Free One Love by Lynn Emery

me.”
    “ No, it sounds wonderful.
But. . . Alex we do need to pay attention to the caution signs.”
Lanessa sighed. “Okay?”
    “ Agreed. Two old friends
working out bad history can have a little fun, right?”Alex looked
at her with an encouraging expression.
    “ I guess,” Lanessa replied.
After a few more moments she smiled at him.” Saturday at
noon.”
    “ Great.”
    After a few minutes of paying the
bill, Alex insisted that he treat, they parted. Lanessa spent the
rest of the day trying to concentrate on work. Still her thoughts
went back to his dark, sultry eyes staring at her. No animosity was
there only caring.
    “ Don’t let your imagination
go wild, babe. Remember he kept saying ‘just friends’,” Lanessa
mumbled to herself once more.
    Despite her own words of caution, she
felt a kind of light-hearted happiness. None of the minor mishaps
at the office could dampen her mood. In three days she would be
riding through the lush green of Louisiana countryside with
Alex.
     

Chapter 5
     
     
    It was a gorgeous day. Bright sunshine
painted the scenery with a pale yellow. Early summer in south
Louisiana meant a lovely palette of colors. Purple, yellow, red and
blue flowers had burst forth, the usual lush growth that sprouted
in the subtropical climate. A light breeze carried the smell of wet
earth. There was only one thing Alex could think of that made this
day less than picture perfect, it would have to end.
    He gazed at Lanessa as she walked
along the banks of the bayou. She looked so different and yet so
familiar. Here she was dressed in Capri pants and a short sleeved
cotton knit shirt seemingly at one with nature. Was this the same
woman who did not even like picnics in City Park? Lanessa had
always been strictly an indoor type. Yet obviously he’d have to get
to know her all over again. A prospect that sent a stab of fire
through him.
    “ This bayou flows into Blind
River and eventually to the swamp around Avery Island.” Lanessa
spoke as she came toward him.
    Alex fell in step beside her and they
walked away from a crowd of tourists.” I didn’t know you’d been
here before.”
    “ I haven’t. I’ve been
pouring over waterways maps from the Department of Natural
Resources for a job I’m doing.”
    “ Gee thanks, you came
because of work.” Alex threw up both arms.
    “ You suggested we come here,
remember?”Lanessa grinned.” Okay, I admit to thinking of work a
tiny bit.”
    ” Excuse me while I pick up
my male ego from the dirt,” Alex joked.
    “ Work isn’t the reason I’m
here,” Lanessa protested.
    Alex stopped.” So what is?”
    “ You invited me.” Lanessa
walked a few more steps then turned to face him.” I can’t resist
being treated to a good time.” Her voice was light and
teasing.
    “ True.” Alex smiled then
looked off into the distance.
    “ And a few more things need
to be said,” Lanessa murmured.
    “ Yes.” Alex had no idea how
to explain what he was feeling. Or maybe he did not yet know
himself. They were both silent for a time.
    Lanessa sighed.” This wasn’t such a
good idea.”
    “ I put it behind me. No hard
feelings.” Alex bent and picked up several pebbles. He tossed them
in the air.
    “ Really? So all those nights
I left you standing alone at parties to flirt have been
forgotten?”
    “ Yep. I’ve gotten over it.”
Alex threw a stone across the water. It skipped three times then
sank.
    ” Of course I said some
pretty nasty things, too. I wasn’t happy-go-lucky when I was
drinking.” Lanessa moved closer to him.
    “ I don’t think about it
much.” He tossed another rock, this time harder.
    “ Then there were the times I
didn’t bother to return your phone calls. And I dated Harold behind
your back.”
    “ That was in college, long
ago. We were just kids.” Alex flung the rest of the stones
down.
    “ I didn’t improve with age,
Alex. Those were the high points of our relationship,” Lanessa said
gently.
    “ Why are you