Destined for Algeria Ch. 18

Tess stood silent in preparation for considering any alternative to the collar, especially if he planned to permanently rivet it around her neck as the cuffs and waist belt had been.

Ally let go of her and produced the padlock key from his pocket. He inserted it into the lock holding her wrists to the belt behind her back and turned it enough to identify it.

"Just checking the key." He said.

She felt the key being removed followed by his hand squeezing the lock to verify its closure then release her completely. Once free from his grip, she turned to face him.

Removing the padlock key from the keyring, he tossed it into the large metal cooking pot on the ground to the side of them.

"That's your option B" he said, "The key stays there until we get back."

"Tess stared into the bucket and considered this alternative option of her hands being locked behind her for at least two full days and overnight."

"Do you think you could handle that?" he quietly asked, gently diverting her attention away from the key by stroking her cheek with his thumb.

"Would you prefer that to me wearing the collar?" she replied.

"Yes. Of course I would." He confirmed.

"And is there an option 'C'?"

Ally glanced down at the large cooking pot on the floor and had an idea.

"Option 'C'." he replied, "Is that I leave you here with the handle of that potty locked to your ankle. That way you'll have no way out and be at the mercy of the contractors until I get back."

Tess smiled at the ingenuity of his thinking, knowing full well that he would do no such thing.

"Option 'B' it is then. "She said, "But you'll have to look after me on this trip because it's going to be a difficult one."

Ally spun her around to face him. "I'll make sure that this turns out to be our proposal trip." He smiled, drawing a smile from her in return.

"Not much of a challenge being as we've already agreed." She replied with a tilted head and raised eyebrow, "What if I decide to say NO at the end of it?" she joked with her coy smile.

Liking her humour, Ally put his arms around her waist and held onto her cuffed hands. "That's simple." He said steeling a quick peck from her lips, "If you decide to say NO, then these cuffs will stay on and I'll just bring you back here with me anyway."

"How romantic." She laughed. "Let's hope you impress me enough to say yes then."

The two excited lovers paused for a little to ponder her last comment before exhaling silent laughter through their noses and eventually touching foreheads.

"Have you thought about how we're going to get married?" Tess asked

"You mean with you being on the run from the UK authorities?" He reminded her.

"On the run?" She replied, "As I see it, you faked my suicide and then had me kidnapped."

Ally smiled and nodded his head. "I think you'll find that all of the above was consensual my dear. You agreed and came here of your own accord so that we could be together. Remember."

"I think I can hear a truck." The voice of Ingrid called, from the courtyard.

"Shit!" Ally panicked. "Come on."

He politely but meaningfully dragged Tess towards the narrow steps and pushed her in front so he could follow behind.

"The key." She shouted back to him, referring to the padlock key he'd dropped into the cooking pot.

"Looks like it's staying there until we get back after all." He smirked. "I do hope the builders don't misplace it."