[CHAPTER SEVEN]
Sydney was prepared for any cover story that Vaughn could have dreamed up within such a short period of time, but when he uttered those three small words, Sydney's mask slipped.
"That's great, Michael! You've got quite a catch there!" Tom offered his hand, and Vaughn shook it. Marie seemed strangely quiet. Sydney moved to sit on the stool at the breakfast bar, and Vaughn reached for the bottle of wine.
"Thanks." Sydney smiled at Tom, and looked at Marie, who seemed to be going pale. "Are you ok, Marie?" Marie dipped her head, and sighed.
"Yes. It's just a little hot in here." She walked past Tom, and out into the hallway. Tom gave Vaughn a knowing look, and followed her. Taking the chance, Vaughn slid over to Sydney to give some sort of an explanation.
"Tom works for the CIA. I've known him since college. Marie and I used to be engaged…" Sydney processed the information quickly, and knew there was a lot more behind the story. "Just play along until I can get them out of here."
"Ok." He handed her a glass of wine, and inhaled a deep breath. The sound of a door slamming reverberated through the house, and Tom appeared in the doorway.
"Marie isn't feeling very well. She's gone back up to the house."
"Did she take the car?"
"Yeah. It's ok though. She'll be fine. I'll go after her in a few minutes." He walked back into the living room. "So tell me about yourself, Sydney. What tactics did you use to ensnare our Mr. Vaughn?" Vaughn handed him a glass of wine, laughing.
"Well…" She looked helplessly at Vaughn. They hadn't gotten a story together yet, and Tom would see right through it if she slipped up.
Vaughn interrupted. "She hates talking about herself. Too modest." He put his arm around her shoulder, and managed to turn the conversation around. "How was the honeymoon, Tom?"
"It was good. Adelaide was very hot compared to here." He gestured out the window, where snow was falling. "Marie and I had a lot of fun."
Tom sat on the single seat in the living room, and crossed his legs. He smoothed down the lines of his pressed black trousers, and picked a piece of imaginary lint from his gray jumper. Vaughn looked down at Sydney who was watching him with curiosity. She stood up, and walked to the sofa.
"How's things at the office, Michael? I hear you got a promotion." With every movement Tom made, Sydney was beginning to think he was a little too concerned about the lint on his jumper. She wasn't comfortable with him.
"I did." Vaughn moved over to the sofa beside her.
"How did that happen?" He looked straight at him, and raised an eyebrow.
"I had to deal with a situation. They promoted me for it." Vaughn sat back in the sofa, and pulled Sydney closer to him. They had to make it look natural. Sydney was suspicious of Tom, no matter how long Vaughn knew him. He was fishing for information. Vaughn sensed it too. Sydney moved in the seat uncomfortably. Her arm was beginning to itch again. She started to scratch at the skin above her cast.
"Don't scratch it, Syd."
"I can't help it. It's far too itchy for me not to. When can I get this cast off?"
"Soon." He took her hand gently from the patch of now red skin, and placed his own over it. The touch was instantly soothing, and almost extinguished the itch. Tom watched this all with interest, believing that they were a couple. Vaughn had his arm around her, holding her tightly while making sure he didn't crush the cast that she had on, and Sydney seemed to delight in the closeness that he was to her. They looked naturally in love. Tom had no reason to assume otherwise.
"Have you been back to the office since you came back, Tom?" He shook his head, and sat the glass of wine on the table in front of him.
"No. I'm on holiday for another week. I promised Marie I wouldn't contact them until it was midnight on the last day of the holiday. She says I take work too seriously. She wants 'us' time."
Vaughn laughed softly, still holding his hand over Sydney's arm. She rested her head on his shoulder, and toyed with the cast on her arm. "What is it you do at the office, Tom?"
Tom looked to Vaughn for confirmation before answering. "I work as an agent for the CIA."
"That sounds exciting." Sydney smiled at him.
"Yes it is. But it's dangerous. You should be happy you have a desk job, Sydney. Work like this should be left to the men."
Sydney sat there, disbelieving what he just said. "I'm sorry?" She moved to sit up, but Vaughn held her back firmly to his chest. She curled her fingers into a ball, and gave Tom a strained smile.
"You got yourself a fiery one there, Michael! I would watch her if I were you!" Sydney had to bite on her lip forcefully, to stop her from saying anything, and blowing their cover. How could Vaughn be friends with such a sexist, inarticulate schmuck was beyond her comprehension. "I'm sure she would understand where I'm coming from if she had to endure what we go through every day. It's not easy work."
Sydney sensed that Tom had a rather high opinion of himself for the work that he did. Vaughn could feel her stiffen in his arms as Tom continued to talk about the requirements that their line of work imposed. She was enraged.
