Of course not,” I fumbled, batting my eyes and wondering which of all my actions, exactly, qualified as “stunts”. Probably, all of them!
“Samantha, promise me now,” he demanded, not at all distracted by my efforts to appear innocent.
I nodded, careful not to speak words that I might not be able to keep.
“No. I want hear you say it.” He slowed the swing.
“Okay, okay I’ll behave,” I said, and secretly crossed my fingers on both hands while he hugged me tighter.
Satisfied, Elvis returned to swaying us once again. And when he began to hum a little tune, my content smile grew wider. I'm not sure if this random singing was a conscious act, a habit, or a way of relaxing more than anything else, but I was so entranced by the reverberation of his voice, I was instantly lulled into a dreamland. I went limp in his arms, brought back to reality when, to my surprise and right in the middle of the song, he lightly kissed the base of my neck. What was that for? I pondered while the feel of his soft full lips woke my desires, and I resisted the urge to turn and taste his mouth.
“What’s your job in heaven?” I strategically shifted course.
“Again with this job business,” he muttered and picked up my left hand.
I bit down on my lower lip as I watched his hand engulf mine, and his long tapered fingers entwine with my own.
“Well, how about your heavenly task then? My father preaches we’ll all have one, you know.”
“Your hands are so delicate honey, just like the rest of you.” He said, now rolling my fingers over in his hand, and inspecting each one with interest.
Once satisfied, he kissed them, and then placed my hand on top of his knee. He held it there, and his leg bounced with untamed energy under my palm. The air around us felt electric, and I couldn’t help but imagine what all that vigor might accomplish when properly focused.
“I bet you follow God around all day singing to his every step,” I added, hoping to break the spell that was spinning my head. “That’s it, your God’s theme music!”
My idea must have tickled him, because he dropped my hand, and placed a firm but quick peck to my cheek.
“I do sing honey, but everyone sings in heaven.” He tilted his head so that he could see my face. “And, Heaven’s work starts right here on earth, you know.”
“I-I don’t think I’ve been called to do anything special.”
“Honey, everyone’s called. It’s just a matter of listening.” As he spoke, he curled dark strains of my hair around his finger. A quiver corkscrewed down my spine.
“Even me?”
“Especially you,” he whispered hot against my ear.
What a flirt, I thought, and caught a glimpse of his smile. Admittedly, I loved our easy banter. We had this game we’d play. I’d act like I didn’t want his attention, and he’d try harder. It was childish, and usually reserved for the playground, but we enjoyed it. The problem was, on this day, he really was driving me mad.
“Do you know what my calling is?” I prayed that he had missed the crack in my voice.
“Baby, you smell so good,” he growled and snuggled closer, burying his nose deep in my hair. “I’d forgotten.”
He wasn’t playing fair, but that was no surprise. Sure, Elvis had a quirky sense of humor, but he knew exactly what he was doing which only made me dig my heels in even more.
“You’re not going to tell me, are you?” I said with a flat tone, hoping to suggest I was unmoved yet my jaw hurt from the clenching of my teeth.
When he unraveled me from his embrace, he stood, and just stared at me for a moment. “Nope,” he finally said, smiling over me. I couldn’t help myself, I stuck out my tongue but his grin only widened.
As he drew in a deep chest-widening breath, he gave me a wink, hoisted up his pants, and stepped off the porch. Without looking my way, he held out his hand and I didn’t hesitate to take it.
“Let’s get you home, baby girl.”
Chapter 11
As we sped
“Samantha, promise me now,” he demanded, not at all distracted by my efforts to appear innocent.
I nodded, careful not to speak words that I might not be able to keep.
“No. I want hear you say it.” He slowed the swing.
“Okay, okay I’ll behave,” I said, and secretly crossed my fingers on both hands while he hugged me tighter.
Satisfied, Elvis returned to swaying us once again. And when he began to hum a little tune, my content smile grew wider. I'm not sure if this random singing was a conscious act, a habit, or a way of relaxing more than anything else, but I was so entranced by the reverberation of his voice, I was instantly lulled into a dreamland. I went limp in his arms, brought back to reality when, to my surprise and right in the middle of the song, he lightly kissed the base of my neck. What was that for? I pondered while the feel of his soft full lips woke my desires, and I resisted the urge to turn and taste his mouth.
“What’s your job in heaven?” I strategically shifted course.
“Again with this job business,” he muttered and picked up my left hand.
I bit down on my lower lip as I watched his hand engulf mine, and his long tapered fingers entwine with my own.
“Well, how about your heavenly task then? My father preaches we’ll all have one, you know.”
“Your hands are so delicate honey, just like the rest of you.” He said, now rolling my fingers over in his hand, and inspecting each one with interest.
Once satisfied, he kissed them, and then placed my hand on top of his knee. He held it there, and his leg bounced with untamed energy under my palm. The air around us felt electric, and I couldn’t help but imagine what all that vigor might accomplish when properly focused.
“I bet you follow God around all day singing to his every step,” I added, hoping to break the spell that was spinning my head. “That’s it, your God’s theme music!”
My idea must have tickled him, because he dropped my hand, and placed a firm but quick peck to my cheek.
“I do sing honey, but everyone sings in heaven.” He tilted his head so that he could see my face. “And, Heaven’s work starts right here on earth, you know.”
“I-I don’t think I’ve been called to do anything special.”
“Honey, everyone’s called. It’s just a matter of listening.” As he spoke, he curled dark strains of my hair around his finger. A quiver corkscrewed down my spine.
“Even me?”
“Especially you,” he whispered hot against my ear.
What a flirt, I thought, and caught a glimpse of his smile. Admittedly, I loved our easy banter. We had this game we’d play. I’d act like I didn’t want his attention, and he’d try harder. It was childish, and usually reserved for the playground, but we enjoyed it. The problem was, on this day, he really was driving me mad.
“Do you know what my calling is?” I prayed that he had missed the crack in my voice.
“Baby, you smell so good,” he growled and snuggled closer, burying his nose deep in my hair. “I’d forgotten.”
He wasn’t playing fair, but that was no surprise. Sure, Elvis had a quirky sense of humor, but he knew exactly what he was doing which only made me dig my heels in even more.
“You’re not going to tell me, are you?” I said with a flat tone, hoping to suggest I was unmoved yet my jaw hurt from the clenching of my teeth.
When he unraveled me from his embrace, he stood, and just stared at me for a moment. “Nope,” he finally said, smiling over me. I couldn’t help myself, I stuck out my tongue but his grin only widened.
As he drew in a deep chest-widening breath, he gave me a wink, hoisted up his pants, and stepped off the porch. Without looking my way, he held out his hand and I didn’t hesitate to take it.
“Let’s get you home, baby girl.”
Chapter 11
As we sped
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