Flicker by Arreyn Grey Page A

she was out of her mind. Then, in a dry voice that went perfectly with his raised eyebrows, he simply said, “I hope you brought an umbrella.”
                  Elise grinned at him. “Where's the fun in that?” She asked in a light tone, her chin tilted up playfully. “Think of it this way-- at least you left that dinner jacket at home!” And with that, she skipped off down the gravel path.
                  Alexander followed her at a more leisurely pace, content for the moment to allow her to lead him through the foliage. From here, he could watch and appreciate the way her skirts swirled gracefully with the sway of her hips. Her hair blew back when she turned to see if he was still behind her, and he caught himself admiring the beauty in the shape of her face, in her wide smile and twinkling eyes. She looked like she was dancing as she moved through the flowers, bending now and then to smell a rose or brush her fingertips across a leaf. Seeing her like this, at peace and in her element, might be worth braving the oncoming storm.
                  He was still chuckling at her choice for a date: she had simply given him directions as he drove, so he had been quite surprised to find that their destination was a large botanical garden a few towns away. He supposed he shouldn't have been; he had already noticed how much more comfortable she was when she was surrounded by nature. However, he had thought the weather would have deterred her from outdoor activities. Alexander thought rather ruefully that he ought to have realized by now: Elise wasn't the sort of girl who cared more about her hair and makeup than she did her ability to walk in the rain. He also felt a smirk crawl across his face when he considered the possibility that she had chosen this venue with the rain in mind, knowing that she didn't mind being caught in a storm, but that most people would. This girl was becoming more and more fun by the minute. Still smirking, he broke in to a gentle jog to catch up with her.
                  Thunder rumbled in the distance as Elise led Alexander further into the gardens. Except for them, the grounds were deserted-- the other patrons had either gone home or taken shelter in the garden's small cafe to wait out the storm. As fat raindrops started to hit the path around them, Elise disappeared around a curve of shrubbery. Following her, Alexander found himself standing before a cozy wooden gazebo that was all but hidden in a grove of weeping willow trees. Elise stood in the doorway, grinning.
                  “Well, come in before you get wet,” she called.
     
                  This was definitely a testament to the changes that could take place over a few hours of conversation, Elise thought as Alex pulled his car up in front of her house. Just two days ago, she had been so frightened of him that she hadn't wanted him to know her name, and now she had no qualms about his knowing exactly where she lived. Though, she reflected, it would be sort of stupid to get squeamish about such a thing now, when she'd been willing to get into his car and spend an entire afternoon alone with him.
                  “Do I need to park out of your parents' way?” He asked, peering through the pounding rain at the dark house. “Won't they be home soon?”
                  “Nah,” Elise shrugged. “They go out right after work on Fridays-- they won't be home for hours. So,” she ventured as he put the car in park. “Any big weekend plans?” She tried to keep her tone and expression neutral, but his small smile as he turned toward her let her know she wasn't fooling him.
                  “Actually, yes,” he said. “Sorry, miss. I have a cousin in New York with a very unfortunately timed birthday-- I won't be back from his party until late Sunday night.”
                  Elise forced a smile in return. “Ah, well, if