~~ Wild Dreams ~~
FEEDBACK – Yes, please! – MagSevenFic@Yahoo.com
(Don’t forget to tell me which story you read – Thanks)
RATING – NC-17 for explicit sexual description
UNIVERSE – ATF
SERIES – Intimacies
ARCHIVE – Yes, but ask first please.
SUMMARY – Who says our fantasies have to remain just that?
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DISCLAIMER - If only wishes did come true… Reality is harsh
John Watson and CBS own The Magnificent Seven and all of its characters.
I seek, nor shall receive, profit from this narrative.
I claim All Original Characters as my own.
Please, DO NOT use them without my express permission.
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WRITER’S NOTE – As always, I extend my thanks to Antoinette and Amy for their keen beta skills and wonderful friendship.
This story started out a while back, and was inspired by a drabble I wrote for a list. Now, I, for one, believe we can’t let ideas go to waste, right? … LOL
So… I began to change the story around a little, all the while keeping a certain friend in mind. I’ve been holding on to it, waiting for just the right time to post it, and now… Well, her birthday is upon us… <<giggle>>
Without further delay… I’d like to dedicate this fic to a great friend. She knows who I'm talking about and that's all that counts.. Happy birthday, lady, and I hope the day makes a few dreams come true…
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As she rode along beside Chris Larabee, Claire couldn't help but smile.He’d done it again!
Surprised her with an unexpected invitation… And, who could ask for anything more? …Two horses, wide-open spaces, a picnic basket, and one blond haired, green eyed, lean and extremely handsome ATF agent for company.
What girl in her right mind could say NO to that...?
NOT Claire… that's for sure!
The entire day had just been so perfect. The sun was warm and bright. The air was calm and the acres upon acres of wilderness beyond his ranch house were so unbelievably inviting. The quiet picnic they had shared miles from anywhere had been very personal and incredibly relaxing. And, even though the couple was ‘waiting’… really making sure… before they consummated their relationship, that didn’t mean they hadn’t shared some intimate kisses today. The solitude of their chosen venue had prompted more than a few.
Now, reluctantly, they were on their way back to Chris' house. After the perfection of the day, Claire hoped the night would be just as inviting… She sighed heavily at the ‘dream’…
Too many people around for that!
Claire knew that some of 'the boys', as she liked to call them, would be around and she wasn't exactly sure she wanted that today. Quite a few of them took advantage of their boss' standing invitation to spend weekends at the ranch. Vin was already there when she’d arrived that morning. Buck and JD showed up just as the couple were leaving, and she’d heard the others talking about Nathan and his girlfriend Rain going for a ride sometime that day. She mused, cheerfully accepting that if Josiah and Ezra weren’t on assignment, they’d most likely be somewhere in the vicinity, too.
Life with Larabee, meant life with his team and, deep down, the brunette gladly accepted that fact.
Just… maybe NOT today!
Claire sighed again as their mounts trotted along. Oh well! At least she'd spent an incredible day with her new man. And happily too, she'd had ample opportunity to continue getting to know her brand new, very own horse. When Chris found out that she'd had to leave her aging pony behind when she moved, he'd made a gift of his latest acquisition. The lady was ecstatic. There was just no right way to thank him for such a wonderful gift. Even her wildest dreams couldn't come close to the thank you she felt he deserved.
Not that 'wild dreams' were a bad thing, mind you...
The thought danced in her head and a sly grin brightened up her whole face. She'd had more than one such fantasy in the last four months. All of them seemed to focus of a certain 'man', yet, by mutual consent, they were taking it slow. Truth be told… Claire hadn’t completely convinced herself that she was ready for that step… no matter how much her imagination and desire said she was.
Or, perhaps we’re 'waiting’ till we can't wait any longer'… She turned her head so the blond couldn’t see her smile. Such immature behavior! she scolded herself.
