brain. Something I thought was long gone but sprang up with giggly awe at the pure creative energy here. It was inspiring. I didn’t even know for what, but I felt light and excited.
“Hey,” I called to Smith.
He curved just enough to look over his shoulder at me, a ray of light hitting the blue in his eyes perfectly, and even under his cap I could tell he had an eyebrow raised. His body, dark hair and scruff looked so rugged and sexy. The hat seemed to highlight his cheekbones and mouth.
Snap. My finger hit the button, but the click was like a punch to my chest, ripping the air from my lungs and sending all the blood down between my thighs as the lens caught his image. A hitched breath caught in my throat as I dropped my eyes, feeling my heart pound, my brain emptying except for the basic instinct to shove him up against the wall and screw his brains out. Kins! I scolded myself, fully turning away from him, looking like I was considering something when I was just trying to not act on the impulse. My lungs struggled for air, for rational thought.
He’s hot. Sure. But personality matters. You. Do. Not. Like. Him. And even if I did, he was still off limits. Besides being my brother’s friend, he was my sister’s ex. Someone she wanted to make hers again. Those were lines you didn’t cross.
Not that he even would. He seemed to see me only as a little girl. A sister.
The heat finally took its toll, and we had seen all we needed, taking cool pictures. I really tried to limit them and be more in the moment; something about this place tapped at my inspiration, the need to create… something.
“Ready for some lunch?” He took off his hat, rubbing the sweat off his forehead with his forearm, then plunked it back down.
“Yes, I’m starved.”
“Should we also get you a donut?”
“A donut? Why a donut?”
He moved in front of me right as we reached the van, a bad-boy grin twitching the side of his mouth. “Not for your mouth.” He leaned in closer, his smell rich and deep, earthy… and so intoxicating I felt my throat flutter. Even sweaty and dirty, he smelled and looked far too good. “For your ass, Nettles.” He leaned back. “You were having trouble sitting on the way here.”
He ended up driving while I laid in the back on my stomach with Goat, fruitlessly trying to put more cream on my butt.
“Funny.” I glared at him. “I don’t have hemorrhoids.”
“You think I’m kidding?” He pulled the keys from his pocket. “And here you were calling me Grandpa. Just wait till we are buying you Bengay and donut pillows.”
I plucked the keys from his hand, bumping by him. I opened the door to Goat bouncing around, his tail wagging at seeing us.
“Hey, G-man.” Smith rubbed Goat’s ears brusquely, causing Goat to bound around more, like it was playtime. Goat had only acted this way with Sadie and me, and in honesty, more me than Sadie, but never with men. Ever.
I watched the two tussle in the small space, Goat’s tongue rolling out as they played.
“What?” Smith peered up at me, holding out a treat for Goat. “You look perplexed.”
“I just thought…” I rubbed my head, then motioned to Goat. “That dogs were supposed to be a good judge of character. Go figure, my dog is malfunctioning.”
Smith snorted, his attention on the dog. “Did you hear that, buddy? She says you’re fucked up and defective,” he cooed, scrubbing his head.
“I did not say that.” I ripped the bag of treats from Smith.
“Yes, she did, huh?” He snuggled into Goat’s face.
“Bite him, boy.”
Instead Goat licked him, making Smith howl with laughter.
“Traitor.” I opened the small fridge, getting a water out, pouring more painkillers into my palm. In my long list of bad things that could happen to me, I never had “being needled in the ass by cactus” anywhere on that. Staring over at Smith, I had a feeling I was going to have a whole new list of things I never imagined happening to me.
And I didn’t know if it scared or excited me.
“Wow.” I put my hands on my hips, taking in a deep breath, utterly awed by the gloriousness of nature. The sunset struck the deep chasms and ridges, the reds, browns, and oranges of the mineral rock reflected the reds, oranges, yellows, purples, and blues as the sun