The Cedar Tree (Love Is Not Enough) (15 page)

He grinned. "Let me have yours."

She handed him one green candy.

"Definitely." He wiggled his eyebrows meaningfully. "Mine must've been defective."

She giggled and popped the rest of her candies into her mouth.

Leaning back on her hands, she stretched her slim legs in front of her. He sprawled on his back in the sun beside her. After a few minutes, he worked around until his head rested on her thigh. She didn't move away, and the next hour flew past while he lay there relaxed and happy in a way completely unfamiliar to him.

"What time is it?" she asked, finally. 

He looked at his watch. "Two o'clock."

"That can't be right," she exclaimed. She scrambled to her feet, letting his head fall with an unexpected thump to the rock.

"Ow," he grunted. Rolling onto his stomach, he grabbed for her boot, but she sidestepped him with a wide smile.

She stuffed the lunch remains into the backpack then a moment later, started out of the clearing with the backpack slung over her shoulder.

"Hey," he called. "You just gonna leave me layin' here with a cracked skull?"

She smiled, but didn't stop. He rose hurriedly, snatched up his hat and coat, and followed her down a deer trail. The narrow track wound through brush and trees to a jumble of large, granite boulders heaved up from the edge of the creek. Snuffling and grunting sounded from beneath it.

Together they circled the pile looking for an opening, but found nothing except a crack in a rock, too small to squeeze through. They climbed to the top of the mound where he stretched out on his belly and peered into an opening.

Eight feet below, a white sow with a litter in a row beside her lifted her snout to sniff at him.

"She's had her pigs," he said.

Katie stretched out beside him. "Oh…they're so cute. We can't let the coyotes get them."

He eyed her soft lips, only inches from his. "I don't see how we can move 'em."

Her lips moved as she counted the piglets. "Only six. If I can carry them in the backpack, maybe the sow'll follow."

"I'm no pig farmer, Katie, but that won't work. They'll squeal loud enough to wake the dead, and that sow's either gonna eat us or run off."

"We'll have to try. If you help me down, I can run the sow out and pick up the pigs."

Holding her wrists, he lowered her as far as he could. She dropped lightly to the floor. The sow leaped to her feet with an outraged squeal echoing about the small chamber. An instant later, she squeezed through the narrow opening in the bottom of the den. Still squealing and with her ears flopping wildly, she headed upstream at a stiff-legged trot, abandoning her family without a backward glance.

"You're letting her get away." Katie stared up at him indignantly, her hands on her hips.

"I can't stop her. She'd be halfway to Denver by the time I got down there." He eyed her. "Can you get out?"

She stooped to the crack the pig had squeezed through then searched around the cavern. "No, I guess not."

He grinned.

Her eyes widened. "You can get me out of here, can't you?"

"Looks like a big job haulin' you outta there. Is there anything in it for me?"

"The satisfaction of being a nice guy."

"Nice guys finish last."

"Not always."

"I've never liked to finish last."

"Maybe you…won't."

"Does that mean I'm your boyfriend?"

"Gil…" She sighed. "Just pull me up, okay?"

"Say yes and I will."

"I can't say yes."

"Does that mean you want to?"

She hesitated. "Maybe."

"Maybe I could pull you up if you said yes."

"You're ruthless," she exclaimed.

"If that's supposed to make me feel bad, it don't." He grinned. "C'mon. We're almost there."

"You don't understand." Her expression grew strained. "It's not that simple."

He sobered. "I'm serious about this, Katie. I'll do whatever you need me to do so I can be with you."

She turned away and stared at the wall of the cavern. Waiting, he lay with the sun warming his back while the creek gurgled around the up-thrust of rock. The little pigs tumbled blindly over each other, snuffling and squeaking, searching for the sow's comforting udder.

Finally, Katie raised her head. "Drop me the backpack."

He did. She stuffed piglets into it. They clambered out as fast as she put them in, but finally she had all of them crammed inside.

"You've still gotta get out of there," he said.

"I know."

"Is that a yes?"

She nodded, tightening the zipper up to the heads of the squirming mass of piglets inside the pack.

