Reckless Radiance by Kate Roth Page A

years since she’d played flashlight tag in Jameson Woods. The group of twenty-some teens, Valerie, and Russell dispersed, each with a flashlight in hand and a mission. Don’t get caught in a beam. The brisk night air blew through her hair as she stayed as silent and still as possible. She’d have to move soon. The rules were you had to move every three minutes.
    Back in high school Gabriel and Valerie had been grand champions of the game. One night between the two of them they tagged every person out and claimed a co-victory. A smile made its way to her lips as she thought of those days. When things were simple and life was easy. They didn’t have a care in the world and no bigger problem than deciding what movie to see on a Friday night.
    The sound of crunching leaves beneath someone’s shoes perked her ears and she knew the enemy was near. Her three minutes were up and she darted out from behind the tree, clicking on her flashlight and pointing it at the mystery player only to be hit with light at the same time. A groan left her as the bright ray shined in her eyes. It wasn’t sophomore year anymore. She’d lost her edge. Her hands went up in surrender and the light went dim. Squinting to see her captor, she giggled.
    “I am very good at this game,” Russell said with a genuine grin.
    “Apparently.” She couldn’t hide the laughter in her voice. Her breath caught as she saw him walking toward her through the darkness.
    “May I ask you something?” he said.
    Valerie knew why he tended to preface his questions with a request. It wasn’t fair for him to ask her things and never give up any answers of his own.
    “Sure,” she replied. She wanted to rib him about his wealth of secrets and remind him how unfair it was to her but she didn’t.
    “Where were you today? When you came back you had a look on your face. It was—sad and acquiescent but you also seemed appeased. I couldn’t help but wonder what might have made you look that way.”
    Valerie felt like she needed a thesaurus to reply. His words were always so carefully thought out. He used language the way a musician used notes to create something so complex yet pleasing to the ears. Funny how the man could communicate so well while not say a whole lot.
    A part of her wanted to share the story of Gabriel with him. Maybe he’d understand her better if he knew she’d loved and lost. But another part of her—the part she knew had made her run when Gabe died—told her to hold her cards close to her chest. He wouldn’t want to hear her sob story about the young widow who couldn’t deal. She shut her eyes and breathed deep. God, he smelled divine. Their eyes locked and she saw his furrowed brow, the look of concentration in his deep blue irises. He stepped to her, closing the last bit of distance between them and the urge she had to reach out and touch him was overwhelming.
    His head dipped down. “Don’t tell me. You deserve your own secrets,” he whispered.
    She’d wanted to kiss him since the bowling alley. She’d wanted to kiss him when she realized he was alive. She’d wanted to kiss him every time he gave her the sweet smile that somehow assured her everything would be all right. She let the other things—the secrets and the past—fly away on the wind and she pushed herself up on her toes. Settling her hand on the back of Russell’s neck, she found his lips with hers.
    Her eyes were closed as she enjoyed his soft lips but she noticed brightness against her eyelids. Her heart slowed. Valerie pulled back with the intention of opening her eyes only to hear the click of Russell’s flashlight brightening the space between them. Her eyes slit open to see him through the brilliant beam. His mouth was gaping and his eyes seemed brighter, nearly glowing. She stared in awe. A laugh sounded in the distance and she turned her head in the direction it was coming from.
    Russell’s hands moved to her waist and she whipped her head back to look at him.