Into the Fire

                                From a WIP titled . . . in a love song.

(From Chapter 16)

     “Ready to go?” He kept his voice low and steady.
     She stood and walked to the door without a reply. When they got to their rigs, he pulled her to him. “It’s gonna be alright, Patricia.” She put her arms around him like she was comfortable there. It hit him then like someone striking his face: he wanted more than her body. Maybe that’s why the drive seemed so intense. Maybe it had nothing to do with his lack of recent sexual contact. Maybe it was just her.
     She let go of him abruptly. “I’m sorry. You must be exhausted.” She unlocked her truck and fired it up. She was out of the parking area before he got backed up.
     He pushed the old Jeep to keep up with her. The dust had cleared by the time he traveled down her driveway. Fear must have given way to anger because she hadn’t driven like this when he was with her. When he arrived, lights from the house shone out into the farm’s darkness, and he saw the front door open behind the screen door. He grabbed his bag out of the back and climbed the stairs, giving a brief knock on the open door after maneuvering through the screen door. He set his stuff down inside and called her. She trotted down the stairs, and he noticed a subtle smile on those lovely lips which made him hope she was recovering from the incident.
     “I’ve never lived with a man before.”
     He laughed. “Well, as luck would have it, I’ve never lived with a woman before who’s required me to remain celibate while I’m at it.” The comment got the desired laugh. “Patricia, I’ll be right back. Gotta get one more thing out of the Jeep.” He hoped she didn’t have a thing against guns because he planned on bringing his handgun into the house. He dug it out of its locked compartment in the back of the Jeep and slipped it under the back waistband of his shorts. He bounded up the stairs and closed and locked the door when he got inside, transferring the gun to his duffle bag while she was in the kitchen.
     “This where you want me?” he asked, standing by the couch where he’d put his things.
     He watched her turn her face back toward the kitchen and do her best to suppress a smile. “That’s a hide-a-bed, but there’s a bedroom down the hall or there are three upstairs you can use.”
     He grinned. “One of those upstairs belong to you?”
     “Not of the available three.”
     “Hmm. You sure?”
     “Do I have to answer that?”
     He laughed. “Not tonight you don’t. If you don’t want me camped out in your living room, I’ll take the one down here.”
     “Right this way.”
     He hauled his things to the bedroom, surprised to see its masculine décor.
     “My brother’s room. A long time ago.”
     Had to be a story there but not tonight.
     “Dale, thank you for this. I feel stupid now.”
     “Don’t. The guy has a thing for you. I’ll feel better being here. And I won’t be any trouble. Alright?”
     She hesitated at the door.
     “What?” He stopped taking a few things from his bag.
     “Nothing. Goodnight.”
     “I probably won’t see you in the morning. Do you work during the day tomorrow?”
     “Yeah.”
     “Maybe I’ll run over there during lunch, see how you’re doin’.”
     “Okay.”
     “’night.”
     She slipped away as he finished setting up his clock. It dawned on him when he slipped into bed they both wanted the same thing. Maybe for different reasons, but he sensed her desire. He’d known enough females in his lifetime to recognize it in them. It showed up in all different ways, but it stemmed from wanting to get close. To abandon themselves in the act of love and hope some part of it would catch and be real. Something more than a physical exercise in pleasure.
     His gun rested on the nightstand at the ready. He knew how to use it but didn’t figure there’d be any need to do so. It’s just that people could be so crazy sometimes.

Father, again and again, thank you is never enough for all that you've given me in every part of my life. Thank you for the inspiration, words, stories. All of it. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.