Shoe Strings

can
explain.”   She deliberately stepped
away from his reach.   “I’m only here
for a few weeks, maybe not even that long.”   He’d spoken the truth when he said there
was something between them.   “I’m
not careless when it comes to sex.   It’s not something I indulge in for fun.   There’s too much at stake.”
    “And you think I do?”   He bridged the distance between them, stared down at her with heat in
his hazel eyes.   “There’s a living
reminder of one of the complications of sex sitting at Cal’s house right now.”
    “Pregnancy isn’t the only risk for me, Jesse.”   How could she explain to him that she
never indulged in sex unless she knew the outcome and understood all the
risk?   She couldn’t trust herself to
make wise choices when emotions for feelings were involved.   With him the risk was huge, as her heart
was already engaged.   “We’d better
head back.”
    Jesse sighed before grabbing her hand and leading the way
down the path.   He held her hand the
whole way.   She wasn’t sure why she
let him.   She needed his firm grasp
when the path grew rocky and shrouded in darkness, but she held on when it
evened out and the cabin was in sight.  
    On the porch, he picked up her purse and draped the strap
over her shoulder.   “Go on
inside.   I’d like to get home and
call my friend before it gets too late.”
    “I appreciate your help with this, Jesse.   Even if nothing comes from your friend,
I appreciate your listening.”
    “We’ll figure this out, Angelita.”   He brushed his thumb over her
cheek.   She had to guess he was
talking about more than her business problems.   “I’ll see you Saturday.”
    “Saturday?” she asked.  
    “Seven okay?”   When she stood looking at him confused, he said, “Rafting, remember?”
    “Oh, I forgot.”   It was too late to weasel out of it now, especially since he’d been so
nice to help her with her father.   “What do I wear?”
    “A bathing suit and bring a change of clothes.”
    “Okay.” She nodded up at him as he stood in the
moonlight.   He didn’t make a move to
leave, she didn’t make a move to go inside; they just stood staring at each
other for what seemed like forever.   The look on his face was unreadable.   When he inched closer and slowly, very
slowly, placed a kiss on her lips, she thought her heart would leap from her
chest.  
    “Goodnight, Angelita.”   He turned to leave.
    “Goodnight, Jesse.”   But she knew it wouldn’t be a good night; it would be a long, frustrating
countdown to dawn.
    ***
    Bryce was so damn stupid, getting his hopes up and feeling
all confident that a fancy dinner and some real one-on-one time would change
things between him and Kerri Ann.   What a fool he’d been.   But
when they’d talked on the ride to Asheville, the way she’d shyly look over at
him as he drove to the city, he couldn’t help but feel hopeful about the night
to come.  
    When he’d pulled her from the car and she’d stumbled into
him, he damn near kissed her, right there on sidewalk.   She looked like she wanted him to, the
way her eyes had slid to half-mast and her stare had lingered on his
mouth.   He considered keeping his
hands off her one of his greatest acts of self-restraint.  
    Dinner had started off fine, he thought, as he drove the
winding highway back toward Sequoyah Falls.   She’d been shocked at the prices.   Of course, he’d expected that.   She was nothing if not frugal.   But he’d wanted to treat her and he had,
until Colleen Ferst approached their table and Kerri Ann seemed to sink into
herself.   She couldn’t possibly
think he was interested in her.   And
then Colleen had come around, wielding her card in his face, suggesting he call
her whenever.   The woman had no
shame.   Couldn’t she see he was on a
date?
    Damn it, he didn’t understand anything about Kerri Ann now
any better than he did before the night began.   They’d started something that evening,
he could feel it early on, and now it was as if they were back to the starting
block.   He didn’t know whether to be
furious or sad.  
    He spied a sideways glance at Kerri Ann.   God, she looked beautiful, sitting in
the passenger seat of his car with a very distinct pout on her gorgeous
face.   He wanted to pull the car
over and taste her, right then and there as she basked in the moonlight.   What would she do then, he
wondered?   Probably haul off and
slug him.