Knox
“Should we build a fire?” I ask Sylvie. “I know we don’t really need to but it would be fun to end the day sitting in front of a fire.”
“That does sound fun, doesn’t it.”
Soon it’s crackling away. I miss Sylvie’s arm being around me. The fire’s glow plays across her face, caressing it. I’ve never been jealous of light before.
“You’re going to like this place we’re going tomorrow,” Sylvie says.
“I’m starting to think you and I would have fun visiting a cement factory together.”
“A cement factory?”
“Yeah, doesn’t that sound like it would suck?”
“You know, it sure does.”
“See? Anyway, do you disagree?”
Sylvie looks into the fire with a slight smile and hugs her legs to her chest. “I don’t disagree. I think it would be fun to visit a cement factory with you.” She pauses for a few seconds. “But let’s don’t.”
“No, I certainly wasn’t suggesting we test the hypothesis.” I glance at Sylvie and our eyes meet and she’s so beautiful in the orange flicker that I want to look away but I don’t. Neither does she. “I’m really glad I met you, Sylvie.” I immediately feel myself blush.
“I’m really glad you met me too.” Sylvie switches to a cross-legged seating position and the skin of her knee touches the skin of my thigh.
I don’t move and neither does she. We sit like that quietly for a long time, listening to the popping and crackling of the fire as it burns to red embers and the creak of crickets in the dark woods.
Finally, Sylvie says, “Hey tonight, do you want to sleep with—” A long pause. “Winslow?”