Love Her Madly

Chapter 4. What The Actual...

Zara smiled. "That would be lovely Dr. Reimer."

"Oh please, call me Catherine!"

My mom quickly collected her purse and they were out of the room before I could even utter another word. I sagged down onto the sofa and buried my face in my hands.

What the actual fuck.

************

After my short fishing trip with my father, I ran home quickly to have a bath, groom myself and floss. In the event I returned to my mother's for Sunday dinner and Zara was there –which there was a 100% likelihood she would be – I was determined to look like the fine piece of male specimen I knew I was. I was feeling quite confident too when I arrived there, hair smelling great, that ridiculous 100 watt 16 year old girl smile I was wearing. I was going to be on my A-game this time around.

I was still very confused –well no shit, who wouldn't be –but I was also excited at the prospect that Zara was now somehow a part of my life. It had to be some sort of fate right? Did such a thing exist? And yes, I was worried about her being a little too young for me and really did not want to come across as the creepy old guy. But I was only 29, not old by any standards and seven years was not a very large age gap.

Right?

Zara was still wearing that beautiful white dress when I arrived, she gave me a coy smile when she saw me, taking in my sudden change in appearance. She didn't even pretend like she didn't check me out.

Well, at least she's forward and confident; my kind of girl.

Earlier that day, over a bowl of cereal, I'd convinced myself that any girl that smart and sharp was worth pursuing.

My parents were preparing the fish my father and I caught earlier that day in the kitchen with the help of my younger sister Anna. Anna's three year old twin sons were running rambunctiously everywhere and her husband was nowhere to be seen, probably taking a nap while waiting to be found in their hide-and-seek game.

Much to my mother's chagrin, I was left with the task of taking Zara for a tour of the house, it appeared that she and my mother had spent all day talking about work and she hadn't been shown around at all.

"Your mother is a remarkable woman." She said, breaking the comfortable silence as we walked through the garden.

I smiled. "Yes, she is. She's a hard worker."

"I would imagine she would have to be, considering you're her son and all. I reckon you require a lot of work". She said innocently.

I grimaced. Of course she would not shy away from an opportunity to make fun of me. She always had this coy, stubborn smile she wore. You could tell, just by looking at her, that she was someone who enjoyed witty, taunting remarks. Or did that just apply to me?

"I'll have you know that I'm her favorite child."

"Right."

I feigned hurt and she laughed lightly.

"So, Engineering huh? MIT, top of class and working at a sporting goods store? Why?"

We were now secluded amongst the trees, but I need to get information out of her before we turned back.

"Well, it's kind of a funny story," she said. "I had just moved back at the end of May and I had a month to kill before my position with Hydro and the university started. So I thought maybe I should do some camping." She chuckled, looking at me from the corner of her eye, drawing me in. "Well, I got to Mountain Adventure Sports and I was looking around at some tents. And somehow, I got into a great conversation about the effects commercial campsites have on the environment with the manager and she offered me a job. One of her full time employees was taking a leave due to their father passing away, and she only needed someone for the month. Since I'm an avid kayaker and camper, I already knew all of the products and I've used almost all of it so I didn't really need to be trained. So it kind of worked out. Plus I'm positive I'll get a discount there for life now."

"Wow, that's pretty amazing," I murmured.

"Yeah, it is."

"How old are you Zara?"

"How old do you think I am David?" She retaliated, swiftly climbing up the tree in her spotless white dress. I could see her beige lace underwear briefly and then she was seated on a tree branch, looking down at me.

I imagined running my hands up her smooth, toned legs and tracing the outline of those panties with my fingers. That little tree climb she just did was probably the most seductive and graceful thing I'd ever seen in my life.

I had to shake those thoughts out of my head for the moment. Now was not the time or place for them. Nine o'clock sharp later on in my bedroom was the time and place.

"21? 20?"

She smiled again. "Close, I'm 22, just turned last week."

I frowned playfully. "What a shame, if I'd known I could have given you a present."

She laughed, throwing her head back to the sky before jumping down from the tree and landing in front of me.

"Your dick doesn't count as a present David."

I feigned confusion. "Doesn't it?"

She stepped closer, so close I could see the pattern in her dark irises. Her breath was sweet, emanating a scent I couldn't quite put my finger on. She put her hand on my shoulder and leaned in closer. Was she going to kiss me?

"I don't know David, does it?"

And then she was gone, walking back in the direction of the house.

God, she was driving me mad.