Chapter 2

Rod was smiling most of the day. He liked the way she teased
him and made him laugh. He liked the sound of her voice, so accusing in her
questions. She was right to be cautious about him. He wanted her so badly that
he feared he would mess it up. He wondered how it had happened, that he had
been standing there, looking at the painting, thinking that it lacked
something. Then she had just walked to it, into it and it had looked complete.
He wondered how a woman can complement a painting in such a perfect, sexual
way. He wondered too, about how her words had reflected his thoughts. He had
been thinking about how sensual she looked near that painting. The image of her
merged with the painting had completely surprised and excited him. He was
pleased that she had phoned him, because the way he had stood there, in silent awe
of her, he assumed he had put her off. He had lost his ability to say anything
sweet, polite or funny. He had been completely incapable of charm or anything
close to a mild flirtation.
He tapped his pen on his desk and sighed. He hoped he would maintain
control tonight. She had that way of looking at him that made him behave like a
stranger and he wondered if he could trust himself not to just take her home
and make love to her. He had to think clearly now. She was different. Gareth
was right. She was trying to resist him and he knew that fact was fuelling his
desire to have her, on his terms. Where shall
we go tonight? I would prefer to stay at home with her so we could talk,
uninterrupted. But surely that is a mistake? There was no way he would
tread cautiously with her so close to his bedroom. Somewhere casual and relaxed, where there are lots of people to keep me
thinking clearly.
He picked up his phone. ‘Jocelyn, hello, how are you?’
‘Rod! Oh hello. I am fine. I am trying to do boring things,
like get my documents ready for you, otherwise you are going to fight with me. All
these invoices and slips are driving me crazy.’
Rod laughed. ‘You are definitely fine. You say this to me
every year and again I tell you. Just file them so you don’t have to do this
every year.’
 ‘Okay, okay, next
year I will try to be organized and file every single receipt.’
‘Fine. I need your advice. I have this date tonight. I want
it to be casual. Where should I go?’
‘Who is she?’
‘I will tell you if it works out tonight. I am not sure
yet.’
Jocelyn was silent for a long while. ‘Well, well. Now I am
curious. You are being secretive. Is she that special?’
Rod laughed. ‘I don’t know yet. I will tell you once I know.
There is just something about her, you know. I want to know who she is.’
‘I see. That sounds very serious. Okay, why don’t you have a
quiet dinner at home? You are a fine cook and she will be seriously impressed.’

‘No, no. That is too intimate. It will frighten her off. No,
I need to be somewhere neutral.’
‘Okay, one of those restaurants down Sherwood Drive. They
are casual and noisy enough if you want to get out in a hurry. Try Harriet’s.
They serve a wide range of food and if you find things are not going well, you
can adjourn to the pub there. There is always a lot of noise.’
‘Okay, thanks. I didn’t think of it. It will be perfect.’
Jocelyn felt agitated now. There is something serious about this one. Damn. He wouldn’t even tell me
who she is. Damn. After all these years of hoping that he would eventually turn
to me, that bastard had gone off to some other woman! He must have bought the
painting for her. That’s what hurts the
most, knowing that some woman has my painting. And he must have been seeing her
for a while to be comfortable enough with her to buy her such an expensive
present. Jocelyn thought about it over and over, trying to remember any
woman he had mentioned lately but she could not remember any mention of a new
woman.
~ ~ ~ ~
Trisha felt her heart pounding as he stood at the door of
her house. She wanted to turn back inside and shut the door and shut off the
rush of emotions that threatened to overwhelm her. What is wrong with me? Shit, I am getting all emotional now. She
took a long deep breath. No, I am just
feeling horny, she told herself. ‘Hi Rod.’
‘Hi, ready?’
‘Yes. Want to come in?’
‘Ur. Yes, okay.’
He stepped in and looked around. The painting was propped
against the wall on the floor. ‘Hmmm.’
‘Oh, Gareth said he would come over this weekend to put it
up for me.’
‘Yes, I see. Where will you hang it?’
 ‘Oh, over there, I
think.’
‘Not in your bedroom?’
She smiled. ‘I think I had better not.’
He looked at her and smiled. ‘Okay, we are going to
Harriet’s. Is that okay?’
‘Yes, yes.’
He was looking through her blouse and she wished she had not
taken Gareth’s advice. She felt exposed standing there and he looked at her
like she was standing naked before him.
‘Need a jacket? It might get cold.’
 ‘Ur, yes I suppose
so.’

