Final Fantasy - All Series Fan Fiction ❯ Mark of the Phoenix ❯ Chapter 4

“Mark of the Phoenix”

Chapter 4

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*Disclaimer: The world that this story is set in and all characters therein belong to Square-Enix. This fiction piece is strictly a non-profit exercise of creativity and entertainment for people (like me) who can't get enough of this world and the characters.*

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Reno had his black eye healed the next day with a cure materia and to distract him from the unwelcome guilt he felt, he called up Cissnei and told her to pick some place for him to take her out that night.

 

“I can't really think of anything,” she said after thinking for a moment. “Reno, you don't have to go through all this trouble. I'm just as happy staying in and watching a movie or something.”

 

“I already told you, I'm gonna make sure you get a good vacation,” he said stubbornly. “Think of something you've always wanted to do but never got a chance to, yo.”

 

She chewed her bottom lip doubtfully, coming up with a thought but certain that Reno wouldn't be interested. “Well…I do wonder what it would be like to go to an opera. I know, it's lame, right? I don't even know if I'd like it…I just always envied those cultured ladies I always saw going in and out of the opera house.”

 

Reno grinned. “If that's what you want then that's what we'll do.”

 

“Oh wait,” Cissnei said in dismay as she mentally reviewed her wardrobe. “The only really nice dress I had was that slinky one I wore to Corneo's mansion and I burned that after the mission. I can think of someplace else.”

 

“I'll buy you a dress,” Reno insisted. “Just be ready in an hour and I'll come pick you up to go get one.”

 

Cissnei's jaw dropped. “That's too much money to spend on something I'll hardly ever wear!”

 

Reno shrugged. “So we'll rent one for you then. I'm taking you to the opera tonight, toots.”

 

Cissnei shook her head and chuckled. “You're so stubborn,” she said.

 

“I'm just taking care of my new girl, yo,” Reno replied casually, “I'll be there in about an hour, doll.”

 

“Okay, see you then.”

 

They hung up and Reno sighed and rubbed his eyes. “The opera,” he groaned. “This is gonna be a boring night…at least until afterwards.” He grinned as he thought of how Cissnei might reward him for suffering through the show with her.

 

~**********************************~

 

Cissnei tried her best to look fascinated as they watched the opera progress from a private balcony seat that Reno had paid for. She didn't even want to think about how much this must have set him back and she chewed her bottom lip and wished she'd never mentioned it. Reno was looking at her sidelong and a sly, knowing smirk curved his lips.

 

The redhead leaned in closer to his date and put an arm around her slender shoulders. “So this was a bust, right?” he murmured into her ear before nibbling it.

 

Cissnei shivered a little in reaction to the intimate action and lowered her eyes. “I'm sooo sorry,” she replied back, turning her head to look at him. “It seems the thought was more exciting than the real thing, but it's…well…”

 

“Boring?” he supplied helpfully.

 

She sighed and threaded her fingers together in her lap as she nodded in agreement. “Next time, just don't listen to me.”

 

Reno laughed softly and let his eyes rove over her with admiration. She'd chosen a pale lavender, shimmering gown to rent for the evening. The dress was ankle-length and sheath style, with a slit up the right side of the skirt to show a tantalizing flash of leg when she walked and spaghetti straps. A pair of matching pumps complimented the outfit and she wore a thin chain with a purple gem pendant on it. Her hair was styled elegantly and lose about her shoulders. It had been a challenge to keep his hands off her all night long and he was beginning to lose his restraint.

 

“It ain't a total loss,” Reno said as he slipped his finger under the thing strap over her right shoulder. “I'm enjoying the view of my date, yo.” He tugged the strap down over her shoulder and kissed her there softly, letting his lips trail to her neck.

 

Cissnei closed her eyes and combed her fingers through his hair, tilting her head to the side to arch her neck into the caress of his lips. “You're not bored?” she asked softly.

 

“I'm about to make things a whole lot more interesting, doll.” One of his hands slipped into the slit on the right side of her dress and began to stroke her thigh.

 

Cissnei automatically reached down to grab his hand and she shook her head. “We should leave,” she murmured, glancing at the audience below and in the other balconies. “Someone's going to see!”

