"That's $246.87, whenever you're ready."
I peered down at the small monitor and approved the amount on the screen before inserting my American Express credit card into the chip reader. I waited patiently until the beep and picked up the stylus to quickly sign and tap the 'done' icon at the top right corner of the screen.
My eco-friendly bags were already packed so I loaded them into a shopping cart and thanked the cashier for my receipt. I pushed the heavy cart slowly through the exit and down the ramp and made my way across the street to my Black Ford SUV. I dug into a front pocket of my light blue denim jeans for my car keys and pressed the button to unlock the trunk. I approached the back of the vehicle and stretched the tip of my shoe underneath for several seconds until the door opened and lifted to reveal the large empty space.
I began loading the grocery tote bags into the trunk. The parking lot was quiet, almost empty on a Sunday morning. As I loaded the last bag and fastened a fishnet to keep them in place I glanced to my left and noticed a young woman watching me as she leaned casually against a red Nissan Altima. I smiled and thought nothing of it as I closed the trunk and walked to the driver's seat and climbed in. I had just placed the car into gear so I can back out of the parking spot when the same woman appeared at my window. I stared at her for a few moments before rolling my window halfway and addressed her politely.
"Is there something I can help you with, ma'am?"
The woman smiled. It was gentle and lit up her face. She couldn't be more than 25 but it was difficult to guess her age under the layers of makeup.
"You're Detective Brooks from the 26th precinct under Captain Castillo, right?"
I blinked and continued to stare at her. She flushed and bit down on her lip.
"Who's asking?"
She looked down as she spoke. Something about her sister almost being victim of a robbery.
"I found out you were first on the scene and saved her life. I was wondering," she trailed off and looked me straight in the eye.
"Can I take a picture with you? And maybe an autograph?"
I stared at her dumbfounded with my mouth slightly open. This young woman wanted a memento with the man that saved her sister's life. I swallowed my smile and gave her a curt nod before stepping out of the truck and posing for a quick picture. It was moments like these that made me proud to be a cop. If only my mother could see me now.
What about it ma? I grunted. Are you watching?
When I finally scribbled a signature in her sisters name, Karen she had told me, I got back in my truck and slowly pulled out of the space. I chuckled to myself as I got on the freeway to my midtown flat a stone's throw from the market.
Traffic was light. I clicked my turn signal and timed my wheel perfectly. I drove into the underground parking garage of a building and pulled smoothly into a spot near the elevator.
I killed the engine before fumbling for my belt behind my seat and unlocked the trunk. I glanced up and squinted at the parking garage door. A woman was standing there faced in the direction of my car. When realization hit me I smiled widely and stepped out from the car. Dr. Charlie Calland grinned back as she walked towards me.
"Pass me the vegetables," Charlie called over to me as she opened the fridge. I grabbed the tote with the fresh produce and walked over to her. She popped her head around the door and accepted the tote. I took a peek at the fridge and shook my head. She was at it again. Rotating everything so the new items were stored in the back. It was a pet peeve she had that I admired if it wasn't a little obsessive.
I hadn't noticed her outstretched hand until I felt a gentle caress on my cheekbones. The sudden contact startled me and I jumped connecting with the base of the freezer door. The impact left me groaning in pain clutching the top of my head as I cowered toward a stool.
Charlie was struggling to compose herself to see if I was alright. She was in a fit of giggles until I confirmed I was fine, then she burst into laughter. Tears rolled down her face as she cradled her trembling tummy.
"I'm glad I amuse you," I grumbled, pressing the tender knob on my head with my fingers.
"Tsk please, you were always a cold bastard when we first met. It's rare to find you as the butt if any joke."
I winced as she pressed an icepack she'd taken from the freezer making sure to wrap it in a thin towel before touching me. Her hands her careful as she dabbed the defrosting pack on my head. Her fingers gentle and precise as though she was in the surgical labs. I gazed up at her.
She had a wrinkle that appeared between her brows when she concentrated too hard on something, and a sharp nose that scrunched up like an overgrown raisin and eyes that squinted into slits when she laughed. She had a light brown birth mark on the right side of her face near her chin, and a semi-colon tattoo behind her left ear.
I don't know when I began noticing these things. I continued to stare up at her profile. Her neck was slender from this angle. It looked delicate and smooth to touch. She swallowed and I noticed the skin of her throat loosen and tighten against her neck. I licked my dry lips.
I couldn't recall how long I've been watching her but our eyes suddenly met, and instead of her looking away she stared back. After a moment I blinked but my gaze didn't falter. She leaned toward me and glanced down at my lips, slightly parting her own and biting them.
It was my turn to swallow a lump in my throat. I felt blood rush to my ears as she closed the distance between us. Her breasts pressing against my chest as she hovered above me. Her lips lightly brush against mine.
"Charlie." I managed to breathe before my lips were sealed with her kiss.
She leaned further into me, pressing her palms against the wall behind me as I lifted my own hands to hold her to me and embrace her waist tightly. The kiss became intense as our breathing grew haggard. Charlie reached for my collar and undid the top buttons till my bare chest showed. I caressed her neck as I hit her bottom lip. I pulled her onto my lap until she saddled my thighs.
We broke apart long enough for her to breathe my name when suddenly there was a loud jingle coming from the black leather-strapped handbag on the kitchen table. I looked at Charlie as she froze, her face beet red. She climbed down and slowly slid the phone out to check the caller ID before quickly picking up.
The news seemed urgent for the color drained from her cheeks and she answered with a stern, 'I'll be there soon.' With an apologetic pout and a curt nod from me she was rushing out the door in 15 minutes. A few minutes later the phone on the kitchen counter vibrated. I reached for it and saw it was a message from Charlie. I unlocked the screen to open the text and smiled. She sent 5 words that made me slightly anxious.
'Thank you. That was nice.'