Love, Lust 'n Geology (1ST DRAFT)

Chapter 14: Off to the Movies

This chapter is dedicated to @SnowWhiteChaos for her careful reading of chapters 1 thru 12 & her detailed comments & suggestions for their improvement, sent via PM. Thx, Miss SWC :-)!

She is an author as well & has a novel on WP. Please check it out!

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Chapter 14: Off to the Movies

They arrived at the dock only half an hour late. Before getting into her truck, Samina had borrowed Tom's phone and let Chris know that she was starting out, but also that she was planning to tag along with Tom to Dryden. The prolonged silence which ensued suggested that Chris hadn't taken the news so well. He told her that he wanted to speak to her before she took off for Dryden and that if he wasn't at the dock when she arrived, she should wait for him. As it turned out, he was, standing with his hands on his hips, wearing shorts, which he didn't wear very often, and also shirtless, as usual. He cut a striking figure against the equally stunning backdrop of the lake, his blonde hair and bronzed skin aglow in the bright summer sun which shimmered off the surface of the water. Chris mightn't have been as handsome as Tom, but there was no denying that he was handsome, damn handsome!

He answered Tom's greeting with a stiff nod and then, as she was handing him the truck key, slung his arm over her shoulder and walked her away from Tom. She didn't mind having Chris's arm around her, but the gesture was unusual, to say the least! When he came to a stop, about forty feet away from Tom, he removed it and stood facing her. She cast a sideways glance at Tom. He'd been gazing after them but as his eyes met Samina's, he crossed his arms over his chest and turned and looked out over the lake.

"What is it, Chris?" she asked, concerned that Tom might be feeling a little awkward. And why was Chris looking so darn worried?

"I just wanted to tell you something before you go running off with that guy."

She couldn't help but giggle. "Oh, Chris! I'm not running off with Tom! I'm just going to Dryden with him for the afternoon!"

"Yeah, whatever," he muttered. Regarding her soberly for a moment, he took her hands in his. Another first! "I don't like him!" Chris declared, his brows deeply furrowed. "And I don't trust him! He's gonna hurt you! If it doesn't happen here, then it's gonna happen after you go back to Toronto!"

"Chris," she whispered. "Tom and I aren't even going out. We're just friends right now."

"Yeah, but if you keep this up, you will be!" Releasing a lengthy sigh, he muttered dolefully, "It's just a matter of time." And then, edging closer, he added in a low voice, "Look, I just wanted you to know that if you're looking for someone, you don't have to look as far as Ignace. You can look a lot closer to home."

"I can?" she asked, looking round-eyed at Chris.

"Yes!" he whispered.

She frowned and shook her head doubtingly. If Chris was going to keep her from Tom, the least he could do was discuss geological theories with her rather than theorizing about her love life! Besides, it was all well and good to tell her to look closer to home, but the problem was, she hadn't found any 'Tom's there! "Oh, Chris, I have no idea what you're talking about!" she muttered impatiently.

"You don't?" he asked, looking a little dismayed.

"No," she replied. "And Chris, you have to stop worrying about me, okay?"

"I can't help it," he mumbled, looking dejected.

"It's really sweet of you, but I'm the one who should be worrying about you! You're my younger brother, you know, from another mother, ... and father!" she teased with a grin.