IX

“Lily, it's Molly. I'm meeting up with Steve today to talk about the house. If everything goes right we might need you today or tomorrow for signing the contract. Give me a call when you get this message. Talk to you later sweetie.” Molly hung up the phone and sighed. Why was she avoiding everyone? Had she changed her mind about wanting to move in together? Molly really hoped not. She finished getting ready and left the apartment to go meet with Steve at the little Cafe she'd picked.

The wind whipped through her hair as she drove with the windows down. New Mexico may have been considered a dessert country but it was still pretty green in places. She watched as lawns changed from green to brown and back to green, some thriving, some not. The small set of mountains offered a relaxing view and a scenic exercise. She continued to drive, enjoying the feeling of being where she knew she belonged. Finally, she had a place she could call home. A few minutes later she pulled into the parking lot, parked her car, and went in.

He'd been sitting in the Cafe for fifteen minutes waiting for her. She wasn't late, he was just early, and as she walked in he looked at his watch, and she was on time. He silently applauded her for that. He waved her over and watched as she sat across from him. As he was about to talk the waiter showed up.

“Hey there Molly-dolly. What can I get you today?”

“Hey. Can I get a caramel machiado and a coffee cake. I haven't eaten yet.”

“Sure thing. I'll have that for you in a minute. Do you need a refill sir,” he asked, turning to Steve. 'Damn lucky bastard snagged a date with Molly. That lucky damn bastard.' He thought as Steve agreed. He hadn't slept well last night, he needed all of the caffeine he could get.

He waited until the waiter walked away. “Thanks you for meeting with me Molly...”

“Knock of the civility Steve. We're here to talk business but we're not strangers so cut to the chase.” She cut him off before he could start again. “Look, with the money Lily's saved up we have enough for the down-payment. And once Kris and I are out of the apartment we'll have more. Kris and I have some saved but unless we're leaving the apartment, we don't want to dig into the reserve yet. And what we have saved is enough to make the down-payment twice over if need be. With what Lily has, we can have the house payed off in,” she considered. “By the end of this year easily.”

“What about remodeling and landscaping? If you spend all of your money on paying for the house, are you going to have enough to pay for the changes you want to make? That's what I wasted to talk to you about.

“You know that house Molly. It gets cold in the winter. You need at least the bottom floor that the first floor done before winter really hits. My father and I would like to help. More importantly, I would like to help.” He watched as Molly's eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Lily's like a sister to me, so the way I see it, her friend's are my friend's. Also, we've got more than enough money to cover the expense of helping you remodel. You might want to wait to do the landscaping until the weather warms up again, but by then, we can have the whole inside of the house done. What do you think?”

She considered his offer. It was going to be really tight for the next few months as they worked on buying the house, and then paying for the bills. They'd never really talked about it but it looked like Lily would be the one putting the most money into it, for now. If they could somehow lessen her burden then she could get that horse that she wanted for christmas, though, knowing Lily, she'd wait until the house was done. However, if what Steve said was true, then they could have the entire thing complete before the first year. And that meant the things could get easier faster. But what was the catch?

“What's the catch Smith?” She stopped as her nearly forgotten coffee and food was delivered. She immediately dug in and waited for the waiter to leave after she said her thanks. “Would we owe you the money back for the renovations and the landscaping? Would we be charged tax on what we owe? How is this going to work?”

“You wouldn't owe us anything. Molly, what do you want to do with the house? I mean, do you like what you do now or do you want to do something different?”

“Why does it matter,” Molly asked. She sighed, fine, she'd play his game, for a little bit at least. “I love my job, love what I do. But it's not for me. What I do know, the accomplishment I feel at the end of the day, I can get the feeling by just volunteering there. It made sense though to do something I like to help pay the bills. And it's not like it's killing me to work there. Lily's not a slave driver, and she's been an amazing boss. Does that answer your question?”

“Partly. What would you like to do then? I mean, if you could do anything, with the house or just anything in general, what would it be?” He thought he saw a flicker in her eyes of hopes and dreams, but it was quickly gone. “Molly, it's a simple question.”

