Devil’s in the Details (63 page)

I could only nod at her back, my heart and body throbbing suddenly at the promise of what was to come in time.

Pushing open the patio door, I waved at Dale greeting me with a hearty hello. I proceeded to unwind the hose as I asked my new neighbor if he and his wife could be swindled into helping me move.

Chapter 20

I should have been moving the boxes stacked up in front of me, but I was too busy staring. Staring at Victoria as she unloaded boxes from the back of her BMW. Sweaty, flush faced and her muscles moving in ways that made my heart race.

I had tried my best to get her to take the light stuff since her side was still healing, but she refused. Taking over the heavy lifting for me and Dale as we moved me out of my crappy apartment. I didn't really have much of anything, just books, clothes, linens and my extensive movie collection. Most of my furniture was junky and cheap and would stick out in Victoria's home, so we donated a lot of it, but I did keep the metal desk I rescued many years ago. That desk was sitting in her basement moved into a spot that Victoria was going to dedicate as my area where I could go to work on whatever while she sat on the couch.

I grinned, biting my bottom lip. Victoria had made a lot of room in her home for me. Spending all day yesterday moving things out of her closet to make more room my clothes to hang. She even thinned out her book collection to give mine a place on the shelves, and she did it all with a strange giddiness I thought I would never see in the woman.

"If Victoria was getting paid in stares, she would be a rich woman."

I broke away from my girlfriend, turning to blush at Mary coming out of the house to pick up another box. "Mary…I."

She patted my back, "Don't worry, I remember what it was like." She reached for my right hand, holding it up to look at the academy ring on my middle finger, "I remember when Dale gave me his. It was more exciting than when he proposed to me right before he left for the war." Mary grinned, letting my hand go, "A little bit of advice, being with a Navy officer is tough at times. They always have an intense sense of duty that we normal folk can't understand." She bent down, picking up a box of my shirts. "If you ever want to talk or what have you, I'm right next door, Alex."

I reached down, grabbing another box, still embarrassed at being caught by my neighbor. "Thanks Mary, I might do that. When Victoria goes back to work, she is usually in and out of town and when we do talk, I don't understand half of the words she uses. Bow and stern, port head, and other gibberish." I shifted the box, following Mary into the den. "How long have you and Dale been together? And was it really better than getting engaged when he gave you his class ring?"

Mary grinned, setting the box next to the others labeled clothes, "We have been together almost forty-three years and yes, it was far better than when he popped the question." She turned to face me, "Because when a Navy man or woman, gives you their ring, it's their way of telling you that you are their forever." She chuckled, "For the single reason that none of them want to tarnish their pride by asking for it back if you're not the one." Mary dug under her shirt, pulling out a necklace with a similar ring like mine looped around a chain, "I've worn this for almost a half century and every time I look at it, I fall in love with that old coot all over again."

I glanced at my hand, twisting the ring and wanting to change the subject. The idea of marrying Victoria was exciting, but frightening. There were still a few secrets I had to uncover before we got to that point. Either way, I knew Victoria was my forever. "Thanks for helping us today, Mary. I really appreciate it." I smiled at the older woman, "This was definitely last minute."

"Don't even think about it, Alex. Dale and I were happy to hear that our lovely neighbor finally decided to live a little." She moved to stand in front of me, both of us looking toward the open front door, hearing Dale and Victoria laughing. "Victoria is like one of our kids. We keep an eye on her and over the years have grown attached to her. We were excited to see her face and eyes light up whenever she mentioned her nurse friend." She winked at me as I blushed again, "Welcome to the neighborhood, let's go help them before Dale tweaks his back and Victoria pulls her side."

I sighed, "I told them both I could handle it."

Mary laughed, "Lesson one about being with the Navy, they don't listen and will try to save the world." She patted my back, "By the way, my husband might chew your ear off about restoring your car. He's been eyeballing it every morning, trying to figure out a way to ask you."

I shook my head laughing, my grin growing as Victoria and I made eye contact, "He can have it, that car has been nothing but problems since I first bought it." I swallowed hard as Victoria lifted her shirt to wipe sweat from her forehead, giving me views of her skin that had me shoving my hands in my pocket, "The only good thing it did was break down and lead me to her."

I heard Mary issue a soft aw, before hollering at her husband trying to lift a very full box of books, leading me to holler at Victoria for trying to lift the same box.

"I still can't believe my landlord gave me back my security deposit and next month's prepaid rent. I signed a contract giving him free will to screw me over." I stood in the closet, trying to arrange my clothes to fit in neatly with Victoria's uniforms and suits, the box I was emptying sitting on top of the small floor safe.

The day had gone quickly and with the help of Dale and Mary, I was completely moved in by dinner time. Victoria and I took over unpacking as our neighbors headed in for the night with promises they would come over tomorrow for steaks as our way of thanking the kind couple for their help.

We were almost done unpacking my meager belongings, all that was left was my clothes and finding space in drawers full of Victoria's endless Navy shirts.

