Crime of Passion (Marcus Douglas 1)

“That's what we fell out about. Maybe I just need to forgive her so I can move on, because now I can see all the things she was trying to teach me. If I wanted to be honest with myself, I know I wouldn't have done half the things I've done, wouldn't have felt the need to graduate if it wasn't for her. She told us to get an education because you can't live on your looks. But here I am, living on my looks. Seems like neither me or Dez listened to that one,” Carmen said sadly.

“I thought you said you dropped out of college?” Marcus asked.

“I went back a year later.”

“What school did you go to?”

“Cornell University, Bachelor Of Economics,” Carmen said proudly.

“Impressive.”

“What'd you think; I graduated from the Barbizon School of Modeling?”

“Yes, I mean no. Well I just,—what I meant was,” Marcus stuttered and smiled.

Carmen smiled back. “Do I make you nervous, Marcus?”

“Very.”

“Why?”

“It's your eyes, Carmen,” Marcus said and stared into her eyes.

“My eyes? What about my eyes makes you nervous?”

“Carmen, I'm sure you know this, but you have very beautiful eyes. They're piercing.”

“How do you mean, piercing?”

“It's like they cut through me.”

Carmen smiled playfully at Marcus and leaned toward him. “Does it hurt when I look at you?”

“No,” Marcus answered nervously. “It's like your eyes reach inside me and demand my undivided attention. You're beautiful, Carmen. I mean look around us. Everywhere we've been; everybody is looking at you.”

“That's because I'm a model.”

“A super model, you mean.”

“No I'm not, I'm just a model.”

“What's the difference?” Marcus asked.

“The difference is nobody knows my name. It gives me a certain animosity and I like it that way. They recognize me; I look familiar to them, because they've seen me befo

re. People stop me all the time and say they think they know me, but they just can't figure out from where.”

“That's not it, Carmen it's your eyes. Like they're speaking a language all their own.”

“My eyes do all that to you? Well,” Carmen said and began digging in her purse. She pulled out her sunglasses and put them on. “Maybe this will help you feel more comfortable.” Then she started moving her head like Stevie Wonder and singing Isn't She Lovely. Marcus laughed, hard, almost to the point of tears. “Oh, so you do laugh.”

“Yes, Stevie, I do laugh, just not like this, and not in a long time,” Marcus said, still laughing. Carmen took her shades off and returned them to her purse, as the server arrived with their meal. Grilled Cervena Venison Loin for Carmen and Fire Roasted Ribeye of Angus Beef for Marcus.

“So why haven't you laughed like that in a long time?” Carmen asked picking at her meal.

“I guess I haven't had anything to laugh about.”

“And why is that?”