Chapter 11
Jeremy had been having surgeries on his arm and chest all that night and into Saturday morning. Valerie and Karen had refused to leave the hospital the whole time. Rhonda came with their mother as soon as Karen called them.
Valerie was still sobbing a little when Polly and Rhonda arrived. Polly hugged her youngest daughter rather tightly, hoping to make her stop crying altogether. She was calm, then Polly said, "All right, Valerie, now I want you to tell us what happened. Karen said something about Jeremy being bitten by a dog. Whatever it is, I hope animal control puts that damn thing down!"
"It's not that, Mom," Valerie replied. "Bowzer, from C.O.P.S., he came by my place for an impromptu date this evening."
"Bowzer, the one with the robot police dog?" Rhonda asked.
"Yeah, he brought his little canine pal along with him," Valerie answered, "even though I asked him not to."
Rhonda looked at her sister as if she'd said something crazy. "Well, gee, Valerie, what did you expect him to do? Accuse me of knowing too much, but I've seen them all around, and I know that Bowzer doesn't go anywhere without Blitz. Those two are closely bonded."
"Well, I was nervous about Blitz being around Jeremy," Valerie said, "but Bowzer tried to convince me that he was very friendly off-duty. You should've seen them when they were playing in the living room; they seemed to enjoy each other. Blitz was even obedient when Bowzer showed me his voice control device. Then, Bowzer and I got to talking, and when I started telling about Tom, he took Blitz down to the basement all by himself–"
Polly became infuriated then. "What?" she barked. "What do you mean, he took Blitz to the basement by himself?"
"He told me in the ambulance on the way here, Mom," Valerie blurted, almost ready to cry. "He said when Bowzer was asking about Tom, he decided that he didn't want to stay around and listen anymore. He said he was leaping around the recreation room, and Blitz was getting all excited and jumpy. Thank God he didn't have anything to tease him with."
Polly got more disgusted. "Valerie Julianne Slamier!" she blasted. "You mean to tell me that you let Jeremy go off alone and unsupervised with a canine he's not familiar with, while you and your friend stayed upstairs, immersed in your conversation! Young lady, I thought you had more responsibility with him than this!"
"Mother!" Karen cried. "Can't you see Valerie is upset enough? She doesn't need you harping on her like that! I'll have you know that she immediately broke it off with Bowzer because of this! She never wants to see him ever again, and I don't blame her. He should've left that thing behind when he came to see her!"
"I agree with that," Polly said. "Maybe Jeremy shouldn't have had any exposure to the dog to begin with. But Rhonda is right about police officers like Bowzer taking their dogs everywhere with them, expect places where dogs aren't allowed." She scowled at Valerie again. "You should've expected that, and kept watch on your son that whole time. You shouldn't have been so indulged in your intimacy that you didn't know Jeremy went off by himself. And you should've looked for him when you did. So this is also your fault, Valerie."
Valerie sighed, consuming her mother's lecture. Maybe she should try to make up with Bowzer when they've both calmed down. She only prayed that Tom wouldn't know about this. She knew he'd try to get custody over this, something she couldn't let happen.
At the headquarters, Bowzer was getting just as little support from his team. Bulletproof, Barricade and Highway were especially unhappy about what had happened with Blitz and Jeremy.
"How the hell could you have let that happen!" Bulletproof exploded. "You know how a dog like Blitz can be with a child like young Jeremy!"
"I swear, Jeremy went off by himself with Blitz when we got to talking about Valerie's ex," Bowzer said defensively. "I presumed they'd just been playing together. We'd been talking about Tom for about five minutes when we realized they were gone. And then, Valerie got this look that said she wanted to try something with me."
"No way!" Barricade objected. "She wouldn't have noticed her son was missing, then turned back to you looking all romantic. It really isn't like her to be that irresponsible."
Bowzer replied, "We heard Jeremy scream from the basement just as she was about to kiss me."
