When Ken came in, he heard low grumbling coming out of Perry's office, while Della was behind her desk, sniffing, whiping tears from her face with a small white handkerchief.
" Della? Are you all right? " It took him a few seconds to realise they were tears of laughter. And she wasn't sniffing, she was chuckling.
" Goodmorning, Ken. " She barely got it out.
" What's with him? " Ken asked her.
" Oh, it's just one of these days. He's had a bad night, I suppose. "
" Has he been working late again? "
" Yes, he has. Very late. " She chuckled again.
Then Ken walked in to Perry Mason's office, not sure what to expect.
Ten minutes before
They sat next to eachother behind his desk, going over the alibi's of the suspects he was going to examine in court tomorow. She wrote down his questions and remarks, as she tried to hide a small yawn. Yet he noticed.
" You're yawning, miss Street. Is it that boring to you? "
" I'm sorry, Perry. I didn't get much sleep last night. "
He chuckled.
" You should take better care of yourself then. "
" Excuse me? "
" What, Della? "
" You should take better care of me. "
" What do you mean? I took you out to a nice fundraising diner, to meet very nice people, I had you a glass of very nice wine, and then I had the courtesy to drive you home safely. "
" Oh yes, and then you insisted on bringing me inside safely, because it was late. And then the second I closed my frontdoor, you were all over me…. I didn't have any case,
Perry. "
" Well, I recall you weren't exactly objecting either. "
" I couldn't. You were kissing me for at least ten minutes, leaving me gasping for air, I couldn't make any noise. "
" Miss Street. " He put on his glasses, and looked into her eyes boyishly. " You did make noise eventually. "
" Oh, stop it. "
" Oh, allright, I'll rest my case. But, you are lucky. "
" I'm lucky? "
" Yes, you are. I could have eaten you in that dress last night. "
" You did eat me. "
He watched her from over the rim of his glasses. She was right. He actually did eat her. He could eat her again now. Being playful, charming, beautiful. His gaze went down to her gorgeous legs, and he wondered if the stockings would feel as inviting to his fingers now as they had done last night. He swallowed. The way she had allowed him to have her, wearing nothing but her dress and her heels. My God. Even after fourty years, she could still make him forget the ground he was walking on.
" Perry? "
" Hmmm? "
" Stop undressing me with your eyes. "
" I wasn't undressing you. "
" U-uh, you weren't, uh? "
" No, I already did that when you came into my office. "
She hit him on the head with her notepad.
" Stop it now, Perry. You're seventy something years old for goodness sake. Besides, we've got work to do. "
He sighed.
" Could you get me the pictures of the Henderson case from over there, please? " He tried to sound serious.
" No, I have to write this down. Get them yourself. "
" I can't. "
" You can't? "
" I can't get up right now. "
It took her a few seconds to get the meaning of his words. From the look on his face she understood he had meant what she thought he meant. She rolled with her eyes.
" Now, counselor…. you can't get up, hmm? "
She got up, found the pictures he asked for and handed them to him. She leaned onto the desk and crossed her arms in front of her.
" Let me help you with that…..temporary problem. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and now picture Reston in the courtroom barking at you…."
He grinned as he closed his eyes. " That's better. "
" … now picture old Hamilton Burger…"
" Better. "
" … picture lieutenant Brock…"
" ouf… even better…."
" …. .now picture Della Street, naked on your bed, begging you to take her…."
" Oh, get lost, Della Street, now! Get out of my office! Damn it! "
Then she ran out, laughing out loud, while he threw his pencil at her and hit his desk with both his hands.
She sat down behind her own desk, shaking with laughter, trying to find the little white handkerchief in her purse, while she heard Ken come in.