by Amy DeMeritt
“Possibly. They may be able to dig up some dirt on him or find proof of his crimes. PI’s don’t just follow a person. If you get a good one, they’ll research the person’s background as well as their current activities. A great PI can find the skeletons in the closest that sometimes even cops can’t find.”
“How do you know so much about this?”
“I interned as a crime scene photographer in college and continued to work as one for a year after graduation. I got pretty close to a couple of the officers and detectives and learned a lot about their processes.” Her eyebrows shoot to the sky and her mouth hangs agape in surprise. “Are you serious? How did you stomach that?”
“It wasn’t easy. I still have nightmares from it. One case turned me off the job completely and I quit that same day. They tried to convince me to stay and tried to get me to see a psychologist, but I just couldn’t do it.”
“Dare I ask what happened?”
I frown and look down at the table. I actually haven’t talked to anyone about that before and I don’t think I’m ready to now. I can’t believe I even allowed that much to just slip out of my mouth. It’s definitely not a part of my history that I want to discuss on a date with someone I’m just starting to get to know. Hannah squeezes my hand, so I look up.
“You don’t have to tell me if it’s too hard to talk about.”
“Maybe one day. It’s too ugly and painful and I just don’t want to ruin the evening. I want tonight to be beautiful and wonderful.” I look at her beautiful face and a sickness fills my belly. “I wish you never had to know of the horrors of this world, Hannah. You are just too pure, like white silk.” Hannah smiles in an affectionate way and gently kisses my hand. “Are you trying to make me fall in love with you?” I smile really big and feel my cheeks blush a deep red. “Isn’t that why we’re here? To fall madly in love and spend our evenings discovering the stars and moon in each other’s eyes, to learn the true meaning of warmth and comfort in each other’s arms, and experience ecstasy like the gods?”
Hannah grins and slightly bites her bottom lip.
“You must really like me. The change since you decided not to care about what your company says or thinks is just so damn amazing. I’m really liking this unrestricted carefree Brooke.”
Just as I’m about to answer, our waiter arrives with our food. He places a very large deep dish full of risotto and piled high with grilled seafood in the center of the table and then a long rectangular plate with the grilled vegetables to the side. After he gives us both an empty plate and a couple serving utensils, we’re left alone again.
“This looks amazing. Here, give me your plate.”
I watch her carefully dish me up a serving of everything. After she hands me my plate, she sucks off a drop of herb oil that dripped on her thumb. I smile at the thought of her mouth on my own body. Hannah notices, but doesn’t say anything. She just smiles as she dishes up her own plate.
As Hannah takes her first bite of the risotto, her eyes close and her mouth forms a closed smile around her fork. She releases a small moan and slowly pulls the fork from her mouth. She opens her eyes and says, “Brooke, this is amazing. Now, all we need is a romantic gondola ride after dinner.”
“With a violinist serenading us.”
“We might actually be able to have the violinist. Greenwich Park is having live music all weekend. ”
“Sounds nice. Would you like to go?”
“Yeah, we can check it out. I’m not sure what kind of music they have tonight. I only glanced at the schedule in the paper.”
“You still read a physical paper?”
“I do. Only the local paper though. I look at national and world news online.”
“That’s cute. It’s rare to hear anyone born after 1980 say they subscribe to and read a print newspaper.”
“Well, my favorite hobby is pretending to be an old lady, remember?” I laugh and nod. “Good point.”
The rest of dinner is really nice. Our conversation is both entertaining and revealing. We flirt and joke, but also tell stories about ourselves to learn more about each other.
We both fill ourselves till we’re moaning in discomfort and decide dessert to-go is an absolute must or we’ll be sick if we try to have it now. We end up getting an order of Fritelle alla Veneziane to go. They’re traditional Italian fried doughnuts and they come with a few dipping sauces – lemon cream cheese, chocolate ganache, and a raspberry syrup.
While we drive to the park to check out the live music, we both struggle with the desire to taste the doughnuts because they smell so good, despite feeling like our stomachs are going to pop.
