Mark headed straight for the pond, hoping to find her there. It was foolish but he had come to think of this as "their" place and it just seemed natural to find her there. A soft breeze blew through the trees but there wasn't another sound and he was deeply disappointed. "You're daft if you think she'd be interested in you. She just happened upon you, she didn't come looking for you. What would someone so perfect see in me?"
"Did you know the first sign of insanity is talking to yourself?" Kimber said walking up behind him, making him jump.
He turned and fought the urge to pull her into his arms. "Hello Kimberly".
She put down a blanket under the trees. "Don't be so formal, my friends call me Kimber. We are friends aren't we?" He wanted to be more than her friend but that would work for now so he just smiled. She sat down and kicked off her shoes, fanning her baby blue dress around her. The dress made her eyes look even bluer than they had before, a feat Mark didn't think could be accomplished. "What's that book you've got?" she asked as she patted the blanket next to her.
"Just some poems and stories. Mine and others, things that have some
meaning." He opened the book and browsed until he found what he was looking
for.��� �
* " I met a lady in the meads
����� Full beautiful, a faery's child;
�� Her hair was long, her foot was light,
������ And her eyes were wild.
�� I set her on my pacing steed,
������ And nothing else saw all day long;
�� For sideways would she lean, and sing
������ A faery's song.
�� I made a garland for her head,
������ And bracelets too, and fragrant zone;
�� She look'd at me as she did love,
������ And made sweet moan.
�� She found me roots of relish sweet,
������ And honey wild, and manna dew;
�� And sure in language strange she said,
������ I love thee true.
�� She took me to her elfin grot,
������ And there she gaz'd and sighed deep,
�� And there I shut her wild sad eyes--
������ So kiss'd to sleep.
�� And there we slumber'd on the moss,
������ And there I dream'd, ah woe betide,
�� The latest dream I ever dream'd
������ On the cold hill side. "
"That was so sad but beautiful. Keats isn't it?" Kimber said snuggling closer to Mark.
"Yes it is. Finding a love and then having to let her go, that would be tragic."
"What's this?"
"Oh nothing, just a little something I wrote about home."
"Read it to me please?" she said looking up at him with puppy dog eyes.
"You just read it, I saw you." he said blushing, he was bashful about his own stuff.
"I love to hear you talk. Let's just say I have a deep fascination for all things Irish," and their eyes locked.
It was all he could take to break the contact, "Alright."
So I say a little prayer
And hope my dreams will take me there
Where the skies are blue
To see you once again, my love
Over seas from coast to coast
To find the place I love the most
Where the fields are green
To see you once again, my love������ (ha)
"That reminds me of my home too. It's gorgeous Mark, you should see it.
It's in Charlestown Landing and it's called Magnolia Place. If I close my eyes I
can feel myself sitting under the huge Magnolia tree in the garden facing the
ocean. I'd sit there for hours staring out, but I could never find what I was
looking for. Maybe I was looking for you." As she talked they had snuggled
together without thinking, his fingers entwining with hers. With his other hand
he cupped her face and ran his thumb over her lips. They couldn't fight the need
anymore and he gently brushed his lips over hers. Not sensing any resistance he
deepened the kiss and she responded with enthusiasm. The first time she saw him
she wanted to be in his arms and he wasn't disappointing her, the fantasy that
had kept her up all night was real.
"Kimber, this is wrong." he said breaking away suddenly. He had to be reasonable or he'd be lost, but hating to see the look in her eyes.
"Why is it wrong?"
"You're my boss. Your father pays me to watch cattle, not seduce his daughter."
Kimber ran her finger over her tingling lips, "Fine, you're fired. Now come back down here. My father is 3,000 miles away Mark, he'd want me to be happy. So what if that someone works for us?"
Mark couldn't shake the feeling it was wrong no matter how much he wanted to stay. "I just respect you too much to treat you like someone common. You deserve better than down by the pond with the Irish croppie." and he walked off. It was killing him to admit that but it was true. He wasn't good enough.
"Mark, come back! I determine who's good enough for me, nobody else." but she was just yelling to the wind. "Fine, play it that way. I'll make you see."