Barricade and Highway looked at each other with heavy disbelief about Valerie. If she had regretted her part of the incident, they just might forgive her. Bowzer looked at his K-9 partner, equally regretting not watching over him that night. He knew it'd be a long time before Valerie wanted to see him – or Blitz – ever again.
By late Saturday morning, Valerie learned that Jeremy would be all right, though his condition was still critical. The specialist told her, "He'll have to stay in the hospital for a least a week while we run some tests on him. We can maybe provide a cast for his arm, and some medicine for the bites on his leg, but we're going to need transplants for both his breastbones and rib cage."
"What about his heart and lungs?" Valerie asked.
"Both are still in good working condition, and have not been damaged in the dog attack," the specialist assured her. The family was crying happily and hugged each other. Valerie thought about Bowzer then. Maybe she should forgive him, so long as he leaves Blitz at home for a while.
That evening, Valerie was watching TV alone. Nothing but police shows, old action movies, and variety comedy shows, but she didn't mind. She wasn't in the mood to go out anyway. If Mace, Sundown, Barricade or Highway called, she'd tell them, and ask them to come over. She felt alone without Jeremy. Maybe some company would be a good idea, but she thought, Nah, I'll let them call.
During the commercial break, she got up to fetch more diet cola and snacks. While she rummaged through the pantry, the phone rang. She checked the caller ID. It read C. Howards.
"Mace, excellent!" she whispered. She picked up and saw Mace on the small screen. "Mace, hi! I'm so glad you could call."
"Hey, Valerie!" Mace replied. "I had to call, after learnin' with Blitz did to Jeremy. Bulletproof was really grillin' Bowzer good. All I thought about then was you. So, how's the kid doin'?"
"He's doing just fine," Valerie answered. "The crisis is over, but they still need to do more on him, including put a cast on his arm. They need to keep him for a week, at least." She decided not to tell him that she might give Bowzer a second chance. She thought that would only fuel Mace's competitiveness.
"That's great. So what else is new?"
Valerie told him about the account with Dempsey Breakfast Foods, and how Jeremy was going to promote their new cereal. "They're going to have his picture on boxes in supermarkets all across the country, and he's going to be in commercials which I'll be producing. I'm so excited for him. Maybe this'll boost his confidence to the sky."
"That's so wonderful, baby. Maybe this'll help Jeremy realize how special he really is." He paused. "I'm already lookin' forward to spendin' time with him. I want him to know that I do love him like I love you, and that he's worthy of a real man's love."
Valerie touched her throat in delight. "Mace, that was so sweet of you to say that. Oh, but I wish you could be here right now, so I could kiss you."
"I think I can take care of that." Mace puckered to the screen on his phone. She laughed and replied, "Well, I've never really given anyone a kiss over the phone, but here goes." She puckered up and put her lips to her screen. They kissed their telephones.
He had a big grin. "Well, how'd it feel?" he asked.
"Really weird, actually," Valerie answered. "I think maybe I'll stick to kissing in person from now on. Speaking of which, how would you like to come over and see me? I'm feeling a little lonely, and I don't really feel like going out tonight. I know it might take my mind off Jeremy, but still–"
"I understand completely," Mace replied. "I still have your address. I'll try to be over in twenty minutes. See ya." She smiled and they hung up.
Valerie rushed to turn off the TV, change into a sexier outfit, fix her hair and makeup. She was teasing her hair in her bedroom mirror when the phone rang again. "Hello?"
"Valerie?" the voice asked. "Valerie, it's Sundown. What's happenin' with ya, sweetness?"
She told him what she told Mace about Jeremy. "I take it you also witnessed Bulletproof giving Bowzer hell over what happened here last night."
"Sure did," Sundown answered. "And I was gonna feel sorry for ya, 'cept Bowzer revealed that you weren't watchin' him, either."
Valerie rolled her eyes. "Now, don't you start with that!" she spat. "I already put up with that shit lecture from my mother. At least Mace was gracious enough not to bring it up."
"Valerie, I don't like ladies cursin' like that. You said that notorious S-word."