When they drove to the restaurant, he was a little quiet. He
had a detached look about him as if he was pondering something serious.
 ‘Have you been busy?’

 ‘Yes, financial year
end, so things are a little hectic. Everybody is panicking and running around.’

‘Oh, so I shouldn’t keep you out late then?’
He laughed. ‘Trying to escape already?’
‘No.’
 ‘Good, now tell me about
your work. You are a vet?’
 ‘Yes, I deal mostly
with domestic pets. Dogs, cats and occasionally horses.’
‘Horses?’
 ‘Yes, I have a few
friends who farm in Belleview and I do some work out there. I go once a week.
Most of them have horses.’
 ‘But you don’t have
any animals at home?’
‘Yes, I suppose I don’t have much time to take care of them.
Also, I go down to a friend’s farm over the weekends and I would need a
babysitter for them every time. It would be inconvenient.’
 ‘Are you afraid of
some of the animals?’
‘Not usually. Often they just need to know you won’t hurt
them and they submit to you. I also tend to see the same animals, so they see
me as the person who eases their pain. They just need to be handled gently.’
‘I can’t see how you can do that. I would never handle
having to deal with growling dogs and scratching cats.’
She laughed. ‘You sound just like Gareth. He spends his
whole day looking at people’s rotten teeth and he thinks my work is gross. You
spend the whole day looking at numbers.’
‘Yes, but occasionally I go to a studio to see art.’
‘Yes, yes, and you buy it to pick up women.’ She smiled, and
he grinned back at her.
 ‘Tell me more about
your work. Why you do it?’
‘It is very simple. I like animals. I always imagined that I
would buy a farm someday and just live there with all the animals. But right
now, I like the city.’
 ‘Interesting. Somehow
you don’t look like a farmer’s wife to me.’
She laughed. ‘It shows how little you know about me.’
 ‘Yes, but I am
working on it. How do you know Gareth?’
 ‘We were at
university together. He dated a friend of mine and I dated one of his mates. So
we spent a lot of time in the same social circle. When we broke up, Gareth and
I kept our friendship. Also, everyone we knew seemed to have moved away, so we
have been stuck together for a few years now.’
 ‘And you never dated
him?’
 ‘No, we spent so much
time together as couples that he became like a brother to me. I am an only
child, so I sort of like having a brother.’
 ‘Yes, I see. But you
never had an affair with him.’
 ‘No. I suppose I knew
him too well by then. My friend Karen would spend hours talking about him and
intimate things between them. Also, I suppose he was the one who held me while
I bawled my eyes out when I broke up with Chris, his friend.’
 ‘Why did you cry?’
 ‘You know. I was
young and impressionable. We had different ideas about the world. I was very upset.’

 ‘Chris must be
kicking himself now. Miss him?’
 ‘Oh no. I think back
and imagine what a stifled life I would have had with him. He never really
fully appreciated everything about me. I would have been very unhappy.’
 ‘What did he not like
about you?’
But they were at the restaurant now and Trisha quickly got
of the car. He was far too probing for her liking. When they sat down, Rod went
back to his inquisition.  ‘Okay, now tell
me about Chris.’
 ‘No, Rod, it is very unhealthy
to talk about ex-anything on a first....meeting.’
 ‘Why?’
‘It is just not done. I would hardly investigate every
aspect of all the women you have known.’
 ‘Go ahead. Ask
whatever.’
‘No, let us talk about something else.’
‘Yes, perhaps you are right. What did you do today?’
‘I saw many cats. One died and a little girl, Vera, was
devastated. It was a little sad. But I needed it to distract me. And you?’
‘Oh my usual day until about 10. Then you phoned, so it was
an interesting day.’
Trisha blushed faintly. ‘Sorry, I didn’t mean to disturb
you.’
He smiled at her. ‘No, it made the day a little better.
Otherwise, I would have spent the whole day looking at numbers.’ He raised his
eyebrows sardonically.
 ‘Hmm you are so ....’