“Did you always want to be in the family business, in the hotel business? It's not that easy for some of us. We have to work our asses off to get somewhere better than where we've been. We have to give our blood and sweat to make something of ourselves that we were told we never would. We're raised to think that since we came from shit we're going to end as shit. Well, some of us fight and we fight hard. Making something of ourselves is all we end up caring about because we don't want to end up like the rest of them.

“What I would like to do with my part of the house is make it into something. I don't care if it's a shelter or a cozy little inn. It needs to be something, somewhere, that people can come to and feel welcome and safe. Once it's finished our doors will be open to anybody and everybody. I just might quit working at the clinic so I can keep the house running or switch to part time. I haven't quite figured it all out yet. But that house was always a sanctuary for me, and once it's mine, ours, it's going to be a sanctuary for other people too. That's what I want to do with the house Steve. Is that okay with you?” Her tone had becoming patronizing at the end, but ti didn't distract him the least.

“What happened Molly? What happened in your past thats made you so passionate about giving others a sanctuary?”

“It's none of your business, just forget it. Do we have a deal?”

“Not yet. I like your idea for opening the house up and I would like to help, that's why I asked. You could open a little inn, and we could even build another, smaller house for that shelter you were talking about. I don't see why you can't have both. What we would like in turn is for your inn and shelter to be connected to the Smithsonian Hotels name. We, in a sense, would be partners. Lily mentioned wanting horses, so you get a few of them and offer horseback riding. And at out hotel, we can offer a package of some sort so that we are advertising and promoting the hotel and the comfy little inn in an old, cozy house. Of course, we'd have to take it up with Lily and Kris, but I don't think it'll be too hard to convince them. What do you think?”

She was honestly stunned for a minute. Speech, whatever that was supposed to be, had escaped her. He'd stopped questioning her about her past, and he was offering to help her make her dream, her vision, come true. “Why are you doing this?”

“Lets get out of here and go talk somewhere else. That waiter's been giving me dirty looks the entire time I've been here since you arrived.” Slowly he got up and helped her out of her seat, grabbing her hand as he paid the bill and walked her out of the door. “I didn't drive my car here, do you think you can give me a ride home?” When she only nodded he smiled.

About half way back to his house she realized he'd never answered her question. “Steve, why are you doing this? It's not like you need the help or the money. Hell, your hotel chain could run on it's own for the next two or three generations it's that self-sustaining. So why help us? Why help me?”

He waited until they'd pulled into his driveway and she'd stopped the car. Getting out, he went to her side and pulled her out too. He shut her door and stood with her beside her car. He watched as she leaned against it, waiting for him to answer. He moved to stand right in front of her, standing a little under a foot from her. “You fascinate me Miss Sanchez. You really do. You're full of passion and fire, I can see it burn in your eyes when you start to get angry. Yet, you're also filled with compassion and understanding, you help people as much as you want to hurt them.” He looked at her as if he was studying her face, memorizing every plane and angle, every soft detail of it. His voice dropped to a whisper so she had to strain to hear him. “I wonder what it would be like if I kissed you. Would it be soft as sweet like you try to betray to the world? I don't think it would be. I think it would be passionate, fiery, and just a little,” he paused, “dangerous. What do you think Molly?”

Why in the world had she been wondering the same thing? He basically had her neatly boxed in beside her car and all she could think about was what it would feel like to have his lips on hers. Yes, it would be passionate she imagined, but he was also right that it would be dangerous, very dangerous. “I haven't given it any thought,” she lied, hoping that he could see that her pulse was racing and sporatic.

“Really? Care to test that theory?” He didn't give her a chance to answer. His lips came crashing down onto hers. His kiss was not soft and simple as they'd both hoped it would be, but, rather, hot and passionate. He let his lips play with hers, trying to coax them to respond. When he started to feel her give he let his tounge slip into her mouth to dance with hers. When she gave a soft moan of pleasure or frustration, he wasn't all to sure which, he pulled her head back to change the angle and deepen the kiss.

Her lips were hot and responsive to his. She could feel the demands in the kiss and met them with her own. When she got those demands, wants, and desires she wasn't sure and she really didn't care at the moment. The feel of his lips on hers was like heaven. She was drowning in his taste, all man and all potent. Her arms wrapped around his neck, forcing him closer to her. She wanted to feel his body against hers, feel the muscles under his shirt quiver under her hands. As his body pressed against hers, pressing her against her car as well, she could feel him against her. Excitement and fear coursed through her.

