The Rain Began to Fall (13 page)

He was on a
subject he was very fond of discussing lately, and he was now holding forth and
arguing his point with great enthusiasm. He droned on, and she was half
listening to him - she had heard it all before - when she glanced over and saw
Kyle across the yard. He was wearing a short sleeved white tee shirt and blue
jeans, and he was walking along with that confident swagger she had come to
recognize.

Gene talked on,
his voice becoming part of the background noise. As she smiled and admiringly
watched Kyle saunter along, he paused in mid stride and looked over at their
table. He smiled at her, and then started toward them. Leigh froze. The smile
fell dramatically off her face. She looked quickly back at Gene, who was still
talking about New York and their wonderful future, then back in Kyle’s
direction; he was still coming their way. She couldn’t believe it. What was he
going to do? She had honestly hoped to see him out here, just to confirm he was
indeed at work today, but she never imagined in her wildest dreams he would
approach.
What if he confronts Gene
?
she
thought desperately.
Oh, what will happen
?  Now, as she glanced
furtively at Kyle coming ever closer, she became convinced that he would make a
scene. In a perfect panic, she rubbed her hands together nervously and looked
squarely at Gene, suddenly appearing deeply interested in what he was saying.

He walked right up
to the table and stopped. He looked down at Leigh, and Gene, still lost in the
future and the sound of his own voice, hadn’t yet noticed his presence. She
finally looked up at him and smiled weakly, her face drained of color. Kyle saw
her apprehension and grinned like the Cheshire cat, a mischievous gleam in his
eyes. It was a dangerous gleam, she thought, one that said he was going to make
trouble, bet the farm. Gene finally took a breath and noticed someone was
standing by them. He looked up at Kyle, his eyebrows raised.

“Can we help you?”
he asked.

“Sorry to bother
you,” Kyle said warmly, turning his attention to Gene. “I was just wondering if
either of you have noticed a pen lying around here. It’s my favorite, and it
seems I’ve lost it. I was writing at this table yesterday, and I thought I may
have left it here.”

Leigh stared
unbelievingly at him.
What is he talking about
?
A
pen
?

“No, can’t say
that I have,” Gene responded, glancing around and looking under the table.
“Have you, Leigh?”

“No. . .
I
haven’t
,” she answered through clenched teeth. She looked up at Kyle with
narrowed eyes.

“Well, if either
of you do, let me know, will you?” Kyle smiled wickedly, staring directly back
into Leigh’s measured gaze. He then looked at Gene. “My name is Kyle
Tilston
.” He thrust his hand out dramatically, and Gene,
caught only a moment off guard, shook it firmly.

“Gene Sykes,” he
replied. “And this is Leigh, my
fiancé
.” He paused and
chuckled. “But then, of course, you two have already met, I’m sure!”

“Yes, we have,” they
responded simultaneously. There was a small silence, and Kyle looked at the
angst ridden Leigh, his eyes filled with mirth. He then turned his attention
back to Gene.

“Well, aren’t you
a lucky guy?” he opined.

Gene looked at him
quizzically, and then smiled, nodding his head in agreement. He glanced at
Leigh, who was still staring at Kyle suggestively.
That’s enough
!
Go
on
!

“Why, yes I am, as
a matter of fact,” he agreed, reaching across the table and taking her hand.
She felt his touch, and then looked away from Kyle and back at Gene. She hoped
he didn’t notice her hand was trembling. Kyle continued smiling at Gene,
letting the moment stretch out a bit. Leigh felt she was about to explode.

“Anyway, again, if
you should find it, I would appreciate it if you would let me know,” he said
finally.

“We’ll do,” Gene
answered amiably. Kyle said thanks, then, much to Leigh’s relief, turned on his
heel and walked away.

“Well spoken man,”
Gene observed after he had gone. “Does he work in the plant?”

“Yes,” she answered,
seething inside. “Yes he does.”

“Anyway, as I was
saying…” Gene continued.

She glanced at
Kyle walking away, as Gene picked up where he left off
.  I hope he got
his jollies out of that,
she thought, and determined then she would see him
later today, one way or the other.

