Winter's Edge

Chapter 45 - Interruption

Abby

AFTER the movie, Ian and I had dinner at Luca D'Italia downtown, then ended up in City Park strolling between its two lakes under a star-covered sky.

Warm air caressed my skin as the smell of the Denver Zoo floated by. I love that smell, because it meant I was in the real world instead of a city in hiding. It didn't get much better than this. "I can't imagine a more perfect birthday."

"Well, I'm not sure I can top this one."

"Hey, you're the one who set the bar so high." I frowned and looked up at him. "When's your birthday, anyway?"

"It was a couple of weeks ago."

I slapped his stomach. "Why didn't you say anything?"

He shrugged. "It's not a big deal to me."

"I wish I'd known."

We crossed the street, passing under a small copse of trees, and sat on a bench beside Duck Lake. Ian put his arm around me, and I snuggled up close. For a moment, I lost myself in the illusion that we all lived above ground like normal people and that no one hunted us twenty-four seven.

Ian glanced past me for a split-second with an expressionless face. "Well, it's getting late. We should probably head back." Then he leaned in to whisper in my ear and shatter my illusion. "I've seen that same couple three times tonight."

My chest tightened. I leaned my head into Ian's and giggled as if he'd said something funny.

Was Ian just being paranoid? That was common on the first few supply runs, but Ian had a photographic memory. And I hadn't seen a police officer for at least the last hour, which could be a bad sign. This conversation needed to end before the wrong person heard what we were saying. If there were two Hunters in sight, there were more out of sight.

"They probably just look like another couple you saw earlier," I whispered. "So, what movie are we seeing next time?"

"Uh..." Ian didn't seem to know what to make of my change in behavior. "I haven't decided yet."

Good. He'd caught on.

I pulled out my phone about to text an S.O.S. when I noticed there wasn't a signal. Someone was scrambling it. Ian definitely wasn't paranoid.

We had to think of a way to throw off the Hunters, and quick.

"I know we should probably be heading home, but..." I took his hand and stood. "...I have a better idea." I led him toward the water's edge to a grassy bank where foliage hid us from the suspicious couple.

We laid in the grass and I kissed Ian passionately. I whispered into his hear, "Just go with it," then continued the kiss, unbuttoning his shirt.

Ian's face flushed bright red when I unclasped his belt, then unbuttoned his pants and pulled them down. His eyes widened as I slipped out of my dress, exposing my black, lacey panties and bra. I stashed our clothes beside the foliage, then slipped away from him with a playful laugh. He probably thought I was nuts.

I stuck my toes into the warm water. Something rustled in the trees across the lake. Lake was a gross overstatement, really. It was more of a large pond with a small island in the middle.

I stayed calm and faked a giggle, then gestured for Ian to come with me.

He gave me an are-you-crazy look. I wasn't sure if he was acting, like me, or if he was really embarrassed...or both.

"Come on." I slipped into the water, submerging myself, then brought my head back up to check on Ian.

He looked around, then snuck in, coming right up to me. I pulled him into a kiss then dropped us both beneath the surface.