“Down to my bones, mama, right back at you.”
Suddenly, I was perfectly calm.
“Later,” he finished.
“Later, baby.”
Then he was gone. I put my phone down on the counter, saw the tees and smiled to myself. Then I jumped and whirled when I heard a knock at the door.
Standing outside was a supremely well-dressed black man. He was also supremely handsome, bald head, thick, black, well-trimmed goatee, bedroom eyes. Tall, not as tall as Ty but a lot taller than me. Great body.
I stared at him thinking that Ty’s parole officer was hot.
I moved to the door, searching behind him but seeing no company. I opened it and finally really looked at him to see he looked surprised.
“Hi,” I greeted and he stared at me so I asked, “Can I help you?”
“Are you Lexie?” he asked back.
“Uh… yes.” I played the game but found it weird when I confirmed my name that he smiled, big, broad and white. “Sorry, have we met?”
“I’m Samuel Sterling.”
Cool name.
I smiled. “Hello, Samuel Sterling.”
His smile got bigger and he noted, “You’re back.”
Well, that was interesting. It seemed Ty shared with his parole officer.
“Uh, yeah. Just over a week now. Would you, um… like to come in?” I invited, stepping aside so he could do so.
He didn’t move. He simply studied me. Then he remarked, “You have no clue who I am.”
“Uh –” I started, wondering, if I did say I had a clue who he was, if that would expose Dewey’s visit when he spoke again.
“Own a jet, Lexie,” he informed me quietly.
Oh my God!
I blinked. Then it was my turn to study him and it hit me that parole officers probably didn’t wear two hundred dollar, shiny, killer polo necked shirts nor did they have custom-made Italian loafers.
He smiled again, took three steps into the house and I turned with him as he did and shut the door behind me. Then I kept staring at him as his eyes did a sweep of the place and landed on the tees. Then they came back to me and his smile was huge.
Then he spoke. “I was close to town on business. Thought I’d stop by, see how Ty was seeing as how Ty was the last time I saw him was not good.” He dipped his head to the tees and commented, “I suspect he’s doing much better.”
“He is,” I whispered.
“Good,” he whispered back.
“Uh… thank you for, um… doing that favor for Ty and I. But back then I was just,” I threw out a hand, “well –”
“You don’t know me so you owe me no explanations, Lexie, I’m just glad you’re back.”
I grinned at him. “So am I.”
He grinned back then his eyes cut to the door behind me and his body went alert.