# # #

Leigh looked at
the clock on the wall of her office: 2:14 pm. In another minute, the bell would
sound for second break, and there was a certain person she was determined to
see. She laid down her pen and stood. He may not show again, she thought, but
if she had to she would walk over the entire plant and yard to find him. As she
walked downstairs, she heard the bell ring, and upon arriving at the break room
she peeked in; he wasn’t there. She closed the door and looked around the
immediate vicinity of the plant; he was nowhere in sight.

Where are you,
joker
? Then she went for the door that led down the hallway to outside.
When she opened it, she found him leaning against the wall, his arms folded. He
looked over at her as she walked up.

“Hey there,” he
said, smiling and unfolding his arms.

“Hello Kyle,” she
responded.  “What are you doing out here?
Hiding?”
He laughed and stuck his hands in his back pockets.

“No. Should I be?”

“I would if I were
you,” she replied. She assumed a posture of confrontation, hands on her sides,
but her eyes were soft, belying her body language. “So, did you have fun this
afternoon?”

“Yes I did,
actually,” he responded, grinning. “You weren’t sweating were you?”

“You’re
so
funny.” She looked around to check who might be watching, but they were
alone in the hallway. When she looked back at him, he was beaming that sexy
smile. She melted, as usual. How could any woman possibly stay upset at this
gorgeous man? “I didn’t know
what
you were up to,” she continued. “It
was nerve wracking, honestly. But that was the desired effect, right?” He
pushed off the wall and stood in front of her.

“And what,
exactly, were you nervous about?” he asked, searching her eyes. She folded her
arms across her chest, and glanced around furtively again. She looked back up
into his face.

“Well…..you know,
that’s a good question,” she replied. “Maybe it has something to do with the
fact that
you
were the one who invited me to the races the other night;
and that I went, and that Gene may have recognized
you
, and if he had,
he might have gotten a little suspicious,” she finished, taking a breath. “Does
that make sense?”

“Suspicious?” he
questioned.
“Of what?”

“
Well.
. .you know. . .” she stammered.

“Afraid I don’t,” he
replied. “You’ll have to spell it out for me.”

She simply stared
at him. He was impossible.

“Maybe it has
something to do with how you feel about
me
,” he offered, stepping closer
to her. She stepped back.

“Oh, you think?”

“You tell me.”

He’s so confident
it’s ridiculous,
she thought. There wasn’t a single indication on his face
that he doubted what he was saying, and she was sure she couldn’t convince him
otherwise.
Or yourself
, a voice added in her mind. She didn’t need that
commentary. It was time to change the direction of this conversation.

“Well, the reason
I wanted to see you,” she said, “was to tell you how much I love your book!”

“So you’re
enjoying the story?” he asked, smiling.

“Yes, I think it’s
wonderful!” she exclaimed.

“Thanks,” he said.
“I was hoping you would like it.” He turned toward the door. “Let’s take a walk
outside, what do you say?” he asked.

Not a good
idea,
she thought.
I’ve relayed the message; time to cut out.

“No, I really need
to get back. . .” she started.

“Just for a
minute,” he interrupted.
“Some fresh air.”
She looked
at her watch, then at his pleading eyes. When he turned those peepers on her,
she had no spine.

“Alright,” she
agreed.
“Just for a minute.”

They walked toward
the door, Kyle in front. She was following close behind, and when he turned
around suddenly she ran into him full body. He caught her at the crook of her
elbows, and she felt his grip tighten on her arms.

“It really means a
lot to me that you like my writing,” he said sincerely.

He continued to
hold her arms, and his mouth was dangerously close to hers. The aroma of
whatever cologne he was wearing, manly and seductive, drifted into her
nostrils. She felt an uncontrollable excitement seize her; despite her attempts
to rationalize and create distance, nothing had changed since the last episode
between them. Once alone with him, she was totally powerless against the force
of desire she felt, a desire that came when a man and a woman, both extremely
attracted to each other, were in close proximity. She breathed him in, and as
true as anything she had ever felt, she still wanted his kiss, the lips of this
sexy, rough boy writer on hers. But then he released his grip on her arms, and
stepped back. She let out a sigh, and blinked, perplexed.
What is he doing
?
Why does he always stop
? It was driving her crazy! He turned and walked
outside and she followed in a daze.