‘What?’
‘Ur, attentive. You listen very carefully. You watch
everything and miss nothing. It is a tad disconcerting.’
‘My apologies. It is an occupational hazard to pay attention
to detail.’
He was looking at her breasts now and she knew he was trying
to work out if she was wearing a bra. Thank
you Gareth, for that advice on the nude bra.
 ‘Oh, I was not
talking about that kind of detail.’
He laughed, his eyes sparkling. ‘I notice everything. But
sometimes, things are not entirely clear. Like, why, just now, when that couple
passed, you pulled your face in disapproval?’
‘What couple?’
 ‘Those two there.’
‘Oh. I just had this feeling that he was cheating on her,
you know.’
 ‘Remarkable. You
glance at them and you know this?’
 ‘No, I said I thought
that. I don’t know that. I don’t know them.’
‘Hmm, so when the old man over there walked passed, why did
you smile?’
‘What are you on about? Oh that guy. He smiled at me.’
Rod looked at her for a while. He could see that she was
lying.
‘I suppose you make a little nervous. So I am trying to
distract myself with stories about these people. Like I thought the old man
must be meeting someone special, you know someone he really cares about. His
body language.... you know.’
 ‘Hmm.’
Rod looked over her shoulder and watched the old man. He was
with a very young girl who appeared to be his daughter. He had hugged her and
they were excited to see each other.
‘Hmm, you are very intuitive then, because the old man is
with someone special. Now tell me why I make you nervous.’
 ‘Oh Rod, please, you
ask so many questions. That’s what makes me anxious.’
‘Good answer. Good answer. Fine, you ask me questions.’
‘Okay, let’s see. I don’t know.’ She rolled her eyes. ‘Okay,
do you have family?’
 ‘Yes, one brother. He
lives in the States. He is an architect, quite successful in his business, but
a little irresponsible. Wayne is somewhat of a ladies’ man. He likes all sorts of
women and breaks their hearts over and over again. He will be visiting next
week. Would you like to meet him?’
 ‘Ur, yes. And
Jocelyn?’
‘She is sort of my family. She used to date Wayne for a long
time and then he decided to go to the States. She refused to go and they parted
on unpleasant terms. Now they are friends again. Joss never really got over it.
I think she is still in love with him. But now she is seeing some dentist
friend of Gareth’s, Ian McGregor. Do you know him?’
‘Yes, yes. He is very cute, a little shy though.’
‘Cute? Hmmm.’
‘Yes, he brings his cat to me, so I see him occasionally.’
‘Dated him?’
Trisha laughed. ‘Do I have to reveal every single person I
have ever dated?’
‘Yes, that would be nice.’
‘Oh Rod, truly. This is not a good conversation. Your
parents. Tell me about them.’
‘Both are no longer with us. They have been dead for a while
now. But they were good people. My father was an architect and my mother an
accountant. So we are essentially products of our parents. They were wonderful
people who battled to keep up with their exhausting sons. I think they secretly
wished they had daughters.’
‘I can empathize with them. Two of you. That would drive
anyone crazy.’
He smiled at her and leaned back into his chair.  ‘Why are you not eating?’
 ‘Oh I am not too
hungry.’
 ‘Hmm. Your parents,
tell me.’
 ‘My mother died a
long time ago and my father lives down in South Crescent Park, with a “friend”.
She used to be my mother’s friend. I try to see him now and again, but I don’t
get to see him much. We have some differences. He thinks I am a little crazy
and I suspect he is a little afraid of me.’
 ‘Afraid, why?’
 ‘Because I’m not the
traditional woman he had hoped I would be. He would have been happy if I was a
nurse and had married some respectable doctor, had a brood of kids and lived
happily ever after.’
 ‘So he wants you to
settle down?’
 ‘Of course. All
parents want that for their children. Every time we talk, he asks me if I have
met “him” yet and then there is a lecture about the fact that I must get a real
job so men won’t be afraid of me. It is very tedious.’
‘Perhaps I should speak to him.’
‘Absolutely not! He would marry you off to me in a week.’
She was laughing and he just watched her, the way her neck
seemed to call him. Shit, I need to get
better control of my hormones. Everything she does heightens my senses and her
movements seem exaggerated and slow. He felt drunk with her presence and he
slowly sipped the smell of her perfume, which filled his head and made him want
to close his eyes and lie down next to her.
‘Hmmm,’ he sighed.

~ ~ ~ ~

When they left Harriet’s, Rod felt his anxiety rising. How
was he going to simply drop her off, quietly, like a gentleman, when he could
see her thigh so close to him, moving in those jeans, begging him to caress it?
How was he going to say polite things and be charming?