"Oh, God, you Southern gentlemen have such high expectations of ladies, don't you?" she complained. "Sundown, I'm beginning to think you may be a little out of place here in Empire City. Tell me more about being recruited here from the Lone Star State." She checked her watch. "On second thought, save that. Mace is coming over in less than ten minutes and–"
"That's nice. I've got your address right here. I'm comin' over, if that's all right wit ya." He hung up before she could respond.
"Shit, I can't believe I told him that!" she cried, slamming the phone down. "Fuck, now there's going to be a battle royale." She brushed her hair quickly, then covered her face in powder, and put on her lipstick quickly, yet carefully.
The doorbell rang just as Valerie went back to the living room. She answered the door to see Mace in a brown leather jacket and black jeans. She swore she could feel her heart slamming at her chest as he took off his glasses and gave a big, sexy grin.
"God, but you look gorgeous tonight," she sighed as he walked in. "But then again, you're always gorgeous with that face. Take off your jacket. If you're shirtless underneath, I'm going to fucking lose it!"
He slowly unzipped his jacket, as if he was exotic dancing. He took it off to reveal a white muscle top with spaghetti-thin shoulder straps, and a neckline low enough to show off his chest. She was stammering without saying anything, until she said, "Did you overwork yourself at the gym, or what?"
"You wish I did," he replied. "I spent all my off-duty time at headquarters today, dumbbellin' and bench-pressin' just for you, sweetheart!"
Unable to control themselves, Mace and Valerie started making out when they went out to the living room. She excused herself to close the living room curtains, then went back to him. They continued making out, their hands all over each other. During the session, he noticed his bouquet for her on the end table to the left of the sofa. He excused himself and moved it to the coffee table.
"What kind of music do you like?" she asked. "I'll bet you're the type who likes that old rock 'n roll. Why don't we go downstairs? I've got this new jukebox that has all kinds of music from forty years ago onward." They got up, and the doorbell rang again. Shit, that's Sundown, she thought. She excused herself to answer the door. If I see him shirtless, it's going to get heated in here.
She opened to see Sundown in denim jeans, a white T-shirt with a black leather vest, and black cowboy boots and white cowboy hat. She immediately said, "What are you supposed to be, an old Western biker?"
"Hilarious, Valerie," Sundown replied. "I thought I was lookin' sexy for ya."
"You do look sexy," she assured him. "You certainly dressed up for the night, that's for sure. That's actually a good look for you."
"Thanks, babe." They kissed.
He followed her into the living room. He saw Mace sitting on the sofa in his muscle shirt, and tried hard not to laugh. Instead, he said, "Uh, Mace, ain't that nightclub downtown, the Rainbow Station, havin' a blue collar hunk contest tonight? What, didja leave in the middle o' yer dance routine?"
Mace jumped from the sofa. He looked as if he wanted to attack Sundown. "Why you…" he began, but Valerie quickly stopped him.
Sundown looked at his bouquet for Valerie, on the end table to the right of the sofa. He looked at Mace's bouquet on the coffee table. Sundown glared lightly at Valerie and said, "Why, Valerie, I can't believe you appreciate Mace more than you do me. Well, I'll fix that!" He proceeded to take both bouquets and vases, and switch their places.
Mace began to feel threatened. "Hey!" he boomed. "Just what is the big idea, Sundown! You tryin' to upstage me in front of her!"
"I was merely tryin' to show Valerie what would make this room look perfect," Sundown answered. "My yellow roses bring about a sunny disposition to the room."
"Bullshit! My purple roses coordinate to make this nice room look nicer!"
"I'll bet they do! Those yellow roses of Texas belong on that there coffee table, so you keep yer mitts off, Bubba Beefcake!"
