Chapter 2: Dinner date

 

Jason drove into Ochi early the next day to purchase 'morning after pills' for Carli. He never told her his plan to buy it because he didn't want her to be upset. But as her husband and the one who would now guide the pace of their relationship, he wanted to make sure their love did not come under any undue strain. He wasn't sure if he would convince her to take it, but he hoped she would listen to him. 

He loved her and there wasn't anything in the world he wouldn't give to her, once it was within his power to do so. He definitely wanted her to be the mother of his children, but he also wanted her to fulfill her potential in other areas. 

She had applied to a culinary school and was hoping she would hear from them soon. In the meantime, she had a job and he wanted her to grow and gain as much experience as possible. 

He figured it was their love making that had her thinking the way she was. He had to admit he loved making love to her. Being inside her made him feel crazy too and hearing her moan was very satisfying. He knew she enjoyed having sex with him. He just wanted everything to go well for both of them. He smiled to himself as he thought of her.

Jason parked his vehicle in the Ocean Village Shopping Centre parking lot and went into the pharmacy. Within thirty minutes he was out the door. He also bought more condoms. He decided to buy some fast food for breakfast. He bought a chicken burger for himself and a fish burger for her. He also purchased two medium sized fries; a Pepsi for himself and orange juice for her. After closing his car door he dialed her number.

Carli answered the phone after the fourth ring. She answered with a sleepy but sexy, husky voice. "Hey baby, where are you? I rolled over on my back to answer the phone and realised you weren't here."

Jason blew her sloppy kisses on the phone. He heard Carli giggle then send sloppy kisses back to him.

"Yuh soon come?" she asked him. Jason heard the sultry tone of her voice and felt his member harden a little. He bit his lower lip. She really had strong control over his desires. 

He grunted. "Baby, I'm on my way. Save that sweetness for me, okay?" he told her, blowing her a tender kiss. "I just had to pick up a few things. Oh and I bought breakfast, so you don't need to cook, alright?"

Carli felt a little puzzled. Didn't he like that she was cooking for him? "Okay," she said but felt a little sad.

By the time Jason came home she had made their bed and showered. The Blacks came by the evening before while they were having dinner. The middle aged couple quickly went to work to clean up the bedroom, changing the bed sheets and wiping the master bedroom floor and the adjoining bathroom. Cornelia also freshened up the toilet by replacing the air fresheners and toiletries. Martin worked quickly in the kitchen and dining area while the newly weds went to lounge on the chairs by the pool. Within a hour and half they were finished and gone. Carli had been impressed with their efficiency and told Jason he should commend them to uncle Pat when they got back into Kingston. 

Jason pressed the door bell and Carli went to answer. She opened the door and walked away. Jason noticed that she didn't give him his usual kiss when she met him at the door. He locked the door behind him and followed her into the kitchen.

"What did you buy?" she asked him sadly.

He removed the food from his durable shopping bag and placed it on the porcelain counter top. 

"Your favorite kind of fast food," Jason replied. 

"You don't like me cooking for you?" she asked him. Her eyes were sad. 

He watched her body language. "Come here," he requested.

Carli went to him. He cradled her in his arms. "Baby, I love you," he kissed her forehead. "You are an excellent cook. I just wanted to do something different for you. This is supposed to be our honeymoon. There'll be plenty of opportunities for you to cook for me. But right now, I want you to enjoy this time with me and be carefree. Matter of fact, I'm taking you out later, okay?" He squeezed her closer to him.

"I enjoy cooking for my man," she said. Carli looked up at him. "It gives me pleasure to see you eat the food I cook and your eyebrows go up because you like the taste. And when you're finished eating you grab me, and kiss me and tell me the food tastes as good as I do, then we make love." 

Jason chuckled. Yeah, he did say that. He placed a soft kiss on her cute little nose and smiled at her. "I don't want you to be sad baby. I love when you cook for me, but I just wanted to do something different. Plus, there is something I want you to do for me." He brought her to the stools around the counter and made her sit on one while he sat near her on another stool. 

He cupped her face. "Carli, I desire you. I crave you with all of me. To me there's no one else that suits me. And no one can satisfy me the way you do. We have so much to look forward to in our lives, and children are one of those blessings I will be happy to have with you, but ..." Jason paused trying to read her eyes. Carli looked at him her brows furrowed, she was trying to understand. 

"I don't think we're ready for children," Jason said after letting out a sigh. He waited to hear what she would say. 

Carli touched his face and smiled. "I want to give you something no other woman should, or even would early in our marriage. I've always wanted children. I actually love them. If I didn't love to cook so much I would probably be a primary school teacher."

Jason's smile broadened as he listened to her. He loved her gentle spirit so much. 

"If you're not ready I won't force it, but a few months ago you said you longed to get me pregnant," Carli said chuckling. "When I heard you say that, it turned me on. I was ready to give you kids right then if we were together that night."

She reached up and touched his face. "How long would you wait to have them?" she asked.

"I have a plan for the next three years," He leaned forward and rubbed her thighs. She was wearing a loose skirt but the hem brushed her mid thighs. "By then our home will be ready, the one in St. Thomas," he told her.

Carli nodded. "I know," she said.

"So far you haven't conceived and we've had sex without protection." He brushed his right hand on her right cheek. "I don't want to ask Carli, but I need to ..." He looked lovingly at her. "Do you think you can?"

Carli sighed and closed her eyes. She opened them and smiled at him sadly. "I think so. I have a period every month."

"And you've had a period since our first time?" he asked her.

Carli nodded. "Three so far, so that's January through to March. I'm waiting on this month to come."

"Okay," Jason said. He wanted her to be okay. "Would you be okay visiting a gynae just to make sure everything is good?"

She nodded. "Yes, I have no problem with that," she replied. She sighed. "The women in my family have difficulty getting pregnant, but they do. My mom got pregnant I think two years after mom and dad got married, and you know she's just now pregnant with her second child. My aunt took about five years, but after, Lissa and Brandon were conceived back to back. So, I don't know. I do know that I love you and I will do whatever it takes to make you happy. So if I need surgery or whatever to give you kids I will do it."

