see Daniel standing in his apartment entrance and a redheaded woman was standing directly in front of him. He looked slightly grave and the woman’s voice sounded excited. Sonya pressed her ear closer to the wooden door. Though their voices were still not very audible, she was able to snatch a few clear words. She heard Daniel say and in the process catching her attention; “I missed you tonight.” “Oh Daniel, I feel just horrible,” the redheaded woman said. “You know how much I wanted to be with you.” Sonya’s brow rose in intrigue and squinted her eye to get a better image of the woman. Daniel said something but she wasn’t terribly sure what it was because the woman moved and blocked him from Sonya’s view. When she stepped back again, she noticed something in Daniel’s hand. “I’ve got to get going before Jonathan notices me missing. I just couldn’t bear to let you think I didn’t care.” “I know.” He grinned. Then the woman unexpectedly reached up and threw her arms around his neck, pressing a kiss to his cheek. She said something else but Sonya wasn’t able to catch it. His response was muffled in the mass of red curls and Sonya found herself wanting to give anything to hear their words. The dramatic scene lit her fascination. “I’ve got to go.” The woman backed up further and nearly blocked Sonya’s entire view. Annoyed, Sonya waved her hand as if to shove the woman out of the way. “We’ll get together soon.” Though she couldn’t see him, she heard Daniel reply. “Promise?” “Yes.” Giving him another parting kiss, she ran down the corridor. Daniel watched her go. Then without warning he looked up and directly at Sonya’s door. She immediately leaped away from the peephole as if she were caught spying; even knowing full well he couldn’t see her. “Sonya, are you coming?” Audrey’s voice drew her attention away from the closed apartment door and the little soap opera on the opposite side. Turning to head down to the bathroom, her mind replayed the little scene over again in her mind. Who was this redhead? Though it was obvious the woman hadn’t been at his apartment for long, the passionate disclosure of their conversation would imply they shared an intimate relationship, possibly even secretive. Sonya had a sudden urge to find out just who this redheaded woman was, and why Daniel was keeping her a secret.
* * *
After knocking on Sonya’s apartment door, Daniel ran a hand through his tousled hair. His eyes were beginning to ache after staring at the computer screen for so long. He hadn’t minded the interruption when she called and begged him to rush over. Another one of her female crisis, he was sure. It gave him the break he needed but wouldn’t have given himself. Removing his glasses, he rubbed his eyes then stretched his arms behind his head and flexed his shoulder blades. What he wouldn’t give for a massage. “It’s not locked, Daniel, come on in.” The first thing that always struck him when he first entered her apartment was the color. She used so much of it. It had an uncanny way of matching the owner. The next thing he always noticed was the smell. She was constantly burning incense candles. Either she believed they improved her skin texture or her mood swings, he couldn’t recall which. From the back bedroom she emerged wearing a new dress. Being a man, he would refer to it only as a dress. However, the garment deserved a finer name. It was a light material that flowed softly along her body and over her slender hips and came to stop mid-thigh. Those magnificent legs of hers looked long and absolutely spectacular in it. “Daniel?” She said his name, drawing his attention back up. But it was her hair that had him speechless. It hung long and glistening down to her waist. Not a curl in site. A grin began to slowly appear on her face,