The Rain Began to Fall (22 page)

In a few minutes
they arrived at Summerville Road. No surprise.
Okay
, she thought
daringly,
let’s have some fun
. She pulled up beside him and rolled down
her window.

“Let’s do it,
princess!” he hollered above the noise of the engines.
“To
the bridge!”

“Alright!” she
hollered back. “You’re on!”

“I’ll let you
jump!”

“You’re mistake!”
she hollered back, and immediately stomped the pedal to the floor. Her head
snapped back with the force of the take off, and she was already gearing into
second when Kyle hammered his pedal down and took off after her, his rear tires
squealing and billowing smoke into the night air.

She wanted to beat
him badly, and she would hold nothing back. She changed gears smoothly, and
increased her speed. He pulled up close on her left, his engine screaming.
After the quarter mile straightaway, the road curved sharply. She geared down
and braked quickly. Kyle bore down on her, and gained a bit of ground as they
went through the curve. As the road straightened again, she was gripping the
steering wheel tightly. She had maintained a slight lead, but he was creeping
up. As they tore down the stretch to the bridge, she glanced at her speedometer
and saw she was doing 110 mph. Her driving ability or the power of her Porsche
wasn’t news to Kyle. But he knew the power of his engine since the tuned header
had been installed, and when he slammed into overdrive, it was simply too many
horses to beat. She saw him pulling up beside her, and no matter how hard she
pushed the pedal to the floor, it wasn’t enough.
Can’t let him catch me
! 
she
thought. But he did just that, and they flew
across the bridge, all tied up. She drummed her fingers on the steering wheel
as they braked and slowed down.
I didn’t beat him
.
But at least he
didn’t beat me
!

Kyle drove beside
her, and when she glanced over, she saw him waving her to follow. After the
resulting adrenaline rush from the race, she had sobered up somewhat, and was
now thinking more clearly. She’d already done enough, without engaging in any
more risky business. What should she do?
He’s just driving on, expecting me
to follow
, she thought.
And why shouldn’t he
?
I was willing to
come this far
. He looked in his rearview mirror as he pulled ahead, and saw
she had not yet committed to following him. He slowed to a stop.
Come on
Leigh
, he mentally coaxed.
Just a little further
.
As he idled in front of her, she struggled with her next move. She should turn
around now, she knew, and go home, sober up.

That she was here
now, that she had felt such tremendous jealousy at the sight of another woman
on Kyle’s arm, proved she was still captive to the romantic idea of Kyle and
herself. But it was still just an idea, a fantasy not yet physically explored,
and could securely remain so if she tempted fate no further. In her altered
state, however, she ignored that argument and threw caution to the wind. She
flashed her headlights at him and revved her engine. Ahead of her, Kyle grinned
-
That’s a girl
. She followed him another half mile, then they turned
left off the road, onto a dirt drive. There were no streetlights here, but the
moon was full and bright, shedding its light on the area. Trees were close to
the road on either side, and behind him, Leigh’s apprehension grew as she
followed him into the remote location. When he came to a stop, he killed the
motor and got out; but she remained in her car, her engine idling in park. She
gripped the steering wheel tightly as she watched him coming back toward her.
You
shouldn’t be here!
a
panicky voice screamed loudly
in her mind. She thought of just throwing it in reverse and getting gone now.
She was steadily sobering, and suddenly realized the stakes at hand.
What am
I doing
?
she
thought wildly. He walked up to her
window and leaned, arms folded, on the edge of her door.

“Are you just
going to sit there?” he asked, smiling. The full moon was bright enough to
illuminate his handsome face, and when she looked up at him, that internal
voice warned her once again to leave. But it was fading, and after staring a
little longer into his mesmerizing eyes, her anxiety lessened, replaced by a
familiar, wanton desire. She climbed slowly out of the car. The moon cast its
soft, romantic light on them; her long, blond hair spilled down her back, and
her dress clung tightly to her, conforming to every feminine curve. He took her
hand and led her to the front of his car, where he leaned against the hood. She
leaned beside him.

