Page 22 of His Virgin Vessel

Joseph hopped up to help Fiona with the crate. "Where do you want it?"

Fiona grinned. "When have I heard that question before? Stick it in the back."

"When have I heard that answer before?"

I stared in some little surprise during this exchange. Fiona and Joseph? The kid really was like me.

"He's twenty years younger than you," I hissed as Joseph carried the crate out.

"Twenty-two," corrected Fiona. "He reminds me of you, actually."

"So, you're trading me in for a younger model?"

Fiona shook her head. "You know me, Asa. I'm not looking for anything long-term or serious. You, on the other hand ..."

"What?"

"Just tread carefully."

"She's just some girl."

Fiona shook her head. "I'm starting to doubt that."

Joseph came back in, and I handed him a piece of paper.

"Take this to Corinne."

I wasn't sure if Fiona was right or wrong, or if what I was doing was smart or dumb, but I was doing it one way or the other. It occurred to me that maybe there was a way to stay true to the spirit of my agreement with Dugas, while obviously breaking the specific content. Maybe.

# # #

About half a mile out from the Dugas house was a dry river gully, nothing spectacular, but deep enough to hide a bike. Corinne was there when I arrived, wearing jeans that might have been painted on and a top that plunged between her breasts (which were looking a whole lot bigger today, thanks to some help from enhancing underwear).

"I wasn't sure you'd come," she said, as I pulled up.

"I sent the note."

"I half thought it was my dad setting a trap for me. Why did you ask me? No offense, but last time we spoke, you didn't seem that eager to see me again."

"I didn’t likebeing lied to and used as way to annoy your dad and dispose of a virginity that you no longer wanted. I wasn't eager for a relationship. And I'm still not. But you helped me get out of jail, and I'm grateful, and I wanted to say thank you in person." I wasn't sure how much of that was true.

She walked over and leaned in to kiss me, but I kept her at arm's length. "You want to go for a ride?"

"More than anything in the world."

"On the bike," I clarified.

Corinne shrugged. "That'd be fun too."

"Climb on."

Corinne swung up behind me and, to my annoyance, my heart quickened at the feel of her arms winding about me, and her body pressed against my back. Just the smell of her had my libido turning somersaults. I hadn’t reacted like that to a girl since I was going through puberty!

"Hold on tight."

"You know I do."

And we were off, whizzing through the night, dodging shrubs, bouncing over rocks, Corinne clinging tightly to me. I took her on the wildest ride I knew and was rewarded with the sound her breath, short and fast in my ear. The girl had a taste for extremes.

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