Crossed Wires

by Fran Shaff

being with anyone else in the whole world, I would choose to be with you right here right now.”

  “You’re sure?”

  “Absolutely! I love scuba diving, and, as for you…Melanie, you are truly lovely. It will be my pleasure to spend the afternoon with you.”

  Her face lit with another man-melting smile when her doubt went away. “I am so glad to hear that, Hank, because I think you…”

  “Yes?”

  She shook her head and linked arms with him again. “Never mind. I will not jump to anymore conclusions, not even good ones.”

  “Whatever you say, Melanie.” It seemed being forthright was no longer an option. If he told her the truth, it would only put the awful, hurtful look back into her eyes. He didn’t want to see sadness or disappointment in her again. He would figure a way to straighten things out later, after he’d spent the afternoon with her. They could deal with the consequences of his secret after their date.

  “You’re an electrician?” she asked when she saw his van.

  “You say that like it’s a crime.” He couldn’t help but notice the tone she’d used.

  “Forgive me.” She smiled at him as he guided her down the stairs. “I thought Cynthia said you were a plumber.”

  “No, ma’am, I’m an electrician. Always have been.”

  She sighed lightly. “I suppose the anxiety of facing another blind date has left me a bit confused. Cynthia is always setting me up. I tried dozens of times to get her to stop, but she won’t.” She shrugged and tossed her curls with her fingers. “I’ve finally given up and started agreeing to most of her setups.” She focused on him and bit the corner of her mouth. “I guess this time, I owe Cynthia a big thank you,” she said, giving him a coy smile.

  Tell her the truth! his angelic conscience ordered.

  Let her think what she wants and enjoy the afternoon, his devilish rival told him.

  She took his hand as she continued to grin at him. “I don’t see a state park sticker on your van. We should probably take my car. We won’t have to pay an admission price then. I have a season pass to the park.”

  Hank agreed. He enjoyed the touch of her palm against his as he took Melanie to her car. He helped her into the driver’s side and walked around to the passenger side When he sat down he decided he had to come clean with her. Lying wasn’t fair.

  “I feel I must tell you something, Melanie, something you have a right to know,” he said, watching her start the car.

  She briefly glanced at him before she focused on maneuvering the car out of the driveway. “Oh? What is so important?”

  He didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but--. “I…ah…I…”

  Her right hand left the steering wheel while her left guided the car down the street. The next thing Hank knew, she was placing her warm, silky fingers on top of the hand he’d laid between them.

  “You don’t have to say it, Hank. This has happened to me before.”

  “It has?”

  “Yes. Cynthia is no private detective. She doesn’t always check out the dates she sends my way as thoroughly as she might. She’s a persuasive person, and I know she can talk anyone into anything.”

  “She can?” He had no idea where Melanie was going with her explanation, but he had a feeling he should let her continue before he set her straight if she’d jumped to the wrong conclusion again.

  “Yes, she can. You’re not the first gay man who has been roped into a date with me.”

  “What!” He sat forward and turned toward her. “I am not gay!” he said, placing his hand over his chest.

  She glanced at him briefly before returning her gaze to the road ahead. “You’re not?”

  “No!”

  “Oh,” she said forming her lips into a perfect circle. “You seemed so hesitant to say what was on your mind, I figured something big must have been bothering you.”

  “I’m not gay,” he said again. For some reason he had to be absolutely certain she was clear on his sexual orientation.

  “I believe you,” she said, grinning at him again. “I have nothing against gay men, but it is a huge relief to learn you are as straight as I thought you were. I’ve been imagining the two of us together ever since I opened my front door. Some of what I see the two of us doing with each other I couldn’t do with a gay man.”

  Ooh, this lady knew how to flirt.

  “Oh?” he said, raising a brow. “I like the sound of that.” He gave her his most charming smile. “Would you care to elaborate?”

  Her cheeks turned crimson as she focused on the road. Hank thought it sweet that she was blushing.

  “I don’t think I need to elaborate, Hank. You seem like a very perceptive man,” she said, stealing a glance in his direction.

  He leaned back and decided he’d better just shut up and enjoy the drive.

  “Hank?”

