Ben looked towards the crowd and a middle aged woman who looked a lot like Becky but dressed in hospital scrubs was standing with her hands over her mouth looking back at her daughter. He gave Becky the slightest of nudges and she was moving forward until she ran into the open arms of her mother. The press swooped in for the tearful reunion.
The white haired man tried grabbing his hand again and Ben pulled back. “Who are you?”
The man kept his smile locked on his face for the press. “Dan Gallagher, CEO of AusJet.”
“So this is your little dog and pony show?” Ben growled.
“Not at all! You’re the one rescuing a woman reported missing over a month ago! The story has been on the news and her mother has been frantic. When you bought her a ticket to Sydney last night it lit up the phones at AusJet headquarters and our PR department leapt into action. When we confirmed it was you and it was Becky we notified the press. Everyone loves a happy reunion! Everyone loves a hero!”
Ben groaned and moved away from the man before he could be dragged into this mess. The press surged forward but were suddenly pushed back by police officers. Ben walked up to two men in suits.
“Mr. Shepherd? NSW Police. I’m Detective Fred Canaby and this is my partner Detective Jake Hillson. We’d like to have a brief word with you if you don’t mind.”
Ben nodded and let himself be ushered away from the crowd towards a door in the hallway. They walked down a hall to a plain interrogation room with a table and some chairs.
He spent the better part of the next two hours describing in great detail how he came to discover Becky Law in the establishment he didn’t know the name of and how he convinced the owner, one ‘BD’, to allow them to leave said establishment with the girl.
When they were satisfied they had everything he knew they asked where he’d be staying in Sydney. Once more he had to tell them he didn’t know as he was meeting someone at the airport who was going to take him… there. He gave them Margaux’s name and a few minutes later they ushered her into the room. Ben stood and kissed her cheek and they sat again. Margaux gave them a little information and finally the detectives said they were free to go. Ben’s suitcase was waiting in the hall.
On the way out they saw Becky and her mother sitting together in a waiting room, Becky’s bag was open on the chair next to her. She’d been showing her mother the clothes Ben had bought for her. They stood when they saw him and Becky rushed over to give him a hug. He smiled down at the girl. When she pulled back her mom took her place and hugged him tightly. Ben returned it but not so tight.
She stepped back with tears in her eyes. “Thank you for saving my Becky. She told me what you did for her. She showed me the clothes you bought for her. I- I-” Tears started to well up.
“I was glad I could be of help. She’s a good person. She made a mistake and paid a price. She’s home now and that’s all that matters. Have a wonderful life Becky. It was nice meeting you as well,” he said to the woman.
He and Margaux found their way out of the airport but were followed by a few of the more aggressive reporters. They only found peace once Margaux drove them away from the parking lot in her leased car. Naturally it was a sporty little six speed coupe and Margaux drove it like a professional racer.
Ben finally slumped back against the seat. “That was nuts!” he moaned quietly.
Margaux grinned at him. “You might keep a girl waiting but you do know how to make an entrance!”
“I’m so sorry you had to go through that!” Ben apologized.
“You can make it up to me tonight,” she said with a coy smile and part of Ben’s anatomy knew exactly what she meant.
He looked over at the Spanish beauty and saw the happiness in her dark eyes. “Are you enjoying yourself here in Sydney?”
She looked back to the road and tilted her head. “Well, the climate is nice if a little hot and the office is beautiful. The nightlife is lively as well.”
“That sounds good but I’m not hearing joy in your voice,” Ben said.
She glanced at him then downshifted to pull around some slower trucks. Once past she shrugged. “I know I haven’t been here long but Australia isn’t really my environment. I miss Europe,” she sighed. “There is also a particular individual in the office who’s in line to take over the operation once I’ve finished my term here. He is extremely tedious. I have to be on guard at all times around him. He’s been trying to undermine my authority since he arrived.”
“Where did he come from?” Ben asked.
“One of the upper echelon in the company hired him away from the competition. I believe he’s from Germany but he was working for a firm in Austria before coming to us. Senior Management liked his aggressive style but the women in the office do not like him as he treats them poorly and the environment is becoming poisonous. I’ve already spoken to him on a number of occasions and have expressed some concerns in a very carefully worded initial report but I’m still waiting on their response.” She sighed again then pouted.
