Rise of the Dunamy by James R. Landrum Page B

number of books on how to correctly inspect a crime scene as well as how to conduct an interrogation. I saw the police officers as heroes. They actually made me feel safe. They would come to our schools and talk to us in the streets and ask how we were doing. They cared about our safety, and they didn’t have to. Sure they were paid to do it, but they chose to step into harm’s way to keep people they didn’t know, safe. From what I grew up with when I was really young, you don’t know how different that was. I thought that was the most amazing thing I had ever seen. I already knew I wanted to enforce the law, but those guys showed me how honorable the profession could be. So, I devoted my time to learning how I could become a great police officer so that I could make a difference.” Sofia stopped. She realized that she hadn’t shared that much personal information with anyone in her entire life, and yet it had come out so easily with Lucian. She always kept her personal life very personal. She always thought that sharing information like that might show a weakness to someone, and she never wanted anyone to see a weakness in her. As she focused on how readily she had offered up some of her most personal thoughts, the train approached. With a gust of wind that blew her flimsy dress back tight against her body, the train eased to a halt and everyone boarded. The pair found a few adjoining seats, and prepared for their ride.
    “Okay! So, I just unloaded an awful lot of info on you there. Sorry about that.” Sofia said uncomfortably as she thought back to their previous conversation.
    “Don’t be silly. Why do you think I wanted to walk? Besides hating to drive, I mean. I’m very interested in knowing about you. I love hearing about that sort of stuff. How are we ever going to be a couple if we don’t know things like that about each other?”
    Sofia couldn’t stop herself from smiling.
    “Couple, huh? So you’re not hoping to make me one of your little girlfriends that stop by the office to flirt with you all of the time?”
    Were it possible, she would have snatched those words from the sky and stomped them out before they could reach his ears. The corners of her smile began to drop slowly as she realized that she may have just sent their evening into a blistering nose dive. Lucian raised one eyebrow and looked at her with a smug little smile.
    “Bold comment!” Lucian declared with a laugh. “But, I think you know you’re different than those girls. They just weren’t what I was looking for. Without getting into it too much, I enjoyed spending time with them but they weren’t in the same place that I am. I’ve met plenty of really sweet girls, and things always end well when they realize that I sincerely enjoyed my time with them, but that I’m looking for more than just night after night of going out and partying. I guess I’m growing up.”
    Sofia wanted to breathe deeply so she could let go of the nervous knots that she had worked up in the muscles of her stomach after her comment. Not only had it not ruined their evening, it successfully caused Lucian to answer some lingering questions that she had about all of the girls that she had seen visiting him. She had wondered how she was going to get over that, or how to bring up such a matter without sounding jealous, but she had done it. Although completely by accident, she had resolved one of her major concerns with only a few seconds of discomfort.
    With the question of his philandering addressed to her satisfaction, Sofia now faced a new issue. Lucian was becoming too good to be true and she had to fight the urge to start looking for his hidden flaws. Sofia dismissed the idea immediately. That wasn’t something she was going to allow to happen. She had never felt so comfortable around another person, and she refused to let herself sabotage something so enjoyable. Lucian was wonderful. He was fun and funny, exciting, smart, kind, and gorgeous. Sofia