21 Kiss and Tell
Disclaimer: I do not own The A Team movie or television series or any of the delightful characters found on The A Team.
Hannibal was the first to break the sudden uncomfortable silence by setting his gun down and speaking. "Melody Raymond? Is that you?"
I can't believe it. After all these months.
The blonde woman pushed back her wet hair from her face with one hand to squint at him. Moments later, she tucked her pistol away in the pocket of her rain slicker. "John Smith?" She beamed at him with obvious joy and captured him in an embrace. "How are you?"
He welcomed her into his arms. "I wondered if you were the same Melody when I heard your name and description."
He heard Face clear his throat. "So you know each other?"
Know each other?
He thought back to the last time he saw her and smiled. Kissing the young lady lightly on the lips, he turned with his arm slung loosely around her waist.
"Know each other? I don't know. Do we know each other?" The silver-haired man looked down at the petite blonde and regarded her with twinkling eyes. She smirked up at him and nestled closer.
"John swept me off my feet." She giggled and pulled away from his embrace to peel off the yellow rain slicker she wore. Carefully placing it on a coat hook, she securely latched the cabin door and returned to Hannibal's side.
Murdock nudged Face and whispered, "Looks like experience won out this time, ol' friend."
Face scowled at the pilot before coughing politely to get the Colonel's attention.
"Maybe we should explain before we besmirch our reputations." Hannibal was having too much enjoyment seeing his Lieutenant's shocked reaction. With reluctance he introduced Melody to the men.
"Melody, this is Captain H. M. Murdock." The Texas-born pilot removed his cap and gave her a huge lopsided grin before taking her hand in his.
"Heard lots 'bout ya but not from the Colonel." He smirked as both Hannibal and Face glared at him. "I'm sure yer even nicer 'n I heard," he added hurriedly.
Murdock!
"Yes. Well . . . " the Colonel tried to divert the direction the conversation was heading. "This is Sergeant B. A. Baracus."
The black man nodded at her and growled, "Don' listen ta the fool. He was prob'ly hearin' voices in his head again."
Melody's expression was somewhere between surprised and amused at the introductions. Then her eyes fell on Face and she cocked her head as if trying to puzzle something out.
"I think I know you from somewhere." She pursed her lips and pressed a finger to the side of her jaw.
Hannibal waited to see how close the relationship was between Face and the young woman.
Serves him right if she doesn't remember him at all.
"Don't tell me. Let me think." She scrutinized the Lieutenant from head to toe. Finally she sighed. "There's only one way of figuring it out."
She walked over to the sulking con man and put her arms around him, gazing intently into his eyes. "I'm sure you weren't the waiter at that festival I went to. Hmmm."
I forgot about her sense of humor. And evidently the kid doesn't know her well enough to realize she's joking.
Hannibal kept the smile from his face as the Lieutenant squirmed in her embrace.
"Okay, I give up. Kiss me and I'll know for sure." She closed her eyes and tilted her head. Face's eyes grew wide. Then he realized what she was asking him to do and smiled in triumph.
Hannibal was stunned for a few seconds.
That's playing the joke a little too far.
Before Face could comply with her request, the Colonel stopped him. He couldn't stifle his uneasy chuckle. "Melody, I believe you already know Lieutenant Templeton Peck from last weekend."
"Of course I do. I was just teasing." She drew back with a strained smile and seconds later slapped the con man across the face.
"What was that for?" he sputtered, rubbing the reddening hand print on his cheek.
"For obviously kissing and telling." She glanced at Murdock and then glared at Face again.
"Murdock, I'm gonna kill you," the Lieutenant muttered.
"I didn' do nothin', muchacho!" Murdock raised his hands shoulder level in surrender. His face was a mask of apology but his eyes were gleaming mischievously. He gave her a quick appraisal and smiled. "I'm 'is best friend. He really don' tell me everythin' . . . jus' 'nough t' make me wish I was him sometimes."
Melody put her hands on her hips and tilted her head to the side, her fiery emerald eyes flashing. "What is that supposed to mean?"
"Shut up, foo', b'fore Faceman makes ya go for a swim off the end of that dock out there." B. A. nudged Murdock with a shove to the shoulder.
"Shutting up now. Won' get 'nother word outta me." He made an elaborate show of clamping both hands over his mouth and hunching over to slink away.
Hannibal shook his head in mock exasperation. "Melody here was the woman the Aquamaniac carried back to his swampy home in 'Bride of Aquamaniac.' She was the prettiest co-star I ever had."
"That's not sayin' much, bein' all ya had as co-star in th' sequel 'Son a Aquamaniac' was a pint-size kid in a lizard outfit."
"I thought you were shutting up, buddy."
Murdock clamped his hands over his mouth again.
"John here protected me from an agent that wanted to take some nude photos . . . for my portfolio, he claimed." Her soft gaze was on him and her lower lip trembled as she added, "And I might need your help again. I have a stalker and I'm afraid for my life."