Slight adult content in some places so don't protest, you've been warned!
Remington eyed himself closely in the mirror attempting to tie his bow tie to perfection. He'd just finished and was admiring his handy work when he heard Milo announce himself downstairs.
"Come on up, I'm alone," Remington called out as he eased himself into his tuxedo jacket.
Milo took the stairs two at a time, came in and flounced down on Remington's bed. He crossed his legs and let out a loud whistle.
"Spared no expense on that suit did you my friend? It looks as if it were made just for you Xenos."
"It was made just for me Milo, as you well know. I never buy anything off the rack, especially not formal wear. I'd say by the cut of your coat you didn't buy that suit ready made either."
Milo laughed as he looked down at his tuxedo. It was impeccable and he knew it. It was a black, double breasted tuxedo that he'd spent a small fortune on. He knew it fit him like a glove and that he caused quite a stir with the ladies when he wore it. Smiling sheepishly, he stood up and flicked an imaginary piece of lint off his coat.
"Me? Hah! You are sure to start the ladies hearts fluttering with the way you look tonight, but of course you knew that didn't you Xenos? By the way, this was on the table in the foyer downstairs. I thought I'd bring it up since it's addressed to you."
Remington thanked Milo and took the envelope from him. He opened it and scanned the letter cursing halfway through and frowning the other half. He threw the letter onto the bed and went into the bathroom mumbling as he did so.
"Has she lost her mind? I specifically told her to take care; not to go about on her own and at the first opportunity that's exactly what the hell she does! Damn it Laura, don't you get tired of always proving you can handle yourself?"
Milo could hear Remington ranting in the bathroom as he bent down and retrieved the letter. He read it over and frowned. Why had Laura gone off on her own? She knew she could have asked Milo's driver or any number of servants to run her back in to town. He knew how on edge Remington was since the ambush. Right now he didn't want to be in Laura's shoes for all the vodka in Russia! Leaning against the dresser he calmly waited for Remington's tirade to level off to a dull roar.
Remington came back into the room and began pacing like a caged tiger. He knew by observing his friend that Laura had an apparent habit of this type of behavior. He was curious as to why, but thought he already knew the answer so he calmly refrained from commenting.
"Milo I've asked Laura over and over to be rational, to think before she runs off and acts! Will she listen? No! It's the same thing over and over, year after year like a bloody broken record. She's like an obstinate child when I tell her to wait for me, to not take chances. You'd think she was a man and I was constantly insulting her bloody manhood! Why just last month we were working on a case that got pretty dangerous. I asked her to wait until I got there before she went in after the bad guys. Do you think she waited Milo?"
Milo opened his mouth to reply but didn't get a chance.
"Hell no she didn't wait, she went right in, just like always, Laura Holt to the rescue! She almost ended up walking right in on them, luckily I got there shortly after and we were able to surprise them. I have had it with her impetuous nature Milo and I bloody well mean it!"
Smiling, Milo listened to his friend rant and rave but then suddenly, he bolted away from the dresser and ran toward Remington.
"Xenos, did you hear what you said? You said last month! You recalled something that happened to you and Laura last month! You must have gotten your memory back old friend, isn't that wonderful?"
Remington stood there with his eyes wide before he felt the need to sit down. He made it over to a chair before his legs gave way. Milo was right. he thought to himself. I did remember something that happened to us last month. He sat quietly for a moment and tried to think of other things he couldn't remember before. Slowly he recalled meetings, conversations, details of his interactions with Laura.
"I remember Milo...it's the weirdest thing, it just popped, like something went off in my head and now I can remember - everything."
Milo walked over and knelt beside Remington. "That's good Xenos! Somehow getting so worked up about Laura must have jogged something in your memory. You remember everything? Are you sure?"
Remington sat there for a moment in silence. Recognition dawned slowly across his features as he got up and walked to the window to look out at the bay. He stood there for a few minutes not saying anything before turning to regard his friend. Milo saw the look of pain and anger on his face and knew someone was in trouble, he didn't fear for himself, but for Laura.
"She lied to me, Milo. Laura and I weren't lovers, we have never been lovers. She sat right there in my bloody hospital room and told me things that she knew damned well weren't true! How could she be so unkind, did she think I would never get my memory back? Or did she think once I did it would be too late, we would be lovers and then I'd just forgive her deceptions?"