"I guess he was feeling generous?" Victoria stood near the bed with a strange smirk on her face, folding up the last empty box that held my clothes. "Plus he was screwing you and all the other tenants over. Charging you that much to live in a building full of code violations and never fixing that terrible shower of yours."

I poked my head around the corner, grinning at the blonde standing in her still sweaty Navy football shirt and jeans, looking around the room trying to make sure everything was in order. "I can recall once or twice you loved that shower."

Victoria looked at me, "Only because you were in it with me, showing off your anatomy skills." She bent her head down, reaching for another small box, "Everything is put away, I just need to move the safe into the basement so you have more room in the closet." She paused, her face furrowing as if she remembered something. "Alex, um."

I stepped out of the closet, "What is it? Already having regrets about this?" I tried to keep my tone light, suddenly nervous.

Victoria shook her head, "Never happen. I forgot to show you a few things." She set the empty boxes outside the door and waved me over to the bedside table, "I want to show you this for when I have to go out of town and you're home alone." Sitting on the edge of the bed, she pulled the drawer open and lifted the bottom up, revealing a black gun in a holster. Victoria glanced at me, "This is a .40 caliber Smith and Wesson. It holds fifteen rounds and there’s an extra magazine in the drawer." She paused, waiting for a reaction from me.

I shrugged, "I'm used to Glocks, so you will have to show me how to load this one." I looked up at Victoria, her eyes curious at my comment. I smiled, "I dated a cop, remember? James taught me how to use a gun years ago. Took me to the range and showed me how to shoot, I just opted to never carry one. I've seen the damage they do in the emergency room to want to have the responsibility of ever having to be one the to cause it." Moving to sit next to her, "He always kept his tucked between the mattress and the bed frame."

Victoria tilted her head down, covering the gun back up and closing the drawer, "There is one in my desk, and down in the basement tucked under the first set of couch cushions." She half looked at me, her eyes turning cloudy, "It took me a long time to feel safe, normal and…."

I grabbed her hand, shaking my head, "You don't need to tell me, I get it." I kissed her shoulder, standing up from the bed to return to the closet, "But please show me how to set the alarm. I'd rather have that as the first defense." I smiled, digging back into the box for the last few shirts to hang up. "How about you order pizza while I run a bath and we can both soak away the day?" I tilted my head back towards Victoria, her eyes back to clear.

"Double cheese?"

"Of course, and can you grab the bottle of wine I set in the fridge?" I held a shirt in my hand, staring at the hanger.

"Yes ma'am." Victoria appeared around the corner of the closet, grinning at me as she brushed a few strands from my face. I met her eyes, smiling as she bent forward and kissed me, whispering against my lips, "I love you." Before skittering out of the room and down to the kitchen.

When she was gone, I set down the hanger, blowing out a slow breath. I was honest in telling her that guns didn't bother me. I had lived with James and there was always some sort of firearm around the apartment. What did bother me was that my very bland Professor of a girlfriend had a high grade military issued firearm in her bedside table with hollow point ammunition.

All small details James had blithered my way in his version of dinner conversation. Details that told me a retired Naval Professor should not have such things readily at hand.

Details that kept pulling my gut in the same direction it was heading on Saturday.

"I don't think this tub was meant for two." I stretched my leg around Alex, sloshing more bubble water over the side. "And I’m seriously rethinking about eating in the bathroom." I felt her laugh as she laid against my chest, wine glass in hand and a piece of pizza in the other. Shaking my head, I ran my hand along her side, pinching lightly. "I'm serious. I keep looking at the toilet and the pizza. It's killing my appetite." Even though I loved the idea of taking a bath together, I was rethinking eating in the bath together.

"The toilet and this entire bathroom is spotless, cleaner than an operating room." She tilted her head back, offering me a bite of her pizza, "Why in the world are you thinking about germs when you’re sharing bath water with me?"

I looked past the pizza at her naked chest with bubbles barely covering anything, "I honestly have no idea." Kissing her cheek, I took a bite, moving my hand from her side to her stomach, pressing her closer against me. "But I think I will look into getting a new tub, a bigger one."

Alex sighed happily against me, snuggling deeper into my arms, "I'll help you pay for it." Lying her head on my shoulder, she looked up at me, "We should figure out how to split the bills, groceries and other things."

I shook my head, turning away from the half of pizza sitting on the counter torturing me since I was starving, but utterly grossed out. "Don't worry about anything Alex, I have it covered." I glanced at her, seeing Alex's brow scrunch up in that way it did when she was peeved, "Just don't buy too much kale when you do the grocery shopping, I hate that stuff."

Alex suddenly scooted away from me, sloshing water around and bringing a chill to my skin. Turning around to face me, she set her wine glass down, "Victoria, I have a good job and can contribute to the household. I didn't move in to be a pampered woman." She folded her arms across her chest, covering up and making me frown internally.