I Want to Hold Your Hand

"I'll go with you, but don't try taking any liberties. I always carry my gun, even when I'm off duty," Kate warned facetiously.

"Will you have dinner with me tonight? I'd like to get to know you better," Steve asked as he gently pulled Kate even closer.

"Uh, oh! I'm supposed to meet my mom and aunt for dinner. I'm already late. I have to find them," Kate revealed.

"Could I have another kiss?" Dave asked as he once again leaned toward Kate.

"This is way too public," worried Kate. "You were lucky once, so don't push it. Plus I don't have the time. I have to find Mom and Aunt Gloria."

"We can wait a few more minutes," came a voice Kate recognized as her mother's. Worse, it originated from the booth next to where she stood in a strange man's arms!

"Mom? Aunt Gloria? I didn't know you were sitting there. This is embarrassing!"

"No reason to be embarrassed, Kate. Why don't you introduce us to your friend?" Rita suggested while unsuccessfully suppressing a grin.

"Mom, this is, uh, I mean he's a guy I met at a traffic stop. He's not really a friend, but..."

"Please!" Gloria groaned. "Let me do the honors. Kate Daniels, Rita Daniels, meet Dave Lassiter. Dave the beautiful woman in your arms is Kate Daniels. Rita is her mother. I happen to be her mother's sister."

"Mrs. Benson! I apologize for my behavior. I had no idea you were here and I certainly didn't know Kate was your niece," Dave stated nervously as he slowly released Kate.

"That was quite obvious, Dave. There's no need to apologize. That was an impressive seduction," Gloria acknowledged with a smile. "Dave is the new history teacher at Evanston High. He's quite popular with the students and the staff."

"I wasn't seducing Kate," Dave tried to explain.

"I was referring to her seduction of you," Gloria retorted as she and Rita both broke into laughter.

"I'd better go," Dave stated nervously. "I'll be in touch with you about next Saturday, Kate. Thanks for agreeing to go with me."

When Dave left, Kate slid into the booth next to her mother. Her face was still slightly flushed as she flashed a huge smile. "What looks good on the menu?"

Before Rita could respond, two of the women who had been sitting at the bar hovered over their booth. The blonde woman blurted, "I can't believe how you tried to slap that hunk, but then you wound up kissing him! You already knew him, didn't you?"

"Yeah!" added her friend. "I thought you'd yell at him when I slapped your butt, but I never thought you'd practically have your way with the guy right here in the restaurant."

"That was you, Emily? You were the one who slapped me?" Kate demanded. "I could have been charged with assault if I had actually hit him. What were you thinking?"

"I was just trying to prank you," Emily responded. "You should be thanking me. You wound up getting a date with the guy. Did you see his arms and chest? I bet he works out a lot."

"Kate couldn't see his chest because her chest was covering it up," her friend retorted. "He certainly liked looking at your cleavage, Kate. It did look quite spectacular against his chest."

"Okay. I think we've covered this subject enough. I was about to have dinner with Mom and Aunt Gloria, so please excuse us," Kate stated, hoping they would leave before sharing any more observations with her mother and aunt.

"Kate, I can understand your attraction to that young man, but it's hard to believe the two of you just kissed in a public setting and you didn't even know each other's names," marveled Rita. "That's way out of character for you."

"I know," Kate agreed. "I never intended for any of that to happen. I really thought he had smacked my butt. I tried to cause him some serious pain. His reflexes saved him, and me, when I think about it."

"It seems you've interacted with him before," Gloria observed. "You obviously recognized him."

"A few weeks ago I caught Candace Lane speeding on Old State Road. He was riding with her and kind of flirted with me while I was writing her a ticket," Kate explained.

"He was with Candace and he flirted with you? That doesn't sound like the kind of man you should date," Rita reasoned. "A man who flirts with one woman while he's out with another woman is obviously not trustworthy."

"Candace made a point of telling me he wasn't her boyfriend when he asked me to go to dinner with him. I think she was afraid I'd get upset and write the ticket out for the full speed she was going. She was quite friendly, more so than when we were in school."

