For a Hero (7 page)

“I wonder what it could be. I didn’t order anything.” She looked over at Miranda whose curiosity had given her another great reason not to work. Miranda shrugged and popped some gum in her mouth.

“Go find it, and if it’s food, PLEASE share.”

Jenna stood and walked toward the elevator. She pressed the button and waited. When the doors slid open, a few of her coworkers stepped out and smiled. “Jenna, right? I think you’re going to like what’s waiting for you in the lobby.”

“What is it?” Why was everyone so wrapped up in her delivery? Do they not have lives?

“I don’t think I should ruin the surprise. I’ll just have you know that it’s a little too big to keep on your desk.” Her coworkers laughed and slipped off into the office.

Jenna took the elevator down to the lobby floor. When she stepped out, her eyes grew wider than dinner plates. There stood her angel, crisp in a blue dress shirt, holding a bouquet of red roses.

“Hey Jenna.” David smiled, still finding it hard to believe that he had made himself come to her place of business to do this.

“Oh my god, David. What are you doing here?” Jenna rushed to him, standing only a few feet away. The receptionist and a few others sat giggling and pointing behind the desk.

“I wanted to see you again. Last night was wonderful. I brought you these.” He held out the flowers for her. She took them into her arms and smelled them deeply.

“How did you know that red roses were my favorite?”

“I don’t know. It just seems like they would be. They are beautiful, and elegant and classic, just like you.” He was proud he had made the right decision.

“They’re wonderful. I love them.”

“I’m so glad. Listen, Jenna. If I’m not too out of line, I’d like to see you again tonight. Might you be available after work?”

Jenna thought about it, she didn’t want to seem too eager. “I’ll have to check my schedule, but I’m mostly sure I can squeeze you in.”

A broad grin exploded onto his lips. “That’s wonderful news. We’ll have a double date. I’ll pick you up here at five thirty. Are those shoes comfortable to walk in?”

“Yes, it won’t be a problem.”

“Excellent. I have to go, but I’ll be back. Have a good day at work.” He was so excited. He waved at her and almost knocked someone over on his way out the door.

She watched him leave and smelled her flowers one more time. They smelled so sweet. She turned and walked back toward the elevator. Her head shifted toward the receptionist, to whom she gave a smile and pointed at the flowers.

Back at her desk, Jenna set the flowers amongst her life’s collage, near her sister’s picture. They made a wonderful contribution to the whole, she thought.

Miranda careened into her. “Wooo. Who’d you get those from? Your angel?”

“They might be from him.” Her smile shone brighter than the sun.

“I guess you will be seeing him again.”

“Yes, I guess I will. It’s a double-date though, which isn’t what I expected. But, regardless, I am excited.”

“Tell me all about it tomorrow!”

The whole world faded away as Jenna looked at her desk. It looked so different from her workplace back in Dallas. There was organization here as well, and work and projects, but also so much more. All of a sudden, the five years it would take to get her promotion didn’t seem quite so long after all.

*****

David pulled up to her office. This time he had cleaned Jr. out really well. He sparkled like a Cullen. He stepped out when he saw Jenna leaving the building.

“Hey Gorgeous, are you ready?”

“Yes, I am. I’ve been looking forward to seeing you all day. Who are we going on a date with?”

“Two extremely good friends of mine. You are going to love them, Jenna. They are sweet, smart, pretty and do exactly what they’re told.”

‘Do what they’re told?’ Jenna thought. ‘What kind of people are we meeting?’

Jenna talked with David about their day and their work but what he said about his obedient friends never left the back of her mind. It was so out of place compared with the rest of his behavior.

They drove south of downtown but with the scrapers still in view. Jr. rode west along the river until they got to a quaint quartz-colored building.

“Jenna, this is Austin Pets Alive. It’s a non-profit organization with the goal of eliminating the killing of companion animals in Austin. I have been volunteering with them for a while. It’s kinda one of my hobbies.”

“I can’t think of a better hobby. I love animals.” He let her out of the truck and she noticed something new in him, a spunk, a pizzazz. He was clearly happy to be there. She stepped out and looked around the building. “Is this where our date is?”

“Kind of. Not exactly, though. It is, however, where we are picking up the other couple accompanying us on our date.”

