To Protect and Serve

by Pat Adeff

  However, before they got to the theater, he pulled into the parking lot of the Katella Grill, a small local restaurant that had excellent food. When he stopped the bike, Nancy got off and looked at him with a question in her eyes.

  “I don’t know about you, but I’m starving!” Doug smiled and removed his helmet as he dismounted the bike. Nancy had her helmet off in seconds and ran her fingers through her hair, hoping against hope that Kate’s good work wasn’t in vain.

  Their fingers brushed when Doug took Nancy’s helmet from her and Nancy found herself trying to catch her breath while he secured the helmets to the back of the bike. He reached for Nancy’s hand and walked with her to the front door of the restaurant. He opened the door with his other hand, but wouldn’t let go of Nancy’s, even though it was slightly awkward for her to move through the door and they both laughed.

  The hostess seated them at a booth and instead of sliding in across from Nancy, Doug sat next to her still holding her hand. Nancy felt wonderful and gave Doug’s hand a squeeze. Doug squeezed back, then turned his face to hers. They were only inches apart and their breaths mingled between them. Wow! He smelled good!

  Doug felt his loins tighten and thought ‘Oh boy, I’m in trouble, if only holding her hand does this to me!’

  They managed to get through dinner, and Doug sweet-talked the waitress into bringing them the movie section of that day’s paper.

  “Okay. It’s a toss-up between the newest Bruce Willis movie Die, Already and the new Keanu Reeves movie where he’s a cop again.” Doug looked at Nancy expectantly.

  “Wow. That’s a tough choice. I like them both.”

  “Okay, we’ll see both!” Doug slid out of the booth pulling Nancy behind him.

  “Both! I’ve never done that. We won’t get done until really late!” Nancy exclaimed.

  Doug turned back to her and put his face a couple of inches from hers and said in a low husky voice, “You have a curfew, Miss?”

  Nancy felt her stomach do flips. Oh, man, his eyes were gorgeous!

  “Nope, no curfew, Officer.”

  Doug gave her a swift kiss, directly on the lips this time, and Nancy thought she’d never be able to catch her breath again. It felt so right every time he touched her. The kisses. The hand holding. His hand on her knee while they were on his bike. It felt natural.

  Nancy really like the fact that Doug was so affectionate.

  They parked right in front of the theater and after buying sodas, and popcorn, and Jordan Almonds, and red licorice, and a box of ice cream bonbons, they settled into their 5th row seats and waited for the Keanu Reeves movie to start.

  Nancy was surprised to discover that Doug really enjoyed the palate of an 8-year old. It was actually quite endearing.

  When Doug held up one of the bonbons to put in Nancy’s mouth, Nancy shook her head “no.”

  Doug frowned, “Why not? I thought you liked ice cream.”

  “I do! In fact I like it TOO much. I’m trying to lose some weight, so I’m cutting out the sugar.”

  Doug popped the bon-bon into his own mouth, leaned down and gave Nancy a cold, ice-cream flavored kiss.

  “I think you look perfect. You look like a mom and a woman. You’re not built like a little boy. You’ve got curves. So sue me, I like curves, especially when they’re on you.”

  Nancy looked into Doug’s eyes, looking for the lie. She’d thought for so many years now that she was fat, and here was this extremely attractive male telling her she looked perfect. He dropped his eyes to her chest then looked back up and winked at her.

  Then he reached into the bon-bon box, pulled out another one and held it to Nancy’s lips. This time she opened her mouth and he gently placed the sweet inside. She closed her lips and chewed once, right before he leaned down and kissed her again. This time his tongue went across her lips and he made a yummy noise.

  She thought she was going to melt right through the seat when the lights dimmed and the pre-previews advertisements started. They reluctantly turned towards the screen and hunkered down in their seats.

  They sat elbow to elbow and every time Doug reached into the popcorn box that was on Nancy’s lap, the back of his arm brushed against her right breast. He kept his eyes glued to the screen and didn’t seem to notice, but Nancy needed oxygen. She felt like a hot flash was going to happen any minute.