Jason kissed her forehead. He bent his head lower and tenderly kissed her lips. "I will love to be the father of your babies," he told her, "but whatever happens, I'm here. I'm not going anywhere, just in case your thoughts wander."

Carli's smile brightened. "I love you," she said.

"And I love you Mrs Singh, with all of me." Jason closed his eyes, then opened them. His eyes had those flecks of yellow and grey she noticed months before. Carli stared at them.

Jason scooped her up off the stool. Carrying her close to his chest, he brought her into the bedroom.

He laid her gently on the bed. 

Carli laughed softly. "What about the food you bought? Breakfast?" She looked at him amused. 

Jason straightened himself and began taking off his clothes and boots. She sat up and watched him, mesmerized. 

"Right now, you're the only breakfast I want," he told her. "Plus, we have a microwave here, we can always warm it up." He climbed on the edge of the bed and crawled to her stealthily, his eyes holding hers. Carli observed his feline-like movements and felt heat rising up to her cheeks. He knew how to make her weak. 

He pressed his body on her and she leaned back on the bed, her eyes still held by his gaze. He lay on top of her and whispered in her ear, "I'm gonna take you over and over today. I need you Carli. I want you." Carli shivered as she looked into his eyes. She moistened her lips and felt her body respond to his words.

"I love you Jasey," she breathed. She was weak with her need for him. Her breathing was already shallow and he hadn't begun to touch her the way she craved. He gently blew into her ear and cupped her breasts. Carli moaned and arched up to him.

"I love you my sweet jaanu," he whispered. He captured her lips passionately and made love to her. 

****

Melissa was finishing up the fortnightly report she needed to file with the J.C.F.'s domestic violence and sexual offences unit. She was not on staff permanently. She performed a more consultative role, but was obliged to report to them any case of sexual offences against a minor she came across as a counseling psychologist. She was however assigned to the New Kingston police station to offer counselling to the police officers at that station and any external clients the J.C.F. deemed needed her services. That was how she met Amoya.

She loved her job but there were days when the grief and trauma of her clients took a slight mental toll on her. This case was however affecting her more than usual. Amoya Johnson was a new client. She had only started meeting with her for a month but already, she felt a bond building between her and the young teenager. 

She met with her once a week, but their meetings left an impression on her for the rest of the week that she could not shake. The first time after she met with Amoya aka Moy Moy she cried. She didn't know why. She just sat in the office the J.C.F. assigned to her and cried silently. She didn't want her police colleagues to be alarmed. Afterwards, she had dried her eyes, washed her face and went back to work. She had two more people to meet that day. 

She printed a hard copy of her report then emailed her electronic copy. She had one more counseling session to do that day. Earlier, she had met with an older woman who was experiencing domestic violence from her common law husband but refused to press charges. That session of probing and counselling lasted for nearly an hour as she tried to convince Ms Winsome that Desmond had no right to push her down steps or smack her across her face. 

The police wanted to file charges against him but Winsome warned her common law husband and he had disappeared. The police didn't know where to look to find him and Winsome refused to cooperate. They hoped Melissa would be able to convince her to press charges and reveal where he was hiding. 

Winsome agreed to counselling because she said she wanted to regain her confidence. She didn't feel like her usual strong, confident self. She and her hubby had raised five children together. Though Winsome did work from time to time, Desmond was the breadwinner. Now that the children were grown, his frustration in the relationship had worsened, and he was assaulting her almost everyday. 

Things came to a head when he threatened to kill her and rushed towards her with a knife. Winsome managed to run away and get to the nearest police station, the Hunt's Bay station. She mentioned to the Woman Constable that she was being assaulted but didn't want to file an official report on the person who attacked her. She didn't even want to give his name. It was upon further investigation by questioning the neighbors, the police found out that Desmond, her common law husband, was the culprit. 

Melissa looked into her bag and retrieved her purse. She only had $2000 in it and her credit card. She felt like something nice and crispy, maybe fried chicken or maybe crispy pork belly from her favorite Chinese restaurant. She could order it from her favorite food delivery vendor or just go to the restaurant. She lifted the wrist of her left hand and looked at the watch her daddy gave her after she got the job working with the police. It was a proud moment for him.

She had the next session after her lunch break, which she was relieved for. She had mentioned to the station manager, Superintendent Garfield Dacres* that she would take her leave in June. He asked her to push it back to July and she agreed. He told her that things may slow down during the summer. There didn't seem to be any direct proof but somehow there was a correlation between the start of summer holidays and a lull in certain criminal activities. 

It was 1:30 in the afternoon. Derrick had not called her all morning. He said he would call, but he hadn't. She felt a little angst towards him. She had a niggling feeling he was ignoring her. She sucked her teeth then stood up and stretched. His work was very important to him and was very demanding, but she knew he could make a call if he wanted to, or even send off a text. He used to do that in the past. She wasn't sure where their relationship would lead anymore. 

In the beginning it was exciting. He would take her out at least twice per week. Most times he would take her to meet clients. They would chat at the bar while she sat at the dinner table waiting for him to finish up his meetings, but then he was all hers and would order lobster or steak or sushi or anything she felt like eating that day. 

They would make what seemed to be endless, passionate love. He had an insatiable appetite and she loved it. He made her feel beautiful. He wasn't afraid to touch her somewhat intimately while they were out in public. 

He would gently brush his hand on her bottom while they stood in a hotel lobby, if they decided to sleepover at a hotel after a dinner date. Other times, he would nibble on her neck while at the movie theatre. She missed those moments with him. Now, he barely touched her and they would have sex maybe once a week, and that if he wanted her to sleepover. He never touched her intimately in public anymore. 

Once, she tried to get him to wrap his arm around her waist, he took his hand away quickly and looked at her like she was crazy. That night, she was supposed to spend time at his place, but he drove her home instead, saying he was tired and needed his rest. She wondered if he found someone else.