He looked over at
her, at her long eyelashes, soaking in every feature of her face, down to her
soft, full lips.

“You look
beautiful tonight, Leigh,” he said, “as always.” Now that they were out here
alone, his chance, and time, had come. He wanted her completely, and he would
take her tonight if he could.

“Thank you,” she
replied softly, still looking straight ahead; but she could feel his eyes on
her and those butterflies, now numbering into the gazillions, swarmed in her
stomach. Beside her was the man that had so excited her, who had more than once
entered her dreams so erotically. She glanced over at him, and felt goose bumps
explode all over her body. The brilliant starry sky shone through the trees
behind his face, and in all honesty, right or wrong, she still wanted his kiss.

“Good race,” he
said.

“But I didn’t beat
you,” she responded.

“We finished
together, side by side, and that sounds good to me,” he replied, pushing off
the hood of the car and moving smoothly in front of her. His whole life stood
before him, and he would not hesitate now. He looked down and all over her
body, a body he wanted so much. Watching him look at her, she felt heat
coursing through her, her skin warming. The night was alive with the spring
sounds of crickets and frogs echoing through the woods. It was just Kyle and
Leigh now, away from everything, and all alone.

“Kyle I…I really
shouldn’t be here,” she said in a voice barely above a whisper. As though
coming out of a mist, she looked around at the remoteness of the wooded area.
She had been at a party with her fiancé just two hours ago, her life and plans
stable, her flirtations with Kyle a distant memory. Now she was out here in a
secluded area, alone with him, and once again feeling the excitement of a yet
undiscovered passion. She suddenly put her hands to her face, an emotional
battle raging in her heart and mind. Feelings of guilt and weakness warred
against her resurgent desire for Kyle. She knew better than to put herself in
this position; but her jealousy had driven her here, close to the burning hot
flame again, longing for the heat. He stepped closer, placing his hands on her
wrists, pulling them down from her face. She allowed him to do it, and when he
continued to hold her hands, she did not pull them away. Her head was still
lowered, her eyes on the ground, and he softly caressed her cheek.

“Why not, Leigh,”
he whispered. He put a finger under her chin and tipped her face up to his. She
allowed that too, offering little resistance, now looking into his eyes, at his
lips, so close. She felt helpless against the tsunami of desire crashing
through her, and she knew they were at a point of no return. She was as
positive as ever that if this kiss finally happened, it wouldn’t stop there; if
it went that far, she would want everything, all of him, and nothing would be
the same again. As his mouth lowered to hers, their lips almost touching, she
turned her face sharply away. His lips pressed against her neck instead, and
she shuttered.

“Kyle, don’t,” she
pleaded, sighing as he ran his fingers softly up her long, slender neck to her
ear. “I…I can’t.”

“Yes you can,” he
whispered. “
We
can. You’re not married yet.”

“Kyle, I….” she
tried to protest, but her words trailed off as she involuntarily uttered a
small, rapturous moan.  How she wanted him in every last way! She imagined
him making love to her, sweet and rough, caught up in the heights of passion.
Then, in a sudden flash of visions, she saw Gene, their childhood together, his
marriage proposal, her father, her Mom, her words...
love can live in a cave
...,
her own indecision, and she wasn’t sober enough to do this reasonably!

Kyle knew she was
struggling internally, that she was almost over the line. With great purpose,
he took her face in his hands and began to forcefully turn her to him, her lips
into his, unwilling to let her escape again, to deny the love he knew she felt.

“Come on, Leigh,”
he whispered, urging.

“No! I…I can’t!”
she exclaimed breathlessly. She tore herself away from his grasp and ran blindly
to her car, trying for the door handle, missing it the first time, and then
finding purchase on her second attempt.

“Leigh, wait!” he
hollered, but she jumped in and slammed the door. She had no strength to stop his
advances; she had to get out of there. She couldn’t allow herself to do this,
to give in. There was too much at stake.
And just what is that, Leigh
?
What,
exactly, is at stake
? But she ignored her insufferable mind and started her
car, rolling up the window. He ran up and began pecking hard on the glass. She
glanced at him and shook her head, gearing into drive.

