As I've decided to keep this story going, I spent some time in this chapter developing my characters. There isn't a whole lot of hot and heavy in this chapter, but there is a nice shower scene. :) Enjoy.
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Kelly placed the last stack of documents into the "finished" box next to her manager's cubical. Her manager looked up at Kelly, gave a charming smile, and mouthed a "thank you" before continuing her customer call. On her way back to her own three walled cave, Kelly stopped to say hello to her best friend, Tammie.
"You seem to be feeling a lot better," Tammie noted.
"Yes. That day off really helped a lot," Kelly said.
"As you're feeling better and it is Friday night, do you want to go out tonight?"
Kelly thought for a moment. She had discussed possible plans with Brooklyn and she was extremely excited to see him again. Still, he would not be available until full dark and she was interested in visiting with Tammie.
"Okay, but it will have to be a little earlier in the evening. I have plans."
Tammie's eyebrows shot up. Four years of friendship and she had rarely seen Kelly give much of a thought to men. Sure, she went on dates here and there, but they were rare and usually only happened if Tammie or her mother set her up with someone they thought she would enjoy. The thing was, nobody ever seemed to spark an interested in Kelly's meticulous heart.
"I want all the juicy details after work! Don't you dare think you're going to get out of telling me who this 'date' is," Tammie said with a wag of her finger in Kelly's direction.
Kelly laughed. "Whatever, Tam-Tam. I'll meet up with you after our shift is over."
A few hours later and the women sat together at the bar sipping at their mixed cocktails and enjoying a light appetizer. Kelly said she didn't want dinner because of her date and Tammie made a comment about being dateless herself for a change.
Being without a male counterpart was somewhat unusual for Tammie, who was an attractive woman in her 30's. She had a teenaged daughter at home and was divorced, but she always found time for enjoying her freedom and the men that came with it.
"So, who is this man? Is that why you were sick yesterday?" Tammie said with a chuckle.
"No, I actually really wasn't feeling very good, but he made me feel a whole hell-of-a lot better. His name is Brooklyn."
Tammie looked at her and shook her head. "Brooklyn? Is he a gangster or something?" she asked.
"What? No! He's definitely not a gangster. He's just. . . Different."
"Different, huh? Well, where did you meet this 'different' man."
Kelly sipped thoughtfully at her colorful drink. She knew this question was going to come up and she had to create a clever tale that would be convincing enough for her friend to believe.
"I met him at the park not far from home. I was going for a walk and I kind of bumped into him," she lied.
"The park? He must be pretty amazing if he's gained your attention for more than one date." "What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Kelly asked, annoyance in her voice. There were times that she believed her mother was conversing with her best friend, but she never had any solid proof of it.
"Chill. It's just that I have hooked you up a hundred times with very good looking men that have great careers and would be perfect for you, but you have never given any of these guys the time of day."
Kelly gave Tammie a knowing smile. "Trust me, it isn't my day I am giving this man."
"So what then? Are you just sleeping with the guy? I didn't think that was something you did." Kelly thought about the wonderful night she had spent with her winged lover. She thought about his husky voice as he whispered his desires into her ear, thought about his beautifully inhuman physic, and thought about the protective manner in which he guarded over her when she dozed off while wrapped warmly in his wings. She blushed a bit and her entire lower half throbbed painfully with a carnal and distinctive need.
Conscious of her crimson color, and her friend's smirk, Kelly grabbed her glass and drank from it quickly while diverting her eyes to the ancient tin advertisements that decorated the bar's walls. When she risked putting her now emptied glass to the table and looked at Tammie, the woman was already gathering her things to depart for the evening.
"I think it's a good thing that you've found someone to enjoy. It's about damn time! Listen, I don't want to pressure you into giving me all the juicy details but I do want to make sure you're happy and you're sure this guy is worth sharing your bed with. Unless you're really great at keeping those kinds of secrets from your best friend, you haven't been intimate with any of your other dates. So he must really be special and we all have needs that must be met," Tammie said.
When Kelly began her employment at the insurance agency, Tammy took her under her wing and showed her the ropes. She explained the complex social ladder that resides at the core of all businesses ran almost purely on the emotions and thoughts of women. She was also frank with her but understanding. It was terribly difficult for Kelly not to spill the entire truth, but something within her knew that no matter how understanding Tammy was, she was not ready to absorb the reality of it. Plus, she had made a promise to her lover that she could not betray.
"I just want to make sure he's the right one before I start really falling for him," Kelly said simply as she gathered her own belongings.
The two women walked in thoughtful silence to the front door. It was a quarter past eight and the night crowd, eager to drink away a week's worth of slave labor, was starting to fill up the joint. Once they were outside, Kelly noted the setting sun. It was well into September and the nights were coming quicker by the day. This meant more time available to those who slept in the daylight hours.
Tammie embraced her friend in a welcoming but firm hug. "Just make sure he takes care of you." "Oh, I'm not worried about that."
