CHAPTER THREE – THE VILLA
The beauty of Kaua'i stretched out far below the chopper. It was a beautiful island, with a more rugged than developed landscape, unlike some parts of the other islands. John had been to Hawaii a couple of times before, but not for a long time, and never to Kaua'i.
From up here they could see reservoirs, waterfalls, and the steady but small amount of traffic making its way along the limited road network across the island. Teyla seemed to take particular interest in the waterfalls, and was pointing out sights of interest the entire way. John tried to relax and not think about the mechanics of the chopper flight, but he kept glancing towards the pilot's seat just an arm's reach in front of his and Teyla's seats, wanting to check dials and readings. It was habit, but also because he was still annoyed O'Neill hadn't let him fly them out to Princeville. O'Neill should know better. But then, he and Teyla were supposed to be different people, a fact that had been impressed upon him again as soon as the first person in Lihue airport had referred to him as Mr Collingwood.
Mattie had told them to consider themselves 'in character' as soon as they landed. They hadn't brought their briefing files with them, because if anyone became suspicious of them and searched their condo, it would be a dead giveaway. John had memorised the vague details last night easily enough. Charlie Collingwood was a top businessman with plenty of family, as well as his own well earned, money. John had known enough of those types growing up spending too much time with Dad filling his vacations with work. He and Dave had 'shared' their beside the pool time and surfing instruction with businessmen who had turned up to meet with Dad. Collingwood's type, John had decided, would be a more laid back outside of the boardroom type, and so he figured that he and Teyla could be themselves. Except of course, they were a married couple. A point he had decided to take on board when he and Teyla had waited for their luggage. As soon as it had arrived, John had lifted both the suitcases up and onto their waiting trolley. Teyla had lifted her surprised eyebrow at his gallantry, and what she might consider to be overbearing behaviour.
"Husbands do all the heavy lifting here," he had explained with a smile, only just having stopped himself from saying 'on Earth'.
She had frowned prettily at that, with that sideways part smirk part shy confusion she sometimes had. "Why?" She had asked immediately, appearing honesty interested as he had pushed their trolley forward, leading the way out towards the airport's exit. She could easily lift luggage twice the weight of hers, and he hadn't insisted on doing so before in San Francisco – even though he had thought about offering.
"Because it makes us feel important," John replied, reasonably honestly. She had seemed to accept that easily with a nod and an amused smile.
They had found their helipad and pilot easily enough, a light rainstorm just finishing as they had climbed up into the hired chopper. John had let Teyla up into the chopper first, as a good husband would do, and had automatically supported her up with a hand against her back in doing so. He rarely touched her like that, but it had felt natural enough in the moment, and she hadn't objected. They were in character after all. It was just acting.
It was also the reason why he had chosen the seat right next to hers in the back of the chopper. It could sit four tourists abreast, but a husband would sit right next to his wife despite the extra space they would give each other if he had sat further away.
Teyla pointed to something down in the distance again and he angled his head to see what she was gesturing too. The north shore of the island was coming into view now, with its semi-circular coves, cliffs, and smaller beaches. The air was somewhat humid after the rain, but the constant trade winds would keep things cool this time of the year. It really was a beautiful island.
He nodded to her and she smiled before looking back out at the view. She was her more usual relaxed self in a chopper, despite it being her first trip in one. Clearly it had been the confining and more dramatic nature of a plane taking off and landing that had unnerved her before. He hadn't seen her smile so much as she had in the last ten minutes of the chopper ride. Of course, she had never seen an island like Kaua'i before, he guessed. Any islands they had visited back in Pegasus had been via Jumper and none of them had been this tropical.
In the distance, he got a brief glimpse of the golf courses before the chopper turned and made its steady way towards the smaller airport of Princeville.
John watched the landing with an expert eye and had to admit the pilot was good. As the chopper powered down and the blades stopped overhead, the pilot looked over his shoulder with a bright smile towards Teyla. John didn't catch what the guy said, probably another 'Aloha' or something, but the sparkle in his eyes had more to do with Teyla's beauty in John's opinion. The sense of jealousy and disapproval rose in John again at seeing another man's interest in her – she was with someone already. Kanaan. As John climbed out of the chopper behind Teyla, he decided that the guy's landing could have been better.
The rental car was waiting for them, a smiling face above a handwritten whiteboard held up to catch their attention. John could see immediately that the younger male face above the sign was slightly nervous, and John wondered what kind of impression of Mr Collingwood O'Neill had sent ahead of them to receive such attention.