The friendship Chris and Claire shared was built on common interests, mutual respect and a strange spontaneous rivalry that both had nurtured since their very first meeting…
Oh, how boring that briefing had been. It wasn't meant to be, but the trouble was, all of the information being presented was 'old news' to Claire. She'd only been in Denver a week and her superiors hadn't received her personnel file yet. They suggested she attend the lecture to familiarize herself 'just so that you're up-to-speed'. Little did they know that she was completely 'up-to-speed' on the techniques being described. Coming from the busiest city in America can do that to a girl…Of course, the speech might have been worth sitting in on, had the Crime Scene Investigator giving it been more imaginative and less mundane. Claire had amused herself picturing the man hidden away in his CSI lab 24/7, 365… White coat, rubber gloves and a different book opened on every available desk space. Some people just belonged in the laboratory and were never meant to interact with 'normal' people…
Then again, the same might be said for some of the law enforcement representatives who had been ordered to attend the briefing as well. Scanning the room on several occasions, the brunette couldn't help but notice how differently they were reacting to this little presentation. A lot of them seemed eager to take notes, genuinely interested in the topic that they probably weren't fully versed in. 'Maybe they're the ones who spend their entire day behind a desk buried under miles of paperwork' she mused.
Glancing around the crowd of roughly sixty people, Claire could also see that some were taking notes although they clearly wanted to be someplace else. The occasional annoyed 'stare' at a watch was a clear telltale sign of inattentive behavior. Probably the frontline investigators' she concluded. The ones who actually did the 'dirty work' that the police dealt with on a daily basis.
Flipping her pen continuously for the last twenty-five minutes, Claire's eyes had alternated from the speaker to his audience. Her thoughts drifted to how much more interested she might be if the man behind the podium were a little more… 'attractive'… yeah, that's the words she was looking for. Lost in that 'interesting' prospect, the lady found herself scanning the room for anyone who might 'fit the bill'.
No one did…
At the hour marker, everyone took a much needed intermission. Getting up to force the circulation back into her legs, Claire wandered over the refreshment table and snapped up some orange juice. Shaking the bottle as she wandered around, the brunette made a conscious decision to grab a seat at the back of the room when the break was over. And, that was too soon for her liking…
Begrudging her orders to attend the briefing, Claire watched everyone filter back to their seats as she edged herself towards the rear. Spotting an empty table four rows back, the brunette made her way there and took up her chair just as the lecturer began to speak…
'Again!'
Slowly, she settled into the routine established before. Twirl the pen, doodle on the paper, and look around the room… oh yeah, and look at the lecturer once in a while, to pretend you're interested.
Barely fifteen minutes had gone by when it happened...
Her deep brown eyes caught the wonder of his soft green reflections. Realizing she'd been staring, Claire quickly glanced away, chastising herself for being caught. A minute passed as she fought the urge to look again.
'Damn!'
Holding her breath, she chanced a second look. Respiration began again when the covert observations discovered that he wasn't looking back. The brunette's eyebrows raised inquisitively… 'Now there's a prospect worth looking into' she mused playfully. He was definitely a handsome specimen, that's for sure.
Claire stifled a smirk when she saw him yawn. She quickly glanced away again when his eyes drifted in her direction. Clearing her throat, the lady went back to swirling the pen but her mind had definitely found something else to occupy it…
Another fifteen minutes passed when Claire frowned. There'd been a faint noise annoying her for the last few minutes but she couldn't pinpoint it. Another covert glance employed once more, she peaked in the blond's direction. Her lips pursed tightly as she realized what the sound was. It appeared that the gentleman was just as unimpressed with the presentation as she was. His pen rotated through his fingers in a manner not unlike the one Claire employed to keep her mind occupied. The small beating noise came at the end of each rhythmic cycle as the instrument was tapped, three times, on his notebook.
Intent on watching the man's pen, Claire hadn't noticed his focus. Several minutes passed before she heard him clear his throat quietly. Glancing up, she couldn't help but see his smile. It appeared that he was as amused as she was. Both individuals having spent the last few moments watching each other's 'pen olympics' taking place.
The remaining two and a half hours of the briefing hadn't seemed that long. The couple exchanged continual stares, almost goading one another into reacting to the other's 'relief of boredom' techniques. On the next intermission, they had said 'hi', but nothing more. Both returned to their previous seat, and their previous antics. On the final break, they had introduced themselves as Claire and Chris but said little else. The little grins they gave each other were more than enough to convey their intrigue.
With her interest piqued, Claire waited outside the door to the meeting room when the lecture was over. Standing discreetly off to one side, she watched Chris emerge as the other people filtered out. He looked over the disbursing assembly with intent curiosity.
"Looking for someone?" she asked, sidling up beside him.
As he turned towards the voice, the blond's grin was barely noticeable. "Yeah," he spoke quietly. "Don't suppose you've seen my lunch date… have you?"
Claire didn't flinch. "Umm," she played right along without missing a beat. "Not sure… Who shall I say is looking?"
