Chapter 4


Sleepily, Face pulled the woman tangled in his arms closer, caressing her body. He continued tenderly touching her with his fingertips, moving up her body, softly cupping her breast. She let out a sleepy sigh, brushing her hand gently across his stomach, tightening her own hold on him. Damn it, she felt good in his arms.

Light streamed through the drapes, softly lighting the room. It was early morning, but he didn't have to go anywhere, and neither did Anna-Marie.

As his usual morning erection hardened, Face sleepily fantasized about the sex he could have this morning with this beautiful woman. He enjoyed sex in the morning. More awake, more energy, no rush to get to sleep. A great way to start their day.

He turned on his side to kiss her, wanting to wake her so that he could perform his little morning magic. He stared.

Amy.

In his sudden realization, he simultaneously snatched his hand back from under her shirt and pulled his hips away, fearing she'd feel his erection hard against her stomach. Last night came flooding back to him. He'd shown Anna-Marie the door. This was Amy – real - not a dream.

But even knowing it was Amy in his arms, not Anna-Marie, he wanted to stay there in the soft bed, her warm body pressed up against his. Couldn't he just freeze time, so that he could savour this moment with Amy in his arms? He'd fantasized about having these moments with Amy again and more… Maybe she wouldn't wake for a while yet.

In bed with Amy.... But he can't do what he'd fantasised....

Get up. He didn't dare groan, or make a noise of any sort, afraid of waking her. So far her eyes remained closed. Peaceful…. Get up, he told himself. Stay here too long and you'll do something you'll regret and she can't…. He closed his eyes. All the will in the world, but his erection wasn't showing any sign of dying yet. Well, it wouldn't would it? Not with…. Amy really didn't know the effect she had on him.

Amy sighed, turning in his arms, her back towards him. He could lie there, curled up against her, just for another hour. They could sleep. Just sleep. Together.

Temptation.

No. Get up, Face. If you stay…. His brain moved south in the morning and he knew it. It was the reason he'd left the bed early at the wedding and again on the cruise. He couldn't trust himself, and he didn't want her feeling…. It was perfectly normal, but all the same, awkward. And he didn't want that with Amy.

Gently and regretfully, he moved his arm from under her. He paused as she turned in her sleep. Satisfied she was still asleep he left the bed. Quickly and quietly, he grabbed his clothes and headed for the door. Before leaving the room, he turned back to watch her momentarily, just to have that image of her sleeping. Sighing heavily, shaking his head, he walked out, closing the door behind him.

He found his watch in the pile of clothes that he held. Six in the morning. Great, he thought, could he have woken any goddamn earlier? He headed straight for the bathroom and turned the shower on, letting the hot water run through as he stripped off his shorts.

Maybe that should be a cold shower. What the hell had he been thinking?

Allowing the hot water to wash over him, he stood, eyes closed, deep in thought. Once again that urge. Run. But like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming car. Which way did he run? Which way would he get hurt? Or would running be his biggest mistake?

He felt heavy with guilt, remembering how he'd been stroking her bare skin, her breast… and enjoying the feeling. And even now he didn't want to forget that sensation. What had he been thinking? Even though he'd assumed it was Anna-Marie in his arms, he'd been seeing Amy. Wanting Amy….

He'd been thinking, only the other day, how much he'd enjoyed taking Amy to lunch at Dee's Diner. How well they'd gotten on without the rest of the team in their way. He wanted to do it again. Was going to, too. Lunch, though. Not dinner. He'd thought about dinner, knowing a couple of nice restaurants Amy would appreciate. But dinner meant date didn't it? Usually if he took a woman to dinner it led to a very different meaning of dessert. And it wasn't that he didn't… just that he couldn't. Wouldn't. She was a member of the team and well, Hannibal would kill him.

But now, maybe he shouldn't even do the lunch thing again.

Or perhaps, he was overreacting and it was just the brandy; he should just forget about it. Maybe they'd become comfortable with one another - it wasn't as if it was the first time they'd shared a bed together. Just slept though - nothing had happened.

Was he letting his feelings take over this time? Face thought anxiously as he stepped out of the shower. He grabbed a towel and started drying himself off meticulously, unable to shrug off his thoughts.

When Amy joined the team, he hadn't thought of her as anything other than a member of the team. But slowly, watching her, getting to know her better, he'd become attracted to all of her little qualities – the fact she had great legs was a bonus.

Damn it, he dated a certain type of girl, and he stuck to it. Meant he could leave them easily, with no regrets.

Now dressed, Face walked into the kitchen to put the coffee on. Boy, did he need the coffee. He felt like his head was in a thick cloud, with no clear way out, still mulling over his thoughts. He needed to focus.

How'd he manage to fall for Amy like this? Daniel had tipped him over the edge - that was for sure. Face had liked how he only had to compete with Murdock for Amy's attention on their journeys in the back of the van. The three of them would banter. But when Daniel had come along - he had not liked that competition. Childish, he knew, but all the same, he hadn't liked it.

He certainly hadn't liked the thought that Daniel had gotten to do things with Amy that Face could only dream about. But kissing Kathy at Lone Star Cabs had been a mistake in his stupidity to prove something over Daniel Running Bear.

Another moment of stupidity he wished to forget.

But a lesson learnt and a reason why he hadn't gone chasing after Shannon at Lobster Bay – shame, because she really had been his 'type'.

So why couldn't Face get her out of his head? What did he like about her so much?

Amy had intellect; a lot of the girls he dated didn't. That could get pretty tiring after a while. More concerned about when their next manicure would be than what was going on in the world around them.

He actually liked how she didn't fall for his charm so easily like some of the women he met. Meant he had to work harder on her, providing that little bit of... chase.

Something about her reminded him of Leslie. But Amy probably knew him better than Leslie now. Amy certainly knew more about him than all of the girlfriends he'd had put together. She knew the truth - well, some of it. He didn't have to put on such an act with her. He could relax – a little.

If only circumstances were different…. He'd be right back in that bedroom for a start.

Face sighed, combing a hand through his hair. It wasn't even seven a.m. Anxiously, he paced the kitchen, a cup of coffee in his hand, wondering how long he'd have to wait for Amy to wake, and see what complications that brought. Was it best to get whatever was coming over and done with? Had she felt his hardness next to her? Had she felt him touching her? More to the point, if she had, would she say anything?

Maybe after he'd finished his cup of coffee, or two, he should get some breakfast going. That might draw her out of her room, and they could… what? Start the day as if nothing happened? Did he confess, apologise? Or would they tiptoe around each other, both knowing, but neither saying.

He didn't have to wait long. Amy emerged from her bedroom rubbing her eyes.

"Good morning," she said groggily. "What time is it?"