Milo knew there would be hell to pay, but he decided to confess that he knew Laura had lied as far back as the conversation they'd had at the hospital.
"You knew then? Well why didn't you tell me the truth eh? Why did you keep it from me, your supposed to me my best friend. I swear you are as bad as Laura!" He accused.
"Xenos, wait! I spoke with Laura about it afterwards. I wanted to know why she would take such a chance when she knew you were bound to remember sooner or later. She told me that she'd have to take the chance that you wouldn't be angry once you got your memory back. She wanted you to think that the two of you had already been involved so that she could get over her fears and come to you. She was ready to take the next step with you and she wanted it to be here, where there was nothing to get in the way." Milo told Remington all that Laura had relayed to him. He knew by the firm clenching in Remington's jaw that he was not appeased by hearing the truth.
"So once again it's what Laura wants, what is best for Laura eh? Well I tell you, Milo, I have had enough of trying to figure her out," he ground out. "She wants to play games? I'll play games all right and this time, I will be the one to lay down the ground rules."
Milo didn't like the sound of that nor the calmness that had come over Remington when he said it. He had tried to warn Laura that there could be consequences from her actions but she was willing to take her chances. He hoped she still felt that way after she ran in to Remington.
"What are you going to do Xenos?" Milo asked with curiosity.
"I will figure it out on the way to the party so let's go," Remington grabbed his jacket and sailed out of the room with Milo in tow. "I think it's about time Miss Holt faced the music Milo. Let's just hope she can keep up with the tempo."
In the limo, Milo helped himself to a drink. He noticed the steely determination that had set into his friend. Milo had the sense to keep quiet. No indeed, he would not want to be in Laura's shoes right now. He afforded himself a wicked smile as he contemplated the fireworks that would go off when the two of them met tonight. Ah yes, it will be a sight to behold, I just hope I get a close enough seat.
###
They had been at the party for almost an hour and Laura still hadn't shown up. Milo had found his friends and made the rounds meeting people, dancing, drinking and enjoying the party. Never to be outdone, Remington was the epitome of suavity. He was charming, gracious and put his exceptional dancing abilities to the test. He danced with numerous women leaving them wanting more than a quick turn around the dance floor. Laughing, he gazed down at his latest partner, astounded at her none-to-subtle attempts to get him into the more intimate surroundings of her bedroom. He was far from interested but refrained from telling her that just yet.
Unbeknownst to Remington, Laura had arrived some fifteen minutes earlier and was privy to his jaunts on the dance floor. Her eyes never left him as he twirled woman after woman in time to the island music. Seething inside, Laura knew it was jealously in it's truest form. It had more to do with seeing him with someone other than her and less to do with him helping Milo steal a work of art. She was sipping the drink in her hand with slow deliberation when Milo spotted her. He sputtered on his drink when he saw her. Laura dispensed her drink before walking deliberately to the dance floor. Milo quickly found a seat close to where the action was about to take place. Focusing his attention on Remington he waited. His friend had yet to see Laura. He wanted to see the expression on his face when he did. He'd rather die than miss this!
Laura walked up and tapped the blond woman on the shoulder. She turned around and Laura saw undisguised annoyance in her stare. Laura was three steps past caring as she motioned to the lady that she was cutting in.
The woman didn't move from Remington's arms. "I beg your pardon?"
"Beg it later blondie, now beat it before I really cause a scene," Laura warned.
Sensing the seriousness in her threat Remington's dance partner decided not to call her bluff. She eyed Remington longingly once more before turning to flounce past Laura.
Remington stood looking at Laura with his eyebrow quirked. It was the best he could do until he regained his senses. What he saw before him caused the air to deflate from his lungs. Laura was dressed in the most transparent red dress he'd ever seen! It was floor length with sequins splashed throughout the sheer fabric. She had on a pair of high red heels and her hair was piled in curls loosely atop her head. She wore a faint red lipstick that reminded Remington of crushed cherries. It didn't take Remington long to notice that she didn't have an ounce of clothing on underneath her dress. Remington wondered what the hell had happened to the Laura he knew, because this woman sure as hell wasn't her - until she opened her mouth.
