16 Chapter 16: THE GIRL IN THE NEXT ROOM

Tory's eyes popped open but she didn't immediately move. She was under the covers of a bed more comfortable then hers ever had been and an arm was draped over her belly; the body it connected to spooned behind her. But that was not the reason for the slight frown that creased her brow.

What had awakened her was the mechanical sound of the elevator from the other side of the large home. Lee was sleeping, she could tell by the loud, steady sound of his breathing. Who was coming up the elevator? Should she wake him?

The gate came up. It wasn't so loud that it should wake Lee up, but since this wasn't her home, any strange noise was alarming to her. By the pinkish light coming through the slats of the window it was just daybreak...seven am?

She wanted to jump up and put her clothes on...but then she didn't want to leave the safety of the bed; nor the concealment of the comforter. She finally shook Lee's arm.

"Lee!" She whispered.

"Mmm?" He sighed, still half asleep.

"Sweetie, there's somebody in the loft."

His eyes came open slowly and he stretched, lazily, becoming oriented. "Oh, that's Rosalind."

Rosalind? The hostess from the restaurant? She gave him a curious look, waiting for an explanation. Of course he couldn't see the look. He gave her a quick squeeze, pulling her into his arms.

"Does two people with morning breath cancel each other out?" He asked.

Her brow was knit in alarm that Rosalind was in the house. "No." She said seriously.

"Okay, then we'll save the good morning kiss for later." He sat up in bed with the comforter over his lap. "Honey? What did I do with my underwear?"

Honey. He called her honey. She suppressed a smile. "They are...at ten o'clock." She whispered even though he was talking in a normal voice. She had the comforter clutched to her breast, all the way up to her neck. He stood up and stretched again.

Momentarily she forgot about the girl in the other room and appraised his rounded ass and the line of his back that tapered down to a narrow waist. Damn...no; DAYUM!!!

She shook her head and quickly smoothed down her hair. Lee used his feet to find his undies and slipped them on quickly. "Stay there, I'll get your clothes."

"My...panties and bra are on the chair." She whispered. He found them and handed them to her and she climbed beneath the comforter to pull them on frantically. She was hoping to be at least partially dressed before Rosalind made her appearance; but no such luck.

"Hey, o que é que fazes aqui?" She rounded the glass block and froze in her spot at the sight of Tory peeking out from beneath the comforter. The Portuguese woman's face was in complete shock and her mouth formed a large O.

"Getting dressed." Lee was fastening his pants. "Roz, we'll be right out."

"Oh my God! I'm so sorry!" She scurried out of the room. Lee reached down and felt for Tory's dress. She took it from him in embarrassment. What was that woman doing just walking into a grown man's bedroom? He was only seconds from being butt naked!

"Roz comes by on Saturdays to help me with some errands and things; grocery shopping and such." At seven am???

"Why so early?"

"Well to get it out of the way. She's got kids and a hubby." When she was all dressed, Lee reached for her hand. "And when she's not helping me with errands then one of my brothers and sisters do. I don't need much help; I do my own chores, laundry etc."

When they reached the living room, Rosalind was busily opening the drapes. Tory saw that she'd disposed of the two containers of bottled water. The woman looked at her and Tory saw the recognition. Roz's eyes did a quick scan of her disheveled form before giving her a worried look.

"I'm so sorry, I-he's usually alone."

"Roz, this is Tory." Lee seemed not the least affected by the fact that both women were uncomfortable.

"I remember, from the restaurant." She hurried over and offered her hand. Roz was pretty, appearing to be in her early thirties. She was tall, probably five ten, but her height did a lot to counteract her weight. She was a big woman but also statuesque one.

The two women clasped hands and as Lee moved towards the kitchen Tory hurried to the couch where her purse still sat and her shoes lay on the floor.

"Hon, do you want coffee?" Lee called.

"Yes." Both women replied in unison. They stared at each other suddenly.

"Three coffees coming up."

Tory focused on putting on her shoes...damned feet had swollen and they didn't want to go on easily.

"So..." Roz stood there with her arms crossed before her. "You and Lee are...together?"

"Uhm..." She hadn't thought that far.

"The reason I ask is because your shoes were on the floor." She gave Tory a steady look. "And this is the path that he walks. This is the type of thing that could cause him a serious injury...something as small as a carelessly strewn shoe."

Tory's mouth opened and then closed. She was embarrassed and wasn't sure what to say. "I'll keep that in mind."

Roz watched her, seeming to want to say more but instead she turned and went to the kitchen. Wow, no one had ever dismissed her so completely. Tory limped to the bathroom and quickly had a meltdown at the sight of her hair. She put it in some order with the items in her bag and then she washed her face and found mouthwash to gurgle with. She didn't like facing someone who obviously didn't like her, while wearing day old panties and having bed head, but she had no choice.

She walked back to the living room bravely and Lee called out to her from the kitchen. "Tory, we're in here."