“Good evening, Mr. Coombes. The usual? And would the lady like a drink before dinner?” Lisa asked for a strawberry daiquiri and the waiter departed.
“The usual? You must come in here a lot,” she said.
“Sometimes,” he shrugged. “Sometimes I eat Mexican or Italian. Tonight I’m in the mood for steak and shrimp.”
“Sounds good to me,” Lisa said. “Don’t you ever eat at home?”
He laughed. “Home is where I sleep and drink coffee. And write. I can’t boil water without burning it.”
“Must be nice to eat out every night. I can’t afford it.”
“What would you be eating if you were home now,” Alan asked.
“Probably leftover salad and eggrolls. Whatever the fridge turns up. I’m afraid I’m not much of a cook either.”
“Then we’ll have to eat out every night, I guess.”
“I guess so,” she replied. He evidently assumed they were now a couple. To her surprise, she did not mind at all. How did that happen? They were really not much more than casual acquaintances. Now being with him seemed natural, as if they had known each other for years. “Does this mean your intentions are honorable?”
He laughed. “Serious at least. Honorable depends on your point of view.”
“You want my body, eh?”
“Among other things. I have a sneaking suspicion I could fall in love with you very easily. Why not give it a chance?”
Lisa looked him in the eye. Yes, she thought, why not? He’s far removed from the Force, he’s intelligent, as honest as most men ever are. Why not? And rather handsome, she reminded herself. With a little shiver, she realized she was going to go to bed with him that night and the thought brought up the mix of fear and desire she always experienced on such occasions. Well, he was certainly different from her usual dates. She wondered what kind of a lover he would be.
Alan had surprised himself with his assumption that they would become lovers and was even more surprised by her acquiescence. He thought she must be lonely a lot. It wasn’t easy being a beautiful woman in New York, with all the guys hitting on you. Probably been twisted by lots of bad times and paranoid about every new man she met. He wondered what kind of lover she would be.