Letters From Al by Pieper, Kathleen (ebook audio reader TXT) 📕

to say things like that. But you know what? I don't know. Silly as it sounds, I feel so overwhelmed sometimes that I don't know how I feel."

"And you say I'm stubborn. For your information I thought about you a lot after you left, really, I did. But, it's different for guys. Guys don't just sit down and pour our hearts out in a letter." He shrugged and grinned and pulled her back into their dance.

"Yeah, right, you thought about me for oh, five minutes probably. Then you moved on to Linda Wiese."

"Linda Wiese? How'd you know that?" He laughed and gave her a little hug. She pushed him back to arm's length stiffly.

"A teenage girl who moves always leaves spies behind."

"Nadine Pfeifer wrote you, didn't she?" His tone was accusing but amused. "And I took her to senior prom."

"Well, at least she and Linda did write me. This is more than I can say for the guy I told I loved at the Homecoming Dance."

"Hey, I meant to write more, and I called. I did write once or twice, I think, and, okay, I called twice. Not good enough, huh? Hey, cut me some slack, Girl, will you?" He would not give up. His eyes were taut with the teasing she was handing back. "I'll make it up to you tonight." He bent to kiss her but she had already backed out of his arms.

"I think we ought to get going. I'm expecting my friends to call from Chicago tonight."

"Hey, dance with me just until the song ends, please?

It's the only excuse I have to hold you without you getting mad at me. You're not mad now are you?" His words were beguiling.

"Look. I admit there are some old feelings here tonight, with us, like this, but, but, let's not get in a hurry.”

"In a hurry? We’ve got to make up for lost time." Alec said, his grip on her waist tightening. "Tell me."

"Honestly, should I call you deputy or Alec? I wouldn't have a chance if you were interrogating me for real. We've just gotten reacquainted and you're trying to make me confess. I don't know how long I'm going to be here so I don't want to rush into anything. Let's not get hurt, again."

"Lady," he traced her kissable lips with a finger and looked deeply into the emerald green eyes, "I don't know what it is about you, maybe it's the past we share, but I think I'm going to get hurt no matter what."

His statement caught Maddy off-guard and when he pulled her close she just leaned into him and slowly slid her arms around his neck. The short hair at the nape of his neck was as soft as she recalled and she stroked it ever so slowly as he held her swaying in time to the romantic music.

The second song started and they didn't stop. With a sensual move, his hands encircled her waist and he pulled her lithe body close to his. They danced like that for a long time after the music stopped and the dance floor had cleared. Feeling others watching them, Alec stepped back and grinned sheepishly at her. Her cheeks were flushed as he escorted her off the dance floor.

"I see what you mean, deputy." Maddy used the term affectionately and he didn't correct her this time.

The ride back to Nielsen was quiet and serious. The full moon gave everything a surrealistic aura. Alec drove leisurely, passing darkened farms and obscure blobs of livestock in shadowy fields. Only a few cars passed them in the late hour. Occasionally they would look up, their eyes locked in unspoken emotions. He covered her hand with his on the seat and pulled her close.

"So, if you decide to stay, what do you think you'll do, just for the sake of conversation?" He quickly added.

The question had obviously been bothering him and now was flung out in the open. His gaze stayed glued to the road.

Leaning her head back, she let the night air blow languidly across her face, feeling seductive and intoxicating all at the same time. She didn't know what she wanted. Looking over at his serious profile she wanted to impulsively throw herself over to him and kiss him just to get him to stop asking her that, but she didn't. His hand tightened over hers.

"I honestly don't know, Alec. There's so much to consider. When I came out here I didn't think you'd still be around, that you, we, us would even be an option. This call is from Marie. She's been looking after my apartment and said the garage called and my car is done. And, well, I was expecting a big promotion, hopefully she'll know something. If I get it I may go back."

"Is that all, your apartment, your car, your promotion? It's all stuff."

"Well, it's all important to me." She fired back defensively. It had been important to her only a week ago, now she wasn't so sure. Alec's casual attitude about it didn't help much. "This is a big decision, Alec, to pull up roots and just move away from everything you've ever known. Plus head of a department would be good for my career."

"All I know is you got a lot going for you right here, Maddy." His finger tapped the steering wheel impatiently and Maddy raised her eyebrows quickly from the landscape to Alec. "In the short time you've been here you've made friends, knocked me off my feet, acquired a home, and, well, kind of established yourself. You got to admit it's safer than that crazy city life you have."

"Hey, that crazy city life was my whole life up until now. My friends are there, too, Buffy, Skippy, Marie and, and even Larry, too, I guess. They're like family." Even though Maddy was unsure, she couldn't help feeling defensive.

"What about this Larry back in Chicago? Do I need to worry about him?" For an instant his mood sharpened.

"For your information, they