Steel, Titanium and Guilt: Just Hunter Books I to III

by Robin Craig

  Miriam rolled her eyes. He was a bit of a poet himself if you asked her. She stood and introduced the girls, “Hello Amaro. These elegant ladies are Rianna and Darian, my friends from work. And I’m Miriam.”

  “Yes, I heard. Miriam! A fine name, evocative of prophecy and priestesses! Shall we dance?”

  Miriam looked at Rianna and Darian helplessly. They laughed and shooed her on her way, then sat down and began an animated discussion about this turn of events.

  Amaro led her to the floor. She half expected that his verbal performance was compensation for something, hopefully just two left feet, but he surprised her. He was an excellent dancer to whatever music was playing and she found herself whirled around the floor and completely, breathlessly delighted.

  They went back to the table where the girls were watching them cheerfully. “I don’t suppose you came with your brothers did you, Amaro?” Darian asked.

  “Oh fair maiden,” exclaimed Amaro, hand over his breast, “had I known what beauty I would find here tonight, I certainly would have brought my dearest friends to share in my delight! But alas I came alone. Yet perhaps – if I am so fortunate as to ever meet you lovely ladies again – I can introduce you to some fine young men at another time?”

  Miriam sat looking at him. He was an entertaining rogue, that was for sure. But probably still a rogue. But hell. “Well, Amaro, I would hate my friends to miss out on an offer like that. So I guess we’ll have to see you again.”

  “Nothing would delight me more! Except perhaps to discuss the details in a quieter place? Perhaps over coffee?”

  Miriam had a good idea what kind of coffee was brewing in his mind. After all, a similar brand was brewing in hers. But she wasn’t really into one-night stands; she preferred something with a bit more permanence. And one thing she’d learned by now was that if a man was going to last more than one night he was willing to wait more than one night.

  “Thanks for the offer, but some other time perhaps. We have to work tomorrow. But here.” She touched her phone to send her details to his, which he accepted and reciprocated. He smiled and bowed. “An honor, fair Miriam. You will be hearing from me. Until then, I wish you all joy.”

  They waved to him and weaved their way out of the club. Amaro sat there nursing his drink, watching Miriam go through narrowed eyes. An interesting woman, he thought. I might enjoy this.

  Chapter 16 – Dinner

  Amaro was good to his word, and they arranged a triple date with her friends and his. He had not brought any brothers just two of his own friends. But he was either lucky or perceptive, for they all got along famously.

  One Wednesday a couple of weeks after their first meeting, Miriam was putting on her coat ready to leave work when Darian came to see her. “Hi Miriam. We thought we’d go clubbing tonight. Are you up for it?”

  Miriam looked up, a funny smile playing on her lips. “Sorry, I’ve a date with Amaro tonight.”

  “Oh! Getting serious, is it?”

  Miriam shrugged and answered nonchalantly, “Oh, maybe. He’s a laugh a minute, you might have noticed. He spoils me, too. Maybe I can bear his arrogant company a little longer.” But from the little smile that wouldn’t let itself be put away, Darian wasn’t fooled: Miriam had “smitten” written all over her. “Well you kids have fun then. Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” Darian blew her a kiss and left. Miriam finished up, humming happily, and followed her.

  She met Amaro at an upscale Thai restaurant. “So, Miss Hunter, are your tastes as fiery as your tongue? Would you enjoy a chili to die from or should I order a gentler dish?”

  She shook her head. He really was incorrigible. “I like it hot, Amaro. Let’s see what you’ve got.” Two could play at that game, she thought.

  He raised his eyebrows mockingly. He really was a card, she thought. She didn’t know how much his role of gallant gentleman rake – or which parts of it – were genuine, but he certainly played it to the hilt. Once he knew her preference he did not discuss the options any further. Like a gentleman of old he simply took charge, selecting the dishes and the wine. She was more used to the modern style of equality and negotiation, but just for this evening she was amused enough to be carried along in his irresistible wake.

  “Oh. Wow,” she breathed at the first taste of the curry. He smiled. “Too much?”

