Everlasting (Unrestrained 6)

"Change my mind about what?" I said with a laugh.

"Marriage," he said, grinning widely. "Fidelity. Monogamy."

"Not likely, but I appreciate the sentiment."

"Well, that's something at least."

I raised my eyebrows, amazed he felt so free to try to pick me up after we only knew each other for ten minutes.

"Can I come and see your etchings?" he said, still grinning.

"Sure," I replied and went to the door. "I paint though. Oil. No etchings."

He followed me down the hallway to my studio and for a moment, in the back

of my mind, I was a bit nervous that he might get the wrong idea and make another attempt to pick me up. I opened my studio door and let him in. I glanced around the studio, wondering what someone else would think about my space and what it said about me.

"Nice," he said and went to my easel, checking out the painting. "Did you do this from memory or from a photo?"

I went to the collection of photos I used to compose the piece and showed him. "I was on an art safari in Kenya."

"Cool," and then he checked out the rest of my space. Finally, as I was packing up my things, he came over to me, standing just a bit too close for my liking. I took a step back, my bag on my shoulder.

"Like I say, if you ever change your mind..."

"Not likely," I said and then opened the door. "I have to go. Meeting the husband and baby at my parents for a barbecue, so..."

He walked beside me and I swear he brushed up against me on purpose. What a flirt...

"See you around," he said and then he smiled again, walking down the hallway backwards to his studio.

"Nice to meet you," I replied and then scurried out of the building, glad to be away from him. It wasn't that I was at all tempted, but I didn't want him to get the wrong idea.

I arrived back at the house and found Drake and Sophie sitting on the sofa, watching television. Sophie was drinking her afternoon bottle and was playing with a stuffed toy, her eyes crinkling at the corners when she saw me. Drake was watching the news. On the screen, I saw a reporter standing in front of the district courthouse in Manhattan. On the banner below it read Murder Trial of Yonkers Billionaire Takes Twist.

"What's that?" I asked, sitting on the sofa beside Drake and Sophie.

"Apparently, Lisa's boyfriend was involved in another suspicious death before he met her. It involved his girlfriend's younger sister, who died while intoxicated. Seems the police are exhuming the body to do another autopsy."

"They suspect him of having murdered her?"

"Yeah, he was quite a troubled kid, I guess. Neighbors said he was always strange. They always say that after the fact, but in truth, most murderers blend in except for the most psychotic."

"Trust Lisa to get mixed up with a serial killer in the making."

"She knew how to pick 'em," Drake said with a sigh. "This just means there'll be more gossip about me at the hospital. I was mentioned as one of Lisa's BDSM partners."

"Did they give you a new name at least?"

"Former neurosurgeon at NYP now living in California, Dr. Drake Morgan, whose wife was attacked by Lisa. I was hoping things would slowly die down with the case, but I guess not. They're trying him separately from Lisa since he was the one who actually did the killing."

"Do you suppose he killed the little sister and made it look like an accident?"

"Could be. His father is a veterinarian. They have access to drugs."

"How awful."

We sat in silence and watched the news for a few moments. Sophie reached for me, so I took her from Drake's arms and held her while Drake got up to make a cup of coffee.