Chapter 24: Kent: Koa leads him to bathing cave

Kent followed Koa through the grove. His boots seemed a clumsy contrast to her bare feet; they caught in the leaves of the barely-discernible path she led them along. His faithless dogs had attached themselves to her, one on each side, staying close enough to touch as she walked.

He was a dog, too, because all he could think about was the fact that she carried no towel or extra clothing.

Was she just going to shed the little she wore in front of him, when they reached this “bathing cave”?

And then put those dirty scraps of clothing back on, after whatever came next..?

Would she have any sense of her nudity in front of him? Or was she as confident in her skin as she seemed to be in everything else they’d done so far?

He flashed back over the way they’d worked together to deal with the boar and prepare the meat for smoking. They’d scarcely spoken, but the tasks had flowed easily.

It was relaxing to be with someone so knowledgeable, someone he didn’t have to teach, explain to, or worry about. Koa’s tanned hands, whether wielding her knife, tying knots, or chopping wood, were skilled and efficient.

He tried to remember a time when he’d been with a woman whose presence he found both restful and exciting.

Never, of course.

He’d given up imagining such a scenario existed.

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