It was a house fire near Church Street. No one was hurt, but the whole house was destroyed. The couple who owned the house was griping about how they lost their record collection and cabinet full of stupid knick-knacks. I couldn’t believe the ingratitude. I mean, I wouldn’t be overjoyed to lose my belongings either, but I would at least be grateful to be alive.”
“I’m sure they were grateful! How did you expect them to react? You yourself said that sorrow can’t be quantified. If they were grieving the loss of their possessions, it really represented grief over a loss of security .”
“Now you’re not only a criminal investigator, but also a psychologist, I see? Sabrina, you grew up in a sheltered Manhattan world. You don’t know what I go through every day. Newspapers portray a fireman’s job as quaint…climbing up a tree to rescue a scared kitten. That’s a mockery of what we do.”
Sabrina was stunned by this incongruous behavioral shift and had the sudden urge to flee, but instead spat back at him, “I don’t know what makes you think that I have such a naïve perspective on a fireman’s work, but your presumptions, once again, are insulting! As for my ‘sheltered Manhattan world,’ that’s another misconception of yours. My parents have worked hard their whole lives and still do, both of them! They rent an apartment…I’m the one who decided to buy a house, and I did it with my own salary. Not a dime came from them. You really have some nerve!” Sabrina’s eyes were fiery with indignation.
Gio stared at her, smirking outrageously. “Feisty for a Primrose.” He said, swooping his head down and kissing her right there in the middle of the ancient Egyptian artifact collection. Sabrina was scandalized as tourists gawked at the pair, but she was aroused nonetheless and kissed the blasted man back with a teasing, promising passion. Abruptly, she broke off the kiss, pleased to see the smirk obliterated from his arrogant face and replaced by a slow-kindling, high-voltage desire that she had deliberately stoked.
Smugly, she asked, “Would you like to see some Renaissance sculpture, or have you had enough museum for one day?” His eyes caught hers, and she could discern in them a fierce need to finish what they had started several times. She was sure that her rosy cheeks and disarrayed hair betrayed an ardor to match his, but she would not give him the satisfaction of admitting it with words. Instead, she stomped her foot impatiently and asked again, “Renaissance art or Ausgang ?”
“Silly Primrose. Did you think you could stump me with the word Ausgang ? It so happens that I took German in high school. I know Ausgang means ‘exit.’” His tone was mocking, and Sabrina was once again impressed by the knowledge this man possessed. He certainly was arrogant, but Gio was as brilliant as any formally educated man she had ever met.
“Since you know what the word means, would you like to answer my question?” She asked with deliberate tartness.
“ Ausgang .” He growled and grabbed her hand. “Take one last look at all the pretty pictures, Sabrina. We’re not going back to a museum anytime soon. Let’s go get some grub.” Outside the museum, Gio hailed a taxi cab and instructed the driver to take them to Chinatown.
“I hope you like Chinese food, Primrose.” Gio said teasingly. Suddenly, Sabrina deciphered the puzzle of Gio’s attitude. This rudeness and callousness stemmed from his physical frustration. The man, the gorgeous, muscular fireman, was probably spoiled getting his way with women. Here she was presenting him with a challenge, with a treasure chest and a lock for which he did not have the combination. While Sabrina did not fancy herself the type of woman to play games with men, she enjoyed the power that this newfound discovery imparted with it. Each time she
“I’m sure they were grateful! How did you expect them to react? You yourself said that sorrow can’t be quantified. If they were grieving the loss of their possessions, it really represented grief over a loss of security .”
“Now you’re not only a criminal investigator, but also a psychologist, I see? Sabrina, you grew up in a sheltered Manhattan world. You don’t know what I go through every day. Newspapers portray a fireman’s job as quaint…climbing up a tree to rescue a scared kitten. That’s a mockery of what we do.”
Sabrina was stunned by this incongruous behavioral shift and had the sudden urge to flee, but instead spat back at him, “I don’t know what makes you think that I have such a naïve perspective on a fireman’s work, but your presumptions, once again, are insulting! As for my ‘sheltered Manhattan world,’ that’s another misconception of yours. My parents have worked hard their whole lives and still do, both of them! They rent an apartment…I’m the one who decided to buy a house, and I did it with my own salary. Not a dime came from them. You really have some nerve!” Sabrina’s eyes were fiery with indignation.
Gio stared at her, smirking outrageously. “Feisty for a Primrose.” He said, swooping his head down and kissing her right there in the middle of the ancient Egyptian artifact collection. Sabrina was scandalized as tourists gawked at the pair, but she was aroused nonetheless and kissed the blasted man back with a teasing, promising passion. Abruptly, she broke off the kiss, pleased to see the smirk obliterated from his arrogant face and replaced by a slow-kindling, high-voltage desire that she had deliberately stoked.
Smugly, she asked, “Would you like to see some Renaissance sculpture, or have you had enough museum for one day?” His eyes caught hers, and she could discern in them a fierce need to finish what they had started several times. She was sure that her rosy cheeks and disarrayed hair betrayed an ardor to match his, but she would not give him the satisfaction of admitting it with words. Instead, she stomped her foot impatiently and asked again, “Renaissance art or Ausgang ?”
“Silly Primrose. Did you think you could stump me with the word Ausgang ? It so happens that I took German in high school. I know Ausgang means ‘exit.’” His tone was mocking, and Sabrina was once again impressed by the knowledge this man possessed. He certainly was arrogant, but Gio was as brilliant as any formally educated man she had ever met.
“Since you know what the word means, would you like to answer my question?” She asked with deliberate tartness.
“ Ausgang .” He growled and grabbed her hand. “Take one last look at all the pretty pictures, Sabrina. We’re not going back to a museum anytime soon. Let’s go get some grub.” Outside the museum, Gio hailed a taxi cab and instructed the driver to take them to Chinatown.
“I hope you like Chinese food, Primrose.” Gio said teasingly. Suddenly, Sabrina deciphered the puzzle of Gio’s attitude. This rudeness and callousness stemmed from his physical frustration. The man, the gorgeous, muscular fireman, was probably spoiled getting his way with women. Here she was presenting him with a challenge, with a treasure chest and a lock for which he did not have the combination. While Sabrina did not fancy herself the type of woman to play games with men, she enjoyed the power that this newfound discovery imparted with it. Each time she
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