Mission Compromised

“Hey, Carolyn.”

“Hey, Robbie. What’s up?” She shoved her hands into her pockets and gazed up at him, curious. He’d sought her out while she was eating dinner with John, Nurse Marie, and Captain Lyle in the instrument rig, asked to talk to her after the concert, so here she was, standing in one of the backstage nooks and crannies.

Bob shifted nervously from foot to foot, and Carolyn noticed vaguely that he was still wearing his gloves. She was hyperaware of the noise around them, cataloguing who was running back and forth and where all the exits were.

“So, I wanted to talk to you.” Bob dragged a hand through his hair, and Carolyn realized he looked very nervous.

“Is something the matter?” Her job was to keep him safe, and she had to be aware of any situation that might compromise his safety. Her attention span kicked into overdrive, and she scanned her surroundings once more. Was someone following him?

“I really, really like you,” Bob said.

Carolyn smiled tightly. “That’s great, Robbie. I like you too. But you know that. We’re friends.” She glanced over her shoulder when an unfamiliar man wearing a venue security shirt walked by, and then she felt a hand on her arm.

“Carolyn.”

She turned to look back at Bob. He was looking back down at her, and something about his expression was odd. His eyes were dark, so dark they were almost black, and wide, as if he were afraid, but something about the set of his jaw was serious, determined.

He squeezed her arm gently, and said, “I really, really like you.”

She smiled again, more brightly this time. “I like you too.” Why was he repeating himself?

Bob slid his hand tentatively up her arm, and he was smiling, but his hand was shaking. “You really are still a tomboy, sometimes, despite the new skirts.” He stepped closer. “I like you, Carolyn Pierce.”

Two seconds before he leaned in and kissed her, Carolyn realized what he meant. Her first thought was, Oh no. Mission compromised, followed by, That feels good. Bob’s mouth on hers was warm and soft, and when Carolyn closed her eyes all she knew was the sensation of lips pressed against lips, her heart trying to climb out of her ribcage, the rough nylon and soft leather of Bob’s gloves where his hands were curled around her elbows to tug her close.

Bob pulled back, and his eyes were wide, full of anticipation. And fear.

Carolyn gazed at him for a long moment, scrambling to find words, but she must have waited for too long, because he started to pull away. She reached out, caught his wrist.

“Hey Robbie,” she said. “I like you too.” Her every instinct screamed for her to stop, but she leaned up on her toes and kissed him. He slid his arms around her waist, and for the first time, she felt like she’d come home.

(495 words)