A Shepherd Afield Pt. 04

Becky looked nervously at him. "I- I'll call her when I get there. I need time to prepare my apology."

Mary nodded as she looked at Ben. "Do you do this often?"

"What?"

"Rescue damsels in distress," Mary said with a curious look.

Ben looked away and sighed. "Apparently, it's something I do."

"As hobbies go it's pretty awesome. I don't remember too much about what happened in the bar last night. Flashes only. You hit that guy BD, right?" Mary asked.

Ben looked her straight in the eye. "I took steps to protect a woman from imminent gang rape. The steps I took involved a short demonstration of my resolve to stop them. It worked."

Becky was grinning widely. Mary looked back at him, impressed. "Ok, that works for me."

The food arrived which put conversation on the back burner as they enjoyed their meals. Becky managed to polish off almost all of her food. She finally sat back and sighed happily.

"That was the first full meal I've had in over a month!" she said.

Ben settled up the bill and went back up to the room so he could get his bags. He checked out of the hotel and met the ladies by Mary's truck. She drove them to a bank machine for Ben then to the office. She told them she'd see them later and headed home to get changed.

When they entered the lobby Evie looked up with a relieved expression.

"Mr. Shepherd! Mr. Blake has been trying to reach you!" she gasped.

Ben raised his eyebrows. "Really? Where is he?"

"In his office."

"I'll go right up. While I do that could you do me a huge favor?" Ben said.

"Of course!" she said excitedly.

"This is Becky. Becky, this is Evie. Could I ask you to take Becky to a shop where she could get a few outfits? Like that lovely dress you're wearing?" he asked.

Evie's grin threatened to split her face. "It would be my pleasure!" She forwarded the phone to the voice mail system, grabbed her purse and car keys and walked around her desk. Ben handed her a wad of folded up bills. Her eyes widened in surprise.

"There should be enough here for a number of dresses and some underthings. If you wanted to get something for yourself feel free but I need Becky back by 1PM at the latest. Alright?"

Evie looked again at the money in her hand then beamed at the other young woman. "This will be fun!"

"1PM?" he asked again.

"Yes! 1PM!" Evie nodded and Becky grinned excitedly at him.

The two young women rushed off and Ben watched them with a smile. Then he headed for the elevator. He knocked on Don's door and entered when he heard the man call out. When he went inside the man slumped in his chair then jumped up and rushed around to meet Ben halfway.

"First off I'd like to apologize if the boys made you uncomfortable last night for bringing you to a place like that! It was my first time as well and I'm-"

"Don, let's sit down." Ben interrupted.

The man didn't look good. He probably had a hangover and he was still in his clothes from yesterday and sporting some lipstick on the collar. He looked nervously at Ben then nodded and they took their seats.

Ben leaned forward. "There's one thing you should know about me. I don't lie. You were right yesterday when you said I had no time for bullshit. I won't lie to you and I expect the same back from you. That wasn't your first time at that club and truly, I don't care. What you do on your personal time and in your marriage is your own business. When it comes to our business dealing however I do have expectations. First and foremost, always be honest."

Don nodded and fidgeted. "Right, sorry. I've been there a few times with the boys. The food and drink is great and the... entertainment, is lovely. I think Henri is sweet on one of the girls, a red head. I know Bryan is going to be dating one after last night." His voice tapered off as he looked at Ben nervously. "I haven't screwed the pooch, have I?"

"Not at all. As long as we maintain a relationship based on honest communication we'll have a very profitable future. It would have been smart to ask me if I wanted to go to a strip club first." Don winced. "Mistakes were made, acknowledged..." Ben looked pointedly at the man who nodded. "...and we move on," Ben assured the man.

Don smiled with relief and nodded.

"Let's talk business," Ben said with a smile as he flipped open his laptop to set up a contract.

When Ben went back down to the lobby at 1PM with Don, Evie was back at her desk and Becky was sitting with her. The moment Becky saw them she leapt to her feet and rushed over to give Ben a hug as she squealed excitedly. She was wearing a pretty red sun dress and matching slipper shoes. She looked lovely in the new dress and Ben smiled and hugged her in return.

Evie followed her around the desk and smiled at Ben a little nervously. "I'm afraid we spent all of the money you gave me," she said timidly.

"That's ok. I wasn't expecting change," he replied. He looked at Becky. "Are you ready to go?"

The girl's smile dimmed a little but she pulled her shoulders back and nodded.