"Considering that you had caught her speeding and you were in the process of writing a ticket for her, it isn't surprising," Gloria suggested. "Kate is right about Candace and Dave not dating. As principal of the school, I have to be aware of just about everything. They seem to be friendly enough, but I've heard she's started dating an accountant from Glendale."

"What can you tell me about him, Aunt Gloria? Is he okay? Did I make a mistake agreeing to a date with him? Why would a good looking man like him even want to date me?"

"To answer your last question first, he seemed to think 'your dress hugs your derriere like a velvet glove'. He must read a lot of romance novels to come up with a line like that. He was obviously taken by your beauty and your figure. That could be why he wants to date you," Gloria concluded.

"He did say that, didn't he?" laughed Kate. "He must have been looking to make a statement like that."

"As to what kind of man he is, I can only tell you what I've seen so far. He's very polite. The students seem to respond to his teaching methods. The rest of the faculty likes him. If I were asked to think of something about him that worried me, it would be the attention the older girls give him.

"You've certainly noticed what a good looking young man he is. You've had a taste of his charm. Imagine if you were seventeen or eighteen and saw him five days a week. He's avoided even the slightest indication of inappropriate behavior at school, but he did push the envelope a little with you just now," Gloria added. "All in all, however, I would give him a rather high rating."

Dave found an empty seat in another section of the restaurant and ordered his meal. Has he waited for it, he mulled over his recent encounter with the beautiful policewoman. He had to admit to himself that he was smitten by her. He had never been so forward with a woman before in his life.

He mentally kicked himself for telling Kate how her 'dress hugs her derriere like a velvet glove', especially in front of her mother and Mrs. Benson, the school principal and his immediate superior. What must she think of him? What had he been thinking? What would Mrs. Benson be telling Kate about him? He realized he had been out of line for kissing Kate in public. What had come over him?

After school Tuesday afternoon, Dave went to the local police station to ask if Kate Daniels was on duty. He didn't want to go to the principal for her niece's phone number, so he decided to see if he could either see Kate or get her contact information at her work.

He was delighted when he saw Kate coming down a hall just as he entered the building. Dave realized that he was smiling from ear to ear when Kate waved to him and started his way. He walked over to meet her.

"I never got your address or phone number," Dave apologized. "I didn't want to bother you at work, but I had to be sure you still wanted to go with me Saturday."

"My shift just finished," Kate responded. "It's good to see you were serious about escorting me to the Harvest Moon festival Saturday. Here's my card with my number. I wrote my address on the back. Could you pick me up around two?"

"Thanks, Kate. I'm really looking forward to spending the day with you. Let's make it noon, if we could. We can have lunch and dinner together that way. I've heard a lot of good things about the festival from the kids in school."

"Who's this little guy, Kate?" boomed a voice from the doorway. "Is he selling Boy Scout cookies or something?"

Dave saw Kate frown before he turned his attention to the loud man who had rudely interrupted him. It only took a quick glance for Dave to determine the type of person he was dealing with as the man lumbered toward him.

"Hello, Sergeant," greeted Dave more warmly than he felt. "I was just having a personal conversation with Kate. Not to be rude, but please allow us some privacy."

Dave estimated the man to be four inches taller than his own six feet and at least fifty pounds heavier than his 210. He was an imposing sight in his uniform and it appeared that he relished that fact.

"Privacy?" the big man repeated. "You're trying to talk to my girl privately? That's not going to happen. I suggest you high-tail your ass out of here before I kick it out."

"Ken Holden, I'm not your girl. I never will be your girl," Kate snapped angrily. "You need to get that through your head."

Kate's response told Dave all he needed to know. This Ken guy was exactly as Dave had pegged him. After spending four years in the Army, much of it as an MP, he had no illusions about the man Ken was and what he intended.

"I know it's a little quick, but we really haven't gotten to know each other yet," Holden replied with a fake smile. "We'd be perfect together. All the guys know it. I think you do, too. Send this clown packing and let's go have a quiet dinner together."

"Are you hard of hearing?" Kate demanded. "I'm not going anywhere with you. I'm having a discussion with a friend, so please leave us alone."

"I can't do that, Kate. I don't know if this guy is safe to be around," Holden replied with a nasty grin. "He might be a fugitive or something. I need to question him."