“It would be nice
if someone I’ve submitted to felt the same.” She gathered herself, attempting
to switch emotional gears, something it paid to be adept at with him.

“I don’t know why
they don’t,” she responded, still breathing a bit heavily as they stopped just
outside the door. “Kyle, you are really, really good, and I mean it.”

“Thanks again,” he
replied.

“So what are you
going to do with this one?” she asked.

“Submit it, when
I’m done,” he replied.

“You’ll make it
with this one, I guarantee it!” she exclaimed. “Just hang in there, Kyle.”

“It’s tough,” he
said, smiling bitterly. “I was really confident about the last one. When I got
the last rejection, I almost fried the manuscript. I mean, I lit it up! I swore
to myself I was through with all of it at that point!” He laughed and shoved
his hands into the front pockets of his jeans. “But here I am, finishing up on
the story you’re reading now, and hoping again. Isn’t that something?”

She listened
closely as he poured out his feelings to her, and she was shocked when she
heard him say he had almost burned one of his manuscripts.

“How could you do
that?” she asked.

“I was just
frustrated,” he said. He looked at her and saw the genuine care and concern on
her face.
If I had this beautiful woman beside me, I could do anything
,
he thought.

“Well, I’m here to
tell you you’re awesome!” she exclaimed, clapping her hands together. “And
don’t go burning anymore of your manuscripts, got it?” she admonished, wagging
a finger at him.

“Yeah,” he
responded, “got it.”

“I’ve got to go,
Kyle. Take care.”

She smiled and began
turning to head back in, getting away while the getting was good. But he
reached out and grabbed her arm boldly, pulling her tightly up against his
body. She gasped aloud, and his unexpected force lit her fuse immediately,
sizzling through her. Her face flushed red with excitement.

Kyle didn’t know
what he was doing here; it certainly wasn’t part of his plan, but he just
couldn’t hold himself back any longer. Only a man with ice water in his veins
could resist such a beautiful woman that was so ready to be kissed. He
reached up and touched her cheek with his fingertips, lightly brushing a strand
of her hair behind her ear while he gazed steadily into her eyes. He traced his
finger along her baby soft cheek, and his intimate caress, the touch of a lover,
sent shockwaves through her, and she trembled noticeably. Hot blood rushed to
her mid section, and as he continued to look deeply into her she could see the
hunger in his eyes, could feel his hot breath on her lips.
Kiss me
!
her
mind screamed, past the point of caring about any
consequences.
Make me yours
! Her lips and body begged for the
satisfaction this sensuous man would bring, no matter the outcome. Her arms
floated up, encircling his neck, and he placed both of his hands on the small
of her back.
It’s too much,
she thought resignedly
, too powerful to
stop.
Kyle gently squeezed her lower back, feeling her supple skin through
her blouse, wanting it off her, every last stitch of clothing, so he could
touch and taste every luscious inch of her body.
No reason to
wait
anymore
, he thought.
It’s time
…

Just then, the
bell ending break sounded loudly through the speaker over the door. It had the
effect of snapping her out of her delirious state, reminding her suddenly of
where she was and what she was doing, how willing she was to surrender
everything and give herself entirely to him. Shocked at her uninhibited
thoughts and the overwhelming force of her desire, she pulled away and
staggered back, drained of strength.

“Break’s over,”
she said hoarsely, barely above a whisper.

“Yeah,” he
replied. “Leigh, I …” he began. But before he could say more, she turned and
ran away. She didn’t slow down until she was back in the safe confines of her
office, where she slammed the door behind her and sat with her face in her hands,
tears welling in her eyes. Her mind was a storm of confusion and she ached with
unfulfilled need, her body literally hurting. She knew beyond doubt that she
would not have denied him anything if they had been in an opportune place. She
would have given no thought to her commitment, willing to abandon an almost
decade long relationship with no hesitation whatever.