The man licked his lips; amused with the little game they were playing. "Name's Larabee. Denver ATF... Got a team of special agents that I try to keep in line…"
"Umm," Claire murmured again, a hand rising to her chin to rub it gently.
"Wonder what things we might discuss over that lunch I mentioned…?"
"Maybe the thousands of varieties of guns that can be found on the face of this planet. Not exactly meal conversation," she shrugged, "but that's all ballistics specialists tend to talk about." As her hand settled back to her side, Claire turned to look into his green eyes.
"Ballistics specialist?" the blond repeated, a sly grin slowly creeping to his lips. "No wonder you were so bored in there. What the hell did they make you sit in on that for? You probably wrote the book that guy was using for reference."
"Well, not exactly," she smirked back, "but, I'm sure I can give him a few pointers."
"Yeah," Chris sighed, "Me too."
"What are you thinking about, Claire?"
"Huh?" caught by surprise; she glanced at Larabee inquisitively, not having heard what he’d said. "Oh... sorry, Chris. I was... someplace else."
"Yeah, I know," the blond grinned, "That's why I asked what you were thinking about?"
Looking away quickly, the woman searched desperately for something to say. She wasn't ready to talk about those 'wild dreams' just yet. "Oh, I was... just thinking how perfect the day has been," she turned back to him and forced a smile. "The weather was great, the horse is wonderful and the picnic was… the best."
Larabee nodded his concurrence but just couldn’t resist adding something else. "Don't forget the company," he sighed, looking deep into her beautiful brown eyes. "We make pretty good company, don't we?"
If ever silence could be deafening, it was at that very instant. The couple simply stared for several long seconds; both seemingly locked on thoughts of where they went from here.
"Guess so," she finally replied, her voice barely audible.
At that moment, the two horses snorted and fussed. The attention of both riders was drawn to their mounts.
"What's wrong?" Claire called as her colt fought her control.
"Not sure," Larabee answered just as his horse reared up. He wasn't ready for it and the agent tumbled backwards.
The young colt reared too, and the next thing Claire knew, she was flat on her back in a puddle. With the wind knocked out of her, it took a few seconds to get her bearing. She shook her head to clear it but it didn't work very well. Rolling over, the woman cussed silently as the mud from yesterday’s rain seeped into her clothing. It was then that she heard it...
The ATF leader heard it too. A sudden rush of adrenaline made his heart beat faster and he slowly reached for the side arm that completed his ‘cowboy’ persona. "Don't move, Claire," Chris called quietly. He too, rolled over... very, very slowly.
The brunette had heard this sound before. On nature shows, or documentaries... TV Westerns even... but never in person. One eye squeaked open, and then the other. Claire's breath was taken from her lungs as she spotted what had spooked the horses.
"Don't move," Chris repeated quietly, slowly he drew his weapon and leveled it at the creature. "I’ve got a bead on it. Just stay calm... Don't move."
Stupid idea, she thought. Stay calm! Ha! ... Who the hell does he think he's kidding? Like, this rattlesnake makes me want to do anything else...
Taking a deep breath, the blond drew on every ounce of knowledge and expertise he had and slowly squeezed the trigger.
No one moved as the dust settled.
The sound was deafening and the woman let the ringing in her ears subside before opening her eyes again. She breathed a heavy sigh at the empty ground before her. A hand moved slowly to her brow.
In a flash, Larabee moved, calling her name as he scrambled across the ground and slid in beside her. "Are you alright?" he helped her to a sitting position. His voice strained and anxious.
Still a little dazed, Claire focused on the inflection in his voice and the arms that curled around her protectively. She nodded, looking up into his green pools, "You didn't warn me about the wildlife?" she said sarcastically. Pulling away from him slightly, she flicked the mud from her hands.
Yep, he thought. The banter is back… she all right! Chris gave a little laugh, trying to relax the tension. "You didn't ask..." he snickered.
Instantly stopping what she was doing, she looked at the man distastefully. "Just slipped your mind, I suppose?" she said sternly. Sometimes her annoyance seeped out too quickly.
Larabee winced. Not ever knowing if she was serious or not, he aired on the side of caution. "Whoa there," he objected. "You act like I planned this."
Realizing her mistake, Claire decided to play on the mood. She huffed mischievously, tried to get to her feet but slipped in the mud several times. Finally reaching for Larabee’s helping hand when he offered it, the brunette ultimately managed to get up.
The whole exercise playing wildly on their moods, the couple tried desperately not to giggle.