"Mr and Mrs Collingwood?" The young man asked with a wide smile, which lingered on Teyla far longer. "Aloha," he added with a wider grin as his eyes dropped a fraction too low down Teyla's front for John's liking. "I have brought your rental vehicle. We have supplied some complimentary refreshments and everything you will need to enjoy your stay in Kaua'i." John wondered what 'everything' actually meant.
"Thanks," John replied with as natural a smile as he could as he took the offered keys and carried his and Teyla's luggage towards the back end of the car.
Teyla made some unnecessary small talk with the overly handsome young tanned man before she repeated his Aloha and walked away.
Teyla wandered round to the right side of the car to the passenger door, with her newly growing experience of travelling in cars. She opened the door and slid inside as John stowed away their luggage, alongside the small chill cabinet that had been set up for them in the trunk. A quick glance inside revealed water, fruit juice, and two bottles of beer. It was even his favourite brand. Some service! John wondered what else O'Neill had underestimated in his description of what this vacation/mission would hold.
Trunk securely shut, John walked round to the driver's side, opened the door and squeezed himself into the seat next to Teyla.
"He has even supplied us with a map, helpfully marked with our destination," Teyla said as she looked up from the map.
"Nice of him," John muttered as he reached down for the latch to adjust his seat back enough to accommodate his longer legs.
Teyla glanced at him with a worryingly knowing look. "Was there a reason why you were less than friendly with him?"
Shoving the seat back further still, John shrugged dismissively. "Just staying in character," he replied, making sure not to comment on how short the guy's legs obviously were.
Teyla seemed to accept that answer with another one of her half-amused half-frowning smiles as she set the map on her lap and reached for her seatbelt. "Shall I navigate, or do you know the way?" She asked as she clicked the belt home.
John had studied the road map last night, and again on the flight here, to get it clearly in his head. It always paid to know every possible escape or pursuit route on a mission, even if it was to be as laid back at this one promised to be. "I've got it in my head, but might need a reminder on the road names," he replied as he started up the engine, adjusted Short Legs' angle of the mirrors, and reversed the car out of its space.
It was only when he paused at the junction down the road that he realised how long it had been since he had last driven. Years. It was almost as natural as flying to him, but it struck him now, as he waited to pull out into the flow of thin traffic, how much had changed since the last time he had been behind a wheel. He glanced at Teyla next to him, surprised at seeing her wearing sunglasses. They were large elegant expressive looking shades that made her look less herself and more the character she was playing.
She glanced at him. "It is nice being away from the city," she said conversationally. "As much as I miss Torren."
John pulled out into onto the main road as he nodded. "You won't miss the late night wake up calls."
"True," she replied with a smile in her voice. "Though, I am unsure how much surveillance we will need to keep on Mr Salisbury."
"O'Neill said to keep it casual. We're just going to keep a vague eye on him."
"I hope that he spends some time on a beach, Jennifer said the beaches are wonderful in Hawaii."
"That they are," John replied as he settled more comfortably in his seat, one elbow resting on the ledge next to him. He had missed driving. "I didn't know Keller had been here."
They made small talk the rest of the way, breaking it for short silences and checks on the road names they were passing. In no time, they were heading down the right road, and after only a bit of rubbernecking, they pulled up outside the 'resort'.
"This is definitely it," Teyla commented as she checked the address.
"Seems O'Neill left out a few details again," John muttered as he turned the car into the drive that led up to the last one in a line of newly designed villas, which was to be theirs for the next week.
They were custom-built villas, in a short line stretching out along one side of a cul-de-sac, all looking out towards the beach, which was a short distance from the other side of the road. It must have cost a fortune to have bought the land let alone build the villas here. Mature palms and wide beds surrounded the line of villas, giving an exclusive protective feel to the resort. This was a place that clearly offered a quiet luxurious space to stay – just what a guy like Salisbury would want.
John opened his car door and climbed out. The fresh ocean air rushed in to meet him as he stood up. The view was spectacular, the waves rippling steadily into the small-secluded cove. It was much smaller than most beaches, and there wasn't a huge amount of sand, but it was beautiful. The tall palm trees were waving in the breeze and John drew in the sweet smell of the warm ocean air.
"Mr and Mrs Collingwood?" A singsong female voice called.
