Under Suspicion

Artful Distraction

“Artful Distraction”

Pete walked up to the door and hesitated, his finger hovering near the doorbell, and then pressed the button.

“Pete!” Lauren said when she opened the door.  “I didn’t expect to see you this evening.  Or did I forget that we had a date...?”

“No, no, nothing like that,” he assured her.  “I was just out, and thought I’d stop by.  Is that okay, or do you have plans?”

“No.  I mean sure, it’s okay.  And no, I don’t have plans; I’m beat.”  She stepped back to allow him to enter.  “Come on in.  I’ve only been home a few minutes myself; haven’t even had a chance to change.”  She preceded him into her spacious apartment, her hand absently smoothing her upswept hair.  “I ate dinner out, so I can’t offer you any food, but I’ll be glad to make some coffee if you’d like.”

He shook his head.  “That’s okay, I don’t drink coffee at this time of day.  Like I said, I just came by to say hi.”

“You’re a liar,” she said, a spark of humor glinting in her eyes.  “You just want me to change your bandage again.”

Pete laughed.  “No, I don’t.  Actually, I’ll probably just take the bandage off for good later—it’s too much of a hassle dealing with it in the shower.  I almost took it off at the gym earlier.”

“Do you want me to take it off for you?”

“Why, Doctor Strickland, are you trying to undress me?”

She rolled her eyes.  “Taking off a bandage is hardly undressing you.”

He raised an eyebrow.  “It’s a start.”

“Pete, you’re terrible!”

“Really?  I’ve heard otherwise.  In fact, you’ve said otherwise.”

Lauren laughed.  “I’ve never said any such thing.”  She pointed to the couch.  “Sit.”

“Yes, ma’am!”

She disappeared into another room and returned with a clean cloth and some sort of medicated lotion.  Sitting next to Pete on the couch, Lauren unwound the bandage on his arm, and then removed the gauze square that protected the burn.

“See, you are undressing me,” he murmured.  “Removing the dressing is undressing, isn’t it?”

She shook her head at the bad play on words.  “It’s probably going to itch as it heals.  Try not to scratch it.”  She squeezed some lotion onto the cloth.

Pete smiled.  “Oh, please.  You see this fair skin of mine?  You can’t tell me anything about sunburn that I haven’t known since I was twelve.”

“I’m sure that’s true, but I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t tell you,” she replied.  “Think of it as a medical Miranda warning.”

When she finished applying lotion to the area, she tossed the used cloth onto the coffee table and looked at Pete.

“What’s the matter?” he asked, picking up her hand in his.

“Just thinking.”

“I’m sure we’ve both done enough thinking for one day.”  His other hand came up to cup her cheek, gently drawing her toward him.  “Why don’t we try not thinking?”

Lauren hesitated.  “Remember the other night, when I said I usually am you?  I’m just thinking what I would do right now if I were you.  And this is exactly what I would do.”

He leaned forward as he drew her in.  “Then we’re in agreement....”

A while later Lauren said, “I never finished what I was saying earlier.”

He stood.  “Yeah?  What was that?  And why didn’t you finish it?”

“Because you so artfully distracted me.”

“So what was it you were going to say?” he asked.

She sighed.  “I was going to say that because you and I are alike, and I’ve been the ‘you’ in a number of relationships, I think I know what’s going to happen here.”

Pete looked at her, brushed a long, tousled lock of hair away from her face and behind her shoulder.  “The only thing that’s going to happen now is that I’m going to go. It’s getting late.  You have early shift tomorrow, and I... well, with luck, tomorrow we’ll be able to get a major scumbag off the streets.”

“Something dangerous?”

“Most likely not—at least not for us.  Although to be honest, I wouldn’t mind if the guy put up a little resistance.”

“I see,” she replied, tightening the terrycloth belt.  “Involves kids?”  At his nod, Lauren continued.  “Even so, I’d rather you didn’t bring me any more business.  And I know you, Pete.  You’d rather take him cleanly.”

“We’ll see.”

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

                                                                                   To be continued....