Chris hadn't been overly dirty when he'd arrived at her side but helping Claire escape the puddle had left him just 'slightly' less muddy than her. Flicking muck from his hands he realized he didn’t care. He was relieved that his lady was safe and, quite frankly, amused at the predicament they'd found themselves in. Sitting back on his knees, he started to laugh.
The brunette was trying to wipe a little more mud from her Jeans when she suddenly stopped. Frowning, she lifted her head to glare at the ATF agent, still sitting in the mud. "Just what… is so funny, Mr. Larabee?" she folded her arms admonishingly across her chest.
Cautiously getting to his feet, Chris looked back at his companion and smirked. "Us," he mused. "Less than five minutes ago we was riding along having a real pleasant afternoon and now," he looked himself over. "Now we’re… filthy."
It was hard not to see the humor, and Claire momentarily forgot their condition, settling into Larabee’s muddy arms as he moved beside her again. They shared a quick smooch, both second-guessing the embrace to wipe grime from one another’s mouths. They laughed at their own antics.
Shaking her head as Chris flicked away more mud, the lady’s thoughts drifted to what had started all this in the first place. "Guess the snake scared the horses off?" she looked around for their mounts.
Releasing his lady, the blond picked up and then dusting off his hat. "Yep..." he cocked his head. "A good-sized rattler can do that to any horse. We get them out here. Seen this happen once or twice before."
Still looking around for the animals in question, Claire sighed, forgetting her slight annoyance all together. "So what do we do now?"
Larabee grinned. "Guess we start walking," he responded matter-of-factly. "The horses will find their own way. Can't be more than three or four miles to the house."
Scratching the back of her head, the woman reached down and rescued her own hat from the puddle. She huffed and eyed the trail sternly. "Best get to it then," she started to walk.
Chris raised an eyebrow. Grinning broadly, he flicked more mud from his arms and followed. "Yep."
~~~~~~~ 7 ~~~~~~~ 7 ~~~~~~~ 7 ~~~~~~~
"Come on, Buck," the young man persisted. "Chris' horse just don’t wander off without him."
Wilmington looked over at his friend's mount and the younger colt tethered beside it on the fence. The two animals had come in less than fifteen minutes ago, no riders in sight. "You're right, JD," he muttered as he checked his main saddle strap again.
The kid frowned. First, I’m was wrong… now, I’m was right, he puzzled. "So… you were thinking… what?" he tried to clarify the change in opinion. "That Claire and Chris decided to... walk back to the ranch house?"
The ladies' man looked at Tanner and pursed his lips. "No," he insisted glancing back at Dunne. "Was just figurin'… maybe they decided on a..." Mounting up, the rogue looked across at the men, trying to find the right word express his previous notion…
"Encounter," Vin finished the sentence.
"Well, yeah," Wilmington nodded. "They do seem… infatuated…"
"You been listening to Ezra too much," JD mused, shaking his head at the ‘fancy’ word.
"You'd better not let..." Jackson began. Sucking in his bottom lip, he thought better on his comments and changed the subject. "Well, let’s just hope they ain't hurt."
"Yeah," the sharpshooter agreed as he guided his horse out of the corral. He was itching to find Larabee and all this talk was just wasting time.
Jackson was close behind the longhaired Texan; he too wanted to find their boss.
JD and Buck brought up the rear, grabbing the wayward horses as they rode out.
~~~~~~~ 7 ~~~~~~~ 7 ~~~~~~~ 7 ~~~~~~~
Less than a mile from the house, Chris and Claire walked along the main path arm in arm. Somewhere over the past couple of miles, her hands had drifted to his elbow and she held on tight.
Larabee, as always, was happy to have the lady at his side but he’d pulled her in closer, sensing she might be covering up some aches and pains. "You all right?" he looked down at her curiously, a spark of concern clearly evident.
"Yes… I think so," she drew her shoulders up carefully. "Just the shock on landing on my back, I suppose."
"Getting a little stiff?"
Claire sighed, "Think so…" She was silent for a moment before trying to cheer things up. "But, at least our mud bath is caked and ready to fall off."
Larabee smiled into her sparkling brown eyes and snuggled her hip with his wrapped arm. Despite their mishap, and their muddy condition, he was still enjoying the company more than ever.
Ten minutes passed without a word exchanged as the couple just walked along the trail. Then, all of a sudden, Larabee stopped.