John turned and saw a petite Hawaiian woman walking out of the entrance to their villa, her arm full of a file and clipboard, and a bright pretty smile on her face.
"Yes, we are," John replied as he and Teyla moved around the car to meet her.
"Aloha, I am Teresa," the woman introduced herself as she stretched out a highly manicured hand towards Teyla first. "Welcome to Exclusive Paradise Resort. And congratulations on your wedding. I hope the ceremony went well?"
"It was great," John replied awkwardly, trying to sound sincere as he shook her hand. She had a firm grip. "Thanks."
"Let's get you settled into your villa and then I will leave you alone to enjoy your stay," she added with an efficient air as she turned and walked smartly back towards the open door to their base of operations for the week.
After retrieving the luggage, John followed the women into the building. Teyla and Teresa were talking about the nonexistent wedding, and John suspected he saw some relief in Teyla's expression as he set the suitcases down inside the whitewash entrance.
The place was stunning. Teresa walked them around the place, which consisted of a large lounge/diner with an open plan kitchen with wide marble worktops. All the walls were white, with occasional bright framed photos of the island here and there. The furniture all looked deep and comfortable and expensive. Tall wide windows looked out on the sea view out front on the other side of the road. John exchanged a pointed look with Teyla to see that there was a good view of the next villa over, where Salisbury would be staying.
Teresa led them upstairs next, where two bedrooms were again decorated in the same elegant minimal but comfortable way. Only the fact that one bedroom didn't hold a bed as expected hit him - instead it had been turned into a study/game room. O'Neill had commented about it being a honeymoon condo, but John had expected there to be a second bed for him to use. These places always had more than one bedroom. At least there was a couch in the study. The master bedroom, or rather the only bedroom, was expansive and the large king-size bed looked out to a small balcony. They stepped out onto the balcony, which would be good for the spying element of this mission, and the view took John's breath away again. He heard Teyla take a deep relaxed breath beside him.
"And finally an en suite bathroom for you both off the master bedroom," Teresa continued in her fast efficient tour. Clearly she was used to dealing with impatient visitors.
John and Teyla both obligingly looked into the large posh bathroom. More marble and a massive shower and bath. There were pretty flowering plants in here, as there had been decorating the other rooms, and there were fluffy towels and basic toiletries waiting for them. Even a big white fluffy mat on the floor that looked deep enough to sleep comfortably on.
The place had to be worth a fortune.
"The fridge and freezer are stocked with basic items, but as you no doubt noted on your way here, there is an excellent store just a few roads away. If you wish to eat out there are restaurants in easy reach, and the first unit you passed on the way in, is actually an entertainment area. There is a bar and small restaurant, as well as a pool table inside, and with a pool outside for you to use whenever you wish. There are tennis courts over in the next resort that you can use without charge, as well as their entertainment evenings. I believe tonight they have a traditional music and dance demonstration."
John just nodded along with it all, leaving Teyla to ask the occasional question.
"If you need any assistance, I can be found in the condo above the entertainment unit. My number is here," Teresa announced as she led them back down the stairs, offering Teyla her business card with another bright smile. "I can be reached night or day. Do you have any questions?"
John glanced at Teyla beside him as they all paused in the open light lobby, its ocean views distracting.
"No, thank you," Teyla replied with a similarly crisp bright tone as Teresa had used and the woman smiled back.
"Enjoy your stay."
"I am sure we will," Teyla replied as she took the offered door keys from Teresa.
Teresa headed out the front door with a last bright efficient work smile and clipped her away down the driveway in her overly high heels.
John turned on the spot to look around at the villa again. "Wow, this is some place."
Teyla had shut the door behind Teresa and followed him into the lounge area with its tall windows looking out towards the ocean.
"It seems very luxurious," Teyla commented.
John wandered between two couches and picked up a remote. He triggered the big screen tv and smiled as sports came on. He grinned round at Teyla, only to see that she had both their suitcases and was taking them up the stairs. He opened his mouth to object and remind her of his earlier argument about husbands doing the lifting, but she sent him a pointed smile before she disappeared from view.
"Yes, Dear," John muttered to himself with a smile as he put the remote down, and headed into the kitchen to check out the food supplies.
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It was wonderful here, Teyla reflected as she looked out at the scenic view out beyond the swaying topical trees and low tailored shrubbery. The entertainment area of the small resort turned out to be an open plan lower level, with a collection of small tables and chairs spilling out into the sunlight. A smiling man had taken their orders for a light meal before bringing them complimentary drinks. As she contemplated the overly large display of decoration around the top of the tall glass, working out how best to drink the contents, she found herself continuing to be distracted by the view and the ocean's breeze.
