Jolt

by Kris Bryant

  Before I answer, Ali tells the group that I’m taking her on a quick hike and then swimming. I’m praying that nobody volunteers to go with us. Thankfully, and suspiciously, everybody else has plans, but that doesn’t stop them from grilling Ali with questions.

  I want to jump up and tell everybody to leave us alone and let us start our daylong date, but I quietly sit there and try really hard not to roll my eyes.

  “Well, go and have fun since Ali’s time is limited,” Renee tells us. “I’ve got the dishes.”

  I almost run for the door.

  “How much time do you need to get ready?” I ask Ali. “You might want to wear something more casual. If we go hiking, I don’t want to ruin your clothes.”

  “Give me fifteen minutes?”

  “Sure. I’ll meet you at your cabin.”

  We separate and I slow my fast walk down in case somebody’s watching me. I can’t appear too eager. Or at least I shouldn’t. I really don’t know what’s going on here. I head for the bedroom to plan my wardrobe and finally settle on a one-piece bathing suit. My bikini is rather revealing, and I don’t want Ali to get the wrong impression about me. This suit covers more, but I think it’s still sexy because it’s French-cut and reveals about as much cleavage as the bikini. I grab a pair of lightweight shorts and a Northwestern T-shirt. I braid my hair again. Riding in the open Jeep will mess it up, and this is the best solution to keep it back and out of my face. I throw water bottles, grapes, granola bars, and sunscreen in my backpack. I grab two towels and a blanket on my way out the door. I hop into the Jeep and head over to Ali’s cabin with a minute or two to spare. Thankfully, she’s outside waiting for me. She looks completely at ease and I feel like a total wreck. She smiles at me. That confident, sexy smile. I smile back and try not to shake.

  “I brought my camera,” she says. As much as I wanted to bring mine, I refrained. I don’t want her to think I’m going to post a ton of pictures of us online. The Internet is my new archenemy.

  “Cool. What kind is it?” I ask.

  Ali hands me her little point-and-shoot. Our fingers briefly touch and I feel the jolt again. This time it’s stronger. I feel the small calluses on the tips of her fingers from playing guitar, and the smoothness of her palm. I picture her hands touching my body, rough and soft against my skin. I try not to shiver but can’t help it. I hope Ali doesn’t notice. “This one’s good.” I’m a camera snob. I have seven cameras: four SLRs and three point-and-shoots.

  “I like to take photos of the crowd when I’m playing. The fans go wild, and it’s a good way to record my experience. It does a pretty good job.”

  The drive to the watering hole doesn’t take very long. It’s still early, and I ask Ali if she’d like to go on a hike first. She agrees, so I change course and park under some trees for the shade.

  I find out that she loves hiking and spent several weeks last summer hiking Colorado and Wyoming. I share that I went to Arkansas last summer and explored caves with Val and Sandy.

  “See? We already have a lot in common,” Ali says.

  “I don’t doubt that.” I grab the backpack and lead the way to the trailhead. I’m nervous with Ali behind me. I wonder if she’s looking at me and if she likes what she sees. I’m not a girl who makes the first move. I’m reserved, but only because I don’t like the unexpected.

  “We lost a camper up here once for a few hours. Wait. I probably shouldn’t have told you that,” I say.

  “I won’t turn you in, but at least I have something to hold over you in case I want something from you.”

  This conversation turns sexual in my mind. It’s apparent I need affection again, and soon. Ali must sense my discomfort.

  “I know you’re a great cook so maybe you’ll have to cook me dinner tonight and I won’t say anything to anybody about anything,” she says.

  “You’re on.” I’m happy that she appears to be completely innocent of the innuendo.

  The path widens so we’re able to walk side by side. I instinctively grab Ali when she trips twice on the path, our touch sending sparks throughout my body.

  “I’m so clumsy today.” Ali groans. “I normally don’t need a seeing-eye friend.”

  That makes me laugh. I feel so alive around her, as if all my senses are heightened. I can smell the sharpness of the pines, the sweet sap clinging to the tree trunks, and Ali. She smells sweet and spicy like she did last night. I try not to lean too close for fear of getting caught, but I’m drawn to her. We climb on large, flat rocks to take a break, toasting with our water bottles. I don’t know what’s she’s toasting, but I’m toasting my good luck.