 

Reno stopped for a moment and looked around. He grinned when he spotted the pull ropes for the heavy curtains. “Hold on a sec,” he said as he stood up and went to the ropes. He found the one that would draw the curtains around the booth closed and he pulled on it.

 

“Well, that's convenient,” Cissnei said in surprise as the curtains shut before her and blocked the balcony from public view. “Maybe they have that feature so people can have privacy during intermission.”

 

“Or maybe more people make out at the opera than we thought,” Reno theorized with a mischievous smile. “Why don't you come here?”

 

Cissnei got out of her seat and moved to join him by the pull ropes. She put her arms around his neck and rose to kiss him, oddly turned on by the whole thing. Reno turned, maneuvering her as they kissed until her back was against the velvet curtain covered wall. He reached down and gathered her dress up to her thighs, then cupped her bottom to lift her against him. She hugged his waist with her legs and nibbled his lips enticingly as she worked his hair free of its ponytail. The feel of his hardness pressing against her between the thing layers of clothing made her belly tighten with heat and she kissed him with greater passion.

 

Cissnei could hardly believe the fervent passion she felt for Reno. Now she knew that poets and writers weren't complete liars about pounding hearts and breathless desire. Reno held her steady with one hand while slipping the other between their bodies and into her panties. She moaned softly into his mouth as his fingers located her clit and began to rub it gently. She sifted her fingers through his feed hair, letting the soft strands slide between them as his mouth plundered hers.

 

Reno stroked her sensitive nub until she was panting against his mouth and getting slick against his fingers. He stopped for a moment to press two fingers between the folds of her flesh and penetrate her with them, then he resumed the massage of her clit with his thumb while he pumped his fingers slowly inside of her. The sweet moans and gasps he got out of her in response were gratifying and he broke the kiss to ravish her neck and shoulder with his lips and tongue. Cissnei clung to him and trembled with pleasure. After a few minutes she was producing copious amounts of lubricant and Reno grinned, pumping his fingers harder.

 

Cissnei whimpered and struggled to undo his fly with one hand. It was a bit awkward due to their proximity, the position they were in and the fact that his arm was in the way but she managed to get the zipper down. With a little effort and patience, she freed his rigid sex from the confines of his briefs, intending to reciprocate his fondling. His thumb pressed firmly against her clit and rubbed faster and suddenly all she could do was hang onto him and shudder as her orgasm abruptly hit her.

 

“Reno,” she moaned, pressing her face against his shoulder. Her vaginal passage quivered around his thrusting fingers and she struggled not to cry out too loudly. He murmured encouragingly to her and nibbled her ear as she rode the climax out. When it tapered off, he ceased his stimulation and tugged the crotch of her panties to one side.

 

“Can you guide me in, baby?” he asked when he realized he couldn't hold the garment aside, support her bottom and position himself at the same time. She reached down and deftly complied, making him groan with need as she gripped his throbbing cock. As soon as he felt her wet slit against the tip of the organ, he thrust home with a gratified moan. She cried out and he paused for a moment to look at her face. “Too rough?”

 

“No, don't stop,” Cissnei whined greedily, licking her lips with pleasure.

 

Reno's lust flared. “Damn, you make a guy feel good!” He used both hands to support her ass as he began thrusting. His lips sought out hers and his tongue plunged into her mouth with aggressive need. She rotated her hips as much as she could in her position and he growled with satisfaction and pumped harder.

 

Cissnei tossed her head back when his mouth released hers and she parted her lips and moaned throatily. The hard thrusts of his cock inside of her were almost painful, but the pleasure was greater than the discomfort. She lowered her head again and stared into his eyes as he took her, sliding one hand from his neck and around to his front. She caressed his face and gasped his name in response to the burning hunger she saw in his eyes. He gave her one of those wicked, sexy smiles and turned his head to take her fingers into his mouth. His teeth nibbled them and his tongue stroked against the pads as he sucked on them.

 

The woman singing on the stage was reaching a climactic note in her song and Reno vaguely found it appropriate as his orgasm got closer and closer. He released Cissnei's fingers from his mouth and kissed her hard, grunting and groaning as the pressure in his balls built. Finally, just as the singer hit her high note, Reno gave a last hard push and shuddered against Cissnei.

 

She felt his sex twitching inside of her and she felt the warmth of his seed spilling. She stroked his hair and smiled in satisfaction, kissing him tenderly as he panted against her mouth. He held her pinned against the wall for a while and exchanged slow, sated kisses with her before pulling out of her and setting her back down.