It seemed impossible for anything but wonderful things to exist in this place. The air felt so clean and fresh, the near constant breeze enlivening, and the distant sound of small waves breaking against the sandy beach all created such a wondrous place. Any and all worries she might have had, simply fled from her thoughts, her mind, and her soul.
It was too wonderful.
John too seemed to have been affected by it all. He too sat quietly beside her looking out at the view. She tugged her eyes from the ocean, frowning briefly at her complex drink, and on to John next to her.
His brow was smooth, his expression relaxed, and his shoulders lowered. He blinked slowly as he drew in a deep breath, leant back in his seat beside her comfortably.
He noticed her attention and looked round at her. His expression looked so relaxed and open it caught at something inside her, but she quickly looked away, deeply conscious that she had been openly admiring him.
She looked down to her drink with an exaggerated wince. "I seem to be struggling," she said by way of a weak excuse to start a conversation.
He smiled though and reached out, tugging out the paper decorations, leaving just the long straw for her to drink through.
"Thank you," she said with a silly feeling of embarrassment. She took a quick sip of the colourful drink. It was sweet, fresh, and had a clear taste of alcohol to it.
"I'm not really a fan of cocktails," John commented about his own drink, but he still took a sip of it. They had been free gifts to them as newlyweds after all. Teyla assumed it would be rude to refuse them on Earth as it would on any other planet. She would sip her drink slowly, for they were still on a mission, regardless of the wonderful location.
"Think we could convince the IOA to move the city here?" John asked in a very low voice.
Teyla smiled as she took one more sip of her drink and set it away from her for a while. "I would be willing to argue for such a move, but I think it unlikely."
John sighed, his gaze directed out at the ocean. "Yeah, shame."
Teyla nodded in agreement. They lapsed into easy silence once more.
Several people were sat at nearby tables, but their conversation was low, only highlighted by the occasional light peal of laughter. Well behind the tables, Teyla could hear someone swimming through the long narrow bright blue pool, whilst another jumped in with a loud splash and another burst of laughter. The sky was perfectly blue above them; the darker clouds from the previous light rainfall were long gone, leaving only white high wispy clouds instead. In the far distance to the left, high beyond the far side of the cove, she could see clouds teasing around the rising mountains, but they too held no threat of rain. The breeze off the ocean danced leaves, branches, clothing and strands of hair elegantly, cooling and refreshing everything. The gentle repetitive forward and back of the ocean meeting the beach was so relaxing that she found her breathing falling into synch with the natural rhythm. In with the light rush of approaching waves and then out as the water pulled easily back out.
The waiter was suddenly in front of her and Teyla almost started at the interruption breaking her out of the near meditative state. She smiled up at the man as he set her plate down in front of her. The food looked lovely.
"And a complimentary side order for you both," the waiter said with a smile as he added the new gift to their table.
"Thanks," John said with feeling as he reached for the small dish, pulling it closer between both their plates. "I love onion rings. You've had these before?"
"Only once," she replied as she accepted his offer of the top onion ring and he encouraged her to dip it into the small pot of sauce on the edge of the small plate.
It tasted good, a little stronger than she had expected, but enjoyable. She imagined that the vegetable being fried in such a fashion would make it a quite fattening food, but she was on vacation. Jennifer had emphasised that it was Earth tradition that when on vacation one should indulge in luxuries and leisure time. Teyla could work with that, especially here.
As she tried some of her grilled fish sat on a light salad, she contemplated with view once more.
"I would imagine that if everyone could live in a place like this, that there would be no such thing as ill feelings or violence," she considered philosophically.
John angled his head in partial agreement out the corner of her eye as he munched on his own meal. "Someone would still probably one day get the idea that someone else's patch of beach was better than theirs," he said with regret clear in his voice.
She considered that as she piled up another forkful of her meal. "I suppose you are right. It is human nature to want what you do not have."
A moment of thick silence filled her awareness as she realised what she had said and the deeper meaning it held for her. A wince of regret at exposing a glimmer of her innermost thoughts, she kept her gaze down on her food, sure that John would not have read into the statement anything other than the philosophical truth about human nature.
