
faster as her dropped to his knee, holding her hand in one of his as he gazed
up at her. With his free hand he opened
the box, showing a lovely gold band with a glittering ruby in the center.
"Will you marry me, Amanda?"