Jen's Legacy.

Claire was startled when she realized he’d come back unexpectedly, carrying and dragging enough wood for the night. She hadn’t even heard him with most of her head underwater, relaxing in the cool water, but he wasn’t looking at her, already having seen that she was naked and relaxing wonderfully in the water as he’d suggested she do.

She’d been daydreaming, making her plans, and he must have seen her the way she was, seeing her swimsuit and all of her clothing laid out on the rocks. She almost didn’t care. He had his back to her, looking after the fire and getting something prepared for their dinner. He was ignoring her too obviously. The fire was blazing well, so he had been back for some time.

He had watched her for some time.

She felt glad about that. She also felt a warm flush of embarrassment creeping over her again, but suppressed that feeling.

He was not paying her any attention, which was a sure sign that he had seen her, keeping his back to her, avoiding looking at her. He could have been looking at her for ten minutes and she would never have known, relaxing in the water as she had been. She almost giggled, thinking of that, and wondering what he was feeling and thinking of her for being this way, but knowing that whatever he felt, it would only be to their mutual benefit.

He would also see that she’d filled his water bottles before she’d bathed, and had put a full pan of water by the fire.

She reached out for her shirt, barely within reach, and began to put it on in the water to cover most of her body, but she would not fasten it. She splashed water up onto it.

He continued to ignore her as he progressed with their meal, having seen what she’d already got started, and wanting to let her relax.

Her shorts were too far away for her to get to without getting out of the water, so she would make do with her shirt for the moment.

She told him what she’d done with the water bottles so that he could add some of those water-purification tablets, or boil it later, for drinking.

He turned and smiled at her, thanking her, seeing that she had partially dressed.

She watched him prepare their evening meal, putting pieces of jerky into it, and backing it away from the fire to simmer. He’d add some of that other mix, later, once the dried meat had softened.

When he’d got that started, he sat down, took off his boots and socks, stripped off most of the rest of his clothes except for his underwear, and sat near her in the water—close enough to touch her—letting out an audible sigh as the water rose up his body... seeing it have a corresponding effect on hers, and feeling the welcome coolness on his perspiring body as he splashed water up onto himself.

He and Jen had sat here like this.

She wet her hand and reached out to wipe water across his face to get dust off it, then cupped her hands, filling them with water, reached across to him and dribbled water onto his head, not caring that her shirt came adrift from covering her as she did that. She no longer cared if he saw her now. He’d seen all of her before, when he’d first undressed her, but she still had those small doubts about how he would view her if she became too bold and recklessly forward.

He moved closer to her to sit directly opposite her, and then brought her feet up onto his legs as he looked at them, aware that she was holding her shirt and her hands between her legs to hide herself from him where the water did not entirely hide her, or her shirt cover her, as he’d moved her legs. He tried to ignore her, but at the same time wanted to see all of her, wishing she had not put on her shirt.

“Your feet are standing up pretty well; a little tender, but we did take it easy. Sore, but no blisters. We stopped in time. The only problem you face now, is that heat rash, and we can do something about that, if it is still a problem."

It was still a problem, and would be for some time.

“We’ll have to take it easy tomorrow too, but your feet will harden slowly if we don’t overdo it. The first two or three days are always the most difficult."

They sat and talked. She was feeling nervous now, so started the conversation.

“Thank you.” That was always a safe opening.

He looked confused. She’d already thanked him enough.

“For what?”

“For persuading me that I should not stay by the river, and for looking after me as carefully as you did since then. I must be quite a frustration and a challenge for you, being so helpless and unfamiliar with this different kind of adventure.”

He smiled at the way she described it; 'an adventure'. He even laughed.

He couldn’t tell her what he really thought or felt of her or what had happened to him so far, or he would only frighten her, so he shrugged it off lightly.

“It was no big deal. You needed my help, and I was in a position to give it.

"I…" he fumbled for the words. "I...” he looked at her, unable to hide what he really felt for her, even if he couldn’t yet put it into words so soon— “I so much welcome your company.”

That seemed safe enough to say.

He more than welcomed her company. He absolutely needed it, could become addicted to it, the way she constantly excited him. He could not say more than that for the moment, though he wanted to.

“I’d been alone for two weeks when I met you, and it was getting to me.”

Liar! It had been driving him totally mad until he'd met her.

She liked his company too. Now, they needed to build even more steadily upon that mutual feeling, after a very good start.

They sat like that as he scooped up sand and small pieces of rock from where they were sitting and closed some of the smaller holes that the water was leaking through.

“Royce?”

“Yes, Claire.” He turned to look at her.

“Would you pass me my shorts, please. I can’t reach them.” She was blushing, feeling suddenly shy again the way he was looking at her.

She watched him get out of the water and bring her shorts over to her, orienting them so that they would slide over her feet. He could do that for her if he wanted.

He wanted to, but was shy, and afraid to touch her after what he had seen when he'd looked at her feet; not really seeing them, but electrified by others things he had seen of her body appearing in her shirt.

“Thank you.”