He turned faintly next to her and she saw him reach for an onion ring. "Twelve o'clock," he whispered quietly as he dunked a ring into the pot of sauce. She understood instantly and she nodded as if they had simply been continuing a normal discussion.
She set her cutlery down on her plate as she reached again for her drink. As she did so, she glanced around the seating area, as if taking only a passing interest, and she easily spotted their target. She took only a moment to gather in all she could about him before she returned her attention to her drink and food.
Mr Salisbury was a somewhat average looking man, but he moved with a very straight back and had a thick set to his shoulders that implied that he worked out frequently. Despite the heat, he wore a dark jacket over a pale shirt. He had been heading into the covered area of the entertainment unit, he was alone, and he carried a small bag that looked the right size and shape to contain a laptop computer. He wore dark sunglasses of a similar design to John's, and he walked with an air of extreme confidence. Other than that, he looked just as the photos in the file on him she had studied. His hair was overly black for his age, concealing greying hair, at his wrist she had seen the flash of a thick watch, and he wore several rings on his fingers.
"No sign of the Mrs," John commented quietly, his body slightly turned towards her, so that his back and shoulder were to the target, making it appear that he had no interest in Mr Salisbury's arrival.
John had put his new cell phone next to him on the table and he checked it now, working on the character that he was that would be one to frequently check on his work despite sharing a meal with his new wife. Mattie had told Teyla to object to that occasionally because it was clear that Mrs Salisbury was quite dissatisfied with her husband's lack of attention on her during their vacations.
Teyla picked up her drink and took another sip as she and John made vague small talk, though their attention not on the discussion at all.
"He is coming over to sit several tables over, to your nine o'clock," she reported.
John nodded as he reached for his cell phone again. This time he picked it up and she saw him scroll through to the internet option. A dummy email account had been set up in Charlie Collingwood's name to which various fake emails had been sent, just in case the internet connection set up for those using the resort was illegally accessed. It was possible that Mr Salisbury had, or would, discover his illegal information in such a manner. However, several of the emails in Charlie Collingwood's account were there for a clear purpose.
"I'm letting Jack know we're here safely," John told her, which was his code for General O'Neill. She watched his thumb move expertly fast over the small keypad on the phone and he sent the message off. At which point Teyla spotted Teresa headed towards them.
"I hope you are both settled in comfortably?" Teresa asked as she stopped on the far side of their table.
"Great, thanks," John replied, his smile fake to Teyla's eyes, but Teyla saw the slight flush to Teresa's cheeks as she looked at John, which was the same reaction as Teresa had showed previously during their tour of the villa. Teyla glanced down at the last of her meal to conceal her amusement.
"I am very pleased to hear it," Teresa replied with another of her extremely bright smiles. Teyla had thought previously that it was very unusual for someone to have teeth so very white, and seeing them appear again in the bright sunshine confirmed her suspicion that the teeth were not a natural colour. "Enjoy your stay," Teresa concluded as she smiled at Teyla, for a far shorter period than at John, and walked away.
Walked away to Mr Salisbury's table. Teyla looked away immediately, for it should not be of interest to her.
John sat back in his seat next to her, disappearing out of her view while she was still sat forward at the table eating, which left her with a very clear view of their target. Teresa was sitting down at the table with Mr Salisbury, setting her thick file on the table next to her as she waved the barman over to her table, who appeared used to the request. Teyla looked at John sat back beside her, to see that he had one arm stretched along the back of her own chair. He looked overly relaxed and indifferent, his sunglasses blocking much of his expression. She was not fooled, he was keenly aware of the other table, as she was.
Teyla smiled at him, needing to fill the moment with conversation for appearances, but also because she had found Teresa amusing.
"It is not normal for a woman to have teeth that bright," she reported in a low voice.
John grinned, the sunlight glowing over the lenses of his glasses, concealing his eyes completely from her, which was somewhat disconcerting. "The whole smile is fake," he added.
"Except the crush she is clearly developing for you which seems quite real," Teyla could not help but tease.
She saw the frown and the faint twitch of discomfort to his expression around his sunglasses and it only amused her further. He seemed quite obtuse to how attractive he was sometimes.
"I'm a married man," he replied by way of distraction and he glanced away around the seated area, no doubt taking full interest in the fact that Mr Salisbury and Teresa were now beginning a meal. Teresa was spreading out some paperwork as they ate and she was pointing to some of them with her equally fake looking long sculpted nails. She still looked quite elegant and pretty though, and Teyla had felt somewhat short and plain next to her earlier, which was a foolish thing to think. It was perhaps only because the woman had shown such a clear attraction to John that had caused such a thought.