  “Here, scoot down closer to me,” she says.

  She takes her camera out and I’m both uncomfortable and elated. I try not to primp in front of her, like I’m cool with my sweaty look, but right now I’d sacrifice a small animal for a mirror and a brush, and for Ali to look the other way. Ali snaps the picture, then puts her hand up for me to stay put. She balances the camera on a nearby rock, focuses on me, and hits the timer. She jumps on the rock next to me. I have six more seconds of Ali’s leg touching mine. I’m in heaven. At the last second, Ali casually puts her arm around my shoulder and I can’t help but stiffen. This is a lot of contact for me and I’m completely unnerved. I can feel the heat of her across my back, and she’s close enough that I can smell honey on her. She turns and smiles at me after the click of the camera breaks up our closeness. I desperately want to see the photo, but I decide to play it cool. She looks down at her camera and then back at me.

  “You’re beautiful,” she says.

  Now I’m completely derailed. I tell her thank you because I don’t know how to handle her yet. It would seem silly to tell her the same thing even though I’m thinking it. We’re having such a good time, and not just because she’s saying nice things to me, but because I’m able to relax a little bit more around her. I wish we’d had our conversation days ago. We would have had more time to spend together and do fun things instead of having to cram a week’s worth of getting to know each other in a single day.

  Regardless, this is a perfect day. I love surrounding myself in nature. I always have. Ten months out of the year I live in Chicago, where people ignore one another and keep to themselves. These two months in the summer allow me to remember my roots and appreciate every day, especially today when I’m here with a beautiful woman. I look at my watch and decide we should go cool down at the watering hole. I’m already hot, and Ali must be dying with her long hair. Her face is already pink from the sun even though she put on sunscreen.

  “Let’s head back to the Jeep and I’ll show you the best place at this camp,” I say.

  We’re both sweating by the time we reach the Jeep. I feel wonderful though. We fall into a comfortable rhythm talking and learning each other’s likes and dislikes. After spending two hours with her, I’m able to maintain eye contact better. A heaviness still hangs between us though. It weighs on my chest and squeezes my heart every time she slants her eyes at me or smiles. I don’t know if she feels it, but I pretend she does. The drive is a short one and Ali is jumping out of the Jeep before I have it in park, excited to see the watering hole.

  “This is beautiful.” The watering hole is about the size of a pool and shaped like Texas. It’s partially secluded by several trees that provide shade from the summer sun. “Why am I just learning about this now?”

  “You’ve earned the right to this paradise.” I wink at her, surprising myself with my blatant flirting. I turn away to put the backpack in a secure, dry place and stack the towels. When I turn back around, I see Ali peeling off her clothes to reveal a brown bikini. I stand there dumbfounded. The urge to touch her rushes back, and I tighten my hands into fists to keep from reaching out. Her stomach is flat and hard, just as I remember. Her legs are thin, but muscular, and her arms are strong and sinewy. She lets her hair out of the braid and acts as natural around me as if we’ve known each for years. I’m completely self-conscious at t
his point. “What happened to your bikini?” she asks.

  “Well, I…ah, there really isn’t much to it so I threw this one on instead. Why, is it bad?” I look down, hoping to God it isn’t ripped or stained.

  “Not at all.” She smiles. “I just like the other one better.” She dips her foot in and yelps, “This is cold!”

  I’m still thinking about how she likes my bikini better. I’m doing that daydreaming thing again, and I know she’s looking at me. I either need to say something or do something.

  Feeling completely exposed, I dive in the water to get away from her for a moment. The cold stings but is refreshing at the same time. It instantly cools me from the heat of the sun and the heat of Ali. I surface to find Ali smiling at me.

  “Come on in,” I say.

  Ali’s pacing the side of the watering hole, as if she is hesitant to join me. She dips her foot in, then quickly pulls it out. I can’t help but laugh.

  “It’ll be fine. It’s not that bad, I promise.”