She took out her phone and dialed his number. The phone rang twice then went to voicemail. She called again. This time it went straight to voicemail. Melissa sighed. She was hoping she could convince him to take her to lunch, and she could try to mend fences with him.  She sighed deeply. She dialed the number of her favorite food vendor to order lunch from her favorite Chinese restaurant. I guess I'll eat here, she thought glumly to herself.

****

Jason was able to convince Carli to take the contraceptive pills. She took one pill right after she ate the breakfast he bought for them. Later, she took the final dose in the evening after they ate dinner, twelve hours after the first dose.  He lifted her in his arms, sat on the couch and laid her head on his shoulder while she sat on his lap. Carli giggled.

"You know, I could walk to the couch if you asked me to. You didn't have to carry me." She leaned forward and kissed his brow. 

"You are my baby. It's my responsibility to carry you until I can't anymore." He smiled at her, but Carli felt there was deeper meaning to what he said. She rested her head on his neck and hugged him.

"In that case, we'll carry each other until our last breath," she replied kissing his cheek. Jason tightened his grip around her slightly.

They had made love after breakfast and he made sure to use a condom. She complained that it felt a little uncomfortable and she wanted to 'feel' him. He had chuckled and told her that he wanted them to wait to have kids a little bit longer. He did concede that it wasn't something she was used to, so he made sure to take his time with her. He would take her to the gynae to see what could be recommended as contraception when they got home. 

Carli nibbled gently on his neck. Jason laughed softly. He turned his head slightly towards her face. "You want more?" he asked her feeling amused.

"You did say you would take me over and over," she said teasing him.

Jason laughed. He swung her upper body onto his lap and tickled her a little. Carli giggled and reached up to do the same to him. Jason bent forward and kissed her tenderly, taking his time to explore her mouth with his tongue. Carli moaned. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair. 

Wanting to express how he made her feel, she leaned her head back slightly. "Jason, I love you so much," she said.  "Thank you for this time here. I'm happy." She continued to caress the hair at the back of his head. 

Jason looked into her eyes. "This time with you is a fantasy come through for me Carli. All those nights I wondered what being with you would be like. Wanting to be alone with you, and wanting to hold you close and make love to you. Now, here we are," He touched her face. "I'm so in love with you my beautiful wife."

Carli tucked her hands under his shirt and rubbed them across his chest. Jason closed his eyes and groaned softly. She cupped his pecs and smiled. "I love your body Jasey. I love how you feel on top of me." Jason pulled her upright and looked into her eyes. She removed her hands and touched his face.  

"Carli, I have never felt this way about anyone. No one," he told her.

"Me too Jasey. It's weird. The first time I saw you I was rattled, but I felt this weird feeling like I had to see you again."

Jason rested his forehead on her brow. "That first time we met and I knocked you over, you intrigued me. I had training then I went home to study, but all I could think about was you. Marsha told me about what happened between you two in the dorm. I wondered if it was the same Carli I met earlier that same day."

Carli was surprised. "She told you what she did? That she had a guy on my dorm bed?"

Jason nodded. "Yep, she did." He smiled ruefully.

Carli shook her head and said, "She was obsessed with you, Jason. Although, I can't blame her. Jasey, you're so sweet; the sweetest sugar I've ever tasted." Her husky tone caressed his senses. She was turning him on.

She kissed his lips while she pressed her hands into his chest pinning him on the couch. She straddled him properly then began kissing his neck. She trailed kisses from his neck up to his lips. He tried to reach up to touch her, but Carli pushed his arms back down. 

She looked into his eyes. "My turn to take care of you." The words sounded like music to his ears. Her lips felt soft and sensual on his skin. Jason closed his eyes and bit his lip. 

"Okay," he said in a husky tone. "What do you want me to do?" he asked her, aroused. 

"Relax. Just relax and let me take control," she replied.

"Okay baby," he replied. His deep voice was raspy, breathy. Carli bit her lip and smiled, watching him respond to her foreplay gave her a thrill. Just being near him made her feel hot.

"That word you called me earlier, what does it mean ja ... jahnew?"

Jason opened his eyes and gazed at her beautiful face. "Jaanu, j-a-a-n-u, he spelt the word for her. It means beloved or sweet heart."

"Is that the female version?" she asked him.

Jason nodded. "Mhm."

"So how do you say sweetheart for a man or handsome, or lover in your language? Is it Hindi?"

Jason caressed her bottom. "My grandparents came from Andhra Pradesh. That's a region in the southeast of India. The dominant language there is called Telugu. It's different from Hindi. Over time the Hindi language and Telugu share similar words and phrases, but the language is still distinct from Hindi.  

"When my grandmother and granddad came here they worked for a local Indian and then started their own haberdashery. It didn't work out, but that was when luckily my granddad met the man who would teach him the trade that my dad and I use now."

Carli touched his face and looked into his beautiful hazel eyes. "How do I tell you 'I love you' and 'you have my heart'?"

Jason kissed her lips briefly and ran his fingers through the ringlets of her hair. Carli closed her eyes and sighed. She loved his touch. 

"Nēnu ninnu prēmistunnānu means I love you," he said. "Nē-nu nin-nu prem-is-tun-nanu," he repeated slowly. She opened her eyes and listened to him. He repeated the words for her.

Carli smiled and tried to say it for herself, "Naay-nu ..."

Jason chuckled, caressed her butt and slapped it playfully. "Say the first syllable for the first word a little faster. The first word is Nēnu, Try saying nay-nuu," he encouraged her.

"Nay-nuu," she answered.

Jason smiled. "Good!" he praised her.

"Say now nee-nuu preh mis-tuhn-naa nuu." He caressed her face. Carli tried it. At first, she was shaky, but as she repeated the phrase over and over she felt more confident. She kissed him happily.

Thank you! I want to learn more. Will you teach me?" She asked excitedly.

Jason kissed her forehead and looked into her eyes. "I don't know a lot, only what I've heard Antonia and my dad speak to each other, or what he would say to me when he was in the mood to say something, but what I know I will teach you."

