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I walked to the water’s edge and knelt next to hi the cold silk of the water kiss ainst his hand, wondering if he’d pull away In the bruised dark ainst the starlit surface I laid ers, light on dark I watched him as he turned his face towards me, his expression full of question I leaned into him, my eyes on his, and answered in the only way I kneould really hear ently across his, the way he had done after he’d washed ht before Only this ti the water we knelt beside I heard his swift intake of breath, but other then the clenching of his hand in mine, he held himself completely still as my lips played softly over his Still, I didn’t closehim
"Do you really believe what you do in the service of your country, for theyou need to explain to me?" My voice was just above a whisper, my face a breath from his
"You think you have to justify yourself to me? Me? Someone who’s never had to march umpteen one days on little to no sleep? Someone who hasn’t spent the last ten years in harsh conditions, with few comforts, sos to keep people safe?" I kissed hihtly on his jaw "Where would we all be without people like you?"
Sa the corners of his mouth And still he made no move to kiss me in return
"Do you remember what God told David? How He said David had too much blood on his hands?" Samuel’s voice was a hoarse whisper
"No Remind me" I remembered the story of David, of his lust for Bathsheba, his plot to murder her husband, and subsequently the death of their child The bible was full of such stories Anyone who said it was boring hadn’t read past Genesis
"God told David he couldn’t build the temple because he had too ather the materials for the temple, but God commands David’s son Solomon to actually build it"
"I don’t understand what you are trying to say to me, Samuel Do you think you have too race?"
Sa his line of thinking at all "David caused the death of Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, because Bathsheba was pregnant with David’s child, and David wanted her for himself Maybe that is the blood that is referred to, the blood God couldn’t overlook Not the blood of those that David had commanded in war, or killed in battle"
"Am I really so different?"
"Samuel! I don’t understand how you can equate yourself with David Even so, David died in God’s good graces He had repented for his sins, and we have the book of Psalms to prove he was favored by God" I was truly befuddled Sa better at waiting hied, and I ot a letter froht I would re, kind of ‘Oh by the way’" Samuel paused
"I reme, what I had been doing in theup to it I was coone for almost five years; I hadn’t seen you for ht I had time You see, in my mind, I always kept track I would mark time with your birthdays Josie is sixteen - but I’ Then out of the blue this kid came in and snatched you up, and you were suddenly taken"
I stared at Sa open, completely undone by what he had revealed Sah at rippedrandma mentioned his name and said that he was a nice local kid I just rery I was and how much I wanted to hunt him down I had another two years on my contract with the Marines, but all I wanted to do was come to Levan and kill hi you not toyou to wait forI realized I was holding my breath
"I never sent it I couldn’t I had absolutely no right"
Samuel suddenly held my face in his hands They were cold and still a little wet from the water I shivered as his eyes burned holes down into rand me Kasey had been killed I felt sick, because in one So am I really so different than David?"
I couldn’t answer i with the passion in his voice and the intensity in his eyes He interpreted my stunned silence as censure once more, and he dropped his hands fro you any of this But I just couldn’t let you kiss oodAnd the worse part is…I’lad he’s dead, I don’t wish that But yes, I’one And I don’t knohat kind of man that makes me"