No Attachments

chapter 6: Trying to be the Hero

Nathan

I was three miles into my run on Sunday, contemplating my next move with Ashton, when I came across her car on the side of the road near Mason Bridge. Before I could register why it was there, a piercing scream rang through the air. Sprinting toward the location of the screams, I made it to the railing of the bridge just in time to see the splash of someone's body hitting the water below. Without giving it a thought, I hurled over the railing and jumped off the side of the bridge.

The water hit me like needles of ice as I was completely submerged. Years of scuba diving had me instinctively kicking my feet as I used my arms to propel me back to the surface. I swiped my hands frantically across my face, clearing away the water to look for her. Relief filled me as I saw a head bobbing in the water a few yards from me.

"What the hell? You scared the shit out of me!" Ashton yelled. "I thought the bridge was falling on me or something.

"Well, I thought you were being murdered by the way you were screaming," I countered, my own anger rising. "What the f*ck are you doing?"

"I was conquering my fear of heights, quickly followed by my fear of a bridge falling on top of me," she sniped back, turning toward the shore. I watched for a moment as she used practiced strokes to propel herself toward the shore. Shaking my head in bewilderment, I followed behind, quickly catching up to her. We trudged the rest of the way to the shore once we could stand. Neither of us talked as the last of the adrenaline left us and our bodies began to shake from the cold. The tension between us dissipated when I reached out to steady her when she tripped over a hidden root beneath the water.

"Thanks," she said, dropping my hand once we stumbled ashore.

"No problem. It's not every day I get to save a lady that didn't need saving," I joked.

"I'm sure it's the thought that counts," she teased as we made our way up the embankment. Our steps squished as the leftover water seeped out over the tops of our shoes.

"Tell that to my ruined running shoes," I said, holding my muddy shoe up so she could see it.

"How about I give you a ride to make up for it? Although, I want the record to show I didn't ask you to go all stalker-hero and jump in after me," she teased between chattering lips.

"Fair enough, but next time you decide to do an adrenaline job, screaming less might be helpful."

"Point well taken," she agreed, pulling the passenger door open. "Here, you can have the towel since I have my sweatshirt," she added, tossing a folded up towel at me.

"You should have taken off your wet shirt before you put that on," I pointed out, raising my eyebrows suggestively as she pulled the sweatshirt on over her wet t-shirt.

"I'm not that easy. You have to actually save me in order to get a boob shot," she quipped, climbing into the driver seat.

Startled laughter bubbled up inside me. It had been awhile since I'd been with someone so sassy. She was different than the refined, boring girls I normally dated. She was more open, with a sharper tongue that made me think about other things I'd like that tongue to do.

"Is that an invitation?" I asked, folding myself into the passenger seat.

"I'm not sure I have any more high-risk activities planned that will require your services."

"Maybe we can work out a side deal," I said, resting my arm on the back of the seat so my fingers were close to the back of her neck without actually touching her. I bit back a smile when I saw a shudder of awareness ripple through her frame.

"What do you have in mind?" she asked, flipping the heat on as she whipped a U-turn in the middle of the road.

"Why don't you let me take you out to dinner and we can work out the particulars?" I answered, trailing my finger along the fine hair on her neck that had escaped the cute ponytail she wore on top of her head.

"There's not a whole lot of dining choices in Woodfalls unless you don't mind the diner. The better restaurants are in the next town, like twenty-five minutes away," she said, leaning back against my hand that was now cupping her neck. I went instantly hard from the sigh of pleasure that escaped her mouth as I gently massaged her neck.

"Let me worry about dinner," I murmured, dipping my finger down the neckline of her shirt as she pulled her car into the parking lot of my motel. She switched off the car, but neither of us moved.

"This is crazy. We don't even know each other," she finally said hoarsely, cluing me in that she was as turned on as I was. Although, judging by her death grip on the steering wheel, she was trying to fight it.

"Go out with me and we'll get to know each other," I coaxed, sliding my hand farther down the back of her shirt. I watched as she gnawed on her bottom lip indecisively. I was more jealous of a set of teeth than I could have ever imagined possible. I wanted it to be my teeth that gently nipped on her lip. "Are you still worried I want to stick my trunk in your head," I teased softly, trying to lighten the tension radiating off her.

"I'm not looking for a serious relationship," she mumbled.

"Let me get this straight. You're fine going out with me, but you just don't want me to get attached?" I asked, laughing at the irony of the situation. "Sweetheart, I have a strict rule about attachments, but that doesn't mean we can't have fun getting to know each other. Besides, I'll only be here a week or so."

"You won't fall in love with me?" she asked earnestly. Had the situation been different, I would have busted a gut at her question.

"I promise I won't fall in love with you," I said solemnly since she seemed so serious.

"How about if I promise I only plan to use you for sex?" I joked.

"That would help," she said, nodding her head in total agreement.

"You know this conversation is kind of messed up," I teased, trailing my hand a little farther down.

"I'm pretty sure everything we've done up to this point is messed up," she said, finally relaxing. "We might as well stay consistent."

"So, let me get this straight since I tend to look at things a bit analytically. It's okay if we date, but even better if I decide I want to ravish your body to my heart's content, and then walk away when I'm done?" I questioned.

"Exactly," she said, shivering slightly as my hand continued exploring.

"I'll pick you up at seven," I said, pulling her toward me. I settled my lips against hers for a moment, devouring the sigh of surprise that left her mouth. I pulled the lip that had been enticing me into my mouth and gave it a soft nip with my teeth. It tasted faintly like a combination of cherry lip gloss and minty mouthwash, but it was the heat that beckoned me. I could have made a feast of her lips and mouth. I wanted to explore every inch of them. After a moment, I forced myself to pull away and open my car door.

Her eyes looked at me questionably as I stood outside her car. "Sorry, you're bottom lip was driving me nuts. I had to see if it tasted as good as it looks," I explained.

"Well?" she asked exasperated as I started to close the door.

"Sweetheart, it tasted better than my wildest fantasies could have ever conjured up," I said, closing the door to her astonished face.