Long Blonde Hair, Sky Blue Eyes Pt. 11

From Chapter 10 - Andi's call was one minute late, but it seemed longer. Doctor Alderson offered no objections, and Andi encouraged Erik to take the step.

She planted herself in the study where Annika was completing a lesson, and began looking at her phone. They ignored each other for several minutes, and then her Sat phone buzzed. Annika looked up hopefully and waited. Andi answered and told the caller to hold for a moment.

"Got time to talk to Erik?" Andi asked with the receiver covered by her hand. Annika flew out of her chair and grabbed the phone, then flipped the bird to the grinning Andi, who laughed and left the room.

When she and Rhonda were summoned back to the study they found Annika walking on air. "Yes, Mam!" they replied in unison and hustled to their rooms to grab the suitcases they had packed earlier. Andi didn't know Erik that well, and this new iteration of the man was scary, but she knew him well enough to know where the proposals were taking them: back to Texas!

*****

Annika's driver was Fernando (Freddy) Del Toro, which Andi found too cute. Ferdinand the Bull took her teasing in good humor, almost as if she wasn't the first. Freddy was also relatively gregarious, so Andi and Rhonda thought the fifty-minute trip from AUS went by quickly; Annika thought it took forever to get to the turn, and then thought it was too quick!

Rhonda saw her boss' color changing, gave her instructions to breathe, held her hand, and reassured her she looked gorgeous, but she needed to stop fidgeting and calm down. That worked so well she was trembling when Freddy opened the door, and almost fell when she exited.

Andi and Rhonda stood beside her for several minutes, during which Freddy turned his back to offer privacy. The woman who had wowed runway crowds in Paris, faced and backed down politicians, and won a gunbattle with hardened criminals was frozen with fear. They had never seen her more vulnerable, and they began to fear this meeting.

Erik was aware of every inch of their approach from the moment they turned onto the private road. He had spent the morning on a video call with Dr. Alderson, who had Annika's permission to disclosure her protected medical records, so he was aware of where she was in her recovery. Seeing her emotional state from the window, however, made it real.

He had played a role in tearing her down; now he must encourage her. To Erik, 'en-courage' meant to 'fill her with courage,' not provide pats on the back. She needed support, certainly, but she had to rebuild her confidence, her positivity, her belief in her essential goodness as a person, and her willingness to face life, even in adversity. They could talk, and he could set her up with opportunities for success, but ultimately, she was responsible for her own welfare.

As soon as she regained control, straightened her shoulders, and came forward, he moved to the door and opened it. The sky blue eyes locked on his face, she read the welcome there, and surged forward. He met her at the base of the stairs, wrapped her in an embrace, lifted her off the ground, and marveled at the changes to her body. She was still long and lanky, but there was a layer of unfamiliar muscle, and he thought back to KJ's comment that the twenty pounds went to all the right places.

Wanting to prevent her from again becoming overwrought, he broke their embrace, beckoned to the others, greeted Rhonda and Andi with warm words and hugs, and shook hands with Freddy. Eddie had come down the stairs; he introduced himself to Annika, then her companions. He knew who was coming, had seen her on TV and in pictures, and knew the legends, but he was still unprepared for what he encountered. Her head-to-toe perfection was beyond his personal experience.

It was early afternoon, and no one had eaten, but Marcus would be returning from the barbeque run momentarily, and Erik wanted to let Annika see and explore the home she had created before anything else. He held her hand walking up the stairs into the foyer, but released it when he felt excitement surge through her.

Andi and Rhonda joined her as they began their exploration, and Freddy followed with the other men. "Wait until you see the before and after album," Eddie told him after he expressed his awe of what he was seeing. "Miss Olsson's touch is on everything - except Erik's office, which is a disaster most of the time."

Erik ignored that; he was focused on Annika's reaction as they moved from space to space, room to room. The Wainscot, floors, stairs, and other wood surfaces gleamed, and the paint was immaculately applied with the hues setting the tone for each room. The rugs, tapestries, and curtains further complimented the ambiance of the room, as did the sparse but tasteful paintings, some of which were local landscapes by area artists.