"God does hear my prayers," he said with a wide grin. "Give me your hands."

With an effort, she slipped on the straps of the backpack then stepped onto a rock on the floor of the cavern. He reached through the opening for her hands. Grimacing, he made a show of straining to lift her.

"How much do you weigh, anyway?" he grunted.

"It's the pigs, not me."

"So you say."

She giggled. He lost his grip, dropping her to the sandy floor. Two of the piglets tumbled out, and then another one. She captured them then he tried to lift her again as another piglet scrambled from the pack. He teased her and she giggled, dropping from his grip each time he tried to lift her.

"Katie, this ain't gonna work," he panted, finally, as yet another piglet wiggled to freedom.

She stood, breathless. "Maybe we could catch the sow outside and then lure the piglets out."

"Okay. Sure," he said dryly. "Let's try that. I haven't competed in a greased pig contest since I was about seven. Maybe I've improved."

She laughed and replaced the piglets in the sandy indention then held up her hands. Without the pigs, he got her to the opening. With a final heave, he rolled over to pull her through the hole on top of him.

She collapsed on his chest, her dainty features flushed with laughter and effort. Her ponytail fell across his face, its familiar fragrance filling his senses. He breathed deeply of it, and then brushed it aside to meet her eyes just above him. His heart hammered, suddenly unrelated to his recent exertion.

Her smile slowly faded. He raised his head and lightly kissed her, questioning. Her heart raced against his. Holding her head in his hands, he drew her closer, lingering on the warm, trembling softness of her lips.

Suddenly, she gasped, jerking her head from his hands like a spooked horse. She scrambled away.

He bolted upright and reached for her. "Katie…"

She shrugged her shoulder away, hiding her face in the bend of her elbow.

"I didn't mean to do that. Honest." He scooted closer across the rock and lifted her chin. "Look at me."

She dropped her arm, her eyes flashing. "I'm not some kind of…floozy, or something. Just because I said you could be my boyfriend doesn't mean you can—"

"Floozy?" He stared at her. "It was just a kiss."

"Maybe it's nothing to you, but it is to me. I don't go around kissing…people. We barely know each other. Dad said—"

"Augh!" He clutched his head, frustrated. "I wish your dad didn't say so much."

"He says—"

"Katie, that kiss meant everything to me because it's you. I've been dreamin' about it since the first time I saw you, but I didn't mean to do it just now—" he scowled at her—and it's stupid to talk like we barely know each other. I feel like I've known you all my life."

"Is that supposed to be an apology?"

"No. I'm not sorry. I'd do it again."

They sat glaring at each other.

"You wanted to kiss me when you ran over my dog?"

"I did. Right there."

"That wouldn't have gone very well."

"I didn't think it would. That's why I didn't."

Her lips twitched.

He grinned sheepishly. "If I promise not to kiss you again will you still be my girlfriend?"

"Never again?" Her eyes smiled.

He laughed. "Geez. I hope not. How's this sound…you kiss me when you're ready and I'll take it from there?"

She moved a little closer to him.

He slipped his arm around her. "Is that a yes?"

"Maybe," she said and laid her head on his shoulder.

Thirty minutes later, the sow wandered back down the creek bed. Grunting, she settled herself inside the cavern and the baby pigs quieted.

Katie sighed. "We'll have to try to catch her."

He eyed her doubtfully. "How?"

"You go down there by the hole. I'll get a long stick and try to drive her out from up here. When she comes out, you can grab her.

"What then?"

"I don't know. Think of something."

"Did I remember to tell you I don't like pigs?"

She giggled and shoved him with her elbow. "You should've thought of that when you volunteered for this. I have some rope in the backpack. You can tie her up."

He shook his head doubtfully then clambered down the boulder pile while Katie fetched a long branch broken from a cottonwood tree to the west of them.

She peered over a rock at him. "You ready?" she called.

"I wouldn't do this for anybody else," he called back.

She smiled then disappeared above him. A moment later, the pig squealed. He tensed. The sow rocketed through the hole, and he launched himself. He crashed down hard on top of the pig, locking his arms. The sow didn't stop, but raced into the shallow water of the creek, squealing fit to burst his eardrums.