"You call me that one more time–"
Valerie could tell where this was going to lead to, so she stepped in between them. "Boys!" she said. "I do not want two grown men – who happen to work together – to be fighting in my living room. I was under the assumption that you guys came over to cheer me up. C'mon, let's go downstairs and play around with my new jukebox. We'll dance to some old time rock and country. And we've got a mini-bar there, too. Rhonda said the old owners filled it up with alcohol and ingredients before they left." Mace and Sundown agreed, and Valerie led them downstairs.
She went back to the hospital the next day, to visit Jeremy. She saw Elise and Brian there, as well as Cindy and Tyler. Both mothers held her as Valerie said, "Girls, I'm so glad to see you here."
"Hey, no way were we going to let our sons go without spending time with their new best friend," Cindy said. The women watched them play a game of crazy eights.
A few minutes later, Jeremy had only one card left. He called out loudly, "LAST… CARD!" Valerie had to shush him and say, "Jeremy, remember you're in a hospital. People may be sleeping after operations and such. You'll have to be very quiet, okay?" Jeremy nodded silently, and the boys continued their game.
She sat with Cindy and Elise, and Elise said, "So, what's the situation with Bowzer? Longarm told me everything at dinner last night. Is it really over between you two?"
"I was thinking about it," Valerie replied, "but then my mother started grilling me about how I should've been watching Jeremy, and how it shouldn't be all his fault, and everything else. Perhaps I can give him another try. She is right, after all, Bowzer and I should've paid closer attention to them while we talked. Hell, we should've gone straight to the basement."
Hey, for all you knew, they could've gone outside," Cindy suggested.
"No way, Cindy!" she insisted. "Jeremy would never go out anywhere in the evenings without an adult. Especially not in this city. He can't handle himself."
When they were all gone, and Valerie was truly alone, she walked up beside Jeremy. "Sweetie?" she said.
"Mom?" he replied.
"Sweetie, you know how I got mad at Bowzer last night?" Valerie asked. "Remember when I threw him out when Auntie Karen came over? Well, I was wrong to do that."
"Blitz was… his dog," Jeremy said. "You… were… nervous… to… have him… around… me. Oh,… but… he was… so… friendly. Maybe I… shouldn't… have… got him… worked… up by… jumping… around."
"No, sweetie, it was Bowzer's fault and mine," Valerie replied. "He and I should've gone downstairs to keep an eye on you and Blitz."
She looked just a little more firm. "It would've helped, however, if you'd told us you were taking Blitz to play in the recreation room."
"Please… don't… let… Dad… find out… about… this," Jeremy pleaded, his eyes looking like a puppy dog's. "He'll… take… me… away… from… you. I don't… want… him… to be my… Dad… anymore. I want… whichever… one of… the… C.O.P.S.… you… want."
She kissed the top of his forehead. "Your bastard father won't know about this," she promised. "He has that restraining order, remember? Even if he does find out, there's no way he'll be able to take you. This was just a little thing compared to all the stuff he did to you. You remember that."
She then took A Wrinkle in Time from her purse and showed him. Right away, he told her when he left off. She sat down beside his bed and began reading to him.
That evening, after dinner, Valerie was putting away the dishes when the doorbell rang. She expected it to be Karen, whom she invited over for coffee, while Bart and their sons spent a planned night out for Father's Day.
Instead, she saw Dr. Badvibes, dressed in a vintage 1970's tuxedo, clutching a single red rose. In front of the house, she saw the Big Boss' limousine driving off. Unimpressed at his look, she folded her arms and said, "Okay, and who are you supposed to be? The biggest fashion victim of Big Boss' crew?"
"You flatter me, Valerie Boston," Dr. Badvibes replied. "Why, I don't think we've been properly introduced." He told her his name, then kissed the back of her hand. She immediately snatched it away, but managed to accept the rose.
They proceeded into the living room, where Dr. Badvibes looked at the end tables and dining table. "Lovely floral arrangements, Valerie. May I ask where you got them from?"
"Let's just call them your competition," she answered. "Now I have a question for you: how the hell did you find this place?