Carli kissed him lovingly and repeated the phrase again, "Nēnu ninnu prēmistunnānu." This time she dipped her voice to a husky timbre and bit her lower lip seductively. Jason gazed at Carli's face, saw the love she held for him and melted. He didn't know if it were even possible to fall more deeply in love with someone, but now he was certain it could happen. He leaned forward. Carli met him half way and kissed him passionately. She stood up and stretched out her hand for him to take it. 

"Is this where I let go and let you ravish me?" he asked her. His eyes teased her. Jason took her hand and stood up. His height towered over her 5' 5" frame. 

"This is where you relax and let me show you that I'm yours completely and I want to please you." She winked at him. She pulled him into the bedroom and pushed him on the bed. Jason grinned happily. He didn't mind being woman-handled. 

She climbed on top of him and trailed love bites and kisses from his lips to his neck. Jason groaned. He was enjoying this bolder side of her. He was glad he pursued her. 

She lifted his shirt up to his chest. Jason sat up and helped her to get rid of it. He lay down and placed his hands on her hips. "Can I touch you?"

Carli chuckled. "I'll tell you when," she said. She moved his hands and pressed his arms onto the bed. "For now, enjoy the ride," she said smiling against the curve of his lips. She kissed him and showed him how much she loved him.

****

It was 5:30 in the evening and Derrick still hadn't reached out to her. Melissa wondered if something had gone wrong with him. She would take a taxi and go to his office to see if he was okay. He knew that she was sometimes a little miserable and maybe crazy but he wouldn't ignore her. He would have called her by now. She was getting worried. She called the number again and it went straight to voicemail. Now she was definitely worried. 

She packed up her bag and waited for six o'clock to arrive. Her last counselling session for the day was with a young police officer who had shot someone for the first time. He was taking it a little hard. He was a Christian and was struggling with the thou shalt not kill and what he had to do a few weeks ago when his colleague was in danger and he had to save her. 

Melissa tried to be gentle with him but she wondered why if he was opposed to violence he chose to join The Force. She had heard from his superiors that he was a conscientious young man who was heading in the direction of an Accounting career but then believed the Lord had called him into service as a police officer. So far, they were very impressed with his work ethic. 

She reminded him that The Holy Bible did say that for the person who took the life of another, his/her own life was in jeopardy of God's wrath, and God's wrath could be meted out by the justice system of the land that also included the police. Melissa recommended five more sessions with him and typed up and printed a letter he should take back to his commanding officer, stating she recommended five more sessions for him. 

At 6:29 she signed out of the log book for the day, slapped Constable Walker on the thigh while her friend spoke to another officer. She looked up briefly, smiled and waved at her. Melissa smiled at her and walked through the front door. She walked briskly through the gates of the police station. She crossed the road. Derrick's job was located on Trafalgar Road. 

Just then, Sergeant Shane Crosby was driving out and stopped in front of her. "Weh yah guh?" he asked her. She bent forward, looking into the vehicle. "Up Trafalgar Road," she told him. She mentioned the name of the place. "Arite. It's a ways away from where I'm going but me can drop yuh," he told her.

"Yuh sure? Weh yuh was going?" she asked him. He was another colleague she enjoyed working with, but also knew he wanted to have a relationship with her.

"Cross Roads," he replied.

"No man Shane mi cyaa duh that to yuh. Me wait pon a taxi or sumn."

"Or sumn?" Sergeant Crosby laughed. "Look, since mi tell yuh seh mi like yuh, yah behave shy. Mel, I like you, but that doesn't mean that everything I do hereafter is me trying to get you to 'talk' to me."

She looked at him still unsure. "Yuh want di ride or wah?" He leaned on the steering wheel looking at her.

Melissa nodded. "Okay," she said. He opened the car door for her and she slid inside his 2020 Toyota Corolla Sedan. He had it sprayed over from silver to a metallic blue. 

While he drove he glanced at her periodically. "You look really nice today," he said smiling at her. Melissa looked at him. He was very handsome and had an endearing personality. The women at the station nicknamed him 'Chacha Bwoy". He was charming, but she wouldn't be fooled. She heard he broke hearts.  Melissa nodded. "Thank you," she said.

"Listen Mel, I know that you've heard what people say about me. I won't deny that some of what has been said is true, but I've been working on myself. I'm not looking for a fling, I'm looking for the real thing." He smiled broadly at her. Melissa chuckled. "You know that rhymed?" she asked him amused.

"I didn't intend for it to rhyme still," he said chuckling. He leaned slightly towards her as he drove. "Look, I know you have someone, but I also know you and he aren't on good terms now." He looked at her pointedly.

Melissa laughed out loud. "Who tell yuh that?" 

"I was walking passed the lunch room and heard you and Sudie talking," he told her. 

"Yuh too fass!" she said half laughing. She wouldn't show this man he was right. "Like every relationship Rick and I have ups and downs, okay. You don't have to swoop in for the kill."

"Swoop in for the kill?" Sergeant Crosby chuckled as he glanced at her quickly. They were coming up on her destination. He slowed the vehicle down as he turned up Trafalgar Road then drove several meters to stop before the building.

"Mel, I have always liked you. Dis a nuh fly by night thing. I actually like you and want to date you. As I said, yes, I was doing some things I'm not proud of, but as I also said, I'm working on myself. If you're happy with your man, that's fine, but if you need a change of pace, I'm here." He reached out and tentatively touched her hand nearest to him. "You're the type of woman that deserves nice things. I'm willing to give that to you, if I get the chance to." 

Melissa looked into his eyes. He sounded sincere but she wasn't sure. She smiled at him and squeezed his hand then moved her hand away. "Save it for someone who deserves it," she told him. 

Hurriedly, she got out of his car, told him thanks and stepped onto the sidewalk then walked briskly into the tall building. 

Sergeant Crosby had a gut feeling he couldn't shake. He carefully reversed his vehicle and parked it nearby. He would wait at least thirty minutes and if nothing happened he would go home. He was puzzled by what she said. Was she saying she didn't deserve good love? He was curious now. He watched the building closely.

