Protected

Chapter 6 - Protected

Chapter 6

Rory turned to look at me and Tonka stopped. I automatically stopped J.B., too. ''I like you too, Lily, but it's strange how attached I feel to you already.'' He stared at me with a mischievous look in his eyes.

            I dismissed the strange gleam in his eye. ''It is strange. I feel like I've known you for months instead of days. Yet I don't know much about you.''

            He nodded his head in ascent. ''We better get going so we can catch up to them.''

            ''Why do you always change the subject when it's about you?'' I asked frustrated.

            ''You noticed'' he stated simply.

            ''Yes, I noticed. It's pretty obvious you don't like to talk about yourself'' I said with a hint of sarcasm and frustration.

            ''Maybe I'll tell you sometime'' he mimicked my tone as he moved Tonka and Shadow forward again.

            I rolled my eyes at his back. Nothing like keeping a girl on her toes. I was jumping up and down inside though. He said he liked me too. I felt like a little girl with her first crush. I rode J.B. behind him in silence until we got back to the barn. He always seemed to have the upper hand. He would make me feel nervous on purpose and he was keeping things from me. Well two could play at this game. I slid down off of J.B.'s back and tied his reigns to a nearby tree.

            ''I'll un-tack them. You can go see how your sister's doing'' he said.

             I turned and started walking towards the pavilion without a word. He grabbed my hand, spun me around, put his other hand on my lower back, pulled me against him, and kissed me. I froze. Then his lips moving against mine thawed me. I kissed back. His lips were perfect. He let go too quick and spun me back the way I had been walking. I was lightheaded and disoriented. I stumbled a bit. Rory laughed at me.

            ''You're a jerk'' I said turning back to look at him.

            ''I never said I'd play fair, Lily.'' He mimicked the words I used last night. He looked so damn cute. I wanted to be mad but I couldn't be. I pretended to be though as I narrowed my eyes at him and turned on my heel. I smiled as I walked away. I wanted to scream and do a little dance. He kissed me. Rory kissed me. My step was a little lighter as I walked into the pavilion.

            Shawn and Jolie were sitting at a couple of stools towards the back. ''How are you feeling?" I asked.

            ''Good, Shelly over there gave me some pain pills and cleaned up my hands and knees'' she said gesturing to the leathery skinned lady at the counter.

            ''I'm sorry Jillian. I didn't mean to ruin the day'' Shawn said.

            ''Shawn stop, it wasn't your fault and you didn't ruin the day. We have plenty of time left'' I assured him. Nothing could ruin this day now that Rory had kissed me. My lips still felt warm.

            ''Yeah, but what we're doing later might not be a good idea either with the way things are going'' he said.

            ''What are we doing later?'' I asked.

            ''We are going off roading, mudding, four wheeling. Whatever you call it here.''

            ''Oh that sounds cool'' Jolie said.

            ''Rory's never flipped his truck has he?" I asked.

            ''No, but Jolie seems to have bad luck around me'' he said.