Trisha was also nervous and a little disappointed. He seemed
to uptight and preoccupied all the time. Perhaps he was not interested in her.
She just wanted to die. He was the most beautiful man she had seen. She wanted
him to observe her breasts for the rest of her life. The way he looked at them,
trying to fathom out whether there was bra, made her excited and flushed. Shit. But he seemed to drift off every now
and again. Suddenly there were images in her mind. A small white car flashed
across the screen in her brain, as it crashed into a large blue one. She tried
to look deeper at the image and she saw that it seemed to be happening further
down the road they were travelling on.
 ‘Oh shit! Rod. Slow
down. Stop the car!’
 ‘What?’
 ‘Please. Just slow
down.’ She was shaking now. She could see in her mind that there were other
cars involved, but she could not tell if Rod’s blue car was one of them.
He pulled over and switched off the car.
 ‘Trisha, are you
alright? What is the matter?’
She closed her eyes. No,
it is not his car. No, it is a bright blue. ‘Oh, nothing. I must be going
crazy. You just make me go crazy.’
Rod was looking at her. He had seen the dread on her face
and he wondered what had spooked her so. Her hands were shaking and she seemed
like she was going to explode in fear.
‘Okay...’ she sighed. ‘I can’t discuss this now. Please,
Rod, I am sorry.’
‘Patricia, were you involved in an accident?’
She looked at him, perplexed. ‘Ur... no, look please, I need
to go home.’
He noticed one thing now that he had not seen before. When
she lied, she clasped her hands together, as if she was praying. He wondered
why she lied to him so much.
‘Relax. Patricia, please. Let’s go for a walk, okay? Some
fresh air will do us both a lot of good.’
They walked in silence for a while.
`You can now confirm that I am a crazy woman.’
‘Hmmm.’ He sighed, because he wanted to hold her now.

They went back to the car and when they got close to her
house, there were police vehicles everywhere. They had to take a detour. The
policeman told them that there had been an accident further up and they were
taking some time to clear it up. Rod felt a weird sensation creeping inside
him, but he could not figure out what it was. He observed with interest as
Trisha clasped her hands again, waiting for him to ask something. ‘Hmm, it is
such a lovely evening.’ He smiled.
 ‘Yes, very
beautiful’.
And as she spoke he watched her unclasp her hands. Okay, at least now I know. I also know that
she doesn’t like to lie. It makes her feel anxious. What is going on with this
woman?
‘Rod, it was really very sweet of you to get me that
painting.’
‘Sure, fine.’
‘I am trying to make conversation with you.’
‘Why, Patricia? Enjoy the silence. Enjoy your secret,
private thoughts.’
‘Oh okay. I...’
She clasped her hands again and looked out the window.
Trisha was wondering why he didn’t ask her about the accident. She knew he had
figured it out. But he seemed to pretend nothing unusual had occurred. Perhaps
he had decided he was not interested in her and there was no need to discuss
it.
‘Rod, I am sorry that I turned out to be so flaky.’
 ‘You spend a lot of
your time apologizing. You are not flaky. You have not giggled once. In fact,
you might be criticized for thinking too much.’
 ‘Thanks, now you
sound like my father.’
 ‘Trisha, there is no
need to be complicated. We both know that you are playing some woman game. I
would like you to know that I don’t want to play tonight. I don’t want to talk
to you until you decide to be honest. I hate being lied to. So let’s just leave
it alone, okay?’
He could feel his antagonism towards her rising now. She
should be telling him everything in her heart, not trying to shut him out. He
wanted to place his hand on her breast to see if she was wearing a bra. He
wanted to make love to her, but she was just trying to shut him out.
 ‘Fine, if that’s what
you want.’
She looked out the window and wished she could get home
soon. He was definitely not interested and she wanted to cry. She wanted him to
want her, but he was too angry with her. When they got to her house, she jumped
out the car quickly, thanked him and rushed inside. Rod sat in his car and
watched her. She looked just as annoyed and edgy as he was. What is going on here? Why is she angry?

