The Chase

The Chase


He leaned against an aspen tree, feeling the rough bark against his back as he held still to listen.   To the left of him, he heard a twig snap, and then a rustling in a stand of bushes, then a soft woman's laugh.

"You know, it's kind of hard to play hide and seek, if you keep giggling," he said.  "Makes you too easy to find."

She gave him a razzberry, then he heard her move away once again.  He followed her trail, a trail she was obviously leaving for him to follow, with well-placed giggles and noises, circling around the aspen stand, around a lightning struck pine, always moving downhill.  She gave him a run for his money, though, as she darted across the meadow down to the cottonwoods and willows lining the creek beyond it, her dark hair streaming behind her as she ran.  He was careful to let her have her fun, letting him lead her on, giving just enough chase to let her know he was interested, and she gave him, in return, just enough to know that his pursuit was more than welcome.

He lost her trail, though, as he neared the stream, pushing through the brush to watch the water rushing by rocks.  For a moment he paused, and watched a flicker dart in and out of the stream.  He took a deep breath, wondering where to look next, when suddenly, she stepped out of her hiding place, and running up behind him, wrapped her arms around his middle.

"I got you!  You're it!" she announced.

He turned in her hold, to look at her laughing gray eyes and her happy smile, so very alive with the moment, he cupped her cheek in one hand, and drew her close with the other.  Almost without being able to stop, they closed the space between each other, and he brushed his lips across hers.

"Yeah, you got me," he breathed, then kissed her again.