Steele Don't Have A Clue - Part III

Rated R for slight adult content

    Remington Steele paced around his living room with his hands clasped behind his back.  There was a frown etched on his face and his jaw clenched repeatedly.  His gut instinct told him something strange was going on with Laura, the problem was that at the moment he just didn't know what.  

    For the last few weeks Laura had been coming in late and leaving early with no explanation other than her preoccupation was due to her current case.  Their personal relationship had also altered dramatically.   Remington's pacing increased as he thought about the amount of attention, or lack thereof, he'd received lately.  When Laura agreed to spend the night she'd be sound asleep by the time Remington came to bed.  And the time when Remington had beaten her to bed and had began his seduction scene, Laura had fallen asleep before he'd even gotten her clothes off.  In desperation he'd consulted Mildred but she had drawn a blank as well.

    "I tell you chief I can't explain what's been going on with Miss Holt.  And you know if I had an inside scoop I'd at least drop a few hints for you,"  Mildred said conspiratorially. 

    "I know you would Mildred.   It's just that Laura's behavior since she took this case has been baffling.   It's starting to feel like it did when I first arrived years ago; Laura kept me feeling like I was always on the wrong reel of the movie."

    "Speak of the devil,"   Mildred said and pointed a finger to the front door.

    Laura came sailing into the office wearing a large smile and a brand new tan.  Remington and Mildred both quirked an eyebrow as she asked everyone how their weekend was and before receiving an answer had gone into her office and shut the door.

    "Ok now this has to stop,"  Remington seethed.  "She's starting to act like...like..."

    "You?"  Mildred said innocently.

    Remington fixed Mildred with a murderous look, straightened his suit jacket and walked with purposeful strides toward Laura's door.  He opened Laura's door and closed it firmly behind him.  Laura looked up and smiled.

    "What's up Mr. Steele?"  

    "Funny, I was about to ask you the same thing.  Nice tan you're sporting Miss Holt,"  Remington said as he looked out the window and the torrential downpour outside.  Considering the weather we've had this weekend I'd wager you didn't receive that here.  Or have you been experimenting with those tan in a jar products again?"

    "No Mr. Steele, I was out of town this weekend, short jaunt to Mexico."  Laura replied.

    "Really.  You didn't mention you were going to be out of town this weekend,"

    "Actually I didn't know until Friday evening.  My client threw a party and insisted that I be there.  I couldn't say no."

    "Evidently."   Remington said dryly.

    "Ok Laura, enough of the cloak and dagger routine.  What's going on?  You've been absent so much I considered renting out your parking space downstairs.  And when you are here, you mind is elsewhere.  Is there something you'd like to tell me?"

    "Like what Remington?"   Laura countered.

    "Like why lately I've actually had to run this bloody agency, why we haven't been spending any time together, why our sex life has regressed six years and why I'm having to forge your signature now instead of the other way around,"  Remington huffed.

    Laura put down her pen, walked up to Remington and put her arms around his neck.  "That's quite a laundry list Mr. Steele,"  Laura breathed and kissed him passionately.

    Remington was still angry but his body responded like a man deprived of his favorite food.  He crushed her to him and kissed her with all the pent up desire and frustration he'd felt of late.  Laura was rocked to her toes with the passion she felt and clung to him as if her life depended on it.  Without warning Remington backed them up to her office door and without breaking the kiss turned the lock on the door.  He picked Laura up and quickly took her back to her desk.  Laura felt the change in gravity and held on tighter to Remington as he leaned them both on the top of her desk.  Laura's legs went around Remington's waist and her skirt instantly rose a few inches to settle around her hips. 

    His hand went inside Laura's blouse, skillfully covering her satin bra.  Laura sucked in air from Remington's mouth as he rubbed his thumb over her breast.  Laura arched against him and moaned aloud when she felt his mouth go to the spot on her neck that always drove her wild.  Remington wedged a leg between her thighs and Laura instantly closed her legs around his.  Remington leaned forward and increased the pressure on Laura's pelvic bone and slowly began rhythmic movements against her.  She was powerless to stop the increasing desire that rushed through her lower body and she moaned as much in surprise as response to his ministrations. 

    Remington continued to increase the pressure of his leg against Laura and the more he pushed, the tighter she clasped him to her.  She was beyond coherent thought now and didn't care if they were in her office or on a park bench as her body tightened with the familiarity of her impending climax.  Just as she was about to die with the intensity of it Remington's lips moved from her neck to her lips and he resumed rubbing his thumb across her breast.   That was all Laura needed to topple her over the edge. 

    Her eyes rolled into the back of her head.  Shuddering against him, waves of desire crashed repeatedly over her body.  Moments later, with breathing still an effort for her, Laura looked up into Remington's face in utter surprise.  Remington took in Laura's flushed face, her disheveled clothes and his crushed suit jacket and smiled in satisfaction.   He'd never done that to her before, and by the surprised and embarrassed looked on Laura's face, it was obvious she'd never had it done to her before.  He adjusted her blouse and smoothed his suit jacket before kissing her swollen lips.

    "Just a little something to remember me by," Remington quipped before retreating through the connecting door.

    In his bathroom, Remington collapsed against the closed door.  His emotions were rioting with his mind and his body was as taut as a bow string.  He shut his eyes, and willed himself under control.  After a few moments, he walked unsteadily to the sink to splash cold water on his face.  He was slightly surprised that Laura hadn't barged into his office and called him out.  Then again, if she were feeling a fraction of what he was feeling...

