My Last(27)

But not Chelle. She always put others first, even someone she hadn’t seen in over a decade. What the hell had douchebag David been thinking to throw that kind of love away? David Price literally might be the stupidest person on the face of the earth.

“Are you coming?” Chelle asked anxiously. She was already off the bench and a few feet away from him, headed back in the direction they had come, toward the place where they would catch the cable car that would take them back up to Powell St.

“No,” he answered simply.

“No, you’re not coming?” She stopped, a look of confusion clouding her face.

He shook his head.

She waited, then tilted her head continuing to explain, “Riley if we don’t leave now you’ll miss your flight.”

“I canceled it.”

“You canceled your flight?”

“Yes.”

“When?”

“While you were talking to that elderly couple, when we were watching the seals sunbathe.”

“Why?”

“Because, the last thing I want to do is get on a plane that takes me away from you.”

Her eyes widened.

“Me?”

“You.”

“Oh.” A flush crept up her cheeks and she slowly walked back to the bench where he had remained seated and sat back down next to him.

She was completely silent and he suddenly realized that she may not want his company. He wasn't, after all, exactly an invited guest.

He didn’t know what had possessed him to say what he did. He should have just said that he wanted to do more sightseeing, or that he was extending his vacation. Something neutral. Or he could have made something up! He could have said that Jason had asked him to stay...which he had, as a matter of fact.

But, no. He had to go and say that he didn't want to leave her.

The tension between them was so thick that you could cut it with a knife.

He turned towards her, saying awkwardly, “Look...I don’t have to stay. I could…”

She put her hand on his thigh, he stopped talking.

She turned and smiled at him, then leaned over and pressed her lips to his. For a moment, he wondered if he imagined that part, though, because in a blink of an eye she was up and off the bench again.

“I want to go on the Ferris wheel!” she said brightly.

“The Ferris wheel?” He repeated, still in shock from the indescribable feeling of her soft full lips pressed against his, no matter how short the duration of the kiss.

“Yep,” she grinned, and then she was off, headed down to the Ferris wheel.

Unable to come up with a better plan, he shrugged and followed her.



--- ~ ---



Chelle still couldn’t believe that she had kissed him. She...Rachelle Thomas...had kissed Riley Sloan on the mouth. In broad daylight, in front of God and everybody.

Well 'kiss' might be overselling it. But she had given him a peck on the lips. She wished that instead of half-assing it, she would have had the courage to woman up and really go for it! At least then she would have known for sure if there was going to be another kiss at some point.

In fairness to her, she hadn’t ended the kiss so abruptly solely because she was a big chicken. The other contributing factor had to do with the fact that, the minute she came into contact with him a sweet shock of bliss washed over her entire body like a wave crashing over her being. It was intense. Very intense.

Nevertheless, she was still kicking herself for retreating. If she hadn’t done that...if she had really kissed him...then the ball would have been in his court. He would have either had to kiss her back, or end the kiss. It would have been clear-cut, one way or another. Although the second option would have been disappointing (in the extreme) it would have at least been addressed.

At this point in the program, the entire incident was just being completely ignored. By both of them.

He hadn’t mentioned it, and they both seemed to be acting normally. ‘Acting’ being the appropriate term, for her at least, because that was definitely what she knew she was doing.

After that all too brief smooch, all she could think about was if their lips would ever touch again. It was consuming her thoughts. As soon as they got off the Ferris wheel Riley suggested they go take one of those old-timey photos where you dress up.

Ooookaay, Chelle thought, so maybe he was not having the same issues getting over her sad excuse for a kiss as she was.

Chelle agreed to the idea and they found a photo shop that did Wild West pictures. Chelle dressed up like a saloon girl and Riley was in chaps and a cowboy hat, holding a rifle.

Hmmmm....Chelle thought. He looks good.

The photographer posed them so that Riley was seated on a bar stool and Chelle’s heel-booted foot was resting on Riley’s firm leg. As soon as the photographer directed Chelle to place her foot on him, she felt his hand wrap possessively around her calf.