8

 

Tripp drifted in and out of dreamland, one minute he was in the hospital then next he was floating somewhere, then there were bright lights and he was back in darkness. He wondered exactly how far he would have to go to prove to the spies and the general public that he was in a loving relationship. He really didn’t want to think about although he knew he would have to, he was willing to do whatever it took to keep up the charade but can he keep his personal feelings separate from work. Sure he could he was a professional after all, but he would have to sit down and talk with Lee when she was fully awake. This may seem like a simple task but it will take a lot out of everyone psychologically.

            Lena smiled in her haze, it was nice to be awake and she really didn’t care about what will happen in the very near future but she knew that when she got out of the hospital things were going to change. First she would get a haircut, she’s had the same hair for so long and she wants a change, then she’ll get another tattoo and then start working out more often and work on her abs then she can get a cute belly ring. She giggled at her own vanity but continued to enjoy the haziness that clouded her mind. She would also buy some new clothes and go out on dates, sure be more sociable and then buy a dog, her cat won’t be too happy but she always wanted a puppy. The haze lifted and she looked around, this wasn’t the hospital, when did they leave the hospital? She pinched herself and winced, ok she was awake, or was she still dreaming? Lena’s head started to spin and her stomach grumbled. Lena raised her hand to shield her eyes, there was bright sunlight spilling through floor to ceiling windows. She looked at the sun glinting off the water. She opened the doors to the deck and shivered as the cold air hit her skin, she watched the small waves wash up on the pebbly beach and she smiled, a waterfront home, nice. She was staring at the waves when movement caught her eye; she stared at a man playing fetch with his Golden Retriever. She moved further down the deck to try and get a better look at him, from where she was standing he looked pretty damn fine. She smirked to herself and then laughed, she was already settling into her new surroundings, even though she didn’t know where they were. The air was chilled against her skin and she hugged her bandaged arms closer around her, the air smelled like the wilderness but there was also the smell of ozone. They must be near a city, she also caught the smell of flowers and rain on the air. The man had stopped playing with his dog and was now staring at her; she waved and then felt ashamed because of the bandages on her arms. He smiled and waved then ran down the beach with the dog close on his heels. Lena raised an eyebrow and smiled, oh yes she was definitely getting a puppy now. Her stomach rumbled again and she made her way back inside.

            Tripp stood in the kitchen and raided the fridge, his head still felt like there was an anvil pounding in it and his stomach felt sour but he needed food. He bent into the fridge and winced but continued to survey the food situation. They were fully stocked and there was no need to go out and eat, maybe pizza and a movie. He grabbed a beer from the bottom shelf and cracked it open. It’s bitter taste caressed his tongue and warmed the sour pit of his stomach, or he could just get drunk and not have to worry about food. He touched the bandage on his abdomen and then the one on his shoulder and sighed. He leaned against the counter and stared out the windows at Lake Ontario, it was a lovely view the sun was setting and there were dark clouds skirting the robin’s egg blue of the sky. He saw a man running along the beach with his dog and made a mental note of the guy’s appearance, he could be one of the spies or he could just be a guy out for a run with his dog. Tripp sucked down some more of the foamy, amber liquid and then licked his lips. He decided to go see if Lee was awake and see if she was hungry, at least it will give him the opportunity to see if she was well enough to hear about their new mission. He stopped and looked down into the sunken living room, the room was plush but boring, and if they were going to live here for a while it would definitely need some personal touches. The furniture was white and over stuffed, the carpeting was white as well which contrasted with the off white walls. A huge stone fireplace was on one wall and the room was bathed in sunlight from the skylights and the huge floor to ceiling windows overlooking the lake. This was going to be one of his favorite rooms. He padded down the hall and knocked on Lee’s door, there was no answer so he knocked again, then pushed the door open. He looked around and didn’t see Lena in the bed, he saw movement on the balcony, Tripp smiled to himself and took another swig of beer, and he pushed through the billowy curtains and stepped out onto the balcony. Her hair was blowing in the wind and he noticed the tattoo on her lower back, cute he never noticed that before. She was looking at the guy on the beach; Tripp felt the corners of his mouth twitch and decided that maybe they should get a dog. He looked at her bed where a furry gray lump lay in the shafts of sunlight. The cat regarded him with a bored expression then turned on her back and closed her eyes. It was nice of Vivian to remember to bring Lee’s cat, the animal didn’t like him but he will have to bribe her. He made his way over to Lee and wrapped his arms around her body and laid his head on her shoulder.