"I think you'll find women can do things just as well as men." Tom threw her a glance of skepticism.
"I'm sure that in some careers, yes, but in this one, I'm afraid not. You wouldn't last ten minutes out there in our line of work. For example…" He sat forward, leering at her. "…that arm you've got in a cast. I'm guessing you fell down some stairs or something similar. Maybe slipped in the shower? Things like that would cost agents their lives. You wouldn't last."
Sydney managed to pull herself out of Vaughn's tight embrace.
"I'm sure you can understand where I'm coming from, Sydney. It's for your own good."
"I'm sure it is, Tom, but what you fail to realise is…" She was cut off with the pressure of Vaughn's lips against hers. He pulled her tightly to him, the soft touch of his mouth leaving Sydney breathless. She could do nothing but close her eyes, and lean into him. Her heart skipped a beat when she felt him pull away.
The kiss lasted only seconds, but when Sydney opened her eyes, she felt as if hours had passed. Looking up at Vaughn, his face was red, and he was staring down at her, burning desire in his eyes. They had to make it believable, obviously. She knew he was looking at her through a mask. He didn't mean to do anything except stop her from giving away their cover. They turned to Tom, who was watching them with embarrassed interest.
"I can't help myself when she gets like this."
Nodding understandingly, Tom reached for his almost finished glass of wine. Drinking the last of it, he stood. Vaughn pulled his arm from around her waist, and stood with him.
"I'd better be going. Marie will be at the house by now."
"Would you like a lift?"
"That would be great, thanks."
Vaughn reached for his car keys without a word.
"It was nice to meet you, Sydney. We should all have dinner some time soon." She nodded, and looked down at the carpet. He walked out the living room door, and Sydney stared wide eyed at Vaughn who was standing in the doorway.
"I'll be back in a few minutes."
"Ok." She wanted him to drop Tom off in the middle of the forest, and leave him there. The fury at not being able to retort to his sexist remarks made Sydney drink her half-filled glass of wine with one swallow. She watched as Vaughn and Tom got into the car, and drove up the darkened road.
She would make him explain exactly what was going on. She had quite a few questions to be answered. Who those people were, what they were doing in Vermont, and why she was still shaking from their kiss. She could answer the last one herself, but tried not to think about it, for fear that she wouldn't be able to contain herself once she knew the answer.
*****
Chapter eight will be up soon. Thank you for all the reviews, and please review this one. Come back soon! :)
Sydney was prepared for any cover story that Vaughn could have dreamed up within such a short period of time, but when he uttered those three small words, Sydney's mask slipped.
"That's great, Michael! You've got quite a catch there!" Tom offered his hand, and Vaughn shook it. Marie seemed strangely quiet. Sydney moved to sit on the stool at the breakfast bar, and Vaughn reached for the bottle of wine.
"Thanks." Sydney smiled at Tom, and looked at Marie, who seemed to be going pale. "Are you ok, Marie?" Marie dipped her head, and sighed.
"Yes. It's just a little hot in here." She walked past Tom, and out into the hallway. Tom gave Vaughn a knowing look, and followed her. Taking the chance, Vaughn slid over to Sydney to give some sort of an explanation.
"Tom works for the CIA. I've known him since college. Marie and I used to be engaged…" Sydney processed the information quickly, and knew there was a lot more behind the story. "Just play along until I can get them out of here."
"Ok." He handed her a glass of wine, and inhaled a deep breath. The sound of a door slamming reverberated through the house, and Tom appeared in the doorway.
"Marie isn't feeling very well. She's gone back up to the house."
"Did she take the car?"
"Yeah. It's ok though. She'll be fine. I'll go after her in a few minutes." He walked back into the living room. "So tell me about yourself, Sydney. What tactics did you use to ensnare our Mr. Vaughn?" Vaughn handed him a glass of wine, laughing.
"Well…" She looked helplessly at Vaughn. They hadn't gotten a story together yet, and Tom would see right through it if she slipped up.
Vaughn interrupted. "She hates talking about herself. Too modest." He put his arm around her shoulder, and managed to turn the conversation around. "How was the honeymoon, Tom?"
"It was good. Adelaide was very hot compared to here." He gestured out the window, where snow was falling. "Marie and I had a lot of fun."
Tom sat on the single seat in the living room, and crossed his legs. He smoothed down the lines of his pressed black trousers, and picked a piece of imaginary lint from his gray jumper. Vaughn looked down at Sydney who was watching him with curiosity. She stood up, and walked to the sofa.
"How's things at the office, Michael? I hear you got a promotion." With every movement Tom made, Sydney was beginning to think he was a little too concerned about the lint on his jumper. She wasn't comfortable with him.
"I did." Vaughn moved over to the sofa beside her.
