River Kill

by Ted Begnoche

  "Nice party," she said.

  "Yeah. Nice people."

  "So?" She plucked a strawberry from her cup and bit it in half.

  "So, maybe after the nice party, you could come back to my place." I squeezed my eyes shut and waited. When I popped them open, Heather was still there, her blue eyes gazing directly into mine.

  "Maybe," she said. "Did you have something in mind?"

  "As a matter of fact."

  "Stu, please." She cradled the cup of fruit between her two hands and stared solemnly into the contents. "I just..."

  "What?" I asked, clasping my hands around hers.

  "I don't want to be hurt. I can't take that again."

  "I never meant to hurt you."

  "I know. But that's the way it ended up." She wiggled free from my hands and turned her head away.

  I pinched her chin and swung her head back in my direction. Tears were welled up in the corners of her eyes. A drop broke free and sluiced its way along her jaw.

  "Let's go slowly," I said. I bent my head and kissed her on the lips, lingering for a few seconds. I tasted strawberries and beer, and the ocean.

  "There," I said when we pulled apart. "That didn't hurt, did it?"

  "No," she said. "Actually, that was quite nice."

  I pulled her close to me and held her, felt her warm body, her heart pounding strong and brave in her chest.

  I didn't let go for a long time.

  THE END

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