Deadly Dosage (15 page)

Chapter
24

By the time I pulled into my apartment parking lot, I
was psyched about my date. I knew what I was going to wear, how my hair was
going to be done, and how I would invite Lloyd in for a nightcap.

     What I didn’t plan on was seeing Sam’s shiny red
Silverado next to my parking space. Be cool. Be smart. I told myself as I
jogged up the stairs. Maybe he’s leaving.

     I opened the door and Sam was lounging on my
couch with a glass of wine.
My
bottle of wine. The one I purchased for
tonight, was opened and more than half of it was gone. I swore softly and put
my jacket away.

     “How the hell did you get in here?”

     “You gave me a key, remember?” He swung his key
chain in the air.

     His smug expression irked me. “Yeah, well, we’re
not dating anymore and I want it back.”

     I walked over to him and held out my hand.

     “Don’t think so,” he said, returning the keys to
his pants pocket.

     “You have no right to keep it.”

     “I’m dating Brandi.”

     “Then ask her for a key. Or are you afraid she
won’t give you one.”

     “No point, seeing as I already have one.” He
sipped more wine and gave me a proud smile.

     No point arguing. I had things to do.

     “Thanks for helping yourself to my pinot grigio.
I had plans for that.”

     “Does little Sunny have a date?”

     “Yes, I do.” I moved to the hall. “So if you’ll
excuse me, I have to get ready.”

     He put his glass down and came around the couch.
He followed me into my bedroom.

     “Get out, Sam,” I said sternly. “I’m going to
take a shower.”

     He came closer and grabbed me by the shoulders.
He tried to kiss me and I pushed him away. He shrugged and sat down on my bed.

     “We were good together, Sunny,” he said.

     “Maybe the first couple years, Sam, but that’s
it. You’re a very selfish man.”

     “I know.” He looked at me sheepishly. “What if I
show you now, how unselfish I can be.” He patted the bed and raised one
eyebrow.

     “It’s a little late for that.” I grabbed my robe
and headed for the bathroom. “Better save it for Brandi.”

     “Brandi. Now that girl knows some tricks.”

“Don’t want or need to know,
Sam,” I said with disgust. Why me? Why tonight?

“But it’s not like it was with
you.” He followed me to the bathroom.

     “Sam, leave.” I slammed the bathroom door in his
face and undressed. I let the shower run until the water was nice and hot and
climbed in. While I soaped up, I prayed that he would be gone when I got out.

I stayed in the bathroom until my makeup was on and my
hair was finished. With a lot of help from several hair products, my
bone-straight hair now lay in flattering, glossy curls, ending just below my
shoulders.

I opened the door and peeked
out. No Sam nearby. I shot out of the bathroom and swiftly ran into my bedroom
and locked the door behind me. I turned and sighed in relief until I spotted
Sam lying naked on my bed with his hands behind his head.

     “See anything you like,” he asked suggestively.

     God my life sucks. I unlocked the door and turned
back. Unfortunately, I liked what I saw, which was not what I wanted to be
thinking. I closed my eyes and pointed to the door.

     “Sam, get your clothes on and leave.”

     I looked at my watch on my dresser. Lloyd would
be knocking on my door in less than an hour. I had to get rid of Sam.

     “Sam! Move. Brandi will be home any minute.”

     “She’d be willing to join us.” He grinned and
turned on his side to watch me. “However, she called right after I came and
said she’d be over an hour late. She told me to make myself at home, so I did.”

     I massaged my temples. I felt the starting of a
migraine. This was a total nightmare.

     Ignoring him the best I could, I pulled out my
sexy black cashmere sweater and black low-rise jeans from my closet. I
considered dressing in the bathroom but felt I shouldn’t have to. He was
trespassing, not me. So, I dropped my clothes on the other side of the bed.

     I untied my robe and he let out a wolf whistle.
“Knew you couldn’t resist me. When did you get that lacy pink bra and underwear
set? I like it.”

      “It’s not going to happen.” I slipped my sweater
over my head, trying my best not to mess my hair.

     He leaned over and kissed my belly and I slapped
his hand away. I stared at him, lips tightening into a slash, eyes narrowing,
just daring him to try something else while I stepped into my jeans. “I’m
warning you, Sam.”

     “C’mon, sweetheart,” he said in my ear as I
slipped on my black leather, high-heeled boots.

     I got up and searched through my jewelry box for
my imitation ruby earrings, and only found one. The onyx studs would have to
do. Sam was still watching me. I slipped my watch on and noticed I only had
fifteen minutes left before Lloyd arrived.

Don’t panic, I told myself,
though I was close to hyperventilating. It isn’t easy to explain a naked,
ex-boyfriend in your apartment, let alone your bed. I took a deep breath. Nope.
Didn’t help the building anxiety.

“Damn you, Sam. Get out of my
bed and get dressed!” I lashed out.

     He sat up and threw his well-toned legs over the
side of the bed. “You’re such a prick tease, Sunny. You want it just as badly
as I do. Prancing around like that, acting like your shit don’t stink.”

     Patience was overrated, and with Sam, it was
intolerable. “Sam, if I wanted to hear from an asshole, I’d fart.”

     He laughed. “Oh that’s real classy.”

     “You should talk. In bed with my roommate the
night we breakup.”

     “You broke it off first,” he corrected, “so why
does it bother you?”

I chose not to respond. I
didn’t want to prolong the conversation.

“Jealousy maybe?” He stood,
but made no attempt to get dressed.

     “If that’s what you want to think,” I said with
frustration, though a small pang of jealousy did exist.

Not that I wanted Sam you
understand, but because Brandi couldn’t fill my shoes. She put the plain in
Jane. Plus, she was dumber than a pet rock and in my opinion, had a fat ass. It
made me wonder what attracted Sam to me in the first place.

