Part 2 of 2

She stiffens in her chair. He's walking away? I just gave the most brazen come-on of my life to him… and he's walking away?! She's in pursuit before she knows it. Whatever look is on her face, it startles him as he turns around at her rapid approach. He sinks into his chair as she hauls up an extra chair to sit beside him. She shoots a glare at Fidel who puts down his work and rushes over to grab Dwayne. Both men beat a hasty retreat out the nearest door.

As she settles, she wonders if this will turn into another shouting match or will it finally be what she really wants it to be? She takes a steadying breath and wades in, "So, you think that message was just a… a… what do you call it… a bluff? A lie?"

He nods carefully, still trying to edge away from her. He recognizes the storm warnings, he's been the focus of too many 'Bordey blow-ups' to be fooled. "Um, yes, of course. What else? Although," he grimaces slightly, "your terminology leaves something to be desired."

She leans forward onto a knee, cups her chin, "Oh? I didn't choose the term, he did."

He mutters, "It's such a cliché, the jokes about the nightstick and the cuffs. Don't you get tired of it? I don't know how female officers put up with ANY of it."

She waves a dismissive hand, "That's what self defense training is for... but what about the OTHER term I used? I don't think I've ever heard it before. I'VE certainly never used it." He pinks up nicely so she sits up and takes a chance, murmuring, "But I've sure THOUGHT about it. A LOT." Now he flushes darkly and looks betrayed. She ghosts a hand to his knee, "Please don't be mad. I didn't mean it as an insult. I'm not mocking you."

His eyes flick up then away again. She lets him think. He also lets her hand stay on his knee. She thinks it a good sign. Finally he groans, "I can't believe that you… that I… that we…"

She leans forward and squeezes his knee gently. As he rattles into silence she whispers, "But I DO mean it. I would never have put it so crudely, never to you, not in a million years, but I WOULD choose you. If you offered. If you gave me your trust. If you'd let me in. It's not just the bad men that need to learn a lesson. Sometimes it's the good men too. Men like you."

He lifts flinching eyes, "Like me? You think I'm good?"

Her eyelids flutter at the hopeless sound in his voice, "Yes, Richard, I think you're good. I've thought so for a long time now. Will you trust me? Will you let me in?" Her eyes soften, "I'd love to find out just how 'good' you really are! I sure would." His face pales in an instant and he actually sways in his chair. She lurches forward to steady him, whispering, "Richard! Are you alright? I'm sorry; I didn't mean to upset you. I'll take it back! I will! I…"

But as ashen as he is, he shakes his head, tries to speak. Finally he mutters, "No, don't take it back. I just… I just never expected to hear something like that from you. Never, as you so aptly put it, in a million years." He slumps back, closes his eyes, and seems to leave the room. She watches him. He hasn't ordered her to leave, hasn't chastised her for her language, hasn't even called her 'French'! Something's going on here that's new and she really hopes… His eyes slip open. She sits up alertly; readying herself for whatever comes next. "How… um… how much of that outrageous message was true?" he finally lisps.

"I'll message him right now, informing him that he'll face the full might of the law if he doesn't change his ways. He deserves it, the creep." Richard listens to this then turns his face away, all she can see now is his beautiful profile.

"No, not that," he whispers, "The other bit, about… um… about him… and me… and you."

She heaves a pent-up breath, "Please don't fire me. I know it goes against everything you believe in but… I haven't looked at another man in months, almost a year really, and it took me a long time to realize why that is. Maman keeps trying with the blind dates but she's wasting her time. I found the man I want but I…" she twists her fingers into a complicated knot, "… but I'm so unsure. I don't know what to do about him. He's scary."

He blinks, pauses. "I am? Scary how?"

Hot relief floods her. He gets it! He's trying to understand! I have to make him believe it! But first things first. She holds up a bossy little finger, "Just so we understand each other, I'm talking about YOU, right?" He nods. She nods back, "Good, so… what was the question again?"

He dithers, frowns, gestures helplessly, "I think… I think the question is…"

It's at this delicate point in the negotiations when Dwayne's voice calls from the doorway, "Hey! Kin we come back inside now? Yer bein' awful quiet in there. Is the fight over?"

Richard's eyes flare then he calls out, the boss once more, "Yes! And it wasn't a fight."

Dwayne ambles in, "Sure sounded like a fight t' me an' I should know, I hear enough of 'em." Fidel follows Dwayne and they return to their desks, settling back to work.