Greenwich Park is situated right in the historic district of the city of Greenwich, naturally. The little town is an interesting mix of modern businesses housed in old eighteenth century buildings with some old colonial homes mixed in. The center of town has a small playhouse that has opened and closed several times over the past couple hundred years. It burned down in the early 1900’s, but was rebuilt to its original specs a decade later and has been in full operation since. I have seen many plays and concerts there. It’s a little gem from history that has truly transcended its era.
We end up parking in front of the Engle’s Manor, an old mansion from the early eighteen hundred’s that’s rumored to be haunted. I don’t know if any spirits haunt its rooms and corridors, but I did haunt the building for several hours one afternoon taking dozens upon dozens of pictures in there. I ended up with a lot of really good pictures. Some of which, I turned into black and white photographs to make a nice arrangement on the walls of my dining room.
Hannah loops her arm in mine and we make our way to the park. We can hear the music from here and I can tell it’s jazz. I actually love jazz music, so this is perfect.
The sidewalk is lit with strings of white tree lights that have been hung between the trees. There are several food and drink vendors at the entrance to the park, and several “living statues” standing around. These people always impress me with how well they do their makeup and how they are able to stand so still for so long. It’s amazing. There’s even a person doing caricatures. We stop to watch her finish with another couple. She’s really good.
Hannah squeezes my arm and asks, “Will you get one with me?”
“Sure.”
We have to wait for two other people ahead of us first, but it’s fascinating to watch, so we don’t mind the wait. I’ve always been a bit jealous of people that can draw and paint. I’m terrible at both. I can take amazing photographs and do some amazing tricks on the computer with images, but creating an image from scratch with my hands is just not something I can do.
As the artist turns to us, she smiles broadly seeing Hannah’s arm looped in mine. I didn’t notice it before, but she’s wearing a silver cuff bracelet with a heart shaped rainbow in the center.
“Hello, ladies. You may take the stage now. ”
There’s not really a stage. We’re just standing in front of a white backdrop with a couple lights pointing at us. Hannah pulls us over to the spot, stands in front of me, and then wraps my arms around her waist. Our artist smiles and gets to work.
If this is all that we do in this park, the trip was worth it. Holding her like this is wonderful. Her scent is intoxicating, and her body feels so good against mine.
With the bright white lights shining on us, I can’t really make out anything going on around us, but the sounds of the brass instruments, piano, and cello fill the air with the sounds of excited people moving around and talking. The moment feels almost like a foggy memory, unable to really see anything, but able to hear and feel. It’s intense. I’m in love with this moment.
The artist seems to be taking longer than she did with the pieces we watched her complete before, but I don’t mind. Hannah squeezes my arms a little firmer against her and I have a sudden urge to bend down and kiss the side of her neck.
When the artist is finished, it takes a few moments for my eyes to adj
ust to be able to actually see the picture. Hannah and I gasp in awe. She drew us realistically instead of in the typical comedic type caricature. It’s very accurate and beautiful.
“Wow, this is amazing. Thank you so much.”
“You are very welcome. I hope you don’t mind that I took the liberty to sketch you more lifelike than the rest. You two are just too beautiful together to sketch with large heads and noses.”
Hannah and I laugh and shake our heads.
“No, I love this.” I pull my wallet out and offer her double what the cost of the picture is and she tries to refuse it. I smile and shake my head. “I have too much respect for what you do to not give you this. Besides, I know from personal experience how hard it is to make a living off your art.” She lets out a small laugh and nods in appreciation. “Ok, I’ll accept it. Thank you. ”
She carefully places the sketch in a dark gray cardstock frame mat and then slips it into a clear plastic sleeve bag with handles.
While we walk away, down the sidewalk towards the sound of the music, Hannah admires the picture.
“Thank you for doing this with me. I’ve never had a caricature done before. This turned out so incredible. Would you mind if I keep this at my place?”
“No, of course not.”
