Fic: After All This Time (2/?)
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The Direct Approach
Rodger arrived back at their island office with a sense of purpose. Duke had agreed to help. Now, all he had to do was get Shauna to Duke and she would be safe-Duke would make sure of that. Rodger wasn't ever worried about how to get her there. The direct approach was always best. There she was-pacing along the dock, talking into her cell phone, incessantly playing with the necklace she habitually wore-a sure sign she was nervous. Oh, well. He was about to solve that. Rodger dropped to his knees, wrapping a rope tautly across her legs, knocking her over with an "Oomph Rodger! What the hell do you think you're doing?" Rodger wasted no time in tying her hands behind her back, dumping her cell phone in the bay, and then putting a gag in his cursing cousin's mouth. "It's all for the best, Baby Cakes. Don't worry, you'll be in good hands."
Cougar, one their agents, helped Rodger secure her in the chopper. Shauna's eyes flashed at both men. "Damn, boss, she's madder than I've ever seen her, you sure this is a good idea?"
"Yeah, Cougar, it's the only idea. Blindfold her before you lift off-and be careful. Make sure no one follows you. Contact me after you make the drop."
"Got it." Cougar slammed the chopper door and checked Shauna's restraints. "Just checking to make sure you're in there good and tight. It's for my benefit as well as yours-if you get loose you're likely to skin me alive just for agreeing to take you." Cougar shook his head, "And I'd kinda like to keep my skin a bit longer."
Several hours and two time zones later Cougar spotted the canyon. He made the designated fly by and then set the chopper down on the rocky floor to help Shauna out of her seat. Well, man-handled was more like it. She didn't know where she was but she sure as hell didn't like being dragged around like a trussed up sack of potatoes. Cougar opened the side door, "Watch that first step now, it can be a doozy." He hadn't really expected her to listen. She dropped to the canyon floor making a dust cloud that settled around her like a Christmas wreath. Cougar nodded once to the man on horseback, hidden in the shadows with his hat pulled low down over his eyes and then went back to the chopper controls. Cougar lifted off and made his way back to the island.
Shauna landed flat on her ass in the hard dirt. She made a frustrated cry of outrage directed to everyone within hearing distance. She wasted no time at all getting to work on her bindings. She knew she wasn't alone-she could smell a horse-perhaps several of them. And something else...something that didn't seem to fit in this environment. Whatever that something was she wanted to be prepared when she met it. That meant getting her hands loose and this damn blindfold out of the way. Thank god she had worn hair sticks today. She had been caught full force by some sentimental notion of him. This morning she had silently berated herself for holding on to the things but now she was grateful she had.
Conrad Hauser nudged his horse forward out of the shadows. He wanted to take a good long look at her-see what had changed, what had stayed the same. He started from the ground up, telling himself it would be easier to avoid her face as long as he could. Dirt now stained what he was sure had been an immaculately pressed burgandy pantsuit. She was wearing strappy little sandles that mached her suit. He knew, without a doubt, that the sandles would be heeled and when she stood up they would be nearly the same height. Was it a comfort to know some things never changed? He wondered, shaking his head to clear those unwanted thoughts. Shauna started working on the rope binding her hands together, he watched in fascination as her suit jacket parted with her struggles revealing a thin white camisole. 'Good Lord.' He thought, his mouth going dry, 'She's not wearing anything else under that jacket.' He could see the subtle outline of her breasts and gave himself a mental shake. Desire and a fierce longing coursed though him to jump off his horse and take her in his arms. If her reaction to him turned out to be anything like his reaction to her-she wouldn't mind. He dragged his eyes up past her breasts but stopped just below her face. He wasn't ready for that yet. But abruptly the choice was taken from him, with a cry of triumph, her hands came free, quickly untying the rope at her feet, and jerking the gag and blindfold off. Those eyes…. he was struck deaf, dumb, and blind. She was more beautiful than he remembered…was such a thing possible?
Triumph raced through her blood as she jerked the blindfold off and jerked that disgusting gag out of her mouth. "Finally!" she shook her head, sending more tendrils down to join the ones she had carefully pulled down that morning. She stood up gingerly, sore after being stuck in one position for so many hours. She rubbed her hands and then tilted her head back, massaging her stiff neck.
In that moment Duke forgot to breath. He was thankful she wasn't yet paying attention to her surroundings, if she had been; her first sight of him in five years would be of his mouth hanging open as he ogled her. He assumed that she would take exception to that now. She hadn't once before…but then once before they had shared a bed and what had been good for the goose…well best not to let his thoughts run in that direction yet. He groaned…too late. Innocently she swung her head left and right, sending cascades of soft red curls tumbling down her around her shoulders. OH, God…that hair. Every color of the sunset…every color of the sunrise. He had gloried in that mane of hair often enough from sunset to sunrise. She had teased him with that mane…. It had worked then and it sure as hell worked now. The sun glinted off two hair sticks as they tumbled down. "No…" he cried softly…"They couldn't be…. could they?" they looked so like the pair he had bought her…once long ago when their relationship had turned from simple to complex, when they had started sharing one bed…. his bed. His mind was jerked from that path as her hands went up to massage her neck, straining her breasts against that camisole. "God help me…" he realized in the instant her hands paused that he had uttered that plea loud enough for her to hear him.
