Developed Steele.
By Adriana <icaro76@yahoo.com>
Remington Steele came out of the private bathroom in his office
while arranging cufflinks to find that Laura had not changed
at all. In fact, she was wearing the same work clothes she had
been wearing ten minutes ago when she had told him he'd better
get ready for their luncheon. He shot her an inquiring glance
that spoke volumes to her. She had agreed to come to the luncheon
with him, and he didn't look pleased at all that she wasn't ready
yet.
"Miss Holt?" he asked while scrutinizing her outfit
disapprovingly.
"I'll be back before you know it," Laura said merrily
as she breezed past a puzzled Remington Steele, and headed for
the reception.
Before she could go too far, however, he grabbed her firmly by
the elbow and yanked her back.
"Huh, huh, Miss Holt. Wherever you think you're going, I'm
coming with you," he stated, just as good-naturedly.
"Murphy and I have legwork to do, Mr. Steele, and need I
remind you, you have a luncheon with-" Her mind went blank.
Remington lifted one eyebrow.
"...with... ah," she stammered.
He cocked his head and narrowed his eyes a bit, waiting.
"...with someone!" she protested as she frowned when
she failed to remember whom with.
Both his eyebrows went up, "Important enough that I have
to go, but evidently not important enough for you to even remember
who they are. Is that it?" he asked using his best sarcastic
tone. Then seeing her stern look, he pleaded, "Please, Laura.
Those luncheons are positively irritating, and my attending them
is a terrible waste of precious time and energy. Allow me to
go with you, I am certain I can be of assistance in some way."
His last words were said in a very suggestive manner.
That meaning wasn't lost on her, and as she looked straight into
his eyes, her brows slightly frown at his suggestion. "Please!"
she said, amused.
Remington had been in the agency merely a month, but in that
time, he had managed to drive Laura insane with all of his extravagancies,
his rocket-high restaurant and tailor bills, and most of all,
he had driven her crazy whenever he looked at her in that way
that...
*Well, in the way he's looking at me right now!* she thought
desperately.
"I am most serious, Laura," he was saying, wearing
the most endearingly worried look on his handsome face.
Laura remembered they had discussed this topic not one week ago,
and she thought she had made it clear that even if she was attracted
to him, they could never be more that business partners. She
refused to go through that annoying topic again.
"I believe we had an agreement, Mr. Steele; we do the work,
you take the bows. That's how it works. Understood?" she
told him, trying to sound final and authoritative. She had never
encountered any problems sounding authoritative around anybody
before, but with him, things were quite different. The man wouldn't
take no for an answer!
"I hate sitting there and doodling for hours! Last time
I almost used the napkins of all the other people at my table,"
he said, almost pleading.
"I'm sure you will survive, Mr. Steele," she told him
as she patted his shoulder in mock compassion.
Seeing she wasn't about to give, Remington decided on a different
approach. "What if I forget my speech, eh? Surely you cannot
expect me to remember all those flimsy lines every single time,
can you?" he asked.
Laura wasn't about to surrender so easily. "If you do forget,
Mr. Steele, call for help. I'm sure some kind soul will come
to the rescue," she replied oh-so-sweetly.
"Call for help? Remington Steele?" he asked, as if
the mere notion were inconceivable.
Laura rolled her eyes; she was getting tired of this. "Fine;
don't call... wave your hands in the air, make smoke signals,
whistle...you know how to do that don't you?" she said,
exasperated, as she tried to move away, but his grip on her arm
was still strong.
Remington's face beamed. "Just put your lips together, and
blow," he said using a very seductive tone, "Lauren
Bacall to Humphrey Bogart, To Have and Have Not, Warner Brothers...
1944."
Laura rolled her eyes again, pulled her arm free and started
to the door one more time.
Just then Murphy came in, wearing his leather jacket.
"You ready?" he asked Laura.
"Yes!" she said, as she hastily moved towards the door
before Remington could stop her.
"Bye Steele. Happy luncheon!" Murphy told him without
even bothering to hide his huge grin as he closed the door behind
him.
Remington stood motionless for a second, fuming, and then lurched
forward behind them. He reached the reception area and caught
up with them just before they went through the glass doors. Without
saying a word and with a determined look on his face, he took
Laura's elbow and began dragging her into her office.
"May I speak with you for a second Miss Holt? It won't take
a moment," he said as they passed by a shocked Bernice and
an even more disgruntled Murphy.
"Wait just a sec-" she began to protest-- but before
she knew it, they were both inside her office.
Remington released her and stepped back, looking really angry.
Laura wasn't too pleased either, but the blue fire in his eyes
made her bite back the insult she was about to blurt out. Instead,
she crossed her arms around her chest and gave him an annoyed
look.
