Shoe Strings

  I thought we’d gotten past all that,
Angelita.   Ouch,” he cried when she
kicked him in the shin.   “You’re
gonna pay for that.”
    He had her flat on her back faster than she could bat her
eyes and was using his formidable weight to pin her to the ground.   He wrapped his fingers around her wrists
and lifted them over her head, thereby making the scratch she’d intended
impossible.   “Damn it, get off of
me.”
    “Not until you tell me what’s gotten you so riled up.”
    She squirmed beneath him.   Her actions only caused him amusement
and served to remind her of their underlying sexual charge.   Her anger threatened to turn into
something much more dangerous if she didn’t get him off her and give them both
some distance.
    “I’m not saying a word until you let me up.   I’m not a rodeo cow you can pin to the
ground and expect a blue ribbon.”
    He leaned down.   His lips were so close to hers, she could smell the beer on his
breath.   She’d never craved alcohol
more in her life.   “I like you this
way.”   He brushed his lips against
hers so softly she thought she’d imagined it.
    “Jesse, don’t,” she whispered.
    “Don’t what?”  
    His lips brushed hers again, back and forth like a
feather.   She arched against
him.   Damn it, what was wrong with
her?   He held her gaze as she fought
her warring emotions.   Here was the
release she needed, the mind numbing, forget-all-her-problems answer.   An answer that would create a whole slew
of new problems.   But it was hard to
think when he looked at her like he did, his strong, lithe body stretched taut
against her with his breath on her face.   “Don’t kiss me like that.”
    “Okay.”   He
brought his lips to her neck.   “How’s this?”
    She moaned and was about to give in to the overwhelming
desire to let him take her, right there on the forest floor.
    “Everything okay up there?”   It was Cal, calling from the porch of
his house.  
    Jesse lifted his head from where he’d burrowed along her
collarbone and shouted, “Fine.”   He
rested his forehead against Lita’s.   When he spoke, his breathing was as ragged as hers.   “Damn, Cal.   I forgot where we were for a
minute.”   He let go of her wrists
and sat up.   “Wouldn’t be such a
good idea to ravish you in front of my dad or Ty.”
    Lita stayed where she was, her chest heaving in an attempt
to settle her unsteady heart and her over-the-top emotions.   Now she had embarrassment to add to the
list.   Jesse stood up and pulled
Lita to her feet.   They stood staring
at one another.  
    “Look,” she said, “just go back down with your family.   I need some time by myself.”   She heard how calm her voice sounded and
was amazed at her ability to mask her thundering heart.
    “I wasn’t kidding about not letting you go alone.   It’s getting dark and this path can be
dangerous at night.   If you insist
on going, I’m going with you.”
    “Fine.   But don’t
get your feelings hurt if I don’t talk to you.   I’m not in the mood for conversation.”
    “Neither am I,” she heard him mumble before she turned and
climbed the path.  
    She didn’t know whether to be irked or grateful.   He’d calmed her down with brute force
and incredibly sensual kisses.   She
tried to stay a step ahead of him so she wouldn’t be tempted to talk, but of
course his stride was too long.   He
was next to her in a second.
    “Don’t you think your father will worry if you just take off
without a word?”
    “He knew I was coming up to see after you when you sped into
the lot and took off up the path.   I
damn near had to arm wrestle him for the right to come.   He’s very protective of you.”
    “Cal’s a wonderful man.   You’re blessed to have him.”
    A noncommittal noise was Jesse’s only reply.
    They walked companionably for awhile, carefully stepping
over exposed roots and the rocks that made the path challenging.   He broke the silence as they took a
sharp turn around a soaring pine tree.   “So where’d you run off to tonight?   I was hoping to see you when I came to get Ty.”
    “I took some shoes over to Kerri Ann for her big date with
Bryce.”   She thought of them,
glanced at her watch, and figured they were at the restaurant by now.   She hoped their evening was going better
than hers.
    “So…you’re jealous?” Jesse asked.
    “Jealous?”   She
stopped walking and rested her foot against a fallen log