Ill Take Forever

nervous as the questions went on, glaring at Kyle, trying to catch his eyes to squelch the trend of the conversation. He ignored her. Was this his idea of a joke?
    Just wait until she had him alone! She'd set him straight! What did he think he was doing?
    As Kyle grew more and more expansive, George grew more and more reserved. Jenny felt guilty about the evening. He was a nice man, and did not deserve the story Kyle was giving him.
    'I'll just check on dinner, shall I?' Unable to stand the conversation any longer, she jumped up and hurried into the kitchen.
    Was George always so inquisitive? Jenny didn't know him well enough to know if he were or not. The town thrived on gossip, yet she hadn't thought George the type to spread it. He was asking a lot of questions tonight, however. Or was she suspicious where she shouldn’t be? The knowledge that Kyle was looking for pot growers was affecting her sensibility. George was a prosperous rancher, he had no reason to do drugs.
    And Kyle had no business pretending something of a romantic nature was developing.
    Quickly she dished up the meal: fried chicken she had prepared earlier, vegetables, potato cakes, iced tea to drink. She had prepared a blueberry tart for dessert. Surely the conversation would change at dinner?
    The meal passed pleasantly, much to her relief. The evening was beginning to wear on her. Dessert and coffee they took on the lawn, the evening cool enough to be pleasant. Shasta joined them when they came outside, keeping close to Jenny's side.
    'Odd how she got that dog, don't you think?' George said as he began his second cup of coffee.
    'I don't believe I know how she got it,' Kyle said. 'Buy it in a pet shop?'
    'No, mysteriously the dog arrived one day, fully trained,' she said looking at him with an innocent expression.
    'I can’t figure out why a trained German Shepherd? We haven't had a wild attacker running amok, so why the trained dog?' George said.
    'Why not?' Jenny said lightly, her eyes holding Kyle's.'
    'He's a friendly thing,' Kyle said, snapping his fingers. Shasta lumbered up and went to Kyle, his tail wagging. Kyle fondled his ears.
    'To you, maybe. I keep my distance around him,' George said. 'Planning to stay the entire summer here, Kyle?'
    'If Jenny doesn't get too tired of having me around. By the time I'm fit again, it will be far too late to get to Europe. School starts in September, so I'll just hang around till then, I guess.'
    Jenny sipped her coffee to hide her smile. Kyle sounded so unsure, so vague. Totally unlike the real Kyle. Was he expecting George to talk about the cousin visiting Jenny, to spread the tale of his weakness, his indecisiveness? If it would lull people, it would be worth it. But George was not the type to chat casually about his neighbors and their affairs. Kyle picked the wrong man to spread the story if he thought George would do so.
    When George took his leave, he asked Jenny to walk him to his car. He thanked her for dinner and then he took her hand.
    'In a way, I'm sorry Kyle is here, but he's a pleasant enough fellow. Practically one of the family, I see, being Johnny's cousin and all. Though maybe in the near future, you and I could go out to dinner without him.'
    Jenny smiled. 'I'd like that.' Anything to avoid another evening like tonight.
    'I'll see you at the barbecue.' He gave her hand an extra squeeze and turned to get into his car.
    Jenny watched as he drove off and wandered slowly back to where Kyle was still sitting, next to Shasta on the lawn.
    'Just how close are you two?' Kyle asked as she stacked the cups and saucers.
    'Not that it's any of your business,' she said coolly, 'but we're just friends. Actually George is the older brother of a guy I went to school with. We ran into each other a few months ago and have gone out once or twice.'
    'He's too old for you, too pedantic.'
    'I'll pick my own friends, thank you,' she said.
    She gathered everything up and went to the kitchen. Kyle rose and followed her in, leaning against the counter as she washed and wiped the last of the dishes. As she was drying her hands on the towel, he reached out and gently took her wrist, drawing her over to him, against him, his good arm going around her back as he bent his head to kiss her.
    His lips were warm and firm against Jenny's, seductive and persuasive as he moved them gently against hers, and she found herself slowly opening her mouth for a deeper kiss. His tongue traced the soft inner skin of her lip,