Shauna paused in her ministrations, 'that voice…. thick and rough turning to honey…. No! Rodger wouldn't be that cruel. It couldn't be him! But that voice…. it had to be.' And she was no indifferent to it now than she had been five years ago. "Duke?" she trembled his name, more than half afraid to open her eyes. She had no choice however, so she opened her eyes, and looked right into his.
Deep blue eyes met deeper blue eyes. Breath hitched and pulses raced. She watched, fascinated, as he slid slowly down from the saddle, her tongue darting out to lick her lips. God but he was gorgeous. Those boots added a couple inches of height and that hat! The damn thing cast shadows over his face-the part of him she was both most eager and most reluctant to view. He turned around slowly, as if afraid of what he would find when he looked into her eyes again. He always could see straight through to her soul. But then she could look in his and find his own soul waiting for her. Scarred boots, he was used to being outdoors-something she wasn't anymore, legs encased in well-worn jeans that fit him…well in that moment she wished she were those jeans. Oh, yeah…her tongue darted out to lick her lips once again; he was no more indifferent to her than she was to him. His chest was broader than the last time she had seen him, arms stronger, his face…. dear sweet God…. she didn't know whether she wanted to laugh or cry, slap him or kiss him senseless, knock him down or jump him…In the end her feet were rooted to this spot and movement was up to him.
Duke turned to face her, not sure exactly what to do or say, he settled for the obvious, "Shauna…um…." he cleared his throat, barely able to get past her name, it sounded so sweet after all this time, "…are you…ah…are you all right?"
All she could do for the longest time was stare at him, she knew his lips were moving, that he was saying something, asking her a question, but it took her a few moments to realize what he had asked her, and it took her an even longer moment to form a response. 'Are you okay?' 'What kind of a question was that? She was feeling a thousand different things…and she didn't know if she was okay or not.' In the end all she knew was that she was damned uncomfortable standing here like this, in the middle of no where, not knowing what was going on, and felt he needed to at least understand that if not feel uncomfortable himself, "No thanks to some people, but yeah, I'm fine." She couldn't bear standing there, looking at him, but not touching him, so she dropped to her knees and started looking for her hair sticks.
Duke figured she would say something like that, he had always been the first to back down in an argument, or calm down at the least, he supposed it was that Irish temper of hers so he extended his hand to help her up, and realizing what she had in her hands, said the first thing that had come to his mind, "Aren't those my hair sticks?"
She waved his hand away and replied, "I thought they were MY hair sticks, and thank you...but I can take care of myself."
He quietly chuckled to himself, "always the independent woman!"
Her eyes flashed at that and he was irritated that she wouldn't take his hand, he mumbled, "Well, I guess that Irish temper of yours hasn't changed."
"I heard that!" She was glad she hadn't extended her hand if this was how he was going to treat her, "And I see you, Conrad Hauser, still need to learn some manners!"
"Manners? Me? Lady you've got some nerve!"
"Me? You think I've got nerve? And you calling me names under your breath!"
"I wasn't calling you names! I was commenting on your temper-which you do still have. It wouldn't hurt you for once to just let things lie and accept my hand. It has been five years after all and you don't have to do everything by yourself."
She crossed her arms and started tapping her feet, "You're loving this aren't you? Admit it Hauser, what did they pay you...or was it enough for you to see me in this kind of predicament.... kidnapped, bound and gagged, deserted...."
"Damnit, Shauna!, will you calm down...we have a lot of ground to cover today and arguing like this isn't gonna get us there any faster"
"Always the one to back down.... yeah, you're right, some things don't change!"
He couldn't believe this! Five years pass and this is how she treats him! Like some common criminal! "Listen Lady, I'm saving your ass by letting you come here! The least you could do is to show some respect! We are going to be stuck with each other for awhile!"
Eyes flashing, Shauna turned around, as if to gather her things, then she realized she had nothing but the shirt on her back, and his damn hair sticks! She looked him straight in the eye, "Where to Sgt. Hauser?"
Her temper was biting, and all he should feel like doing would be to give as good as he got. Instead, all he could think of was how much he wanted her. 'God, what is it with that woman...she can be the biggest smart ass in the world, but I can't get enough of her." And with those thoughts running through his mind.... he gestured towards the waiting horses, "Remember how to ride?"
She gave him a glare, "I think I can manage." She walked up to the horse, and giving him a pointed look, mounted in one smooth motion, even in heels.
He returned her glare with one of his own, "Just checking, I wouldn't want you to break a nail or anything!"
She sighed and looked away, gathering the reins in her hands and silently wishing for gloves, her hands weren't used to this kind of work any more. 'God, he has to be the only man that would ever hand it right back to me!' Not that she would admit it but it was one of the things that initially attracted her to him. "Shall we be going?"
Duke shook his head, chuckling to himself and began to lead the way.