When he got home, he was in the shower when he realized what
had got him so twitchy. He had been so consumed with wanting her that he had
forgotten such an obvious thing. She had known about the accident before it
happened. She had been certain that he needed to stop or slow down and had
become panic-stricken. How had she known that? Why was she so angry with him?
He phoned Gareth.
‘Hi, I need your help.’
‘Hello Rod. Date over already?’
‘Yes, you told me that there is something special about her.
What is it?’
Gareth was still for long time. He had told Chris and he had
run away. He had been frightened by her and she had been so hurt. She had not
fully trusted another man again. Gareth was not going to do that to Trisha
again. Rod was an accountant and there was no way he would deal with her
special powers. He would freak out if he knew that she could tell all sorts of
things about people.
 ‘Oh Rod, she is not your
conventional woman, you know. She is different. She wants different things and
needs different things.’
‘Yes, okay, what does she need?’
‘A man who will accept her for what she is. Who will just
let her be, you know.’
 ‘No, Gareth, I don’t
know. That is exactly what she said. But every time I asked her anything, she
just lied. So I got angry and we did not part on good terms. She knows things
and then she pretends she doesn’t know. That pissed me off. I don’t know why it
pissed me off so much. So I lost it and we had a little fight.’
He sighed. ‘Oh that is awful. Rod, please, leave her alone.
She has a lot of stuff to deal with. Fighting with her has hardly helped. You
have just confirmed her worst fears. Where is she now?’
‘At her house. What worst fears?’
‘Rod, please, leave it alone. She is not your type.’
‘What worst fears? Gareth, I want to know.’
Gareth was silent for a while, hoping Rod would move on and
hang up. But Rod waited.
‘She has spent a great deal of her life being rejected. She
is afraid most of the time. She has been rejected because she does things
differently, because her life is different. She would think you wanted out, so
you started fighting to get out. You know, as a way out.’
Rod said nothing. ‘Okay I see. I am sorry to bug you, but
she just won’t let me in. I got frustrated.’
 ‘Rod, she is very
beautiful. All you will really get, if you are lucky, is great sex with a
wonderful woman. She won’t let you in. Because she tried that and it got her a
lot of pain. So, if you want sex, just tell her that. She would appreciate it.
I am sure she would like the sex too. That sounds crude, but really, sleep with
each other and we shall see. But wanting to know her, that won’t happen.’
 ‘So you are not going
to tell me, are you?’
 ‘No, Rod, I can’t.
She is the most precious person in my life. I owe her so much. I told you she
was different. Can’t you just accept that?’
 ‘No, I want all of
her. I want her body, of course, but there is a lot more there. I want it all.’

 ‘Rod, please, you
will hurt her. Leave her alone. She doesn’t deserve that.’
‘Fine, fine, I suppose I should apologize.’
‘Yes, that is a good start. Will you please leave her
alone?’
‘Okay, okay. But not telling me is just making me want to
know more about her.’
Gareth tried to phone her, but her phone was engaged. Who is she speaking to? He sighed. This Rod was going to be trouble. He is
accustomed to a world that makes logical sense. Nothing about Trisha makes
sense. Rod is going to drive himself crazy trying to figure her out. But he
wondered about that. He wondered if Rod might be different. He had seemed
interested in her and he really wanted all of her. But, again, he was a
powerful man who always had his way. He might be attracted to a woman because
she was so closed off to him.

Trisha climbed into her bed and cried. Damn him! What did she expect from some good-looking man? Typical!
She felt so disappointed. He had been so wonderful on the phone. But tonight,
he had been tense and distracted. She had wanted him to be the one who would
make love to her and hold her. She had wanted him to be the one who she told
her secrets to. She had wanted him to be there for her. She cried for a while
and fell off to sleep.  
~ ~ ~ ~

She woke up to the sound of the telephone. That is definitely Gareth, wanting to know
about the date. ‘Hmm, a bit late to call, you skunk. I am alone in bed.
Does that answer your question?’
‘No. Hi again Patricia.’
She kept quiet for a while. ‘Oh, Rod, sorry, I thought you
were Gareth. Sorry again.’
‘Don’t apologize. I need to apologize for phoning so late
and also for being such a total brute tonight. I am sorry Patricia. I was just
too uptight. It was not your fault, okay?’
‘Ur, fine, thank you for calling. That is very kind of you.’

