Page 39 of Keeping Kama

“You mean you don’t find my awkward middle school pick up lines endearing?” Derek waggled his eyebrows at her.

“I mean,” Leia’s lips twisted playfully, “no,” she said with a huge grin.

Derek chuckled.

“Alright,” Leia waved him forward. “Let’s go. Before we lose the sunlight.” Then Leia held up a finger. “We need flashlights in case it’s too dark on the way back.” She strode five steps to a hall closet, opening the door. Digging around for a second, she then produced two flashlights. Handing one to Derek, Leia said, “Here. Then we each have one. Better yet let me get a backpack.”

“I don’t mind carrying both,” replied Derek.

Shaking her head, Leia popped back into the closet then produced a backpack. Unzipping it, she held it open. “Here, let’s put them inside. I’ll get two water bottles too.” Leia dropped her flashlight inside, followed by Derek’s.

Leia stepped back into the kitchen, removing two water bottles from the fridge. Once everything was inside, she zipped the backpack closed and swung it over one shoulder.

Derek stopped her, taking the backpack off her shoulder. “Let me carry it,” said Derek. “You cooked me dinner. Now you’re taking me to the most beautiful place in the world, according to you. The least I can do is carry the backpack.”

Halted in place, Leia found his gaze. “Are you sure? It’s pink checkered.”

Adjusting the backpack on his back, Derek replied, “Pink happens to look great on me.”

Leia giggled, holding both her hands up. “I mean, I agree.” She walked to the front door and opened it. Over her shoulder, Leia added. “But then again, you’d look good in anything.” Her gaze slid down his frame. A slight pause, then Leia waved him over. “Come on. We might only have tonight together, and I for one want to make every minute count.”

Leia’s words ricocheted back and forth through him. Derek walked through the open door, hoping secretly they had more than tonight. If Derek was being truly honest, he hoped they had forever.

Chapter11

With Derek, Leia weaved around the back of her apartment, making their way to the dirt path which cut across her parents’ property. After their arms brushed for the second time, Derek laced his fingers through hers, giving her hand a squeeze. They walked for a while in silence, passing by the tight, even rows of different fruit plants. The air reeked of manure. Unconsciously, Leia waved her free hand back and forth in front of her face to mitigate the pungent aroma.

“It usually doesn’t smell this bad,” commented Leia. She pinched her nose for a few seconds, but it didn’t help. The smell wasn’t going away, and Leia needed to force herself to smell it so eventually she’d get used to it. “This is definitely still fresh, and I’m remembering why when I gave you a tour of Kama, we never got this close.”

Derek shrugged. “It doesn’t bother me.”

“You’d think it wouldn’t bother me either after all of these years, but I guess I have a bit of a sensitive nose,” said Leia.

Derek ran a single finger down the slope of her nose. “But it’s a beautiful nose.” Leia gave Derek a playful tap against his shoulder. “Anyhoo, when does school start for you tomorrow?” asked Derek.

A groan escaped her, and Leia dramatically dragged her feet, kicking up dirt. “It starts at eight. So, I’ll be up at five to go for a long run before I head in to work. I must be to the school by seven forty-five.”

Leia couldn’t remember dreading her return to teaching this much, but then again, she hadn’t spent any of her prior breaks with a hunky guy. Part of her didn’t want tomorrow to come, because it meant Derek was that much closer to leaving her for good. Then what?

“Can I join you for your run?” asked Derek. “At least for the first few miles. I don’t think I’ll see you tomorrow if I don’t go.”

Leia looped her hands around his elbow. “Hey, I thought you promised me dinner tomorrow night.” Raising an eyebrow, Leia continued, “I expect you to take me some place spectacular if it’s really our last night together.”

Derek wrapped an arm around her waist. “Oh, you remember that part, do you?” asked Derek.

A single finger landed firmly in the center of his rock-hard chest. “I remember everything.” Leia meant for the words to come off playfully, but the air grew thick between them. Instantly, she regretted revealing how deep her new feelings were for Derek.

Forcing herself to look away, Leia dropped her hand from his elbow, picking up her pace a bit. Derek reached out, running a hand down the length of her arm. Slowing down, Leia twisted to glance up at him.

Their eyes caught. Derek pursed his lips for a moment then said, “I remember everything too, everything that has to do with you.” He blinked.

His words whizzed through her. Even if Derek did claim to remember their time together, maybe that’s all it would be … memories.

Soon, they left the rows of fruit plants of Kama Farm behind. The clearing along the dirt path squeezed tighter. On both sides of the path were luscious green plants and myriad flowers in every color under the sun. Kama’s acreage was left further and further behind them as the quiet stillness of nature surrounded them.

“In the summers, I used to always run back and forth on this path with my cousins.” Leia pointed at a small path to the right. “If you follow that path it leads to a small watering hole where we would swim, until the sunshine dried it up until the next summer.”

“Sounds idyllic,” replied Derek. “Most of my summers, I was stuck in summer day camps because both of my parents worked. I never knew any of the other kids, and I always kept to myself. It was long and boring. By the time summer ended, I was grateful to go back to school. At least at school, I knew the kids from the previous years and could see my friends again.”

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