“Thank you.”
After walking for a couple more minutes, we finally reach the “concert”. In the middle of the grass lawn is a temporary stage with an eight-member band playing a Miles Davis number. The lawn is scattered with people sitting or lying out on blankets in front of the stage.
Just as I am thinking that I wish I had thought to grab the little blanket that I keep in my trunk, I notice a vendor to the right selling small fleece blankets, drinks, and snacks.
I buy us a blanket and a couple hot coffees and then we work our way across the lawn to find a plot to sit on. Hannah picks a spot next to a very large tree with a knobby trunk that is a good several paces away from anyone else, but close enough to see the stage. After we’re seated, Hannah leans over and gives me a kiss.
“All that’s missing from this night is a shooting star to wish upon.”
“What would you wish for?” She smiles and shakes her head. “I can’t tell you or it might not come true.”
I remember seeing a bunch of “wish flowers” as we were walking across the lawn, so I quickly look around us, and just next to our blanket is a white dandelion. I pull on the stem and it snaps with a crisp popping sound. I hold the white puff out to her and her face spreads into a bright white smile.
“Make a wish, Hannah. ”
She closes her eyes for a moment with a serene closed lip smile on her lips. When she opens her eyes, her cheeks puff, her lips pucker, and she blows into the white feathery flower, sending dozens of fluffy seeds into the air.
After Hannah’s wish has been fully released into the night sky to climb the winds to the stars, I toss the now exhausted stem into the grass. Hannah moves closer to me and places a hand in my cheek. She glides her thumb along the bottom edge of my bottom lip and then moves in to kiss me.
Our lips press together and our tongues begin to move together. For at least a full minute, our lips and tongues dance together, sending heat up my chest, sucking the air out of my lungs, and making my body hum in pleasure.
When she pulls back, Hannah looks in my eyes, holding my gaze for a few moments. She smiles in a happy way and then leans her head on my shoulder to watch the band. I wrap an arm around her and hold her close.
I’d be willing to bet all of my worldly possessions that I know the gist of what Hannah’s wish was, and I’m silently wishing it as well. I wish and hope that Hannah will become my last first date, first kiss, and first time together. I wish and hope that Hannah can be the one person who can fully complement me, accept my love, and give me the love that I need in return.
Chapter Six
After sitting and watching the concert in the park for over an hour, we’re finally pulling into my driveway. I live in a stone front townhome with perfectly squared evergreen bushes lining the front. My subdivision is pretty strict on lawn appearance so I have to make sure to keep the bushes trimmed and shaped or they’ll fine me. I would prefer a wilder natural looking garden bed, but pretty much all of the developments within twenty minutes of work are all the same with their rules. We are in a more affluent area so appearance is a really big deal for people around here.
As we step out of the car, my motion sensor porch light turns on, lighting our path for us. I unlock the door and turn the knob for the foyer light. Hannah steps in after me and looks around with an intrigued smile on her face.
My foyer has a spiral staircase to the left side, leading up to the second level with my master bedroom with a master bathroom, a guest bedroom, a bathroom, and my office. Just inside the front door is a coat closet, and down the hall is my kitchen, dining room, living room, and a half bathroom.
I have decorated the foyer simply with a mid-thigh high tan and black vase in one corner with tall brown twisted branches and a couple sprigs with small white flowers. One wall has a metal art piece a friend of mine made for me. It’s a photography inspired abstract piece. On the opposite wall, I have a five-frame arrangement with black and white photos I took of different buildings and nature scenes, which Hannah is currently looking at.
“Did you take these?”
“I did.”
“These are amazing. I really like this one with the lilies in front of this old rotting fence and the blurred house on the hill in the background.”
“Thank you.”
As we enter the living room, Hannah practically leaps onto my sofa.
“Oh, my god, I love couches with these loungers attached.” She looks around my living room and smiles. “I love your décor. It’s very ‘worldly’ and ‘lit-professor’.” She looks at me and pats the space next to her. “Are you going to join me?”
