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Blue Moon 4.5

by Donna Lamb

Richard parked in the lot, leaped out and went around the car to open the door for Jo. She'd just gotten her belt open and looked up at him. Had her eyes been so green before? he wondered.

He held out his hand. "Remember the lessons?"

Jo nodded and put her hand in his. She felt the electricity of his touch but she tried to ignore it.

He helped her out and her awkward grace charmed him, not to mention the erect nipples visible against the little black dress. "Don't forget your purse," he reminded her.

She started to reach back into the car, across the seat, not complaining, though. She seemed a little dazed.

"Bend your knees, just a bit, but keep them together. Put one hand on the back of your skirt; with one this short, hold the hem. Squat a bit to keep your balance. If it's too far to reach, get back in to retrieve it," Richard instructed.

Her jaw dropped open and she stared at him. "How do you know so much about b-being a w-w-w-girl?"

"I'll get it," he said. She moved out of the way and let him retrieve the purse, taking it when he handed it to her.

"Thanks," she said.

"Years of girl watching," he said.

"W-what?"

"You asked how I knew what you should do."

"Oh. B-but I thought m-men just im-m-magined all girls naked?"

He grinned at her and she blushed, feeling some kind of heat passing between them. She took a step backward.

"Is that what you did?" he asked.

"I don't know," she said. "M-maybe? Sometimes." She looked around, squinted a bit, then pointed, "That's the of-f-fice. I gotta go to w-w-work."

"I'll go in with you."

"No! Go fi-find me some clothes."

"What if they don't know who you are? They think Joel is dead."

A little air seemed to leak out of her and her shoulders slumped. "W-w-wait out here. Okay, if I'm not back in f-fi-fif-twenty minutes, go on and shop for m-me and come b-back in an hour."

Richard didn't want to do that. He thought about insisting that he go along but suddenly Jo put a soft little hand on his arm.

"P-p-please, Richard?"

"Okay, okay," he said. He turned away and walked back around to the driver's side, standing where the open door shielded him a bit. I'm hot for my roomie, he thought. Jerry Springer, here we come. A bizarre little guitar riff played in his head, "Hot for roomie, hot for roomie!"

"Thanks," she said.

"Yeah."

Jo sighed and set off for the back door of the office building. Richard watched her walk away. Her hips didn't sway as much as some girls but she had a loose, long-legged style that seemed sexy to him just then. So slim, her short hair somehow making her look even taller. She reached the glass door, touched the wide horizontal handle.

"Jo!" he called suddenly.

She turned, looking back toward him, squinting a bit.

"Be careful," he said. "I'll wait here for you."

Jo smiled and waved at him. "I'll be okay, I'm just going in to w-work." She struggled a bit pushing the door open, surprised at its weight. She'd opened this door a thousand times, at least, and never noticed the mass.

Richard watched her disappear inside. She still doesn't believe this has happened, not really. He whistled a few bars of Walk Like an Egyptian then sat back inside the limo to think. She's not Joel anymore, Joel is dead. So who is she? And how do we find out if she doesn't know?

"Fucking aliens," he said out loud.