 

Cissnei felt his semen slowly leaking out of her body and she grimaced, knowing that if she sat down she'd end up with a visible damp spot on the back of her gown and a potentially stubborn stain. Reno noticed the expression and guessed what was on her mind. He smiled and reached into his blazer for the small pack of tissues he'd brought with him. He took a couple for himself and handed the rest to her.

 

“Did you plan for that to happen?” Cissnei asked suspiciously as she took the offered pack.

 

“I fantasized about it but I swear I didn't plan it, yo,” Reno assured her. I brought the tissues `cause I didn't know if you were a crier or not and I heard operas can have that affect on some people.”

 

Cissnei accepted the perfectly reasonable explanation, knowing by now that Reno could be quite the gentleman when he wanted to be. She blushed as she put some of the tissues into her panties for some temporary protection. “I think I need to go to the ladies room to take care of this.”

 

He finished wiping himself and tucked his package back in before doing up his pants again. “I'm sorry, doll. I didn't think about it or I'd have used a condom to cut down on the mess. Here, I'll walk you to the bathroom and when you're finished, we can get out of here.”

 

Cissnei straightened up her gown and smiled with relief. The opera itself might have been a bust but aside from the resulting mess, Reno had more than made up for it. She grabbed her purse and he opened the door leading out of the balcony for her.

 

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Cissnei slid into the passenger seat and waited as Reno took his car keys from the valet and started to open the driver-side door. She caught sight of a scruffy looking guy hurrying their way from the opposite side of the street and her training kicked in as she noticed him reaching for something inside of his denim jacket. She looked at Reno, who seemed to be the focus of the man's attention. The redhead hadn't noticed him—his attention was focused on opening the car door.

 

She could have been misreading the stranger's intent and focus but one of the first things the Turks were taught was to listen to their instincts. The approaching man's face was twisted with bitter grief and his eyes blazed with the wild desperation of someone that had nothing left to lose. She opened her purse and reached in to take the small handgun she'd put in there. A Turk never went anywhere without some kind of weapon…not even on a date.

 

“Reno,” she hollered warningly as she rolled the window down.

 

Reno looked up to see the approaching man and he tensed.

 

“Reno of the Turks?” the man rasped.

 

“Who's asking?” Reno said. The valet and passersby on the street stopped and stared with wary interest at the scene that was unfolding.

 

“Just one of the nobody's whose life you destroyed when you crushed my family,” the man answered. He raised a gun that had been concealed in his jacket and immediately fired it at Reno. People screamed and ducked while Reno staggered and gagged a curse. The shot had hit him in the left side of his torso but he didn't think it struck anything vital. He was reaching for his gun to return fire but Cissnei beat him to it. The petite girl fired two shots from inside of the car, hitting the attacker in the chest and throat. He went down and Cissnei got out of the car and circled around to Reno's side.

 

“Oh god, he got you,” she said in a shaken voice as her lover staggered against the car. His hand was pressed against his wound and blood was seeping out from between his fingers. She'd reacted too slowly, unwilling to make a mistake and shoot someone that wasn't a threat. She hadn't expected him to fire so quickly and her pulse was pounding in her temples with fear as she put an arm around Reno to support him.

 

“Good thing he was such a suck shot,” Reno said dryly, wincing in pain. “Where the hell did he come from? That was pretty fucking random, yo.”

 

“He probably followed us and waited for an opportunity,” Cissnei reasoned. “He seemed pretty obsessed, to me.” She felt wetness when her hand pressed against her back and she investigated to find a jagged hole in the back of Reno's suit. The exit wound was bleeding more heavily than the entrance wound and she knew she'd have to get Reno to a doctor fast.

 

The valet hurried over with huge eyes. “Sir, let me call an ambulance for you. You've got to get to the hospital!”

 

“Cool it,” Reno said, “My office building is closer than the hospital and I'll have my own people take care of me.” He grunted and felt around behind him for the exit wound.

 

“Get into the car,” Cissnei demanded.

 

“One sec, doll. There's something I wanna do first.” Reno peered at the sidewalk with narrowed eyes, searching around the splatter of his own blood for the discharged bullet. He found it near the outer wall of the opera house and limped over to pick it up, ignoring the excited voices all around him and the stares. He took the bloodied shot to the body lying in the street.

