tossed the loaf to him, and he instinctively ran.
The ducks chased him down the lake’s edge as he tore off pieces of the loaf and threw them behind him. She noted the expression on his face when he turned back to see if they were still at his heels. He looked like a cartoon character, she thought laughing aloud, his eyes wide with fright, arms flailing as he hoofed it down the bank.
For awhile he was out of sight until she saw him running back, still followed by a few ducks that had gotten none of the bread. He tossed the remainder of the loaf to Emma and hid behind her. He listened as she scolded the ducks for being mean then gave them the last of the loaf. When they discovered that Emma and Anton had nothing else for them, they waddled back to the water and continued their lazy swim.
“You did that on purpose,” Anton said, still breathing heavily from his run.
“I would never do such a thing,” she said affecting shock at his accusation.
“You knew exactly what you was doin’,” he went on. “I can’t even believe how scared I was over them ducks.”
Emma laughed heartily then screamed when Anton picked her up and cradled her like a baby. She smelled the mixture of light perspiration and cologne on him, and she liked it.
“You think you funny,” he said making his way down to the edge of the lake.
“Oh my God, don’t!” she squealed, clinging to his shoulders.
He ignored her. “But how funny you think it’d be if I tossed you in that water?”
“Anton, don’t you dare,” she warned. She couldn’t help but laugh.
“Well, I think it’s only fair. You had those ferocious ducks chasing me. Now you need to go in the water,” he said, feeling her squeeze him hard and bury her face in his shoulder.
He would never throw her in. He could not bear to feel her leave him. He wanted her arms around him forever, her face nuzzled into his neck for eternity. No, he would not throw her in. But he would tease her. He walked closer until he was inches away from the water.
“How ‘bout just a little?” he asked. “I won’t put you in all the way.”
He tossed her lightly and she screamed.
“We could call it even then?” he went on feeling her clutch at him in desperation.
He began lowering her towards the water.
“Stop!” she cried in between laughter. “I’m begging!”
“Well, if I don’t put you in this water then we ain’t even. What am I supposed to do with you?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” she said frantically. “I’ll think of something.”
He grinned at her and turned back to their blanket. He could have set her on her feet then, but he wanted to prolong the ecstasy of holding her, so he carried her back to the blanket before setting her down gently. It was difficult for him to let go of her not knowing when he would be able to touch her next. He only did it when the opportunity presented itself. It was never forced. He would never touch her without feeling like it was safe.
Anton sat down beside her and watched her reopen her notebook. He willed himself to get focused, but all he could think about was the feel of her tiny arms around his neck, squeezing him until he was sure he would have to kiss her. They resumed their work, and he affected interest in it though his mind was very far away.
CHAPTER 5
TUESDAY, APRIL 20
“I cannot believe you have to work with him,” Morgan said, scowling as she watched Anton change out books in his locker. “He’s such a thug.”
“He’s not a thug, Morgan,” Emma replied amused.
She checked her face in the mirror attached to the inside of her locker door, and deciding she needed a touch up, dug out lip gloss from inside her purse. She glided the applicator gently over her lips, pressed them together then studied herself again.
“Oh my God. He’s watching you,” Morgan observed.
Emma looked in Anton’s direction, and he quickly turned his face away when their eyes met.
“No he wasn’t,” she said. Her
The ducks chased him down the lake’s edge as he tore off pieces of the loaf and threw them behind him. She noted the expression on his face when he turned back to see if they were still at his heels. He looked like a cartoon character, she thought laughing aloud, his eyes wide with fright, arms flailing as he hoofed it down the bank.
For awhile he was out of sight until she saw him running back, still followed by a few ducks that had gotten none of the bread. He tossed the remainder of the loaf to Emma and hid behind her. He listened as she scolded the ducks for being mean then gave them the last of the loaf. When they discovered that Emma and Anton had nothing else for them, they waddled back to the water and continued their lazy swim.
“You did that on purpose,” Anton said, still breathing heavily from his run.
“I would never do such a thing,” she said affecting shock at his accusation.
“You knew exactly what you was doin’,” he went on. “I can’t even believe how scared I was over them ducks.”
Emma laughed heartily then screamed when Anton picked her up and cradled her like a baby. She smelled the mixture of light perspiration and cologne on him, and she liked it.
“You think you funny,” he said making his way down to the edge of the lake.
“Oh my God, don’t!” she squealed, clinging to his shoulders.
He ignored her. “But how funny you think it’d be if I tossed you in that water?”
“Anton, don’t you dare,” she warned. She couldn’t help but laugh.
“Well, I think it’s only fair. You had those ferocious ducks chasing me. Now you need to go in the water,” he said, feeling her squeeze him hard and bury her face in his shoulder.
He would never throw her in. He could not bear to feel her leave him. He wanted her arms around him forever, her face nuzzled into his neck for eternity. No, he would not throw her in. But he would tease her. He walked closer until he was inches away from the water.
“How ‘bout just a little?” he asked. “I won’t put you in all the way.”
He tossed her lightly and she screamed.
“We could call it even then?” he went on feeling her clutch at him in desperation.
He began lowering her towards the water.
“Stop!” she cried in between laughter. “I’m begging!”
“Well, if I don’t put you in this water then we ain’t even. What am I supposed to do with you?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” she said frantically. “I’ll think of something.”
He grinned at her and turned back to their blanket. He could have set her on her feet then, but he wanted to prolong the ecstasy of holding her, so he carried her back to the blanket before setting her down gently. It was difficult for him to let go of her not knowing when he would be able to touch her next. He only did it when the opportunity presented itself. It was never forced. He would never touch her without feeling like it was safe.
Anton sat down beside her and watched her reopen her notebook. He willed himself to get focused, but all he could think about was the feel of her tiny arms around his neck, squeezing him until he was sure he would have to kiss her. They resumed their work, and he affected interest in it though his mind was very far away.
CHAPTER 5
TUESDAY, APRIL 20
“I cannot believe you have to work with him,” Morgan said, scowling as she watched Anton change out books in his locker. “He’s such a thug.”
“He’s not a thug, Morgan,” Emma replied amused.
She checked her face in the mirror attached to the inside of her locker door, and deciding she needed a touch up, dug out lip gloss from inside her purse. She glided the applicator gently over her lips, pressed them together then studied herself again.
“Oh my God. He’s watching you,” Morgan observed.
Emma looked in Anton’s direction, and he quickly turned his face away when their eyes met.
“No he wasn’t,” she said. Her
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