“I don’t want to speak of work anymore. I finally have you here and I wish to have some fun. There’s a delightful restaurant we can go to in my neighborhood, then we can take a walk to work off the meal then we can return to my condo for dessert.” She licked her lips before she said the last word and Ben felt himself stiffen in his pants.
“All of that sounds wonderful, especially that last part.”
The car leapt forward as she raced for home.
The condo was gorgeous and had a lovely view of the bay but they didn’t stay long as Margaux said the temptation was too great and she was hungry. They did take the time to get changed into clothing appropriate for dinner out. Ben’s eyes filled with desire when he saw her sheath dress clinging to her sexy curves. She swatted his hands playfully to keep them off her, for now.
They walked to the restaurant and Ben agreed the place was lovely. He had grouper with steamed vegetables which he found to be delicious. She had a pasta dish and they talked about anything that came to their minds throughout dinner.
Ben finally had to explain how he found Becky and how he got her free. She was shocked by his description of taking BD out and facing down the bouncers but he explained that it was progress for him to actually remember it. He saw heat in her eyes when he finished describing the encounter.
“You find that… exciting?” he asked, curious.
“I have to admit there is a small part of me that does get a thrill thinking of your more… brutal side. Knowing how gentle you normally are, the contrast… yes, it does excite me.” Her eyes challenged him to criticize her.
“Good to know,” he said with a smile.
They finished up and went for a walk around the neighborhood. The evening air was warm but thankfully the day’s heat had passed. They walked and talked about Spain, a country Ben must visit when she moved back, and France which Ben held fond memories of. He talked about home, the renovations on the new house for his daughters and how he’d been banned from helping because of his finger, which was now fully healed thankfully. He mentioned how his daughters were now dating and he expressed some trepidation on how he should handle it.
“They are grown women,” she said gently.
“Yes, physically, but their experiences may not have left them emotionally prepared to fall in love,” Ben said.
Margaux looked at him and chuckled.
“What?”
“Who is ever emotionally prepared to fall in love?” she teased.
He paused then smiled self-consciously. “Point taken. I guess maybe I’m just over thinking it. Maybe I should just beat up their boyfriends,” he said glancing at her from the corner of his eye. She had a smile on her lips. “You’re not falling for it?” he pouted.
“It was a feeble attempt at best,” she sighed with a slight smile on her lips.
“Feeble?!? I’ll give you feeble!” Ben suddenly scooped the woman up into his arms and ran down the street as she shrieked and giggled. He finally set her back on her feet before her building’s door but he had to hold on to her as she was panting and out of breath from her laughter. Her eyes glowed with joy and he leaned down and kissed her sexy mouth. She squeaked, then kissed him back but soon pushed him away because she still couldn’t breathe.
“You beast!” she fake growled at him and pummeled him playfully on his chest.
He grunted like a caveman and she began to laugh again. He grinned at her and she dragged him inside. They took the elevator upstairs and she pulled him into her condo. He reached for the light switch but she grabbed his wrists and kept them down by his sides.
“Now who’s being aggressive,” Ben said with a smile.
“Shhh!” she hushed as she pressed a slim finger across his lips. She eyed him hungrily as she walked him backwards into her living room. Ben understood she needed to be the dominant one now so he went with it.
Margaux tugged him down onto the carpet in the middle of the room and pushed him back onto his back. She straddled his body on his thighs. He throbbed in his boxers.
With only a few accent lamps on around the room the lighting was very intimate and they were currently in a pool of shadow. Ben glanced over at the floor to ceiling windows to his left and saw the lights of the windows in another nearby condo. He could see people moving in those windows. He wondered if anyone was looking back and more importantly, what they could see in the darkened condo.
He looked up at Margaux and saw she was smiling down at him, allowing her eyes to roam over his body. She tugged on the bottom of his shirt and he reached down to pull it up his torso and over his head. He felt her fingers tracing his scars and trailing over his hard stomach muscles.