" I once asked if you would ever ask me to stop Clarice and if memory
serves you told me not in a thousand years. I have decided to reword the
question and direct it to the only person who can answer it. Would I ever
stop if my reward was spending the remainder of my life with you?"
Clarice unconsously held her breath for an endless moment as she waited for his answer.
" If I had just one more day, one more hour, with you willingly by my side, if I awoke in the morning and you where the first and last thing I ever saw, if I could protect you till my last breath.there is no decision that I can make that my heart hasn't already Clarice.. the answer has always been the same.yes."
Clarice couldn't stop the swell of relief and love that made it hard to breath, and throwing herself into his arms she couldn't stop her mouth from finding his in a kiss full of promise and contentment. Pulling away slightly but still gripping firmly to his jacket, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of his hands as they rubbed soothing circles on her back, her breathing still slightly ragged.
" We should get moving again" she heard him whisper after a few minutes, and the events of the past thirty hours flashed once more in her mind.
" I know."
He could hear the disappointment in her voice, and shared it. He didn't really want to move from this position either but they had been lucky so far, he didn't want that luck to run out until they were far from here. Pulling away slightly, he felt her shiver as the cool night's air rushed into the space now vacated between their bodies.
" I'll drive, you should try and get some rest."
His voice was back to its normal pitch, low and slightly gravely, and it did little to quench the rising desire's that were slowly bubbling up. Nodding her head she moved slowly to the car, already missing the contact with him, and got into the passenger side. She watched as the drivers door opened and he slipped inside, cool and collected as always, as though the past ten minutes hadn't happened at all. Starting the engine without a word he slowly pulled onto the road and began on their route once more, only moving to turn on the heaters and point them in her direction.
Clarice sunk a little deeper into the seat and stared through heavy lids at the vastness of the almost black desert. Between the gentle vibration of the car, the heat that was building up inside it, and the security of having him sitting beside her, Clarice soon felt herself drifting off.
A soft touch at the side of her face brought Clarice into the waking world once more, and slightly disorientated, she quickly sat up and looked around her, her eyes eventually falling on the slightly amused face of Dr Hannibal Lecter. Frowning, and rubbing a hand over her face, she looked again at him, running her tongue over her lips before she attempted to speak.
" How long was I sleeping?" her voice was rough and low from thirst and sleep.
" Only a few hours, I would have left you sleeping only I thought you would appreciate a bed rather than the seat of a car."
Looking out of the window, she could make out the neon lights of the motel they were parked outside off, and breathed a sigh of relief. At last.
The small motel was a typical roadside establishment, used mainly by travelling businessman, truckers and drunken husbands who had been kicked out but didn't want to stray too far. Finally managing to get the door open they both made their way inside, quickly looking around the cramped room. One smallish double bed with a dark brown duvet, a mahogany wardrobe that tilted slightly to one side and a little bathroom with bath and toilet facilities. It wasn't exactly the Ritz but would be sufficient for there purpose. A few hours sleep, something to eat and drink and they would be on the road again to.. well she didn't know where yet but she could only hope that it was better than what she was looking at just now. Clarice made her way to the bathroom and closed the door behind her, standing in front of the small cracked mirror she raised an eyebrow at her reflection and decided that some major work needed to be done. He hair reminded her of the scarecrow she had made at her uncles ranch, her skin was pale and lifeless looking and her eyes were red and slightly swollen from crying and sleeping. All in all she concluded she had seen better in the morgue. Splashing some cold water on her face and pulling her hair back into a sloppy ponytail was the best she could do without her suitcase she decided, so it was with a deep, almost hesitant breath that she gently coaxed the rattling wooden door open and stepped back into the bedroom.
He was sitting at the end of the bed when she entered, sorting through what looked to be various pieces of paper and perhaps documents, but she couldn't be sure from her vantage point. Her curiosity piqued, she crept slowly and silently over to the bed, with her back hunched and her weight balanced on her toes with every step, she looked every bit the stereotypical felon. When she reached the edge of the bed, happy that she had managed to do so un-noticed, she ever so slowly leaned up and forward to glance over his shoulder.
" Passes, passports and id's Clarice. Nothing of any interest really." He said without looking at her, his voice carrying a slight trace of humour.
" Oh, and here I was thinking it was tickets for a luxury cruise in the med, or a five course meal set on priceless silverware, or maybe even a sinfully deep mattress set in an antique bed, with rose petals sprinkled lovingly over it." she replied sarcastically, but with humour. She was slightly taken aback then when he suddenly turned and grabbed the waistband of her trousers, puling her down to the mattress. She couldn't stop the slight yelp from escaping when he threw a leg over her and pinned her hands above her head. They were both breathing heavily when he seemed happy with her position and Clarice wasn't entirely sure it was purely from exertion.