It had turned out the way she envisioned it, and he could tell she was pleased. Yet, she maintained the wistful look he had noticed when they began to explore the house. It was her vision, it had been executed without fault, but would she ever live here? Was this trip Erik reaching out to reconnect, or did he intend to end their relationship this weekend?

She fluctuated between hopeful and fearful, unwilling to give herself to the beauty of the house her mind had turned into the home they wanted, until she knew whether it would ever be her home.

He caught the puzzled look when they went through the master suite, and the knowing look she gave him when she found his clothing in the other bedroom. He feared another short circuit, but he saw understanding and appreciation, followed by a flash of pure lust. He felt his body respond, but denied it the comfort of touching the woman it loved.

The third floor rooms would temporarily house the four members of the inhouse security team; Marcus and those unseen men and women providing security around the perimeter of the property had quarters in and under what had been large workshop. For expediency, their domicile had some dorm-like characteristics, but offered privacy and amenities unlike other quarters in which they had lived during jobs.

This was a plum assignment, even if it demanded every bit of your attention while on duty. Keeping Erik safe and his work secure was not for the faint of heart, as the cyber security function reminded them hourly.

They had ascended the tower and were admiring the views from the Widow's Walk atop the house when Marcus' Jeep appeared on the road. "We're dining in the shade of the trees over there," he said, pointing at the picnic tables. "You have to take advantage of autumn days like today, so let's go help Marcus set up the food."

On the way out, he grabbed a basket with paper plates and utensils and dispatched Eddie and Freddy to help Marcus carry the two ice chests filled with their special order barbeque. The larger went into the workshop/ dorm, the smaller to the serving table in the picnic area, where an ice chest with drinks was waiting. The three women served themselves and took seats on one side of the picnic table; the men followed and took seats on the bench facing them.

They lingered in conversation after the meal, until Erik proposed a walk to settle all that food. He led them around the immediate grounds, through the towering pines to the east and north, back to the road, and to the dorm, where they were introduced to those not on duty. From there they used the tunnel to access the river valley, and took the same walk Erik had taken two days ago with Eddie. The trail necessitated that they walk single file, and Erik got an opportunity to look the new Annika over without being obvious.

Ridiculously long, slender legs? Check, but even more shapely. World class ass atop those legs? Check, and possibly a little tighter and more muscular too. Narrow waist, trim upper body, and breasts that filled her shirt? Check, check, check, but, there was another factor: she appeared stronger and more athletic from head to toe.

Oh, even in jeans and a polo shirt she looked feminine, but now she moved with a powerful cat-like grace, more like Andi and Rhonda, and less like a model. He was fascinated.

When they returned, their bags had been moved into their rooms, with Annika's in the master suite. She promptly moved them into the bedroom with which Erik shared a bath, walked through the bath into his room, and firmly informed him that she would not sleep in the master suite until they slept there together.

He simply nodded, and she returned to put her clothing away.

They were free to do as they wanted until seven, when they had dinner reservations at Honey's Pizza in Smithville. Annika invited Andi and Rhonda to join her for a workout in the basement facility, Erik went into his office, and the other two men decided they too needed to work out. Seeing the three women in their workout gear may have influenced that decision, as Freddy had previously been talking about needing a nap.

Cavo and his wife joined them at Honey's, giving Annika the opportunity to get firsthand reports on the completion and maintenance of the house and grounds. They were in an open area in the small restaurant, so the conversation was circumspect, but Annika got what she wanted from it, and she profusely thanked them for doing such a great job. They would be out there tomorrow morning, and Cavo promised she would get the rest of the story then.

Erik engaged in conversations around the table, but managed to keep an eye and ear on Annika throughout. She was wearing a simple cream sweater dress, her hair was pulled back, and she wore no discernable makeup. She, and the other three women, drew looks as customers came and went, but there was a softness to her countenance, a lack of tension, and a lack of concern about attention, he'd never seen before. In fact, the lovely and sexily dressed Andi was much more 'look at me' than Annika tonight.