"I managed to get your sister's address – your old one – from Nightshade," he replied. "From there, I persuaded Squeaky to drive me there, desiring only to get your new address from her. To do that, I told her that I loved you, that I thought of only you, your beautiful hair and eyes, the smart, ambitious way you carry yourself, and that I was a lot more deserving of your hand than any of the C.O.P.S. who are yearning for you. After all, both you and I know that they only want you for the sex. I long for so much more."
"I'm sure you are, Badvibes."
"You underestimate my seriousness, Valerie." He took her over to the loveseat. "Maybe some of the other crooks are also in it for the bedroom action, but only Big Boss and I profess our true love to you. Besides, I know you high-profiled career women. You tend to go for intelligent men of noble professions. I am a man of science, one of the noblest professions of all. And since I was so nice to your sister, she was nice enough to tell me that you aren't the materialistic type. That's wonderful. Sure, those C.O.P.S. you've been lusting after have brains, but they also rely on brawn to get their jobs done. I know that women of your description don't go for men like that." He ran his fingertips across her cheek. "Neither the Big Boss nor I are like that. I promise that if you choose either of us, we will make you as happy as a woman should be."
Yet, Valerie felt as if Dr. Badvibes was acting creepy. She quickly got up from the loveseat. "Look, Badvibes," she said, "I'm sure you have good intentions, but do you have any idea how weird I'd feel if you tried to kiss me in public? I'm just as law-abiding as the next person; what would everyone else think? How would this look to my son? And the Big Boss is fat, ugly and creepy, while you're scrawny and have bad fashion taste. Did you build a time machine and steal that from a tuxedo shop in the 1970's, by any chance? I may not be materialistic, but even I know that brawny good guys beat overweight and nerdy bad guys any day in the game of love. You will only drive me into the ground, especially if Big Boss likes it on top." She tossed the rose into his lap.
Disgusted, Dr. Badvibes started for the front door. "You know, Valerie," he said, "you can't keep rejecting us forever. If one of us has to rip off our clothes and take you in order for you to get the hint, believe me, we will. But we will have you in our possession. This is one game the C.O.P.S. will not win." With that, he slammed the front door and walked away.
Valerie went into the kitchen to boil some water for tea. She thought about Bowzer then. She'd kept all the love notes that came with the bouquets, including his. She went to her bedroom, and opened her bottom dresser drawer. She'd kept them beneath her underwear and socks; she was looking for the pink paper.
She found it and took it to the kitchen. She dialed Bowzer's phone number, and the answering machine picked it up. At the tone, she said, "Bowzer? Bowzer, it's Valerie. Listen, I've been thinking long and hard about what happened the other night. I've decided that Blitz's attack on Jeremy was just as much my fault as it was yours. We both should've asked each other they were, looked for them and watched them. My mother let me know this as she gave me shit that night. For that, I want to say I'm sorry I yelled at you, and I'm willing to give our love another shot. Please call me as soon as you get this, we need to talk. Goodbye." She hung up.
Just then, the doorbell rang again. Valerie sighed harshly. "I'll bet Badvibes has come crawling back," she muttered to herself. "Or maybe the Big Boss wants to grill me for another rejection." She was hoping it was Karen.
She was delighted to see Karen at the door. "Thank God it's you, sis! You won't believe who just came by." Valerie prepared tea for the two of them, and she told about Dr. Badvibes' visit.
Karen shuddered. "I'm as brilliant and computer savvy as he is," she said, "but I wouldn't be caught dead with him, even if Bart weren't around." She started to laugh. "Isn't that ironic! They say bright, successful women like us are supposed to attract men like Badvibes."
Valerie laughed louder. "Whoever came up with that must be seriously disturbed."
She didn't want to talk about Dr. Badvibes anymore, so she said, "Um, so I thought about what Mom said – you know, about how my disaster date with Bowzer was my fault, too. I was thinking about him just before you came, and I decided to give him another chance."
Karen nodded skeptically. "I don't know," she said. "If I were a single mom years ago, dating an cop from the K-9 unit, and if my boyfriend's dog did to either of my boys what Blitz did to Jeremy, I'd break it off with him and never take him back."
