Warning: Rating PG -- for possibly strong language

Brenda was having the most wonderful dream. She and Sonny were someplace warm – Hawaii, maybe, or San Juan. They were lying on the beach, and she was resting her head on his chest. His arm was wrapped around her, and she stroked his broad chest lovingly. His chest seemed so much more muscular than usual in this dream. And his arm was so much longer, wrapping itself around her and then resting on her hand. Usually it only reached to her elbow. She frowned in her dream and opened one eye. She blinked it once. Sonny’s hairless chest had grown a light covering of soft blonde hair during the night.

Brenda jumped and opened both eyes wide, but the arm anchored her there. She looked carefully around the room, and then down at the body she was resting on. It was a long, jeans-clad body, and it definitely wasn’t Sonny’s. She felt his chest rise and fall in even breaths. She prayed he was still asleep.

No such luck. She turned her head up slowly to face him, and his eyes were wide open and sparkling. She wanted to die from embarrassment.

He had been lying awake there, with this angel in his arms, for almost an hour. She had snuggled up to him sometime during the night, and then moved to lay her head on his chest early this morning. He had simply extended his right arm, and she had curled into it like she was born to fit right there in the crook of his arm. He had been watching her sleep, trying to sort out this mess.

Many things from that fateful night were still a blur. He remembered Kavanaugh insisting that they go on a stake-out together, in a particularly dark and dismal part of Port Charles. Once they began their watch, Kavanaugh began talking about the covert operation he had been working on with Jax. He began rambling about the evidence, and how he had mishandled things, and how Jax would never forgive him. He had tried to tell Jax something about the negatives and the diaries, but then he only got more agitated and finally got out of the car. Jax got out too, even though the area was foggy and poorly lit. Jax remembered being hit from behind right after he got out of the car, and then nothing until Taggert was pointing a gun in his face and screaming something about Jax being a cop killer.

As images of Kavanaugh’s dead body began to flood his mind, Jax shivered involuntarily and pulled Brenda’s sleeping form closer. He relished having her to hang onto, but he knew he had to leave her soon. She was becoming too involved in this whole thing, and it would mean trouble for her in the end. He could feel that she was beginning to believe in him, despite her attempted escape the day before. As he lay there, he began to understand why she had to try. He remembered the way he felt when he had been trapped by Taggert, and he sympathized with her frustration at being imprisoned.

As he gazed down fondly at her, he realized that she was waking up. He didn’t think she realized what she had done, cuddling up to him like that, and he was waiting to see just how she would rationalize it. He could feel her jump when she opened both eyes, and then she turned them on him, and he could feel his heartbeat accelerate.

As she looked at him, she knew he was waiting for her explanation. Finally, she spoke, and he was relieved that the spunk hadn’t faded. "I got cold."

He tried not to laugh out loud. "Yes, well it gets cold out here in the mornings." His smiled faded, but it was replaced with a look of surprising passion. He traced the delicate line of her cheek and chin with his first finger. "Does Corinthos have any idea what a lucky man he is to have you?" The finger went completely around her chin, and then began to make its way to her lips.

She felt things getting carried away quickly. She felt too comfortable and too safe in this stranger’s arms. She needed a diversion, and nature fortunately provided one. She stopped her hand with his. "I have to go to the bathroom." She quickly rolled over and he undid the belt buckle joining them together. She jumped out of bed and headed for the bathroom, leaving him in the bed, chuckling in delight.

He sat up straight and shook his head as he heard the water running. "Morning has broken, hellcat."

He was still sitting on the bed a few minutes later when she emerged. She was drying her face, and still had the towel in her hands. She spoke without really looking at him. "You can use the bathroom now if you…" Then she looked at the broken closet door, and back at him, and back at the bathroom behind her. "Oh, no! You can’t be serious! You’re not going to… you wouldn’t…I’m not going to have to stay in there with you while…."

He held up his hand to stop her frantic thoughts. "No, hellcat. I think I’ve come up with a different alternative." He stood up and walked towards her slowly, and she shrank into the doorframe.

"What are you gonna do, pig?" she said in a small voice.

