Attraction

CHAPTER 9 Reactions in Aqueous Solution

I didn't change clothes as I completely forgot that I wanted to change clothes. Therefore I continued to wear my relatively modest,halter-top, two-piece bathing suit on the ride from the house to this new and better place where Martin insisted we go...to be alone...

Being alone with Martin didn't freak me out at first. It felt like a very theoretical state of being; like being informed I was going to go become quark-gluon plasma (i.e.one of the theoretical phases of matter) or the winning contestant on American Idol. So, equally likely.

The truth was that my mind was slow on the uptake because everything was happening too fast.On Friday afternoon I was hiding in a science cabinet on campus. It was now Sunday afternoon and Martin was practically wooing me- in so much as crazy handsome, billionaire, geniuses woo a girl- on a small island in the Caribbean.

I was not used to change and I was not good with surprises. The entirety of my past and all changes therein were well documented via the agendas prepared byGeorge. I'd always had time to prepare.

But not this time.

Thus, I forgot to freak out until he was leading me by the hand down a sandy path and through a healthy amount of tropical underbrush. In his other hand he held a picnic basket. I glanced up and blinked at the broad muscles of his back and it abruptly hit me where I was and who I was with and what we'd done so far.

The kissing, the touching,the whispering, the shared moments and the heated stares. I'd made eye contact with him more in the last thirty-six hours than I had in the last six months as his lab partner. A shiver passed through me.Life was happening too fast.

I mumbled, "Fast, quick, rapid, supersonic,hurried..."

Martin glanced over his shoulder, his oceanic eyes sweeping me up and down. "What did you say?"

"Nothing."

His eyes narrowed on me. "Are you okay?"

I lied, "Yes. Good." Then deflected, "Where are we going?"

A glint of some devilry flashed in his gaze,curving his mouth to one side-devilry looked really good on Martin Sandeke- and he returned his attention to the path. "Just this placeI know with a waterfall and cave. It's part of the estate, so no one else uses it."

"How nice," I said, bending as he held a palm frond out of my way, and added conversationally, "we have a garage at my house. It holds a car and some of my dad's tools."

Martin glanced at me, equal parts amused and confused. "Oh?"

"Yes. And a hammock in the back yard."

"Is that so..."

"Yeah."

"So, no waterfalls?"

"No. But this one time,when it rained a lot, the gutter broke. That was similar to a waterfall."

Martin laughed. I knew he was laughing because, though he was quiet, I saw his shoulders shake; and when he turned to look at me, his eyes were bright with humor and he was flashing a lethally bright smile.

"You're funny,Parker."

"Thank you." I looked away from the beacon of his smile. It was blinding. "You're also...humorous at times."

We walked another hundred yards or so in silence and I forced myself to study the surrounding landscape. The ground was sandy-light grey and white-and heavily littered with bleached shells. Tall palm trees provided the ceiling of the canopy. The path was littered with thick palm bushes and underbrush. All around us insects buzzed and hummed a constant symphony, and I could make out the faint sounds of rushing water.It grew louder the farther we walked but not overwhelming. The weather was warm, and would have been hot if we were in the sun and farther inland. But in the shade and so near the ocean, a cool breeze whispered over and cooled my bare skin.