Title: Trouble comes in Twos - Part 13
One of the laws of a good first kiss is that something has to interrupt it.
Of course, this being the most intense and overwhelming kiss, let alone first kiss, that I've ever had... it's the cellphone ringing that interrupts us.
From the ringtone, it's Darius. I could kill him right now but my gun is still in Baton Rouge and I don't think the kitchen knives would suit my purposes.
I step back from Nora, my hands still on her hips, and my lips still tingling.
"I'd say 'Saved by the bell' but I don't want to be saved right now," I tell her, our eyes glued to one another, both of us a bit breathless. Leaning forward, I give her a soft but quick kiss and say, "Don't go away."
She does that sexy little quirky grin of hers. "I'll be right here."
"Darius, you have the worst timing..." I answer the cell testily.
"I'm sorry, but I didn't want to surprise you in case..." Darius answered.
Deciding to give him a bit more grief, I reply in a sickly sweet tone, "You didn't want to interrupt what, Darius?"
Noticing Nora coming up to me out of the corner of my eye, I turn and wink at her and tilt the phone so we both can hear.
"Umm... you know, interrupt..." he stutters, at a loss for words.
Nora grins and speaks this time, "Well, you know Darius, we're in the middle of something really... really... really... interesting here, so perhaps you should get to the point?"
I laugh at the silence coming from the cellphone. "What gives, Darius?"
He clears his throat before talking, "Umm... nothing really. I'm just being driven up to the house right now."
"'Being driven?'" I reply just as I hear what sounds like a truck coming up the long driveway. Definitely not Darius' Pontiac 4 door.
"Honey? I'm home," he quips just before hanging up.
I throw the phone back on my nightstand and look at Nora, meeting her green eyes.
What have we started here? Was this just a kiss?
No. God no.
Nora reaches up and brushes a lock of my hair back from my face. "Don't worry about it right now," she says, seemingly reading my thoughts.
I twitch my lips in a semblance of a smile, then walk out of the room to the front door, knowing she's right behind me.
A tow truck?
Opening the screendoor, I step out onto the front steps to greet Darius as he hops out of the cab. Thanking the driver, he walks up to us with a very sheepish look on his face.
"Don't worry Darius, we were dressed," Nora tells him smirking.
Darius' wide white grin shines in the dark. "Maybe later?"
"Did that piece of junk you drive finally give out?" I ask, getting to the point.
He sweeps past me and we follow him to the kitchen. "You should know better than to mock a man's car, Darlin'. Nina is a delicate woman."
"Nina? After anyone in particular?" Nora queries as she starts to clean up dinner.
If anything, Darius' smile grows wider, "Nina. After Nina Simone, The High Priestess of Soul and my car has a lot of soul."
"Well, at least you have good taste in music," she replies, filling a sink full of soapy water.
"Heh... and women!" he quips back, seemingly pleased that Nora knows who Nina Simone is. Of course, if you live in New Orleans, there are three kinds of music you are surrounded by: Zydeco, Jazz, and Soul.
"Well, you seem to be in one piece, so I assume you didn't wrap it around a tree," I comment after looking him over just to be sure.
"Stalled out on I-12, couldn't get it started again, so I'm having it towed to a shop near home. I was going to just catch a ride with the tow truck back to Nola, but I didn't want to leave two gorgeous women all alone in the house," he smirks and puffs out his chest. "I've got to protect the women-folk."
"Well, if a rabid chipmunk decides to attack the house, we'll be sure to throw you out in front of us first," I reply with amusement. Personally, I think Darius was actually hoping he was interrupting something. The fact that it wasn't as dirty as his mind was wishing for, isn't for lack of wanting on my part.
"Well, it'll be a tight squeeze, but you both can ride back with me," Nora offers readily, "I'm not sure when you two want to get back, although I know Nikki wants to wait for Officer Newton to sign her gun back over to her."
I wonder if I can call dibs on the middle spot now.
"So you two aren't going to stay and help with the investigation?" Darius says surprised.
Nora shakes her head negatively, her back to us as she starts washing dishes. I take a dish towel and help dry the freshly cleaned dishes, and if we're standing a bit closer than is necessary and if our arms brush against each other regularly, neither one of us seem to mind.
"It's not our jurisdiction, Darius. I'd love to help them out, but I don't know the people or the area as well as they do. We've done all we can to help and Nikki isn't going to be dragged off to the women's prison in chains..."
"Now there's a mental picture," I whisper just loud enough for her to hear. "Me and cuffs... "
Nora clears her throat and continues, drawing a low chuckle from me since I have a good idea that my words brought up some interesting pictures in her mind.
"So, unless Officer Harkins asks us to help, we can't very well push our noses into the investigation any more," Nora finished, nudging me gently with her elbow in retaliation.
"So, you ladies heading off to bed soon?"
I think about Nora and her ribs, and the fact that I'm dead tired from the little sleep I've had over the last few days.
"I have a fantastic idea. How about we torment Darius a little and let him have the spare bedroom tonight," I suggest before Nora can answer, just loud enough for Darius to overhear.
"Well, you all make sure you keep the noise down. I don't want to mistake any noises for some of them rabid squirrels and come rushing in to protect ya'll," he throws right back.
"I think I can safely say the rabid squirrels won't be making an appearance tonight. Your snoring will keep them at bay, Darius," Nora quips, shooting him a sassy grin.
He says good night to us and gives us time alone, going out onto the porch to make up his bed.
Nora and I spend our time in silence washing the dishes. Just being alone with her sends my pulse into overdrive.
My thoughts drift to Monday and us going back to the office. The real test.
"Nora," I start, then become so nervous that I lose track of how I want to ask her the question.
She dries her hands on a dishtowel after rinsing out the sink, then turns to me. Looking into those eyes of hers just sends my heart rate into dangerous levels.
Seeing my nervousness, Nora smile reassuringly and reaches up to cup my cheek. I put down the dishtowel and turn to her. "Listen..."
"No," Nora says as her thumb sweeps along my jaw near to the corner of my lips. "Don't say no."
I tilt my head into her palm and reach up with my hand to hold hers to me, "I was going to ask you something."
A radiant smile breaks across her lips. I pray to God that I don't break her heart, I can't imagine not seeing that smile again.
"Sorry," she apologizes, her trapped fingers warm against my cheek.
Even this, such a small thing really, is very distracting.
"Go out on a date with me?" I finally get it out.
The soft look she gives me is reassuring, "Anywhere. Anytime."
TBC