Past Imperfect
Written by Cait MacChat
Part Eight
Ummm, Renee thought dreamily as she snuggled closer to the warm body lying next to her. Opening her eyes, she saw the sun peeking through the curtains. That’s odd...then she sat straight up, realizing she wasn’t in her own bed. “Mon Dieu!” she exclaimed.
“What? What is it?” Duncan said as her exclamation woke him.
“ It happened, didn’t it. Last night? This morning? Whatever,” Renee stuttered, “Everything.”
“Yes, everything happened but it’s ok now,” Duncan soothed.
Taking her into his arms, Duncan held her close. “You’re fine, just fine,” Kissing her softly he continued, “You were verra brave.”
“I was scared witless, Duncan, truly I was. You were the one. You took care of me. Without you I’d be dead.”
“Well then. Isn’t it tradition that the hero is rewarded?”
“Depends on what the hero considers reasonable in terms of a reward,” Renee retorted.
Duncan laughed low in his throat. “I thought perhaps a repeat of last night would be within the realm of reason.”
Feeling Renee‘s body go stiff with tension, he planted small kisses on her brow, her eyes, her nose. “With one or two exceptions,” he conceded as he continued to kiss her face lightly.
“Yes, exactly. One or two exceptions,” Renee replied as she felt the tension leave her body. I’m here with Duncan. I’m in Kit’s house. I’m alive. It’s good to be alive, she grinned to herself as she felt Duncan’s lips leave her face and travel south. “But I still have questions.”
“Can you leave your questions alone for a bit? With me bein’ the hero, I’d like to be claiming my reward if you please.” Renee laughed then gasped as Duncan’s hands began to roam. “You’re soft in all the right places,” Duncan whispered into her ear. “I seem to remember promising you it wouldn’t be long until we were enjoying ourselves again. I did overestimate how long it would be. I’m thinking I’d best be keeping my promises if I’m hopin’ to get my hero’s reward.”
Renee gave him her answer as she reached for him. Her kiss erased any questions he might have had. Gently cupping him, she conveyed her feelings through her touch. She stretched her body against him, her toes resting on the top of his feet.
Rather than moving his body over hers, he increased the pressure of their fingers. Rubbing, circling, inserting his fingers into her body, he felt her begin to contract. Instinctively knowing the time was right, he deftly raised his body over hers and slipped inside. Renee’s gasp of unexpected pleasure sent him over the edge. Holding on to one another tightly, they surrendered to their passion.“It can’t be steroids, so it must be haggis,” Renee observed.
“Nae, it’s stuffed mushrooms and chicken curry - just takes some people longer to absorb their food, and turn it into energy, than it does for others,” Duncan teased back. His voice turning serious he asked, “Are you going to be all right, Renee? We’ll be going downstairs soon and I want to know how you are.”
“Still shaky but I can’t decide what from - you or last night,” Renee grinned. “Thank you. Being with you has made it tolerable. I have a lot of questions and I’m thinking you know the answers. You, Kit, Adam and Amanda -there’s something not quite right here and I need to know.”
“You’re brave and bonnie...and you need a shower. You can join me if you promise to be good.”
“Oh, I’ll be good all right. Perhaps we better define that word before we, um, get wet.”
“You’re shameless and I’ll race ya,” Duncan said as he kissed her hard and quick, jumped out of bed, and headed for the bathroom.“More coffee, Amanda?" Kit inquired.
“No, thank you,” Amanda replied morosely. “Damn him. Kit, I’m so sorry I brought him here.”
“Well look what I found,” Duncan said as he walked into the kitchen, holding up a small remote control device. “He may have been inept last night but he certainly had other talents.” Bringing up his other hand, he exhibited a small, square piece of metal; stripped wires of various colors dangling from the box. “I looked through his luggage and found this. Then I checked our car and imagine my surprise when I found this in the trunk. One little ‘click’ and we’d be toast. Amanda, I told you I didn’t trust him.”
“Toast? How?”
“As far as I can tell, this little gem would send a pulse through the brake circuits, into the electrical system and, poof," Duncan continued, making an explosive gesture with his hands, "the steering mechanism disabled. Let’s see, on the return trip there’s the Gorge on the left and mountainside to the right. It’s a two-lane road. You do the math.”
“Mea culpa, MacLeod,” Amanda said sourly. “He was beautiful, he was rich. He was great in bed.”
“Yeah, your top three criteria.”
“Where’s Renee?” Kit asked, changing the subject. She simply wasn’t in the mood for their bantering knowing how it could escalate.
