On Bended Knee

Chapter 5

Thanks to Frederick's unexpected kiss, plus Lucy's late evening nap, she was tossing and turning most of the night. No-one had ever kissed her the way that Frederick had, like a quick blast of fire. Or maybe lightning. Whatever it was, it had left Lucy stunned, all her nerve endings electrified, yet aching for more.

She dragged herself out of bed the next morning, poured some coffee down her throat, then ran down the stairs to knock on Janelle's door. Lucy was hoping her landlady was keeping to her usual routine this morning and was already awake despite the early hour.

Janelle answered the door carrying a huge mug of coffee, a pair of work pants slung over her shoulder.

"Morning! What brings you by so early, Luce?" she asked.

"Can you drop me off at my car when you leave for work? I had to leave it at the parking area by the city trail yesterday."

"What'd you leave it there for?"

Lucy gave her the short version of yesterday's events.

"I thought I heard a car outside pretty late last night. Were you running in the dark?" Janelle asked, making it clear that she thought they certainly weren't doing any outdoor activities last night.

"No, it wasn't like that. He just didn't want to leave me alone when I was half-blind." She rested her elbows on Janelle's substantial kitchen table and blew the steam away from her piping coffee.

"Did you tell him that I was right downstairs?"

"Well, no, but I wasn't completely sure. I didn't see your car."

"Did you ask him to look?"

"No, but—"

"Did you tell him," she interrupted, "That I helped you through that migraine you got your second day here, and that I made you promise to tell me if you had one again so I could keep an eye on you?"

"Hey, I took those stupid pills that make me, you know, stupid, for a few hours. I can't think of everything!"

"He stayed because you wanted him to stay. And he offered because he wanted to stay. You're a big girl. You're allowed to have men in your apartment after dark." She wagged a coffee spoon at Lucy. "Don't go brushing off a good thing because you're scared. Everything good is a little bit scary."

"Then you'll be happy to hear that I'm positively terrified about him coming over for dinner in a couple days," she said triumphantly.

"Atta girl!" Janelle crowed. She mussed Lucy's hair which, fortunately, hadn't been brushed yet that morning. Lucy rolled her eyes. Janelle was treating her like a teenager with a crush even though she couldn't have been more than a couple years older.

Janelle glanced at the microwave clock. "You'll have to tell me more in the car. I'll meet you out front in a half-hour."

* * * * *

Frederick sat in a makeup chair with his eyes closed while a petite blonde woman fussed with his hair. The drone of the hairdryer and the warmth on the top of his head was doing little to keep him awake.

It had taken him hours to get to sleep once he made it back to his hotel room. Mental flashes from his day had kept him from drifting off. Lucy's strong body as it jiggled just a little with each step while she ran; he often let her get ahead of him just for the view. Lucy's face twisted with pain when the migraine set in. The feel of her small body against his as he guided her back along the trail. The pretty sound of Lucy's laughter when he'd admitted to having spotted a skunk.