<span style="color: #FF80FF"> <span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;"><div style="text-align: center;">Lea Stevens</div></span></span> </span><br/><div style="text-align: center;"><a class="postlink" href="http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn24/SociallyToxicBeauty/036e0d3a-b28c-47ec-b858-0eaea6c67e4d.jpg">[ img ]</a></div><br/><span style="font-weight: bold"><span style="font-size: 150%; line-height: 116%;"><span style="color: #FF80FF"><div style="text-align: center;">"Jazz"</div></span></span></span><br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Usually not, so I guess you must have really missed me far more than you believed. Or your feelings had been stronger than you were ever to admit to yourself. But regardless, I am happy that Dino told you, because now I know that always missed me."</span><br/><br/>Why Lea was surprised by Carlos' response, she wasn't sure. She watched as he took a sip of his Cappuccino, the drinking seemingly solving all of Carlos' problems. She took a sip of her own drink and she, too, sighed. She set her cup down quietly back in its place, though her hands remained wrapped around the warm cup. Lea watched with incredibly interested in the design Dino had made in the froth. Her thoughts drifting to what Carlos had said earlier--he had mentioned kids and it left a quiet sadness in her chest, though she did not mention it.<br/><br/><span style="font-style: italic">"Do you remember...." </span>Carlos' started and Lea looked up from her cup like a deer in the headlights. Carlos continued his story and Lea relaxed under the soothing cadence of his voice. She had almost lost what Carlos was saying, but somehow managed to keep up. She definitely recalled that evening, as she had been amazed at Dino's quickness. For an older Italian gentleman, he certainly was fast. She also recalled the jealousy in the eyes of the other cops while they had their coffee, especially the jealousy of one of the other female cops that Lea didn't quite know. Lea recognized the look, though, as she had been on the receiving end of it by Maria many times. Seemed the female had a liking towards Carlos. Lea had shrugged it off though, giving a smirk behind her steaming cup and her eyes glancing over to Carlos' devilishly. He had assumed it was the coffee, but it had been Lea being rather territorial with Carlos--letting the girl know that it didn't matter what she said or did, Carlos was off limits to her and that Lea would always be on top. The one thing that was the same in both Carlos and Lea's perspectives was that the coffee was damn good.<br/><br/><span style="color: #FF80FF">"How is Maria?"</span>Lea asked suddenly curious now that she had thought about the woman. She wondered if the woman still desired Carlos or if she had given up on that particular front. Somehow Lea doubted it. Maria was one of the more optimistic people she knew, and if she thought she had a chance, she would wait to pounce--no matter how long it took. There had been plenty of time for Maria to sink her claws into Carlos, after all. Maybe she already been with Carlos before. For some reason that thought put a bad taste in her mouth and so she tried to take a bite of her cake to distract herself.