 

“Reno, what the hell are you doing?” Cissnei inquired urgently, “We've got to get you medical attention before you lose too much blood!”

 

“In a minute, babe.” Reno pried his attacker's jaws open and put the bullet into his mouth. “Chew on that, fucker.” He pulled out his gun and shot the dead man in the skull as a parting token of his affection. “Okay Cissnei, I'm ready now.” Sirens were approaching from the distance and he didn't particularly feel like dealing with the cops right now. He was starting to get dizzy.

 

“Wait,” the valet called as the building security guards came out, “A report is going to have to be filed! Where can the police reach you, sir?”

 

Reno pulled out his wallet and handed a card to the Valet. When the man saw the ShinRa emblem on it he went pale. “If they've got questions for me,” Reno said, “they can reach me through my department. Later, man.”

 

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Cissnei thought it was terribly strange that the man had gone after Reno like that. The plate incident was being publicly blamed on AVALANCHE but somehow, that man knew Reno was responsible for destroying the support column. Either there was a leak in the company or someone saw Reno in action.

 

She couldn't worry about that now, though. She drove like a bat out of hell to rush her lover to Headquarters and she hollered for help as soon as she pulled up to the lobby parking lot. Reno was still conscious when the ShinRa guards retrieved him from the car and carried him into the building, but his lips were pale and Cissnei was afraid his procrastination might cost him his life. She followed anxiously behind the guards as they brought him into the building and called for a stretcher to take him to the medical wing.

 

The medical staff arrived in the lobby quickly and they eased Reno onto the transport stretcher and wheeled him to the elevator with Cissnei right at their heels. They brought him into a room and removed his jacket and dress shirt to clean the wound and staunch the flow of blood. A doctor came in shortly, carrying Reno's medical file. He ordered his assistants to get Reno hooked up to a pint of the proper blood type and he worked over the redhead quickly. Cissnei watched anxiously as the medical staff treated Reno. He opened his eyes and noticed her frightened expression. His pale lips grinned crookedly as he winked at her.

 

“Don't get all worked up, kiddo. I'll be fine.” His voice was weak but confident.

 

“He was lucky,” the doctor said after a few moments, “the bullet didn't hit any organs. The loss of blood and risk of infection are his biggest problems right now.”

 

Cissnei nodded and reached out to squeeze Reno's hand. “I'm sorry. I wasn't fast enough and I knew that man looked suspicious.”

 

He shook his head. “Hey, you saved my ass, yo. He probably would have gotten off another shot and hit me somewhere important, if it wasn't for you. Now stop worrying, kay?”

 

“I'll try,” she sighed. She moved out of the way as the doctor came around to her side of the examination table and eased Reno onto his uninjured side for better access to his wounds. The redhead gasped in pain but otherwise didn't voice any objections.

 

“We'll get you a tetanus shot, a blood transfusion and a prescription for antibiotics,” the doctor said to Reno as he checked the temporary dressings to make sure they were tight enough. “When I'm satisfied that there are no fragments left behind inside and you aren't going to come down with blood poisoning or an infection, we'll have the wounds healed with materia. The scarring should be very minimal.”

 

“Thanks, doc.” Reno sighed and closed his eyes.

 

~*********************************~

 

Rude got word of the incident and he left his apartment and went straight to Headquarters to check on his partner. When he arrived in the medical wing and found the room Reno was in, the redhead was sitting up in his bed and talking to two police officers. Cissnei was seated in the chair at his side, answering questions as well. Rude opened the door and walked in, silently finding a spot out of everyone's way to wait for them to finish. Reno gave him a quick salute and obeyed the doctor's instructions to raise his left arm slowly.

 

“And you've never seen the man that shot you before tonight?” one of the officers asked Reno.

 

“Nope. He just came out of nowhere and babbled some shit about being nobody,” Reno answered, grimacing as the doctor changed his dressing. “The guy was either a head-case or a druggy as far as I could tell, yo.”

 

The officer nodded and wrote the information down. Everyone knew that the Turks had dark dealings but being a government sponsored organization, they were pretty much above the law. If the officers thought that the incident was a result of something Reno did to the man first they didn't say so.