I sit down next to her and place the to-go bag with our Italian doughnuts on my coffee table. I wrap an arm around her and she adjusts to lay her head on my chest and places her hand on my hip.
“It’s a good thing you’re not in the mafia or a gang or something.” I laugh and lift her chin to look at me. “What are you talking about?”
“You know, the tall, dark, and dangerous type. I’m pretty sure I would still want to be with you even if you were a dangerous criminal. Well, as long as the rest of everything I’ve learned about you remained the same.”
“Well, it’s nice to know I’d have a hot Bonnie driving my getaway car if I ever decide to knock over a bank. But I’ll try not to put your morals and self-respect at any more risk than they already are.”
“I appreciate that.” She looks at my lips with a desire filled smile and starts to move in closer to my face. “You know I’m in great danger of losing those. At least, the first one anyway. I’d still respect myself if…”
She presses her lips against mine and we start fervently kissing. My arms wrap around her back and pull her in closer. She’s practically laying on me and it feels amazing. Hannah pulls back for a moment, but immediately dips into my neck and starts kissing and sucking on my neck. I have always been particularly sensitive on my neck. It melts me instantly. And right on cue, my clit starts to hammer between my legs. Oh, my god.
I run my hands down Hannah’s back, grip her hips, and guide her to straddle my lap. She follows my unspoken instructions and I quickly pull her face back out of my neck and start kissing her again. The fact that her center is hovering only a couple inches above mine and is only covered by the thin fabric of her panties while the skirt of dress is slightly bunched and pooling to her sides, has me very close to slipping a hand between her legs.
While we kiss, I run my hands up her thighs and stop just at the hem of the dress, which has literally bunched so high up that I’m only a few inches away from her center. Hannah moans and presses in closer to me. Her thighs feel so damn good. Her skin is so smooth and soft, but her thighs are firm wit
h muscle. I grip her thighs and rub up and down them several times, enjoying the amazing feeling of her legs in my hands. Hannah starts breathing heavier and moans a few times while we kiss and I play with her thighs.
I have to stop this. We agreed we wouldn’t be doing anything tonight. If I don’t stop soon, I won’t be able to stop myself from delivering the pleasure I know she wants. I gasp for air as she sucks my bottom lip firmly and then reenters my mouth. Oh, god, this is not good. I’m so hot and ready. My sense of better judgement is fading rapidly .
Just as Hannah pulls back and starts sucking on my neck again, I snap. In a quick, fluid motion that surprises her, I roll us so she is on her back and I’m on top of her, between her legs. She smiles and wraps her legs around the backs of my thighs, pulling me down on top of her. We both moan at the contact. I run a hand down the length of her thigh, under her, and firmly grip her ass. Hannah moans and pulls me down into a kiss. While our tongues and lips twist and turn in an erotic haze inducing kiss, my hand massages her thigh and ass. I just can’t get over how good she feels.
Just as I loop my fingers through the waist of her panties and start to tug down, I come to my senses. I pull back panting for air and push myself up off of her body. Hannah opens her eyes, and breathing hard, she looks in my eyes as if she’s trying to refocus.
Hannah smiles affectionately and asks, “Time for doughnuts?”
I laugh and collapse on top of her. I lay my head on her chest, and she wraps her arms around my back. Hannah runs her hand through my hair a few times and then lifts my head to look at me.
“Brooke, thank you.”
“For what?”
“For a wonderful evening and for being stronger than me. I’m sorry I lost control again.” I smile and gently kiss her lips. “You never have to be sorry for that, Hannah. How about I warm up the doughnuts now. What would you like to drink with them?”
“Do you have coffee?”
“I do.”
I pop the doughnuts in my toaster oven and start a pot of coffee. While the coffee is brewing and doughnuts are warming, I take Hannah’s hands and pull her in close to me as I lean my back against the counter. She smiles warmly and wraps her arms around my neck. She gently kisses my lips a couple times and then holds my eyes with a very happy smile.