Page 58 of Red Hunt

“Everything okay?” I couldn’t see her in the dark, and even though I wanted to hold her hand, I didn’t.

“Yes, why?”

I shrugged my shoulder. “If you change your mind anytime, just say so and I’ll bring you right home.”

She said nothing.

“Did you change your mind? Do you want me to turn around?”

We were already making our way up the mountain, so turning around now wouldn’t be a good idea.

“No, I didn’t change my mind. And no, you should not turn around. I’m just nervous. Tell me something about yourself.”

I grabbed her hand, lifted it to my mouth, and kissed it. “I’m thirty-nine. I was born in New York. My father was Italian, my mother Irish. They immigrated together, but he left us when I was just a baby. I served in the air force, and now I’m here. What else do you want to know?”

She remained silent for a while. Then inhaled. “What’s your favorite color?”

“Green.”

“Cats or dogs?”

“Both.”

“Perfect.” She turned to me, leaning to the side. “I’m only twenty-three. Does our age difference bother you?”

“Yes, you?”

“No.” She exhaled. “Do you have condoms?”

“Yes.” I decelerated before the next turn.

“When was the last time… I mean…are you clean?”

“It’s been a while. And yes. I’m perfectly healthy. What about you?”

“I’m healthy.”

“And the last time?”

She hesitated. I could hear her holding her breath.

Why was she hesitating to answer that question? “You don’t have to tell me.” Anything to make her comfortable.

“Then I’d rather not. Do you know I resented you for buying the lodge?”

“No, why?”

“Because it’s been my dream house ever since I saw it for the first time. I always thought one day, if I saved enough, I could buy it. You smashed that dream.”

That gave me pause. She loved that house, and here I came, buying it off the internet, sight unseen. That must’ve hurt. “I’m sorry.”

She squeezed my hand. “It’s okay. I’m over it. And I like you, which makes it better.”

“Milli?”

“Yes.”

“Why not wait? Why not get to know each other better first and have sex later?”

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