Wednesday, March 27, 1985

'Just for the future? Wet becomes you.'

'Great!'

David floored it, and sped away from Omar Gouse's home as fast as he could. He checked his mirrors several times just to see if anyone was chasing after them, but it seemed they were in the clear. As soon as he pulled onto the freeway, it became very obvious to him that Maddie was shivering. He threw the heat on high.

'Hey, you okay? You want me to pull over? I can look in the back... or in the trunk for a jacket or somethin'... blanket maybe.'

'No, David, just hurry and get me home. I can't wait to get out of these wet clothes.'

'Okay, I get that you can't wait to get out of those wet clothes, but there is one minor detail to consider if we go to your place first... will you have something I can change into?'

'Well... no... I don't think so…'

'Right, that's precisely why I think we should go to my place first. I can give you one of my t-shirts and a pair of sweatpants.' He felt confident that was the way to go.

She did not agree. 'No way am I going to your place dressed like this, David. Just drop me off, and then you can take the car.'

They drove for a few minutes in silence.

Finding it hard to believe, David again asked her... 'You really don't have anything I could wear? An old boyfriend's shirt and shorts, maybe... tucked away... forgotten in the back of a drawer somewhere?'

He was prying... always trying to find out little things about her personal life. Not in any kind of a twisted way, of course. It was simple. He liked her. He only wanted to get to know her better.

'No, I really don't have anything like that, David. You'll just have to go home.'

'Okay, that's okay. That works. You want me to leave the heat on?'

She looked over at him. He did seem genuinely concerned. 'Yes… it feels good on my legs.' She ran her hands back and forth over her thighs… letting the friction warm them up.

David glanced down at those sexy thighs of hers. He could barely take his eyes off of her smooth… long legs. Stop that, David, he thought… keep your eyes on the road. He had to suppress the urge to lick his lips. In her presence… sometimes, he still had to pinch himself to know that he wasn't dreaming.

'You know, that was thrilling tonight. I mean, I didn't appreciate the getting wet part. But the rest of it... it was thrilling.'

'You mean the "detecting" part?' he asked.

'Yes... and I'm excited to get into the office tomorrow morning so we can update our file on this case.'

David couldn't help the satisfied smirk from forming on his face. He turned to look out the driver's side window. He was so enjoying working with her, but he didn't want her to see how much.

'Sorry about your opera glasses, by the way.'

'Oh, that's okay. I can always get a new pair the next time I go to the opera.'

David chuckled.

'What? What's so funny?'

'Nothing...'

'No, David, you're laughing. Why are you laughing?'

'I've just never met a woman your age who liked the opera.'

'Oh...' She was actually a little surprised.

'I'm not sayin' that's a bad thing. Opera's probably great. Can't be much different from your rock operas… you know, like "Tommy" and "The Wall", right?'

She laughed at his naivety. 'No, David, not much different at all.'

Pretty soon David pulled the red Corvette into her driveway. He hopped out and ran around the car to open the door for her. She stepped out holding her arms crossed tightly over her chest, partly because she was cold and partly because she felt exposed.

He put his hand on the small of her back and started walking her towards the door. 'Nice night, ain't it? For two people... taking a leisurely stroll outside in their wet skivvies...'

Suddenly, Maddie exclaimed, 'David! My key! I don't have my house key!'

'What?! How?!'

'It was in my pants pocket... the pants that are now on Omar Gouse's roof!'

'Okay, okay... there's no need to panic. I got this... I got this. Remember the other night when you were out with Preston Holt? Well, I got into your house... no problem. I'll just do it again.'

Maddie nodded in agreement and put her hand out as if to say, go right ahead.

David winked and smiled at her. 'I'll be quick. I know you want to get out of those clothes.' He went to the side of her house where there was a trellis attached to the siding. He climbed the trellis to the top, which was not an easy feat in socks without shoes. He was then able to hoist himself up onto a narrow ledge using a small Magnolia tree as leverage. Once there, he scooted a few feet to the left and was able to easily open up an unlocked bathroom window that was just large enough for him to slip through.

Maddie stood on the ground watching every move he made. Then when he was finally inside, she hurried back over to her front door. When he opened the door, there she stood, holding up the key to her house.

'Hey... where'd you find that?'

'I remembered that for safekeeping I put the key in the glove box. But you know what, David? The other night, the strangest thing happened... I had a bear break into my house.'

'Wouldn't by any chance have been a Poppa Bear, would it?' He grinned.

'It was a Poppa Bear! But now that I know he most likely climbed that trellis to get in, I'll be sure to call my gardener tomorrow morning to have that thing removed.'

'Heck yeah, you can't have forest animals sneaking into your house now, Maddie. Think of the damage they can do.'

That charming look on his face... that knowing smile. She knew she should be angry at this man, but for some reason, deep down inside, she felt she could trust him. 'Go on, get outta here,' she told him. She really wanted nothing more than to go inside, get out of her wet underclothes, take a warm bubble bath, put on her comfortable pajamas, and just sit down and relax with a glass of white wine.

'You sure you're okay? You know... I could stand guard by that unlocked window...'

She physically put her hands on him and pulled him out of her doorway. 'Goodnight, David!'

'Okay, I'm going.' He walked with a spring in his step over to the car. As he opened the door to sit down, he said, 'Now, just remember, Maddie, you can always call me if that bear comes back...'

She pointed to the end of her driveway. 'Go, David.' She tried to maintain her seriousness, but the tone of her voice was lighthearted.

Before he left he blew her a kiss out the open window. 'G'night, Sweetcakes!'

She stood in her doorway and watched as he drove away. She rolled her eyes and let out a little laugh. Never in a million years did she ever think she'd have a night like this one. Damn, that was fun…