Charming Mr Stewart

20b. Stolen

Bonnie beamed and shrugged. "It'll all be so easy if you two just kissed and made up, you know." She strutted past Dean, who'd fallen behind. "All this sexual tension between you two is tiring. Just get a room already." She nodded to Dean and made off quickly after Dana before Elle could fire back.

"Sorry about Dana," he whispered.

Elle shook her head and kept her gaze on her toes. "No, you're not."

"No, I'm not," he agreed. "I'll end all this if you just have one dinner with me. One."

Elle eyed him, unable to push down the feeling of joy she felt. "I can't mix business with personal life."

He grabbed her by her arms and glared at her through what she could only describe as pure anger, something raw and hurt. "I'm just business to you?"

"That's not what I mean?" Elle shook her head, but the damage was done. She pulled out of his reach, even though her every pore screamed to be taken into those arms. "You're my employer, Dean. No matter what I feel about you, that fact will not change."

"What are you afraid of? Me? Or commitment?"

Elle threw him an incredulous look. "I was married. Commitment's not the issue."

"Then tell me what this is? Between you're driving me mad with your mixed signals."

"Looks like I've opened a can of worms." Dana popped out into the hallway and cleared her throat. "Tess is ready for her close-up."

Elle nodded and watched Dana disappear behind the door once more. She turned to Dean, who hadn't cared to look away. She cleared her throat. "Dean," and she could see his shoulders tense in anticipation of yet another rejection. "I like you a lot," she whispered, "but I have so many things going on at the moment with myself and Maya. I just don't know what I want. All I know is I don't want to ruin a friendship if things don't work out."

Dean shook his head. "You're writing me off without giving me a chance. Where is my chance, Elle?" He took her gently by the shoulders for the second time that morning and felt a small shudder run through her body. "You can't deny this."

"No, I can't." She shook her head. "And that scares the hell out of me." She stood on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek for the first time, held his hands for the first time, all the while wanting to keep from melting into the air. "Can we not do this now? Please."

"Under one condition." He pulled her close, his hand running through her hair, and before she could pull away, he kissed her gently.

"Elle?" Dana had stepped out of the room, and without another word, stepped back into the room. "She won't be long."

All the day Elle could barely concentrate on the job at hand and was glad she had Bonnie with her. Dean's presence unsettled her so much so that for once she thought she should have chosen another profession. What if her lack of concentration showed in her work?

"How are you going, Bon?" Dean asked once they got to his car after the shooting pit stop at La Perouse. Elle had elected to sit in the back the whole day.

"Elle and I should do more Sydney weddings!" was the reply.

Dean glanced at Elle in the back view mirror. "You're looking tired."

"I am." She met his gaze.

"I can cover hens myself, you know?" Bonnie jumped at the opportunity. "Why don't you rest a little in the apartment? You haven't let me cover anything by myself yet. Maybe this is a chance."

"I don't know."

"I'm experienced enough now. Let me do the hens alone." Bonnie twisted around to face Elle. "Besides, maybe you could get Dean to help get the car fixed instead."