Camille watches Richard, he's got his 'whiteboard' face on. Something's whizzing through his head and she wishes she knew what it was. She gets her wish a lot sooner than she expects. He turns intense green eyes onto her and says low, "We need to hash this out to both our satisfaction… but not here… and not anywhere that allows interruption. Our careers could be on the line if we can't come to a mutually acceptable solution. This sort of situation usually ends very badly and I can't jeopardize the harmony of the best team I've ever worked with."

She gives him an owl-like stare, "Even if it means sacrificing our personal happiness?" He nods. She lowers her voice even further, "Not even for me?" He nods again, his eyes shining with unhappiness. She sits back, thinks,, "Well then, we'd better discuss exit strategy too, hey?"

Now it's his turn to sit back and think. Finally, he nods with a hint of relief, "I'm glad you agree and aren't insulted. I meant it when I said these situations don't usually turn out well." Now he glances down at his hands, "Um, are you sure we can discuss this dispassionately and not let… um… feelings get in the way? It's my experience that women tend to get emotional."

"Oh, I see," she huffs. "You've had experience with this type of discussion before?"

He colours up, "Er… a few… not many… I don't want you to think me some sort of Lothario."

She smiles, "Oh, I would never think that. I'm more likely to think lots of women have yearned for you over the years. After all," she gestures at him, "who could resist such temptation?"

He colours up even more, "Well, lots have… but none of that matters now."

She leans forward, "No? Can I ask why?"

Now his cheeks glow as he fidgets, "Um, ah, I'd rather not say until we've had our discussion."

She sits back, "I see. Well, then, let's walk to my place. My elderly neighbour is usually home and not exactly deaf. Knowing Jim's right next door will keep me from getting too 'emotional'." She studies him for a moment then adds, "Let's just sit for a minute until you're ready, OK?"

He nods and reaches for a file, flips it open and mimes studying it until his blush subsides, while she goes back to her desk and sends the warning email to JIT Shipping. She hits 'send' just as Richard flips the file shut and stands, "Dwayne, Fidel, Camille and I are going to check on something. Don't know when we'll be back… could be sooner… could be later."

Fidel nods, "That's OK, Chief, take your time, no rush, it's not like there's a crime spree."

Dwayne shakes a finger, "Although, you might wanna stop in at JIT Shippin' an' give 'Big John' a blast! That man's got the morals of an alley-cat... an' that's insultin' all alley-cats!"

Richard nods, "We might, Dwayne, we might. After all, he certainly deserves a comeuppance." Then he smiles to Camille, gestures towards the door with a gentlemanly hand, "Shall we?"

She smiles and wafts out the door a bare step ahead of him, "Don't mind if I DO, sir."

On the way down the stairs he growls, "A bit less 'sir' and a bit more 'Richard', if you please!"

She pauses at the bottom, cocks her head, "That sounds like you've made your mind up about something already… and we haven't even had our discussion yet."

He takes her elbow and chivvies her along, "You're right, I think I have. Made up my mind, that is. Or part of it. Let's see what develops from our talk." As they hustle past JIT Shipping, Camille lifts a hand and points but he shakes his head in reply, "No, no time to teach someone his manners. We have urgent business elsewhere."

She smiles, lets him propel her along the sidewalk, "Yes, we do, don't we? And Fidel DID say we could take our time, didn't he? Not to rush?" Her street is coming into view and she reaches into her purse for her key, "We'd better take the alley-way to the back garden. The 'snoops' watch the street and they would LOVE catching me smuggling you inside. It would probably shock them into about 3 seconds of silence since you aren't anyone they would ever expect me to attract but they'd be on the phone right away to anyone and everyone. Your reputation would be dragged down into the dust with mine!"

They step into the alley and he nods, "Good to know." As she fiddles with her back door lock, he presses himself against her back, making the key judder.

"Stop that!" she whispers, "Can't you wait until we're inside?"

"No," he whispers into her ear as the door springs open and he practically lifts her inside and out of view. "But there's something I need to know that will be vital to this discussion."

She drops her purse and keys and throws both arms around his neck as she readies herself, "Oh? And what's that? Please be quick, I'm ready to begin negotiations."

He grins down into her dreamy face, "So I see. The question I have is simple." He wraps his arms around her, squeezes her until she squeaks, "Tell me, just HOW deaf is your neighbour?"

END