Hide and seek (freewrite)

There was a man hiding far out, in the bushes. He thought she hadn't seen him, but she was very aware. She'd learned to be on the lookout for men, especially when she was alone in the field, like now. She hadn't seen his face and hadn't been able to size him up, which had become habit.
But she was prepared to run. She gathered the bamboo in a neat pile, always watching the end of the field, out of the corner of her eye, always ready to bolt at the first sign of movement. She wasn't much in the way of defense, but she was a hell of a runner and he'd never catch her.

But he didn't want to catch her, the man knew. He'd seen her beautiful blonde hair shining in the dim sunlight, as he was bathing in the river. She'd passed him without noticing. Or perhaps she had seen him, but anyway, she kept walking. He wasn't sure why he'd followed her, his shirt in his hand. He wasn't in love. His wife, Marieanne, awaited at home. Besides, what could he possibly want with this silly girl? She couldn't be more than sixteen and he was a decent, married man. But something in him had prompted him to follow.
He watched her, mesmerized, as she gathered. The fast, precise movement of her hands, which he couldn't see clearly. But he did see her waist.
Oh, her perfect, petite waist that would fit like a dream over his own stomach. Why was he having these thoughts?
The man felt a mixture of disgust and wonder at himself, yet he couldn't drag himself away from this child in the field.
The girl wasn't of extraordinary beauty, with pale blue eyes that would flash him sometimes, when she thought she was being discreet and stealthy. Truth was, he'd seen her watching and had welcomed it and dreaded it, at the same time.
He wanted her to see him because perhaps she understood, perhaps she could tell him what the missing piece of this puzzle in his head was.
Or perhaps not.
So, he stood in the bushes, watching, hoping to catch a hint of salvation.

The man has watched the girl many times before, as she had watched him. They've seen each other somewhere, in other lives, in different places, and as different people. They've seen a lot together, and some apart.
In some universes, they've found each other, in some, they've passed each other by. Sometimes, they've been happy, sometimes, very sad.
But they've always looked for each other.
In whatever universe.
In whatever time and place.
He looks for her in every dream.

I found you.

Prompt of the day was 'bamboo', cheers to @mariannewest for hosting the awesome 5 Minute Freewrite Challenge!