"Sergeant, you can shove your questions right up your ass once you get your head out of it," replied Dave calmly. "If I'm going to be questioned by a police officer, it'll be Kate."

Holden's surprise was obvious. He looked around the room and saw several of his fellow officers watching the confrontation. Sergeant Ken Holden never let another man speak to him like that!

"You have a big mouth for a little guy," Holden snarled.

"You're in uniform and you're trying to intimidate me, while bullying Kate. That's unprofessional conduct. There are witnesses here and video surveillance cameras.

"The witnesses and the video would confirm it if you attempt to get physical with me simply because you're infatuated with a woman who is way out of your league. She's stated that she wants nothing to do with you. If you make the mistake of attacking me, I'll be forced to protect myself. The video will then show you getting your ass handed to you," Dave stated calmly, yet confidently.

Holden was furious, but he realized attacking the man in the police station would not be a smart career move, regardless of how he tried to spin it. He believed some of his fellow cops would back his story, but the video would be damning, as would the testimony of Kate and a few of the others.

"I'm going to let it slide this time," Holden managed through his gritted teeth. "Your time will come. You've been warned."

"You're not fit to wear the uniform," Dave insisted loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. "I'll be sending your chief a complaint about your conduct. Bullies like you give cops a bad name."

Kate had watched and listened to the exchange between the two men. Dave remained calm and in total control of his emotions as he faced and even challenged the larger man. She didn't realize she had been holding her breath until Holden angrily stomped out of the room while cursing under his breath.

"He's a big guy, Dave. I've heard he's pretty rough on perps who resist arrest," Kate cautioned. "You'd better be careful around him."

"He's a bully. He tried to intimidate me. Worse, he thought he'd force himself on you. I won't allow it. I stopped taking crap from guys like him years ago. Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

Kate found herself studying Dave. He seemed relaxed, yet very serious. He really wasn't concerned about Holden. She admired his confidence. Dave wasn't bragging but he certainly seemed ready and willing to meet anything the much larger Holden threw his way.

It was two days later when Kate's father questioned her at dinner. "I've heard there was a bit of a confrontation at the station the other day. Ken Holden tried to scare off your new boyfriend and it didn't go the way he intended."

"I keep forgetting how many friends you still have at the station even though you're retired," Kate replied. "It wasn't that big of a deal. Dave was talking to me and Holden tried to make him leave. Holden claimed I was his 'girl'. I told him I certainly wasn't. That was all Dave needed to hear. He pretty much told Holden to shove it.

"Another thing," Kate added. "Dave isn't my boyfriend. We're going out for the first time on Saturday."

"You may think that, but he was willing to mix it up with Ken Holden for you. It sounds like he's pretty determined. I'm glad you found a man who doesn't let guys like Holden push him around. I heard he gave Chief Mason a written complaint about Holden. That man's just plain mean, so tell your beau to watch out for Holden. I'm happy to hear you won't be dating Holden. He's an asshole."

Dave rang Kate's doorbell promptly at noon. He and Kate were going to spend the entire afternoon at the town's Harvest Moon festival. He wanted to be with Kate as long as he could, so he had promised her lunch as well as dinner while enjoying the festival.

Rita answered the door. "Come in, Dave. Kate's almost ready. Her father, Jim, would like to meet you. Come with me."

Jim Daniels watched Dave enter the kitchen. He quickly concluded that Dave had military training from the way he walked and held himself. As he subtly studied the young man, it became apparent he was also in excellent physical shape.

"Marines?" Jim asked.

"Army," Dave answered before responding to what he knew would be the next question. "One tour in Afghanistan."

Nodding in understanding, Jim motioned for Dave to have a seat at the kitchen table. "I retired from the police force before Kate joined, but I still have some friends in the department. I heard some good things about how you handled Holden the other day. I expect you to always keep Kate safe when she's with you."

"Dad!" Kate exclaimed as she entered from the living room. "I'm a police officer. It's my job to keep others safe."

Jim nodded again before speaking to Dave. "Like I said, keep her safe. She's a smart girl but there are people out there with problems that she can't imagine. When she's with you, I don't think I'll have to worry."

