Author's Note : These are all original characters , therefore no copyright infringement issues apply .

Chapter Three

Three hours of sifting through bills and expense reports later , Eileen stepped into my office.

" Frank , " she called . "It's noon-thirty already , and you need to eat something . Where do you

want to go ?"

I shuffled the stack of paperwork on my desk into a neat stack and rose from the chair .

" C'mon doll . Let's go get something from that Irish pub in Greektown . "

She grimaced , but decided to come along anyhow . She slipped into her coat as I was pulling on

my trench and my battered fedora . " Okay , " she agreed , " but you're buying ." she told me.

"Wouldn't have it any other way ," I told her with a wink and smirk .

It was only reasonably cold ; an unexpected warm front had moved into the area .

We climbed into the battered Impala and pulled into traffic .

I lit a cigarette and glanced over at Eileen. She was watching me closely out of the corner of her

eye , studying , appraisingly almost. I had no idea what it was all about , but I figured

it was going to be trouble for me one way or another .

Traffic was light , and we made it downtown in about five minutes .

Over our lunch of Reuben sandwiches and soup , there was little conversation .

Due to the prolonged hours of surveillance , I had been skipping meals , and it was starting

to show .I wasn't going to waste time with idle banter when there was food in front of me.

Eileen nibbled at her sandwich but was still watching me closely , measuring me up .

Finally , she must have made up her mind about whatever she was kicking around in there ,

because she finally spoke up . " Frank , you should take it easy for awhile . If you keep going

at this pace , you're going to burn yourself out ."

So , that's what this was about . " Trust me , doll ," I told her . "After we put this cat in the bag

it's gonna be a long vacation for both of us . I know it's way overdue , but I can't take a break until

this case is closed . Until then , I'm gonna be the same hard-charging sonofabitch

I've always been , even if it kills me ." "That's just it Frank ," she pleaded .

"I'm worried about you . You haven't been getting enough sleep, with all of this surveillance .

You're skipping meals , and I know you've dropped at least five pounds . This isn't healthy for you.

Let me take the watch detail tonight . Just take a little break . Eight hours of sleep won't kill you ."

She had a point , and a damned good one at that . I HAD lost weight , ten pounds , to be exact ,

and I was generally underweight to begin with . I was sorely tempted to take her advice , but I knew

that I couldn't . "I appreciate the offer , babe , but that's a no-can-do . I have to see this thing

through until the end." I told her. She just shook her head and watched me light up a smoke.

I took a deep drag and exhaled a thick blue-grey cloud of smoke through my nostrils .

I finished my coffee and poured another , the waitress having left the pot at our table.

We just sat there , in a comfortable silence .The smoke filled the gap between us , and I could feel

something stirring in the air . It was like a dull electrical current that ran between us .

We sat there long enough to watch the late lunch crowd dine and leave , and then I knew it was

time to go . I paid the check and left a hefty tip for our waitress .

Walking out to the car , we discovered that the warm front had disappeared , and the clouds

had formed overhead . A soft touch of bitter cold hit my cheek . I looked up and there , in the

afternoon greyness , large soft snowflakes were falling . We stood there , close to each other

as the snowfall increased . It muffled the sound of the city , muting the raucous noise of traffic and

construction . The snow was falling in big , fat flakes , and pretty soon you could hardly see ten feet

in front of you . Eileen was acting just like a kid . Twirling around in the snow , arms outstreched ,

trying to catch the larger ones on her tongue . I sometimes forgot that she was from southern

California , so every time it snowed it was like the first time for her . I watched one of the tinier

snowflakes as it descended and settled upon the tip of her nose . I stepped beside her , and

tapped her lightly on the shoulder .She turned towards me , and as my hand cradled the side of her

face , I wiped the snowflake off with the tip of my thumb . Her eyes grew large and soft as she

stepped in towards me , and I bent my head towards her waiting lips .

Her mouth met mine eagerly , yearningly , and I responded with a hunger for her that I

didn't even know I had hiding inside of me. Her arms wrapped themselves around my neck,

as she pulled me closer to her warm body . My head was spinning , and I gently pushed her

from me , breaking the kiss while I took a small step backwards .

Eileen had that doe-eyed look about her , and I knew that if I met her eyes when they were like

that , then there would be no stopping myself . I just took her by the hand and led her to the car.

"C'mon , kitty . . . . we have work to do, and won't accomplish anything by playing in the snow ."

She got in and we lit our cigarettes . That doe-eyed look was gone now , replaced by the look that

only a woman with an insatiable hunger can have. " We could go play somewhere else , Frank .

There's plenty of time left before work," she said throatily . I dragged hard on my cigarette ,

focusing on the nicotine instead of the sensual curve of her mouth , or the way her breasts strained

against the fabric of her blouse . I shook my head and leveled with her .

"Playtime's over , Kitty . Let's go to work ."

I put the car into drive and headed back to the office .

Things had just become alot more complicated ; I just hoped that I wasn't going to wind up

regretting starting this . . . . .