Shoe Strings

don’t think he’s home,” Lita
explained.   “I tried to find him
earlier and he wasn’t around.”
    “I don’t really care where Cal is at the moment.” He stood
up and pulled Lita to her feet.   She
felt the ridge of muscle beneath his shirt as he two-stepped her to the corner
of the deck where he kissed her behind the cover of the tall bushes.   “I’ve missed you.”   He changed the angle of the kiss and
drew her deeper under his spell.  
    She let her fingers weave through his hair and
surrendered.   This, she now
understood, was as much the reason for her earlier edginess as her worries
about how Cal was feeling about her and Jesse.   Now, with his lips on hers, his hands
gripping her hips, and their bodies pressed tightly together, she wondered how
she’d lasted the twenty-four plus hours she’d gone without touching him.   Her sudden epiphany didn’t sit well.   “Jesse…”
    “Shhhh,” he whispered along the column of her neck.   “Just a little more.”
    She’d have given him anything if he’d keep touching her like
he was.   Somehow, the possibility of
being discovered by Cal or Ty or both only made their reckless desire more
exciting.   “Jesse, we can’t.”   She pulled his hands away from the tie
to her blouse.
    He backed up, his eyes unfocused, and ran both his hands
through his hair. “Damn, sorry.   Got
a little carried away for a minute.”   He took a deep breath and blew it out slowly.   “We should sit down so I’m not tempted
to jump you again.”
    They took their seats at the table and grinned like fools at
each other.   “You’re awfully cute
when you’re contrite.”   She linked
her fingers with his.   “So, you’ve
got Ty tonight?”   She’d wanted to
talk to him alone, explain that she needed to go home.   Her suitcase lay open in the bedroom.
    “Yeah.”   He made
lazy circles on her palm with his thumb.   “But I won’t have him tomorrow.   I need to be with you, Angelita.”
    “Okay.”   He’d
said need.   Did he mean it the way
she felt it, like her skin was stretched too tight, holding the desire and
emotion within the confines of her body?   Leaving him would be so hard.   “Can you come over tomorrow night?”
    “I’ll pick you up.”   He pulled his hand away and sat up in his chair.   “I want to take you to my house.   I want you to see where I live; I want
to see you there.”
    Odd how she didn’t care where he lived or how he lived.   He could call a metal trailer along the
side of the road his home and she’d just be thrilled to be with him.   “I knew I couldn’t be with you once and
be done with it.”
    He smiled.   “You
never answered my question the other day.”
    “What question?”
    “How long has it been since you’ve been with a man, and more
importantly, why has it been so long when you’re clearly gifted in that
particular area?”
    She laughed and hoped he hadn’t heard the nervous edge in
her voice.   “Let’s just say I’m
careful about who I sleep with.”
    “Why, besides the obvious?”
    “The obvious being disease and pregnancy?”   When he nodded, she said, “I like sex
too much.”
    Just then, Cal came up the stairs and smiled at Lita, his
eyes drifting to the container of cookies on the table.   “Hey there.   I heard you had some of these over here you’re
looking to give away.”
    “I sure do,” she said and watched Jesse’s sullen expression
when Cal took a seat at the table and ignored him.   “Can I get you some milk?”
    Cal glanced at Jesse, then back at her.   “No, just the cookies are fine.”
    “Where’s Ty?” Jesse asked.   “We sent him to find you.”
    “I’ve put him to work in the shed.”   He knocked the crumbs from his lap and
looked between Jesse and Lita.   “So,
what are you two discussing so seriously over here?”
    Before Lita could answer, Jesse said, “Sex.”   Cal stood up and gave Lita an awkward smile.   “Thanks for the cookie, Lita.   I’ll just go and check on Ty.”   She watched him retreat down the steps
and up the hill.
    Lita scowled at Jesse.   “Why did you embarrass him like that?”
    Jesse glanced innocently toward where his dad had beaten a
hasty retreat.   “Calvin?    He’s not embarrassed.”   His eyes returned to hers, full of
challenge.   “But you are.”
    He’d hit the nail on the head.   “I’m not embarrassed, but that was
rude.”
    “No, it wasn’t.   Cal came over