Becoming Calder(17)

I had been back there a few times over the years, but I knew Eden hadn't been. Her toys sat unmoved and the few times I went in, there was no sign of any human disturbance at all.

I made my way through the rocks and open areas until the spring was in view, and it was then I saw her. Her back was to me and she was facing the large rock sitting at the back edge of the spring. Her hands were fisted at her sides and a glorious spill of pale blonde waves cascaded down her back, covering most of her. But her legs were bare, as were her shoulders and I blinked at her nakedness. With her back to me, I allowed my eyes to move slowly down her body—her delicate shoulders to her narrow waist, to her hips that rounded so very slightly, down her slim legs and back up again. My body stirred, tightened, and blood pounded in my ears. I swallowed heavily, unable to move, rooted to my spot as I watched her.

She, Eden, put her hands on her hips and made a strangled, angry sound. I leaned in farther to get a better view of what she was so angry about and I saw the small snake sun bathing on the rock, just like he owned the place. Apparently, Eden wanted him gone and hoped her sounds of anger would compel him to move along. I almost laughed, but got a hold of myself before I made a sound and gave myself away.

Eden fisted her hands down by her sides again and then stood still for a good minute, seeming to be trying to decide what to do. I waited, enchanted by her; there was no other word for it. I startled slightly as she suddenly darted out into the water and waded across the shallow pool, only up to her shoulders. It was the only way across as large rocks sat on either side of the small spring. The only rock accessible was the one that snake was currently occupying. Eden emerged from the water and marched up the very small shore next to the rock. She climbed up on that rock as I watched, spell bound, grabbed that snake and flung it into the foliage beyond. She then brushed her hands off and plunked herself down, having evicted said snake with a swiftness I sure didn't see coming.

I couldn't help it then. I started laughing out loud. I didn't think I'd ever seen a spectacle quite like that one before.

When I finally opened my eyes and got control of my laughter, I looked up and Eden was sitting there in nothing but her wet undergarments, staring at me with wide eyes and her lips parted in that same O shape they had been in when she had seen me talking to Hannah Jacobson.

I went serious, now in control of the initial lust that had swept over me at the sight of her. As I stared at her, a strange feeling gripped me, almost like a sort of déjà vu, as if this moment was a memory—not one that was in my mind, but in my blood, in the very fiber of who I was. It felt like some sort of recollection, or maybe a vision. Or perhaps a misty, long-forgotten dream coming true.

"Hi, Morning Glory," I finally managed.

She just stared at me for several beats before she sat up straighter and said, "Hi, Butterscotch."

I cleared my throat, as Eden seemed to remember she was half-naked and covered herself with her arms. "Will you . . . will you," she pointed to her clothes discarded on the grass next to the spring, "bring me those?"

I went over and gathered them up and waded through the spring, only up to my chest and handed her clothes to her as I pulled myself up on the rock. She put them on quickly as I looked away. When I looked back, she was doing the last of the buttons up the front of her shirt, and I saw her hands were shaking.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

Her eyes darted to mine and her cheeks turned a beautiful shade of pink. "I . . . I hate snakes," she said, her lips quivering now. "Like, really, really hate them."

I stared at her for a couple seconds. "Sure didn't seem like it to me. I don't think it seemed like it to that snake either." I grinned at her.

She let out a big breath and smiled timidly back at me.

I had been half right. Her eyes were the color of a deep blue morning glory. Only up close I saw gold flecks along the outer rim. They were the color of a blue morning glory, bathed in sparkling, early morning sunlight.

She looked down at her lap and said quietly, "It's just I haven't been here in a while, and I was really looking forward to it. It's all I wanted. Just to swim across the spring and sit on this very rock, the only one in the sun. And then I saw that snake, and I . . . I never get what I want." Her eyes flew to mine again. "And I know that's selfish. I shouldn't just think of myself. I just . . . it made me so angry . . ." she trailed off.

"I understand," I said, taking her hand in mine. Something raced across the inside of my skin when our hands touched and I pulled away quickly.

Our eyes met again, and Eden blurted out, "I've kept every single morning glory. All forty-six of them."