 

“Thank you for your cooperation, sir,” the officer said. “Oh, there's one more thing.” He frowned and looked at the coroner report again. “We found a bullet in his esophagus and it didn't appear to have gotten there through the neck wound. It appears to have been put there deliberately?”

 

Reno shrugged. “Yeah, I made the bastard swallow the bullet he shot me with after my girlfriend took him down. Seemed fitting at the time, yo.”

 

Rude smirked and nodded in approval.

 

The officer gulped and nodded, motioning to his partner. “Thanks for your time, sir. We'll contact you if we find anything that might indicate the shooter's affiliation with any terrorist groups or gangs.”

 

“You do that,” Reno said coolly. He smiled crookedly as he watched the two officers hurry out of the hospital room as if they feared he'd shoot them in the ass. The doctor finished cleaning and redressing his injuries and he checked his IV before leaving. Once he was alone with his partner and lover, Reno grinned at Rude. “Exciting stuff, yo.”

 

“Sounds like it,” Rude agreed as he walked closer to the bed. “It doesn't sound like it was a random attack though.”

 

Reno's grin faded and he sighed. “No…the dude was a sector seven survivor. I guess the crash killed his family and he found out I was involved and followed us to the opera house.”

 

Rude noticed Cissnei's worried look. “Think we've got a leak in the company?” He asked.

 

“Maybe,” she said uncertainly. “It's just as likely that he or someone he knew saw Reno setting the bomb, though. The only thing that makes me wonder about a leak is how the man found out where we were going tonight.”

 

“He might have been watching Headquarters and following me around,” guessed Reno. “It wouldn't be hard to find out where I live and trail me. I guess I should have been paying more attention, yo. Should have known someone would be out for my blood after I rigged that explosion.”

 

“Well, you lived through it and he's compost,” Rude shrugged. “Just keep a better eye out for a while, man.”

 

“Sure thing, partner.” Reno yawned and Rude tactfully took his leave, telling Reno to give him a call in the morning. Cissnei reached out and stroked Reno's hair as he lay back down. He looked up at her and noticed how drained she was looking. “Go home and get some rest, babe. You don't need to stay here all night and trying to sleep in those visitor's chairs is a real bitch.”

 

“I don't mind,” she insisted.

 

He chuckled and scooted over in the bed, patting the slight space he'd made invitingly. “If you're gonna be stubborn about it you might as well sleep in the bed with me. Just try not to lay on my hurt side, yo.”

 

“I don't think the doctor would let me do that,” Cissnei said.

 

“He won't have the chutzpah to say anything about it,” Reno said with certainty. “Come on, I can tell you're tired and I'm not about to let a lady sleep in a damned chair all night.”

 

Cissnei smirked and took her shoes off before crawling onto the narrow space beside him. He put his arm around her and she lay halfway across his uninjured side, resting her cheek on his chest as he stroked her hair. It wasn't the most comfortable sleeping position but it was better than the chair, and she wasn't willing to leave.

 

~*******************************~

 

Reno made the right call with the doctor. He came in the next morning and frowned with disapproval when he saw the petite brunette snuggled up against the redhead on the bed, but he didn't say anything. He cleared his throat to wake them and they blinked groggily at him.

 

“We'll heal you with the materia today after we run a few tests,” the doctor informed Reno, “You'll be released once we've finished and your employer asked me to notify you that you're to take a week's leave of duty to recover.”

 

Reno already knew how he was going to be spending his recovery time and he squeezed Cissnei gently and smirked. “Sounds good, yo.”

 

~**************************************~

 

Two hours later, Cissnei drove Reno home in his car. She'd been in his apartment before but not since the two of them had gotten together. After they walked through the door, she decided it was her turn to spoil him a little. “Go have a seat on the couch while I find you something comfortable to wear,” she ordered.

 

“Yes ma'am,” Reno agreed with a chuckle. He glanced at the gown she was still wearing. “Yo, why don't you pick out a t-shirt or something from my closet to wear? I know that dress ain't the most comfortable thing in the world.”

 

She was pleasantly surprised by the offer and she smiled at him. “Thanks, Reno. I'll be right back.” She took her shoes off and left him alone in the spacious living room, making her way down the hall to his bedroom. Common sense dictated that she check his drawers for pajama bottoms first. She found a pair in the third drawer and laid them out over the modern designer bed, pausing to admire the furniture. Reno had class, which was a little weird considering how rarely he wore his uniform properly.