****

Melissa pushed through the revolving doors into the foyer of the building. The businesses on the ground floor were all closed for the day. She entered the elevator and pressed the button for the fourth floor. The doors closed and she felt the lift move up. She watched as the buttons lit up slowly until the elevator stopped at her chosen floor. She took a deep breath as the doors flew open and she exited the elevator. She saw Tiffany at the reception desk and smiled at her. "Hey Tiff, is Derrick in?" She and Tiffany Saunders got along very well. 

Tiffany smiled back at her. "No, I'm sorry. He stepped out. He mentioned that he would be meeting a client for a dinner meeting," she told her. Melissa sighed. She asked Tiffany if it was at his usual dining spot and she confirmed yes. Melissa nodded. "I'll just stop by then, but I won't disturb them," she said.

Tiffany looked uncomfortable. She wondered why. "Is something wrong?" she asked her.

"Not really, he told me that no one should disturb him." Tiffany smiled apologetically.

"Okay," Melissa said chewing her lower lip. "I won't swing by then," she told her. "Alritey girl. I'm just gonna go home then. Thanks Tiff."

Tiffany smiled. "You're welcome. I'll tell him you stopped by when he checks in."

"So you'll be here?" Melissa asked her surprised

"Yeah, I'll leave at 7, or later," Tiffany told her looking at her watch. "I leave when he gets back or if he tells me he doesn't need me for the rest of the day. Protocol, just in case he needs me to do something last minute."

Melissa nodded but felt suspicious. "Okay. Alritey then." She smiled at her sweetly then entered the elevator again and went downstairs. She stood at the curb feeling confused about what to do. Sergeant Crosby drove up. Melissa was shocked to see him.

"I thought you went home?" she asked him incredulously.

"I had a feeling," he told her. "Get in."

Melissa slipped into his vehicle quickly. "Where to?" he asked her.

She told him the restaurant name. "Yes ma'am," he said and drove off.

****

Sergeant Crosby pulled up quickly at the location she told him. He was about to exit the vehicle and follow her inside when she looked back and shook her head. He looked at her face. He saw the hurt in her eyes and wanted to be there for her. "You sure you don't want me to come with you?" he asked her concerned.

Melissa smiled weakly and shook her head. "It's okay, Shane, I'll be okay." He ignored her reassurance and stepped out of the vehicle anyway.  She leaned over the car hood and reached for his hand. He held on to her hand and squeezed it. 

He wanted to pull her around the front of the car to him, to bring her hand up to his lips, kiss it and tell her that he could take her somewhere so she could forget about her man. He would help her to forget about him. He would do anything she wanted him to do to make her feel good. But instead he smiled back at her and released her hand. She turned around and entered the restaurant. 

Sergeant Crosby looked around at the exterior of the eatery. It was quite a fancy place. He would probably be able to take her here for dinner a few times but not on a regular basis. He wasn't going to leave until he was sure she was okay. He had her phone number, if twenty minutes passed and she didn't come outside he would assume that she was okay, and she and her man had made up. He would just call to make sure. He maneuvered his vehicle towards the restaurant's designated parking lot and waited. 

****

Lissa walked up to the hostess at the front desk and smiled at her. She and Derrick had visited the restaurant so many times each hostess knew her name. It just so happens that her favorite hostess, Abigail was on duty that evening. Abigail smiled at her warmly and greeted her. 

"Lissa, hey, what's up? I haven't seen you in awhile! How are you?" The young lady asked.

Lissa smiled warmly at her. "Hi Abbie. What's up?"

"Girl mi deh yah, trying to take a rough life as easy as possible. Derrick is here but he's with a client. He's in the private booth on the balcony, though ..." Abbie paused and looked at Lissa, "he said he should not be disturbed." Abbie glanced around to see if anyone was nearby who could hear her speak. She looked Lissa squarely in the eyes and said, "Forgive me. This isn't any of my business, but I don't think the lady he's with is just his client. He ordered the most expensive champagne we have in stock." Abbie eyes widened as she made this revelation.

Melissa groaned inwardly. She feared he may have found someone else. Was Abbie correct? 

"What brand?" she asked her.

Abbie leaned forward and whispered, "Dom Pérignon."

Lissa swore under her breath. That was the brand he introduced to her after they made love the first time.

"I need to go up there, right now!" she told Abbie. She was about to move off when Abbie grabbed her arm. "Lissa, please don't cause a scene! I shouldn't even have said anything to you. Please, I don't want to get fired. Plus, you can't just go up there. You know the balcony is reserved for couples."

Melissa sighed. Abbie was right. She didn't want to hurt her friend. She nodded. "Okay," she said.

She was contemplating what she should do, when she heard Sergeant Crosby's voice behind her. "How much is it to pay for something like that? The balcony view?" he asked Abbie.

Abigail smiled, relieved. She told him the price. Lissa looked at him. "Is he allowed to go up there like that?" Sergeant Crosby was still in his work uniform. Abigail looked him up and down. "He has to get rid of his gun and baton," Abbie said nervously. 

Shane sighed. "You owe me a real date. 'Lissa'?" he said looking at her.

Melissa nodded. "Yes, Lissa is my nickname. Okay, deal," she said smiling at him. Shane shook his head. He removed his service belt that secured his baton and gun in its holster. He went outside and deposited them in his car, locked and armed his vehicle, and returned to stand before the two ladies. "Good now?" he asked grudgingly. 

Abbie nodded. "Yes," she said. She looked over at Lissa, smiled and winked. Lissa rolled her eyes. Shane noticed the body language between the two ladies and smiled slightly. Abbie led the two of them upstairs and seated them at a table closer to the balcony so they could see the hillside on one side and the bright lights of Kingston in the distance. 

Lissa looked at her watch. It was 7:30 p.m. She felt sorry that Tiffany had to wait this long for her boss to send her home. She needed to say something to Derrick about that. It was inhumane. Tiffany had no family of her own yet, but it was still disrespectful to expect her to be at his beck and call.

Abbie looked at them as they sat and got comfortable. "Would you like to order food or ..." She looked at them confused. Shane smiled at her "Might as well," he answered. "Give me a jerk chicken pasta."