"How did that happen?" He looked straight at him, and raised an eyebrow.
"I had to deal with a situation. They promoted me for it." Vaughn sat back in the sofa, and pulled Sydney closer to him. They had to make it look natural. Sydney was suspicious of Tom, no matter how long Vaughn knew him. He was fishing for information. Vaughn sensed it too. Sydney moved in the seat uncomfortably. Her arm was beginning to itch again. She started to scratch at the skin above her cast.
"Don't scratch it, Syd."
"I can't help it. It's far too itchy for me not to. When can I get this cast off?"
"Soon." He took her hand gently from the patch of now red skin, and placed his own over it. The touch was instantly soothing, and almost extinguished the itch. Tom watched this all with interest, believing that they were a couple. Vaughn had his arm around her, holding her tightly while making sure he didn't crush the cast that she had on, and Sydney seemed to delight in the closeness that he was to her. They looked naturally in love. Tom had no reason to assume otherwise.
"Have you been back to the office since you came back, Tom?" He shook his head, and sat the glass of wine on the table in front of him.
"No. I'm on holiday for another week. I promised Marie I wouldn't contact them until it was midnight on the last day of the holiday. She says I take work too seriously. She wants 'us' time."
Vaughn laughed softly, still holding his hand over Sydney's arm. She rested her head on his shoulder, and toyed with the cast on her arm. "What is it you do at the office, Tom?"
Tom looked to Vaughn for confirmation before answering. "I work as an agent for the CIA."
"That sounds exciting." Sydney smiled at him.
"Yes it is. But it's dangerous. You should be happy you have a desk job, Sydney. Work like this should be left to the men."
Sydney sat there, disbelieving what he just said. "I'm sorry?" She moved to sit up, but Vaughn held her back firmly to his chest. She curled her fingers into a ball, and gave Tom a strained smile.
"You got yourself a fiery one there, Michael! I would watch her if I were you!" Sydney had to bite on her lip forcefully, to stop her from saying anything, and blowing their cover. How could Vaughn be friends with such a sexist, inarticulate schmuck was beyond her comprehension. "I'm sure she would understand where I'm coming from if she had to endure what we go through every day. It's not easy work."
Sydney sensed that Tom had a rather high opinion of himself for the work that he did. Vaughn could feel her stiffen in his arms as Tom continued to talk about the requirements that their line of work imposed. She was enraged.
"I think you'll find women can do things just as well as men." Tom threw her a glance of skepticism.
"I'm sure that in some careers, yes, but in this one, I'm afraid not. You wouldn't last ten minutes out there in our line of work. For example…" He sat forward, leering at her. "…that arm you've got in a cast. I'm guessing you fell down some stairs or something similar. Maybe slipped in the shower? Things like that would cost agents their lives. You wouldn't last."
Sydney managed to pull herself out of Vaughn's tight embrace.
"I'm sure you can understand where I'm coming from, Sydney. It's for your own good."
"I'm sure it is, Tom, but what you fail to realise is…" She was cut off with the pressure of Vaughn's lips against hers. He pulled her tightly to him, the soft touch of his mouth leaving Sydney breathless. She could do nothing but close her eyes, and lean into him. Her heart skipped a beat when she felt him pull away.
The kiss lasted only seconds, but when Sydney opened her eyes, she felt as if hours had passed. Looking up at Vaughn, his face was red, and he was staring down at her, burning desire in his eyes. They had to make it believable, obviously. She knew he was looking at her through a mask. He didn't mean to do anything except stop her from giving away their cover. They turned to Tom, who was watching them with embarrassed interest.
"I can't help myself when she gets like this."
Nodding understandingly, Tom reached for his almost finished glass of wine. Drinking the last of it, he stood. Vaughn pulled his arm from around her waist, and stood with him.
"I'd better be going. Marie will be at the house by now."
"Would you like a lift?"
"That would be great, thanks."
Vaughn reached for his car keys without a word.
"It was nice to meet you, Sydney. We should all have dinner some time soon." She nodded, and looked down at the carpet. He walked out the living room door, and Sydney stared wide eyed at Vaughn who was standing in the doorway.
"I'll be back in a few minutes."
"Ok." She wanted him to drop Tom off in the middle of the forest, and leave him there. The fury at not being able to retort to his sexist remarks made Sydney drink her half-filled glass of wine with one swallow. She watched as Vaughn and Tom got into the car, and drove up the darkened road.
She would make him explain exactly what was going on. She had quite a few questions to be answered. Who those people were, what they were doing in Vermont, and why she was still shaking from their kiss. She could answer the last one herself, but tried not to think about it, for fear that she wouldn't be able to contain herself once she knew the answer.
*****
Chapter eight will be up soon. Thank you for all the reviews, and please review this one. Come back soon! :)