by Lora Lindy
She was wallowing in self pity when she thought she heard a slight tap on the door. Could she be mistaken, or maybe it the wind like last night. She peeked through the window and she could see the shadow of a man, then his truck. She opened the door and he stood there so tall, and he looked so handsome. “Please come in, you look tired, how about a cup of tea?”
“That sounds good and I would like that very much.” He leaned against the kitchen bar and crossed his arms. Whenever Lana walked past him, he looked at her chest. The thin gown showed every outline of her curvaceous figure. Normally a man staring at her like this encouraged her to change or get embarrassed, but not with Mike. She wanted him to see her curves. She went about her business in the kitchen and she didn’t close her housecoat. If eyes could undress a woman, she would be naked. She noticed he had a difficult time veering away from her chest region.
God she’s beautiful, he thought. Every curve was appealing, and sensual. If anyone could take away his despair its Lana. He wanted desperately to take her in his arms and hold her.
There was a definite lack of humor compared to this morning, obviously something bothered him. Not knowing him and how to handle this situation she just stayed busy. She wanted to walk over to him put her arms around him and hold him. “Do you want to talk about it?” She tried not to act too curious so she stayed busy making the tea. She handed him the mug of sleepy time tea and she sipped on hers, it tasted good.
He took his first sip and nodded his approval. “I want to apologize for not making it in tonight for pizza. Something came up at work that needed my attention.”
“Go on, that is if you want to tell me? I thought the worse about you leaving. I imagined you were a drug dealer. Isn’t that ridiculous?” She blurted it out loud, and she couldn’t believe she just said those words to him.
He rolled his head back laughing. “You could say I am a drug dealer.”
Her eyes widened with shock at his confession.
“I’m a federal agent with the U.S. Marshals and I arrest drug dealers. So I guess you could call me a drug dealer.” He saw the shocked look on her face and he pulled her close and whispered. “Come here squirt.”
Her heart pounded with anticipation. He pulled her head to his chest and his one hand covered her entire head. He smelled so good. She wanted to tell him, but she didn’t want to lose the moment.
He continued. “Last night a drug deal went bad and one of my men was shot and he is in the hospital now. That’s where I’ve been all day to go over all the things that happened and writing reports. We don’t know if he’s going to make it through the night.”
“I heard about it on the news today, but of course I didn’t know it had anything to do with you. Mike, I’m so sorry, what can I do to help?” She could hear his heart beating, more like pounding.
“You’re doing it now, just being here is enough. I thought about you all day, and I couldn’t wait to get here to hold you. I almost went to Boston because I thought you might be asleep.” Her body feels so good next to me, he thought.
Tears whelped up in her eyes, because that’s exactly how she felt. Oh please God, don’t let this moment end. They held each other for several minutes and he gently stroked her back through her housecoat. Then he slowly pulled away from her, he put his hand under her chin and he made her look at him. She trembled. This was a feeling she never felt before, and she knew she would never feel this again, no matter how many men traveled through her life.
He kissed her gently.
His lips were soft and she tasted him, his sweetness.
As he pulled away a look of disappointed and confusion distorted her face. She didn’t want him to stop. But to her surprise and delight his strong arms picked her up and sat her on the bar. He then fully opened her house coat and wrapped his massive arms around her small waist and pulled her close. Without closing his eyes, gazing at her, he gave her a long gentle kiss turning sensual. The only thing between his hands and her bare skin was a very thin piece of silk. Every touch sent lightening through her body. If two people could ever become one because of love, it would be them. She felt that in every ounce of her being.
After several minutes of deep wanting kisses, he picked her up and carried her to the bedroom. She had no doubt what she wanted, and she thought he wanted the same thing.
No words were said, but everything was spoken.
He laid her on the bed, then left. He came back with all the covers from the living room and he piled them on the bed. Even through the darkness she could tell he was undressing. Within a few minutes he crawled in bed and pulled her close.
Lying next to her beautiful body was unbearable, but he didn’t want her to think sex was all he wanted. Although, that thought was his top priority, he wanted their first time to be special. Tonight he planned on just snuggling. He pulled her close and whispered. “If it’s okay I want to hold you all night. I don’t expect anything yet, but I want to be near you and reach over and touch you during the night. I need your closeness right now. If you want me to go I will, but I hope you don’t want me to leave.”
She caressed every inch of his rugged unshaven face. “I would love for you to hold me all night and many nights. I’ll be here as long as you need me. You can touch me all night as long as I can also snuggle and touch you.” Every inch of his face felt beautiful and the desire for him would not be a question again. It seemed like a little piece of heaven when he gently rubbed her back. “Baby, if you do that often you will have me forever.”
“Then that’s what I plan on doing. Come here squirt and snuggle next to me. I promise tomorrow we will have a long talk and many kisses. Good night baby.”
She could tell he seemed discernibly tired and emotionally drained. She snuggled in to get as close as she physically could. Within a few minutes she could tell he was sound asleep by his shallow breathing. His breath barely crossed her face, and the sweetness fomented contentment in her heart.