  “Yes?”

  “If you aren’t gay, as I mistakenly concluded, what is it you wanted to tell me?”

  A lump formed beneath his ribs. “I guess…”

  Don’t miss this opportunity, his fair-minded brain advised.

  Keep your mouth shut! his libido argued.

  “Yes?”

  “I guess I must have forgotten.” Fortunately, the angel conscience which had bothered him before had taken a coffee break. The naughty boy side of him was now in charge of his personality. That usually got him into trouble, but it was the kind of trouble men always enjoyed before regrets set in.

  “Good. Now we can concentrate on having fun this afternoon,” she said, giving him another playful grin, “and on getting to know each other real well.”

  “Sounds perfect,” Hank replied.

  As they drove to Bear Lake State Park, he had plenty of time to appreciate Melanie’s allure. The beauty of the hills and trees surrounding them, gorgeous as they were, couldn’t compete with the lovely lady driving the car.

  Bits of guilt spattered his insides from time to time, but Hank managed to chase them away by promising himself he’d tell Melanie the whole truth after they’d finished diving.

  It wasn’t long before they arrived at the dive shop where they rented gear and a blue and white speedboat. Moments later, Melanie was changed into the yellow bikini she’d brought along with the hiking gear in her duffle bag, and Hank was wearing the black swim shorts he’d purchased at the beach store next door to the scuba shop.

  The hours that followed were among the most magnificent Hank had ever known. Melanie was an excellent diver. She practiced safety every moment without letting her caution interfere with her adventurous personality.

  The water was warm enough for the two of them to swim without the encumbrance of wet suits. This freedom encouraged them to behave playfully. The whole experience was blissfully freeing, almost spiritual.

  As they communicated with hand signals while observing blue gills, carp, bass, and a spare tire or two caught in the red granite bottom of the lake, Hank had no trouble understanding everything Melanie was trying to say. It was as though he could read her mind. They had such a strong connection.

  When they came to the surface at the end of their second dive, Melanie was laughing with pleasure. She dropped her regulator into the water and lifted her mask to the top of her head. “Did you see that huge catfish? I’ve never seen one so big! It must have been five feet long!”

  “Of course, I saw it,” Hank said, after he’d lifted his mask and removed the regulator from his mouth. “I thought for a moment it was going to eat me!”

  She laughed harder, and Hank swam next to her. “I have to admit, he was a little scary looking.”

  “He was at that.” Hank reached toward her. “Let me take your tank. I’ll put it on the platform.”

  Melanie slipped off her backpack and handed it to him. “Thanks.”

  Hank went to the platform at the back of the boat and placed her air tank on it. He then deposited his tank, setting it next to hers.

  When he swam back to Melan
ie, she splashed him and giggled at what she’d done.

  He splashed her back.

  She sent a wave of water in his direction.

  “Hey, what’s going on here?” he said as he wiped his face and smiled at her.

  “I’ve been thinking about doing this all afternoon.”

  “Splashing me like a mischievous little girl in the town pool?” he asked.

  “Yup. It’s one of the things I thought about doing together with you.” The grin she sent him had sexuality written all over it.

  “It was, huh?” He moved closer to her and took hold of her as he continued to tread water. He swam toward the boat, taking Melanie with him. He took off her mask which was resting above her forehead, and put it in the boat. He did the same with his own mask. He placed her between himself and the boat, hanging onto molding on either side of her. “And this is what I’ve been thinking of doing all afternoon with you.”

  He leaned closer to her and kissed her sweetly.

  She received him even more eagerly than he’d hoped she would.

  He kissed her once more before he pulled back. When he looked into her eyes, he saw innocence and trust surfacing from her depths.

  “I guess we’re on the same wave length, Hank.” She pressed her lips to his and coaxed him into a mind-blowing kiss.

  As much as he enjoyed her seduction, he couldn’t ignore the guilt gnawing at his gut. He pulled back abruptly, ordering himself not to go one step further until he came clean with this lovely, trusting woman.

  “What’s wrong?” Melanie asked. She looked confused, and he couldn’t blame her. It wasn’t normal for a man to back away when a goddess was offering him what Melanie had been