Ray was already at the downtown café when Tammy came in. She waved, walked directly to him and kissed him full on the lips before sliding into the booth opposite him. "Aren't Chip and Sandy supposed to meet us here?" She waited a moment before making a questioning smile, because he hadn't spoken. He was just staring at her; thoughts of their night together still filled his mind.
He remembered falling asleep facing her, their knees touching, and her hand under his cheek. Later in a dreamy twist of awareness, he sensed her warm body away from him and moving about in the room. He felt cold and tried to wake, but pieces of darkness were shifting around like a blurry puzzle. He was lying naked on his hard cell bunk; his stiff jumpsuit was crumpled under his head for a harsh pillow. He was cold and couldn't move. Some enormous man in a uniform was standing over him and pointing. He heard the sharp metal clang of the jail cell door.
And then, her bare total softness returned, she was warm. He felt her reach out and touch him, her softness enveloped him, and he passed back into bliss with only a fading image of the jail cell.
He remembered awakening in the unfamiliar bedroom wondering if it was true where he was and true what had happened between them. She was on her side facing him with her breasts showing over the top of the sheet. She saw that he was awake, smiled and stretched out a perfect leg toward him. Then she raised the corner of the sheet like a theater curtain, to offer him her lovely body again. For him, there was nothing else anywhere.
That was two nights ago. After last night's talk with Sandy, the incredible happening would be remembered sadly.
He heard Tammy's voice ordering iced tea. He blinked hard and saw her across the booth table. The waitress was hovering.
"Oh yes, iced tea is fine," he said.
"Turned out really wild the other night, didn't it?" She puckered her lips and fluttered her eyelashes like a silent screen star.
He had to laugh. "You're a devil." He would never kiss those lips again.
"Well, you know where I live." She reached over and squeezed his hand.
He couldn't say what he needed to say with her touching him. He gently took his hand away. To cover the awkward moment he reached for a napkin. "Chip had some sort of call, and Sandy is packing for Philly. They'll be along."
"Did you see the paper, Ray? Thank heaven the long Park Beach nightmare is over. Imagine Loraine paying Sonny Barner to kill Al, and then drowning him to cover it up."