            “Just relax it’s only me, our new assignment has landed us in Canada and we have to portray a newly engaged couple.” He inhaled the scent that enveloped her, he always did like her smell, and it was a layer of baby lotion, coconut and sandalwood. “It is going to be a little difficult to get used to but I’m willing to make it work if you are.” He buried his face in her hair and inhaled.

            “I’m sorry I got you shot, I was certain I could handle it on my own and I thought you were just yelling at me to get out because you were being your normal jerky self” her voice was soft and he felt her yielding to him, she took his beer from his hand and took a drink, he smiled in her hair and took the bottle from her.

            “You shouldn’t be drinking dear, you still have the bad junk in your system and booze and drugs don’t mix well.” He set the bottle on the railing of the deck and held her tighter; she shifted in his arms and stared at him.

            “You should talk, so what names are we going by when we are out and about with John Q. Public?” she stared at him and she was still pale as a sheet of paper but there was a glow to her.

            “Well let’s see my passport says I’m Michael Franklin Ashford and your passport says Isabel Alice Smith.” She wrinkled her face up and raised an eyebrow, then bust out laughing.

            “Why do I get the generic last name and you get to be Michael Franklin Ashford.” She mimicked a snooty voice and laughed again.

            “Well I am theoretically from Stamford Connecticut, so I have to have a snooty name to go with the snooty upbringing.”

            “I’m afraid to ask where I’m from, but ok I’ll ask, wait where are we now?” She looked back at the lake.

            “We are in Ontario Canada, that is Lake Ontario, and you are from a nice little place in the East Village on the lovely island of Manhattan.”

            “Ok that’s cool I’m a New Yorker, but still seems like I’m getting the raw end of the deal here, you get to be from Connecticut and I’m from New York.” He laughed and she looked at him.

            “What is so damn funny about that?” she pulled away and stared at him, she crossed her arms over her chest and narrowed her eyes and he laughed even harder and sucked in a breath as the pain over rode the effects of the beer.

            “Biesel had to choose a place like New York because you still have your New Jersey accent, and when you get mad you sound like an extra in the Sopranos.” Her mouth dropped open and then she sulked.

            “Well I can’t help it and believe me when I first watched that show I was mortified when I heard the people speak and kept asking everyone if I really sound like that.” She grabbed his hand and then let it drop. “As much as I would love to keep up the happy couple persona out here Mikey, I’m hungry and so you can stand out here and freeze or join me in the kitchen.” He raised an eyebrow then grabbed his beer bottle and offered his arm to her.

            “Of course that is actually why I came out here, to see what you wanted for dinner. I was thinking pizza and maybe watch a movie. Or if you want we can go out and grab something, we’re not too far from Toronto.” She let go of his arm and picked up the furry lump on the bed and cuddled it.

            “You guys brought Clarice! I didn’t even realize she was here.” The cat looked up at her owner and started making little meow noises. Tripp came closer and the cat tensed up and he stopped. “It’s not you; she really doesn’t do well with a lot of people and with guys. So I wouldn’t take it personally she has always been attached to me even when she was teeny.” Lee put the cat down and the animal bolted out the door with a backwards look at Tripp.

            “Well if looks could kill that look would definitely wound me.” He held his side and took a deep breath and then stood up again. He realized he wasn’t wearing a shirt and became very self-conscious around the woman he worked with forever, well it seemed like forever,

            “You’re blushing? Hmm ok I’ll just write that off but you know what I never noticed is that tattoo you have right there by your right v-line.” She was staring at his abdomen and he wrinkled up his face mocking her usual face of confusion. Lee walked over to him and pointed at the ridge by his hip joint. “This along with this,” she ran a finger along the other ridge, “would be your v-line. I never knew about this tattoo though. A star? Cute.” She walked out the room and went in the same direction as the cat then she turned back and went the other way.  “Didn’t realize the kitchen wasn’t that way, my bad.” Her voice came down the hall and Tripp stood there with his eyebrows raised up into his hair. He almost tripped over the cat as she came darting back into the bedroom, he stumbled and sucked in a curse as the pain from his arm and side seared his body. He stared at the cat; she was curling up on the bed and narrowing her eyes back at him.

