Page 11
“I'm glad I told you to put something warmer on then.” He said with that perfect smile she’s come to look forward to seeing. “Do you like botanical gardens, by chance?”
Anna's eyes light up at the mention of botanical gardens. "Oh, I love them! I've always loved plants and flowers, and there's something so peaceful about being surrounded by nature, even in the middle of the city." She snuggled deeper into his side, feeling a sense of contentment wash over her. "This is a great idea, Atlas. Lead the way.”
Feeling her push into him, Conrad squeezed her a little more firmly. Turning down a small side street he said “It's this way. Earlier you said that people either see the cop or the muscles, what did you mean by that? It sounded like there was something a little deeper than the surface with that statement.” He asked with genuine curiosity.
Anna's heart skipped a beat at the squeeze, and she looked up at him with a hint of surprise. She hadn't realized she was leaning into him that much, but it felt natural, comfortable.
"Ah, yeah," she said, her voice a little softer as she thought about her words. "I guess what I meant was that people tend to reduce me to one aspect of who I am. Either they see me as just a cop, or they see me as just a strong woman. But there's more to me than that.” Her tone was soft, but not fragile.
“I believe that there is more to you than that." Conrad said matter of fact. “I could see it from the first moment I saw you. Most women aren't bold enough to walk right up to me and start talking to me.” The sound of his voice vibrated through Anna’s body. “You seem like the complete package to me.” A playful flirtatious smile developed on his face.
Anna's cheeks flushed slightly at his words, and she looked away, trying to hide her reaction. But her heart was racing, and she couldn't help but feel a flutter in her chest. She cleared her throat, trying to regain her composure. "Well, I guess I'm not like most women, then," she said, her voice a little shaky. "But thank you, Atlas. That means a lot coming from you.”
Conrad stopped at a dark alley and turned them both to look down it. “Now I know this is going to make your cop alarms go crazy, but the Botanical garden I am taking you to is down that alley. I promise I won't do anything. Do you trust me?” He asked with a genuine look in his eyes, hoping beyond a hope that this beautiful perceptive police officer would trust him so he could show her this hidden gem.
Anna's eyes narrowed slightly as she looked down the alleyway, her cop instincts screamed at her to be cautious. But there was something in Atlas's eyes that made her hesitate. It was a sincerity, a genuine desire to show her something special. She took a deep breath, weighing her options. "Okay, Atlas," she said finally. "I'll trust you. But if this is some kind of trap, I swear to God, I will arrest you." She paused, her eyes searching his face. "And I'll make sure to cuff you extra tight.”
“Be careful. I might actually like that.” He chuckled with that perfect smile on his face. “I promise, I would never hurt you, thank you for trusting me.”
They walked down the alleyway. It was familiar to Anna, and she didn’t remember a garden being in it. Just as she was about to change her mind and turn back, Conrad turned and took her through a small opening in the alleyway that opened up to the most beautiful Botanical garden she had ever seen. Since it was night, the garden was covered in colorful lights.
Page 12
Anna's eyes widened as she stepped through the opening and into the garden. She couldn’t believe her eyes, it was like stepping into a fairy tale. The lights cast a magical glow over the lush greenery, making everything seem ethereal and enchanting. She walked further in, her senses overwhelmed by the sights, sounds, and scents of the garden. She looked up at Atlas, her eyes shining with wonder. "Wow," she breathed. "This is incredible. I had no idea this was here.”
Atlas slid his arm from her shoulder and reached down to her hand, lifting it to his mouth, he kissed it softly, and said “I'm glad you like it.”
He intertwined his fingers with hers and led her down a path through the garden. There were beautiful flowers and plants on both sides of the path. The trees, that have no leaves, are wrapped in colorful lights that change to every color of the rainbow. “Do you like being a cop?” He asked with a genuine tone.
Anna's heart skipped a beat at the kiss on her hand, and she felt a shiver run down her spine. She looked up at Atlas, her eyes locked onto his, and saw a genuine interest in his gaze.
"Yes," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I love being an officer. It's a tough job, but it's rewarding knowing that I'm making a difference. Plus, I get to meet interesting people like you." She smiled, feeling a sense of connection with him that she couldn’t explain. "But sometimes, it's overwhelming. The stress, the danger, the politics... it can be exhausting." She paused, looking around at the serene beauty of the garden. "This is a nice break from all that.”
“I've always looked up to cops.” He said as they walked hand in hand down the path of the garden. "I used to want to be one when I was a kid. I loved all those old cop movies. The Lethal Weapon movies were always my favorite."
Anna chuckled, her eyes crinkling at the corners. "Leathal Weapon? Really? I love those movies too! Riggs and Murtaugh were the best partners ever." She glanced down at their entwined hands, feeling a sense of warmth and companionship wash over her. "I never thought I'd be walking through a beautiful garden with someone who loves Mel Gibson as much as I do," she teased, smiling up at him. "What made you decide not to become a cop?” Anna asked.