‘Am I forgiven?’
‘Yes, of course. Really, it is fine.’
‘So does that mean you are willing to place yourself in the
range of danger and see me again?’
‘Oh Rod! It is best if we.... don’t. I can’t really deal
with you.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because you make me feel nervous and afraid.’
‘What are you afraid of?’
She was silent for so long that he thought she had gone off
the phone.
‘Patricia?’
‘You ask too many questions that I cannot answer. Yes, I
suppose I lied about some things. But I don’t want to talk about every single
aspect of me with a man I hardly know. I am not that kind of person. But you
want me to tell you everything and I just can’t. So I get nervous. I don’t want
to feel nervous all the time, waiting for you to pounce on me with the next
question.’
 ‘Sorry, I know, I was
a bit much, wasn’t I?’
‘Yes, actually.’
‘Patricia, will you see me again if I promise not to ask too
many questions?’
‘Why Rod, what is the point? You will sit there, getting
angry and I will sit there waiting for you to pounce.’
‘Hmm, an appealing image. Was it that bad? Did you fear me
pouncing on you? Was I that obvious?’
Trisha laughed now. ‘No, I would have been perfectly happy
if you wanted to pounce on me. But you wanted something else.’
‘Hmm, I see. Was I wrong not to pounce on you?’
She was giggling now. ‘Yes, that was the plan. Was that so
difficult for you?’
Rod laughed out. 
‘Yes, it is the ultimate test for a man to sit so close to the sexiest
woman he has ever seen and try to engage in social banter. Yes, Patricia, it
was very difficult.’
 ‘So why didn’t you,
Rod?’
 ‘Wow! You are a
cheeky one aren’t you? Okay, because I thought you would think I was an animal.
I was trying to be civilized.’
‘Oh, I see. Rod, why are we talking to each other like old
lovers?’
‘I don’t know. I have no clue what is going on. Now, how
about lunch tomorrow?’
‘I can’t. I have made other plans. I have to meet a client.’

‘I see. Patricia, do you want to see me again?’
‘Yes, but I know I shouldn’t. I am going to get hurt, aren’t
I?’
Her voice was soft and defeated now.
‘Patricia, what do you want me to say? I don’t know. I might
get hurt too, you realize that?’
‘Yes, of course. Rod, why can’t we just.... ’
And Rod laughed now. ‘You are the craziest woman I have ever
met. You just want my body?’
‘That would certainly help.’
Rod laughed again. ‘Now I have heard it all. You are quite
an amazing woman to dare to say that to a man.’
‘Sorry, I know it sounds awful. I just don’t need to get
myself hurt with promises that won’t work.’
‘I see.’
 ‘Rod, thank you for
calling me. I really appreciate it.’
‘Yes. Patricia, how did you know about the accident?’
She felt her heart beating rapidly. He had known all along. So why had he phoned?
 ‘Hmm, questions
again. This is not going to work, is it? You keep asking me these peculiar
questions. When I try to answer them, you won’t be happy with the response and
we will be back to square one. Rod, I have to go. It is getting late and I need
to sleep. Goodnight.’
 ‘Goodnight, Patricia.
Goodnight.’

Rod put the phone down and battled to understand what he was
feeling. He was frustrated and angry, but also pleased that she had opened up
to him, just a little. He was also somewhat relieved because he knew what made
her anxious. It happened when he asked her how she knew things. Fine, if that is the only problem, then it
is fine. I don’t care how she knows things, as long as she talks openly to me.
Yes, I don’t care. I only need to know that she is being honest with me and is
willing to open up to me.
But he remembered Gareth’s words that she had different
needs. What on earth is that about? What
does she need that is so different from other women?
He phoned her again.
‘Hmmm?’
‘Patricia. I retract that question. I don’t care how you
know these things. I only care that you will see me again. So, goodnight. I
will speak to you tomorrow, okay?’
‘Rod? Do you have insomnia?’
He laughed.  ‘Yes,
tonight. Never before. Sorry, my sweet. Sorry. I will see you tomorrow, okay?’
 ‘Fine, now please try
to get some sleep. Goodnight, Rod.’
Trisha smiled as she put the phone down. She liked the way
he was having a sleepless night over her. She liked the way he told her what he
was thinking, some of the time.

Rod did not sleep. He tried hard to draw clear conclusions
from the moment he met her. What
different needs did she have? What was it about her that Gareth was protecting?

But in the end, his best efforts at logic and
problem-solving were overshadowed by her green eyes that danced when she
laughed and her breasts that smiled sweetly at him through that ridiculous
shirt. Tomorrow, he would gently run his fingers through her hair. Yes, tomorrow, I will touch her, just to
make myself feel some a little touch of sanity.

---