 

She found a soft linen, button-up shirt hanging in the closet and she took it out and tossed it on top of the pajama bottoms before searching through the t-shirts for herself. She selected one that was big enough to cover her to the mid-thigh and she changed out of her dress and into it, removing her panties to wash them with the gown. Her stomach growled and she put a hand over it, deciding that her next task was going to be to make some lunch for herself and Reno. Picking up Reno's change of clothes and her gown and panties, she returned to the living room.

 

Reno looked up at her and his sea-green eyes were intrigued as they scanned her delicate frame. “You look great in my shirt, sweetheart. How about you come sit in my lap, yo.”

 

Cissnei laughed softly and shook her head. “I don't know how you can think about sex in your condition. Look, we can do that later after I've made us something to eat and washed our clothes.

 

He clucked his tongue. “Mmm, little tease.” He looked down at his stained tuxedo and sighed. “Might as well just throw the top part of this away. You know where the laundry room is?”

 

“Next to the bathroom, right?” Cissnei replied, mentally reviewing the layout of the apartment as she remembered it.

 

“That's right. The detergent's in the cupboard over the washing machine and the fabric softener should be right beside it.” He studied her for a moment longer, his eyes roving over her bare legs. He grinned when he noticed that she was holding her panties in her hand with the dress. “You know you're making things a lot easier for me, don't ya?”

 

Cissnei flushed. “They need to be washed. I wasn't trying to—”

 

Reno laughed. “Relax doll, I'm not gonna jump you. I just like the thought of you being bareback in my apartment. I might have to have a `no panties' rule for you when you come here, yo.”

 

“Okay, pervert,” Cissnei said with mock annoyance as she tossed his change of clothes onto the couch beside him. “Get changed.” She watched as he removed his jacket and shirt, enjoying a little perving of her own as his body was slowly revealed to her eyes.

 

Reno noticed her warm stare as he undid the button of his pants and stood up to unzip them and take them off. He raised his eyebrows at her and gave her an ironic look. “I'm the pervert?”

 

Cissnei grinned at him playfully and shrugged. “What, women aren't supposed to look too? Maybe I like a little eye candy myself, once in a while.”

 

His eyes were amused and teasing on her as he slowly dragged the zipper of his fly down. “Is that right?” he murmured. “Maybe I should worry about you jumping me, yo.”

 

“Like you'd complain if I did,” Cissnei snorted.

 

“Only one way to find out, honey.” Reno waggled his eyebrows at her.

 

Cissnei giggled and crossed the distance to put her arms around him. His grinning mouth descended to hers and kissed her deeply. She returned the kiss, dropped her clothes and ran her hands over his bare chest, kneading the slim muscles with her fingers. His breath quickened and he slid his hands down her back and cupped her bottom to lift her against him.

 

Reno suddenly gasped in pain as his healing injuries throbbed and he let go of Cissnei and pressed a hand against the fresh, small scar. “Okay, that was a mistake,” he grunted as he sucked in a few sharp breaths. She looked at him in concern and bit her lip as he waited for the pain to fade. “I'm okay,” he assured her with a tight little grin. “I just forgot. The damned bullet holes are closed but the flesh is gonna be tender for a few days.”

 

“I'll get the pain medicine they prescribed for you,” She said immediately, leaving him to finish dressing. She went to her purse and dug the bottle of antibiotics and pain medicine out of it, then went to the kitchen and poured him a glass of water. When she returned to the living room he was dressed in the pajama pants but he hadn't put on the shirt, which suggested he was in more pain than he let on.

 

“Here, take these,” she said as she handed the pills and the drink to him. He grimaced and popped the tablets into his mouth obediently. She picked up their clothes and took them to the laundry room, throwing away his ruined tuxedo jacket and shirt on her way.

 

Reno sighed and stretched out on the couch, closing his eyes and grumbling to himself. He listened to the sound of Cissnei starting up the washing machine and he realized with a little shock that he wouldn't mind giving her a drawer to keep some of her things in. He'd never even considered making arrangements like that with any of his previous girlfriends, because they usually led to someone moving in and he preferred to have his space.

 

“Damn, she's got me whipped already,” he sighed.

 

~********************************~

 

-To be continued