"What?" she asked.
"I believe we were in the middle of a conversation when
you decided to walk away," he accused.
"The discussion was over, Mr. Steele," Laura replied,
stubbornly.
"Oh, indeed?" he said, getting angrier with every second
that passed.
*This has to be the most pig-headed, obstinate, irritating woman
I've ever met!* Remington thought. Why, only last week, after
openly admitting she was as attracted to him as he was to her,
she had insisted on that no-mixing-business-with-pleasure nonsense.
He had thought then that if he tried a little harder, she'd eventually
come around to her senses. But now, he wasn't so sure. Could
it be that she didn't really like him?
*No, no way... I can see it in her eyes...* he thought again,
trying to convince himself.
"Indeed," she said in a tone that allowed no rebuttal,
"You will go to your luncheon, and Murphy and I will do
our leg work."
"Fine!" he said, heatedly, "I shall doodle myself
to death then," having said that, Remington lowered his
eyes to the ground for a brief moment.
Laura saw the picture he made, so defeated and resigned; and
knowing it wasn't an act, she smiled in spite of herself.
Remington saw that smile, and his eyes flickered. "I shall
also miss that smile today," he said, testing the waters.
Laura took his words in, but refused to acknowledge them with
a smile. That would be too dangerous.
It was then that Bernice knocked gently on the door and came
in with a pot of coffee in her hand.
"I thought you were leaving, but it seems you're not. Do
you want some tea or coffee? I just brewed a pot," she asked
them. Then sensing the undercurrent going on between them, she
added, "Should I tell Murphy you won't be going out? He's
starting to wear off the carpet, you know..."
As Remington was still hoping from an answer of some kind, his
eyes had never left Laura's during the unwelcome interruption.
However, Laura's face had instantly become a mask of professionalism
once more as she smiled back at Bernice. "I'll be right
there Bernice. And tell Murph-"
Remington cut her short as he began closing the door gently,
but firmly, in Bernice's face.
"Miss Holt will be out shortly, Miss Wolf," he told
her not too politely.
"Foxe!" Bernice said at once.
"Whatever... she'll be there in a second, just as soon as
we're finished. Now if you don't mind..."
But Remington's attempt to regain his privacy with Laura was
crashed into a thousand pieces when she stormed out.
* Who does he think he is, my keeper? * Laura thought angrily,
as she tried to keep calm. Then addressing him, she shouted,
"Mr. Steele, I don't mind at all if I don't see your face
in what's left of the day!"
Remington started to fume again as he heard Laura's words echoing
in the reception area. Turning around briefly, he saw the smirk
in Murphy's face.
Laura and Murphy had just reached the door to the corridor when
Remington and Bernice, who were standing side-by-side, noticed
Laura's purse still on top of her desk. Looking at each other,
they suddenly both jumped to retrieve it. Their hands touched
the bag at the same time, but Remington yanked forcefully and
secured it under his arm.
"Give me that!" Bernice told him.
"Don't worry Miss Wolf, I'll personally see to it that Laura
gets her property in top condition," he replied as he started
again towards the reception area.
Bernice followed him and pulled the bag back from behind his
elbow, saying, "I'll give it to her. You have a luncheon
in just half an hour!"
"Well, never mind, Miss Wolf," he said, as he reached
out and took one end of the purse. "I won't be going anyway,
since-"
"What is going on here!" Laura yelled as she appeared
in the doorway with Murphy behind her.
Bernice was so startled to see Laura there that she loosened
her end of the purse, causing Remington's final pull to send
it flying up in the air.
Four pairs of eyes looked helplessly as the items the bag had
contained fell on the floor one by one. Remington's eyes leisurely
followed the gentle fall of a piece of paper that landed just
inches away from his feet.
He looked up and saw Laura go pale. He also noticed the petrified
glance she and Bernice quickly exchanged. He bent down to retrieve
the squared paper, and as he did, a small smile flashed across
his features. However, he rapidly hid that smile and began pacing
over to Laura, who was having a hard time trying to avoid his
overconfident gaze.
"I believe this belongs to you, Laura," he said calmly
as he handed her a black and white portrait of himself wearing
a loose sweater.
Laura's face suddenly went red, but she didn't say a word. Murphy
was just too shocked to utter a single sound, but Bernice seemed
quite amused by the whole scene. Remington ignored them all,
knowing he had won this battle.
*But the war is far from over, mate,* he told himself as he headed
back to his office.
"I think I will accept that cup of tea now, Miss Wolf,"
he said as he closed the door of his office behind him, finally
allowing the broad smile he'd been hiding to show.
The End.
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