John reached out for his cell phone again, checking it, likely to see if General O'Neill had replied via the fake email account as much as to continue his role as distracted businessman. Teyla waited for him to call up the clearly empty inbox, before she reached out, took the phone from his hand, and set it down on the table further away from him.
"We are on our honeymoon," she said slightly louder than previously, but not so much so that it would seem odd, only that she was making a point to her new husband.
"Yes, Dear," John replied and she had to control her amusement at the sarcasm in it as she finished her fish and salad.
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Salisbury had stayed at his table only as long as his meal lasted. Clearly holding a quick business meeting over the meal, Salisbury had seemed indifferent to the paperwork Teresa had shown him. From the brief glimpses, John had been able to safely catch of the paperwork it had been simple maps and drawings. John would put it in his report, but for now it wasn't all that interesting for Salisbury. He nodded a lot through Teresa's presentation, of which John could only hear the odd word or two, and they hadn't been useful ones. What was clear was that they weren't discussing possible alien technology on Earth.
His food eaten, Salisbury had selected a few of the maps spread across the table and handed them to Teresa – his choices perhaps. Then, the businessman was up from his seat and moving away back out of the small spread of tables. Teresa hadn't appeared put off by Salisbury's abrupt manner, so it was probably usual behaviour for the guy.
Salisbury stopped briefly to shake hands with a tall, grey-haired smiling guy who had to be a Texan, if the flag emblazoned across his shirt was any indication. Salisbury shook the guy's hand with the first sign of a smile. The Texan's wife, a petite blonde in a thin sarong, embraced Salisbury in an overt hug. Salisbury took the greeting and the kiss on the cheek with apparent familiarity.
John noticed Teyla glance at him as she turned a page of the tourist book they had been pretending to go through. John angled his head in acknowledgement of the new faces. If they could get the couple innocently into a photo in the background it would be good, but for now, they were just new faces to memorise.
Salisbury stood talking with the couple, turning and indicating down the resort's road before he broke away and disappeared from view. The Texas couple made their way through the tables straight for the bar and John heard the barman greet them by name – Gabe and Trisha.
"You're looking as muscular as ever, Jazzy," Trisha proclaimed to the barman as they settled on the tall bar stools.
"You keep talking like that and Mr Gabe here will shoot me," Jazzy the barman replied as he set two bottles on the bar for them. Gabe saluted him with his bottle before taking a sip. "I'd have thought you would be on the golf course already."
"We've got business elsewhere," Gabe replied, whilst Trisha called overly bright hellos to the couple in the nearby pool. "Might give Jeff a run for his money tomorrow, but we're kicking it back for the rest of the week."
"Gabe's gonna go on that shoreline romantic walk with me at last," Trisha cooed as she perched high on her stool.
"Hell, can't you and Annette go alone?" Gabe whined.
John glanced at Teyla beside him carefully out the corner of his eyes. Annette was Salisbury's wife.
"At least once on his trip you and I are gonna walk in the sunset along the beach and you're gonna love it," Trisha replied with a determination that hovered somewhere between an order and a barely concealed plea for attention.
"You know I give you all the love you want," Gabe replied with enough suggestiveness to turn John's stomach. Trisha giggled at the big guy's groping.
John looked away from his pretend staring at the distant ocean and met Teyla's gaze through their combined layers of sunglasses. Her expression was pained and surprised, but then maybe she hadn't heard that kind of behaviour on Earth yet.
"Amazing what you can learn if you just kick back and watch the ocean," John told her in a low voice and a smile.
She smiled as she turned her attention back to her book and the cooling cup of coffee she had ordered with their desserts. "A romantic walk along the coast and golf tomorrow," she summarised with a pained wince at the end meant to tease him that she wasn't looking forward to the golf part of the mission/vacation.
She had been teasing him a lot today, maybe because it played into the 'let's make light of it all' party line they were both working along, but there was something different about her since they had left Atlantis this morning. She looked more relaxed than he had seen her in a while, not that he had been looking very directly at her this last week after the six minutes 'back to the future' jump vision.
Maybe it was the Hawaiian sun, the gentle steady breeze dancing through her hair, or the bright white tailored shirt she wore in contrast to her golden skin, but she looked somehow more…approachable.
