Devotion (John Seed)

7. Curiosity

Amelia wasn't sure how long she had been at the Seed ranch now. John had been trying to get her to confess but she refused to let him know anything else about her. Most of the time she sat in silence while he preached or asked questions. Other times they would just sit together in silence. Once, John even had her sit in the corner of his office while he worked in silence. She must've been held captive her for just over a week now.

John had accepted her vow of silence and just ended up spending time around her, not even speaking to her. Right now, John is sitting at one end of the dining table eating his meal while Amelia sat on the other end. One of her hands was handcuffed to the chair while the other was free, allowing her to eat.

"You know, this would be romantic if I wasn't handcuffed to a chair" Rook joked as she ate some of the food in front of her. John looked over at her and actually let out a small genuine laugh, it was smooth and music to Amelia's ears. "Don't get me wrong. I usually like to end my dates in handcuffs but not begin them in cuffs" she shrugged casually and poked at her food.

John almost choked on his food when he heard her words. She doesn't speak for days and that's the first thing she says? Surely she was joking but the thought excited him. He looked over at her again with slightly widened eyes, a suggestiveness in them. "John...I was joking" she raised an eyebrow, laughing slightly at his reaction.

John's face softened when he listened to the sound of her laughter, something that he never imagined that he would hear. Perhaps she was getting more comfortable around him, perhaps she was just bored. "John? Why am I here?" She asked, pulling away from her food and leaning back in her chair.

"To confess and to atone" John answered simply.

"Bullshit" she scoffed, making John stop eating and look over the table at her. "I haven't spoken for days, you have barely spoken for days and you haven't touched me in longer. At this point you are just holding me captive" she pointed out. Amelia was right, John hadn't hurt her or provoked her for days. However, we would never admit that he was kind of enjoying just having her around. The deputy, who he may have had a small obsession with, was living in his house whether it was willingly or not. "Look, how about we make a deal?" Amelia sighed.

"I'm listening" John raised an eyebrow and lent back in his seat with a cocky grin.

"Take away the handcuffs and I will stay here, at the ranch, until you allow me to leave" the deputy gave in, wanting at least a little bit of freedom. For some of this to be her choice.

"How do I know that I can trust you?" The baptist asked as he stood from his chair, walking around the table and towards the woman.

"You don't. But you are never going to get me to confess if you keep me trapped to a chair" she spoke in a steady voice as she carefully watched him approaching.

"Very well, but let's go over some rules" John smirked and she nodded, telling him to continue. "You are not to leave the ranch, you remain in the building unless told to do otherwise by me" he told her.

"Deal" she nodded, forcing the word out of her mouth.

"You are full of surprises dear deputy" John chuckled to himself as he dug the key to the handcuffs out of his pocket. He knelt down in front of Amelia and unlocked the handcuff, letting it all from her wrist. "Best behaviour" he warned with a wink, making Amelia's stomach turn...but not in a completely unpleasant way.

Amelia looked down at John, their eyes meeting as she rubbed her sore wrist. A red mark had formed from when she struggled against the restraint. "This wouldn't have happened if you just stayed still" John sighed disapproving as he took her sore wrist in his hand, batting her other hand away. He rubbed it gently to ease the pain and she watched with wide eyes, what is he doing?

John looked up from her wrist, making eye contact again and they both paused for a moment. Neither of them had considered the strange sense of intimacy in the simple act. John raised himself on his knees slightly, bringing their faces closer together, then they both stopped. Just examining each other. "There is that curiosity again" John whispered, brushing Amelia's red hair out of her face.

"You make me curious" she whispered back, the words shocking both of them.

"Curiosity killed the cat, you know?" He asked, somewhat sympathetically. It seemed as if he was talking to himself as well as her.

"...but satisfaction brought it back" she replied and made John think for a moment. The deputy didn't dare move, one wrong move and he would have her tied to a chair again. Carving her sins into her flesh.

Without even realising that she was doing it, Amelia slowly reached towards John. She gently placed her hand on the side of his face. He was pleasantly surprised by how soft her skin was, he almost expected her hands to be calloused by now. The feeling was warm and welcomed by the baptist.

The pair realised that the distance between them was slowly closing, and when they noticed they both pulled away. John jumped to his feet before looking down at her one last time and leaving the room.

Amelia was left to think over what had just happened. Did they nearly...kiss? Did she want it?