  She handed the movie treats to Doug and excused herself for the ladies’ room.

  “Hurry back! You don’t want to miss the previews. We’ll figure out what we’re gonna see next weekend.” Doug smiled at her. From his smile, she knew that he knew exactly what he’d been doing to her.

  Nancy’s heart was racing a mile a minute and she just made it into the ladies room before the hot flash hit. Luckily it wasn’t one of those that made her scalp wet, too. She rinsed her face and fluffed her hair.

  While Nancy was in the bathroom, Doug sat in the theatre chewing popcorn as well as chewing over what he was doing. Come on, man. Slow down or you’ll scare her off. Yeah. Easy to say; hard to do. And speaking of hard.

  Doug adjusted himself by shifting in his seat and vowed to behave himself.

  Nancy arrived back just in time for the previews and they decided they’d see the new Al Pacino movie next week. It looked entertaining.

  Their first movie of the evening was fast-paced and full of “hero moments” for the good guy, who surprisingly wasn’t Keanu Reeves! Instead, Keanu played the villain and did an excellent job.

  However, when it got to the scene where he seduced the leading lady, both Doug and Nancy kept their eyes glued to the screen and didn’t even touch elbows.

  It would have been sensory overload.

  That movie ended with the hero getting the girl.

  In the next theater, the Bruce Willis flick had something exploding every 3 or 4 minutes and was noisy and riveting.

  See? Nancy thought during one close up of Mr. Willis. Bruce just keeps getting better and better with age even though he’s lost so much hair that he’d shaved his head. He’s sweating, he’s dirty and he’s hot. Yes, he’s hot. And Doug’s very hot. And so was she ... again. Damn, another flash.

  She used one of the napkins and tried to wipe her face without Doug noticing. Fat chance of that. They’d been tuned into each other all evening like sonar in a submarine tuned into a torpedo coming straight at the sub.

  He looked at her questioningly when he saw in the light from the screen that Nancy was perspiring and looked uncomfortable.

  “Are you all right?” He’d leaned close and whispered into her ear. All that did was make her hotter.

  “I’m fine. I’ll be right back.” Nancy escaped into the ladies room for the second time that evening and waited for the redness under her skin to go away. Her doctor had said that she should avoid spicy foods, coffee and alcohol if she wanted to lessen the symptoms of her hot flashes. Too bad the doctor hadn’t also mentioned sitting too close to a very attractive male!

  Nancy used a wet paper towel with a little bit of soap to wipe her upper chest and neck and down both her arms. She then wet another towel and washed the back of her neck, hoping to cool herself off. Maybe she would go back to the doctor and ask about the hormone replacement prescription.

  She finally slid back into her seat and smiled at Doug. He smiled back and took her right hand and slid it through his left elbow. They snuggled in their seats and sat that way for the remainder of the movie -- of which neither of them could have remembered the ending if you’d offered them a million dollars to do so. They were only aware of each other.

  When the movie ended, they walked hand in hand out to the lobby after depositing their trash into a bin. Another thing they had in common.

  They put on their helmets and rode home. The long way. It was great. His hand on her knee. The soft wind. The full moon. The smell of orange blossoms from the groves they drove past. Nancy felt like she was 18 again.

  All too soon, they arrived at Nancy’s house. She got off t
he bike, took off her helmet and handed it to Doug once he was off the bike.

  “Keep it. Actually I bought it for you.” Doug looked down at his feet and then back at Nancy.

  “How sweet! Thank you. I shouldn’t accept it, but I like it too much to refuse. Besides, it’ll give me a chance to practice with my hair and the helmet to see what works.”

  By this time, they’d arrived at her front door.

  She felt Doug’s hand on her shoulder and turned to face him. “Thank you, Doug. I had a wonderful time.” Nancy stood on her toes and gave him a kiss on the side of his mouth.

  As she was pulling away, she felt his arms go around her and pull her to him.

  Looking down into her face, Doug huskily said “I’m sorry, Nancy. I promised myself I’d be good tonight. But I can’t help it.”