"You conniving, deceitful, low down snake! I should have known a leopard wouldn't willingly change his spots but I gave you the benefit of the doubt. That was my first mistake and I seem to keep making it over and over. I should never have trusted you...you lying con man!"
Remington's jaw ticked. He'd had enough of the insults. Grabbing Laura to him, he moved her in time to the music. She tried to pull away from him, intent on finishing her speech but he wouldn't let her. He put an arm around her waist and put her other hand in his as the music picked up in intensity. She had no choice but to follow his lead.
"This isn't over Remington! I know all about what you and Milo have been doing! I won't let you soil the name I fought so hard to maintain, you fraud!"
"I say Laura, you seem to be dressed in full battle armor don't you and you spared no expense I'll wager," his eyes raked over her insultingly. "Unfortunately, I don't have the slightest idea what you're ranting about. By the way, this was a black and white party, you are wearing red. An oversight no doubt."
Laura felt her temperature rising as she tried again to pull out of his embrace. "I'm aware of that, I neglected to care. I'm seeing red right now so why not be coordinated all the way around?" Laura spat.
The band ended the song and went immediately into a song that had a faster tempo. Laura kept up with Remington step for step; her tirade put on temporary hold while concentrating on the intricate steps of the dance they were doing. Remington twirled Laura around and she laughed as he pulled her up against him only to dip her. She felt dizzy with excitement and the pent up anger she had yet to release. Laura knew the dress was causing lots of stares since it left little to the imagination. She didn't care. She felt unconquerable and only had eyes for the irresistible, blue eyed, man in front of her.
"You might as well confess Remington, I was in our bedroom in the closet when you and Milo came in with that painting. I know damn well you stole it and are going to sell it to the highest bidder. I can't believe you would put the name of Remington Steele in such jeopardy! Does your friend mean so much more to you than the agency and me?"
Laura couldn't hide the hurt in her voice as she spoke. Remington danced around with her once more before he pulled her close whispering in her ear. "Laura, I won't ask you right now what you were doing in the closet, but you have it all wrong. I didn't steal anything, Milo did! He stole a masterpiece with the intent of selling it to a collector. Greed got the better of him and he was contemplating selling it to a second collector that would offer him an obscene amount of money. I convinced him that his greed may get him killed, I couldn't let that happen Laura, his family had done too much for me in the past to not try to help Milo see the err of his ways. I convinced him that it was foolish to go against his initial buyer. He has a meeting tomorrow with the a person representing the first man. I told him that it would be better to hide the painting in a place nobody would think to go looking for it. I offered to help him conceal the painting, nothing more. I told him I couldn't risk getting involved beyond that capacity because of you and the agency. I wouldn't knowingly put you in danger Laura, you or the agency's reputation. If you don't know that by now," he gazed at her pointedly. "You won't ever know it."
Laura stood staring at him, she could tell he was angry at her but she was just as angry. She knew he was telling her the truth and felt a bitter taste in her mouth because of it. She'd jump to the conclusion that there wasn't a reasonable explanation for what she'd seen. Before she could mouth the words "I apologize" Remington spoke again.
Remington was still angry enough to confront her about his regained memory and why she'd lied but he didn't. There was a good reason for it; an altogether primitive motive for his hesitancy. Laura looked good enough to eat and go back for seconds. Passion stirred within him by the sight of her. All logical thought left him as he swung Laura around again and pulled her full up against his length. He hoped she could feel his nature rise. He saw by the shocked look on her face that she had. He looked her deep in the eyes a moment before speaking. He knew that always had a disarming effect on Laura and he shamelessly used it now to his full advantage. "Enough of this Laura...Now, do you want to dance? Or do you want to dance?"
Laura gasped, she fully understood the double entendre. He had thrown out the challenge and Laura knew it was up to her now. She answered without further hesitation. She pulled out of his embrace and swept her arm through the air motioning toward the door. Remington smiled lazily at her, took her hand and led her off the dance floor. Milo's gaze followed them through the party and out the front door. His smiled threatened to overtake his face as he raised his glass toward the door in a mock salute.
WORKS OF STEELE