The icy water hit him in a wave. He gasped, but held on. The pig scrambled over slick stones and through water and mud like a crazed bulldozer, bumping his ribs painfully over the rocks. Katie's shrieks of laughter reached him.

"Hey," he shouted. "Some help down here?"

She splashed through the water toward him then tripped on a rock. Falling headlong across him and the pig, she broke his grip. The pig ran on, insulted squeals echoing from the rocks until they faded into the distance.

Katie rose to her knees. He raised his head from his position sprawled on his stomach in two inches of muddy water, blinking to clear his vision.

She giggled.

He made a lunge for her. "Somethin' funny?"

"Gil, no!" she shrieked.

He grabbed her, pulling her down to splash her with the muddy water. She struggled, gasping and shrieking with laughter. Finally slipping from his grasp, she turned to scramble to her feet. He dragged her down again. She screamed. He pinned her beneath him.

Laughing and breathless, he held her down, his eyes only inches from hers. Water from his hair dripped onto her face. The laughter slowly left her gaze. He willed her lips to move a fraction of an inch toward him.

They didn't.

He smoothed away the drops of water on her face with his thumb. "I don't think we can catch that pig."

"You don't smell very good," she murmured.

"That's the pig, not me."

"So you say." Her mouth curved into a smile.

He couldn't stop himself.

He lowered his head but she stopped him with her fingers against his mouth. He met her gaze over her hand. She shook her head slightly, still smiling. He sighed.

He'd never in his life had such a hard time getting kissed.

He stood then pulled her up after him. Her color high, she wrung the water from her ponytail.

He eyed her soaked and mud splattered clothes. "At least we look like we tried to catch the pig."

"When she comes back, we can block her in so the coyotes don't get the babies, then—" she flushed—"we can come back tomorrow with Karl and Tim to help. If you want to."

"I'd rather they didn't come."

She laughed. "Give me your hanky."

She used his handkerchief to clean the mud from his face and hers. They climbed the boulder pile to a sunny spot, waiting for the sow to reappear while their clothes dried. After a while, the pig wandered back into the den, apparently unperturbed. He blocked the opening with stones and settled himself on the rock beside Katie again.

The afternoon waned and the air grew cold in the shadow of the thirty-foot tall cottonwood tree. She shivered in the circle of his arm.

Suddenly, she jerked her head from his shoulder. "Is it almost dark?" She leaped to her feet as if something had stung her. "Gil, we've got to go. Dad's going to kill me…"

She turned to scramble down the pile of boulders. He followed her over the slick stones of the creek and through the brush until they topped the hill into the home pasture. Her steps got faster as the sun set at the far end of the valley. Finally, she broke into a run, her panic shattering the easy companionship between them.

"Katie, it'll be okay," he panted, tugging at her hand as they ran. "I'll talk to him."

"I am dead."

They ran into the yard together. Her dad stood silhouetted against the porch light, feet apart, arms crossed against his chest.

His stomach clenched. It didn't look like they'd tried to catch the pig. It looked like they'd been rolling around in the mud together. And it was true—she was dead. And so was he.

Katie dropped his hand like fire. "I'm sorry, Dad, I lost track of time. It won't happen—"

"Get inside." Her dad's voice cut through the chilly air with a razor edge. "I'll deal with you later."

She hurried up the steps and into the house without a glance.

Jon stared down at him, eyes glinting in his shadowed face. "I let my girl go with you today because she'd got the bit between her teeth, but there won't be no more of this. Don't call her. Don't come over. You wanna see her, you go to church and sit with her. That's it. You chance on her by accident somewhere else, you keep your hands to yourself, your mouth to yourself, and your pants on. You got that?"

"Yes, sir."

"I got a boy that can't walk, a sick wife, and more bills than money. I ain't in the mood to have some worthless, fornicatin', barroom punk who just got out of jail molestin' my daughter. You understand me?"

"Yes, sir. If I could say—"

"Shut up and listen. She ain't like the girls you're used to. If you try to mess around with her, I'll tear you up. Don't think I won't. I'm liable to lose my religion if you play around with my girl. Are we clear?"