Chapter 15

A brief chapter. One more before Robson...be patient kittens.

Malcolm was awake, had been for some time. One of the many things he and Laura had in common was being early birds. He'd read three papers, eaten breakfast and was now pacing his hotel room. In the cold light of day he knew he'd made a mistake.

He had underestimated Laura and her support system. Of course, he'd known all about them. He had a dossier on all of them. The older man she'd secretly pined for all of those years. He'd received the divorce filing shortly after Robbie Lewis had returned from a mysterious placement in the BVI. The younger man James Hathaway, who had rescued her when she'd almost died. His information was old though and he hadn't known about her friendship with Jean. He didn't like surprises.

Laura had always been smart, in many ways she was smarter than him. However, she was no match for him when it came to battle strategy. He shouldn't have gone onto her territory; that was how surprises and mistakes happened. It wasn't a mistake he would make again.

By now they would have developed their own strategy. He suspected the visit from Jean had been their first salvo, a weak one at best. The more he reflected on it he didn't understand her visit. She hadn't threatened him if anything she seemed to be intent on appealing to his better nature.

He thought to his last words to her and cursed. It seemed Jean Innocent had appealed to his better nature. He shook his head, shaking the thought from his head. No, she hadn't, he had used her to take care of an errand. With that thought fixed in his mind he gathered his things and decided to head to the college. Perhaps getting out of this room would help to clear his head.

He drove to the college and parked. He still had two hours to kill before his lecture. He checked in with the office and dropped his things then decided to walk. Exercise might keep him occupied. If nothing else, nubile young co-eds might distract him.

He walked through the college trying to find anything that would occupy his mind. As he was turning a corner he heard a sound that made his heart stop. It was the sound of light, sparkling laughter. He quickened his step hoping to find the source of the laughter. Ahead along the corridor he saw a small blonde woman running to catch up with friends.

He knew it wasn't her but that brief glimpse took him back to when he could make Laura laugh like that.

He was walking her home from their third date. She was telling him something about her day and was lightly laughing. He laughed because she was laughing but honestly he had no idea what she'd said. All he could think about was how much he wanted to kiss her. He wanted to press her into the wall and kiss her until they were both too breathless to laugh.

Her hand on his arm broke his thoughts. He looked around, surprised to see they had made it to her place, "Malcolm, are you ok?"

He looked down at her, stunned by her beauty. He fought the sappy smile that threatened, "I'm fine, just got distracted in my own head."

She looked at him oddly, "Is everything OK at work?"

This time the smile escaped him. It was sweet that she thought work was distracting him. Work never distracted him, it drove him with a singular focus but she somehow cut through that focus, "Work is fine Laura. I was just thinking about where I want to take you on our next date."

She smiled up at him, "You know you don't have to take me anywhere." She climbed the two steps to her front door and was suddenly eye to eye with him, "I'm happy staying in. There's a nice chippery just up the road. We could walk down grab something, come back here."

He looked down at her and smiled, "But I like taking you places Laura."

"The chippery is a place Malcolm."

"I know that but I like taking you nice places."

He squirmed under her gaze before finally looking away as she smiled at him, "I'm beginning to think you don't want to be alone with me."

"What? What makes you think that?" He stared at her panic setting in, how could she think he didn't want to be alone with her? He searched for something to say, she had to know how much he loved her. He almost laughed at the thought that he was speechless. How did this woman do this to him?

He finally met her eye. All words in his mind went away, all he could think about was kissing her. All he could see were her lips, he imagined what they would feel…

Her lips on his stopped all thought. Her tiny, strong hands were grasping the lapels of his jacket pulling him to her. Just as his brain registered what was going on and his arms moved to pull her to him she pushed him away, "Give me a call when you decide you want to be alone with me."

He watched her step toward her house and screamed out, "Friday, the little chippery down the street."

She looked over her shoulder and smiled as she opened the door, "I look forward to it."

Malcolm fell back against the wall. That overwhelming feeling of wanting to kiss her still hadn't gone away. He wondered if it ever would.