Abbie smiled. "Suppose that wasn't on the menu?" she asked him amused.

Shane laughed softly. "For the price you told me to be up here, you guys should be able to give me whatever I ask for. Well, is it?"

Abigail smiled. "Yeah, it's on the menu," she answered.

"Okay then," he replied, "that's what I want." He looked at Lissa. "What do you want?" he asked.

Lissa didn't really have an appetite but ... "I'll have maybe curry shrimp and the salad special of the evening." 

Abbie looked at her. "You sure? It's Caesar salad," she told her.

"She'll have cheesy garlic bread with her salad. You have that?" Shane looked at Abbie's surprised face. 

Abigail looked at Lissa for confirmation. Lissa nodded and chuckled. "Okay. Sure, I'll have that," she responded. 

"Luckily, we do," Abbie said amused. "What type of drink?" she asked them both.

"Sprite, Ting, anything citrusy, no alcohol please," Shane told her.

Abigail looked at Lissa who was now smiling more broadly.

"Orange juice?" Lissa looked up at Abbie with a question on her face.

Abigail nodded. "Yeh man, you can get that," she replied. 

Okay. Give me that," Lissa said. Abigail made a note of everything.

"We have grapefruit soda." She told them about the brand. 

Shane nodded. "That's fine."

Abigail smiled cheekily. "This looks like a real date to me," she said mischievously. She went down stairs to place their orders. 

Shane chuckled softly and looked at Lissa. "I like your friend," he said. "Smart girl." Shane looked around. Besides the mystery persons in the booth, they were the only ones on the balcony. Considering the cost the hostess told them he wasn't surprised.

Lissa shook her head as she watched him. After five minutes, a waitress came and filled their water goblets and told them the chef was already preparing their meals. They thanked her and smiled. She left them.

"So why me?" Lissa asked, taking a serious look at Sergeant Crosby. "There are younger and fitter looking ladies at work or am I an easy target?"

Shane sipped his water. "I like you. You actually care about the people you help. In a way, you feel what they feel. I like that about you, plus I think you're beautiful. And how old are you?"

"I'll be thirty-one in October," she told him, amused. She liked the attention he gave her. She took a sip of her water and looked off into the distance.

"Still young, and as for fit: I like what I see," he told her. His voice dipped lower. Lissa felt chills run up her spine. She hadn't felt that in awhile. She smiled at him. Shane's smile broadened as he saw her relax. 

They chatted easily while they waited for their food to come. Lissa periodically looked toward the booth area that was closed off from prying eyes. She was tempted to march over there and go around to the side and push back the sliding door, but she was with Shane. She didn't want to cause a scene and tarnish both their reputations in public, but especially her colleague's. She didn't know about a relationship between them, but she did like him as a friend. Shane was easy on the eyes. But that was all she would allow herself to think. She heard enough about him to know he was trouble. 

After twenty minutes passed, two waiters brought their food. One placed Lissa's food and her orange juice that was in a square cocktail glass, filled with ice cubes before her, while the other waiter carefully placed Shane's food, and his soda in a slender glass before him. They told them thanks.

Shane reached for her hand, puzzled she gave it to him. He bent his head and prayed: thanking God for the dinner date and the meal. When he lifted his head he saw that she was smiling at him in a melancholy way.

"What?" he asked her amused.

"You pray? Since when?" she asked.

 "I've always been God-fearing," he told her.

"Yeah, but yuh never used to pray. You have a chain with a cross around your neck, but that's it. As far as I know," she challenged him.

"Yeah, well, sometimes you have to come to the reality that you don't know everything in this life, or the next. You have to make certain choices and move accordingly as you get older and wiser," he told her. He sobered up.

"What does that mean? You're saved?" she chuckled. She couldn't believe it. "You're too much of a heathen!" She laughed jokingly.

Shane did not smile. 

Lissa, observing his body language, was alarmed. She felt like a jerk. "You are?" Did she misjudge him?

He nodded. Lissa stuttered. "I'm really sor ... I ... I didn't mean ... I mean, to make a joke. I'm sorry." She was supposed to be the understanding and empathetic counselling psychologist but in this moment she was being insensitive. She felt like a douche. 

"I'm really sorry Shane." She looked at him, her eyes sad.

Shane shook his head. "It's no problem. You're not the only person who has made it clear that I can't change," he replied quietly.

He started eating his meal, focusing his eyes on his plate. Lissa felt crappy. She started eating. She would offer to pay for her meal to appease him. 

They were eating their meal when suddenly they heard giggling coming from the private booth area. It sounded like a woman's voice. Lissa looked up to observe the walkway leading to the private area to see who would emerge. She looked over at Shane, but he was focusing on his food. 

After a minute the silhouette of a man and a woman emerged from the shrouded area. They stopped briefly before it and kissed. There were tall potted plants surrounding the booth. She couldn't make out the faces. Her heart skipped a beat. She hoped it wasn't Derrick and another woman. She watched as the kiss between the two people stretched out to almost a minute. 

They stopped kissing. Lissa heard giggling and a male voice. Lissa gripped her fork tighter. That was Derrick's voice! She moved to stand up. "Sit down." Shane told her quietly. She looked over at him. "It's Derrick. That's my boyfriend!" she hissed.

"I know," he replied. "Play it cool. Don't embarrass yourself, or so help me God, I will walk out of here and leave you." He was nonchalantly cutting a piece of chicken with his dinner knife. He didn't look at her.

Lissa stared at him. She couldn't believe what she was hearing Shane say to her. That was her boyfriend. She needed to confront him! 

Lissa breathed deeply.  "I ..."

"You're going to play it cool and follow my lead. Okay?" Shane lifted his head and looked at her. His dark eyes bored into her. The steely resolve in his gaze made her lower her eyes. 

"Okay," she said quietly.

As the happy couple walked closer towards the better lit area of the balcony, Derrick realized that his girlfriend and a man in police uniform were having dinner. He looked over at his date and smiled at her awkwardly. "I have to stop for a bit, okay?" he told her softly. 