            “You win this time fuzz ball, but next time I want to play soccer I want to use a ball and not have you trip me up.” He walked gingerly waiting for his buzz to come back but he knew it wouldn’t

            “So I was thinking some things, first of all we’re supposed to be engaged but I don’t have a ring and let’s save the agency some money and just do the living together boyfriend girlfriend thing. Also I want to get a dog, a Labrador I used to have a lab mix growing up and he was great.” Tripp was breathing hard and sweat beaded his forehead he sat down and regained his breath as he watched Lee running around in the kitchen grabbing pots and throwing stuff around. He raised his eyebrows up again and gawked at how resilient she was and how she just threw things around. “I know the cat isn’t going to be too happy but I wanted a puppy for awhile. Plus I have to call Biesel and find out how long we’re going to be up here because well I know you don’t like me so I was going to see if I could get transferred out or another partner this way you can be by yourself.” She turned to look at him and she had a wooden spoon in one hand and a frying pan in the other. She cocked her head to the side and stared at him, he was dreading this moment and he really didn’t know how to just tell her that he really didn’t mean it when he said he didn’t want to baby sit her. “You don’t look so well, maybe you should take a pill or something.” She went back to digging in the fridge and was making noises and talking to herself.

            “Yeah about that Lee, I really don’t want you to transfer, I like working with you. Besides you’re the only one who will put up with my s**t and Biesel will not transfer either of us so you’re stuck with me.”

            “Ok that works for me Tripp, it still hurt what you said but that’s the past I see this experience as a new beginning.” She grabbed a steak out of the meat drawer and pierogies out of the freezer; “You make the salad, and how does pierogies and steak sound?” she was digging around for onions to throw into the skillet.

            “Sounds good to me, I can grill the steak though and how about we grill some corn. Also tomorrow let’s go puppy shopping.” He grabbed the steaks and went out to start the grill up; Lee smirked to herself but heated up her frying pan. This domestic bliss was ok for now but eventually she is going to want to old sour Tripp back and the excitement of the agency. How long is she going to be able to tolerate this mellow life style? She heard the sizzle of the butter and dropped the pierogies in the skillet and started frying the onions. Now her next move would be to find out who the hot guy was on the beach. He was definitely easy on the eyes and he had a dog so maybe her new puppy and his dog could be playmates. She smiled wicked little thoughts on how he would be in bed and felt herself blush. She poured the onions into the pain and flipped the pierogies when the doorbell rang; she looked around and then followed the sound of the knocking at the door. She finally found her way to the front door and looked through the peephole. The man from the beach was standing on her front step, what a coincidence; the almighty powers that be must be horny girls in their mid twenties too! She opened the door and smiled, even though she looked horrendous and he did a slight bow and smiled at her. He was even hotter up close and with the hair falling over his eyes just covering them with a few bangs; Lena gripped the doorjamb to prevent from jumping on him.

            “Hi my name is Brandon Thomason, I live just up the road and figure I would drop by and introduce myself to my new neighbor.” He smiled then reached behind Lena and produced a small potted fern; she stared at him in amazement and then smiled again. Vincent liked her she was easily amused this was going to be more fun than he thought. She took the plant then took his hand and he jumped back, “Well now I guess you would have to be the most electrifying woman in Toronto then, aren’t you? I have a dog named Gerard but I didn’t bring him because I wasn’t sure if my new neighbors were animal people.” He shook her hand again and smiled his panty-dropping smile that had most women in the sack before he could utter another sentence. She raised her eyebrows then lounged against the door, this wasn’t going how he expected, and he should have been upon the threshold by now.

            “Name is Isabel Smith, and you should have brought your dog, although I’m not sure Clarice would be too happy. Although I was thinking of getting a puppy anyways so next time you come over bring Gerard.” She continued to stare at him, his body was not as big as a wrestler’s body but he had muscles, which was evident under the too tight t-shirt, and the way his biceps rippled. He also had a few earrings and his hair looked like he just crawled out of bed but this man could pull it off.

            “Nice to meet you Isabel Smith, I really must get going and it smells like you’re cooking so I will let you go as well.” He pulled out a card and handed it to Lena, “This is where I bought Gerard, I’m sure they can be helpful in finding your puppy.” He waved and then disappeared.

            Tripp was gripping the plate so hard his fingers were turning white; he set the plate down and turned the stove off. He saw the way Lee was staring at that man, like he was the main course and dessert all in one helping. This could prove to be a problem, Tripp took a deep breath to calm him self, if you really want to fight for it then you’re going to have to be clever man. He nodded to himself and then called Lee to dinner. He was hell bent on winning the prize and the game, and he wouldn’t go down without a fight.

Reviews

[Marie]

I don't know what to say. Ummm, lemme think....ummm...oh, yeah, I know! Great chapter, sis.