He frowned at his own description.
It was just that she was making an effort to enjoy this bizarrely timed mission. It wasn't that she felt differently towards him now – was it?
"We should have brought the camera with us," Teyla said as she sat back fully in her seat, her drink in her hand and her attention focused out towards the surf.
"We'll have plenty of time," John replied – Trisha and Gabe would be around tomorrow at least.
He had stretched his arm along the back of her chair some time ago, going with the standard possessive male gesture, but now she was sat back in her seat, the warmth of her shoulders was very close and wisps of her hair teased against his skin. It wasn't half as intimate as the future vision had been, but it was abruptly close.
Feeling faintly uncomfortable with that, he held still, glancing around at the entertainment area, and tried not to focus on the delicate scent of her hair so close to him now.
She leant away and put her cup back on the table, and sat back against his arm again with a contented sounding sigh.
Unbidden memories were stubbornly replaying in his mind for sure now - the remembered the touch of her hand against his chest, the feel of her warm feminine body nestling up to his.
"You all finished?" John asked abruptly as he sat forward, pulling his arm back from the tempting zone that was Teyla.
Teyla looked at him with a surprised almost sleepy look, but immediately smiled and nodded. John got to his feet, making a show of checking his cell again, as he regained control of his stupid lingering thoughts about what he shouldn't. As she picked up her bag and stepped around the table to join him, John glanced across the tables and nodded his thanks to the barman. Gabe and Trisha looked round with interest, but John turned away, happy with the moment. If the Texans mentioned the newlyweds to Salisbury in passing it would all help.
The long strap of her bag settled over her shoulder, Teyla walked with him through the tables out to the road. John wondered if he should be holding her hand – it would look good for the whole marriage fake out, but right now he really didn't think he could. Holding a woman's hand had always been a very intimate thing for him, something he had only done with a few women. It was probably something about being distant or too in control or whatever, but he found the gesture too personal. He glanced down at Teyla's closest elegant relaxed hand loose at her side, brushing lightly against her light fabric pants.
She looked up and round at him as they started the route along the road towards the far end where their villa waited.
"A very good start," Teyla said with a smile.
John nodded, drawing his wayward thoughts back under control again. If she could be professional and friendly at once, then so could he. He had managed it thus far after all.
"Sure," he replied lamely as the cell finally vibrated in his hand. "Jack's replied," he reported as he tapped open the message.
"Great – enjoy the sunshine" was O'Neill's succinct reply. Typical.
"That is not too difficult," Teyla replied as John read it out. She had her face turned up towards the high sun, her eyes partly closed in enjoyment. She looked really relaxed.
"I'll check out some intel from Jazzy the barman later about the golf course tomorrow," John suggested as he tucked away the cell phone.
"In the belief that everyone talks to the man behind the bar?" Teyla asked.
"Exactly," John replied with a grin. "That and the course photos stuck up behind the bar," he confessed.
Teyla looked round up at him with a lazy smile, her eyes opening from her sun worship, as they reached the smoothly paved path up to their villa.
"Perhaps it would also work for you to speak with Teresa," she added after a moment, her attention directed down to the pavings under their feet as they reached the door. The suggestion surprised him – and disappointed him a little too – as if she would get jealous, it was a stupid thought.
"Not sure she's the type to share business intel," John replied as he opened the villa's front door and pushed it open for Teyla to enter first.
"I understand," Teyla replied with a too knowing smile and nod as she led the way into the villa.
They had this whole house just for them. Maybe it was that he was too used to barracks and his quarters in Atlantis, but it was almost too much space – or maybe it had too much to do with what he was trying to avoid thinking about with Teyla.
Silence filled the air again as she wandered away into the living space, looking out towards the palm tree framed view of the small beach across the road outside. The array of windows in the room gave them the best view of the road outside and, more importantly, the front of Salisbury's villa just next door. They could stay in here and keep a subtle vigil on what was going on. Had to be one of the best stakeout locations ever, and despite his wayward thoughts, he had the best company and a large flatscreen tv.
That lifted his mood almost immediately. "Wanna see what's on tv?" He asked her as he followed her into the living room, scooping up the remote as he settled down on the largest couch. From here, he had a great view of all the windows.
Teyla turned and smiled at him, though it seemed slightly more tired. "Very well," she replied as she settled down on the couch next to him, closer than he had expected, but then they could been seen through the windows, so it was probably for show.
0000
TBC