  “Oh, no. My tongue’s gone but this is delicious.”

  “But your tongue is your best part! I do hope it comes back.”

  She poked it out at him. “Be careful what you ask for, brave knight.”

  He smiled, and they continued sampling the dishes. He had chosen a cold, somewhat sweet but not too sweet white wine. It went perfectly with the burning curries. Which were burning but not too burning: the chili enhanced rather than detracted from the other tastes.

  “My, Amaro, I think you’ve done this before.”

  “My lady, anything I have done before has been mere preparation for this evening.”

  She laughed. “You’re impossible! But let’s be serious. All I ever get out of you is knightly wit. Is there a real man in there, or are you just a pretty suit of armor? Who is the real Amaro? Is there a real Amaro?”

  He looked at her. He actually managed to look serious. She wondered whether it was real or just his best performance to date. “Well, the real Amaro has many faces, all equally real. He is complex, like an aged red wine.” He paused. Miriam just waited. She knew about trout fishing. This was a trout who had never been hooked.

  “Most ladies see the gallant Amaro, and that is enough for them. Some may say the gallant Amaro is shallow, but he has made many ladies happy and they him. Where that is all the lady sees, Amaro is happy for them to see no further. They have fun, he has fun, and there is much laughter and no tears. Much pleasure and no pain. After a time they go their separate ways and all their memories are happy. Amaro has observed that knowing more deeply opens the doors to pain, and while greater happiness might in theory be found there, in the end the memories may not be so happy.”

  His expression made Miriam wonder how personal those observations were. And the prick of sympathy she felt made her start to wonder who was the trout and who was the fisherman here. Before she could pursue that thought further, he appeared to come to a decision, and continued.

  “Well, we must start somewhere. Let me tell you about my work. As I told you, I am a scientist working for the EPA. Though I no longer do original research – my job is more project planning, monitoring and analysis. Specifically, I concentrate on genetic contamination of the environment – you know, detecting the spread of illegal genetic modifications into the wild or into agricultural crops, whether illegal completely or only legal on condition of containment.” At the flash of interest in her eyes, he stopped. “You are interested in genetics?” he asked.

  “Oh, it’s just a coincidence. My work at the moment has something to do with genetics.”

  “Really? How interesting! Perhaps it is something I can help you with. That might be stimulating. Usually the only mutual interest in genetics I find with the ladies is of a more intimate nature.” The old Amaro was irrepressible, she thought.

  “Sorry, I can’t really talk about it for now. It’s too confidential: it would mean my job. I can’t even tell you what it’s about generally. It’s that hot.”

  “I am impressed. I was under the impression that you were a humble apprentice detective. Now I learn that you move in high circles, privy to national secrets!”

  She laughed. “Oh, I am a humble apprentice, believe me. Most of my time is spent on an Artful Idiot system. However I’ve got it to idiot savant stage and sometimes it spits out something useful. The trick is in knowing what is useful and what isn’t. The thing can come up with a whole conspiracy theory involving Joe the Corner Butcher and the President of the United States, and make a pretty convincing case of it sometimes. It knows how to calculate statistics but is clueless how to apply them: so I am trying to teach it, to help cut out its more
outrageous ideas without missing real issues. Anyway, it recently came up with something strange that happened to link with something even stranger, so I ended up involved. Whether it ends up making my career or breaking it, well, time will tell.”

  “My, my, Miriam,” he said, “We start delving into the complex reality of Amaro only to find that the truly fascinating person is Miriam. I feel inadequate.” He frowned sadly.

  Miriam laughed delightedly. “Oh Amaro! I find it hard to believe you are capable of feeling inadequate even on a double date with the President and Madame Curie.”

  He laughed. “Perhaps when you have tasted the full complexity of the noble Amaro, you will learn whether or not that is true. But let us leave government intrigue behind us. I know! Here is a proposition I read once: ‘the entertainment you choose is a guide to your soul’. Let us discuss the holidays we have been on. We may learn more about each other’s souls that way than by trying to find the words to explain.”