Once he saw Kate, Dave's attention was completely on her. She was dressed in a sweater and jeans, with her long dark hair in a ponytail. Her clothes were just tight enough to showcase her impressive figure.

Rita chuckled at Dave's reaction to her daughter. "Imagine his expression when he sees you in a little black dress."

Kate shot an annoyed glance at her mother before grabbing Dave's hand and leading him out the door. "Thanks, Mom. See you later, Dad."

Dave and Kate clearly heard Rita when she called out, "A regular velvet glove!"

Dave was impressed with how well planned and heavily attended the festival was. Block after block of Evanston was closed to vehicular traffic as crowds wandered the streets. All of the businesses were open and having sales. Many also had tents set up along the sidewalk in order to catch the eyes of passersby.

Non-profit organizations had booths with various games of chance, crafts, information and baked goods. There were pony rides for smaller kids in the park as well as various competitions and mini tournaments in horseshoes, 2 on 2 basketball, volleyball, shuffleboard and skateboarding. There was something for everyone.

Kate felt more than a little pride as she strolled down the streets of her home town with the handsome man holding her hand. For his part, Dave couldn't stop smiling as he walked next to the beautiful young woman.

It didn't come as a surprise to Dave that many people knew Kate and her family. People constantly stopped them to chat. It seemed that Kate took pleasure in introducing him as her date.

Many of Dave's students were at the festival. They smiled and nodded to him. The boys would give him the thumbs up and grin. The girls mostly seemed to stare at Kate.

"You're quite popular with your students," Kate observed after several giggling teen girls asked Dave about something pertaining to their classroom assignments. "Those girls weren't interested in assignments. They just wanted to flirt with you. It was so obvious."

"Kate, I never encourage any of that. I make it a point to stay very professional when I'm interacting with them," Dave stated.

"I'm sure you do, but that doesn't stop them from dreaming. You're a charming, good looking guy who treats them like grownups. They're in that awkward stage between childhood and adulthood and they're looking for direction. You're a good role model for them," Kate concluded.

"You think I'm charming?" Dave asked with a big grin.

"You caught that, huh?" Kate replied. "You're very charming. I never would have let you kiss me in the restaurant if you hadn't enchanted me like you did. I'm not very experienced at fending off good looking men. I guess you picked up on that right away."

"What I did notice was that you're a very attractive woman. You did try to slap me the second time we met, so I hardly take you for granted."

"I should apologize for that. One of my friends who was sitting at the bar told me she was the one who smacked my butt," Kate revealed. "It's a good thing you have such quick reflexes. I could have gotten into some real trouble."

"I saw that girl swat you so I wasn't too surprised when you turned around and took a swing at me," Dave admitted. "The outcome made the mistake well worth it, at least for me."

"That was pretty hot," Kate replied with a blush. "I would have been better if Mom and Aunt Gloria hadn't been watching. That part was embarrassing."

The Harvest Moon Festival featured a huge fireworks display at day's end. Dave retrieved two lawn chairs from his car. He led Kate off to the side of an open field where they would have a good view of the event, but hopefully be at least slightly apart from the crowd.

Kate smiled as she watched Dave make certain the chairs were as close together as possible before offering her a seat. It only took a couple of minutes before Dave realized any desire he may have had for privacy was not to be.

The kids from the school must have been waiting for him to select a place to sit since they immediately began setting up their own chairs in close proximity to his. The first three students asked Kate if she would be okay with them sitting nearby. She graciously smiled and assured them that she and Dave were fine with it.

By the time the fireworks actually began, dozens of students were sitting close enough for easy conversation during lulls in the explosions. Kate enjoyed the rapport Dave had with his students. She liked it even more when the kids began including her in their discussions.

There was a fifteen minute break in the fireworks display to encourage viewers to visit the vendors selling food and drink. It was during this intermission a senior boy spoke to Dave in a concerned tone. "Samantha's been hanging with those college kids over by the skate park. They've been giving her alcohol and she's pretty wasted. I'm worried about what's going to happen to her."

Dave had seen how the boy, Terence, looked at Samantha while in his classroom. It was apparent that Terence was quite fond of the girl, but she acted clueless. Being a shy kid, Terence had never given the girl a strong signal about his feelings toward her.