  She stares at me hard for a few seconds, then surprises me by diving right in. She surfaces about three feet from me and gasps. “It’s cold!”

  “But doesn’t it feel great after our hike?” I ask.

  She’s treading water so close to me that sometimes our legs touch. I have to move away from her before I do something stupid and ruin this thin sliver of a relationship. I swim backward into a tiny alcove where I can stand up. Ali follows me. She’s moving toward me, quietly and persistently. I must have a look of sheer panic on my face because she stops and speaks very softly.

  “Please don’t be nervous around me.” Her voice is low and sensual.

  I don’t know what to say, so I stare back at her. I watch her inch closer to me. Her pace slows, but her course is constant. I finally find my voice.

  “I can’t help it.” Really? That’s the best I can come up with? I shake my head at myself.

  I’m finally as far back as I can go without actually climbing out of the watering hole. I wonder how she’s so confident. I’m shaking wondering what’s going to happen next and she seems totally calm. I lick my lips when she’s about two feet away and she grins. She reaches out and touches my hair.

  “I’ve wanted to do that for a while now. I love long, thick hair and yours is such a beautiful color,” she says, twirling the end of my braid slowly between her fingers. She pulls on it, bringing me closer to her. “And I’ve wanted to do this for a while, too,” she says, right before her lips touch mine.

  I’m afraid to move, afraid that if I do, this dream will disappear. Her lips are smooth and warm. She runs her tongue over my lower lip and pulls it inside her mouth to gently suck it. Her hands are on my face, holding me close. Something inside me breaks and a rush of warmth courses through my body. I close the small gap between us and deepen the kiss. Her body is hard against mine. I wrap my arms around her neck while she runs her hands down my side. Her fingers press firmly into my waist.

  “Are you guys up here?”

  I quickly pull away from Ali. We’re both breathing heavily, and it’s going to be obvious to anybody what we were doing. I can feel my heartbeat pulsing in my swollen lips. I can see passion in Ali’s eyes. I know we’re busted. A part of me doesn’t care, but the other part wants to keep this a secret a little longer.

  “We’re in the pool!” I yell. My eyes never leave Ali’s face.

  Ali ducks under the water when Rob rounds the corner, leaving me to deal with him by myself. Before I have a chance to try to come up with something to say, she surfaces, laughing.

  “You should have told me about this place sooner,” she tells Rob.

  “I’m sorry. I came up here to let you know that you got a delivery from UPS. I thought it was probably important because it’s Saturday,” he says. He starts taking off his shirt and kicking off his shoes, clearly anxious to join us. Ali smiles at him and thanks him for delivering the message.

  I want to kill him. He jumps in and swims around Ali. I take a moment to collect myself. At least I know Ali’s interested in me. Now how am I going to get rid of Rob? As much as I love him, I really don’t like him at this moment. I only have a few precious hours left with Ali, and I really want her to myself. Not wanting to pout, I swim over to them. Rob’s talking about all of the concerts he’s been to, and Ali’s being sweet answering all of his questions. It sounds like, even though Ali considers herself a folk artist, she’s sung with some impressive mainstream singers. I can tell she’s getting somewhat overwhelmed and I step in.

  “Give her a break, Rob. She’s on vacation, not an interview.”

  “So, what are you girls doing this afternoon? I’m bored,” he says. It’s obvious he wants to hang out with us. No way in hell am I going to let that happen. Apparently, he didn’t get the memo at breakfast this morning with the others. I’m not sure how to tell him to get lost, but I will somehow.

  “Beth’s going to show me how to work a camera, and we’re going to look at some photos,” Ali says.

  I love the way Ali says my name. It almost sounds breathless. I’m hoping that her explanation of our day doesn’t sound like fun to him. I’m right. He shows no interest and continues swimming in the pool. I want to smile, but I’m trying to stay cool. I climb out of the pool and grab a towel to dry off. I’m hoping Ali gets the hint so we can ditch Rob before he suddenly wants to become the next Ansel Adams and needs photography tips. I dry off slowly because I can feel Ali watching me. I have some kind of connection with this woman, and my body crackles with energy whenever she’s near.