Amazingly she wasn’t tired after all that has happened. She was more aroused than tired, and she knew that would not be an issue in the future. He would satisfy her. Her heart pounded with anticipation just thinking about having sex with this man.
She held him close and whispered. “Good night baby.” She snuggled next to his hard body thinking about him being a great kisser and how that would not be a question again. Neither was his job a question anymore. She giggled at herself for thinking such a silly thought.
Trying to sleep was an impossible task now because her emotions were too intoxicated by this man. His muscular body and sweet breath lay only a few inches away. Her body wanted to wake him up to take care of business, but her heart knew he needed rest. Scientific research did show a person sleeps better after sex. Her mind and heart wrestled with waking him or not. The mind won. She acted out the next best alternative, snuggling.
Chapter 12
3:42 a.m.
The phone rang, she thought, and being half asleep so she couldn’t be sure. Phone ringing in the middle of the night couldn’t be good news. She realized it was his cell phone. “Mike, phone,” she said as she tried to wake him. She shook him, but he was dead to the world. “Mike, please wake up your phone is ringing.”
He stirred and finally reached for the phone. “Hello ��� When … I’m at the beach house ��� I can be ready in fifteen minutes ���. Yea ���. You can pick me up in twenty minutes ���. No I’ll tell them ���. Bye.” He hung up and just held his cell phone. He sat on the edge of the bed, and he didn’t say a word.
“As much as I would like to stay, I have to go,” he said as he took a deep breath.
“I know baby, and I am so sorry this happened, and I wish I could help in some way.” Her heart hurt for him because she knew what he needed to do, and how hard it would be for him. He rose from the bed and took a shower without saying another word. She knew this guy two days and already knew he liked to hold in his feelings of despair and hurt. Many men were like that a
nd he was one of them.
She went in the kitchen and made some coffee. Mike walked in the kitchen just as it finished. As she reached for the mugs he walked over and put his arms around her. They both needed that. She needed it for her loss of James and he needed it for his lost agent. “I didn’t want our first morning together to be like this. I hope you forgive me, but I do have to go.” He got choked up as he put on his coat.
“There is nothing to forgive, and I certainly understand you have to go. We will have other mornings, so don’t worry about this one. Here is some coffee and I couldn’t find a travel mug to take with you.”
“That’s okay I’ll drink some until Colby gets here. Frank passed away a couple of hours ago, and our team is meeting at his house then we’re going to the office. I will have to spend some time in the office, and I don’t know how long that will be.” He hated to say anything to her. She didn’t need to be burdened with his problems.
“I understand. I’ll be here when you come home.” She didn’t know what else to say.
About that time his ride drove up, and Mike held her for a few seconds and she gave him a big squeeze to let him know she understood. He kissed her on the forehead, sat down his mug on the bar, and out the door he went.
She stood at the window and watched him drive down the road and turn the corner.
Then she added logs to the fire.
Chapter 13
Day 4
October 18, 7:30 a.m.
Lana awoke to heavy sleet. She peaked outside and saw dark clouds ushered in the cold northerner.
When she glanced at the wood left on the stoop and outside she knew she needed to order some more wood, or call someone to fix the furnace. After making several calls, she found Johnson Tree Service and they could deliver a half cord of wood this afternoon. She felt better knowing she would have wood for a couple of day, and that certainly lifted a burden off her shoulders, and Mikes.
Once she completed her morning rituals; showering, breakfast, make-up, and cleaning up the kitchen. She relaxed snuggled in her favorite patch work quilt watching the news to see if she could find any information about the deceased federal agent. She flipped through several of the local channels and ended on CBS’s station. The morning show called Today’s Headlines and they seemed to have the best coverage. The news covered the snowfall, the sluggish economy, dishonest politicians, and a dog gave birth to fourteen puppies. Not one thing mention about the deputy. It’s sad that a dishonest politician captured news time, and the deceased federal agent didn’t even get mentioned.
Just about the time she was about to give up, NBC interrupted the program with a special report. She turned on the volume of the TV so she could hear every word. Mike stood on the steps of a courthouse with several microphones stuck in his face, and he said. “Today, tragically we lost a comrade, Deputy Frank Bellamy, who lost his battle for his life after being shot. He’s from Denver Colorado and he’ll be laid to rest there.” She noticed how he emphasized the word deputy. He wanted the reporters to remember him as an officer of the law.
A female reporter asked. “It’s been reported he was shot serving a felony warrant, is this true?” The reporters shoved each other as they tried to stick their microphones in Mike’s face.
“Yes.” That’s just like Mike to give short answers. She knew that part of Mike very well. He looked straight ahead and didn’t focus on any one reporter. He didn’t have the smiling face he had last night. He looked solemn and in command.
A male reporter asked. “Can you elaborate on that Deputy Ramsey?”
“He went in as the point man in serving a felony warrant and he was struck in the head by a bullet.” Mikes experience led him to answer with the fewest words possible. Through the years he knew the more he said the more the media could twist his words. All the deputies knew not to say a word at all, even if the media asked them specific questions. That was not a policy of the marshals, only Mike’s rule. He didn’t want to clean up anything misconstrued by what his men said.