"What is it?" she asked. Noticing his staunch gaze down the path, she followed it and squinted.
"Think… we’ve been found," he answered slowly. Giving her a quick squeeze, the blond released his hold and brought a hand up to inch the hat back on his head.
Claire watched as a cloud of dust appeared in the distance. As the haze drew closer, she smiled, "Guess that means the horses found their way home?"
"Yep." The blond’s focus never shifted.
A minute later, the riders slowed their approach and came to a stop in front of the couple.
Wilmington and Larabee exchanged a quick nod.
Ever the concerned one, Jackson spoke up first. "You two alright?"
Chris glanced at Claire, both smiling, never willing to admit any weakness. "We both took a spill, but we're fine, Nathan."
"You sure?" the medic asked through pursed lips. He knew Larabee’s stubborn streak better than most and he never accepted the first insistent words without questioning.
Without batting an eye, Chris nodded. "Yeah!"
Dunne shifted in his saddle, "What happened?"
Claire and the ATF agent exchanged another quick glance, his eyebrows raising, allowing her the explanation.
"I had my first… encounter… with a real rattlesnake," she answered.
Vin and Buck hid their smirks. That wasn’t exactly the ‘encounter’ they had been talking about back at the corral.
The rogue dismounted, quickly changing his line of thought. "You get it, Chris?" he asked with all due concern.
Larabee hadn’t missed the exchange between his fellow agents but nodded as he smiled at his companion. "Yeah, and Claire here was steady as a rock while I took care of it," he patted her arm. "It’s not easy to stay that calm with a rattler sitting a foot from your nose."
"Seemed closer than that," she shot back.
"Maybe it was," he wasn’t about to question her.
Gazing in his eyes, a deep sigh escaped the woman's lips. "Don't remind me."
The sharpshooter sat back in his saddle. "Must 'a been soft ground ya landed on, " he mused the stains on the couple’s clothing. "Or at least wet. Looks tah me like you two need a bath."
Larabee smirked.
Claire rolled her eyes, holding her arms out wide to look at her clothes. "Don't remind me," she repeated.
For a moment, the atmosphere was jovial between all parties.
Wilmington moved over to the lady, "Do you feel up to gettin' back in the saddle, Miss Claire? It'll make that homeward journey a might quicker."
The brunette smiled at her man before accepting his oldest friend’s arm. Buck was certainly a sweet talker and she wondered about the ladies who had the benefit of his company from time to time. As he walked her to the colt, she licked at her lips, quickly pushing away the naughty thought. Releasing the rogue’s arm, Claire patted her horse gently and whispered that she knew it wasn't his fault.
Wilmington smiled covertly at the woman’s gentle manner before gesturing to the saddle. Responding to her acceptance of help, he held the horse and assisted her ascent. "Comfortable?" he asked politely.
Having set his own mount, Chris urged it to his lady’s flank as Buck stepped aside and saddled up. "Shall we finish this ride the way we intended?" he queried.
Still concerned, Jackson moved himself closer. "You two just take it slow. No telling how hard you got banged up."
Rolling his eyes, Larabee acknowledged the medic’s instructions with a nod.
Vin hadn’t missed the good-natured goading and smirked, trying to keep things low key. "Probably nothin’ a nice hot bath and a good night's rest won't cure," he mumbled as all six riders pointed their horses towards the ranch house.
"Let's hope," the healer persisted.
"We're fine, Nathan," the lady added purposeful.
Glancing at Chris and Claire, Jackson nodded, "Still goin' a check ya out when we get back."
~~~~~~~ 7 ~~~~~~~ 7 ~~~~~~~ 7 ~~~~~~~
It was nearly 9:30 PM when Claire looked at her door and sighed. Her eyes closed briefly before she turned to face the man who’d followed her upstairs. "Thank you, Chris... but it really wasn't necessary for you to walk me to my door. I've been living here for a while now. I think I remember the way."
The ATF agent tried to hide his amusement. "I didn't bother to pick you up this morning, Claire. Only seems right that I see you back safely. Besides... you had us all fooled... even Nathan."
The brunette frowned.
"Now, don't you go trying to trick me any more. You're right… you’ve lived in this apartment for a while and you know what? In all that time… I bet you’ve never used that elevator. Not once."
The woman took another deep breath; her eyes rolled in their sockets at the same time.