  With that declaration, he groaned like he’d given up and his lips descended upon hers, his left arm tightened around her back and his right hand moved up to cup the back of her head, tipping her head to the side, while he drank from her mouth.

  After dropping the helmet in surprise, Nancy could only cling to his shoulders. There was no way her knees were going to support her. Thankfully, his arms did.

  After a momentary hesitation, she kissed him back with everything she had. He felt so right. She wanted to climb inside of him. They couldn’t seem to get close enough.

  It had been so long since she’d been kissed like this, and he felt so good! The contrast between his soft lips and the slight scratchiness of his 5:00 shadow was exhilarating. Very male.

  Without lifting his mouth, Doug moved Nancy until her back came up against the wall next to the front door and he plastered himself against her so that chest met breast, abdomen met stomach, and his right thigh moved between hers.

  The kiss deepened until Nancy thought she’d shatter from the sensations flowing through her. She was sure their combined heat was going to cause smoke!

  Suddenly she found herself alone, leaning against the wall with Doug standing in front of her, holding his hands out to his sides and taking deep breaths.

  She didn’t trust herself to stand on her own feet. She was also trying to find her breath.

  Doug’s eyes had turned deep black and were smoldering with passion. He placed his hands flat on his thighs as though trying to keep himself from reaching for her again.

  Nancy took a deep breath and launched herself at Doug. This time they ended up with HIS back against the opposite wall and her right thigh between his.

  Again his lips descended and devoured Nancy’s. Their heads tipped side to side while their lips released and sealed, again and again.

  Doug thought he’d go mad when Nancy’s tongue touched the tip of his. He reached down and pulled her jeans up tight against his. He groaned when Nancy lifted her thigh. He knew for sure he had to end this kiss now, or he’d end up pulling her to the mat in front of her door.

  He put his hands on her shoulders and gently placed her away from him. Nancy’s lips were swollen and moist. Her eyes were heavy lidded and there was a very becoming flush in her cheeks.

  Doug bet that wasn’t all of Nancy’s that was swollen, moist and flushed, if his own body was any indication. Cool it, man! Or she’ll NEVER go out with you again!

  Nancy’s eyes came back into focus and she just stared at Doug. Then it dawned on her how brazenly she’d just plastered herself against him! She swiftly turned towards her front door, searching in her purse for her keys, embarrassed beyond belief.

  While bending her head down, she suddenly felt soft breath on the nape of her neck. Oh, no! Not the neck! She’d never be able to behave herself if he…

  Too late.

  Doug’s mouth dropped to the exposed back of Nancy’s neck and he put small soft kisses all along the back of it. His mouth reached the top of her spine and his tongue flicked out to taste her neck.

  That was Nancy’s undoing. Did he have any idea what that did to her? It had been so long since anyone had touched her there, and he did it so well. So softly, so gently, with an underlying urgency that made her knees go weak.

  His left arm came around from the back and for once she didn’t even think of her stomach when his hand splayed across her abdomen pulling her up against his front. It just felt right. She could feel his heat through her jeans.

  He continued to make love to the back of her neck and Nancy was sure that she’d never again be able to see straight, much less walk.

  Just then the porch light blazed on and both Doug and Nancy felt like they’d been doused with a bucket of cold water. They jumped apart and were standing once again facing each other when the front door opened.

  “Oh, it’s you.” Christy was yawning and scratching her head. “I thought it was Jackson. He had to work late and ...” Her voice trailed off when she finally looked at her mom and Doug. Wow that must have been some necking party! Mom looked guilty and Doug looked ... well he looked frustrated. Yep, good thing Christy had come to the door when she had.

  Christy tried to keep the smile from her face while she opened the screen door for her mom. “Wow! Did you get a new helmet?” Christy pretended to not see the look that passed between Doug and her mom when he picked the helmet off the ground and handed it to Nancy.

  Her mom, making out. Go figure. You think she still gets the hots? Sure looks like it.

  Nancy turned around and extended her hand to Doug. “Thank you for the wonderful evening.”