The second reporter asked another question. “What caliber was the bullet and did he have on protected head gear?” He asked the question as though the agents were idiots and Mike would say. No we did not have on protective head gear or armored suits, we went in wearing tutus. Without a doubt to Lana or anyone watching, that question annoyed Mike.
Mike raised his left eyebrow, and Lana thought uh oh. “Yes we had on protective gear and I will not disclose the caliber of the bullet.” His tone sounded annoyed. Mike didn’t mind answering questions, but move on to legitimate questions. Mike wanted them to ask about how they’re taking criminals off the street.
The first female reporter added to the question. “Did you arrest the shooter?” Mikes face softened as he looked at the female reporter. Lana noticed he liked that question.
“Yes the suspect has been arrested and charged with capital murder. The rest is up the prosecutor.”
The second male report rudely asked another question. He didn’t seem to have any couth. “So you’re throwing your hands up at the rest of the investigation, and you’re finished with the case? This suspect isn’t going to get a fair investigation because he killed one of your men?”
Mikes lips tightened and he glanced down in aggravation as he spoke. He shuffled his feet and then leaned on his right foot. Mike leaned in just a little, as if to get in the reporters face to say back off, and he meant it. “No, we are not finished with the case by any stretch of your imagination. The district attorney’s investigators will take over the case to investigate, that’s protocol.”
The reporter did not give an inch. “Isn’t it protocol that you typically investigate all other cases when there is a shooting, so why not this one?”
“When an officer is shot, it is protocol and policy that another agency, DA, or another team will investigate.”
All the other reporters were getting aggravated at this idiot who obviously hadn’t a clue of what kind of questions to ask. Not only that, he wasn’t giving the other reporters time to ask anything. His only goal was to make the Marshals look stupid and incompetent. But he wouldn’t stop being obnoxious. “So you’re saying you can’t be impartial to the investigation?”
“That will be all the questions for now. Any other questions can be directed to our public relations department. They will be releasing a statement in the next twenty-four hours. We expect respect to be given to the grieving family and friends of Deputy Frank Bellamy and please keep them in your prayers. Thank you.” Mike made sure he said Frank Bellamy again. He didn’t want anyone to forget the fallen agent’s name.
As Mike walked off, the man tried to get in his face with a microphone. The other deputies stepped between Mike and the reporter. The other reporters shook their heads in disgust. Its reporters like him that made all the others look bad. The deputies just moved on, apparently they were used to these kinds of idiots.
She was so proud Mike for not losing his temper, that’s another fine quality she could add to the list. He showed great self control.
Chapter 14
3:26 p.m.
A loud knock at the door woke Lana from a fretful nap. She jumped up and peeked out the window. It was Mr. Johnson delivering the wood. She grabbed her coat lying across the bar and put it on while she opened the door. A blast of cold air hit her and she immediately buttoned her coat. The wood came at a great time, she could see dark clouds in the distance, the northwest. That meant the cold Northerner has arrived, the first strong cold front of the season.
She introduced herself and extended her hand. “Hi, I’m Lana and thank you so much for the wood, especially with such short notice. Do you mind putting the wood on the back porch?” He ignored her extended hand as he looked at his truck.
“Sure miss, does the truck load look like a fair amount?” He asked while looking at his truck.
She glanced at his white old beat-up 1972 Ford truck with lots of rusts and dents. It looked like it had been bombed in Beiru
t. His Johnson Tree Service sign was a magnet stuck to the front driver’s door, hanging lopsided. The wood was thrown all around in the truck and lots of wood piled up in the middle. She wondered how the wood didn’t fall through the rusted out sides. It wasn’t obvious how much wood lied in the bed of the truck but she didn’t care as long as it would last a couple of days. She nodded her head it looked fine to her. Since he didn’t look at her, she had to say it out loud. “It looks like enough.”
Without looking directly at her, he tried to peak around inside the house, bobbing his head around hers. It made her feel uncomfortable. She stepped outside and closed the door. “If you don’t mind you can put it all on the back porch. I’ll be glad to show you where it goes.”
As they walked toward the back of the house and she noticed someone in the passenger side of the truck, digging around in the glove box. It was an obvious nervousness between the two them so she rambled. “I do appreciate you bringing this on such late notice. I’m sure you have more important things to do besides get out in this miserable weather. I bet you stay busy this time of the year?”
This older man had a gray beard and she couldn’t tell if he had hair on his head because he wore a furry hat that completely covered his head and ears. The hat was dirty and mildewed. She also noticed a lot of gray hair sticking out of his nose. When he smiled his teeth were brown and nasty. His eyelids were so wrinkled they lapped over his eyelashes they were like a blanket covering his eyes. But from what she could tell his eyes were blue, but he kept looking down toward the ground and he wouldn’t look her in the eyes. Worst of all, he stunk. The smell almost gagged her and she thought he hasn’t taken a bath in weeks. He smelled like a men’s locker room.
As they walked passed Mike’s truck, Mr. Johnson casually asked. “Hey, is that Dodge truck for sale? I saw it when I drove up and wondered if you might be willing to sell it?”