He walked up to stand before her and slid his finger slowly under the neckline of the knit top she had put on yesterday morning. He traced the neckline carefully with just that one finger, and she began to shiver. "Well," he drawled slowly, "when your escape plan yesterday effectively took away your "holding area," I figure it also took away your dressing room. Can’t get much privacy to change your clothes if the door’s broken off the hinges. So I’ve come up with a plan."

She tipped her head to the side. "I’m listening."

"I won’t lock you in the bathroom with me this morning, but that’s the only time you’ll have to change your clothes privately out here. I figure, since most women take so long getting ready," (he could feel her feminist hackles begin to rise), "I’ll easily be done in the bathroom before you’re ever done out here."

She began to grin at him. "Soooo…you’re trusting me alone out here?"

He grinned back. "Nooo…. I’m trusting that your need for a change of clothes will override your need to escape." He kept sliding his finger around her neckline. "Unless you choose to spend today in yesterday’s charming ensemble." The finger was beginning to dip farther inside her top, and it made her insides feel funny. She reached up with her left hand to catch his right and stop the finger before it went any further, pulling the finger out of her top. Then she slowly moved in a circle-dance with him, so that his back was now in the bathroom door and hers was in the bedroom.

"Do I get extra time to pick the outfit?" she asked charmingly.

He grinned at her and pulled the finger away, tapping her lightly on the nose with it. "NO!!" He slammed the bathroom door in her face, and she let out an expletive that made him blush.

She ran for the closet, jumping over the broken door, and quickly grabbed some new shorts and a broadcloth shirt. A few minutes later, as she heard the bathroom door click to open, she was buttoning the shirt and slipping into her shoes. She looked up to see his smiling face, and her fingers momentarily faltered. She walked regally to her vanity, and began to comb her hair.

He leaned one shoulder up against the door frame and crossed his arms. "See – told ‘ya. I could’ve showered too if I had known you would insist on doing your hair this morning, too." She raised the hair brush to swat him, but then was scared when his body tensed and his hand gripped her wrist like a steel band.

She looked into the icy blue eyes that had gone cold when she raised the brush. "I was just kidding," she said softly. {It’s just as well. You almost forgot that he’s a criminal, and you’re his prisoner.}

He felt it, too. {Don’t let your hormones ruin your chances to prove your innocence, man. She’s beautiful, but she’s not worth risking your life for. Not for just one night of passion. One night of mind-shattering, endless ecstasy.} He had to change the subject, and find out if any new leads on his whereabouts had come in this morning. "I’m hungry. Let’s go downstairs and you can fix breakfast."

They went down to the kitchen in silence, a cold curtain having fallen between them. Brenda turned on the TV, and then got out some of the frozen Belgian waffles that Sonny had made months ago to thaw.

Jax sat at the table watching her move from the refrigerator. He had enjoyed bantering with her this morning, but it went against every ounce of training he ever received from the WSB. Now he was sure he had to get out of this cottage before he went completely soft and fell for her.

She prepared the breakfast and they ate in silence, watching the morning talk show, waiting for the local news break. By the time it finally came, she was beginning to clear the dishes.

The serious voice of the anchor woman filled the kitchen. "Port Charles authorities are still searching for escaped murderer, Jasper Jacks." The screen showed his handsome smiling face as it did the other day. He sat at the kitchen table staring at the TV, and Brenda’s hands stilled in the dishwater and she turned to face the screen.

The anchor continued. "Leads have revealed nothing so far in their search for this fugitive. The police have been scouring the woods near the city limits where Mr. Jacks was last seen, but they have been unsuccessful in picking up his trail. Commissioner Mac Scorpio has now announced that they are widening the search." The screen dissolved to show Mac, facing a group of cameras and microphones. Brenda was surprised to see Jax’s face tense when Mac’s picture appeared. But it wasn’t just because Mac was his pursuer – it was more like a look of contempt and disgust.

