Crystal River Witch by Ed Howdershelt
Author:Ed Howdershelt [Howdershelt, Ed]
Format: epub
Tags: Science fiction
Published: 2010-03-07T17:20:56.500000+00:00
Chapter Eleven
After staring at him for a few moments, Angie quietly said, "Okay, so I'm scared. So what? I'll get over it."
"Uh, huh. Look, it was one thing to tease you a little at the showers when I had no intention of going off at all. This isn't teasing. You want me to do something that scares the hell out of you and I want to know why before I do it."
Sipping his beer again, Cade stood up, reached for his bath kit and towel, and said, "And it's getting late, so you can tell me on the way to the showers."
Angie sat upright to take a sip of her beer and lift a hand to Cade. She said nothing as he pulled her to her feet, but Cade thought he might already know what she'd had in mind.
Once they were on the trail beyond the tents, he sipped his beer and quietly asked, "Did you think letting me come in you would give you some sort of hold over me?"
Stopping and staring at him, Angie said nothing for several moments, then she replied, "I guess I thought it might," and started walking again. Cade slung his towel on his shoulder and joined her, then said, "You have it backward, I think. At that particular moment, it would more likely have given me a hold over you."
She didn't stop, but her expression was the same as before; sullen, questioning startlement mixed with irritation.
"Think about it," said Cade. "What were you doing? You were offering me something you either value highly or fear greatly. I'd have had a good time and squirt, and it would have meant no more than usual to me, but to you..." He met her gaze and finished, "It would have been some kind of sacrifice." Angie still said nothing, looking straight ahead as she marched toward the shower stalls. She picked the middle stall and turned on the water to let it heat as she set her bag and beer down and located her soap. As her irritated gaze met his, he said, "Later, when I didn't respond properly to your sacrifice, you'd have added me to the list of men who've screwed you in some manner, and I don't need that, ma'am. Even if our business relationship weren't at stake, I wouldn't want to join that list. I don't want to lose you as a friend because of a few squirts of smelly-jelly." Letting out an involuntary snort that became a snicker, then a short laugh, Angie asked, "Smelly-jelly?"
Shrugging, Cade said, "Well? It is. Both. Smelly and jelly. Sticky as hell, too, when it dries a bit. Don't know how you women tolerate the stuff." Laughing, Angie replied, "Well, if it's properly installed, it doesn't get a chance to dry out."
"Hm. Yeah, well... Hey, you want some help over there? I could turn this shower off and share yours. We could maybe save some water for the club, y'know."
With a snorting snicker, Angie said, "'Save water, shower with a friend.
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