Sparks Fly! A Divine Creek July 4th Family Reunion by Heather Rainier Page A

tucked it back into his blue jeans and zipped up.
    The scents of passion and sex filled the air as they put themselves in order. At Boone’s nod, Richard reached up and peeled the yellow sticky notes from the cameras and Boone hit the “Lock” button on the elevator. They all assumed casual we-didn’t-just-have-wild-sex-in-your-elevator stances as it descended to the ground floor. They had no way of knowing if anyone suspected that the elevator had been occupied while it was “unavailable.”
    The doors whooshed open, and they all breathed a sigh of relief when they peered out and no one was there. Maya waved and blew a kiss at one of the elevator security cameras, and then they scooted quickly from the building. Feeling satisfied, Richard couldn’t help the big grin plastered on his face as they rejoined the crowd in search of cotton candy and a porta-potty.
     
    * * * *
     
     
    Jayne Sheridan fanned herself as she sat in the folding chair between her cousin Grace and Seth Carter. Her heart hadn’t settled into a regular rhythm since Seth had sat down beside her.
    He turned to speak with one of the men and, her eyes were drawn to his arm, perched next to hers on his chair’s armrest. Up close, his tattooed skin looked nothing like what she would’ve expected. She wasn’t even sure what she’d expected. The tattoos were monochromatic, black with gray shading, and very intricate. The unusual design drew her eyes inexorably up his forearms to his lean, muscular biceps. She unconsciously leaned in to get a closer look and her fingers twitched with the desire to run a finger along his smooth skin. He cleared his throat and she looked up into his faintly amused blue eyes. Unsurprisingly, words failed her and she looked away.
    Think of something to say. Anything! The parade will be over soon and you might not have another chance.
    Sucking it up, she turned to him and asked, “Did it hurt?” right as a member of the local lowrider club, driving a customized 70s-model Chevy Impala, slowed to a halt in front of them. He turned up the volume on his sound system and “Low Rider” by WAR blasted from his speakers. She groaned softly, thinking Seth hadn’t heard her and she’d have to pretend like she hadn’t asked him a stupid question.
    Of course it hurt, you ninny.
     
    But Seth must’ve known she was speaking to him because he leaned close and said, “I’m sorry. What did you say?”
    Miss Tongue and Miss Lips forgot how to function as a unit when she inhaled his manly, clean scent. His long, black hair wafted in the breeze and caressed her cheek as she looked at his profile. Words failed her, again , and Jayne wanted to crawl under a rock.
    She mutely stared as the diffused sunlight illuminated his blue eyes until he finally turned to look at her. She suddenly forgot how to swallow and choked on her own spit.
    Oh, kill me now!
     
    Grace patted her back, and Jayne put her hands over her face and wanted to die of embarrassment. Seth leaned forward, looking at her with sincere concern in his eyes.
    “Are you all right?” he asked quietly.
    Her cheeks burned with embarrassment as she settled back in her chair and wiped stray tears from her eyes. “Yes. I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened.” Yes, you do, you big dolt. You choked on your drool! Get a grip!
    She was grateful for the distraction when Maya, Kendall, Boone, and Richard arrived laden with bottles of water and cotton candy for the kids. Mutely, she nodded when Grace softly asked if everything was all right. She sipped from her water bottle and figured she would wait five minutes then make her pathetic loser excuses and walk the few blocks back to her house. She wasn’t even surprised by today’s outcome. Par for the course for her social life.
    Seth turned to her and short time later. “The lowrider made it impossible for me to hear you earlier. What were you trying to say?” He didn’t act as though she’d just royally humiliated herself or