Page 25 of So Right
Shit,somethingwas getting harder.
He pivoted and willed his erection to stand the hell down. He hadn’t been attracted like this to a woman since Paige. And their relationship had cooled considerably in the months leading to their breakup, so it had really been a long time.
When he chanced a glance back at Kelsey, she’d tied her fleece around her waist and was now pulling the pack back over her shoulders. “Ready,” she said.
He started up the trail, and she fell in beside him. “So your grandmother might be moving here, maybe because of George. Do I have that right?” he asked.
“I don’t know about the George part. We haven’t discussed it. I suppose I should ask. I just didn’t want to intrude. Relationships are just…personal.”
Another thing they had in common. He recalled his conversation with his mother the other night. She seemed to want specific answers about why things hadn’t worked out with Paige, but none of it was any of her business. Hell, he didn’t like thinking about it, so why would he talk about it?
“I couldn’t agree more,” he said.
They walked down an embankment to the creek, an unnamed offshoot from the larger Gales Creek. “What a cute little bridge,” she said.
He paused and waited for her to cross first—it was very small. “This was my brother’s Eagle Scout project.”
She turned when she reached the other side. “Really? That’s so cool. What was yours?”
He walked across. “Also a bridge. On a different trail.”
“Oh, you’ll have to show me some time.”
Really? “I’d love to. Maybe next Monday. We could make a habit out of this. At least as far as our jobs would allow.”
She pivoted, and they continued along the trail. “I don’t think I can do that. Definitely not next Monday. I’ll need to catch up from playing hooky today.”
“You should cut yourself some slack. The work will always be there.” Had he really said that out loud? How many times had people told him the exact same thing and he’d told them to mind their own business? He winced. “Wow, that was an obnoxious thing to say.” He reached out and offered her his hand. “Hi, Kettle? I’m Pot.”
She laughed and took his hand. “Nice to meet you.”
Again, the connection with her spread through him like an unchecked wildfire—hot and dangerous.
She pulled away from him, and her gaze trailed off. Had she felt that too? She busied herself with drinking from her pack.
Luke followed her lead and sucked back a bunch of water. They walked on, falling silent for a few minutes. After a bit, she asked him if he had Netflix, and they embarked on a lengthy conversation about the ease of streaming programs and debated whether televisions were becoming obsolete.
Luke had a very large TV. “As long as there are televised sports, there will be televisions.”
“And movies,” she added. “Some movies are just no good on a smaller screen. Who wants to watchThe Avengerson an iPad?”
“Very true.” They reached the top of the rise, where the view of the surrounding countryside was gorgeous and they could even catch glimpses of Mt. Adams and Mt. St. Helens.
She turned a slow, complete circle. “This is so beautiful.”
“One of my favorite views,” he said, trying not to stare too hard at her. She was incredibly pretty. He wished she wasn’t wearing her sunglasses so he could see the pale blue irises of her eyes. They reminded him of a babbling brook, where the water was clear and pristine.
He pulled his attention from her. “Ready to eat?”
“Sure.”
He walked to a grassy patch, pulled off his pack, and sat down. “I hope you like turkey. I tried to go with something universal-ish.”
She dropped to the grass beside him, and set her pack next to his. “What isn’t universal? Just curious.”
“I don’t know…tuna, maybe?”
“Good point. I actually don’t care for tuna sandwiches.”