Mac spoke in a monotone. "We are expanding our search to include the adjacent counties so we can apprehend this dangerous man as quickly as possible. Our officers have also been given a "shoot-on-sight" order, so that once we do find Mr. Jacks, there will not be another chance for him to escape our custody. The public needs to remain on the alert for this criminal, and contact their law enforcement team if they do spot him. Do NOT try to apprehend him yourself. He is armed and dangerous."

Jax’s features had frozen the minute Mac mentioned the "shoot-on-sight" order. They weren’t even going to give him the benefit of the doubt. Mac Scorpio was good. The frame he had concocted was perfect. No officer would hesitate at taking out a "cop-killer." But then Brenda dropped a plastic dish to the floor, and Jax looked up at her.

Her face was a mask of fear. "I’m not going to get out of this alive, am I?"

Jax folded his hands on the table. "I told you last night, Brenda, I won’t hurt you. I told you this was all a frame-up." His blue eyes looked deeply into her scared brown ones. "I didn’t kill Kavanaugh, and I won’t kill you."

She walked slowly over to the table, still clutching the dish towel to her. "That’s not what I mean, Jax. Mac told them to shoot first and ask questions later. They’ll do that, because they think you shot a cop. And if there’s a hostage in the way, they won’t care." Her eyes began to fill with tears.

He stood. "Brenda, I would never use you as a shield. I would never let them hurt you just so I could escape."

Her voice began to shake and the tears began to fall. "It doesn’t matter, Jax. If they find you, they won’t care that I’m in here. I would just be an unfortunate casualty of the operation, especially if you’re being framed like you said."

"Brenda.." Jax began, but she was becoming hysterical and her voice rose in pitch.

"They could send a SWAT team, or a whole bunch of sharp-shooters.." She set the towel down on the table, and he walked over to grab her by the arms.

"Brenda, stop! Listen to me!" But she was too far gone. The strain of the past few days was finally releasing, and she didn’t even hear him.

"…or they could shoot in one of those tear-gas bombs and it could start a fire, and it wouldn’t matter how safe you tried to keep me! You could be waving the white flag, and they would still…"

Jax had finally reached the breaking point. He grabbed her by both arms, and before she knew what was happening, he bent down and kissed her hard. It stopped her in mid-sentence.

The kiss ended quickly, but Jax only pulled back a fraction of an inch from her full lips. He spoke softly. "D*mnit, hellcat, is there only one way to shut you up?" He looked into her tear-filled soft eyes, and then his frustration changed to desire. His hands slid to cup her face, and his fingers began to knead the tense muscles at the back of her neck. As he saw her eyes begin to sparkle with the wanting that was already in his, he lowered his mouth to hers again.

This kiss was different. The first one had been to shock her and it was rough. This kiss was exploratory, and sensual, and Brenda’s hands slid up into his blonde hair as his hands went down to her hips and he pulled her against the length of his body. His tongue demanded entrance to her mouth, and she immediately opened her lips, meeting it there. Her tongue was soft and small, and it played a game of tag with his, causing him to moan and bring one of his hands back around to her front. It came up to slide into her thick hair and cradle the back of her head.

His lips left hers for a moment, and they both panted for breath as he left a trail of soft kisses over to her ear and her neck. She leaned her head to the side as he began to take soft love bites out of her neck, and he heard her whimper as she ground her hips against him instinctively. He realized that the situation was going far beyond anything he had ever imagined, and he came back to lean his forehead against hers while they both caught their breaths.

Her hands slid down to his shoulders, and then she put them flat on his chest as she realized what they had almost done. She pulled away from him a little, and he could still see the tears in her eyes. "I’m sorry," she said quietly. "I don’t know what happened to me. I just … lost it. I won’t do it again."

He stepped back, but his hands were still at her waist. "It’s OK. I understand. It’s been a rough few days for me, too."

She nodded quietly, and then turned to finish the dishes. But her hand went to her lips, and she couldn’t forget the way he had made her feel. Or the fact that no man had ever made her feel even a fraction of that before in her life – not even Sonny.

#~#~#~#

Things were pretty quiet for the rest of the morning, but as Brenda went to the refrigerator to look for something for lunch, she got a frown on her face.

