This story is intended for amusement purposes only. This story is not meant to infringe on the names of Remington Steele, Laura Holt or anything that would cause MTM productions or anybody else to sue me. This story is the property of Lisa Watson ã 2002.
Author's note: This is my addition to Premium Steele. The "what would've happened" if they hadn't broke to a commercial. Enjoy!
Remington rubbed his hand up and down Laura's arm. He was exhausted and emotionally spent, but he could tell she also needed comfort.
Laura closed her eyes and fought to keep her composure. "This is overwhelming," she choked.
"I know. I know it is," he soothed. "Hey, why don't you go into the bathroom, take a hot shower and try to relax, eh? I'll see if I can locate some coffee or something.
"No!" Laura almost yelled. "I mean, I'd prefer if you stayed here while I was...in the shower."
"I'll be rooted to this spot, ok?"
Laura nodded. Picking up her overnight bag, she looked at him once more before going into the bathroom and closing the door. A moment later she opened it slightly so that if anything happened, she'd hear it. For once, she wasn't worried about Remington trying to take advantage of a situation.
Turing on the shower, she adjusted the water as hot as she could stand it. Steam rose from above the curtain drifting lazily around the room. After pulling out her toiletry bag and nightgown, she brushed her teeth and washed her face. Next Laura secured her hair in a towel and disrobed. She entered the shower from the back, easing her way into the hot spray. Once accustomed to the heat, she sighed and leaned against the tiled wall. She'd come close, too close to losing her life today and Remington had saved her. Again.
He was always there; always ready to help her in any way. Always ready to give of himself. It was a gesture that she only just realized. So often she accused him of being selfish and demanding but the truth was, it couldn't have been farther from the truth. He was everything she could hope to have in a friend, partner and man. Laura felt herself slipping and immediately opened her eyes. She'd been falling asleep. Quickly lathering her body, she rinsed thoroughly before shutting off the water.
Grabbing a towel from the bar on the wall, she stepped out. Laura dried herself quickly, donned her nightgown, and put on scented lotion. It was an attempt to lift her spirits but it didn't work. Pulling the towel off her head she folded it, placed it on the rack, and left.
Remington grabbed his case. "Leave any hot water?" he tiredly inquired.
Laura smiled weakly. "I think there's a few minutes left."
"That's about all the energy I can spare." Remington yawned, disappearing into the bathroom.
Laura noticed that Remington had also left the door cracked. She smiled. Apparently he'd noticed her need to be connected.
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, Laura brushed her hair out. She heard the water come on in the shower and Remington sighing heavily. Her heart ached for him and what must've been a horrible moment outside his apartment door. She sent a silent prayer Heavenward for Rudy, and also for their lives being spared. Again.
Remington was only gone a few minutes but when he came out, Laura was lying across the foot of the bed sound asleep. He couldn't help but smile at the sight she presented. His eyes roamed over her body noting her nightgown. It wasn't one he'd ever seen, not that he'd seen many. It was a floor length, sapphire blue gown that suited her. He wouldn't bother to give her a compliment, she didn't take them well.
Sitting his bag by the closet door, Remington threw his ruined suit in. Shutting the door behind it. The last thing he needed to smell was acrid smoke. He didn't need any reminders of the last few hours. They'd be with him forever.
After buttoning his silk pajama top, Remington walked over to Laura. He leaned down and brushed a stray hair out of her face. She looked so different asleep; her guard was down and those lines of distrust weren't etched in her features. Gently, Remington picked her up and laid her against the pillows. She twitched slightly, but otherwise remained oblivious. He covered her and turned the light off before crawling into bed beside her. He placed his arms behind his head and stared at the ceiling.
Perennial was out for blood on this one. He prayed he'd be able to keep theirs from being spilled. With an anguished sigh Remington drifted off into a restless sleep.
###
"NO! Dear God, no!" Remington cried out, instantly awake. His chest was heaving and there was a tight feeling in his lungs, as if he'd been holding his breath.
"It's ok," Laura soothed. Remington, I'm here."
He reached out and grabbed her. "Laura, I'm...I'm sorry. I must've been dreaming," he said, shakily.
"From the sounds of it I'd say it wasn't a very good one,"
"Far from it." he confirmed.
"Rudy?"
"Yes. Dammit, Laura, he was only eighteen!" He voice constricted in his throat.
Laura leaned closer, putting her arms around him. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and inhaled her scent. She smelled of Lavender and soap. He suddenly noticed she wasn't beside him in bed but sitting at his side.
"Laura, where were you?"
"I couldn't sleep," she admitted. "I was in the bathroom when I heard you cry out."
He pulled the pillows higher behind him. "What kept you up?"
"The bomb," Laura's voice shook. "It made me think about the other time. When I lost my home and everything in it. I wasn't so lucky that time."
"Yes you were. You weren't in your home when it blew up. I'd call that pretty fortuitous."
"I guess you're right. I should look at it that way. It's times like this that make me wonder, about the sanity of our work."
"You mean being a private investigator?"
"Yes. I just don't know what I'd do if I lost someone close to me. Thus far I've been fortunate in that respect. But we can't always beat the bad guys to the punch. What then?" She whispered.
"I can't answer that, Laura. I just don't know. But I do know that you're incredible at what you do and thus far, you've led a charmed life. We both have." Remington placed her hand in his and squeezed.
She returned the gesture but trembled slightly. "I know that most of the time I'm pretty tough, I always say I can take care of myself but now..."
