Free Clouded Innocence by D. Gambel Page A

leaned into his hand absorbing the comfort it offered.
    “Francesca?” He whispered stroking his fingers along the features of my face. I opened my eyes and stared straight into his perfect blue gaze, so full of want and need. His chest was rising and falling rapidly, mimicking mine.
    He searched my face for some sign, but I gave him none. With his lips no longer against mine, my head cleared itself of the need to go farther than kissing. Sighing, Conner shifted his weight to roll over next to me, so he was lying flat on his back with his arm covering his eyes. 
    “I am sorry, Francesca. I should not have let it go that far,” he stated.
    “Don't be. I pulled you in.” 
    “Yes, but I let you.” He sighed. “I hate to bring this up, but I am more experienced than you and I should know better.”
    My stomach knotted itself. I hated when he reminded me of his experience . I did not like to remember that someone else knew Conner, in the biblical sense. In a way I had barely imagined.
    “And I am a girl who has been told all her life to protect herself from boys that would do everything in their power to take advantage of me and rob me of my virtue.”  
    We could argue but there was no point. We each were going to blame ourselves for almost letting something happen. Abruptly, Conner stood up. He reached for my hands.  
    “Come on,” he said.  
    I was confused. I was not sure what he was up to. I tentatively placed my hands in his and allowed him to pull me to my feet. He walked over to the rock where he had been sitting when I first arrived. He pulled a rolled up blanket out from beside it. Walking back over to the grass, he opened it and spread it out.
    “Come sit in the sun with me,” he said sitting in the middle of the blanket. 
    I smiled walking towards him. He raised his hand to me, so I gently placed mine in his. Surprising me, Conner pulled me rapidly into his lap. I giggled when I landed.  
    “That is a beautiful sound,” he whispered.  
    Smiling at me, he shifted my weight so I was resting on the blanket, between his legs. One of his knees was propped up, so I rested my arm on it. He wrapped his arm around my waist pulling my back against his chest. Conner lightly kissed my hair while tightening his hold on me. I felt completely and entirely safe.   
    “Conner?” I asked.
    “Hmm?”
    “What is it you are going to school for?” I asked turning to look at his face.
    “Law.”
    His response surprised me. “Law? As in lawyer?”
    “Mm, hmm,” he said with a small nod.
    “Why?” I was very curious.
    He sighed, “Well, my father wanted me to go for a degree in business so I could eventually take over for him. It just was not for me. I like law. There is a right and a wrong. Of course it upset my father which just made my decision so much better.” He gave me a crooked smile.
    “Do you do a lot of things to intentionally upset your father?” He had already told me of the girl his father had not approved of. What if that was the reason he was here with me?
    “No, Francesca. I know what you are thinking. You have nothing to do with my games to upset my father. I am here with you because I can think of no other place I would rather be.” 
    He leaned down, lightly pressed his lips to mine. The warmth of his mouth sent chills of excitement all over my skin. He quickly pulled back, leaving me wanting more, but after what had just happened, I did not blame him for the movement.  
    I shifted back into his arms, relaxing in the comfort of his warm embrace.
     
    * * *
     
    Over the next several days, Conner and I were inseparable. We saw very little of Steven, although he did continue to lie to Lilly and my father and say he was with us. I was not sure if it was for his benefit or if he was trying to pay back the favor he owed me. Either way it did not matter. I got to be alone with Conner for most of the day.  
    After the day by the pond, we decided not to let things get that intense between