###

    The Limo Laura was being driven in pulled up to the intersection and stopped.  The windshield wipers conveying themselves back and forth across the windshield almost hypnotized her with their swaying.   Her body still throbbed and felt incredibly sensitive from her surprise encounter with Remington earlier that day.  Just recalling the moment produced goose bumps on her flesh and made her breath catch in her throat.  She'd deserved it, she knew she did and added that revelation on top of her already guilty conscience.  She wondered just how much more she could take before she cracked and told him everything.   She missed him, apparently more than she'd even realized.  Their spontaneous lovemaking had driven that point home hard enough. 

    A horn honking behind them snapped Laura to attention.  Cole had called her cell phone earlier and invited her to his father's home for a few days.  She'd been hesitant at first wondering how she was going to explain her absence to Mildred much less Remington, but she eventually agreed.  Laura was aware that a refusal would set her back and it had been weeks now and she wasn't any closer to finding Daniel's Maiden's Tear than when she first encountered "Cole Milan."  Laura almost laughed aloud at the name.  She didn't know his real one but the alias' he and his fathered used were comical to her.  When she'd met Cole she couldn't help but comment that his name sounded like a line of expensive shoes. 

    "Now that's one I haven't heard."   Cole had laughed.

    Truthfully Laura enjoyed spending time with the young playboy because he was genuinely a nice person and fun to be around.  Besides that, he was tall, incredibly good looking with dark blonde hair and playful green eyes.  Cole lived up to the title "Playboy" in every sense of the word:  He was rich, he didn't work but stood to inherit his father's vast assets, he lived fast and played even faster.  Daniel was worried that Laura wouldn't catch his interest and gain admittance into his tight social circle but she had surpassed even her expectations by receiving a telephone call from Cole's personal assistant two days after their "chance" meeting to invite her to a yacht party.

    After much unwanted input from Daniel over her wardrobe, Laura had chosen a simple but elegant red halter dress with matching sandals.  She'd pulled her hair up to show off her back and added minimal makeup.  When Laura had arrived and been introduced to Cole's friends, she'd gotten curious stares from the men and venomous looks from the tall, busty babes that were walking around in stiletto heels and skimpy dresses and bikinis.  Compared to them Laura looked, and felt like a breath of fresh, non-siliconed air.  When Cole had told her as much, she made a mental note to gloat to Daniel over her small victory.

    When Laura arrived at the Milan mansion she was let in by a butler and shown to a small, but elegantly decorated room to wait for Cole while her bags were taken to her room.

    "Master Milan will be in momentarily,"  the stuffy butler informed her.

    "Thank you,"   Laura said trying desperately not to laugh at him while he stiffly shut the double doors.

    Laura was nervous and full of anxiety.  This was the moment she'd been waiting for, access to Hugh's inner sanctum.   It was time for her to go to work to find the Maiden's Tear, or any clues that would lead her to it.  She had to wrap this case up soon, Remington was getting suspicious, she was certain of it and she knew that things had to get back to normal between them.  She couldn't take many more lessons like the one he'd given her in her office.

    After a few moments the doors opened and Laura looked up to see Hugh Sinclair walk in.

    "Well you must be Ms. Denison.  I'm Gino Milan, Cole's father.  I hope you don't mind my stopping in to meet you,"  he replied smiling.

    "No, not at all Mr. Milan.   I'm surprised we haven't met before now."  Laura smiled.

    "Please call me Gino,"

    "Only if you call me Desiree,"  Laura returned.

    "Fair enough Desiree.   I must say, Cole must think highly of you to bring you here to Fieldcrest.   Most of his...entertaining is done at his condo in L.A. ,"

    Laura wondered if all wealthy people named their homes.  She concluded they did. 

    "Well I for one think very highly of Cole.  He's a wonderful man and fun to be around,"

    "Yes, I suppose he's had more than enough time to practice his social graces.  If he'd become as astute in business matters I'd die a happy man,"  Hugh sighed.

    "I'm sure he will,"   Laura replied for lack of anything better to say.

    "So Desiree, tell me about yourself.  Cole has only told me how you two met.  I'm afraid he's been quite elusive on other pertinent information,"

    "Well there's not really much to tell.  I'm thirty-two, I'm a freelance photographer but I'm in between jobs at the moment.  I'm from Los Angeles and have been here all my life."

    "Have you ever been married?" Hugh inquired.

    "No.  I've never met anyone I wanted to spend forever with,"  Laura responded.

    "Until now?"  Hugh pressed.

    "I'm not sure what you're asking Gino,"

    "Well it's obvious to me Cole cares quite a great deal for you.  The question is how much do you care for him?"

    "I care for your son but we've only been seeing each other a few weeks."  Laura said cooly.

    "I assure you Desiree I'm not trying to be difficult and I tend not to get involved in Cole's private life or the women he dates, unless things become serious.  Then naturally I'd like to know all there is to know about the woman in question.  Cole is less...rigorous about these things than I am.  A shortcoming I've tried numerous times to correct,"

    "Well you have nothing to worry about on my account Mr. Milan,"  Laura assured him.

    Hugh looked at Laura a few seconds and was about to respond when Cole walked into the room.

    "Dad, what are you doing here?"  Cole said as he walked up to Laura, put an arm around her and kissed her cheek.  "I thought you had a business meeting."

    "I did son but it ended early so I thought I'd come introduce myself to Ms. Denison,"

    "I'm glad you did.  I wanted you two to meet and get to know each other,"  Cole said as he squeezed Laura's shoulder.

    "I'd say we're off to a great start wouldn't you Desiree?"  Hugh smiled brightly.

    "Of course,"   Laura smiled but inside her brain was setting off alarm bells.  

    Her instincts told her to be watchful of Hugh Sinclair and her instincts were never wrong. 

To be continued...

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