The Arrangement

Towel Again

After we each showered, Patricia laid food out for us on the porch. I showered first while Dan walked Hershey. I ran into him in the hallway when he left the bathroom. Again, he wore only a towel and his damp tan skin looked so touchable. I felt the heat rise throughout my body.

He stopped, so we didn't bump into each other and as he let me by, he said, "We have to stop meeting like this."

I trained my eyes down, as I scurried past him. I thought I heard him chuckle. Once downstairs, I exhaled loudly.

"You look like you saw a ghost," Patricia said.

"No, just the towel again." I sounded annoyed.

Patricia sighed. "I'm happy single, but if one of them came close to my age, I'd unwrap it like a kid at Christmas."

I had to laugh, but the thought of his towel falling and my fingers exploring his body sent tingles down my spine. Thankfully the wine was open, because I needed a drink.

Patricia explained she'd be home by midnight and disappeared. I poured a glass of wine and munched on cheese while I waited for Dan to come downstairs.

When he saw me alone, he said, "Sorry. A phone call. Where's Patty?"

"She went out."

Curiosity about his call distracted me. It might not have been a woman, but I felt the jealousy creep in.

"Maybe she has a date."

I remembered Patricia dating a man once and although I was a teenager, I could tell it ended badly. She raised her daughter, Callie, alone while dedicating herself to my family. Suddenly as an adult looking at her life, it appeared sad and lonely, but Patricia was never sad.

"I'm not sure. She has friends." I wondered how often Callie came to visit from New York. Remembering his call, I asked, "Are you going out?"

"I wasn't planning on it. Although we could walk Hershey and stop for an ice cream. I have a fondness for it, you know."  He winked and my heart fluttered.

I smiled remembering his summer job scooping ice cream. He used to be jealous, because his father made him and David work, but mine didn't make me.

As we ate, we talked and it was pleasant. The wine had lightened my mood. We had a good hike and I was beginning to think it was a perfect day. At that moment, I was glad I was sharing it with Dan, because he made me laugh. More than once I touched my lips to see if they were clean, because he was staring at them.

I felt his eyes on me later as I licked my ice cream cone. I offered him a taste and he took one. He leaned in close and I could smell his scent. I wanted to taste the chocolate on his lips. Hell, I wanted more than just a taste of his lips.

We walked back and he opened the door for me. As I stepped inside the house, he touched my back and I was reminded of his support earlier on the rocks.

David was right. Dan had changed and he left me off kilter. The cool day was leading towards a cold night, so we didn't go back on the porch. I had brought the dishes from our dinner into the kitchen earlier. Dan surprised me, as he started to scrape them and load the dishwasher.

He noticed me looking at him. "We never had live-in help, like you. My mother taught me to do chores."

The mention of his mother cast a shadow over him.

"She'd be proud of you." I meant it.

We started talking about our mothers. Eventually, I had tears streaming down my face. Dan reached out to wipe them. Without thinking I threw myself into his arms. He held me and it felt good ─ really good. I quickly pulled back and mumbled I was tired. Without looking at him, I retreated hastily to my bedroom.

I was in too deep.