Page 13 of You & Me: Part One

He stops walking as well and now we’re standing in the middle of the sidewalk while he looks at me like I’m a crazy person and that this shouldn’t even be a question. Straight faced, with his arms crossed in a give-me-what-ya-got sort of way, he replies. “Of course she is. Guns and cars always get names. His jeep is named after Scarlett Johansson. He’s always had a thing for her and the jeep is red so it’s perfect. What’s your next question?” he says with a devilish grin that says he knows exactly what I am about to ask him.

I feel my cheeks turning pink before I even speak. I blow out a breath and hold up a second finger. “Two, did Matt just call you Irish?”

“He sure did,” he says as he lifts up the sleeve of his t-shirt and shows me a tattoo on his upper arm.

I can’t help but reach out and touch it. There’s a castle with a lion on each side each holding gold chains. There is much more intricacy to it but I am not taking all of it in because my eyes go to the word Kelly at the bottom of his beautiful tattoo.

“What is this?” I ask quietly memorized by the art on his arm.

“This is my family crest. My last name is Kelly. My dad’s side of the family is Irish.”

“It’s beautiful.”

“Thanks.”

I take my hand away and he pulls his sleeve back down. “So, this is why you were laughing at me when I said, ‘I love all things Irish, right?” Now my face is in my hands as we stand in front of the hotel.

I feel his hands on mine as he pulls them off of my face.

“You’re here.” He says pointing his head in the direction of the hotel. “Now get in there, get some sleep and I will see you at seven o’clock.”

Without answering my question, he takes my face in his hands and lifts my eyes to his face, and then leans forward and kisses my forehead. The heat from the feeling of embarrassment leaves me as a different kind of heat fills my body.

With a lift of his hand he says, “Night ladies,” over my head to Steph and Cami. Then he brings his attention back to me and says, “Night, Gracie.”

It’s now that I notice that Cami and Steph are waiting for me to go inside and Devon is waiting for Jonathan just a few steps away. Once again, everything seems to fade away when he’s around. As I stand there staring at those beautiful lips that just kissed my forehead and called me Gracie, he removes them from my view. He and Devon turn and walk away to head back to Scarlett, leaving me high from this touch and wondering how I will ever get to sleep now?

I Met a Girl

Jonathan

At seven o’clock I’m standing outside the Pier Side Inn, leaning against Scarlett with my coffee in my right hand and Emily’s in my left. She walks out of the hotel at 7:01 and, as always, takes my breath away. She’s always beautiful but this morning with her hair high on her head in a messy bun, in her purple yoga pants that stop just below her knees, a simple dark gray tank, a gray hoodie tied around her waist, and her Nikes . . . she is simply breathtaking.

“Morning. You ready to get your hike on?” I say when I start to hand her the cup in my left hand but change my mind. “You may want to put your hoodie on, the ride can get a bit cool this early in the morning with the top off.” She slips it on and then reaches out to take her coffee.

“Ready as I’ll ever be,” she huffs as she takes a sip of her coffee and smiles to acknowledge that I got it right. “You remembered?” she says quietly, almost embarrassed.

“I remember everything about you, Emily,” I whisper in her ear as I reach around her to open the jeep door and I hear her inhale a shocked breath.

She quickly jumps into the jeep and says, “Thank you.”

I’m not trying to make her uncomfortable by whispering in her ear or leaning just a little too close to her, but I simply can’t help myself. The last two days have been amazing but not touching her is killing me. I’m trying my best to be a gentleman, and I won’t push for anything until I think she feels the same way and she’s ready. But it’s getting harder with every moment that passes in her presence. And when I say things are getting harder that is certainly in more ways than one.

I can feel her eyes on me as I go around the front of the jeep and hop into the driver’s seat. “I wasn’t sure what you would want so there are two croissants and some fresh fruit in the bag. I figured a croissant for each of us and then if you’re nice, I’ll share my fruit with you.” I say with a smile then take my sunglasses off my head, put them on and place the bag in her lap.

“Thanks again, Jonathan.”

We drive in comfortable silence eating our breakfast and drinking our coffee. As soon as we arrive at the parking lot for the Las Ramlas Trail I can tell by the look on her face that she isn’t feeling so sure about this.

“Don’t worry. There are a couple hills but it’s really not that hard at all and we’re going early so that we beat the heat. From what I hear, the views are great and worth the work.”

“I’ll be fine. Sorry for the lack of conversation, I’m just not a morning person and take a little bit to wake up. I’ll be fine though.”

She doesn’t sound sure though. She almost looks like she’s going to be sick. God, I hope I don’t make her that nervous or that she’s that out of shape. I hope I haven’t planned this wrong, but we’re here now so let’s see what happens.

I grab my ruck sack out of the back seat and we set out for the trail. She’s quiet and seems to be answering all of my questions with one word answers. Did I do something? Is she okay? Does she not want to be here? Was this a bad idea? The lack of conversation is making me anxious and I don’t do anxious.

“So, you have a brother?” I ask to try and get her talking.

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