The first bottle of Texas Hill Country wine got them through the apps, the second midway through the variety of pizzas ordered, and the third lasted through the pizza and the ensuing conversation. That wouldn't have been impressive, but Erik and Cavo were drinking beer and Freddy limited himself to a single glass because he was their driver.

That meant four women and Eddie drank three bottles of wine, and Rhonda and Eddie liked the wine so well they took two more bottles with them.

Annika was quiet among the three chatterboxes, but he saw no signs that she was inebriated. Thinking back, she wasn't among those frequently refiling the glasses.

She was sitting in the second row, in front and to the left of him, so he had a nice view of her profile. She smiled at the right time and chuckled at Rhonda teasing Eddie, but the joy and excitement he expected was missing. Her default expression now was 'serious' or 'thoughtful' rather than the excited and anticipatory expression he associated with her.

He let her use the bathroom first, she let him know she was through by opening his door with one towel wrapped around her head and another tucked around her body, from just above boobs to just below pubes. She might have paused with the long legs and the bottom of her luscious butt cheeks exposed before closing the door, but that might have been his mind being razor-focused on capturing her lusciousness for later consideration. It had been a long time for him, and from what had been reported back to him, for her.

In a compromise, the kitchen included Erik's brew station and a Keurig for those who wanted a specific coffee, hot chocolate, or tea, which necessitated a large turntable with pods for every taste. His brew station timer had begun the brewing process some twenty minutes earlier, so he took his coffee and tablet to the small table on the porch outside the kitchen. His intention was to relax, watch the sun come up, and scroll through the news.

He heard the door open, saw bare legs that came to his shoulder, and greeted Annika without turning. He didn't comment that she was drinking green tea instead of coffee; he just pushed a chair out so she could sit. She turned it slightly to rest her feet on the railing like he was doing, and they watched the rising sun and listened to the birds in companiable silence.

Did Erik notice the silky legs in the morning sun? He did, and noticed when goose bumps arose due to the chill. He went inside and returned with a crochet cover, draped it over her legs, and sat back down. "Thank you. It's cooler than it looks from inside."

"I thought maybe you were showing off your new muscle. You're very toned and fit."

"Thank you again. I've been working on fitness with a personal trainer, and learning Taekwondo from Andi and Rhonda. We decided on that form because it involves lot of kicking, and I don't yet have the upper body strength for some of the other martial arts."

"Your efforts have added a few pounds, as KJ told me, 'in all the right places,' or 'all in the right places,' I can't remember which. He's right, and I've never seen you look as fit and athletic. For instance, you've always walked with grace and balance, and you still do, but you've added an element of strength and athleticism; it's catlike and very attractive."

She blushed lightly, but replied, "Thanks for noticing, and I'll have to thank KJ when I see him again. Was he with you Down Under?"

"He and Cassie flew to Hawaii on vacation, and slipped aboard a plane to Brisbane. Karli flew through South America to join us. Cassie and Karli met a few of my best guys, and we worked on my project. KJ enjoyed the beaches, beach bunnies, fishing, seafood, and the beer while we worked, and we joined him after."

She was listening without watching him, and he saw no angst, so he began his explanation. "Annika, given my distrust of the people I was working with from certain agencies here, I reached agreements with the Commonwealth of Australia that protect my intellectual property rights and assure nothing I have developed or will develop and patent will become the property of any other person or nation. In a way, it's complicated; in another, that simplified my life enough that I could concentrate on my work."

"Daddy explained a lot of it to me. I know you had people watching me, but I also had people watching you. Not for the reason you may think; I did it because I couldn't stand not knowing where you were."

"And I did it because I needed to know how you were doing, not because I feared you would find someone new. If you had I wouldn't have interfered, but I would have been very disappointed."

"And what are your feelings about how I did?"

"My feelings are ultimately irrelevant, Annika; how do you feel you did?"

"I made progress toward becoming a complete person, a better person, a better educated person, so I feel good about it."

"From what I learned from those around you, you should. 'Extraordinary progress' your doctor said.

