Читать книгу Siberian Hearts - James Anderson - Страница 12

Mike parked his truck in front of Donna’s house and took a deep breath, knowing that if Natalya knew about Donna she would be upset.

Donna had called him two days ago and reminded him that they were going to eat a pizza and drink some beer and then see a movie. She also said that if he didn’t show up she was coming over and kicking his ass. He laughed at that and said he would pick her up at about six thirty.

He got out of his truck and walked to the door. He knocked and Donna opened the door wearing Levi’s and a San Francisco Forty Niners tee shirt. She was still bare footed.

“It’s about time you showed up.”

“Hey,” he replied, “I’m on time.”

“I know,” she smiled. “I just like to mess with you.”

“I didn’t know you were a Forty Niners fan.”

“I’m a huge Forty Niners fan.” She wasn’t really, but she remembered him talking about the Forty Niners once and figured he was.

“Me, too. I love the Forty Niners.”

“You should take me to a game sometime.”

“Yeah, maybe so.”

She left the room and came back in less than a minute with some socks and high-heeled boots.

As she put them on, Mike asked, “What do you want to see tonight?”

“I want to see that new scary flick’”

“Oh, yeah. I’ve heard of that. My brother and Tracy went and saw that. They said it was pretty freaky. It scared the crap out of Tracy.”

She stood up and stretched. The tee shirt was tight to begin with, but the stretch made it tighter and Mike remembered how those perfect breasts looked while she danced.

“Are we ready?” he asked, trying to get his mind going in another direction.

“Ready, Freddy. Could you get the brown leather coat out of the closet by the door?”

Mike got it and helped her on with it.

“You’ve got a nice ass, Valentine.”

“You do too, Bertilli.”

She did, and the tight Levi’s displayed it perfectly. Mike again thought that this was a bad idea.

After she got her coat on, she turned to him and curtsied. “Thank you, sir.”

He opened the door for her and they walked out to his truck. “Where do you want to eat?” he asked.

“There’s a sports bar out on Sunrise and Fair Oaks that serves a pretty mean pizza, and it’s on the way to the theater at Sunrise Mall. The movie starts at seven forty five.”

“Great. You’ve got this all worked out.”

“Of course I do. I’m a planner Mikey; I’ve always have a plan.”

When they got to the sports bar, there was a college football game on and the place was semi full with mostly men of all ages and backgrounds. Maybe one customer in five was a woman. People at some tables had obviously been there awhile because they were louder and drunker than people at the other tables.

After he ordered the pizza and sat down, she asked, “Ever been here before?”

“No, never. I take it you have.”

“I come here quite a bit with some people at my office. We have a lot of fun, and they serve a good pizza.”

As was Mike’s habit, he sat with his back to the wall so he could see if anything or anyone was coming at him.

Donna watched his eyes go from table to table and knew he was checking for any possible danger. “You’re always on guard, aren’t you?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean you can’t let yourself relax for a second. I know you were scoping the place out for any guy you may need to tear a new asshole at some point.”

“It’s that obvious?”

“Of course it is. You remind me of a Marine on guard duty in Iraq.”

They both laughed. “Hey, don’t call me a Marine. I was in the Army, thank you very much.”

“Hey, well, point is Valentine, I’ve decided to launch operation ‘loosen Mikey up.’ Now, you wait here. I’m going to get us a pitcher of beer.”

She got up and walked to the counter. Mike notice that almost every male in the place was watching her walk in those Levi’s. In a couple of minutes, she walked back with a pitcher and two plastic glasses. After pouring the beers, she held up her glass in a toast.

“Here’s to rest and relaxation.”

Mike clicked her glass with his and said, “To rest and relaxation.”

They drank and talked until the pizza came. When Mike bit into it, he couldn’t believe how delicious it tasted. “Damn,” he said, “I’d forgotten how good pizza tastes.”

“See?” said Donna. “That’s exactly what I mean. It’s been so long since you’ve had a good time, you’ve forgotten how.”

He smiled. “I guess you’re right.” He lifted his glass. “To remembering how.”

She clinked his glass. “To remembering how and why.”

They drank and Mike said, “I just can’t help feeling guilty about all the fat we’re consuming here.”

“Mikey, we both work out like bad dogs. A little pizza and beer isn’t going to hurt us.”

Mike drank beer occasionally with his brother and dad but never more than one or two. When they finished eating, the pitcher was empty.

Donna looked at her watch. “We better head on out if we want to catch that movie.”

“OK.” He walked up to the counter and paid the tab. The beer had given him a slight buzz and he was feeling pretty good. He hadn’t been this relaxed in a long time. Donna was standing by the table and held out her coat to him. He helped her put it on, enjoying the knowledge that all the men in the bar were looking at the woman he was with and for a brief moment he considered taking her up on her offer. But Natalya’s image came back and he forced the thought out of him mind. He walked back to the table and left a ten-dollar tip.

The noise from the game muffled as they stepped out into the chilly night air. He opened the truck door for her and she slid in. They talked about everything and nothing and enjoyed the movie. At times she feigned fright and buried her head in his shoulder, or brought his hand up to cover her face. The truth was, nothing scared her, but she needed him feeling like he was protecting her.

As he pulled out of the theater parking lot, she suggested that they stop off somewhere for a drink.

“Naw,” he said, “I’m sparring in the morning and then I have to teach two classes. I better get to bed.”

She didn’t push it. As he walked her to the door, she thanked him and asked him about the following weekend. “You let me decide what we do,” she said. “I’ll come up with something you’ll like. I promise.”

“OK. You’re on,” he said, feeling very relaxed. “I had fun. Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it, big guy. And remember, my offer about cleaning your pipes still stands.” She smiled and walked through her door. When she was in, she peeked out the window and watched Mike walk back to his truck, smiling to herself. He had been so up-tight for so long that, when he finally let himself go, she would be able to get him to do anything she wanted. Then she would get his money, his house, and him, in that order of importance. When she got tired of him, she would figure out how to keep his money and his house and get rid of him. After all, what man could resist her?