  Doug reached out and took Nancy’s hand. With Christy standing right there, there wasn’t much else he could say or do. He leaned in and kissed Nancy on the cheek, his breath tickling her ear. “Sleep well.”

  With that he dropped her hand, said goodnight to Christy and walked back to his bike. Good thing it was dark or Christy would guess what he and her mom had been up to. He took his time putting on his helmet so that he’d be able to throw his leg over the bike and sit down on the seat in reasonable comfort.

  Closing the door behind them, Christy said, “You want something to eat before you go to bed, Mom?”

  “No thanks sweetie. I’m pretty tired. I think I’ll just go to bed.” And lie awake tossing and turning in frustration all night!

  Nancy said good night and went down the hall to her bedroom. She didn’t even turn on the light. She just stripped while heading for the bed, dropping clothes in her wake, slid between the sheets and pulled the covers over her head. She could still taste Doug and smell him. She thought she’d never be able to fall asleep, but surprisingly her fatigue won out and she was asleep before she knew it ... dreaming a really great dream.

  CHAPTER 14

  “So, how was your date, Mom?”

  “Huh?” Nancy had just put oatmeal in the coffee maker and hazelnut flavored coffee grounds into a saucepan on the stove.

  “That good, huh?” Kate laughed and put her hands on Nancy’s shoulders and steered her into a chair in the breakfast nook. “Sit.”

  Kate went back to the coffee maker and the stove and switched everything to where it was supposed to be.

  When the coffee was ready, she brought Nancy her cup of coffee and sat down across from her with her own.

  “So. How was the movie?”

  After taking a sip, Nancy replied almost normally, “We saw two!”

  “Two! No wonder you got home so late.”

  Nancy glanced at Kate. “What time did I get home?”

  “Around 1:30 in the morning! Good thing it was a Friday night, so you could sleep in this morning.”

  Kate got up and put the cooked oatmeal into two bowls and brought them to the table, placing one in front of Nancy and one at her seat. Then she brought over brown sugar, butter and cream, plus two spoons.

  Nancy fixed her oatmeal in silence and Kate waited patiently for her to speak.

  After several moments of silence Nancy cleared her throat.

  “Hon?”

  “Yeah, Mom?”

  Nancy looked like she was going to say more, but then turne
d her attention back to the oatmeal and ate … and smiled.

  They sat that way for quite a while, just eating their oatmeal and drinking their coffee.

  “Mom?”

  “Yeah, Hon?”

  “If you ever want to talk, I’m here.”

  Nancy smiled into Kate’s eyes and felt thankful for the gift of her wonderful girls. “I know that, Hon. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome, Mom,” Kate mumbled around a mouthful of oatmeal.

  The rest of the weekend was spent in a sort of happy haze for Nancy, especially when Doug called Saturday night just to talk while he had a lull at work.

  Nancy thought it was wonderful that they could talk so freely about so many different subjects. Even the times when they disagreed on something, there was no acrimony involved.

  She was really starting to fall for Doug.

  After they hung up the phone, (and after Doug had asked Nancy what she was wearing to bed!) Doug found that he couldn’t stop thinking about Nancy.

  As Patty and Bill had so fondly pointed out to him, Nancy sure wasn’t his usual type. But that’s what made her so special to him. He could picture himself living with her for the rest of his life, growing old together.

  The thought made him smile, and not even a belligerent drunk who spit on Doug when he had to arrest the man took away the warm feeling.

  ……………….

  “So, how was your date?”

  “Huh?” Doug had to unlock his locker – again. This time in order to get out his utility belt and cap.

  “That good, huh?” Bill laughed putting on his own belt and waited for Doug to retrieve his.

  It was now Monday, 2:00 pm and Bill hadn’t been able to get two words out of Doug about his date with Nancy last Friday night. All Doug had said was that it was “good.”

  “Well, what the heck does THAT mean?” Patty had wanted to know.

  “Hell if I know, Sweetie. That’s all he said.” Bill was almost as determined to find out as his wife was.

  “Bring him home for dinner tonight. I’ll find out.” Patty assured her husband.