"You would if you admitted you hadn't watched Drew or Shel either," Valerie argued.
Karen thought about that for a few moments. "Well, I'd admit fault on my part. But I still wouldn't take him back. I'd have trust issues about him with my boys." She drank her tea. "Besides, you shouldn't be so hung on Bowzer. You also have Mace, Sundown, Barricade and Highway."
"Don't worry, I haven't forgotten them. In fact, Mace and Sundown came over, and they managed to cheer me up. But still, it wouldn't hurt for Bowzer and me to say sorry and make up. That's what mature quarrelling lovers do."
They decided to watch a movie, a horror film called The Alice Show Murders. They saw a liberal, rebellious mother of a wild teenager boasting that her daughter helps run the house, helping the girl beat her younger siblings and such, on a talk show about wild teens going to boot camp. She is heavily criticized for it, fights with several strict mothers on the panel, and refuses to send her daughter to boot camp. During that time, she kills the boyfriend of one the mothers, and they all kill her in turn. After they're all acquitted for murder, the main mother comes back on the show as a ghost from Hell, killing all the strict and angry parents and guardians who bring their wild teens on the show for boot camp, not stopping until she satisfies her hunger for revenge. Along the way, she kills the mothers who were on that fateful show taping; one is thrown off the railing while shopping with her daughter at the mall, another is stabbed in the shower, Psycho-style.
Karen was getting more and more horrified watching all the vengeful murders. She looked over to notice Valerie was enjoying it. After the shower scene, Karen finally screamed, "That's it! Shut it off, Valerie! I can't bear to watch one more caring Mom get killed!"
Valerie stopped the DVD, and Karen immediately took it from the player. "I am taking this back first thing tomorrow morning," she told her. "God, Valerie, I don't know why you talked me into getting this!"
She stayed until it was just after eleven, then said, "Well, I guess it's time for me to go. You have another busy week, I imagine. Thanks for the tea. And I'll see if I can get you something better than this Alice Show Murders crap. I don't think you want to have this around when the C.O.P.S. come over here. I think they'd dump you in an instant." She remembered that Valerie's birthday was coming up. "And I'll surprise you, okay?"
When she was gone, Valerie turned on the TV. She stayed up until midnight, waiting for Bowzer to call back. She never heard the phone ring, so she got herself ready for bed. She said to herself, "I'll bet all the C.O.P.S. are serving the night shift together."
Bowzer never called back until that following Wednesday. Valerie never knew what to think about it. She wanted to believe that he was giving himself time to think about what happened to Jeremy. But if several days pass after the breakup, and he hadn't called back yet, then it could mean that it was over forever. That's what Teresa had told her that day in the ladies' room, at least.
She had given this advice in a first attempt to be her friend. "Look," she said, "you may not have watched your kid when the dog was pounding on him. But if your date, the dog's owner, goes for days without approaching or contacting you with an apology, it means he believes it's all your fault, and it just goes to show what an asshole he is. He won't take responsibility for his actions."
Valerie didn't want to believe her, and didn't know if she should. Moreover, where did she hear about this in the first place? Cindy and Elise were the only ones at work who knew about this, and she'd never seen them tell her anything. Perhaps they told some people in strict confidence, and they told Teresa.
Valerie smirked at her. "Listen, Teresa," she said, "you may be the expert on romance, and chief advisor on other people's love lives, but that doesn't change the fact that you still gossip. I say he's still feeling horrible about this, and he's giving himself time to recover. It's been five days, I think that's long enough." She turned to leave. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to get back to work."
But Bowzer hadn't called all day. She thought, Okay, he's probably recovered, but he got too busy to call. I'll bet he and the others are dealing with that stupid lovesick gang of Big Boss'. That evening, she was working on her computer while listening for him. She wasn't the type to sit by the telephone. The only calls she got were from Polly, and a member of her project team, calling with more information.
