Love's Retreat(2)

Even if Jess hadn’t already been drawn to the kind face and gentle blue eyes, his words were like a beam of sunshine on a dreary day. As he spoke of completed novels and the trials of editing, Jess drank in the musical tone of Ryan’s voice, the way his hair curled over his ear, and the humorous wrinkles around his eyes when he laughed. When he reached out to casually touch her arm it tingled with electricity.

Nora only glanced once at her friend and smiled with satisfaction at the look on her face. It was worth giving up the only handsome man in the room. Though Alex was pleasant enough to look at, he just wasn’t her type. After they listened to the workshop coordinator’s welcome, Nora asked Alex to show her his cameras. They slipped away without distracting the enraptured couple next to them.

“I find that outlining destroys the creative flow.” Jess argued with less conviction than she normally would. What she really wanted to say was that she would prefer to be outlining the curve of his jaw with her finger. “But you can’t have believable characters if there is no direction to their path through the story.” The intensity of his argument brightened his eyes and he leaned forward slightly to press his point.

“Scripting their every move is unnatural and –” Jess’s words faltered as she inhaled the spicy cologne, “stifling to the flow of imagination.”

Ryan leaned in closer. “You like unpredictable characters?” he whispered suggestively.

Jess almost choked on her cherry cobbler. She was completely taken aback by the sultry innuendo and even more surprised at her desire to link her arm in his and follow him anywhere. She took a deep breath, pausing to be intoxicated by his scent. “I insist on proper character motivation.”

“Always?” Ryan reached out and tucked a stray hair behind Jess’s ear.

Jess’s heart nearly burst through her chest. She closed her eyes and tried to slow her breathing. “It’s wise, don’t you think?” she said hoarsely.

Laughter brought Jess’s eyes wide open. “Hardly ever!” Ryan’s smile was both wicked and seductive. He stood and held out his hand. “Why don’t we go take a walk in the moonlight?”

Jess hadn’t noticed that they were alone in the dining hall. She hadn’t noticed much of anything since Ryan sat down next to her. She put her hand in his and let him lead her outside. The cool evening air helped to lower the temperature of Jess’s cheeks. She shivered. Ryan opened his coat and wrapped Jess next to him. They walked slowly and silently down dirt paths and under trees.

Jess felt on edge, exhilarated. She could feel his heartbeat quicken as she slid her arm around his waist. She was not used to this level of physical attraction and felt drunk. Jess tried to regain some control over herself and the situation. “It’s been a long day. I’d better go back to my cabin. Nora will have everything unpacked by now.”

Ryan laughed gently, “If she’s let go of Alex. I don’t think she’ll get what she wants from him. He’s not much for weekend flings.”

Jess pulled away slightly, though still in the warmth of Ryan’s coat. His words sounded harsh since she could be accused of going after the same thing. Was that what she really wanted? A cold breeze chilled the emotions she’d let catch fire. She put a hand on Ryan’s chest and pulled out of his coat. “I’d better go back to the cabin.” The hurt look in the blue eyes almost broke Jess’s resolve. “I’ll see you in the morning?”

Ryan nodded. “Sure.”

Jess turned and walked down the dimly lit path back to the circle of cabins.

When Jess entered “Sequoia” the lights were off. She listened for any signs that Nora had returned and whether she brought company with her. There was only silence. She undressed in the darkness and climbed into her bunk.

Sometime before dawn, Nora entered the cabin and turned on the lights. Jess groaned and covered her head with the quilt. The light was immediately turned off. “Sorry, I didn’t think you were here.”

“Where did you think I’d be?” Jess grunted from under the covers.

“With Ryan, of course. He’s quite a hunk. You two looked very engrossed in your conversation earlier and I saw you snuggled awfully close in the dark.”

Jess’s cheeked flamed at the memory and at the tone in her friend’s voice. She fought back with her own question: “And where have you been all this time?”

Nora climbed into her bed. “I had my own Romeo to keep me company. Sweet dreams. I know I’ll have some.”

Jess thought of throwing a pillow at her friend. Sweet dreams were what she had been having until the lights woke her up. She really wanted to feel Ryan’s warm arms around her again. She knew it was right to return to her cabin alone but that wasn’t what she had really wanted. Jess closed her eyes and imagined being snuggled in Ryan’s warm coat. She was anxious to get back to those dreams.