Being Emma Page 13

“Well, we don’t want you huffy, whatever that may be. How can I entertain you, Miss Johnson?”

  “Just talk…”

  And so he told her all about his days and nights, working to get everyone’s business done but his. He didn’t mention that he loved her or asked if she loved him. He could read it on her face… For the first time, he could read it on her beautiful face that he was the one she wanted to be with. He was the one she loved. And he was never so happy in his life…

  ####

  They arrived at the Las Vegas International Airport just after 11:00. Since they had luggage and much archery equipment, baggage claim was the next stop. It was easy from there to get a rental car and head on to the hotel where Craig had made reservations. The state tournament was also to be held at the same hotel. Sandy and Bill had reservations there as well, and Craig gave them a call after they’d checked in. They were in meetings already with their law firm, so Craig left a message to meet them for dinner at the hotel, and turned to Janie.

  “The afternoon shoot starts at 1:00. We’d best get a move on. We need to get our stuff in our rooms, have a little lunch and get over to the indoor archery range.”

  “Do you know where it is?”

  “It’s downstairs in this hotel, in one of the huge ballrooms.”

  After checking out their rooms and ditching the luggage, Craig and Janie changed into comfortable clothes for the shoot and headed to a restaurant at the hotel. Lunch was quick and the focus was the tournament. They discussed various strategies again on timing and endurance. Archery, after a while, became an endurance test and one they had practiced for. Pulling and shooting arrow after arrow for hours got to be very difficult on upper body muscles, and was one of the big reasons Janie lifted weights.

  There were to be six rounds this afternoon, shooting six arrows per round. That would easily take them all afternoon to accomplish. At the end of the day, many archers would be eliminated. The best of this group would go on to the full day shoot on Saturday. That shoot would mean six rounds in the morning and six rounds in the afternoon -- More archers would be eliminated at the end of that day. With hundreds of archers in the tournament, it would be an all day shoot for sure. Only the very best in the state would finish the last elimination round and continue to the final shoot on Sunday morning.

  Craig and Janie were excited to get going. They wolfed down their lunches, grabbed the equipment and arrived at the archery range at 12:30. Many archers were already doing practice shots, so they set up to practice as well. Promptly at one, the event began.

  The president of the state archery league said a few words to the several hundred eager archers assembled for the tournament. Of course, he was glad to see them all and wished them luck. The top three of this event would qualify for the national tournament. It had been previously determined which archers were in certain sets with probably thirty per set. Craig was in the opening set, while Janie was in the second. A whistle blew twice and the first set was on.

  Craig lined up with the other archers on the shooting line. Down the room across from them stood the regulation targets set up twenty feet away. Craig’s quiver of arrows hung from his right hip and he carried his compound bow loosely. He checked his peep site and the feathers of his arrows. When a whistle blew once, all the archers took an arrow out of their quivers and nocked the arrow against the bowstring. Then the archers shot their arrows. They continued shooting until each archer had shot all six of his arrows. When everyone was done shooting, the whistle blew three times, meaning the arrows could be retrieved.

  At the targets, other people tallied individual scores and told the archers what their scores were when they walked down to retrieve their arrows. The different colored circles on the targets indicated a certain number of points per circle. Craig had scored 2 tens, 4 nines or 56/60 points. He was all right with his score, but Janie thought it was fabulous. He was shaking his head about his score until he looked over at Janie who had two thumbs up. He grinned at her and prepared for his next round.

  Craig continued shooting through all his rounds. He ended with a final score of 347/360, which he didn’t think would be good enough for elimination. Next up was Janie’s group. The whistle blew and she walked up to the shooting line. Craig sat behind her, close enough to see everything she was doing. He was nervous and wanted her to do well.

