Fragile(18)
Author: M. Leighton

“What are you doing to me?” he asked softly, touching his lips to hers for the briefest, sweetest of kisses.

“The same thing you’re doing to me,” she answered, equally softly, reaching forward to run her index finger along his lower lip.

Hardy could’ve held her like that for days and he thought she might have let him, but they were interrupted in the worst possible way.

The prolonged blaring of a horn caused both Hardy and Miracle to look out the driver’s side window. There, stopped on the road that ran in front of the tire place, was Elise with Cheyenne in her little red convertible. They were both flipping Hardy and Miracle the bird. They laughed boisterously as Cheyenne punched the gas to speed away. The words Suck it! drifted on the wind back to Hardy and Miracle.

“I guess that’s a little much to be considered coincidence, huh?” Miracle asked, pushing away from his chest to slip back into her seat.

“There was no doubt in my mind.”

“Well, I was thinking it was possible that I ran over—”

“No,” Hardy interrupted. “It’s not. I know she did this and I’m so sorry.”

Miracle shrugged. “Don’t be. It’s no skin off my nose.”

Hardy let his temple fall against the head rest as he watched Miracle. “My god, you really are amazing.”

Miracle said nothing, but Hardy saw a flush of pink suffuse her cheeks. He couldn’t help but smile.

“No, not really. While my tires are getting fixed, I got to make out with a hot guy. What do I have to complain about?”

Hardy laughed. “You did?” Miracle nodded, a mischievous grin curving her lips. “With a hot guy, huh?” Again she nodded. “Anyone I know?”

“You might recognize him. He has short brown hair and the most amazing stormy blue-gray eyes I’ve ever seen. His smile is addictive and his arms are strong. And he’s one of the most genuine people I’ve ever met. Does any of that sound familiar?”

Hardy wrinkled his brow and rolled his eyes upward as if in thought. “Um, not really.”

“No? Well, he’s also an incredibly talented football player. He’s smart and he’s got a great artistic eye,” she continued. “Oh and did I mention he rocks a killer six pack?”

At that, Hardy threw back his head and laughed.

“Now, don’t be a hater,” she playfully chastised. “I mean, he’s pretty frickin’ awesome. He’s even an amazing kisser. That’s a lot to compete with.”

“Yeah, it is. Does he leap tall buildings in a single bound?”

“I don’t think so. And I sure hope he doesn’t have x-ray vision,” Miracle teased, holding her hands over her chest.

Hardy laughed again, not able to remember the last time someone had so thoroughly captivated him.

“Wow,” he said, feeling the warmth of her charm and presence spreading through his entire body. “Just…wow!”

Miracle giggled enchantingly and then changed the subject. “So, what should we do while the tires are getting patched?”

“Hmm.” Hardy knew better than to mention what he wanted to do, so instead he went with a viable option. “We could always go develop some of our pictures in the dark room at the school.”

“Um, won’t it be closed?”

“Yes, but I have a key,” Hardy said, waggling his eyebrows.

“Are you serious? Did you steal it?” Miracle asked in an irreverent whisper, clearly surprised by that kind of crazy bravado.

“No,” Hardy snorted. “If I was gonna steal something from the school, it definitely wouldn’t be the key to the dark room.”

“What would it be then? What would be worth stealing?”

“I don’t know,” he said, frowning in his pensiveness before he grinned wickedly. “Maybe the heart of the school’s most beautiful damsel. Or at the very least, her virtue.”

Miracle blushed furiously then proceeded to blatantly ignore his comment. “Then how did you get the key?”

His thoughts returning to a more serious nature, Hardy sighed and rolled his eyes. “My dad is sort of a big deal to some people, which makes them treat me a little differently.”

“A big deal?”

Hardy shrugged. “Yeah, he’s on the Board at the hospital and he’s on the Town Council. He donates to the Sheriff’s Department and the State Police. Florida State University, too. If there’s an important ass to kiss somewhere, he’s kissing it.”

“So you’re saying you could get away with murder and no one would say a word?”

“Pretty much. Why? Are you thinking of murdering someone?”

Miracle laughed, a delicate tinkling that made Hardy inordinately proud to have said something to trigger it. He got the distinct impression that Miracle hadn’t had many reasons to laugh.

“No, but I always like to keep my options open.” She winked at Hardy and his smile was instant.

“Smart girl.”

“Not really. You’re just used to the all-beauty, no-brains type,” she teased.

“Ouch!” Hardy kidded in return. “While that might have been the case, you can’t find fault with my ‘type’ now. You’ve got beauty and brains. The perfect girl.”

Miracle blushed again and they fell into a comfortable silence. Finally, Hardy turned the key to start the engine. “So, to the school then? Show me your mad skills?”

“You’re on, Bradford. Lead the way.”

With that, Hardy shifted into drive and guided his car out of the parking lot and back through town toward the school.

********

An hour later, Hardy and Miracle were both working diligently to develop the pictures they’d taken. Hardy learned that Miracle preferred black and white photos in most cases, which worked out perfectly.

Hardy was hyper aware of Miracle as she moved about the tiny room, expertly handling both paper and solutions. He wondered if she could feel the electricity of their attraction crackling in the air between them like he could. He felt it on his skin. It prickled with awareness of her, with the desire to feel her body pressed to his again. As distracted as he was by her presence, Hardy was genuinely surprised that he didn’t screw something up.

When they were finished with the first two rolls, Hardy leaned back against the wall and looked out at the rows and rows of their photos hanging from the lines stretched across the room. Miracle moved to do the same, crossing her arms over her chest in a mirror image of his pose.