Free Summer Sizzle by Samantha Gentry Page B

with reluctant eyes, making no effort to take the kite.
    “Hold the kite in your left hand and the string in your right, like this.” He moved behind her and reached around to show her how to handle the kite and string. His body brushed her back as he guided her hands. Warmth washed through him at the momentary physical contact. He hoped his voice didn’t sound as unsteady as he felt. “Let out a little of the string and run along the beach until the wind catches the kite, then continue to let out the string until it’s flying high.”
    He stepped away from her and offered her an encouraging smile. “There’s nothing to it.”
    Vicki hesitantly took the kite from him, handling it in an awkward manner. Tremors raced through her body the moment he’d stepped behind her. What was she doing? What was this insanity she had allowed herself to be drawn into? Kite flying? She should be doing something productive to occupy her time until she could get her office set up and start work. Something like…well, she couldn’t think of anything specific at the moment. Her mind touched briefly on the time they’d spent indulging their carnal desires. An immediate ripple raced through her pussy, as if she hadn’t had sex in months rather than having just been completely and deliciously satisfied.
    She dug her feet into the sand to get a firm footing. The fine granules squished between her toes as she started to run. The wind caught the kite and pulled it sharply upward. The hard tug on the string came as a surprise. Following Blake’s instructions, she let it out. Her heartbeat increased along with her excitement as she watched the colorful kite rise into the sky.
    Then it faltered and crashed to the sand, the thrill of the moment gone. Disappointment enveloped her, a totally unexpected reaction, which caught her off guard.
    “Oh, no.” She looked at Blake, who’d been running along the beach beside her. “Have I broken it?”
    “No, it’s okay.” He reeled in the string and picked up the kite, handing it back to her. He offered an encouraging smile. “Here, try it again. Only this time, let the string out a little more slowly.”
    Vicki was not sure why she had agreed to try it the first time and now she was about to try it again. What a silly activity, running along the sand towing a box made out of fiberglass rods and brightly colored nylon fabric. She accepted the kite and string from him, took a calming breath, and began to run. The sharp tug on the string confirmed the wind had taken hold of the kite.
    Blake kept pace with her, shouting encouragement as they ran down the beach. “That’s it, Vicki. Good. Now, slowly let out the string. Make sure the line stays taut.”
    She slowed her pace and carefully let out the string. This time, the kite rose higher and higher into the air until she had let out the entire length.
    The wind tried to pull it from her hands with a hard tug along the string. She turned her face upward and watched the colorful box kite flying in the breeze. She laughed like a child enjoying the carefree arena of play…the excitement of innocent fun. The heavy burden of responsibility she chose to carry on her shoulders like a mantle had lifted for the moment.
    “That’s perfect.” His genuine enthusiasm for her accomplishment echoed in his voice. “You’ve got it.”
    “Look. It’s actually flying!” She radiated the excitement that filled her almost to overflowing. But her elation quickly disappeared when she took a couple of steps backward and lost her footing. She stumbled and fell. The kite yanked the string from her grasp. They both watched it soar away over the rooftops and out of sight.
    Blake’s robust laughter filled the air as he moved to help her up from where she lay sprawled on the beach. “That’s an undignified position for someone so proper.”
    He reached out his hand. She refused the offer and quickly scrambled to her feet, not sure whether to be embarrassed or angry at