They were sitting with backs against a boulder in a sandy wash. The winter sun was warm, not hot as it would be later in the year. Sandwiches appeared from her pack. Oddly named sodas from his.
"I have a question for you, but not until later. Is this a date or what?"
Elizabeth was in his geology class, and he had invited her on a hike that supposedly would help them complete a rock identification homework assignment.
"Does a homework assignment have to be a date?" he asked, frowning. She leaned forward and used her pretty blue eyes to stare him down.
"Just trying to figure you out. My mom asked if I should be out in the desert with a guy I don't really know."
"I like your Mom. Looking out for her kid. Do the two of you get along?"
She looked at him at him for another long minute. "This isn't working. I was giving you some sass from my feminism class, and what I get back is a softball nice guy response." She crawled forward into his arms and closed her eyes.
"You are a nice package. We could have a nap if things weren't so rocky here."
She sat up and pulled off her top. The modest breasts didn't need a bra. At least she didn't think so today.
"I'm not on a rock. I like what I'm leaning on and need tan on my tits."
"Professor Jones would ask what happened to rock study?"
She giggled and pulled his hands to her front. "It's going on right now. Are those igneous or sedimentary rocks that you have in your hands?"
He pinched the stiffening tips and nibbled on her ear lobe.
"This isn't in the feminist handbook," he said. "You are hitting on me instead of me hitting on you."
Keeping her eyes closed against the sun, she reached up and pulled his head down until their lips touched. The kiss went on for a long time. After it was over, she said, "I do get along with my Mom. If we hurry up with the homework, she will even feed us dinner and allow some cuddling on the living room sofa."
He was humming with approval and gently working over the tits. It made her antsy. Jumping up and refilling the packs, she said, "I have to warn you that she asked me this morning why there are no guys in my life. She said, 'Elizabeth, all you do is study and play volleyball. There is more to life...' "
"So first, she worried about you being with me out here, and then she wants to know why more like me aren't chasing you?"
She locked her arm around his neck and extracted another kiss. "Haven't you learned to deal with women when they are inconsistent?"
She pushed her arms through the pack straps and strolled up the wash, her eyes on the ground.
Once they put their minds to it, the homework was done in an hour. They even had closeup pictures of the properly named rocks.
Allan drove back and Libby phoned her mother. "Hi Mom. We found great rocks. Nothing bad happened. In fact, I'm bringing him home for dinner if that's all right."
"You are so excited maybe we have to go out? No Mom, that's for the second date and parents aren't invited!" She reached for his hand and pressed it against her chest.
"Seafood fettuccini? Does he eat broccoli? Flan for dessert?" He whispered yes.
She was wishing there wasn't a nasty console between them when he said, "Pretty fancy first date, don't you think? How do I rate?"
She gave him the stare and said, with a laugh, "We need to talk. What if we wash off the desert dust in the shower together? I'll tell Mom I need my back scrubbed."
"Your mother is going to throw me out of the house without dinner."
"You'd be surprised. Now that I am a coed, she keeps dropping hints about how much sex she had at my age. What if I ask her for sleepover privileges for you?"
"She is a therapist and an adjunct professor but got knocked up and raised you by herself?"
"Yes. I already told you about inconsistent women."
She swatted his head and said she couldn't understand their attraction on one day's notice. He growled and she felt herself gushing.
Amanda was as tall as Allan and gave him a crushing hug. "Allan, welcome to our home. I suppose my overly smart daughter has filled your ears with stories about her evil mother?"
Taking a chance, he brushed her lips with his and squeezed her hip. She jerked and gave him a look. "Elizabeth, you hit on him, so he has to hit on me?"
He was backed against the counter, with both of them applying kisses.
"I told him you were a known flirt, so I guess he decided to start the flirting early. Do we get a margarita to celebrate our hard work on the rocks?"
Dropping her arms, Amanda said, "Go wash off the sweat and I will provide refreshments." Allan thought her smile was allowing boy-girl games in the shower.
Libby kept the shower flow on low to make the hot last. Hands linked around his neck, she said, "I have two important things to tell you. First, I am still a virgin but want that to go away soon. Maybe you are the right guy to help with my problem?"
She paused and waited until he smiled and nodded. "Second, Amanda does a lot of couples therapy involving sex problems. She will offer to help."