Sparks fly when a blue eyed, mysterious con man joins the payroll at the Remington Steele Agency.  

Steele Playing By The Rules - Part I

    Laura eyed her watch and tried to remain focused on the man sitting across from her.  He'd been there almost two hours and she was more than ready to send him on his way.  He was sitting next to her and she was aching to find out what was going on in that twisted mind of his.  To step into her boss' fictitious shoes took guts, nerve and an enormous set of...

    "Pardon me?" Laura said shifting in her chair.  Her mind had been wandering and she realized, too late, that her name was being called repeatedly.

    "I asked when you'd be able to start on my case," her elderly, but good-looking client asked.

    Her new boss eyed her with interest.  He was obviously enjoying her discomfiture at being caught daydreaming.

    "I'm sorry, I was just thinking of a past case that held similarities to your situation."

    "Not to worry Miss Holt, I too find astonishing similarities between our cases.  I suppose it's bound to happen from time to time, criminals can't always be original can they?"  he casually replied .

    Laura looked at the stranger sitting next to her as if he'd grown two heads.  "I suppose not, Mr. Steele."

    "We've just wrapped up our current case so I don't anticipate it being too long, before we're able to get started with the preliminaries for you," she assured her client.

    "Fabulous.  Well I've taken up enough of your time Steele," he said looking at his watch and rising.  "Let me know the minute you come across anything."

    "You can be certain we'll contact you, the moment we've uncovered something.  It was a pleasure to meet you Mr. Shriver."

    "Likewise Steele," The elderly man stood and headed to the door.  Almost as an after thought, he turned.  "You too, little lady."

    Laura bristled under the reference but pasted a professional smile on her face nonetheless.  They both walked their client out into the reception area.  Bernice looked up and gasped.  The pencil she was flicking between her fingers sailed aimlessly across the room and landed in front of Laura's door with a resounding thud.  "What the...I mean how'd you..." she stammered.

    "Is there a problem Miss...Wolf?" he inquired innocently.

    "Uh, I...no there isn't," she said shrilly.  "I just didn't expect you to...to...to wear that suit," Bernice choked out.  "I thought I'd sent it the tailor to be altered for you.  I'll take care of it first thing tomorrow," she smiled at Mr. Shriver.

    "Wow Steele, you've got a great crew on board," Shriver winked.

    "They keep me running like a well oiled machine, I assure you."

    The moment the door swung closed after Shriver, Laura's frozen smile melted and she turned on her heel.  She grabbed his arm and pulled him back into the office.  "We'll be in a conference Bernice, hold all my calls and Murphy," Laura said wisely.

    "Sure thing..." Bernice said before the door slammed shut.  "Laura," she finished after the closed door.

    "Breathe Laura, breathe Laura," she chanted.

    "Do you always talk to yourself out loud?"  He questioned.  "How odd.  Do you ever answer back?"

    "Yes!"  Laura said with annoyance.  "But that's beside the point, just what the hell are YOU doing here?   What are you playing at?  This is my job!  What were you thinking waltzing in here pretending to be Remington Steele, again!" 

Laura ran a shaky hand through her hair.  "Just what am I supposed to tell Mr. Shriver, when you up and disappear into the night?" 

    "That won't be necessary.  I don't plan on leaving, at least not anytime soon."

    "What!?"  Laura threw up her hands, walked around the desk and collapsed into the swivel chair.  It still held the warmth from his body.  She took a deep, cleansing breath and looked pointedly at him.  "Ok, start from the beginning and work your way up to the point where you snuck in here and plopped down in my chair."

    "My apologies Laura, I thought that was where Mr. Steele sits when he's in the office."

    The expression on Laura's face spoke volumes.  He held up his hands in surrender and pulled up the chair their client had occupied.

    "I was all set to leave town Laura, honestly.  My bags were packed and my hotel bill settled.  As I headed to the airport, I had this strange feeling."

    "What caused this feeling of yours?"  Laura asked.

    "Not what, who," he looked at her pointedly.

    Laura's stomach took a nosedive into her shoes.  But as much as she tried, words failed her.

    He scrutinized her before speaking again.  "Anyway, the pull was strong enough for me to cancel my flight and take you up on your offer."

    "What offer?"

    "Well, you did say I made a delightful Remington Steele," he reminded her.

    "Yeah, I said that, but I didn't expect you to translate that to mean I wanted you to BECOME Remington Steele," Laura said quickly.

    "Of course you did; you just didn't think I'd call your bluff.  Did you Laura?" 

    Laura stood up and put some distance between them.   Her hands were shaking so she folded her arms across her chest.  Was he out of his mind?  Didn't he feel this?  Couldn't he sense there was an attraction between them and it was dangerous?  Maybe he wasn't as affected as she was.  This can't possibly be one-sided.  Could it?"  she asked herself.

    "Um, why exactly do you want to become Remington Steele?"  Laura said in what she prayed was an even voice.

    "Really Laura, I'd have thought the answer obvious," Standing, he closed the distance between them.

