nibble later?”
I feel like a big nibble, of you! “Sure, that would be lovely.”
He cut a thick slice and placed it on one of the freshly washed plates. “And if you want more later, you know where to find it.” He smiled. “Just give me a minute, and I’ll walk you downstairs”
“Oh, you don’t need to do that.” Lauren dissembled. What am I saying? Of course I want him to do that. Her desire for continued physical closeness to this man warred with her fear that she was misreading his interest. But what if I make a complete fool of myself?
“Ah, but I do. I wouldn’t dream of not dropping a lady at her front door after a date.” He winked at her and scooped up his keys from the countertop.
She swallowed hard and made a grab for her purse on the coffee table. He called it a ‘date’. Lauren practically floated out the door and across the hall to the elevator.
The air inside was cold and stale, but for all she knew the elevator was a tropical paradise. Being near Jamie heated her blood. She sidled still closer to him.
“Hold that door,” a husky feminine voice called out. A well-manicured hand reached into the elevator.
The red-head, wearing a very skimpy, spangled green mini-dress on her perfect size two frame, appeared in the doorway. Her friends joined her in similar modes of dress. Together they looked like they were ready to audition for a girl group singing contest at the Apollo. The trio sashayed into the compartment and laid claim to one corner, all the while drooling over Jamie, who for his part issued a bland hello but seemed amused to be the center of so much female attention.
Prodded by a jealous impulse, Lauren decided to get things back under control. “Thanks again for dinner, Jamie. And dessert.” She gave a little wave of the plate.
“No, no. Thank you. I was glad to have the company tonight.”
The flame-haired sylph batted her tarantula-leg eyelashes and parted her supple, raspberry-red glossed lips. She was obviously looking to introduce herself, and would probably suggest she keep him company another night, or maybe even offer to have his children. But her comment was cut off by the chime of the elevator as it reached the fifth floor. To Lauren’s joy, all that came out of Ms. Red was a very unattractive squeak, as if someone had stepped on one of the tarantulas.
Jamie took her arm and escorted her from the elevator. She pressed herself into his side, aching to look back and see the expression on the trio’s faces, but kept her cool instead.
Until they turned the corner.
There, standing in the hall talking to her grandmother, was none other than a hot pink lycra-encased Barbie Bronowksi, a goddess who made the redhead look like a troll.
Lauren’s heart sank. It was one thing to face down the flame-haired diva-in-training. It was another to take on a living, breathing version of the Mattel nymphet, who happened to be backed by the Wicked Witch of the Northeast.
This was going to take some work!
“Oh, hello, Dr. Brandt!” Hobbling over to him, Gladys grabbed his large hand with her bony, birdlike one. “I just wanted to thank you again for helping me with that laundry basket this afternoon,” she simpered. “Please, let me introduce you to my granddaughter Barbie. Barbie this is Dr. Brandt from upstairs. Dr. Brandt this is my granddaughter Barbie Bronowski, a peach of a girl and the apple of my eye.”
Lauren wished she had a banana to gag herself with. She turned to her apartment door, brought up one knee to act as a table for the plate of cheesecake as she dug around in her purse for her keys.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Bronowski.”
Lauren knew exactly how that handshake was affecting Barbie. Her stomach roiled at the thought of Jamie touching the blonde bombshell, even in so innocent a way. Her balance began to wobble, and the plate made a dangerous dip to one side of her leg.
“And of course I’m happy to help you any time I can, Mrs.
I feel like a big nibble, of you! “Sure, that would be lovely.”
He cut a thick slice and placed it on one of the freshly washed plates. “And if you want more later, you know where to find it.” He smiled. “Just give me a minute, and I’ll walk you downstairs”
“Oh, you don’t need to do that.” Lauren dissembled. What am I saying? Of course I want him to do that. Her desire for continued physical closeness to this man warred with her fear that she was misreading his interest. But what if I make a complete fool of myself?
“Ah, but I do. I wouldn’t dream of not dropping a lady at her front door after a date.” He winked at her and scooped up his keys from the countertop.
She swallowed hard and made a grab for her purse on the coffee table. He called it a ‘date’. Lauren practically floated out the door and across the hall to the elevator.
The air inside was cold and stale, but for all she knew the elevator was a tropical paradise. Being near Jamie heated her blood. She sidled still closer to him.
“Hold that door,” a husky feminine voice called out. A well-manicured hand reached into the elevator.
The red-head, wearing a very skimpy, spangled green mini-dress on her perfect size two frame, appeared in the doorway. Her friends joined her in similar modes of dress. Together they looked like they were ready to audition for a girl group singing contest at the Apollo. The trio sashayed into the compartment and laid claim to one corner, all the while drooling over Jamie, who for his part issued a bland hello but seemed amused to be the center of so much female attention.
Prodded by a jealous impulse, Lauren decided to get things back under control. “Thanks again for dinner, Jamie. And dessert.” She gave a little wave of the plate.
“No, no. Thank you. I was glad to have the company tonight.”
The flame-haired sylph batted her tarantula-leg eyelashes and parted her supple, raspberry-red glossed lips. She was obviously looking to introduce herself, and would probably suggest she keep him company another night, or maybe even offer to have his children. But her comment was cut off by the chime of the elevator as it reached the fifth floor. To Lauren’s joy, all that came out of Ms. Red was a very unattractive squeak, as if someone had stepped on one of the tarantulas.
Jamie took her arm and escorted her from the elevator. She pressed herself into his side, aching to look back and see the expression on the trio’s faces, but kept her cool instead.
Until they turned the corner.
There, standing in the hall talking to her grandmother, was none other than a hot pink lycra-encased Barbie Bronowksi, a goddess who made the redhead look like a troll.
Lauren’s heart sank. It was one thing to face down the flame-haired diva-in-training. It was another to take on a living, breathing version of the Mattel nymphet, who happened to be backed by the Wicked Witch of the Northeast.
This was going to take some work!
“Oh, hello, Dr. Brandt!” Hobbling over to him, Gladys grabbed his large hand with her bony, birdlike one. “I just wanted to thank you again for helping me with that laundry basket this afternoon,” she simpered. “Please, let me introduce you to my granddaughter Barbie. Barbie this is Dr. Brandt from upstairs. Dr. Brandt this is my granddaughter Barbie Bronowski, a peach of a girl and the apple of my eye.”
Lauren wished she had a banana to gag herself with. She turned to her apartment door, brought up one knee to act as a table for the plate of cheesecake as she dug around in her purse for her keys.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Bronowski.”
Lauren knew exactly how that handshake was affecting Barbie. Her stomach roiled at the thought of Jamie touching the blonde bombshell, even in so innocent a way. Her balance began to wobble, and the plate made a dangerous dip to one side of her leg.
“And of course I’m happy to help you any time I can, Mrs.
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