Chapter Six

They stood in the outer office while Weldon went to get their check and his sister. They had discovered that the sister was the woman behind the men when they arrived and noticed the life-size portrait of Cherie Weldon in the lobby.

“Here we are, Mr. Steele.” Weldon strode back into office pretending confidence he didn’t have. His sister walked past him and over to Steele.

“You did an excellent job, Remington.” She put a hand on his elbow, showing her well-manicured fingers.

“Cherie, I presume? Thank you. Miss Holt and I are were pleased to wrap this up so quickly.”

“It must have been so frightening. Finding their hideout?” She widened her eyes as if she couldn’t imagine how scary it must have been.

“No, not at all. All in a day’s work,” Steele said.

She turned her back on her brother and Laura. “I thought perhaps over lunch we could discuss future liaisons?” She laughed and tossed her long auburn hair so it brushed against his shoulder. Laura crossed her arms. Rem had women falling all over him. It was annoying.

“A wonderful idea but I am afraid I will have to reschedule. Such a disappointment but I can’t keep my other clients waiting.” He took her hand off his arm. “Miss Holt and I can--.”

“Oh, poo, Remington. I want your undivided attention on my business.” She made business sound positively erotic.

Laura wondered what the sister Cherie would think if she knew that just a few hours earlier Rem had been trying to kiss her in the Weldon warehouse. Laura smiled at the irony of this woman pursuing Rem and ignoring her. He wanted her! Not the women who fell at his feet. Perhaps…

“Laura?” Rem was standing next to her with his hand on her elbow. “Ready?”

“Oh, yes.” She shook Weldon’s hand and nodded at Cherie who stood pouting. “Thank you and we’ll be in touch.”

Rem helped Laura into the Auburn and pulled out of the parking lot. They would be back at the office in a few minutes and Laura could then busy herself with work and push aside the disturbing thoughts that had started to gather in her head back at the Weldons’ office.

After several minutes Laura realized that Rem was taking an odd route back to the office.

“This isn’t the way to the office, Mr. Steele.”

“Remington.”

“What?”

“Remington. I like that better. Or even Rem.” He glanced over at her and flashed a grin.

“Does it matter?” She had turned towards him.

“It does.” He pulled off the highway and proceeded down a long road lined with trees and flowers.

She gasped. They were going to MaCrae Park. She loved to run there. Sometimes she went to take pictures or just to think.

He turned into a parking lot and shut off the car. “Come on.” He jumped out of the car, went around and opened the door. He held her hand and she hobbled next to him without the crutches.

He pointed to the table next to the stream and weeping willows. “That is the picture you have in your loft?”

She nodded.

They sat at the table. Rem sat close but not touching her.

“I wanted to finish our conversation, Laura.”

“There’s really nothing to say. Apparently Mildred told you the story.”

“You were hurt by this Colin?”

“Yes. But that was a long time ago. I don’t want to talk about it. I learned my lesson.” She turned her face from him.

“No mixing business with pleasure.”

She nodded. “That’s right.”

“So if it had worked out with this man …you wouldn’t be here with me right now.”

She nodded again. He put his finger under her chin and turned her towards him.

“You would have been happy with that?”

“I know now that I’m better off without him.” She took his hand from her face and held it. “I’ve never admitted that before.”

“But your rules, Laura, it’s as if your still connected to him.”

“I hadn’t considered that.”

“Perhaps there’s another lesson, Laura.” He paused placing his hands on her shoulders causing her to look at him. “Maybe the lesson is to be open to something better.”

Laura didn’t say anything, stunned at the possibility she had stridently imposed rules that were the wrong ones.

Rem continued, “When you came to London looking to--”

“To hire,” Laura said.

He ignored the interruption. “To fill the void in your--”

“Office.”

“Your life, Laura.”

“I needed a figurehead for the agency--”

“You needed some one to love.” Rem put his hand on her face and stroked her cheek with his thumb. “You needed someone to love you.”

Laura searched his eyes for proof that he was telling the truth.

“Mildred showed me the list of requirements you had for Remington Steele.”

“Mildred knows?”

“She found a copy of the letter you sent to the casting agency in London.”

Laura sighed as her shoulders sagged and she looked away.

“Look at me.” He put his hands on either side of her face and looked into her eyes. “You are the most amazing woman I’ve ever meet.”

Laura let slip a little smile.

“But you have the most confounded way of going about things. I’ve worked harder for you than anything else in my life.” His lips brushed hers.

“But the reward promises to be the greatest.”

He kissed her gently then as he felt Laura release herself into the possibilities they would share he kissed her like she had never been kissed before.

END