him a sideways glance. “So how’d you get the name?”
He shrugged . “I once raised a baby alligator from birth. The kids called me Alligator Man for a while, and then just shortened it to Gator. I never cared much for my real name anyway.”
“I like it.”
He turned to her. “You do? Well, that’s a first. You finally discovered something about me you like.”
His words surprised her. “I’ve always liked you, Gator,” she said. “I just don’t understand you, that’s all. You’re so … different from the other men I know.”
He faced her, propping his elbow on the back of the couch. Michelle tensed when his robe fell open slightly, exposing part of his chest. He didn’t seem to notice.
Gator studied her in the flickering candlelight. It accentuated the lovely contours of her face, bringing out her high cheekbones and emphasizing her wide green eyes. She had never looked lovelier. “Is that so bad, to be different from other people?”
Michelle took a long time answering, not only because it was difficult concentrating with him so close, but because she felt her answer was important. Maybe it would explain to both of them why their relationship was so tense. “Not bad, I guess. I just feel … unsure about myself when I’m with you. I never know what to expect.” And she never knew what to expect from herself, she wanted to add.
“So you don’t like surprises, huh?” He smiled gently.
“I like knowing where I stand with a person.”
He pondered her remark. “I’ve always thought highly of you,” he said. He reached for a lock of damp hair and rubbed it between his fingers. She didn’t seem to mind. “Even though we were never intimate, I never forgot how you smelled, how your mouth tasted when I kissed you. I’ve never experienced that sort of thing with another woman.”
“It didn’t stop you from trying, though, right?” she asked, offering him a wry smile.
“I never had any reason not to.” He wound the lock of hair around his index finger. “You were special, Mic,” he said simply and honestly.
“Too bad I had no way of knowing that.”
“You had just turned sixteen. What was I supposed to do?”
“Sixteen years have passed since that summer, Gator. That’s a long time.”
He released her hair and let his hand fall to her shoulder. “Mic, if I had thought for one minute you were interested in hearing from me—” He didn’t finish the sentence.
“I thought you’d at least write.”
“I wanted to, believe me.”
“But you didn’t.”
“I was scared.”
“You? Scared?” She looked doubtful. “I can’t believe Gator Landry would be scared of anything.”
His eyes held hers tight. “I’m scared to death right now, Mic.” At her look of surprise, he went on. “I’m scared about all these feelings that come to the surface when I look at you. I’m scared because of the things I want to say to you, of the things I want to do to you.”
His words sucked the breath right out of her. “What … things?”
“Things like—” He hesitated. “Like maybe I fell in love with you that summer,” he finally said. “I know I was young at the time, but I think I loved you just the same. Sometimes you just know these things. You know when a person has touched you. And, despite the passing of time, those feelings never went away.” He raised a finger to her neck and stroked the white skin there, finding it incredibly soft. “I must’ve made love to you a million times in my dreams,” he confessed.
Michelle shivered at the sound of his voice; her skin prickled as his fingers trickled up her neck and traced her ear. She attempted to smile, but she could feel her bottom lip tremble with the effort. “And did you … enjoy it?”
“More than you’ll ever know.”
For a moment, all they could do was stare at each other. Michelle knew he was going to kiss her, and she couldn’t have moved if she’d wanted to. His gaze held her rooted to the spot.
He shrugged . “I once raised a baby alligator from birth. The kids called me Alligator Man for a while, and then just shortened it to Gator. I never cared much for my real name anyway.”
“I like it.”
He turned to her. “You do? Well, that’s a first. You finally discovered something about me you like.”
His words surprised her. “I’ve always liked you, Gator,” she said. “I just don’t understand you, that’s all. You’re so … different from the other men I know.”
He faced her, propping his elbow on the back of the couch. Michelle tensed when his robe fell open slightly, exposing part of his chest. He didn’t seem to notice.
Gator studied her in the flickering candlelight. It accentuated the lovely contours of her face, bringing out her high cheekbones and emphasizing her wide green eyes. She had never looked lovelier. “Is that so bad, to be different from other people?”
Michelle took a long time answering, not only because it was difficult concentrating with him so close, but because she felt her answer was important. Maybe it would explain to both of them why their relationship was so tense. “Not bad, I guess. I just feel … unsure about myself when I’m with you. I never know what to expect.” And she never knew what to expect from herself, she wanted to add.
“So you don’t like surprises, huh?” He smiled gently.
“I like knowing where I stand with a person.”
He pondered her remark. “I’ve always thought highly of you,” he said. He reached for a lock of damp hair and rubbed it between his fingers. She didn’t seem to mind. “Even though we were never intimate, I never forgot how you smelled, how your mouth tasted when I kissed you. I’ve never experienced that sort of thing with another woman.”
“It didn’t stop you from trying, though, right?” she asked, offering him a wry smile.
“I never had any reason not to.” He wound the lock of hair around his index finger. “You were special, Mic,” he said simply and honestly.
“Too bad I had no way of knowing that.”
“You had just turned sixteen. What was I supposed to do?”
“Sixteen years have passed since that summer, Gator. That’s a long time.”
He released her hair and let his hand fall to her shoulder. “Mic, if I had thought for one minute you were interested in hearing from me—” He didn’t finish the sentence.
“I thought you’d at least write.”
“I wanted to, believe me.”
“But you didn’t.”
“I was scared.”
“You? Scared?” She looked doubtful. “I can’t believe Gator Landry would be scared of anything.”
His eyes held hers tight. “I’m scared to death right now, Mic.” At her look of surprise, he went on. “I’m scared about all these feelings that come to the surface when I look at you. I’m scared because of the things I want to say to you, of the things I want to do to you.”
His words sucked the breath right out of her. “What … things?”
“Things like—” He hesitated. “Like maybe I fell in love with you that summer,” he finally said. “I know I was young at the time, but I think I loved you just the same. Sometimes you just know these things. You know when a person has touched you. And, despite the passing of time, those feelings never went away.” He raised a finger to her neck and stroked the white skin there, finding it incredibly soft. “I must’ve made love to you a million times in my dreams,” he confessed.
Michelle shivered at the sound of his voice; her skin prickled as his fingers trickled up her neck and traced her ear. She attempted to smile, but she could feel her bottom lip tremble with the effort. “And did you … enjoy it?”
“More than you’ll ever know.”
For a moment, all they could do was stare at each other. Michelle knew he was going to kiss her, and she couldn’t have moved if she’d wanted to. His gaze held her rooted to the spot.
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