He could feel her passion seep through him, making him lose all sense of time and place. when she pulled him closer there was no need to stop it. He wanted to feel her under him, feel her squirm with the pleasure he could bring her as they made love. God, how he wanted to make love to her. He wanted to just take her right then and there, but he felt the change in her as he hands started to cover her breasts, claiming them as his own. He felt her excitement, the need to let it play out so that both of their needs could be met, but her could also feel her fear, and that had him dropping his hands and pulling back. He watched her eyes as the passion and desire that filled them was replaced by confusion and then furry. Oh, how he loved her eyes. He could watch them all day and not get bored. He knew he could loose himself in them so easily. He took a step back , he needed distance and if he didn't get it he might touch her again, and if he touched her again he wouldn't be able to stop himself from dragging her down and just taking her on the spot. That thought made him smile.

“What are you smiling about Steve Smith? Satisfied that you got what you wanted? You rat bastard. Don't you ever touch me again.” The furry had cleared her head. She moved to slap him but was stopped when he grabbed her wrist. She looked up into his face. There was anger shining in his eyes and he was no longer smiling.

“When I've gotten what I want you'll know Molly, and there will be no doubt what it is.” His voice was low and dangerous. “And when I make love to you it won't be on the gravel of my driveway or pressed up on the side of your car. It will be in my house, in my bed.”

“What makes you think that I'll sleep with you? You filthy, chauvinistic, pig!” She went to slap him with her other hand, since he still held the first one. He caught that one too and pressed her back against the car.

“You won't sleep with me Molly, there won't be anything casual about it. We'll make love, and once you're you'll come to me.” She struggled against his grasp and he smiled. “I look forward to sharing my bed with you Molly.” He kissed her fiercely, released her, and opened her door for him. “I think it's about time that you left. Unless you're wanting to join me in bed right now. Which, I must admit, doesn't seem like such a bad idea, but I hardly think you're ready just yet for how complicated life is going to get once you do.”

“She stormed around him and got into her car with a huff. “I don't like complicated Smith, and I'm not going to make love with you. But you keep telling yourself I will if it's what helps you sleep at night.” She went to slam her door but he stopped it.

“I won't be sleeping tonight, and I have a feeling, neither will you. Have a good day Molly, I'll see you later when you go to sign the deed for the house.” He closed a door and couldn't hide the grin as she peeled out of his drive way. Man, she was quite a woman, and, he knew, would be quite a lover.

Molly got home a few minutes later. She wished she'd punched him or kneed him or something. Instead she'd left in an undignified matter. She resented the fact that he could get to her like that. And that kiss, what had been up with that. She'd never had that reaction to a man before. It was like a fire had been lit in her and now the coals just sat there, smoldering, waiting for more fuel to rebuild the fire. She had been filled with a primal need, she had been filled with lust. She hated herself for having that reaction to him. She hated even more that he was right, there was no getting to sleep tonight. Just then the door bell rang.

“Hello?” She answered.

“Is there a Miss Molly Sanchez here?”

“That's me.” She watched as he pulled out a single red rose form his bag and a small card.

“Here you go miss.”

“Thank you. Do I owe you anything.” When he shook his head she said good-bye and watched as he left. She opened the card after she closed the door.

Molly,

It was a pleasure doing business with you. I hope
our partnership is very fruitful. See you soon.
-Steve Smith

She nearly scream in frustration at his note. If she had her way their “partnership” would be completely, and only, professional. She lifted the rose to her nose. Feeling the sloe smile tug at her lips she gave in. Even if he was a pompous ass, he was a sweet pompous ass. She could live with that conclusion for now. She put the rose in a thin vase beside her bed. It had been an interesting day.

AN: I wanted to start to capture some of the other active romances going on in the story. It's not just Lily who gets a chance, they all do. Here we start to see Molly's side, along with how and who Steve is. I tried to match the characters with their romantic match pretty evenly but so that it'd also make the story funny.