Jenna looked so confused. David laughed heartily and grabbed her hand. “Come on, Sweetie. We don’t want to miss them handing out treats!”

She reeled. She was dating a puppy. A big, beautiful, heroic puppy, but a puppy nonetheless.

He excitedly took her into the office where a large, jolly lady greeted him warmly. “David, Sugar, how are you? I was worried you would be late!” She hugged him. “Who is your pretty little friend? She trying to take you away from us?”

“Haha, no! Suzanne, this is Jenna, this is kind of a date. We were hoping to pick up my two buddies tonight and go down to the walking trail off of Barton Springs Rd.”

Suzanne turned to Jenna. “So, you ARE trying to take away our David!”

Jenna got sheepish and shied away. “I didn’t mean to, Suzanne. He asked me here.”

Suzanne eyed her relentlessly. Then David and her burst into laughter. “We were just kidding, Sweetie. We’re happy to have you here. Any friend of David’s is a friend of ours.” Suzanne wrapped Jenna up in a huge bear hug, suffocating her in massive breasts.

Jenna was touched. She wondered if it was always like this wherever David went, hugs and greetings and smiles. Suzanne released her and she fell to her feet, having lost her wind but happy to have been greeted so warmly.

Suzanne touched David’s arm. “Sugar, we don’t usually let the volunteers take the dogs so far from the compound, but I think we can make a special exception for you. You are our hero, after all.” She looked over at Jenna while holding David’s arm close. “Not too long ago, we had a fire. We almost lost everything. If our facility had burned down, all of these dogs would have died, and worse still, any dog found in the future might have to be put down until it could be rebuilt. You just have no idea how much good this man does. You should have seen him coming out of that shed holding that poodle. All of us ladies here at APA just think he is an angel sent from heaven. You’re a lucky girl, Honey.”

“Yes Ma’am. I have already learned that. He seems to get that ‘angel’ thing a lot.” She felt proud. David looked around, trying to avoid eye contact with anybody. Could he get any cuter?

“Let’s get you two signed in, Sugar, and I’ll take you to go see Rebel and Ginger. They will be so happy to see you!” Then, as Suzanne took their information and gave them their badges, it hit her. The double date was with dogs! Duh! This was the cutest thing she had ever seen.

Suzy led the couple through the compound to the old familiar cages David had visited so often. As soon as David was visible through the tiny little bars of the gates, the barking and howling began. Rebel, a great white Spitz stood on its hind legs and bayed to the ceiling. His tail wagged so hard and fast that he nearly knocked himself over. Ginger was an orange spotted Corgi and she was running in circles so fast that her little stubby paws began to wear a donut shaped hole in the dirt of her cage.

Jenna felt David’s hand tighten with hers in it. She looked over at him to see him giddy with joy. He rose on his toes and bounced a little. His eyes were fixed on those animals and they were completely full of love. Jenna wanted to cry.

When Suzanne opened the gates, the hounds burst from their cages and jumped all over David. He fell to the ground with them and kissed them and rubbed them and loved them until Suzanne stopped him. He was so pure. Jenna wondered how he had lived so long and remained completely uncorrupted.

“No Ginger. No Rebel. Sit. Stay. Good dogs.” She gave them little chewy snacks and handed the leashes to David and Jenna. “You two be safe tonight and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do!” She swatted David on the butt and waved goodbye.

It wasn’t too long before they fell into stride together on the walking trail. David held Rebel’s leash and Jenna held Ginger’s. David slowly and obviously crept his arm around Jenna’s waist. She giggled and scooted closer to make it a little bit easier. Even though the trail was in the middle of Austin, it had views that were out of this world. The rich green of the trees contrasted so beautifully with the blue of the water. There were even rock climbers on the bluffs, 

“I didn’t think we were going to see each other again after last night. You didn’t get my phone number or anything when you left.” Jenna couldn’t keep the hurt out of her voice.  “I was nervous. I didn’t think I would impress you once you got really close to me. I assumed you got what you paid for and were done.”

“I guess you changed your mind, didn’t you?” She smiled, remembering his gesture at work today.