“Please!” he
hollered. She sighed heavily and relented, cracking the window just enough to
hear him.

“Leigh, hold on a
second,” he said through the opening. “Where are you going?”

She stared
straight ahead, her right hand trembling on the gearshift, ready to fly. He saw
a tear rolling down her cheek.

“Leigh, it’s not
too late! Not yet!” he implored. “Give us a chance! I know I don’t have
everything your fiancé does, but I’ve got plans!”

“It’s not about
that, Kyle!” she cried. ‘It’s not about…money, or whatever!”

“What is it then?
Help me understand!”

She shook her head
and groaned.

“You feel
something for me, I know it!” he continued. “Why are you fighting it? Love is
all that matters!” She squeezed her eyes closed, another tear spilling out. He
straightened up and ran both hands through his hair in frustration. He stared
up at the heavens then fell forward, his hands landing heavily on her door’s edge.

“Listen to me!”
She looked over at him briefly, then away again. “I know it doesn’t make any
sense, but we can make it together! Love finds a way! Do you hear me?”

She looked over at
him one last time, tears now pouring freely down her face.

“Keep writing,
Kyle!” she said, her voice breaking. “Don’t give up! I believe in you!” She
then threw it into to drive and sped off. He briefly ran after her, and then
stopped in the dirt roadway, watching her taillights disappear in the dust, his
hands on his sides. He had come so close! His heart wrenched in his chest that
he hadn’t been able to kiss her, to break through that wall. But he knew now he
wasn’t just a fantasy to her; that he had not planted seeds in vain, and she
had not meant all those things she said at the mall. It had taken bringing Lisa
to the party, but he had gotten what he wanted. He had plainly seen her
jealousy, and he was certain she loved him. She was fighting and resisting to
the end, but he would not give up this time.

“Go ahead and run!”
he hollered, jabbing his finger after her. “But I’ll catch you. And I
will
have you.”

He got into his
car, revved the engine, and sped into the night.
 

Friday, the 25
^th
of May, dawned with Leigh awaking from a fitful night of sleep, one filled with
alternating dreams of Kyle and Gene; at the altar with the latter and erotic,
passionate scenes with the former. Those dreams had been occurring every night
since the company party, and it was driving her out of her mind. She had
managed, once again, to avoid Kyle all week, in a desperate attempt to get her
head back on as straight as possible. He had tried to call her several times on
Sunday, and each day thereafter; but she had successfully ignored him, despite
the temptation to answer.

She had gone out
to lunch with Gene on Sunday afternoon, and he had excitedly filled her in on
the settlement of the Roberson case almost the entire time. Thankfully, he was
too engrossed with relating his success to notice her fragile, emotional state,
or inquire about what she did the rest of the night after he left the party.
When the conversation turned to their quickly approaching wedding day, she made
a great effort to concentrate and appear normal while discussing it. But she
was anything but normal. The prior night’s episode was still fresh on her mind,
and her revitalized feelings for Kyle created a tension that bubbled just under
the surface of her calm exterior.

But she made it
through without raising Gene’s suspicion, and when she was home alone again, she
had to deal with what had happened to her, why she had been so easily compelled
to follow Kyle. Certainly it was the jealousy she had felt, but answering the
question as to why she felt such was something she couldn’t face. Instead, in
the light of day, she arrived at the old stand - by conclusion, once again,
that Kyle was still a fantasy, in spite of it all. She also dismissed a great
deal of her behavior to excessive drinking at the party.

“Okay,” she had
muttered, fluffing her pillow in bed on Sunday night. “It’s all good.”

She went to sleep,
determined to forge ahead to her destiny as Mrs. Gene Sykes.

On Wednesday,
Leigh and Mindy had gone out to lunch, and Mindy had noticed her friend’s tired
eyes.