a pile, hiding the gun belt under the
coat. He then rolled up his sleeves, revealing strong forearms with generous
amounts of black hair.
“Okay, let’s see if we
can get this thing to fly.” Rand picked up the kite and held it up to test the
direction of the wind. The paper puffed out slightly and fought against the
restraining string. He eased out the line and took some quick steps back to let
the wind catch with gusto. In seconds, the paper rustled loudly and the kite
soared upward as Rand gave it more line. The tail waggled like a snake in the
sky.
“Yay! You did it,”
Callie yelled. She tilted her head high, shielding her light-sensitive eyes
from the sun with her hand, then remembering Rand’s hat, she stooped to pick it
up and plopped it on her head before running to join him. “Oh, it looks so
regal just sitting there aloft, waving majestically.”
Rand smiled down at her proudly. He hooked the string
around a finger, then pulled Callie in close with his free arm.
“It’s beautiful, just
like you.”
She snuggled close to
his chest and they watched the kite dance in the wind for endless moments without
a word. Rand finally squeezed her shoulder.
“Would you like to take
the helm for awhile?”
She squinted with
delight. “Sure, why not? I haven’t done it since I was a kid, but I’m sure I
can handle it.”
“Here.” He placed
himself behind her. His arms surrounded her and met in front where his hands
prepared to turn over the string. “I’ll hold the string. You take the ball and
when it’s secure in your hand, wind a little bit around two fingers. Then I’ll
release my finger from above.”
His cheek pressed close
to hers as they both concentrated on the exchange. She felt his warm breath on
her skin. The feel of his strong arms against hers made her weak.
“Are you ready?”
She nodded. He released
his fingers and the kite jerked slightly as it fought to soar higher into the
heavens. “Eeeee!” she squealed. “It’s really pulling.”
“Just hang on tight.
You’re in command.”
“Oh, look at it, Rand. It’s waving to me.”
“You’re doing great.” He
placed his hands on her upper arms and she tensed to his touch.
A sudden down draft
caught the kite and it responded with a quick nosedive. “Oh, no!” Callie cried.
“Pull the string,” Rand shouted.
She did several times
and the kite finally resumed its quiet swaying. A moment later, another gust
came along and shook the kite and string with a violent rhythm. Callie shrieked
and Rand grabbed for the line just as it snapped from her hands. His quick
action wasn’t enough. The force of the upward pull dragged the string from his
hands and they watched helplessly as the kite rose out of site into the yonder.
Callie sighed. “We lost
it.”
Rand put his arm around her shoulders. “That’s okay,
the fun was in getting it to fly.”
“But you won’t get it
back now.” She held up her hand with the string still attached.
He lifted the string and
pulled her around to face him. “I’d rather have what’s on this end of the
string.” He smoothed a hand across her forehead, brushing away some stray hairs
and tipping the hat up with one finger.
“You look mighty
tempting in that hat, ma’am.” His voice was husky, a hint of playfulness
accenting the words.
A smile pulled at her
lips. “Oh? And just what are you going to do about it?”
He snaked a hand around
her waist, pulling her closer. “First, I’m going to kiss you.” He lowered his
mouth to tenderly buff against hers. “Then I’m going to taste you.” He nibbled
at her ear lobe and moaned softly in her ear.
Callie’s arms readily
circled his neck as she shivered against the sensations tripping through her
body. His words, his actions, everything enticed her into a world of excitement
totally unfamiliar to her.
Rand moved his head back and gazed mischievously into
her eyes. Playfully waggling his eyebrows, he growled deeply, “Then, I’m
coat. He then rolled up his sleeves, revealing strong forearms with generous
amounts of black hair.
“Okay, let’s see if we
can get this thing to fly.” Rand picked up the kite and held it up to test the
direction of the wind. The paper puffed out slightly and fought against the
restraining string. He eased out the line and took some quick steps back to let
the wind catch with gusto. In seconds, the paper rustled loudly and the kite
soared upward as Rand gave it more line. The tail waggled like a snake in the
sky.
“Yay! You did it,”
Callie yelled. She tilted her head high, shielding her light-sensitive eyes
from the sun with her hand, then remembering Rand’s hat, she stooped to pick it
up and plopped it on her head before running to join him. “Oh, it looks so
regal just sitting there aloft, waving majestically.”
Rand smiled down at her proudly. He hooked the string
around a finger, then pulled Callie in close with his free arm.
“It’s beautiful, just
like you.”
She snuggled close to
his chest and they watched the kite dance in the wind for endless moments without
a word. Rand finally squeezed her shoulder.
“Would you like to take
the helm for awhile?”
She squinted with
delight. “Sure, why not? I haven’t done it since I was a kid, but I’m sure I
can handle it.”
“Here.” He placed
himself behind her. His arms surrounded her and met in front where his hands
prepared to turn over the string. “I’ll hold the string. You take the ball and
when it’s secure in your hand, wind a little bit around two fingers. Then I’ll
release my finger from above.”
His cheek pressed close
to hers as they both concentrated on the exchange. She felt his warm breath on
her skin. The feel of his strong arms against hers made her weak.
“Are you ready?”
She nodded. He released
his fingers and the kite jerked slightly as it fought to soar higher into the
heavens. “Eeeee!” she squealed. “It’s really pulling.”
“Just hang on tight.
You’re in command.”
“Oh, look at it, Rand. It’s waving to me.”
“You’re doing great.” He
placed his hands on her upper arms and she tensed to his touch.
A sudden down draft
caught the kite and it responded with a quick nosedive. “Oh, no!” Callie cried.
“Pull the string,” Rand shouted.
She did several times
and the kite finally resumed its quiet swaying. A moment later, another gust
came along and shook the kite and string with a violent rhythm. Callie shrieked
and Rand grabbed for the line just as it snapped from her hands. His quick
action wasn’t enough. The force of the upward pull dragged the string from his
hands and they watched helplessly as the kite rose out of site into the yonder.
Callie sighed. “We lost
it.”
Rand put his arm around her shoulders. “That’s okay,
the fun was in getting it to fly.”
“But you won’t get it
back now.” She held up her hand with the string still attached.
He lifted the string and
pulled her around to face him. “I’d rather have what’s on this end of the
string.” He smoothed a hand across her forehead, brushing away some stray hairs
and tipping the hat up with one finger.
“You look mighty
tempting in that hat, ma’am.” His voice was husky, a hint of playfulness
accenting the words.
A smile pulled at her
lips. “Oh? And just what are you going to do about it?”
He snaked a hand around
her waist, pulling her closer. “First, I’m going to kiss you.” He lowered his
mouth to tenderly buff against hers. “Then I’m going to taste you.” He nibbled
at her ear lobe and moaned softly in her ear.
Callie’s arms readily
circled his neck as she shivered against the sensations tripping through her
body. His words, his actions, everything enticed her into a world of excitement
totally unfamiliar to her.
Rand moved his head back and gazed mischievously into
her eyes. Playfully waggling his eyebrows, he growled deeply, “Then, I’m
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