Everything had seemed to be going well after they’d arrived back to the ranch. True to his word, the medic had insisted on examining the couple for possible injuries, noting the impending aches and pains they could both look forward to.Not having an extra change of clothing, Claire had dusted the dirt from her attire and graciously sat through the light supper that Rain had insisted, 'everyone' eat.
Chris refused to change too, making their filth a joint venture to quiet Claire's worries.
As she sat at the table, the ache in the brunette’s shoulders became evident, although she never let on. After the meal, everyone decided to head out to their favorite bar. Living just across the street, Claire gratefully accepted Chris’ invitation of a ride back to town. The idea of driving had suddenly become distasteful. And, besides, it would be a good excuse to come back… having to pick up her car, and all.
The forty-five minute trip seemed to take forever, and Claire graciously declined the group’s invitation of liquid refreshment. Bidding them all a good night, she exited the 'saloon' without incident.
She hadn't seen the ATF team leader tailing her to her apartment building. She hadn't even heard him come into the elevator as the door closed behind her.
"You wouldn't have noticed if you hadn't been following me," she responded curtly.
Chris grinned, knowing full well that she was hiding tense muscles behind a facade. "Wouldn't have seen you finally give in to those sore shoulder's either," he remembered her slump as the elevator door closed.
His green eyes met her dark brown orbs as she looked up at him. For several long seconds, all the couple could do was stare.
Damn! Larabee cussed under his breath.
The day had started out real nice… then got slightly overwhelming as he’d kissed his new lady amongst the flowing grass and peaceful surroundings. His mind had wandered too easily to the softness of her skin and the curves of her body. Now, he was doing it again. Why the hell couldn’t he just tell her how much he… wanted her?
Damn! He did want her!
They were both intense individuals sometimes. Both in tough jobs and both excelling at them. But, Chris was a man who survived because of it. Made his living being unreachable. Being vulnerable usually meant the end of a career and Chris loved his work too much to risk that. Trouble was… there were times when he wished he were more up-front with his feelings. More accessible emotionally to those he worked with, buddied with… cared about.
He wanted to get closer, despite their agreement. It had been months since they’d mentioned it. Maybe, just maybe, she’d had a change of heart too. Working on that assumption, the blond spoke the first words that came to his lips. "I can massage your shoulder... if you want."
Slowly, her focus dropped and Claire turned from his gaze to put the key in the door. It was a good excuse not to look at him. Did I just hear that? she wondered, eyes wide at the idea. Certain ‘wild dreams’ were quickly resurrected in her mind as she fumbled with the key. Hell! My shoulders aren’t that sore, she considered her options. Oh, but she so wanted things to be just right! …And what if her fall really was his motivation? What if the offer of a massage was just that… an offer of a massage? Could she be that close… and relaxed… and not…
Larabee watched the body language and wasn't quite sure of what he was seeing. Stupid thing to say, he chastised. Claire was a beautiful, vibrant woman. Self assured, with a strong personality. What the hell am I doing? he thought. I don’t want to ruin what we have!
"Of course," he cleared his throat, "I can always do it some other time."
There was no response as Claire thought over the possibilities of a chance like this happening any time soon. Her eyes darted wildly, yet were still concealed from the blond’s gaze. She considered their strengths. Their disposition when they were both ‘on task’. Their same inquisitive nature and persistence at ‘doing their best’. So much was compatible about them as a couple and, yet…
Do opposites really attract?
Stupid! What else was he supposed to call himself? He took her silence as his cue, and, ever the gentleman, the agent prepared to leave. "Well," he knew better than to push a topic with Claire when it wasn't welcome. "If there’s nothing else, I'll pick you up tomorrow. Say, around ten?"
Claire straightened at his declaration, unwilling to let this opportunity slip silently through her fingers. The key turned as the words escaped her lips, "The massage... sounds like a nice idea," she spoke softly. Turning the doorknob, she slowly moved inside her apartment. She met his stare cautiously. There was no damn way she was going to let him get away without at least trying.
Chris, having turned to leave, now regained his step. He looked at her for what seemed like endless minutes, trying to decipher the language he read in her eyes. "You sure?" he searched insistently for her intent. Until that very moment he hadn’t considered what he’d do once he was inside her apartment. He might be able to fake his way through a reasonable massage. But then what?
She nodded gently; all thoughts of her taut shoulders seemed to disappear as she opened the door wide, allowing him entrance.
The ATF leader stepped inside her home and closed the door behind them.
~~~~~~~ 7 ~~~~~~~ 7 ~~~~~~~ 7 ~~~~~~~