somberly, feeling unreasonably disappointed as she watched him pull away and rush off to his overnight shift.
It was a Saturday night, and she suddenly felt edgy and lonesome. She also felt a little suspicious that he had so unceremoniously deposited her at her doorstep after one beep from his employer, if that’s really who it had been. Why couldn’t they get someone else to cover the shift? Certainly the city of Burlington must have greater resources. But, perhaps not, she mused, realizing that she was standing dazedly outside in the darkness staring at an empty driveway.
*****
Sabrina awoke the next morning still annoyed and perplexed by Gio’s abrupt departure. She stumbled into the shower, adjusting the water to the hottest temperature her body could handle. As she reached for a bar of glycerin soap, she was astonished to hear the unmistakable chime of her doorbell. She hadn’t invited anyone.
A little frightened, she got out of the shower as the bell sounded again, and she wrapped a pink towel around her sopping wet body. With silent footsteps, she crept downstairs and looked out the peephole.
Gio! What was he doing there so early and unannounced?! Very conscious of the fact that she was half-naked and without any make-up, she opened the door the slightest crack, as Gio peered in, catching his breath at the sight of her. While Sabrina was self-conscious of her au naturel appearance, Gio thought that she looked exotic, like a numinous mermaid.
He struggled for words as she opened the door a little wider, “Good morning, beautiful.” She blushed at his compliment. He delved into his jacket pocket and removed a small gold box tied with a ribbon. “I got out of the firehouse about an hour ago and thought that you might like this.” He handed her the box, as she clung more tightly to the towel and cautiously reached for the box.
“Thank you. I can’t really open it right now, as you can see.” She motioned towards her towel. “Could you tell me what it is?”
“I’ll leave that to you. For now, I’ll let you have your privacy. I’m going home to catch some zzz’s. I’ll give you a call in the afternoon, Sabrina.” With those words and a tense smile, he turned away and boarded the truck.
Chapter 4
Inside the truck, Gio felt himself break out in a cold sweat. It had taken all his control to leave her standing in the door, wet and nearly nude. How he wished he could have gone inside and up to her bedroom, yanked off that towel and made love to her…but he had done the gentlemanly thing. As hungry as he was to see what was underneath that towel, he wanted to court Sabrina. The woman got a kick out of flirting and seducing, no doubt, but she was not a conquest. She was someone he wanted to get to know from the inside out. But, oh, how he looked forward to becoming acquainted with her outside. Even though he had just clocked out of work, Gio was not the least bit tired. Deciding to burn off his pent-up energy with a vigorous jog, he headed home to change into his running suit.
Drenched with perspiration after his nearly two hour jog, Gio came home with no other wish than for a cold shower. To his dismay, Max was waiting for him at his doorstep. “Man, you’re lucky it’s a Sunday and I’ve got nothing better to do. I’ve been waiting here for half an hour.” Max shook his head and pointed accusingly at his watch.
“Why were you waiting here?” Gio was blank-faced.
“Did you forget we were going fishing today?”
Wiping beads of sweat from his brow, Gio apologized, “Max, I completely forgot. So much has been going on with me lately. Come on in and I’ll tell you about it.”
Max followed Gio up to his third floor loft, trying not to be angry at his
It was a Saturday night, and she suddenly felt edgy and lonesome. She also felt a little suspicious that he had so unceremoniously deposited her at her doorstep after one beep from his employer, if that’s really who it had been. Why couldn’t they get someone else to cover the shift? Certainly the city of Burlington must have greater resources. But, perhaps not, she mused, realizing that she was standing dazedly outside in the darkness staring at an empty driveway.
*****
Sabrina awoke the next morning still annoyed and perplexed by Gio’s abrupt departure. She stumbled into the shower, adjusting the water to the hottest temperature her body could handle. As she reached for a bar of glycerin soap, she was astonished to hear the unmistakable chime of her doorbell. She hadn’t invited anyone.
A little frightened, she got out of the shower as the bell sounded again, and she wrapped a pink towel around her sopping wet body. With silent footsteps, she crept downstairs and looked out the peephole.
Gio! What was he doing there so early and unannounced?! Very conscious of the fact that she was half-naked and without any make-up, she opened the door the slightest crack, as Gio peered in, catching his breath at the sight of her. While Sabrina was self-conscious of her au naturel appearance, Gio thought that she looked exotic, like a numinous mermaid.
He struggled for words as she opened the door a little wider, “Good morning, beautiful.” She blushed at his compliment. He delved into his jacket pocket and removed a small gold box tied with a ribbon. “I got out of the firehouse about an hour ago and thought that you might like this.” He handed her the box, as she clung more tightly to the towel and cautiously reached for the box.
“Thank you. I can’t really open it right now, as you can see.” She motioned towards her towel. “Could you tell me what it is?”
“I’ll leave that to you. For now, I’ll let you have your privacy. I’m going home to catch some zzz’s. I’ll give you a call in the afternoon, Sabrina.” With those words and a tense smile, he turned away and boarded the truck.
Chapter 4
Inside the truck, Gio felt himself break out in a cold sweat. It had taken all his control to leave her standing in the door, wet and nearly nude. How he wished he could have gone inside and up to her bedroom, yanked off that towel and made love to her…but he had done the gentlemanly thing. As hungry as he was to see what was underneath that towel, he wanted to court Sabrina. The woman got a kick out of flirting and seducing, no doubt, but she was not a conquest. She was someone he wanted to get to know from the inside out. But, oh, how he looked forward to becoming acquainted with her outside. Even though he had just clocked out of work, Gio was not the least bit tired. Deciding to burn off his pent-up energy with a vigorous jog, he headed home to change into his running suit.
Drenched with perspiration after his nearly two hour jog, Gio came home with no other wish than for a cold shower. To his dismay, Max was waiting for him at his doorstep. “Man, you’re lucky it’s a Sunday and I’ve got nothing better to do. I’ve been waiting here for half an hour.” Max shook his head and pointed accusingly at his watch.
“Why were you waiting here?” Gio was blank-faced.
“Did you forget we were going fishing today?”
Wiping beads of sweat from his brow, Gio apologized, “Max, I completely forgot. So much has been going on with me lately. Come on in and I’ll tell you about it.”
Max followed Gio up to his third floor loft, trying not to be angry at his
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