“Yeah. I did. Jenna, tell me something. Why was it so important that you buy me yesterday? I am glad you did, and the fire department appreciates the donation, but it was a lot of money. Is there more to this than what I know?” He rubbed his thumb into the softness of her palm. “I figured you thought I was crazy or something. It’s going to get worse, but here goes.” Jenna hung her head, not anxious to hear his reaction to her news. “I never really had a boyfriend before.” David was shocked. “Really? A looker like you? I don’t believe you.”

“You flatter me, but seriously, I haven’t. I’ve had guy friends my whole life, and occasionally one of them would be romantically interested in me, but I never felt the same way. Every now and then, pity or guilt would make me go on date with one but it never ended well.”

“I’m sorry; that sounds awful.” David tried to hide the stab of jealousy that cut his heart; he hoped she would hear sympathy instead. “I’m glad you are here with me, though, instead of with one of them.” “Thank you. They weren’t nice people, David. I haven’t had the best experiences with men. Sure some of them were my friends, but they weren’t giving, or caring, or loving. They were small and needy and selfish. I moved to Austin thinking I had nothing to look forward to but another group of horrible men.”

David listened.

“I did have this one friend though, back in Dallas. Her name was Margaret. She worked in the office there with me. She never gave up on me. She would always tell me there were great men out there and I just needed to be patient to find mine. I didn’t move to Austin because I wanted to. My boss in Dallas had me transferred because I wouldn’t sleep with him.” David hugged her closer when she shivered. “Maggie was the only true friend I had. She sent me a card on my first day working here. It had a hunky, shirtless fireman on it. She reminded me that there were good men out there. The day I got that card, was the day I saw you on the bus. You were larger than life, gorgeous but more than that, you stood up for those women. It may not mean much in the great scheme of things, but it’s important that people understand the right way to behave. When I saw you do that, it changed everything. It made me think about men and relationships completely differently. When the opportunity came up to be with you, even for one night, and even for fifteen thousand dollars, I jumped at it. And now, to be here with you, walking these dogs is a dream come true.” She held her breath, waiting to see what he would say.

“Jenna, I had no idea.” David tugged the dog back from a little frog. How was he supposed to feel? Jenna was becoming so important to him. “I don’t know what to say. Thank you. Thank you for seeing something good in me. I think it might just be the shine of a new apple though.”

“Stop it.” She play slapped him across the arm. “I have no idea why you don’t realize how great you are, but I intend to change that, if you’ll keep letting me hang around with you.”

David smiled. “I would love it if we continued to see each other. Rebel and Ginger would love it, too. They think double dates are great ideas.”

“It looks like it.” The puppies walked on with their heads held high, mouths wide open in broad smiles, tails wagging like crazy, one always stepping near to the other. They clearly had an affinity for one another. “Tell me, David. Why do you have such a hard time opening up?”

He stiffened a bit. “I’m plenty open. I haven’t hid anything from you. I even danced with a thong on. I don’t think there is too much left.”

Jenna stopped. She held her hand out and stroked his cheek. “I see it in your eyes, Honey. You are acting more withdrawn than you should be. Look at you. You are amazing. Did you get hurt? Did a girl mess with you?”

At the words David shuddered and looked down.

They began to walk again.

“I’m sorry, David. I didn’t mean to offend you or bring back bad memories. I just want to understand. You can take me home if you want. I knew you wouldn’t think I was right for you. I was happy just remembering the perfect evening yesterday. I am sorry.”

David halted and took her in his arms. “No, Jenna. Don’t be sorry. You are the best girl I’ve ever met. I don’t know why I feel so wrapped up in you, but I do. I don’t want to take you home. I intend to keep you out as long as you’ll let me.” He began to kiss her, passionately, framing her face, biting at her lips, taking little nibbles and licking away the sting. Everything about this woman turned him on. “I love to kiss you, Jenna.” She whimpered her agreement. The dogs turned around out of respect. Rebel gave Ginger a little love lick on the cheek.

David entrapped her in his embrace; there wasn’t a half-inch of air between them. He devoured her lips, his cock strained in the confines of his jeans. Their tongues swirled together as he mapped the inside of her soft, sweet mouth. His fingers wove through her black hair, gripping and twisting, making sure she realized that he needed this connection with her. Looking deeply into her eyes, he begged. “Stay with me.”