"Being away from you was necessary, but difficult, and I thank you for letting her keep me informed."

"And now?" she asked quietly.

"And now we get to know the new versions of you and me, if you want."

"I do, very much."

"Then let's make breakfast together, and climb to the Widow's Walk. We can tan and talk."

Cavo called while they were making breakfast. He had a sick child and needed to reschedule. They agreed on tomorrow morning and wished his child well.

****

Lunch was being skipped until Rhonda left a picnic basket in the tower and knocked on the window. They were side by side in lounge chairs, heads turned toward one another, wearing serious expressions, but neither seemed distressed, and that's what she reported when queried by the others. They all grimaced but crossed their fingers.

Erik had been impossible to read since he disappeared, and Annika was a different person than the one who went to LA. No one wanted to see the perfect couple split up, but their reunification seemed chancy at best. Lots of water and lots of mistakes had flowed under their bridges.

They returned with an empty picnic basket at five thirty, and Erik asked who was up for a trip to the Chinese Buffet and H-E-B in Bastrop. Whether they were or weren't, they were going; exposure to that many people necessitated the full security contingent.

Annika remained reserved, but Erik took her hand when they walked to the restaurant, and sat beside her at the table. He remained the uber-confident, not quite arrogant man Rhona and Andi had encountered upon arriving, and they noticed that his very presence was more commanding than before. Yet, he was thoughtful and kind in interactions, and paid attention to Annika.

The staff was entirely Asian, and all spoke broken English but were fluent in the Chinese dialect with which they conversed among themselves. They appeared to be recent immigrants, but one recognized Annika, told the others, and they made quite a fuss over her. She seemed to enjoy that, and happily signed autographs for them and the patrons who overheard or figured it out. Surprisingly, most of the patrons were Latinos with families. The kids knew her as the superhero, the adults for SI, modeling, or her stand against Koslov on TV.

It had been a while, and she thought she was beyond the need for adulation, but that felt good and made her smile through the meal. Erik gave no indication he was displeased, so the team called that a win.

H-E-B was a madhouse. The parking lot and store had recently been expanded, but parking was scarce, aisles were full, and, though they had almost all lanes open, checkouts had long lines.

Standing in line, Erik quietly shared his observation that an unusually high percentage of shoppers were young Latinos with kids. There were some Blacks, a variety of Asians, a fair number of older whites, but the second largest number was young to middle-aged whites. A few were with young children, but more were with older children or alone.

The vast majority of young to middle-aged shoppers, regardless of ethnicity or race, looked and were dressed more like tradesmen/ blue collar workers than students or professionals, and they saw an unusual number of Austin PD and Austin Fire uniforms as well. Though Erik knew the demographic data and had read the explanation, seeing the mix in person made it more interesting.

When they had stowed their purchases and reentered the SUV, Erik told them, "I don't know how much you know about this area, but since we're relocating the project here, let me give you a brief briefing. Bastrop, Manor, and Elgin are all east of Austin and, though this is beautiful land, it isn't as costly to live out here as in the Hill Country to the west, north, or south.

"Because of the high cost of living in Austin, Manor, Elgin, and Bastrop have become bedroom communities for the Austin service industries, for Austin's teachers, their police, their firemen, and many state workers. Any profession or occupation that doesn't pay that well is well represented in that grocery store, at the Buffet, and I'm sure in stores in the other two smaller but rapidly growing towns.

"Look around the parking lot. See the number of company trucks and vans, and trucks with small trailers that advertise landscaping and lawn care, vans with plumbing, HVAC, and electrical signs, and the trucks with construction company signs?

"I don't know if that affects security, but it does affect Hanna's business if she decides to build it in this county, and my business. Not necessarily in a negative way, although I'll need to recruit harder in Austin and other tech centers, and convince them to move out here. At least housing is reasonable, and it's only an hour to Austin and less than two to Houston and San Antonio, so that also may help."

"So, Boss, where are you with your business, or 'project' as you like to call it?" asked Eddie. "There are buildings galore, but no workers."