Free Damaged: A Violated Trust (Secrets) by Melody Carlson Page A

no surprises, it is loud and violent and full of swearing. My mother would’ve walked out on it in the first thirty seconds. Well, she never would’ve come in the first place since “movies are the Devil’s work.” But she would flip out if she knew I was here, and seeing Harris’s hand fondling my bare knee would probably give the poor woman a heart attack. But I don’t want to think about that.
    Sometimes, when a scene is too brutal or bloody, I just close my eyes. Hopefully Harris won’t notice. As much as I want to like the things he likes, I suspect I will never truly enjoy movies like this. They make me feel sick inside and I wonder how it’s possible that people (guys mostly) love them. My favorite movie (and I’ll probably never tell Harris this) is The Sound of Music. I know it’s hokey and old-fashioned, but I still love it. There’s an old VHS tape of it at my mom’s, and I used to sneak it out and watch it when she wasn’t around.
    It wasn’t that Mom disliked that movie, but I just wanted to enjoy it without her negative commentary or cynical remarks. My favorite scene, of late, is Liesl and Rolfe dancing in the gazebo after it started to rain. It is so romantic. Too bad Rolfe turned out to be such a jerk. Sometimes I like to imagine that he changed and accepted the captain’s offer and escaped across the mountains with the Von Trapps and eventually married Liesl. But I suppose that makes me a hopeless romantic.
    Finally the boom-boom-shoot-’em-up movie comes to a loud and destructive end, and I’m so relieved I clap enthusiastically with the others. All the way to the condo, Harris talks about the movie and the special effects and speculates on what the sequel will be like.
    “I’ll drop you off,” he tells me as he pulls into the parking lot, “then run home and get my suit.”
    “Okay.” I had actually hoped I’d get to ride with him to his house so I could see where he lives.
    “About fifteen minutes, okay? Want to meet at the pool?”
    “Sounds good.” I wave good-bye, then head up to change into my suit. I wish I had a better-looking suit to wear. My old team suit is not only fairly worn but pretty snug, too. Still, Harris said he likes team suits and it’s not like I have much choice in the matter.
    I get into my suit and grab a couple of towels just in case he forgets. Then with my key in hand, I traipse on down to the pool. Because the night air is a little chilly and the water feels warm in comparison, I slip into the pool and start swimming laps. I love how the silky feel of the water relaxes me and I’m glad I shaved my legs this morning. I’m just finishing my fourth lap when I see Harris, fully dressed, standing outside the pool gate. I run and let him in.
    “Where’s your suit?”
    He starts undoing his jeans. “I’m wearing it.”
    Soon we’re both in the water and I challenge him to our first race. He’s fast but I win. “Go again,” he tells me eagerly. So we do and this time he beats me by a stroke.
    “Ha!” he says victoriously, reaching over and pulling me to him. “To the victor go the spoils.”
    I frown. “I’m the spoils?”
    His face is close to mine. “No, but you could spoil me if you wanted.” And now we are kissing and our kisses are wet and slippery and exciting. He pulls me even closer and my heart is racing as I feel his skin against mine. His breath and his kisses — they’re intoxicating. I enjoy it for a while, but then it’s getting carried away — and who knows who might be watching.
    “We’re tied now,” I breathlessly tell him. “Want to go best two out of three?”
    “Again?” He looks disappointed, but I’m already against the wall ready to race.
    “Come on, or are you chicken?”
    He laughs and comes over beside me. “You asked for it.”
    “On your mark, get set, go!” I yell and we both streak across the pool and back, side by side the whole time.
    “I won!” he proclaims.
    “It was a tie,” I shoot