A Tutelarius Love - Page 38/111

She sighed. "I haven't had time to get bored yet. I'm enjoying the peace and quiet, though." Actually, the silence was beginning to get on her nerves, but she didn't want him reporting that fact to her father or Denton. Again she wished she had invited one of her friends. Not that it would have done any good. They all thought her idea was crazy.

Keaton kicked at a stick and made a mark in the gravel with the toe of his shoe. "I thought you might like to see a movie."

She jerked her head up and frowned at him. Was he also instructed to provide her with entertainment? "With you?"

The amber gaze searched her face expectantly. "I was working up to that."

It sounded like a good idea, and if she had been sure the offer had originated in his head, she would have accepted. Yet, for someone who was bold enough to drive up and introduce himself, he was certainly having a hard time working up the courage to ask her to a movie. The obvious cause of his hesitation was disinterest. She sighed.

"Thanks for the offer, but I think I'll go to bed early tonight. I want to start on this grass early tomorrow morning while it's cool."

He nodded. "Yeah, it's going to be another scorcher tomorrow, I'm afraid."

He turned and ambled to the driver's side of his car. Was that disappointment in his voice, or relief? He folded his arms across the top of the car door and rested his chin on his arms.

"I've got an idea. Why don't I pick you up tomorrow after work and take you to the bluff hole?"

"Bluff hole?"

He smiled. "That's what the locals call one of the swimming holes. Can you swim?"

"Like a fish." She hesitated. "You mean in a creek?"

His eyes sparkled. "Sure. You'll love it. The water's cool and refreshing - just the thing after a hot day of work."

She was remembering the view of the creek from the bridge - and the brush choking its banks. "What about snakes?"

"They don't come out into the water very often when people are swimming. Stay away from the weeds and rocks and you won't have to worry about them." He grinned. "You're not afraid of snakes, are you?"

She met his taunting gaze. "Let's just say I'm not in the habit of swimming with them." She leaned on the weed whip. "How can you swim in that water when you know snakes might be lurking under the surface?"

He laughed. "More than likely they'll be swimming on top of the water in plain sight. You can tell the poisonous ones because they lift their heads out of the water while they swim."