The young woman nodded. He handed her his car keys. She smiled at him, walked passed Lissa and Shane, and went downstairs. Derrick stood before Lissa and Shane's table. He cleared his throat. 

"Hey ... I meant to call you," he said smiling awkwardly at Lissa. He ignored Shane.

Lissa looked over at Shane. Shane smiled at her, cocked his head to one side and winked at her. Lissa cleared her throat and looked up at Derrick. "Derrick, this is Sergeant Shane Crosby, a work colleague of mine. We decided to come here to have a meal. You know I've been longing to come back here for some time and Shane suggested that we could have a meal." 

She looked over at Shane who gave her a satisfied smiled. She smiled slightly. Derrick turned to Shane and told him, "Hello."

Shane nodded in response but did not smile at him.

Derrick, feeling flustered, turned to Lissa again. "I did mean to call you, you know. I've just been busy ..."

"With your clients, yes, you told me. This client seems to be a very satisfied customer," she cut him off. Her heart was burning in her chest. She felt her lips tremble. She wanted to rage and shout at him. She glanced over at Shane who was watching her. He stared at her and shook his head slowly. He mouthed the word, "No".

Lissa stared at her plate. She couldn't keep it together. Not raging against Derrick made her feel weak and vulnerable. She felt like crying because of her frustration. Derrick saw her body language and was about to say something, when Shane spoke, "We're glad you could stop by Derrick. Lissa has a long day tomorrow. I'm sure you'll call her tomorrow. I'm also sure you would have wanted to drop her home tonight, but since you're already occupied, I'll do the honors."

Derrick looked at Shane. He knew that was a jab. It dawned on him that they probably saw the kiss between himself and the young lady. "Lissa, I can explain ..."

"Derrick, I'll see you tomorrow," Lissa said her voice trembling. 

Derrick looked at Shane's dark, brooding stare and backed off. He went down the stairs quietly.

Lissa sighed deeply. She was trying to hold her pain inside. Shane stood up and came to her. He extended his hand to her. "I'm taking you home," he said.

Lissa nodded. She stood up. Her legs felt wobbly. Her left leg tripped on the chair and she was falling forward. Shane grabbed her and pulled her to his chest. He planted his feet firmly. Supporting her weight, he held her close to him. He felt her trembling. Lissa broke down and started crying. 

Shane sighed. Slowly, he put his arms around her and held her close to him. He felt her go limp. He looked at her. Lissa fainted.

****

Lissa woke up feeling movement around her. She looked up and found herself leaning on Shane's shoulder, his left arm wrapped around her, while his right arm maneuvered his vehicle. She sat up slowly. Shane lifted his arm and placed it also on the steering. He looked over at her. His eyes were unreadable. "How do you feel now?" he asked her.

Lissa stretched. She winced a little. She had a headache. "I have a headache," she said. She sighed.

Shane glanced at her briefly then focused his gaze on the road. "You fainted," he said matter of factly. "I'm taking you home. We're about ten minutes out from your house."

"Oh," Lissa said. She didn't know what to say. Well, yes, she did. She turned towards him. "Thank you for stopping me from making a fool of myself." 

Shane nodded. The charming smile his face held earlier was replaced with a serious, almost angry mask. His eyes, when he looked at her, seemed even darker and cold.

"Shane, look at me please," Lissa requested softly. Shane looked at her.

"I was insensitive to the new path you've taken. I'm sorry. I didn't take what you were saying about your beliefs seriously, I'm really sorry." she said smiling ruefully at him. He nodded and stared at the road. He relaxed his shoulders a little and sighed. 

"Apology accepted," he replied.

Sergeant Crosby had only brought her home twice since they made their acquaintance. She was surprised he remembered where to take her, but as she looked out the window, the familiar streets of her neighborhood appeared before her. He looked before him maneuvering the vehicle into a left turn. He stopped at her gate. 

She looked over at him. "Thank you for tonight. I'm glad you stayed and kept my company. You paid the restaurant bill for both of us?" Shane nodded. She was grateful. "Thank you," she said.

She leaned forward to kiss his cheek but he gently held her at arms length. "It's okay. I was being a good friend. Whatever you were going to do as a gesture is not necessary," he told her. She paused and looked into his eyes. He looked into hers. Lissa realised his guard was up. 

She took him in. His attractive oval shaped eyes were like black smoldering coals adorned by thick lashes and nicely shaped eyebrows. She observed his stubborn jawline and full, soft lips. She never noticed how handsome he looked clean shaven. His dark skin was clear with no blemishes. It looked divine to touch. She wondered how it would feel on her skin.

Unashamedly, she leaned on his chest. Shane was surprised by this move. "What...? What are you doing?" he asked her. Lissa heard a slight tremor in his voice. Somehow she had to crack his hard exterior. She pressed her left hand on his chest and looked up at him while her head still rested on him. "I didn't know you were that strong," she told him.  

"Gym four days a week, cardio once a week in the early mornings," he responded. She reached up and touched his face.

"You caught me. Your reflexes are very good. Did you carry me down the stairs?" She was curious about him now.

Sergeant Crosby nodded. "Yeah, I carried you."

"I weigh about 159/160," she told him

"No problem," he replied. "I bench press more than that regularly." She lifted her head, her eyebrows raised as she looked at him. She was impressed.

Lissa rested her head on his chest again and listened to his heart. It was beating fast. She wondered if it was because of her. She reached for his arms and circled them around her. He allowed her to do it. 

He sighed. "Why are you doing this, Lissa? What does all of this mean?" he asked her. 

Lissa pressed her face into his shirt and smelled his cologne. It was nice. Shane sighed, wrapped his arms around her and started rubbing her back. He would humor her for a little. Ordinarily, a moment like this alone with her would have made him very happy, but after their conversation about his faith, and how she reacted to her boyfriend's infidelity, he wasn't sure what to think about her anymore.

Lissa loved the solidness of his chest. She never noticed that before. She made herself comfortable. "This is nice," she told him. "Thank you." She looked up at him and smiled cheekily.

