,” Jimmy added.
“Nice to meet you,” Ben said. He raised an eyebrow in examination of Jimmy. Jimmy did the same. They were actually sizing each other up! The air thickened with testosterone.
“This is for you.” Jimmy said, pulling a single red rose from behind his back. Ben smirked. “Thank you,” I said. I reveled in the attention.
“We’d better go. Our reservations are for five-thirty,” Jimmy said.
“I was just leaving,” Ben said.
“Wait, Detective King, we’ll walk you out.” I still wouldn’t allow him free to wander the halls of Mary House.
“No bother, I can find my way.”
“Sorry, it’s policy to escort visitors around the facility,” I said. The three of us walked out together. Jimmy on my right and Ben on my left. About every two seconds, one of the men would cast a sidelong glance at the other. Oh brother!
As Ben headed for the front doors he turned. “I’ll let you know of any developments, Ms. Williams.” He walked out the door and was gone.
I stopped at the front desk. “Nessie, make sure no one lets Detective King past the reception area if he comes back.”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Cassie, I wasn’t here when he came in. Jane let him in your office.”
“It’s alright, Nessie, I just don’t want him questioning the residents.”
Jimmy and I left. Nessie followed to lock the front doors behind us. Once out in the lot, Jimmy took my hand. He laced his fingers in mine without a word. I looked up at him. A broad smile brandished his face. I saw the deep dimples on his cheeks. I swooned a little. I felt insecure at my appearance. My looks didn’t compare to Jimmy’s. I can’t believe he’s with me.
At the car, Jimmy let out peals of laughter. “What?” I demanded. I didn’t like being on the outside of and inside joke.
“You have an admirer.”
“Who?” I asked.
“Cassie, no wonder you’ve been single so long. The stunning Detective King.” Jimmy laughed. “Really, are you that oblivious?”
“Jimmy, people in Ohio felt the male bravado rumbling between the two of you.” Jimmy opened the car door for me. I could get used to this treatment. “Is he the one?” I asked, confident of the answer from Jimmy’s light mood.
“I can’t tell, but I don’t think so.”
“Why can’t you tell?” I asked. “Can you read him?”
“Not everyone is an open book Cassie,” Jimmy said. He turned the key in the ignition and his car stereo came on playing an old jazz song. He backed out of the space. “Super stud, has a huge wall around him.”
“A wall?” I asked.
“He keeps much of his life deep inside,” Jimmy said. “It’s not uncommon for cops.”
“So you can’t read him?”
“I didn’t say that. I said he is harder to read. I don’t have to be psychic to see how he feels about you.”
“And how’s that?” I asked.
“Let’s just say,” Jimmy said, “he wouldn’t mind patting you down for dangerous weapons.” We both laughed.
“So it’s not him?”
“Like I said, I don’t think so.” I relaxed. “I could be wrong.”
“Jimmy!” I shouted. “Either he is or he isn’t?”
“If I thought he was, I would have split.”
“Nice to meet you,” Ben said. He raised an eyebrow in examination of Jimmy. Jimmy did the same. They were actually sizing each other up! The air thickened with testosterone.
“This is for you.” Jimmy said, pulling a single red rose from behind his back. Ben smirked. “Thank you,” I said. I reveled in the attention.
“We’d better go. Our reservations are for five-thirty,” Jimmy said.
“I was just leaving,” Ben said.
“Wait, Detective King, we’ll walk you out.” I still wouldn’t allow him free to wander the halls of Mary House.
“No bother, I can find my way.”
“Sorry, it’s policy to escort visitors around the facility,” I said. The three of us walked out together. Jimmy on my right and Ben on my left. About every two seconds, one of the men would cast a sidelong glance at the other. Oh brother!
As Ben headed for the front doors he turned. “I’ll let you know of any developments, Ms. Williams.” He walked out the door and was gone.
I stopped at the front desk. “Nessie, make sure no one lets Detective King past the reception area if he comes back.”
“I’m sorry, Ms. Cassie, I wasn’t here when he came in. Jane let him in your office.”
“It’s alright, Nessie, I just don’t want him questioning the residents.”
Jimmy and I left. Nessie followed to lock the front doors behind us. Once out in the lot, Jimmy took my hand. He laced his fingers in mine without a word. I looked up at him. A broad smile brandished his face. I saw the deep dimples on his cheeks. I swooned a little. I felt insecure at my appearance. My looks didn’t compare to Jimmy’s. I can’t believe he’s with me.
At the car, Jimmy let out peals of laughter. “What?” I demanded. I didn’t like being on the outside of and inside joke.
“You have an admirer.”
“Who?” I asked.
“Cassie, no wonder you’ve been single so long. The stunning Detective King.” Jimmy laughed. “Really, are you that oblivious?”
“Jimmy, people in Ohio felt the male bravado rumbling between the two of you.” Jimmy opened the car door for me. I could get used to this treatment. “Is he the one?” I asked, confident of the answer from Jimmy’s light mood.
“I can’t tell, but I don’t think so.”
“Why can’t you tell?” I asked. “Can you read him?”
“Not everyone is an open book Cassie,” Jimmy said. He turned the key in the ignition and his car stereo came on playing an old jazz song. He backed out of the space. “Super stud, has a huge wall around him.”
“A wall?” I asked.
“He keeps much of his life deep inside,” Jimmy said. “It’s not uncommon for cops.”
“So you can’t read him?”
“I didn’t say that. I said he is harder to read. I don’t have to be psychic to see how he feels about you.”
“And how’s that?” I asked.
“Let’s just say,” Jimmy said, “he wouldn’t mind patting you down for dangerous weapons.” We both laughed.
“So it’s not him?”
“Like I said, I don’t think so.” I relaxed. “I could be wrong.”
“Jimmy!” I shouted. “Either he is or he isn’t?”
“If I thought he was, I would have split.”
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