know."
"All right. Now, where are you going to stay tonight?"
"Right here. He's not about to come back again, surely. I'm positive it was by chance that I showed up while he was here."
"Chance had nothing to do with it. Who knew you would be out this evening?"
"Lola and Aaron knew. Why?"
"How did they know?"
Oh man, here it is. The question I wanted to avoid. Dang. I looked him square in the eyes and said, “Lola and Aaron were here when I decided to go to the opera.” Was that a lie by omission or what?
"Then maybe you should see if you can stay at Lola's place or invite her here for the night."
"Are you sure I shouldn't call Aaron? He is a bit bigger than Lola and stronger as well. He has that WWF thing going on.” It was stupid of me to say it, but the words slipped out anyway.
"If you think it would be wise. It's your decision.” His cool expression gave me a chill, but I let it go.
I picked up the phone and dialed the number I knew by heart. Lola answered immediately, and I asked if she'd come over for the night after I explained the intruder incident.
"Sure, you can tell me all about the big date,” she said. “I'll bring some goodies from The Salt & Pepper. Be there in a bit.” She hung up as I turned to Marcus.
"It's all set, Lola will be here in a short while."
"Great, I'll hang out until she arrives and then I have to get back on the road.” He turned toward the fridge and searched for more food. Ham, cheese and mayo piled onto the counter. He'd become fairly comfortable in my home in a short time it seemed.
The bread lay in the cupboard and I handed it over to him. While he slathered mayo on the bread and laid the cheese and ham artistically over that, he asked me questions about the tussle I'd had.
"Whatever prompted you to take this guy on, Vinnie?"
"I just reacted the way I learned in self defense class. What's the sense of having knowledge if you don't use it when the time comes? It did occur to me that I should have called you, but by then it was too late. I do know he wears cheap cologne. When I stepped into the house, I could smell it and that's what alerted me in the first place."
"Then why didn't you leave the premises and call us? Instead you walked into a situation where you may have gotten hurt. You do have a slight bruise on your face, you know."
"I do? Huh, well I wasn't sure he was still here, so I crept around like a thief. I'd searched everywhere, like I said before, and when I got to the living room, well that was it. I think I got the bruise when I tripped and landed in the dining room flat on my face."
"Sweetheart, you'd never make a thief. You're much too clumsy for that.” He chuckled as a car stopped in the driveway and the door opened.
Like a mini hurricane, Lola burst into the kitchen. Her glance landed on my bruised face and then her eyes slid toward Marcus.
"Are you all right?” she asked, as she turned back to me. “Is this the trooper you told me about?” she asked with a sly grin.
"Yes, to both questions. Marcus Richmond, meet Lola Trapezi.” I watched her Julia Roberts smile brighten the room as those pearly teeth sparkled.
Richmond reacted as though she was a movie star. Lola had that affect on men. I, on the other hand, dazzled them with footwork. Just joking, I doubt I ever dazzled anyone.
They shook hands and he asked if she planned to stay the night.
"Oh, absolutely. Vin's had a lot to deal with this past week and she could use a break. I'll stay until she feels safe enough to be alone again. Don't worry, Trooper Richmond, I'll take good care of her."
Good gravy. I rolled my eyes. All she had to do was flutter her eyelashes next. That would be the end of my romantic interlude with a man I'd really like to mess with.
Rising from the stool, he strode toward the door and ordered me to secure the locks and windows the minute he stepped outside. It was all I could do not to stand at attention like the other troopers had when he'd marched through
"All right. Now, where are you going to stay tonight?"
"Right here. He's not about to come back again, surely. I'm positive it was by chance that I showed up while he was here."
"Chance had nothing to do with it. Who knew you would be out this evening?"
"Lola and Aaron knew. Why?"
"How did they know?"
Oh man, here it is. The question I wanted to avoid. Dang. I looked him square in the eyes and said, “Lola and Aaron were here when I decided to go to the opera.” Was that a lie by omission or what?
"Then maybe you should see if you can stay at Lola's place or invite her here for the night."
"Are you sure I shouldn't call Aaron? He is a bit bigger than Lola and stronger as well. He has that WWF thing going on.” It was stupid of me to say it, but the words slipped out anyway.
"If you think it would be wise. It's your decision.” His cool expression gave me a chill, but I let it go.
I picked up the phone and dialed the number I knew by heart. Lola answered immediately, and I asked if she'd come over for the night after I explained the intruder incident.
"Sure, you can tell me all about the big date,” she said. “I'll bring some goodies from The Salt & Pepper. Be there in a bit.” She hung up as I turned to Marcus.
"It's all set, Lola will be here in a short while."
"Great, I'll hang out until she arrives and then I have to get back on the road.” He turned toward the fridge and searched for more food. Ham, cheese and mayo piled onto the counter. He'd become fairly comfortable in my home in a short time it seemed.
The bread lay in the cupboard and I handed it over to him. While he slathered mayo on the bread and laid the cheese and ham artistically over that, he asked me questions about the tussle I'd had.
"Whatever prompted you to take this guy on, Vinnie?"
"I just reacted the way I learned in self defense class. What's the sense of having knowledge if you don't use it when the time comes? It did occur to me that I should have called you, but by then it was too late. I do know he wears cheap cologne. When I stepped into the house, I could smell it and that's what alerted me in the first place."
"Then why didn't you leave the premises and call us? Instead you walked into a situation where you may have gotten hurt. You do have a slight bruise on your face, you know."
"I do? Huh, well I wasn't sure he was still here, so I crept around like a thief. I'd searched everywhere, like I said before, and when I got to the living room, well that was it. I think I got the bruise when I tripped and landed in the dining room flat on my face."
"Sweetheart, you'd never make a thief. You're much too clumsy for that.” He chuckled as a car stopped in the driveway and the door opened.
Like a mini hurricane, Lola burst into the kitchen. Her glance landed on my bruised face and then her eyes slid toward Marcus.
"Are you all right?” she asked, as she turned back to me. “Is this the trooper you told me about?” she asked with a sly grin.
"Yes, to both questions. Marcus Richmond, meet Lola Trapezi.” I watched her Julia Roberts smile brighten the room as those pearly teeth sparkled.
Richmond reacted as though she was a movie star. Lola had that affect on men. I, on the other hand, dazzled them with footwork. Just joking, I doubt I ever dazzled anyone.
They shook hands and he asked if she planned to stay the night.
"Oh, absolutely. Vin's had a lot to deal with this past week and she could use a break. I'll stay until she feels safe enough to be alone again. Don't worry, Trooper Richmond, I'll take good care of her."
Good gravy. I rolled my eyes. All she had to do was flutter her eyelashes next. That would be the end of my romantic interlude with a man I'd really like to mess with.
Rising from the stool, he strode toward the door and ordered me to secure the locks and windows the minute he stepped outside. It was all I could do not to stand at attention like the other troopers had when he'd marched through
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