"I was going to put on a bathrobe, but I didn't get around to it." Louise smiled and looked up at Walter with sparkling green eyes.
"I understand," he said. "Those puzzles can be addictive." Walter glanced at her well-toned body. "I see that your yoga classes are paying off."
"Shut up! Jerk!" she said playfully. "And besides, maybe you should come to class sometime."
"Never gonna happen!" Walter countered, shaking his head.
"Why not?" Louise demanded. "You could lose a few pounds, tighten up those abs."
"Oh, zing!" he said, clutching his heart. "And here I has just about to compliment your slippers ... since that's all that you seem to be wearing."
"That's fine. You may compliment them." Louise dangled one foot out in front of him exposing a smooth leg.
"Yuck! You need a pedicure!"
"Oh, get out of here!"
"No problem! I was just about to take a shower." Walter loosened his tie and shirt collar. "Want to join me?"
"I think I'll just finish my puzzle and relax," Louise replied. "Thanks for the refill, by the way."
"Okay..." Walter replied playfully. "You're missing out!"
Louise sat back and studied Walter as he removed his shirt.
"Oh, I'm getting together with Jo and Terri after work tomorrow," she added. "Is that okay?"
Walter noticed Louise's fait accompli - the plans were already made. She was asking for his approval only as a formality.
"You mean Jo and Terri, your girlfriends? Or some guy named Joe and some guy named Terry?"
Louise glared back at him.
"What?" Walter countered. "I can never tell."
"Jo and Terri, my girlfriends, you idiot! You know that they're women," Louise protested.
"I know that Terri's a woman," Walter clarified.
"Why do you say that?"
"Her boobs are amazing!"
"Oh, you're disgusting! She's my friend!"
"I'm sorry," Walter confessed. "I shouldn't have said that."
Louise's disapproving stare became increasingly stern.
He added, "I should have said that your FRIEND'S boobs are amazing."
"Oh, get OUT of here you PIG!" She threw her pen at him but missed. Walter let out a taunting chuckle as it bounced off the wall.
"Okay, I'm going!" he said. "Last chance!"
"Yeah, you're on your last chance all right!" Louise muttered to herself. Even if he were kidding, Walter's comment was not acceptable.
"And no thinking about Terri's boobs in there!" she shouted.
"Too late!"
Louise was genuinely upset now. She knew that Walter was joking, but Terri's power over men could be unnerving. She could charm a roomful of guys with single glance. Terri didn't abuse her power, not very often anyway, but it was amazing to watch her in action when she wanted to turn up the heat. She could make men melt like ice cream in July.
Walter thinking about Terri on his way into the shower - that just wasn't right. She wasn't comfortable with him thinking about any woman in that way, but especially not one of her friends. Louise trusted them both, of course - Terri was her best friend in the world - but trust can be only be stretched so far. Under the wrong circumstances, loyalty can be tested.
Louise looked down at her hand. She had pulled Frank's business card out of her wallet again without thinking about it. A tinge of guilt made her shiver. 'Under the wrong circumstances, indeed!' she thought. The irony was bitter.
Louise slipped Frank's card back into her wallet. Tomorrow at the office, she would shred it.
'The Horse Farm'
Copyright © 2013 Daniel R. South
All Rights Reserved
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