" You will have all those things in due time Clarice. That and much more." He smiled down at her, feeling her slight squirm beneath him.
" Yeah? You know as much as that all sounds incredible, I'm really a lot easier to please.for example.pizza. Simple, cheap, but will put a smile on my face any day of the week, like today for instance, like right now."
She was smiling too by this point, and was not sure she was perhaps enjoying this banter and position a little too much.
" Really Clarice, pizza? How dreadful. Although if it is what you wish, and due to our currant circumstances, I don't see why not, especially if it graces me with a smile." there was a slight pause in which his eyes swept briefly over her body "which leads me to think what else could put a smile so easily on your face."
Her breathing suddenly a little shallower, deeper, all traces of humour swept from her expression replaced with what he could only describe as lust.. exactly what he had set out to do. Looking down on her he felt for what had to be the hundredth time that day a slight flutter in his chest, as though his heart was forgetting the occasional beat. She was shifting under him, her fingers caressing his own in his tight grasp, her thigh moving to apply pressure where it would affect him the most. Tilting his head he made sure his voice was low as he spoke..
" I think we should perhaps eat Clarice, we need to while we have the time and opportunity."
Looking up at him, she smiled cheekily.
" Uh huh, and does that apply to other.. activities too?"
He would be lying if he said her attempts at seduction where not having an effect on him, he was after all only a man, but the hour was already late and they would be on the road again before dawn if she agreed to stick to his plan, so that left little time for any.extra activities.however much he wished it otherwise.
" We should eat and rest, " he whispered, hoping that his voice conveyed the regret he was feeling.
Clarice lifted her head and placed a warm kiss on his lips, before nodding her head and signalling for him to let her up. They stared deeply into one another's eyes for a few seconds before they both started to make arrangements for dinner and sleep.
Switching off his headlights as he approached the motel, he spotted their vehicle almost immediately, sitting still and black in the silence of the parking lot. Cutting off his engine as he reached the edge of the motel he rolled the car into a space at the other end of the lot and carefully opened his car door just wide enough for him to exit. The whole process had been silent and he inwardly applauded his own brilliance and resourcefulness. After a brief hushed chat with the owner he collected his room key and made his way towards the door, his concentration focused on his footfalls. Once outside the door he took his time in slipping the key into the lock and almost cursed out loud when the door creaked on it's hinges as it fell open. Stepping over the threshold he looked down the row of doors one last time before he closed his own with a small, final click.
Clarice unconsously held her breath for an endless moment as she waited for his answer.
" If I had just one more day, one more hour, with you willingly by my side, if I awoke in the morning and you where the first and last thing I ever saw, if I could protect you till my last breath.there is no decision that I can make that my heart hasn't already Clarice.. the answer has always been the same.yes."
Clarice couldn't stop the swell of relief and love that made it hard to breath, and throwing herself into his arms she couldn't stop her mouth from finding his in a kiss full of promise and contentment. Pulling away slightly but still gripping firmly to his jacket, she closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of his hands as they rubbed soothing circles on her back, her breathing still slightly ragged.
" We should get moving again" she heard him whisper after a few minutes, and the events of the past thirty hours flashed once more in her mind.
" I know."
He could hear the disappointment in her voice, and shared it. He didn't really want to move from this position either but they had been lucky so far, he didn't want that luck to run out until they were far from here. Pulling away slightly, he felt her shiver as the cool night's air rushed into the space now vacated between their bodies.
" I'll drive, you should try and get some rest."
His voice was back to its normal pitch, low and slightly gravely, and it did little to quench the rising desire's that were slowly bubbling up. Nodding her head she moved slowly to the car, already missing the contact with him, and got into the passenger side. She watched as the drivers door opened and he slipped inside, cool and collected as always, as though the past ten minutes hadn't happened at all. Starting the engine without a word he slowly pulled onto the road and began on their route once more, only moving to turn on the heaters and point them in her direction.
Clarice sunk a little deeper into the seat and stared through heavy lids at the vastness of the almost black desert. Between the gentle vibration of the car, the heat that was building up inside it, and the security of having him sitting beside her, Clarice soon felt herself drifting off.
A soft touch at the side of her face brought Clarice into the waking world once more, and slightly disorientated, she quickly sat up and looked around her, her eyes eventually falling on the slightly amused face of Dr Hannibal Lecter. Frowning, and rubbing a hand over her face, she looked again at him, running her tongue over her lips before she attempted to speak.
" How long was I sleeping?" her voice was rough and low from thirst and sleep.
" Only a few hours, I would have left you sleeping only I thought you would appreciate a bed rather than the seat of a car."
Looking out of the window, she could make out the neon lights of the motel they were parked outside off, and breathed a sigh of relief. At last.