“My parents thought it would be a bad idea.” Conrad replied as he looked down at his feet. “Not so much the danger part. I don't think anyone is worried about me meeting danger.” He laughed with that thunderous laugh that shook the air around them. “More the politics of it. They didn't want me getting manipulated, and they always said I have a higher calling. In the end I agreed. Too bad though. Would've been fun. You ever get into any trouble like Riggs and Murtaugh?” He asked with a grin.
Anna laughed, enjoying the sound of his laughter and the way it made her feel. "Oh, you have no idea," she said, shaking her head. "I've gotten into my fair share of trouble over the years. Nothing too serious, but enough to keep things interesting. And yes, sometimes I've had to use a bit of creativity to get out of sticky situations." She grinned mischievously. "Let's just say that my skills in hand-to-hand combat have come in handy more than once.” She bragged.
“Hand to hand combat, huh?” Conrad asked with a hint of excitement in his voice. “I love martial arts. I've been training in martial arts for my whole life actually. I bet you're pretty good. I'd definitely put my money on you in a fight.” He said as he squeezed her hand, his massive hand engulfing her own.
Anna's eyes sparkled with amusement at his enthusiasm. "Oh, I'm decent," she said modestly. "I've had my fair share of sparring matches and self-defense classes. But I'm not invincible. Anyone can take me down if they're skilled enough." She glanced up at him, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "But I'd love to see you in action. Show me some moves." She squeezed his hand back, feeling a thrill of excitement at the prospect of watching him fight.
The path they were on opened up and in front of them, a massive fountain came into view. “You want me to put on a little show for you? Ok, but let's wait until this one is over first.”
Right as he stopped talking, music started playing. The lights in and around the fountain started flashing in unison with the music and the fountain started jetting water to the beat.
Anna's eyes widened in amazement as she gazed at the spectacle unfolding before her. "Whoa," she breathed, her mouth agape. "This is incredible!" She spun around, taking in the sight of the dancing water and flashing lights, feeling a sense of childlike wonder wash over her. When she turned back to Atlas, she saw that he was smiling at her, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I think this is a great idea," she said, laughing. "Let's enjoy the show first." She squeezed his hand, feeling grateful for this unexpected treat.
Atlas pulled Anna into himself and wrapped his arms around her. Her back firmly against his chest. She could feel his hard muscles enclose her body against himself, each fiber seeming to press into her as he rested his chin on her head and they watched the show together.
Page 13
Anna felt a jolt of electricity run through her body as she pulled into his embrace. She could feel the hardness of his muscles pressing against her, and the warmth of his breath on the top of her head sent shivers down her spine. She relaxed into his hold, feeling safe and protected in a way she hadn't experienced in a long time. As they watched the fountain show together, she closed her eyes and let the music wash over her, feeling the vibrations of Atlas's chest against her back. “This is what happiness feels like”, she thought, and it was a strange, new sensation.
The show concluded with a spectacular grand finale. They both cheered, clapped and laughed as it concluded. Anna turned in Conrad's arms and they locked eyes. He gazed into hers as if he was peering into her soul and loved what he saw. Anna's heart skipped a beat as she gazed into his eyes, feeling like he was looking deep into her soul. She swallows hard, her mouth dry suddenly.
“You want me to put a show on for you now?” He said as he released her and backed away as if he was making room.
"Yeah," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'd like that." She took a step towards him, her eyes never left his. "Show me what you've got.”
Conrad pulled out a sizable knife. “Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you. I want to show you a knife form from this martial art I have been studying.” He said excitedly.
His eyes became intense as he began to slash and thrust at the air with incredible skill. Mixing in kicks and flips, he looked as though he was fighting 100 men in his mind's eye. Finishing with a 360 backflip and landing with grace he said “What did you think?” He wasn't out of breath at all. It's like he never even exerted himself.
Anna's eyes widened in amazement as she watched Conrad demonstrate his martial art skills. She couldn’t believe the speed, agility, and power he displayed with the knife. She's seen plenty of demonstrations in her time, but none have ever left her feeling so awestruck. When he finished, she applauded enthusiastically, but in her mind she thought “who is this guy?”
Conrad grinned a huge grin and said. “Thanks. I appreciate it. Maybe we can do some light sparring sometime. I'd love to see what you can do. In the meantime, I have one more thing I want to show you.” He took Anna's hand, and flashed that perfect smile again.
Anna's heart skipped a beat at the touch of his hand, and she felt a spark of electricity run through her veins. She couldn't help but smile back at him, feeling a sense of excitement and anticipation. "I'd like to spar with you sometime. That sounds like fun to me. Most guys are worried they would get beat by a girl in front of their friends" she said, her voice strong and confident. "And what's this one more thing you want to show me?”
“Follow me.” He said with a childlike glee in his voice. They walked hand and hand down a long path with a colorful archway. Like walking through a tunnel of lights that resemble a rainbow more than anything else. The path opened to a large inner garden full of colorful flowers and lit trees. In the center, a large gazebo on a small hill covered in white lights. The handrails of the concrete steps leading to the gazebo were also wrapped in white lights.