  They spent the rest of the evening enjoying the food, enjoying the wine, and enjoying each other’s company. They discussed holidays, family, friends, movies and art. Miriam was entranced. When Sir Amaro peeled off his armor and it was just Amaro, he was not only amusing, he appeared to be the kind of man you could live a lifetime with and never be bored.

  They had just finished a dessert wine whose sweetness temporarily chased away the chili, only to have it return in a synergy that made her mouth feel it had been kissed. Amaro insisted on taking the bill, his persona of gallant gentleman of a previous century rising up again for the occasion.

  Miriam sighed. “I am afraid I’ve had too good a time, Senor Moreno. I’ve broken my own rule about how much I should drink when out on a date. I think I’d better get a taxi home. I can pick my car up tomorrow.”

  “What kind of knight would so fail his Lady? I shall of course carry you to your door on my noble charger.”

  Miriam looked into his dark liquid eyes. The liquid ran into her own eyes and down to her belly, where it started working on her resistance. There wasn’t much resistance to work on. “Thank you Amaro, I think I shall accept your chivalrous offer.”

  He smiled, and she felt as if he swept her out of the restaurant, down to his car, and finally to her door. They stood there and she looked at him. “Whew! I think I drank even more than I realized,” she admitted, swaying slightly.

  “A knight would never take advantage of a lady not in full possession of her faculties, so I must sadly bid you goodnight,” he said, bowing to kiss her hand.

  “Not so fast, lunk. I didn’t say I wasn’t in full possession of my faculties. You keep complaining about my tongue. Let’s see if it can change your mind.” With that, she lifted herself on her toes, put her arms around him, and kissed him. He returned the kiss without a moment’s hesitation. I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised, she thought, that he kisses like he dances. Liquid desire flowed down from her mouth and up from her toes, meeting in the middle. Oh what the hell, she thought. “Well don’t just stand there,” she said huskily, “come in.”

  Chapter 17 – Interrogation

  Amaro woke early. He could feel Miriam breathing gently beside him. His body was thanking him for last night’s sensory symphony, and he smiled. Mornings could most definitely be worse, he thought. He thought of the joyless religions that despised the pleasures of the flesh and named them sins, and wondered how people could get so twisted around.

  It was still early. Through the blinds he could see the grey light of dawn starting to lighten the sky. Miriam stirred, and put her hand on his stomach. He gently laid his own hand over it. It was warm, soft and trusting.

  Miriam opened her eyes and looked at him. She still half suspected he was just a slick-talking rogue. Amaro detected the change in her breathing and turned his head to face her, and saw her studying him. “Yes, my love?”

  “That’s just the question, isn’t it? That simple word can hide a multitude of lies,” Miriam said quietly. She began circling her finger around his navel. It made Amaro tingle. She continued, playfully but with an edge of seriousness, “The question in my mind is: is Amaro really the chivalrous knight, or is he a knave in drag? How can a girl tell?”

  “My lady! If in the light of day you fear that Amaro, having had his wicked way with the fair maiden, would ride off leaving her pregnant and bereft: I am mortified! Though Amaro’s lawyer might point out that it is the fair lady who refused his offer of, ah, protection at the time,” he added teasingly.

  “Pah! For all your knightly airs, this isn’t the Middle Ages. How many fair maidens are stupid enough not to take their own precautions, rather than relying on the uncertain valor of self-proclaimed gentlemen?” she laughed. “Don’t worry, you won’t wake up in nine months to a bailiff presenting you with a child support summons.”

  Amaro looked wounded. Miriam’s finger began circling further down his stomach and she added playfully, “Besides, I cheerfully admit that I much prefer skin on skin, don’t you? And fortunately sexually transmitted diseases are a thing of the past too.”

  “A medical advance which we can all celebrate,” Amaro replied. “As indeed we did,” he added with a mocking grin.

  Miriam’s finger was now playing with his curlier hairs and she could feel him stir in response. She reached down and held him, and began to move her hand slowly.

