Never Far from His Reach

“I don’t want to talk to you now, Regan, I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” she fairly shouted.  The unmitigated gall of this man was astounding.  It appeared that he thought he owned her.

Regan, realizing Jenna was being stubborn and, tired of arguing, picked her up, purse and all in a fireman‘s lift.  “Put me down you beast!  I told you, I don’t want to talk to you right now.”  Jenna told Regan’s firm backside, struggling furiously.

“Are you crazy, what are you doing?”  Michael protested.  “You can’t take her out of here.  She doesn’t want to go with you.  Put her down.”  Michael demanded in a dark tone as he rose from his chair, as if to forcibly remove her from Regan’s clutches.

“Don’t even try it.”  Regan threw at the blond man. 

Jenna figured if there were a fight, Regan would pound Michael into the ground by sheer force of will and emotion alone.  Unperturbed, Regan carried his bundle out of the bistro, to the parking lot without so much as a backward glance. 

Jenna, finally seeing the futility, ceased her struggling.  “Fine, we’re alone.  What did you have to say to me that was so important you had to carry me out to your car, Cave Man?”  Jenna asked, finally on her feet and absolutely livid, as well as embarrassed.

“Why were you having an intimate dinner with your supervisor?”  Regan demanded.  “I’ve seen you two out several times together.  Every restaurant is cozy and out of the way, and you always have your heads together.  What’s wrong Jenna is your lover married?”  Regan taunted, images of her with that man flitted before his eyes.

“Lover?”  Jenna was relieved that he didn’t know who Michael really was.  She was also outraged, “What makes you think he’s my lover?”  Jenna stormed, stamping her foot in frustration.

“You two were sitting in the corner, you were practically in his lap, and he had his hands all over you!”  Regan yelled, his face flushed, his eyes glittering in his rage.

“Regan, what are you talking about?  Michael hasn’t even touched me.”  Jenna assured.  Why was he so angry?  Was he jealous?

“I’ve seen him kissing you, and just now he had his arm around you!  I don’t like it,” Regan rasped, his throat constricted with anger.

“It’s okay for you to kiss me, but no one else?”  Jenna’s tone was deceptively calm and soft.

“I didn’t kiss--”  Regan began indignantly.

“Yes, you did.  Remember?”  Jenna continued, ”Regan, you don’t want me, but you don’t want anyone else to have me,” Jenna wailed.

“That’s right,” he sighed.  He couldn’t explain it, but the thought of Jenna with anyone else made him see red faster than anything else could.  He hadn’t figured out why yet, it couldn’t be because he had feelings for her.  Regan never had feelings for a woman.  He dated them, had intimate relationships with them, and then went his separate way.  Always. 

“Well forgive me, but I thought that if you didn’t want me, then you had no say in who does get me!”