  “I guess I’ll join Beth,” Ali tells Rob. She swims over to me. I hand her a towel and watch her dry off. She’s very graceful and she flows. I can’t explain it any better than that. Her movements are fluid and smooth, so very different from my own. I close my eyes for a long moment, savoring her nearness. When I open them, Ali’s looking at me, her eyes narrow with passion. She doesn’t say a word. We gather up our stuff in silence, wave good-bye to Rob, and head back to the Jeep. I need to break the tension between us. Even though it’s a good tension, it still weighs on me, and I try to lighten the mood.

  “What do you want to do now?” I ask Ali. As much as I want to throw myself at her, I know it’s probably not a good idea.

  “I liked what we were doing back there, but I’m starting to understand that privacy isn’t big here. Let’s try to find another place.”

  My mind’s racing through the camp, trying to find secluded places, and I decide on the big maple tree in the meadow. I want to pick up where we left off so I find the closest place to where we are. Ali smiles at me and my teeth chatter. I steal glances at her as we drive to the meadow. She’s truly thrown me off my axis. My mind is full of words that have to come out, but I have no idea where to start. I want to yell, scream, whisper all of the emotions that threaten to bubble over, but I can’t put words to these feelings. Maybe Ali doesn’t need a lot of words. I know I wear my heart on my sleeve. Forget me in a game of poker. I’m worthless. Ali seems like a cool cat. Very together. After I park the Jeep, I reach for the backpack again and hand Ali the blanket. She lifts her eyebrow at me and I blush.

  “I was here the other day, and trust me, the ground is hard and dry and we’ll need the cushion,” I say.

  Ali winks. I wish I had her confidence. We walk over to the tree trunk and unfold the blanket so it’s completely in the shade. I set up a mini picnic while Ali braids her hair back. I want to sink my fingers into her silky hair or at least help her braid it. Instead, I rearrange the food over and over again until realize I must look OCD.

  “So tell me about yourself,” Ali says, grabbing a handful of grapes. She leans back on her elbows, and it takes all of my willpower to maintain eye contact and not allow my eyes to wander over her body. Instead, I make the mistake of watching Ali’s mouth and almost lose it. One of my secret turn-ons is kissing with food. There’s something sensuous about licking chocolate cake from the corners of a warm mouth or sharing a bite of
fruit. I get lost in Ali for a moment, then decide it’s probably wise to answer her.

  “There’s not much to tell. I’m a writer, I live in Chicago, but I’m a Kansas City Chiefs fan,” I say.

  “I’m sure there’s more to you than that. Tell me about your family. Tell me about what you do when you aren’t writing, and tell me why you’re single.” That catches me off guard. I really don’t like to talk about my bad breakup with anybody, let alone somebody I’m interested in. I’ve kept that part of my life bottled up so long I’m not sure how to tell the story. How do you inform somebody new in your life that your partner of five years simply walked out on you? It’s a scar that’s just starting to heal. I’m not in the mood to pick at it, but Ali deserves to know.

  “I’m an only child. My parents are retired and live in Texas. I have an uncle in Illinois near Chicago, so that’s nice. I like to jog, read, play word games with random people, and I’m single because my partner decided to leave me for another doctor in her practice.”

  There. It’s out. My confession is surprisingly easy.

  “Wow. She’s stupid,” Ali says.

  I burst out laughing. That isn’t the reaction I expected from her. It makes me feel good though, and a wave of relief washes over me. My body shakes with the freedom of my admission. I relax. A silence settles between us as we both process that information. I know that everybody breaks up with someone. My story has been told millions of times before. It’s just hard to move on when you have nowhere to go.

  “Can I ask you a question?” Ali turns to me.

  Shit. I thought we were done with this. I nod.

  “Why do you only play word games with strangers?” she asks. I smile. Ali is perfect. I want to kiss her again. “I’m pretty good at Words with Friends. You should start playing me. I mean, I don’t have a degree in English, but I think I’m pretty good.” Ali nudges me with her shoulder.

  “Thank you,” I say.

  She nods. “You know what?”

  I tense up and look around, thinking someone else has found us. “What?” I ask.