"Laura nobody can be tough one-hundred percent of the time. You've gotten the wits scared out of you. Hell, we both have. It's only natural that we'd be shaken up a bit. Near death experiences tend to do that to a person. You've got to believe that we'll come out of this ok."
"Do you honestly believe that?"
"Yes, I really do," he rubbed a finger against her cheek. "As long as we're together, I think anything is possible."
Suddenly Laura was overcome with emotion. She put her arms around Remington and held him tightly. Remington was surprised by her gesture, but recovered quickly. Wrapping her in his arms, he pulled her closer. He ran a hand up and down her hair in a soothing gesture.
"What would I ever do without you?" Laura said, tearfully.
"You don't think I plan on having you find out, do you?" He joked.
Laura pulled away and they looked at each other silently. Though dark, Remington could see Laura's eyes were brimming with unshed tears. She looked scared, vulnerable and above all, as beautiful as he'd ever seen her. He couldn't help but follow his instinct to pull her to him and kiss her gently.
Instantly, she melted against him, giving herself over to his kiss. It started out platonically at first, but soon deepened and became a kiss between two people that were holding pools of desire at bay. Laura wrapped her arms around him and coerced his lips to part. Laura's tongue dueled with his. He moaned in reaction.
Frazzled nerves, fright and remorse were soon replaced with passion, unfulfilled love, and a heat that was slowly burning them alive. Remington pulled Laura against him and turned her over and under him. He stretched out fully above her and let his hands roam over her body. What started out as an innocent kiss had rapidly escalated into a full fledged need that begged to be satisfied. They were both emotionally tattered and in need of escape, if only temporarily. Both sensed it, and that only fueled their unplanned interlude.
Remington's breathing became choppy and ragged as he continued to plunder Laura's mouth and explore her body. Laura was consumed with warmth that was rapidly invading her whole body. A soft, feminine moan escaped her lips and rocketed their craving to greater heights. Her hands were all over him. His body reacted like a starving man that had just been given a multi-course meal.
His mind was beyond thought and ran on primal need. Laura's hands slid down his back and when they sought out his rear end, the feeling had the opposite effect. Instead of furthering his hunger, it acted like a bucket of cold water. He jerked away from Laura as though he'd been burned. He got off her and sat back on the bed. Dazed, Laura came up and stared at him in question. She was heaving and her gown was hiked around her thighs.
"Remington? What's the matter?" Laura asked, in confusion.
"God Laura, nothing...everything. I'm so sorry. I don't know what the hell came over me."
"Whatever it was, I'd say it effected me as well."
Remington took a deep breath and tried to restrain the intense need he felt; his body protested loudly, especially his loins. He took Laura's hands in his and kissed them both. "Laura, you know how much I want you. I can't even begin to explain how intense my desire is for you, but I think this isn't the right time for us to make love."
"Why? I'm not afraid this time. I want you just as much as you want me. You believe that, don't you?"
"Of course I do. I'm not blind, I can see and feel what's between us. But, I just pictured another night long ago. A dark and rainy night, when we were forced together by another treacherous deed. Do you remember?"
Laura nodded. "You're talking about the night my house was blown up."
"Yes. That night was fraught with emotion as well. You and I were upset, devastated and feeling lost. You collapsed in my arms and cried your heart out. I wanted so much to comfort you Laura, I wanted to show you how much I cared, to let you feel my strength and my commitment. You were scared, so scared that I'd leave, and you'd be left all alone. I just wanted to show you the extent of my feelings so that you'd know I would never leave you. You'd know how much I wanted you.
I did Laura. That night I just wanted to hold you and make love to you until you couldn't think or feel anything, but what was between us."
"Why didn't you? I offered to give myself to you, but you said you couldn't ask it of me. Are you telling me that now?"
Remington ran his hand over Laura's face. She pulled his palm toward her mouth and kissed it. He swallowed hard, fighting for enough strength to talk.
"Yes Laura, I want nothing more than to lay you down on that bed and make love to you until we're both dizzy from it. Still, I can't help thinking that the timing is wrong, that we're both too vulnerable, now. If Perennial hadn't tried to kill us, we wouldn't be in a motel now--seconds from making love. You'd be at your loft and I'd be at my flat. We wouldn't be contemplating sleeping together."
Laura took a deep breath. "Are you saying we aren't ready for this?"
"Are you saying we are?" Remington countered.
Closing her eyes, Laura took a deep breath. Her body was pulled so taut she thought she'd snap in two.
Remington got up on his knees and pulled Laura against him. He put her face between his hands and kissed her soundly. "Laura, don't ever doubt how much I feel for you or how much I want to be with you, in every way. I just want our first time together to be of our own making. I don't want any misgivings the day after. I don't want us waking up wondering what we've done. When we do share that special moment, and we will I assure you, I just want it to be everything we've hoped for."
Laura smiled and kissed him lightly on the lips. "When did you get to be so wise?" Laura said, warmly.
Remington smiled lovingly. "I've had one hell of a teacher."
"Shall we go to bed, Mr. Steele?"
Remington pulled the covers back for them. "Absolutely, Miss Holt."
They snuggled under the covers and Remington pulled Laura against him so that he was behind her. He wrapped his arms around her middle and pulled her as close as he could.
Laura wrapped her arms around his and nestled into him. She closed her eyes and felt content just being near him. She felt him kiss the top of her head and smiled at how incredible he was.
"Are you comfortable?"
"Wild horses couldn't drag me from this spot."
"Good night, Laura."
"Good night," she whispered back.
Seconds later they both drifted off, wrapped in each other's arms and completely secure in the knowledge that together, they'd overcome any dangers that came their way.