followed by the sound of the door opening. “I saw what
happened!” said Mr. Fugleson barging in.
“Tamera's fine,” said Brie, irritated by the
intrusion.
“Yes, I'm fine, Tony,” said Tamera rising
from the couch, walking languidly towards Mr. Fugleson in her
bikini and stopping just inches from him, face to face. “I bumped
my head falling off the dock,” she said, sliding her hand through
her blond mane, exposing her scalp and showing him the bump.
“See?”
“Oh, yes, look at that,” Tony said,
stammering.
“Thank you for your concern, Tony,” said
Tamera.
“Sure,” he said, swallowing.
“Brie here saved my life. I owe her
everything.”
“That's great! That's just great!” said Mr.
Fugleson, a little too energetically. “Good job, Brie!”
“That was quite fortuitous that you were
looking into our yard just as I got knocked over by the
water-skier,” said Tamera.
“I just happened to be watering the
hydrangeas and looked up just as it happened. I would have come
over to help, but it was clear that Brie had everything under
control.”
“Yes, what did you think of Brie's life
saving technique?” said Tamera. “Did you take notes?”
“Uh, a little, yes... I was far away so I
couldn't see much.”
“I think you saw a lot—maybe from your
telescope—and that's why you're out of breath,” said Tamera
smiling. “Brie was very attentive and detailed.”
Though Brie thought Mr. Fugleson was out of
line by spying on her and Tamera, she thought Tamera was being
needlessly cruel. Brie understood men's needs and, though she
wasn't attracted to “creeper” types like Mr. Fugleson, she felt a
little sorry for them.
“I think I know who that water skier was,”
said Tony, trying to change the subject. “Ted Stanley. Maybe you
should sue him.”
“You could recognize him from that distance?”
said Tamera, dropping her hand, now drumming her fingers gently
against Tony's bulge in his pants. “He would have been even further
away than Brie and me. I think you're lying. If you could identify
a fast moving water skier I think you could see the two of us just
fine. You were using that telescope weren't you?” Tamera's said,
her fingers stiffening and pushing into his crotch. “I bet you were
watching me even before I fell in.”
“I, uh...”
“How many times a day do you watch me, Tony?”
said Tamera, “We keep the shades open so you probably get to see a
lot of me. I'm pretty comfortable in my house and I sometimes walk
around without much on. And now that Brie's living here, you must
be going bonkers.” Tamera abruptly pulled her hand from Tony's
crotch, her voice growing hard. “I will file both criminal and
civil complaints against you if I happen look over at your house
and see you staring back. Telescope or no telescope. My legal bills
will be minimal. Yours won't be.”
“Okay, okay,” said Tony, staggering backwards
from Tamera's onslaught, reaching for the door. Brie was stunned by
what had just transpired. She understood for the first time why
Tamera had made partner at such a young age. Hers was a steel trap
mind wrapped in a formidable body that would knock any male (and
many females) off balance long enough for her cold intellect to
stick the knife in. Brie could see Tamera one day running for
public office and winning every time, accumulating power that could
make a difference. The prospect was both exciting and frightening.
But today Tamera would have to be content in destroying just Mr.
Fugleson.
“I think that was kind of mean,” said Brie,
as Mr. Fugleson slid the glass door shut behind him, Brie deciding
right there that she did not want ever to be on the receiving end
of Tamera's wrath.
“Since when did you become so understanding?”
said Tamera. “You know damn well he's been using that telescope on
you during your mowing.”
“It's probably hard having someone like you
living next door,” said Brie. “I've seen his wife, so I guess I
felt
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