  Janie was dressed in form fitting exercise pants with a polo shirt. She had a baseball cap on with her ponytail through the back part of it. The whistle blew, so she set up her bow, nocked her arrow and let it fly. She hit the target dead center. Craig didn’t know which was more beautiful – Janie or the shot she just hit. She turned back at him briefly with a big smile on her face. It lit up the room for him. When she finished the round, she had scored 50/60 points. Not bad, but she’d need to do better to qualify for tomorrow.

  Before the next round, she came over to him.

  “What do you think?” He thought a minute.

  “You’re pulling a bit right. Try to correct it.” Just then he caught sight of Sandy and Bill who had come to watch them. Craig waved for them to join him as the whistle blew for the next round. Janie smiled as she headed to the shooting line and waited for the whistle to blow to start the round. Janie reached for an arrow from her quiver, nocked it against the bowstring and let the arrow go. It hit dead center. With her dad, uncle and best friend watching, Janie hit 3 tens and 3 nines, 57/60 points. They applauded for her and traded comments about her ability. Craig was proud of her and it showed.

  When she finished all her rounds, she went back to sit with the guys. Her total score for the day was good – 335/360. They sat chatting through one more round with a different set of archers to wait for the elimination scores to be posted.

  “Janie… I’ve never seen you shoot before. That was incredible…” Sandy gushed. “I’ll have to tell your mother when I call her.”

  Bill agreed. “I knew you were good, I just didn’t know how good.”

  Craig nodded his head in agreement. “She is that good…”

  “Thanks for all the fine words, fellas. We’ll see if I made the first elimination or not.” She smiled at them all, but her smile lingered on Craig.

  Sandy noticed and thought he might have something else to tell Lily when he called her tonight.

  The first day’s eliminations were announced. Both Craig and Janie qualified for Saturday’s all day shoot. Thrilled, they all made plans to meet for dinner and went back to their rooms to freshen up. Janie was soaking in a hot tub when she got a call from Diane.

  “So… How’d it go?”

  “I made it past the first cut.”

  “No, silly… I mean with Craig.” Janie blushed.

  “For Pete’s sake, we’re here to shoot.”

  “… Okay, if you say so. Could you just please kiss the guy once, before you come back?” That made her laugh.

  “I’ll see what I can do…”

  “Have fun and good luck…”

  “Bye.” Janie snapped her phone shut and smiled. Her friend, Diane, was a good friend indeed. Then she got a call from Craig. She smiled just answering it.

  “Yes… May I help you?”

  “How’d you know it was me?”

  “A little bird told me… And your picture comes up on my phone.”

  “Ha. Have you soaked long enough? Are you squeaky clean for dinner now?”

  “How’d you know I was in the tub?”

  “…A little bird told me. And how long have I known you?” She laughed at that.

  “Ready to go in fifteen?”

  “Yep. I’ll meet you by the elevator.”

  She didn’t know what it was about elevators, but they kept glancing at each other all the way to the restaurant floor, where they were to meet Sandy and Bill. When the elevator stopped, he smiled and grabbed her hand.

  “I’m starving. Let’s go eat.” She laughed and let herself be pulled along.

  All during dinner, Sandy would look at both of
them and wonder what they were up to. With her being of age, it was none of his business, but being her father was a different story. They seemed happy and chatted about the tournament. Sandy felt there was more excitement here than the event merited... They finished eating and left first. Bill looked over at Sandy.

  “Has he proposed yet?”

  Sandy looked at him in surprise.

  “What makes you say that?”

  “They just seem so happy together and it’s about time.”

  “… Actually,” Sandy started and then stopped.

  “What?”

  “Craig called me sometime last week and asked me for permission to marry Janie.” Bill’s eyes popped wide.

  “… Ah…”

  “He said it was just in case he ever got the opportunity to ask her. He wanted to be prepared.”

  “Now that sounds like Craig. Great guy… Hope you said yes.”

  “I said yes to him back when they were six and ten.”