"Something wrong?" Jax was at her side in an instant.

"Only that I’m not used to having a growing boy like you living with me," she answered sarcastically. She put her head in the refrigerator again. "We’re running out of milk, and juice," she closed the door and looked over at the counter, "and bread. Unless you come up with some kind of plan to leave here soon, I’ll need to get more supplies."

Jax looked puzzled. "But how will you do that without a car?"

Brenda sat at the table and began making a list. "There’s a small country store at the junction of the outer road and the highway. I figured that if I ran out of anything, I could always ride Star down there and pick it up. The store is run by an old retired couple, Cliff and Mary Wagner, and they know me."

Jax thought for a moment, and then clasped his hands together. "OK. Sounds like a plan. We’ll go right after lunch."

Brenda’s mouth dropped. "We?"

"What? Don’t you think Star can carry us both and a few supplies?" Brenda still looked shocked. Jax sat down at the table with her. "Surely you don’t think I would trust you that much to go alone."

"Jax, I told you I believed you. I told you I know you won’t hurt me. You don’t need to do this."

Jax looked at her seriously. "I think you realize now that I wouldn’t hurt you, Brenda. But I still think you’re scared – not of me, but of the situation. Look at what happened this morning." She looked down in embarrassment. "And besides – it would do me good to get out and check out the area. I could keep an eye out for any searchers that are coming too close to us. So we go together."

Brenda could tell from his tone that the discussion was over. She got up in a huff and started to fix lunch.

Lunch was eaten in silence, with only the game shows on TV providing a sound track. Brenda cleaned up and then began to look through the cabinets, checking if there was anything else she needed. She looked at Jax, and spoke with a sigh. "Do you have any requests?"

He put his hands on his hips. "Yeah – some fresh fruit might be nice. And some of those little cups of pudding."

She almost dropped her pad and pencil. "Pudding? You eat those little junk food cups of pudding?"

He blushed. "Well, everybody’s got their weakness." He looked around. "Come on, let’s get going. I want to get back well before dark."

They locked up the cottage and went to the stable to get Star. The horse was happy to see Brenda, and even happier to get out for some exercise. Jax helped Brenda saddle the animal, and then put his foot in the stirrup to mount. As Brenda stood next to her, he swung into the saddle, and the horse only pranced a little. He looked comfortable there, and seemed to relish the feel of sitting a horse again. He looked back down at her, and extended his left arm to help her mount.

"Star’s not going to like this," Brenda said between her teeth. She jumped up onto the saddle with both legs on one side of the horse. To her dismay, she felt Jax grab the back of her right thigh with his hand to help her swing it forward over the pommel and the horse’s neck so that she could sit astride in front of him.

If the feel of his hand on her thigh wasn’t discomforting enough, it was nothing compared to the way she felt when she settled into the saddle in front of Jax. She was nestled tightly against the pommel in front, and could feel the V of his legs tightly wedged against her derriere in the back. Jax reached around her to grab the reins, and his arms rested against her side, just beneath her breasts.

Brenda was finding it difficult to breathe. How would she be able to ride all the way to the store and back, nestled so intimately against a man she probably should hate, but had to admit she was desperately attracted to? "Star doesn’t like it when I ride double," she finally managed to squeak out. The horse was prancing a little, and Jax was becoming accustomed to handling the reins again after so many years.

Brenda was further rattled when Jax’s voice sounded right next to her ear. "What do you mean? Did you and the godfather ride together?" He was pulling on the reins a little, and the horse was settling down, much to Brenda’s shock. Jax applied his heels to the Star’s sides, and the horse began to move towards the open road. "She doesn’t seem to mind it now."

Brenda had to admit that the animal was behaving nicely. {Good grief, is the man Dr. Doolittle too? I thought Star hated men.} Brenda tried to relax against Jax’s chest and let him do the work of guiding the horse. "Right after Sonny gave her to me, I wanted him to see how wonderful it was to ride a horse, so we tried riding double. Sonny had never ridden before, you see," she said, turning back slightly to explain to Jax. "Star wanted no part of it. We didn’t even make it out of the corral."

