love just gets complicated

chapter 11

She found herself watching him. He was on his knees leaning over a stream. He was studying something in the water. His dark hair kept falling in front of his eyes. He looked up towards her and walked over. Her breath was taken away. He looked like something from a fairy tale except he was real.

"Shall we camp here for tonight? Its getting dark" he said when he reached her.

She hadn't realised she was staring till that moment. She quickly composed herself.

" oh um, yh" she stammered. She didn't know what was coming over her. No one had ever made her feel like that.

"How old are you?" She asked.

He grinned."how old do you think I am?"

"I dunno. I'll say about ..... 24 or 25?"

He laughed. " do I really look that young?"

"To me you do" she replied. "So was I right?"

"Nah. I'm 29" he replied.

29!! He couldnt be.

"Really! You don't look it"

"Awh thanks. Everyone says that I look young for my age. How old are you then?" He stepped towards her.

"20' she replied.

Suddenly a gust of wind blew towards them and her hair flew out in front of her.

A few drops of rain splashed on to them. They looked up In unison. Then the heavens broke lose. Rain started to fall heavier done upon them.

They ran to their horses and grabbed the reins. They pulled on them to make them follow them.

They pulled them towards the mouth of a cave and then collapsed onto the floor.

They looked at each other and then burst out laughing. Oh how she loved his laugh. She was beginning to love everything about this man.

She stopped laughing when she saw his face flicker with pain. She leaned towards him.

" are you alright?" She asked.

He nodded but he face was still twisted with pain. He closed his eyes for a moment allowing himself to feel the pain. That quick run had knocked his side and it was painful.

"Is it your side?" She asked. She reached to get some cloth out of her bag and dropped some water on it. She reached out towards him and pulled his shirt slightly out of the waist band of his trousers. She dabbed at his wound gently.

He took her wrist.

"You don't need to" he protested.

She held her finger up to his lips.

"I want to take care of you" she whispered. He laid down while she dabbed at his side.

She looked at him now. Guilt started to chew at her again. She was lying to him so badly. It hurt. She ignored it and continued to look after him.

The light sound of his breathing told her he was asleep. She stopped and laid the cloth down. She stared down at him. He was still recovering from the loss of blood. She shivered as the cold air eveloped her. She laid down her bed roll next to him and laid down.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was starting to get cooler. He would have to stop now. He dismounted and set up camp for the night. He found some sticks and tried to male a fire. Heyes was always the better one and making a fire. It took his three attempts before he had lit it. The wood was filled with a warm glow. He sat back against the tree. He wondered what heyes was going through now. Was he hurt? Did he need him? What was kyle and that thinking? He realised his fist as clenched. He unclenched it and rested it against the grass. He wanted to see heyes again. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if he died.