  Upstairs, the elevator ride had made them both nervous. Craig watched the elevator numbers change and Janie leaned from one foot to the other… They were heading to separate rooms, but they were next to each other. In fact, Janie had discovered that they had adjoining doors into the other’s room. Hmm…. She thought about that…

  “… Well, good night,” Janie said while unlocking her door.

  “… Sleep tight,” he added, unlocking his.

  “Don’t let the bed bugs bite,” they finished together smiling. Okay, she thought, that’s silly. But it’s still so us… They had said that to each other as kids.

  Janie went into her hotel room and checked what she had brought to wear to bed. She was finally ready to try something… Trying to get up her nerve, she thought her nightwear wasn’t up to it. All she brought was a sleeveless tee shirt with Alcatraz Island written on it and some loose shorts. Somehow, she didn’t think it would matter. She went to the bathroom, brushed her teeth and let her hair down. She brushed it over and over, until it fell softly down on her shoulders. Janie thought that might do the trick. Then she walked over to the adjoining door, took a deep breath, and knocked softly on it.

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Craig looked surprised as he opened the door. He was wearing only loose sweats and his curly brown hair was damp from the shower. She walked into his room.

  “… Um… Janie, this is my room. Yours is over there.”

  “Really?” She looked around his room and then walked up to him.

  “Is that all you have to say?” She fluttered her eyelashes at him and he laughed. Craig tilted his head to look at her.

  “… You look very… Um… Are you trying to seduce me?”

  “Yes... Am I having any luck?”

  He looked deeply into her eyes and sighed. “You seduce me every time I see you and many times when I don’t… Janie…” She took a step closer. He reached out to caress her cheek. The time had come, so he took a very deep breath and said it.

  “You must know I love you… I desperately need to know how you feel about me.” She leaned into his hand and then kissed it. His soft eyes took her in.

  “You ninny… I’ve loved you all my life. Where have you been?”

  “Waiting for you, sweetheart. Just waiting for you…”

  He kissed her then. Oh… That had been forever coming… He enclosed her in his arms and held on tightly as the kiss deepened. Janie had never been kissed like this in her life and clung to him as they were swept away. Too soon, she pulled back a little.

  “No… Don’t go.” She smiled against his lips.

  “I just want to see your face.” He looked at her with tenderness and love.

  “Just what I thought – the Carter face.”

  “What?”

  “Never mind. Just kiss me… “ He smiled at how cute she was.

  “Yes, ma’am…”

  Her hands slid up his face and she kissed his nose and cheeks. His closed eyes and parted lips gave away his depth of feeling. She wrapped her arms around his neck and he pulled her closer. Kissing her in his arms was the best thing that had ever happened to Craig and he was going to enjoy it. Gently, he disentangled her arms and led her by the hand to his bed.

  “Are you ready for this, sweetheart?”

  She breathed hard… “Yes…” Craig lifted her tee shirt over her head and threw it somewhere. He gazed at her lovingly as he tugged her shorts down around her feet. He also tossed them away. She watched his every move…

  “I’d like to find those clothes again, you know,” she laughed.

  “Why? You’re not going to need them on this trip…” He gave her a long look, but she wasn’t a bit embarrassed at her nakedness. After all, this was Craig…

  He thought she might be nervous, as he laid her on the bed and got in beside her. It was probably new to her, but she responded to him with complete confidence. Craig covered them with the comforter and thought briefly of how many times he wished he were in this exact situation. Then thinking was just too hard…

  She demanded more from him and he was there to please. Craig began kissing her everywhere. Some places tickled and caused her to laugh. Every time she giggled, he would come back to her pretty face and kiss her lips until she begged for air. It was quite a routine until he demanded more. He moved her hands to caress his erection and then put it between her legs. He teased her again and again, until she finally insisted on more. Janie loved being in charge, but not this time… This time she let Craig take his sweet time making love to her. And it was wonderful… she obeyed him like a woman in a trance. Maybe she hadn’t consciously known, but somehow she always knew that Craig would be her love and lover for life. There couldn’t be anyone else…

