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Entranced, I pull her to me and lean in for a kiss until she stops me. “Not so fast cowboy,” she says with a giggle. “Gotta play fair. You get those jeans off.”
I’m on it. I shuck my boots and clothes off with haste, laughing as Fiona gasps.
“No kidding these trunks are fitted,” she says, reaching out to brush the fabric at my hips.
It’s not that I aim to buy tiny shorts; it’s just that my quads fill out most pants to the limits of their design.
“Ready to get in that water?” I ask, throwin a squealing Fiona over my shoulder and smackin her butt.
“Wait! Wait! Hang on!” she protests as I hover at the edge of the rippling, aquamarine expanse.
I set her to her feet and run my hand along her elegant jaw, gaze into her eyes and raise her lips to mine. In the next moment we disappear. Nobody else at the pool. No conference. No Florida. No Iowa. Just my lady and me… timeless and forever.
“Bo,” she says breathlessly, then kisses me again. “Bo, I’m sorry,” she says with that sadness in her eyes, then kisses me while my heart drops like a lead weight.
“What is it darlin? You know you can tell me anything, right?” She hesitates and drops her eyes. “Fiona, darlin, whatever holds you back…you’ve just gotta share it with me. I wanna hear your fears and doubts. Lay em on me. Go ahead now and just…lay it all out for me.”
When she lifts her face back to mine, I see the shine of held-back tears in her eyes. What is it that could have this woman so frightened of a nosy ex and a little distance between states? I’ll go to the end of the Earth for Fiona. I just need her to come forward and permit me to do it.
“Bo…shit.” I turn to see what’s caught Fiona’s eye, and find Maxine headin toward us with her jolly disposition.
“It’s okay sweetheart. We’ll pick this up right where we left off. Just as soon as we can. Okay?” She nods an agreement and turns to greet Maxine.
“Hey Maxine!” Fiona calls out, putting on her best face. “How’s your afternoon been?”
“Very relaxing. I’m ready for that awards banquet tonight.”
“That’s what we want to hear.”
“How about I treat you fine ladies to a couple of cocktails this afternoon. What would you like?” I ask them.
“Surprise us,” Fiona responds with a wink and a hand gently directing me away.
Damn that mysterious woman. I wouldn’t wanna have to pry Maxine for information, but I suspect Fiona reveals very little to anyone anyway. It would do me no good. I order myself a beer and give them a minute while I check out the cocktail menu. The peach sangria sounds appropriate for my peach, and Maxine looks like the frozen margarita type. I purchase the drinks and stroll back to the pool at a leisurely pace, confused when I find Fiona on the opposite side from Maxine.
“Everything okay?” I ask as I hand off the drink.
“Yes, thank you. We were just…talking, and then…we were done talking. So I wandered over here to wait for you,” she replies nervously.
“I know now’s not the time, but we’ll talk after the awards and you can let me know what’s on your mind,” I tell her, as I guide her back toward Maxine.
Maxine smiles with delight when I hand her the margarita, and Fiona leads us in a toast. We pass the afternoon in a seemingly happy blur of playfulness and light conversation. A celebratory energy runs strong between the three of us, in anticipation of Maxine’s potential win tonight, and if I didn’t know better I’d believe there wasn’t a care in Fiona’s world. She’s awfully good at hidin her emotions…somethin I need to remember about her.
***
The sight of Fiona in a black dress nearly knocks me out. The Convention Center has been decorated lavishly for this event, and we feel like royalty as our champagne is passed out. The girls are still giggly and the place is humming as toasts and speeches are made. I take pride in my patient nature, but tonight my attention is everywhere but the front of the room. I just wanna hear them announce the contest winners so we can get outta here.
My attitude abruptly changes at the arrival of our food, short rib and trout dinners with incredible smelling sides. Fiona and I generously share with each other, havin each ordered a different dish. She becomes adorably flustered and excuses herself after spilling some white sauce onto her dress.
As expected, Maxine wins first place…trophy, money, and all, and Fiona looks so happy and relaxed that it’s no surprise when she pulls me out onto the dancefloor later. I’ve done my share of country line dance and even took a few ballroom lessons way-back-when, in anticipation of one day havin a woman as fine as Fiona for my partner. Well, tonight all that’s payin off nicely. And here I thought she couldn’t wait to get me alone again, but the DJ’s spinnin 80s hits and Fiona’s all over it. She’s like a firecracker on the dancefloor till nearly eleven o’clock, and lookin dead sexy all the while.
“I don’t know darlin, I’m about ready to get back to the room and settle in. What do you think?” I ask, catchin her from behind and wrappin my arms around her as she tries to escape to the bar for one more glass of champagne.
She spins around and wiggles close to me, kissin me without a care in the middle of the pulsing crowd. “You’re right,” she replies between kisses. “I need to be cut off.”
She goes back to kissin me but I feel leary of her motivation. I wasn’t just tryin to rescue the woman from alcohol; I was hoping she’d be as anxious as me to spend some time alone.
I put my hands on her shoulders and pull away, steadying her eyes with mine. “Well Fiona, you’re welcome to go grab another glass instead if that’s what you’d like. You’re a big girl and I’m not here to cut you off. Do I need to be?”