  Amaro felt the fire build and reached over to her, but she slapped him away with her other hand. “Don’t you try to distract me, knave!” she said. “I need to interrogate the suspect, learn his true intentions.”

  “My intentions... My intentions are noble!” gasped Amaro. “As a true knight of the realm, all Amaro seeks is to increase the amount of good in the world! Happiness is good. The logic is clear! At least, he thinks so. He is getting rather distracted and his thinking may not be as clear as he imagines. That must be why he has not thanked the lady. She is unusually forward for a demure maiden, but at this stage, Amaro cannot say he objects.”

  “Don’t fool yourself, rogue,” Miriam said roughly. “I’m not doing this for your benefit. I have plans for this thing!”

  With that, she rolled over to straddle him and lowered herself down. She began to rock gently. Amaro groaned. “My lady is sweet, kind and considerate. How could he ever betray her?”

  Miriam reached her hand between his legs and did something that made him quiver. “So do I understand you correctly? You might actually call me again? And if I call you, you will answer the phone?”

  “I swear!”

  Miriam gripped him gently and whispered, “I’ll hold you to that, rogue.”

  Then she released him, leaned over to kiss him and their rocking increased its tempo. They both forgot to speak for a while.

  When they had finished, Miriam rolled off onto her side. “Oh my. Oh my.” She murmured.

  “I must say, my lady,” said Amaro after a while, “that I am most impressed by your interrogation technique. I could not call it police brutality, but it is uniquely effective. It is no wonder your career is going well. I should not be surprised if your rate of confessions is astounding!”

  Miriam’s mouth made an “O” of shock and she punched him on the shoulder. “Oh you! That is not my usual interrogation technique. It is reserved,” she added haughtily, “only for the most hardened criminals.”

  “While I generally avoid the attentions of the law, I think I am glad you consider me so. That I may be forced to suffer such techniques.”

  They lay together silently for a while, just enjoying the relaxation spreading through their limbs.

  Then Miriam turned to him and smiled. “I don’t suppose you are free this Friday night?”

  Amaro’s face took on a look of intense concentration. “Well... as you would expect, Amaro’s social calendar requires sophisticated scheduling software.” Miriam rolled her eyes. “But there appears to be a bug. His calendar seems to have become free for the foreseeable future. This Friday? Consider it done. For that matter, tonight is
free as well.” He gave her a hopeful look, much like a puppy not wanting a game to end just yet.

  Miriam laughed but shook her head. “My body is already finding it easy enough to overrule my brain. I think I need a rest from you to get some perspective. Let’s stick to Friday.”

  “I’m going to have a shower,” she added. “For some unknown reason, I am sweaty and smell of Man. I won’t be long.”

  Amaro lay back in bed listening the sound of the running water. He smiled again. Oh, yes.

  Miriam came back into the bedroom wrapped in a fluffy white towel, drying her hair. “You probably want a shower too,” she observed.

  “Indeed,” replied Amaro, getting out of bed. Miriam added, “Could you drive me to where I left my car? Unless it’s too far out of your way?”

  Amaro bowed, sweeping his arm as if flourishing a feathered cap. Miriam had to laugh. He made it look elegant even stark naked and still somewhat aroused. “Amaro would be honored. It is the least he can do in return for the lady’s, ah, services.”

  “Beast!” she said. “Into the shower with you!”

  ~~~

  Miriam arrived at the station early and went happily to work. She often found herself humming even when arguing with the AI.

  Whenever she saw herself in the ladies’ room mirror, she noticed a silly little smile playing at the corner of her lips. It refused to go away. When she smoothed her top down, her nipples responded even to that innocent motion. She rolled her eyes at her own reactions. Maybe I need a whole week away from Amaro, she thought. Fat chance, the silly smile told her.

  Darian bumped into her when she was making herself a cappuccino in the refreshments room. “How did the hot date go?” she asked. Miriam attempted to put on a stern expression but somehow it came out as a happy smile. “Oh!” said Darian, “I see! That good, eh?”