  With his hands roaming freely over her body, she gave in to all sensations that his touch created. Is this what all the shouting’s about? Well, no wonder… She was glad she’d held out for love. Watching her rise and fall, Craig was a happy man. There would never be anyone for him but Janie. Making love with her was the icing on the proverbial cake. Coming down from that high, Janie snuggled into the crook of his arm and promptly fell asleep. He smiled, kissed the top of her head and pulled the covers over her. Craig felt he could have died right then and there… Life probably wasn’t going to get any better than this. Glancing at the clock, it was high time they got some sleep. Early day tomorrow… Drifting off, his last conscious thoughts were of Janie, wrapped in his arms, lightly snoring. He grinned thinking he’d have to kid her about that in the morning…

  But they didn’t quite make it to the morning…Craig had fallen into a deep, contented sleep and rousing him was difficult. Janie managed… He finally rose to consciousness awakened by warm movement on his chest. When he opened his eyes, his arms were still wrapped around her and she was kissing all over his chest and shoulders.

  “… So you don’t want to sleep tonight, I take it,” he said sleepily with eyes half closed. She grinned and began kissing all over his face and neck. When she came to his lips, he was smiling.

  “…Ah…No. Do you mind?”

  “I love you, Janie…” She laughed and he flipped her over, so he was on top. “My turn…” And this time, they made love to each other. Afterwards, Janie again snuggled happily into his side and wrapped herself around his torso. I better get used to this… She’s a snuggler. She was asleep again before he could say ‘boo’. He didn’t think he could love her any more than he already did, but he was wrong.

  ####

  They were nearly late to the shoot the next morning. Craig’s internal alarm had been shut off, thanks to Janie’s visit last night and her subsequent sleepover. Craig groggily glanced at the clock and had flown out of bed, effectively making Janie move as fast. No time for breakfast, but they arrived at the archery range just in time for the first round of archers. Janie was chosen in the first round, while Craig was in the second. There were less than half as many archers today, since so many had been eliminated. And only ten of the archers shooting t
oday would make it to the final round.

  The whistle blew for the archers to take their stand at the shooting line. It blew again for them to ready their bows, nock the arrows and shoot. Janie shot her first arrow and then looked back at Craig. It was all he could do not to laugh at her – They had dressed so rapidly that her polo shirt was inside out. She raised her eyebrows at his expression and then turned back to shoot her final arrows for the round. Her score was not bad, but not as good as yesterday. She turned around to shrug her shoulders at him. He grinned… Her mind was probably not as focused today on the event, as it had been yesterday. Craig almost laughed out loud remembering why…

  After she had shot all her rounds, her tally was 278/360. Janie neither knew nor cared at this point if she made the elimination round. Her mind was very distracted with thoughts of kissing Craig, which she would have preferred to be doing. But she could usually concentrate better than this… Walking back to him, he got up to take his position for the next round of archers. He smiled at her as he picked up his bow and quiver.

  “… Mind not on your game today, miss?”

  “No…”

  “Huh… Wonder why…”

  “Okay, smarty. Let’s see how you do.”

  With those words ringing in his ears, Craig shot a score of 348/360 for his six rounds. She opened her mouth in surprise – It was unbelievable that his scores were so good. He walked back over to her with a sassy grin.

  “How could you possibly…”

  “… I could have done much better, if I’d gotten more sleep…” They smiled at each other…

  A quick break for lunch and then the afternoon’s rounds were posted. Craig was in the first round, while Janie was in the third. About halfway through Craig’s round, Sandy and Bill showed up. Sandy walked over and sat down by Janie.

  “Hi sweetie. How’s he doing?”

  “Hey, Dad… Uncle Bill… Really well… I’ve never seen him shoot this well.”

  He looked at her and grinned. “New practice technique?” Janie gulped.

  Can he read my mind? He was wondering what was wrong with her shirt.