Summer Wind

Summer Wind

Chapter 13

Jameson was reading her new Literature assignment to Warren as they relaxed on the hill near the duck pond. It was turning colder and the ducks weren’t really happy about the situation. She had fed them before she’d gone for her run. Two of the larger farm ducks seemed to resent the fact that she hadn’t brought anymore bread with her for an after-jog snack. They were waddling threateningly close. Jameson watched as Warren sent a thin stream of fire across the grass towards the pathway of the ducks. Both birds beat a hasty retreat.

Jameson put down her book. “What time do you have to work tomorrow?” She looked down at Warren, who had stretched out on the ground and appeared to be sleeping instead of listening to the story.

“I don’t have to be in until six o’clock. That’ll give me enough time to watch the whole meet, won’t it?” He opened his eyes to glance up at her.

“Yeah, I’m sorry you can’t ride the bus with us. The coach seems to have some sort of aversion to leather. Seemed to think that you might be too menacing.” Jameson pulled up a few blades of grass and flicked them in Warren’s direction.

“S’Okay. I’d rather ride my bike, anyway.” He closed his eyes again.

“It’s an awful long ways. It’s okay if you don’t come.” She watched the ducks swim back across the lake to join their less adventuresome comrades.

“It’s the state competition. Besides, I haven’t missed any of your other meets. Definitely not going to miss the last one of the season.” He opened his eyes again and appeared to be studying the clouds overhead.

Jameson read a few more pages from her book. Then, noticed that Warren was still watching the clouds. “See anything interesting? Anything I should know about?”

“No…you ever see anything in the clouds?” He pulled up one of the blades of grass and chewed on the end.

“Like, rabbits, dragons, castles?” Jameson shrugged. “No, clouds are just clouds. I used to think they hid some great mystery land that I could escape to, but then I grew up and got over it.”

Warren noted the tone in her voice and looked up into her watchful eyes. “Speaking of escaping, heard anything back from your applications? Anything from the scholarship committee?”

“Yeah, I’ve got a few nibbles. This meet tomorrow should really help. Then, there’s the spring season. But the ones I’ve got right now look really promising.” Jameson closed her book and lay down beside of Warren.

“Which ones are you considering?” He picked up her hand and studied the ragged nails. She was still biting them to the quick.

“Mountain State University is still at the top of the list.” She smiled. “But, Southeastern University looks promising, too. And, Winchester.” Jameson waited a beat then asked, “Did you send in those applications I found for you on-line?”

“Yeah, I did. They all looked like good locations.” He glanced in her direction. “Any particular reason you printed up the ones that you did?”

“Nah, just picked the ones with the prettiest web-sites.” She laughed at the face he made.

“Oh, well, just so you had some kind of criteria to base my future on. That’s all I ask.” He twined his fingers through hers, and sent small flickers of flames running up and down their lengths so that their hands were encased in a shimmering glow.

“Each of the cities has a resident hero that can mentor you, in case you’re wondering.” Jameson watched the flames, felt the warmth, was awed as always by a fire that didn’t burn. A fire that was no where as dangerous as its creator.

“Are you still writing in that journal I gave you? I love listening to your stories. You really need to put them down on paper, even if it’s only for you.” His thoughts, his stories, his ideas… they were all impressive. He needed to record them…. She knew he was a hero. That was what he was going to be when he left school. That was what he already was. But a person isn’t just two-dimensional, are they? He was so much more. Maybe being a hero was what was most important to him, but it didn’t have to be all that he was.

Warren heard her sigh, and knew from the tone in her voice that she was about to sink into a depressive silence. This was most likely brought on by the impending end of the track season, and the months of cold weather that were looming imposingly close. He sent the flames licking up her arms to warm her and to catch her attention. He was about to lean closer and whisper a few suggestions about how they could spend the rest of the evening when his cell phone rang. “Damn…”

Opening the cell, he listened for a few moments before responding. “Yeah, we can come by for a little while, but we’ve got plans later on.” He paused before continuing. “None of your business.”

Warren sighed and sat up. “That was Stronghold. His mom and dad had to leave unexpectantly. She’s already fixed supper and doesn’t want it to go to waste. Will’s inviting everyone over to eat. Unfortunately, that includes us.”

Jameson smiled as Warren began tugging her up. “It’ll be fun,” she said. “I like spending time with Layla and Magenta.”

Warren leaned in close, so that their lips were almost touching. He trailed a finger tip down the side of her cheek. Kissing her softly, yet deeply, he moved his hand downward to trail along the edge of her shirt, playing with the top few buttons. “I know something that would be more fun.”

She could feel his super heated breath against her ear, as he quietly whispered a few suggestions for a better way to spend the next few hours. “We’ll have time for that after supper.” Despite the strong front she was putting forth, it was all Jameson could do to not lay back down on the grass, and pull Warren along with her. Everything that he had said to her had been what she had been craving all afternoon.

In fact, right now she just wanted to feel his skin under her hands. Wanted to pull his shirt off, lick his nipples, wrap her legs around his waist…But that would have to wait. “After supper,” she said, as much to remind herself, as to him. “We’ll have plenty of time then.”

“You’ve got the biggest meet of the season tomorrow. You’re not staying out late.” Warren countered, rubbing his hand down her leg.

“No, I’m not. But, we’re not staying at Will’s long. So, we’ll still have plenty of time.” She stood and pulled Warren to his feet as well. “C’mon. Let’s go be social. It’ll be good for the both of us.”

Warren’s next few comments weren’t exactly positive, but his mood lightened as they headed for the Stronghold’s neighborhood.

As Will let them into the house, a voice in the Carpet Cleaning Van across the street spoke into a transponder. “Second target acquired. Group B, you are re-assigned to follow subset C. I think we have found our ‘in’”


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