Free Object of My Affection by Tracey H. Kitts

asked after a while.
    “I don’t know. There’s really not much I can do. I don’t have any proof that she started those rumors.”
    “That’s just wrong. There has to be someone you can complain to.”
    “Na, they all believe it.”
    “Shit,” I said hotly.
    “What it all amounts to is, my ass is chapped and they’ve cornered the market on Chap Stick.”
    I laughed. “Nothing like standard issue sandpaper underwear.”
    For the first time since he’d arrived I saw Richard smile.
    “So what have you been up to?”
    “Ah, not a whole lot,” I sort of stuttered.
    “Oh, Lilith,” he sounded so disappointed, but I knew Richard couldn’t read my mind. “You’ve been toasting marshmallows haven’t you?”
    I laughed. One of Richard’s favorite expressions was, “Don’t toast marshmallows over the fire that will most likely consume you.” I didn’t even bother denying that he was right.
    I just didn’t offer any further explanation.
    Richard stayed until late that afternoon. By the time I watched him drive away, he had calmed down significantly from when he’d first knocked on my door. At least he was in a better mood. It did me good to see him, but a few minutes after he left I started to feel more depressed than angry about all of the rumors that were circulating. I just couldn’t imagine why people would say such terrible things about such a nice man. Richard was a sweet guy, but he was truly oblivious to a lot of what went on around him. He paid attention to certain people, like me. But that was only because we’d been friends for so long and he was interested to know what was going on with me.
    If a student was interested in him, they’d have to show up naked at his office for him to take the hint. Subtlety did not work well with him. He just didn’t pay close enough attention.
    Richard was very much focused on his work. He loved science. That was his thing and he did it well. He and Alfred were very similar creatures, but to have pointed that out to either of them would piss them off.
    What bothered me even more was the fact that I was now a part of the whole sordid mess. I had never so much as thought of having any kind of sexual contact with Richard. He was like a brother to me. What was really insulting was the fact that people didn’t think either one of us was capable of just being friends with someone of the opposite sex. As I walked through the house and turned off the lights I came to the conclusion that I could worry about it as much as I liked, but it wouldn’t change a damn thing. It simply wasn’t worth shortening my life span over.
    I walked upstairs and decided a bubble bath was just what I needed.
    —
    Bubbles were floating so close to the rim I was afraid that when I got in it might splash over the sides. I put a CD of some of my favorite R & B music in the small player that sat on my vanity and began to strip.
    After lighting the vanilla candles spaced throughout the room, I placed the tip of my toes tentatively in the water. It was just right. I had just stepped in when my heard a beeping noise. I stepped back out of the tub and went over to the toilet where the noise was coming from. It was my communicator. I must have dropped it there when I’d been so sick a few nights ago. Normally I didn’t answer any calls when I was about to take a bath, but I was afraid it might be important.
    I quickly covered myself with a towel and pressed the button.

Chapter Five
    Marco appeared before me looking concerned. I’m not sure who I had been expecting to see, but it wasn’t him. Just seeing his handsome face made my heart jump almost painfully. He was lounging casually in the large overstuffed chair I’d seen in his apartment. From the angle of his image, he’d placed the communicator on the ottoman in front of him.
    For the first time I was truly appreciative of the fact that my communicator was capable of receiving color images. Marco sat before me in his red silk pajamas