    Laura unconsciously took a step back.  He noticed it and smiled - she frowned.

    "Humor me," she replied.

    Again, he moved forward until he was inches from her.  She would have moved, but his hand came up and lightly caressed her cheek.  The energy she was about to expend to move suddenly fled her body; her legs became rooted to the carpet.  When she looked up at him, their eyes locked, all coherent thought and breath left her body in a big whoosh.

    "I told you Laura, I'm a man that enjoys impossible challenges."

    "So, you're just here long enough to add a feather to your cap?"  Her voice dripped sarcasm.

    "I don't wear hats that often, musses the hair," he grinned.

    "I'm serious!"  Laura said with exasperation.

    "I can see that," his eyes roamed over her body, slowly, before returning to her face.  "Actually, I thought it would be an exciting role to play; I've assumed many identities in the past, but none as wholesome and upright as a detective."

    "Not to mention lawful," Laura said dryly.

    He looked surprised for a moment, then tilted his head back and roared with laughter.  Laura warmed at the sound and the way his eyes brightened before settling on her again.  "Well I'll admit, that was an added bonus.  But, hardly my main reason for wanting to give this a go."

    After a few agonizingly silent moments, Laura couldn't take his scrutiny any longer.  "Don't keep me in suspense.  Why do you want to stay?"

    "How about we discuss it over dinner tonight?"  He countered.

    Laura gasped.  Whatever she was expecting him to say, it wasn't that! "Dinner?"  I don't think that's a good idea."

    "Why?  Afraid you might enjoy yourself like you did the other night?"

    "No." 

    "You're lying, you're afraid of me."

    "Afraid?"  Laura said incredulously.  "Of you?  You must be joking.  I just don't think it's a good idea to mix business with pleasure."

    "I see.  So you've never shared a meal with your associates?"

    "That's...that's different."

    "Why?  Sharing meals with Mr. Michaels and Miss Wolf isn't pleasurable?"

    "It's Fox," Laura corrected.

    "Sure it is," he dismissed.  "Well is it?"

    "Of course, dinner with them is pleasurable."

    "So it's not always business; you've proven that you can associate with your business partners on a personal level.  So, why am I any different?"

    "It's different because...WE are not partners," Laura shot back, pleased with her answer.

    "Aren't we trying to be...partners?"

    Laura felt the urge to put some distance between them, again.  He was making subtle innuendoes and double entendres that were making her uneasy.   "This won't work," she tried again.

    "Laura admit it, you need a figure head, I need a change of scenery and a diversion from my current occupation.  Why don't you view this as the perfect solution to both our problems?"

    "Because I..."

    The buzzer sounded loudly cutting off her sentence.   She almost ran to the desk and pushed the intercom.

    "Coward," he whispered, but it was loud enough for Laura to hear.

    She glared at him as she spoke into the box on the desk.  "Yes Bernice?"

    "Sorry to interrupt Laura, but Mr....Steele has a telephone call on line 1."

    Before Laura could react he'd come around the desk, pushed the line button and picked up the phone. 

    "Yes, Steele here.  Ah, Mr. Shriver, how good to hear from you again.  Yes.  Yes.  I see," Remington said as Laura stared at him.

    "Yes.  Oh, I agree.  Mmm Hmm.  Oh absolutely."

    "What?"  Laura mouthed.

    Remington winked at her, which only caused her to frown more.  She hated not knowing what was going on.

    "That's sounds perfect.  Yes, I'll be sure to tell her.  See you then.  Bye-bye," he said and hung up.

    Laura couldn't take the suspense.   "What was that about?" 

    "That was Mr. Shriver," he said mildly.

    "I know that much.  What did he want?"  

    "He invited Remington Steele, to dinner this evening."

    "He what!?  And you told him you're going?"  Laura felt faint and held her hand out on the desk to support herself.

    "Actually, it's "we" Miss Holt, I accepted for both of us.  It looks like we're going to be testing that pleasure vs. business theory, tonight,"  He looked down at his watch.   "Well, I've got to run.  Remington Steele never goes anywhere without looking his best.  Mr. Shriver's limo will be arriving here, at 6pm.  I'll meet you back here say, 5:45?  We can discuss our new business arrangement and hammer out the details after dinner with Shriver.  Does that suit you?"

    Laura could only stare at him and shake her head distractedly.

    "Great.  Until later Laura." 

    Laura felt her hand come up and go through the motions of waving and returning to her side.  He hadn't been gone three seconds before Bernice ran into the room and stood there excitedly moving up and down.

    "Well?  Don't stand there keeping me in suspense, what's going on with the Hunk of the month?"

    "Dinner.  Tonight.  Client," Laura replied as if in a trance.

    Bernice whooped and hopped up on the desk.  She eyed Laura knowingly and smiled like a feline.  "So, what's tall, dark and handsome named anyway?"

    Laura looked at the door, then back to Bernice.  "I don't have a clue, but I think before the evening is over, it's going to be Remington Steele."   

To Be Continued...