     I heard the front door open. It had to be Brandi.

     “It’s Brandi,” I said dully.

This finally got him moving.
He grabbed his clothes and slipped into the bathroom unnoticed.

     Casually I walked out to greet her.

     “Oh. Hi, Sun! Gee, I expected Sam to be here.”

     “I think he’s in the bathroom.” I nodded to the
coffee table where the bottle of wine sat. “Too much to drink.”

     “Oh. Guess he started celebrating without me.”

     She didn’t know how true that was. “By the way,
congratulations on your new job. Hope it works out.”

     “Yeah, me too.” She walked over and took a sip of
wine from Sam’s glass. “This is good.”

     Should be. It cost me twelve dollars.

     Sam came down the hallway, dressed but without
his shoes. Those he had left near the couch.

     “Hi, pumpkin,” he said to Brandi. He smirked at
me, as he hugged her. He kept his eyes on me as he lowered his hands and
slipped them under her sweater.

She started giggling. “Sam,
stop that. It tickles.”

Yeah stop it, Sam, before I
puke.

     “Sunny never was fun like you Brandi-Boo.”

     Brandi-Boo. Point me to the toilet. Just let it
roll off your shoulders, Sunny. He isn’t worth it and he’s doing it on purpose
to be irritating.

     My cell phone rang. The caller id read Lloyd
Harper. I picked up and said hello.

     I heard him asking for directions but I couldn’t
concentrate while Sam fondled Brandi in my living room. The guy was such a
total immature prick. Inside I was seething.

     “Sunny? You there?” Lloyd asked.

     “Yeah, sorry. Just finishing up here.”

I turned my back on them.
“Once you turn left into the complex, it’s the first building on the left. Come
up the front stairs.”

     “Okay, I’m turning in right now. I’ll be up in just
a few minutes.” He hung up.

     “Who’s that, Sun?”

     “My date. Try to keep your clothes on until we
leave.”

     “Why, Sun, what a thing to say?” she giggled.

     The sound of Lloyd climbing the stairs reached my
ears and I went to open the door and reached it just as he knocked. These
buildings were hardly soundproof.

   Lloyd stood there with a bouquet of miniature pink
roses. He looked so handsome, with his cheeks rosy from the cold.

I stood aside to let him in.

“Thank you, these are
beautiful.”

“Not as beautiful as you,” he
softly responded and bent down to kiss my cheek.

     He glanced around the room. “Cute place. I like
the plants.”

     The plants—a rubber and a palm—were gifts from
Spring. She told me my apartment was dull and needed sprucing up. Guess she was
right.

     “Thanks, we like it.” I gestured toward the
couch. “Lloyd, this is my roommate, Brandi, and her, ah, friend, Sam.”

     Sam’s face was crestfallen. Obviously, he had
hoped Lloyd to be less of a man than himself.

     “Brandi,” Lloyd nodded. He walked over and shook
Sam’s hand firmly. “Sam, nice to meet you.”

     “Sun didn’t tell me you were to die for?” Brandi
said. She all but drooled.

     “Not exactly,” Lloyd laughed.

     Sam was the forgotten man. His eyes shot daggers
into Brandi’s back. He turned his attention to me. “Pretty flowers, Sunny. They
match something you’re wearing, don’t they?” he taunted.

     Lloyd glanced back at me with questioning
eyebrows. Sam noticed and smiled sweetly.

     I ignored him. “Lloyd, I’ll just put these in
water and we can go.”

     “Sit down, Lloyd,” Sam suggested, “Tell me, where
do you work?”

     Lloyd sat on the recliner.

     Sam watched him intently, as though he were an
adversary in a game of chess. He steepled his hands, placing the point of his
fingertips to his tightly closed lips. His blue eyes were sharp; his mind
analyzing Lloyd’s every move.

     “Do you want some wine? It’s real good.” Brandi
said showing him the bottle. “Pino something or other.”

     “Ah, no thanks, Brandi.” Lloyd addressed Sam, “I
work at Allied Health. I’m a pharmaceutical sales rep.”

     “Is that so,” Sam said with feigned interest.
“I’m an electrical engineer for Rockwell. Great money. Bet you don’t make much
money at your profession?”

     “Sam,” I said with stern exasperation.

     Lloyd caught my eye and I knew he guessed Sam was
more than just Brandi’s friend.

     “I tell you, Sam, I make more money than I ever
thought possible.”

     Sam face reddened. “Really.”

     “Yeah, but the real money is from leasing my
condo in Aspen over the peak season. It sits right at the base of Snowmass Mountain.
Breathtaking views.”

     “Wow,” Brandi sighed.

     Sam’s body language displayed his discontent.

     “Aspen is overrated. I read all the top skiers
prefer Utah over Colorado,” he sneered.

     “True, some do. That’s why I lease my furnished
condo, with views of Alta Mountain in Utah, as well.”

     Sam shifted in his seat. “Well, you won’t get
Sunny there. Her love of snow stops after the first snowflake. And she’s
clumsy. She couldn’t even stand on skis.”

I was tempted to throw the
vase of flowers at him.

     “Well, then I’ll keep Sunny out of the snow. We
can watch it from inside, next to the walk-in fireplace, with fresh oak logs
crackling in the fire, drinking warmed brandy, just soaking up the atmosphere.”

     Sam’s muscles tensed and his jaw clenched.

 My lips curved up into a
smile.

     Lloyd stood up. “Sunny, we should get going, so
were not late. Nice to have met both of you.”

     I walked over to the front door and joined Lloyd,
who assisted me with my black pea coat. I wrapped a knitted, pink scarf around
my neck.

“Have fun,” Brandi giggled.

     Sam remained stone faced.