The small motel was a typical roadside establishment, used mainly by travelling businessman, truckers and drunken husbands who had been kicked out but didn't want to stray too far. Finally managing to get the door open they both made their way inside, quickly looking around the cramped room. One smallish double bed with a dark brown duvet, a mahogany wardrobe that tilted slightly to one side and a little bathroom with bath and toilet facilities. It wasn't exactly the Ritz but would be sufficient for there purpose. A few hours sleep, something to eat and drink and they would be on the road again to.. well she didn't know where yet but she could only hope that it was better than what she was looking at just now. Clarice made her way to the bathroom and closed the door behind her, standing in front of the small cracked mirror she raised an eyebrow at her reflection and decided that some major work needed to be done. He hair reminded her of the scarecrow she had made at her uncles ranch, her skin was pale and lifeless looking and her eyes were red and slightly swollen from crying and sleeping. All in all she concluded she had seen better in the morgue. Splashing some cold water on her face and pulling her hair back into a sloppy ponytail was the best she could do without her suitcase she decided, so it was with a deep, almost hesitant breath that she gently coaxed the rattling wooden door open and stepped back into the bedroom.
He was sitting at the end of the bed when she entered, sorting through what looked to be various pieces of paper and perhaps documents, but she couldn't be sure from her vantage point. Her curiosity piqued, she crept slowly and silently over to the bed, with her back hunched and her weight balanced on her toes with every step, she looked every bit the stereotypical felon. When she reached the edge of the bed, happy that she had managed to do so un-noticed, she ever so slowly leaned up and forward to glance over his shoulder.
" Passes, passports and id's Clarice. Nothing of any interest really." He said without looking at her, his voice carrying a slight trace of humour.
" Oh, and here I was thinking it was tickets for a luxury cruise in the med, or a five course meal set on priceless silverware, or maybe even a sinfully deep mattress set in an antique bed, with rose petals sprinkled lovingly over it." she replied sarcastically, but with humour. She was slightly taken aback then when he suddenly turned and grabbed the waistband of her trousers, puling her down to the mattress. She couldn't stop the slight yelp from escaping when he threw a leg over her and pinned her hands above her head. They were both breathing heavily when he seemed happy with her position and Clarice wasn't entirely sure it was purely from exertion.
" You will have all those things in due time Clarice. That and much more." He smiled down at her, feeling her slight squirm beneath him.
" Yeah? You know as much as that all sounds incredible, I'm really a lot easier to please.for example.pizza. Simple, cheap, but will put a smile on my face any day of the week, like today for instance, like right now."
She was smiling too by this point, and was not sure she was perhaps enjoying this banter and position a little too much.
" Really Clarice, pizza? How dreadful. Although if it is what you wish, and due to our currant circumstances, I don't see why not, especially if it graces me with a smile." there was a slight pause in which his eyes swept briefly over her body "which leads me to think what else could put a smile so easily on your face."
Her breathing suddenly a little shallower, deeper, all traces of humour swept from her expression replaced with what he could only describe as lust.. exactly what he had set out to do. Looking down on her he felt for what had to be the hundredth time that day a slight flutter in his chest, as though his heart was forgetting the occasional beat. She was shifting under him, her fingers caressing his own in his tight grasp, her thigh moving to apply pressure where it would affect him the most. Tilting his head he made sure his voice was low as he spoke..
" I think we should perhaps eat Clarice, we need to while we have the time and opportunity."
Looking up at him, she smiled cheekily.
" Uh huh, and does that apply to other.. activities too?"
He would be lying if he said her attempts at seduction where not having an effect on him, he was after all only a man, but the hour was already late and they would be on the road again before dawn if she agreed to stick to his plan, so that left little time for any.extra activities.however much he wished it otherwise.
" We should eat and rest, " he whispered, hoping that his voice conveyed the regret he was feeling.
Clarice lifted her head and placed a warm kiss on his lips, before nodding her head and signalling for him to let her up. They stared deeply into one another's eyes for a few seconds before they both started to make arrangements for dinner and sleep.
Switching off his headlights as he approached the motel, he spotted their vehicle almost immediately, sitting still and black in the silence of the parking lot. Cutting off his engine as he reached the edge of the motel he rolled the car into a space at the other end of the lot and carefully opened his car door just wide enough for him to exit. The whole process had been silent and he inwardly applauded his own brilliance and resourcefulness. After a brief hushed chat with the owner he collected his room key and made his way towards the door, his concentration focused on his footfalls. Once outside the door he took his time in slipping the key into the lock and almost cursed out loud when the door creaked on it's hinges as it fell open. Stepping over the threshold he looked down the row of doors one last time before he closed his own with a small, final click.