Two hours later, he still hadn't called, and she was thinking about going to bed. She was beginning to think that maybe Teresa was right, maybe Bowzer was blaming her for Blitz's behavior towards Jeremy. She tried very hard not to cry. She had shut down her project for the evening when the phone rang.
Oh my God, could this be him? she thought as she walked to the kitchen. She checked the caller ID when she got there. R. Pointer. If she remembered his note, Bowzer had signed as Rex Pointer. She picked up quickly. "Hello?" She was surprised and happy to see his face on the screen.
"Hey, Valerie," Bowzer said. "How have you been?"
"I've been doing okay," she answered. "Jeremy's condition has been improving over the week. They put a cast on his arm, but he still needs bone transplants for his chest and ribs. They found a donor already, now they just have to surgically put them in his body. They expect to have him released by the end of this weekend."
"That's wonderful," he replied. He cleared his throat. "Listen, about Friday night, I really want to tell you how sorry I am for what happened."
"No, it's my fault," Valerie said. "I should've expected you to bring Blitz over here. Rhonda said that K-9 officers like you go everywhere with your dogs."
"No, I should've listened to you, and left Blitz at home," Bowzer insisted. "Yeah, he and Jeremy were friendly with each other, but this wouldn't have happened if he weren't there that night."
"Really?" she asked. "Do you want to know what my mother did as soon as I told her what happened?" Remembering Polly's nagging, Valerie repeated every word of what she said.
"So, she grilled you, huh?" he said.
"Yes, and I realized that I should've gone down to the basement and watched Jeremy play with Blitz."
"No, we should've been watching. Blitz is my dog, after all."
There was a pause, then Bowzer said, "Listen, Valerie, I really do love you. I just can't bear to lose you over one preventable incident. I really want nothing more than your forgiveness. I mean that."
She was instantly taken by his plea, and replied, "I've already decided to forgive you. Listen, I know you're prone to taking Blitz everywhere, but you might want to leave him at home when you come here for the next little while. Perhaps we can see him when Jeremy and I come to see you."
Bowzer smiled. "It's a done deal."
"And if you come over here without the dog," she continued, "maybe we can make up in a romantically snuggly fashion. I hope you still have my address."
"You bet I do. I'll see you in fifteen minutes, tops. Don't fall asleep on me. Bye."
She giggled as she hung up, and went to her bedroom to change into something sexy. She opened her sleepwear drawer, and took out a sky blue negligee that went down to her knees. She stripped off all her clothes, including her bra and panties, and put it on. She was glad it wasn't see-through. She wanted to give Bowzer a sexy surprise without looking like a prostitute.
She saw him park in her driveway, and opened her front door before Bowzer approached it. From outside, he was immediately taken by her outfit, and let himself in without ringing the bell. Wordlessly, he started kissing her lips, neck and chest. Aroused, she touched his chin with her index finger, and he looked up at her. She brought his face towards her and kissed him back.
They tiptoed through the main hallway to her bedroom, as she started taking off his clothes. By the time they got there, he was wearing only a pair of briefs. Grinning, Bowzer led Valerie into the dark room, and she locked the door.
A/N: I'm going to be in Winnipeg tomorrow to get my eyes tested, and I will be out of town all weekend, so I probably get much of an opportunity to work on this the whole time. I'll be with my sister and brother-in-law, mostly; I just passed up a chance to go on a boring boat cruise along the Red River, (watching houses go by for four hours – yawn!) my father has a weekend full of meetings, and my brother-in-law's mother's birthday is this weekend, and he and my sister plan to spend Father's day with HIS parents. Yes, my dad told me all this.
Furthermore, next week, I plan to start on something original for my next Night Writers meeting, so I may take longer to update the next chapter. But I can promise you this, the romances between Valerie and the C.O.P.S. will get a HELL of a lot hotter (pun definitely not intended.) However, as stated at the beginning, it won't be pornographic; I'm not getting into trouble over this. So until then, be prepared.