“She’ll be down soon. She’s.....”
“Here,” Renee completed Duncan’s sentence. “I am well, thank you.”
“Coffee?”
“Large, please. Black, no sugar, no cream, and many questions.”
“Will you save your questions until Adam joins us?” Kit asked as she handed Renee a steaming cup of Kona Blue.
“Depends. It depends on how long I must wait. I have questions and I am not in the mood to be put off,” Renee replied as she gave Kit a long, hard look.
“Put off? Who would ever think of putting you off,” Adam said as he joined them at the table. “You have questions? We're at your service. You might not like the answers you get,” he warned, giving her a quick kiss on the forehead as he took a seat next to her.
“Before we start, what’s for breakfast?” Adam asked.
“Coffee and whatever you see that looks good. Banana? Pear? Ovaltene?” Kit teased.
“ Barbarians!” Renee responded. “I’d planned to bake fresh croissants but....”
“What’s on your mind Renee. Let’s cut to the chase.” “Amanda interrupted not unkindly.
Renee took a sip of the scalding coffee and looked at the people surrounding her at the table. Kit’s expression was receptive, yet a hint of strain was in her eyes. Adam’s face was smiling, yet showing nothing of his inner thoughts. Amanda’s face was sympathetic, yet her eyes betrayed a wariness that Renee couldn’t understand. Duncan’s face was kind, yet he, too, appeared to be pensive.“Well, Renee, we’re waiting,” Adam prodded, “Fire away.”
“I’m not sure where to begin,” Renee said. “I am suddenly uncertain. The looks on your faces are not good in spite of your smiles."
“We can always plead the Fifth,” Kit said jokingly. The frown on Renee’s face told her the attempt at humor had fallen flat. “Renee, we’ve always been up front with one another. If you have something to say, questions to ask, then do it. We’ll do our best to answer you. But, as Adam said, you may not like what you hear.”
Renee stared into her coffee cup as if she was hoping to find answers there instead of having to vocalize. The silence was deafening.
“I remember hitting the panic button, but there was not enough time between when I hit it for you to get from this house to my place. How did you know to come?"
From her vantagepoint, leaning against the sink, Kit shared a long look with Adam before she answered, “Connor called last night.”
“Connor called? And?”
“He told Adam he’d discovered that a man, by the name of de la Garza, was on his way here. Connor’s lead panned out. Your ‘bad feeling’ was right on the money, Renee. Just before Connor called we noticed the light on the security panel was lit, the kitchen door sensor had been tripped. We thought it was Duncan coming back. Then Connor called. It didn’t take a brain surgeon to figure out it wasn’t Duncan.
“Thanks so much for waking me,” Amanda said sourly.
“There wasn’t time and you know it,” Adam retorted. “We couldn’t risk anything happening....”
“What do you mean ‘happening’? Like us being murdered?” Renee interrupted.
“Of course. What else?”
“It was your tone. I’m getting the feeling you’re not being completely honest with me,” Renee said with a hard look at Adam.
Adam steadily returned her gaze and shrugged his shoulders.
“I don’t remember very much from the time Duncan threw Miguel over the railing,” Renee began.
“I didn’t throw him, Renee, I merely maneuvered him to the point where he’d fall on his own,” Duncan interjected.
“I am not a fool, do not play with the words," Renee said sharply. Taking a deep breath she continued, “But I do remember there was something about not calling the police. Why?”
“Having a guest go ‘postal’ is bad for business and you know it, Renee,” Kit answered patiently. “I was every bit as upset as you were! Forgive me for thinking out loud.”
“You weren’t thinking out loud and you know it!”
“Renee, Kit’s right,” Adam said. “It’s bad for business when a guest attempts murder on the premises.”
“Who needs a re-fill?" Kit asked, attempting to break the tension that was building.
Everyone nodded and Kit busied herself pouring more coffee.
“I’d like a bagel if you have one?" Amanda asked.
“In the fridge. No additives, no preservatives. Renee’s the best bagel maker on the planet,” Adam said in his most complimentary voice.
“Our bagel slicer bit the dust so you’ll have to cut it the old fashioned way,” Kit added. “Knives are the second drawer to the left of the fridge. Will you fix one for me, too.”
For the next few minutes the conversation came to a standstill. Renee’s thoughts were confused. Where do I go from here? There’s more to this, I know there is - but I don’t know what to ask next. Something’s not right.
“Damn!” Amanda exclaimed as all heads turned towards her. “It’s nothing, I just cut myself.”
Part 9 will be posted in two weeks! Join us then for
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