Sergeant Crosby looked at the cheekiness in her gaze and chuckled. He shook his head. A slight smile curled up his lips. He squeezed her closer to him. "This better?" he asked her. 

"Yes," she answered. She closed her eyes and smiled. Shane lifted the lever of the car seat easing the angle of the seat further back. He closed his eyes and held her, relaxing his shoulders. He took a deep breath and released it slowly.

"Shane?"

"Hmm?"

"Why aren't you married yet?"

Shane laughed softly. "I haven't found the right one, I guess." He was tempted to kiss her hair. It smelt wonderful. "What about you? Do you want to get married?" he asked her.

"I want to get married. I thought it would have been to Derrick, but I guess I was a fool for thinking that way," she said sadly.

"That fool doesn't deserve you," he replied.

She felt a twinge of annoyance. A part of her wanted to defend Derrick and tell Shane that he wasn't a fool, but she held her tongue. She would be the bigger fool to defend a man who was clearly cheating on her.

Shane tentatively brushed his fingers through her relaxed hair. It was shoulder length, thick and jet black. He brought his hand up to his face and inhaled the scent. He wasn't sure what it was but he liked it. "What's this thing in your hair? The product? I like the fragrance."

Lissa smiled. "Lavender oil and water. My cousin recommended it to me and so far my hair has benefited," she replied.

"It smells good," he told her. He brushed his hand in her hair, stroking it slowly. Lissa sighed. His touch was soothing. He brushed his fingers on the side of her face. He wanted to kiss her. 

"Lissa?"

"Hmm?"

"I want to kiss you."

She lifted her head and looked at him. The street lights were a few feet away from where they were parked. In the modified position his chair was in she couldn't see his eyes. He touched her face. He bent his head forward and gently brushed his lips on hers. A shock of pleasure rushed through her. She opened her mouth and kissed him back. She heard him groan softly and intensify his kissing, pulling her down on top of him. Lissa liked how she was feeling. He brushed his left hand through her hair while his right hand held her face to his. 

"Lissa." She heard him sigh. The way he said her name sounded very sexy to her. She closed her eyes and kissed him more deeply. He skillfully teased her with light feathery kisses, delicately pulling and nibbling on her lips while groaning her name softly. His kisses and his soft groans were turning her on. She felt her loins respond to him. 

He said, "Mmhh", opened his mouth and playfully flicked his tongue on her lips. Lissa moaned softly and opened her mouth wider to receive him. Shane slipped his tongue inside and groaned deeply. He cupped her face. Lissa felt tingly all over. His kisses were doing things to her she never expected. After properly teasing her mouth with his tongue, he tore his lips away to tease her ear, gently nibbling on the outer lobe. Lissa opened her lips and breathed in air sharply. He moved his head down to her neck, pressed his soft lips on her skin and closed his eyes. 

"Ahhh," Lissa moaned then bit her lip. The sensation of his lips on her neck almost sent her over the edge. Her breathing was becoming more shallow. She pressed her fingers into the curves of his hard, muscular chest, lifting herself slightly to look down at him. He was still stroking her hair. 

"Shane, I ..." she said trying to compose herself.

"Mmhh ... Lissa!" Shane moaned. His voice sounded deep and sexy to her ears. He pulled her down, wanting to taste her lips again. He dipped his tongue into her mouth without hesitation. Melting against his strong, hard body, Lissa lay on his chest feeling her limbs go weak.

Shane circled his arms around her waist and squeezed her close to him.  The strength of his embrace made her body shiver. She moaned a little louder, and heard him groan. 

He briefly separated his lips from hers and said, "You taste like honey." Hungrily, he captured her mouth again, kissing her more intensely. Gently, he bit into her lower lip, then used his tongue to soothe her. Lissa moaned deeply. She trembled as she felt anticipation building inside her, and was warm all over. He was a really good kisser. She wondered if he was also a good lover.

He moved his right hand, rested it on her hip and squeezed gently. Lissa pressed her body into him when she felt his intimate touch. Shane called her name tenderly and sighed.  He lifted his lips and kissed her brow. He looked at her. "I think you should go inside now."

She looked at him. She wished she could see his eyes. His usual baritone voice sounded even deeper and husky. She wanted them to go further. She touched his face. "I want to, if you want to," she told him.

Shane chuckled in the dark. He circled his arms around her shoulders. Her soft, voluptuous body felt really good on him. "Yes, I want to, I really want to, but I don't think this is the right time or place. Plus, you still have a boyfriend. You need to figure out what to do with him," he told her.

Lissa sighed. She sat up. Shane adjusted the car seat, pulling it into the upright position. He touched her face, leaned forward and kissed her forehead. "Good night Lissa, sleep well." Lissa shivered as she heard an interesting quality in his voice that sounded sensual and intimate.

She swallowed. Her throat felt dry. "Goo ..." She swallowed again and tried to compose herself. "Good night Shane."

She fumbled to open the car door. Shane reached over and opened the door for her. His body lightly brushing against her made it harder for her to think straight. She cleared her throat, took a deep breath and stepped out of the car. She stood up, willing her legs to move one before the other to take her to her front door. 

He called to her. She looked around. He had her work bag in his hand. She smiled, walked back to him and took it. She saw in the dim light as he bent forward to look at her that his face had a subtle smile. She wished she knew what he was thinking. She turned around and walked slowly to the house. This was one of the times she wished she wasn't wearing high heels. When she looked around again he was still in his car watching her. 

After she turned her house key she heard his car engine start and saw him drive off. Lissa opened her front door and went inside. She locked the door and leaned on it, sinking to the floor.  She was a bundle of nerves from head to toe. She had never experienced a kiss like that. She touched her lips. Now, she was even more curious about Sergeant Shane David Crosby.

_____________________________________________

Disclaimer:

*Superintendent Garfield Dacres is a fictional character created by the author of this online novel. The author has no affiliation with the JCF or any of its members. Also, any other character written by the author is completely fictional and for entertainment purposes. Any resemblance to any person or persons in reality is strictly coincidental. It's only fiction.