They were almost at the end of Brenda’s driveway. As they came to a stop, Jax pulled back on the reins, and Star obeyed immediately and came to a stop. The momentum threw Jax’s body against Brenda’s a little, but it was enough to let Brenda feel their intimate position again.

Brenda was suddenly surprised when she felt Jax’s breath at her ear. Her surprise turned to a slow burn when he whispered softly, "Well, like many sheltered creatures, maybe she just didn’t know how much she would enjoy it until she was ridden by a man who knew what he was doing."

Brenda felt the blush go down all the way to her toes. {He’s talking about the horse. He’s just talking about the horse. Right.} As she was desperately trying to think of some stinging retort, Jax straightened up again. "Which way? And I think it would be better if we could stick to side roads and the woods. Less obvious."

Brenda gave him directions, and the horse took off with her two riders. They didn’t speak all the way there. Both were just enjoying their first real taste of fresh air and sunlight in several days. After a while, though, Brenda began to wonder how much longer she could stand the intimacy of their position. Every time the horse bounced, she was forced against Jax’s open legs, and as much as she suspected it was getting to him, she had to admit it was getting to her even more. She could feel the muscles in his strong legs guiding the horse. He had placed his feet in the stirrups, and as her legs dangled free, she had initially almost lost her balance and fallen off the horse. Jax had felt it, and wrapped one strong arm around her waist, holding the reins powerfully with his other hand. She thought she would melt into a large puddle right there and then when he pulled her close to him and leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Don’t worry. I’ve got you." She had turned back to him a little, and their lips were only inches apart.

At that moment, a mother goose and her goslings decided to cross the road. She honked at Star, and Jax had to rein her in quickly to avoid hitting the family. Brenda was thrown against his body again, and she grabbed his arm for support. The horse reared back a little, and Brenda felt his strong chest against her back. However, she smiled a little to herself, because she also felt that the ride was affecting him just as much as it was her.

As the trees got sparser and the cars became more numerous, Jax began to take a path more hidden by the trees and shrubs. As they neared the highway junction, Jax’s keen eyes spotted a police roadblock set up on the highway entrance. He slowed the horse and sat watching the roadblock for a few minutes.

Finally Brenda shifted in the saddle. She inclined her head to the side. "The store’s over there, about 100 yards ahead." Jax moved deeper into the trees and they rode hidden until the foiliage ended and the store appeared in a clearing.

"Where do you usually tether the horse?" he asked quietly.

"There are some short trees in the back, behind the store. I usually leave her there or just at the edge of the woods, so she won’t get spooked by the cars on the parking lot."

Jax nodded and put his foot in the stirrup. He swung his long leg over the back of the horse and jumped down to the ground. He patted Star on the rump. "OK, get the stuff. I’ll be close by, watching you. Remember to be careful."

Brenda looked into his eyes. "You, too," she answered quietly, and he was so shocked he couldn’t reply for an instant. She took the reins and turned the horse to head for the low trees that were about 15 feet away. Jax ran forward to crouch in the bushes nearby.

Brenda dismounted and patted Star on the neck. "You’re a good girl," she crooned. She tied the reins loosely and then tried to keep her knees from knocking as she headed into the store. The bell on the front door tinkled as she pushed it open.

"Brenda, darling!" a female voice called. "I haven’t seen you in ages, dear!" An older woman with black hair mixed with strands of gray came to hug Brenda gently.

"How are you doing, Mary?" Brenda asked. She tried to control herself, but she still felt like she could jump out of her skin.

"Oh, Cliff and I have been so busy lately," the woman replied. Brenda began moving through the small store, picking up bread and some snack foods and canned soup. "Have you seen the bulletins on the television about that escaped convict? All those policemen are keeping us hopping, coming in to buy supplies while they’re out hunting for him." Brenda tried to stop her hands from shaking as she picked up some bananas, apples, and plums. "Aren’t you afraid, living out there all by yourself, dear?"

