At first, they took in their surroundings,listening to the summer birds chattering away around them.Eventually, they commented about the scenery, the weather, growinginto more personal topics. They visited comfortably until Sophie’scheeks hurt from smiling and chatting. Later, she couldn’t haverecalled what they talked about. Something, nothing, anything.
For someone his family didn’t think talkedmuch, he was surprisingly easy to visit with. Even more so out herethan he was over their morning coffee. She didn’t want to pry, butfrom some of the things he said, it was more than the distance andfriendships that had widened the distance between he and Pippa.
Such polar opposites, Pippa and Asher may nothave understood each other as kids, but there was hope for them tofigure it out now. She didn’t bring it up today; they were havingtoo nice of a time. Knowing them both well, she could see they justneeded to break down a few walls to be good friends again.
Paul was a good dad; he just didn’t see Asherfor who he was. Maybe never had. Although, it sounded like Asherhadn’t made any effort to show him anything worth seeing, in hisyouth or lately. Which, Sophie regretted, was unfortunate, as shewas getting to see so many of his good traits.
Rays of sunlight filtered through the leafycanopy above, dancing across the babbling creek below. A maple leaffloated downstream, under the log, then continued on its merry way.Sophie leaned her head on Asher’s shoulder, more relaxed than she’dbeen in ages. He’d definitely picked the right spot for her todecompress.
“Hang on. Don’t look as I try to stand up;there’s no discreet way to do this in a dress.” Swinging her legsup onto the log, Sophie tried to maintain her decency as shestood.
“No promises.” He didn’t promise, but shenoted he did try to avert his eyes from any potential underwearshowage. For a pair trying to avoid anything beyond friendship,flashing him intentionally wouldn’t be prudent. Didn’t stop herfrom considering it.
Returning with an armful of sticks andleaves, Sophie sat down on the log, straddling it this time, facingAsher. The dress was a bit high on the thighs in this position, butshe managed to keep it PG.
Laughing with total confusion, Asher flippedhis leg across their fallen tree, so he straddled the log facingher. “Did I miss something? Are you part beaver? Bird? Other forestanimal building a home?”
Chuckling, she shook her head, “Didn’t youever read Winnie the Pooh? It’s a favorite pastime in the HundredAcre Wood.” She handed him a stick. “On the count of three, dropyour stick.”
Holding their sticks as far upstream as theycould reach, they let go on three. Watching the sticks pass beneaththem, Sophie cried out with a whoop of delight, “My stick won.”
“I think that was my stick. Yours was bentmore than that.” Laughing at himself, or the silliness of thesituation, he was getting into the game.
Flipping her hair out of the way, she was infull competitive mode now. “Nice try. I totally won that round.”Holding her stick up, he caught her drift and raised his up forcomparison so there would be no argument this time.
The game went on until the last of thesticks, some broken in half to make it last longer, had been tossedin the stream. “You’re going to make some beaver or salmon veryhappy downstream.”
Both giggled like silly children as the lastof their sticks drifted out of sight. Asher glanced down, suddenlya hotblooded adult, noting that her skirt had hiked up a littlefurther in the excitement of the game. She was just barely coveringthe important stuff.
Looking back up, his eyes locked onto hers.Slowly, he grazed his hand up her thigh, teasing the edge of herskirt with his thumbs. Eyes hungry, melting her with the heatbehind them, he asked, “This okay?”
Brain turned to mush, entirely distracted bythe feather light contact, Sophie nodded, biting her lower lip asshe struggled to steady her breathing, “Yes.”
He shifted closer to her along the fallentree, pulling her legs over his to link them together. Both handsnow stroking the smooth skin of her legs, teasing along the edge ofher dress, he leaned in and lightly touched his lips to hers.
Pulling back no more than a breath away, hiseyes didn’t stray from her lips. “This okay?”
Sophie reached her hand up and ran herfingers through his tousled hair as she gripped the back of hishead to pull him closer. Lips touching in a light kiss, bothsmiling playfully, she whispered, “Yes.”
Running her tongue along the crease of hislip, she urged him on. He groaned in response and moved his handsup to her waist, pulling her closer against him. Deeper, moreintense, they moved together as the creek murmured beneath them.Hands splayed around her waist, he held her steady as he kissedher, exploring, tasting, experiencing.
She felt herself slipping irretrievably intouncharted territory. Sensation rocketed through her; her heartthundered like an avalanche in her chest.
Pulling away before she was ready, equallybreathless, he leaned his forehead against hers, his hand moving toher cheek in a soft caress. “The sun’s starting to set. We shouldprobably get back.”
Hating to see the moment end, but knowing hewas right, she agreed. Both rose cautiously on the log, a littleless steady than they had been a few moments ago. Sophie held hishand to steady herself, more emotionally than physically.
Continuing hand-in-hand to the truck, theydidn’t say a word. They climbed into the ancient pickup and Asherfired up the engine. Tried, anyway. It didn’t move. He turned thekey again. Nothing.
“Shit. Hang on.” Groaning in frustration,Asher climbed out of the truck.
Sophie glanced at her phone. Nothing. Out ofrange. Refusing to sit helplessly, despite having no idea how tofix a car, she joined him and stared cluelessly under the hood.
Dashing to the truck bed, he grabbed a fewtools and started tightening bolts, checking connections. Sophiedidn’t know much about engines, but she did know batteries wellenough. “Is this supposed to be loose like that?”
Asher stepped over to her and looked at thewire that should have been attached to the battery she was lookingat. He laughed out loud. “Yep, that’s the one. Must have come looseon the bumpy road. I’m a little embarrassed I didn’t think to checkthe damn battery first. Let’s just blame my wandering imagination.”He flashed her a dashing wink.
He quickly connected the detached wire andhopped back into the truck. Sophie strolled cheerfully back intothe truck. His self-effacing attitude, the pure appreciationwithout criticism or chauvinistic undermining, was incrediblyrefreshing. Not that she’d dated too many jerks, but there wereenough out there that that she was wary.
