Everlasting Love by Valerie Hansen Page B

tugged her out the door. “Come with me. If Aaron’s not back in the dorm when weget there, you may have to stay and watch the little kids for a few minutes while James and I go looking for the bigger ones.”
    â€œAaron’s a good boy,” Inez insisted. “I know his family. He’ll look after your sister fine.”
    â€œI don’t doubt that for a minute,” Megan said. “But it’s dark out there, Roxy’s got him all to herself and they’re probably riding double on that all-terrain thingie. I’m not worried about her safety. I’m worried about who’s going to protect him. ”
    They hit the dorm porch just as James was coming out the door.
    He scowled at Megan. “You didn’t flash the light.”
    â€œThat’s because everything isn’t fine,” she replied. “I brought Inez along to watch the boys while we’re gone.”
    â€œWhere are we going?”
    â€œHunting. Grab a flashlight and come on. Roxy and Aaron are out in the woods on your ATV, all by their lonesomes. I don’t think that’s very wise, do you?”
    â€œNo.” James matched her strides off the porch and across the dirt road. “How did it happen?”
    â€œAll I know is, they were gone when I got back to the kitchen. Inez said they went for a ride.”
    â€œMaybe that’s all there is to it?”
    Megan shot him a look of doubt that was evident even in the sparse light filtering through the trees from the rising moon. “Are we talking about the same two kids we know and love? Get real, Harris.”
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    James had to call Aaron’s name twice before there was an answering shout. He pointed his flashlight in that general direction and saw the pair coming toward him. In seconds they’d become a foursome.
    Roxy was hanging on to Aaron’s arm as if she’d laid claim and was defending her personal property. “We ran out of gas,” the girl said with a telling giggle.
    James was furious. “What were you doing out there in the first place?”
    â€œTaking Roxy home, just like you told me to,” the young man answered. “Miss Megan wasn’t in the dining room when we left. Inez said she was with you.”
    â€œThat’s beside the point,” James countered.
    Aaron shrugged. “What was I supposed to do? I was just following your orders.”
    â€œAnd I wanted to go home,” Roxy crooned. “Aaron and I weren’t doing anything wrong. Honest.”
    The beam of James’s flashlight illuminated the college student’s flushed face, making him blink and shade his eyes. Bright pink smudges marked his cheeks and mouth.
    â€œIf you were behaving yourself, then you put your lipstick on crooked,” James chided. “Or is there some other excuse for that stuff smeared all over you?”
    Aaron began to rub his lips with the back of his hand while Roxanne laughed lightly. “I was just thanking him for being so nice.”
    â€œWell, from now on, he won’t be available to escort you anywhere,” James told her. “If you want to go home early, too bad. You’ll have to wait till I’m free to take you.”
    The teenager whined, “That’s so not fair.”
    â€œI think Mr. Harris is being very fair,” Megan countered. “He could have ordered us both out of camp and ended my project. And he’d have had perfect grounds for taking that action, thanks to you. I can’t believe you didn’t consider those consequences.”
    â€œWhat do I care about you and your old project?” the angry girl shot back. “You never cared about me. You wouldn’t have even brought me along if Mom hadn’t made you. Why shouldn’t I kiss Aaron? At least he thinks about my feelings.”
    â€œThat’s enough,” James said. “This discussion is over. Aaron, you go back to the dorm and relieve Inez so she can go