As Brenda opened her mouth to answer, a loud voice could be heard coming from the back. "Of course she’s not afraid, Mary." A tall, thin man with a large bald spot on top of his head came forward to put his arm around Brenda’s shoulders. "Brenda here has so much piss and vinegar she would scare off any old convict that tried to bother her, wouldn’t you honey?" Cliff Wagner shook her shoulders lovingly, and then moved to behind the dairy counter. "What can I get for you today, Miss Brenda?"

Brenda tried to stay calm as she picked out milk, bottles of orange juice, and the requested pudding. {If you only knew that I’m shopping for myself and my resident fugitive-from-justice.} Cliff packed all of the things in a large brown bag, and then took her basket to bag the rest of her purchases. Brenda tried to look out the back window of the store while he added up her purchases. She couldn’t see Jax, but she could almost feel his eyes watching her while she was in the store. Suddenly, she realized that Cliff was asking her something, and she had to fumble for an excuse.

"I said," Cliff repeated, "that this is a lot of supplies for you, missy. Kind of unusual, isn’t it?"

{Oh, God. What do I say now?} Fortunately, Mary rescued her.

"Well, Cliff, I’m sure that her nice young man, Mr. Corinthos, is just visiting her more often." She looked at Brenda approvingly. "He’s such a well-mannered young man, Brenda. You are so lucky."

{Lucky, yeah. I’m so lucky. I’m so lucky that being with him hasn’t gotten me killed yet.} Brenda was about to scream from the tension, and she quickly pulled some cash from her wallet and grabbed two bags off the counter. "Well, I really hate to run, but I rode Star here because my car’s in the shop, and I want to get back before it gets dark. It is kind of scary with that criminal running around, you know." Brenda said her good-byes quickly, and let out a long sigh of relief when she finally made it out the door of the store. She went around to the back, and put the bags over the saddle. Just as she mounted Star, she heard a loud engine roar, and looked up to see two squad cars pull into the parking lot of the store. The car doors opened, and four state troopers piled out of the car. She could see their weapons strapped to their hips.

She chewed on her lip nervously. She glanced back at the woods, and could see Jax’s blonde head barely visible above the bushes. She knew this was her chance. She could ride to the front of the store, run in and alert the troopers, and her nightmare would be over. Her hands gripped and un-gripped the reins nervously. She glanced back again at the woods, and knew she held all the cards. Jax couldn’t risk coming out to where she was because the troopers could come out at any moment and see him. She could almost see his eyes, blazing with fire, but not begging. {D*mn, the man’s independent. I could just give the word and the man’s future would be toast, but he would never ask for help. He would never admit he needs me.}

Brenda sat there for a few more agonizing seconds, and then she kicked her heels into the sides of the horse. She pulled hard on the reins and spun around, heading for the woods and Jax’s hiding place. She tried not to gallop too quickly, but she didn’t want to waste any time, just in case a sharp-eyed trooper spotted Jax watching her.

Jax had moved deeper into the woods the moment the police cars pulled onto the parking lot. He couldn’t believe his luck. He watched Brenda trying to make up her mind what to do, and in his heart of hearts, he had no idea which decision she would make. Although he couldn’t remember the last time he had done it, he said a prayer asking Jerry to help him just one more time. As he finished, he heard the rustling leaves as Brenda made her way towards where he was hiding.

Brenda had lost him in the foliage. She searched for signs of his shirt or jeans, but the man obviously had been trained well on how to fade into the background. As she was about to regret her decision, Jax jumped out from between two trees and grabbed Star’s reins. "Did ‘ya miss me?"

"You are the most infuriating, exasperating, opinionated pig that I have ever met!" she spit at him. He gave her a dimpled grin that was beginning to touch funny places in her soul, and she extended her hand. "Now get your criminal butt up here and let’s go!"

He put his foot in the stirrup and swung up behind her, settling the V of his legs behind her posterior again. Brenda’s body relaxed against his chest, and she inhaled the scent of him that she was coming to know and desire. He put his arm around her, rested his cheek unconsciously against her hair, took the reins, and kicked his heels into Star’s sides. They went galloping off into the woods, their arms wrapped around each other, riding like the wind back to Brenda’s cottage.

To be continued….