"You know, having feelings for you is definitely ruining my reputation of being a heartless bitch." Petra said suddenly from her laying position on her… Boyfriend? Hook-up? Paramour?
Thing, she decided it was the best name for it right now. As she was saying, she commented that it was uncharacteristic of her having feelings without looking up from her laying position on her thing's lap.
They were having a date, laying together in the sand and enjoying one of the ever-present sunny afternoons at Lake Triumph, courtesy of Mount St. Helens' rain shadow. There was a tiny embankment, not large enough to fit more than four people at a time, on a nook on the usually rocky shores of the dam, hidden in amongst the trees.
Usually, it was forbidden to go down there through the lonely trail due to the drowning hazard, but bending the rules to have a private beach to their enjoyment was one of the privileges afforded to those that found themselves dating the town's police sheriff.
Parker glanced over at his girlfriend in surprise and concern. He was just about to counter that she was mostly certainly, under no reasonable standard, not a "heartless bitch", as she most kindly put it, before he realized that she was, in fact, being sarcastic.
The police officer let go of a sigh of relief. That was good, at least.
"How do you mean?"
Petra stared at Parker with her sky-blue eyes that he loved to let himself get lost on, her fair head whirring as the gears worked around and around in her mind.
Why the hell did she have to get feelings for him? Honestly, what the ever-loving fuck?
Petra was a free soul, a dry leaf floating away on the breeze. She liked to get on into her camper and travel around, blowing on with the wind to ever greener pastures. She wanted to see the world, and she did not care for stability or conventions.
Parker was everything but.
He was a cop, for starters. She wonders if he knew of her rather extensive criminal record, but even if he does not, he is a stickler for rules and stability and due process, all things she feels little but contempt for. He had standards and expectations for everything in his life.
All that depressed the blonde hippie.
Besides, she was no novice in the affairs of the heart. She has been there; she has done that. There was no part of this that was fun. Putting yourself on the line to show your feelings to someone else? Baring your soul? Being truthful about who you are? About how you felt?
Ugh, it sounded positively terrible, and now she was forced to do it.
What a load of crap.
"I like you."
There was what appeared to be stunned silence on Parker's part, as the wheels on his mind turned and he stared at the woman in surprise. He certainly was not expecting that kind of confession from her, her possession of a figurative heart notwithstanding.
In fact, the young man was pleasantly surprised every morning that he wakes up and sees that she is still around, instead of having ditched town carrying with her the little money he has saved and his gun.
Parker knew that he would not be able to provide the kind of life that she wanted, that they were very different people, but he did not have a whole lot growing up, he felt entitled to whatever little happiness he can muster, and Petra brings him that light happiness he never knew he was missing.
He just wanted to be selfish and reckless once in his life and keep her around for as long as he can.
"Excuse me, what?" He finally managed to formulate the lame question.
She rolled her eyes. "I like you, Parker. I like, like you. I've got a crush on you. Capische?"
"You like me?" He inquired again, still incredulous.
"Yes." The wiccan confirmed.
"Me? Are you sure of that?"
Petra quirked an eyebrow. "No, now that you mention it, I think meant the other Parker Shaw. Of course, it's you, Parker!"
Parker leant back, resting his weight on his hands on the sand. He was feeling quite gobsmacked by all of this.
"I'm sorry, but I can't really believe you like me..." There was another moment of silence before the policeman suddenly realized what he was supposed to be saying right about now. "I mean, I like you too!"
The blonde let out a snort of laughter. "Well, isn't that convenient, Officer Shaw?"
His face, however, was not displaying joy, but rather was scrunched with some sort of unease. "What are we going to do about this?"
She shrugged. "Well, I don't know about you, but I'm dying for some swimming. I'm going to put on some sunscreen and go into the water. You can come with me if you like."
"I mean…" He tried to clarify, but the blonde cut him off with a finger to his lips.
"I know what you meant." She said softly. "Don't worry, Parker. We'll go at it one day at a time, step by step. We'll figure it all out eventually. Just relax and enjoy the ride."
Petra closed her statement with a sweet kiss to his mouth, a smirk and went into the water.
The man lets go a breath he did not know he was holding and smiles widely back at her. If there is one thing that he loves about that woman is how much light she makes him feel. He felt like there was no concerns, no responsibilities in the world he had to attend to.
Parker felt as if he could walk on air.
It was with that sensation and an easy smile on his face that he took off his shirt and pants and went into the water after his girlfriend.
Life could be grand, and he was ready to seize it.