"Don's offered to drive us to the airport so let's go," Ben said.

Evie gave him a hug and he realized she was wearing a new outfit as well. He nodded approvingly and she blushed.

They put their bags in the truck and climbed in. Don got them going and soon they were on their way to the airport. Ben enjoyed the view more this time as he wasn't hunting for the streets he had to turn on.

Once they reached the airport Don helped them get their bags onto the curb and shook Ben's hand vigorously.

"I'll have my lawyer review the contract and once he's vetted it we'll get the final version to you as soon as possible for a signature," Ben said.

"Looking forward to doing business with you!" Don said. Ben and Becky waved and went into the airport. They made their way to check in and got in line before the AusJet ticket desks. Ben drew some looks just because of his size but Becky seemed to be drawing attention away from him as she looked truly lovely in her dress. Ben relaxed and shuffled forward. Finally it was there turn and they moved up to the desk.

"Good day, passports and tickets please," the woman said with a pleasant smile.

"I just have a driver's license," Becky said and the woman smiled and nodded accepting the small card from her.

Ben handed her his passport and ticket then showed her the e-ticket for Becky on his cell. She scanned the barcode from his phone then smiled.

"It will be just a moment."

Ben looked at Becky and saw the girl was nervous. "Are you ok?"

The girl looked up at him. "Yes, I- I still don't know how to apologize to mom."

He nodded. "Just keep it simple. Just tell her you're sorry and you love her."

Becky nodded but her lashes were filling with tears and her bottom lip was trembling.

"Hey now. No tears. It's over and you're going home," Ben said gently.

She leaned her head against his arm and he smiled down at her as he felt her begin to calm down. She took a deep breath.

Ben looked forward and the ticket agent was staring at him, wide eyed. He saw she had his passport open in her hand. "Is there a problem?" he asked.

"No! Uh, not at all, Mr. Shepherd, sir," the woman said. She looked at Becky's license and keyed the details into her screen. She froze again as she looked at her screen. "It will just be a moment," she repeated then glanced over to a doorway at the end of the row of ticket desks which opened. A man in an AusJet uniform, the vest struggling to stretch over his round belly, hustled towards them with a wide grin on his face. His mustache was trimmed so much it just looked like a dirty line above his lips and Ben watched his approach with trepidation. The man looked just a little too happy.

"Mr. Shepherd? I'm Reggie Mills, regional manager for AusJet here in Melbourne. I just wanted to personally thank you for choosing our airline for your flight to Sydney today!"

"You're welcome?"

"And your traveling companion today is..." he said smiling at the young woman.

"Becky Law," she said to him and the ticket agent nodded, holding her driver's license.

"That's excellent! I do hope you enjoy your flight and thank you again for choosing AusJet!" the man said gleefully. With a final nod he turned and rushed back to his office.

Ben watched him go in stunned silence. When the door closed behind the man Ben looked to the ticket agent. "What the hell was that?"

The woman merely shrugged and gestured for him to put his luggage on the belt.

They finished up and walked away with their boarding passes. Going through security was less hassle than the ticketing had been and soon they were sitting in a small restaurant by their gate. Ben got them a couple of sandwiches, water for himself, and a chocolate milk for Becky. They ate their lunch then heard the boarding announcement.

The flight to Sydney was thankfully short as the plane was cramped and uncomfortable for Ben though Becky was dazzled with her first experience in a plane. Somehow the ticket agent had changed their seating assignments and they were in the first row. The plane had no first class seating but being at the front gave Ben a little more leg room.

The flight attendant was very friendly and before he knew it they were landing in Sydney.

Ben and Becky were let off the plane first and made their way into the terminal. He looked back and none of the other passengers had been let off. He thought that was pretty odd.

Then they stepped into the terminal and a wall of sound and light.

Music began to blare and a white haired man in a dark blue suit walked up to Ben with a huge grin and shook his hand. The man turned to the crowd and raised Ben's hand in victory as he looked on in confusion. Flashes were going off and Ben saw TV camera crews and reporters waiting to pounce.

When his eyes adjusted he saw a huge AusJet banner behind the crowd. On it was roughly printed, 'Welcome Back Becky! AusJet and Ben Shepherd. Heroes again!'. He had no idea what that meant.

Ben looked down at the stunned face of the young woman. It was plain to see she knew nothing about this. Then he saw her mouth drop open in surprise.

"Mom?" she squeaked.

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.