She chose the town because of it's name. Nothing more.
She had been tracing the blue and green lines of the highways of America, when one such line led her to a name… Charming… It stood innocent and unprotected on the large scope of the US map.
She said it out loud in a whisper. Wanting to know how the name would taste on her lips. It had been…satisfactory.
So she had packed and left. Just like that.
It hadn't been hard at all. She had left nothing behind. She wasn't worried. She would more than likely find another minimum paying job within a few days. Her savings account could tide her over until then.
It took her only a week to pack her meager belongings into her Wrangler and had West. She found the town fairly easily. It showed itself to be disappointing. For some odd reason she had expected something more.
She found a small apartment in a neighborhood that could have been classified as bad. Maybe even the ghetto. But she wasn't worried. This place was like any other. As long as no one noticed her, she would survive. And what more was there to life than survival? Nothing, it seemed like to her.
She got a job at a lawyer's office as a receptionist. It was better than a her last job, which was being a store clerk and the local 7/11.
She especially liked that she finally had a good reason to start using her nice wardrobe. Most of which had been acquired at yard sales and thrift stores, but which still made her feel pretty. She took great pride in her appearance, a side affect of her mother's upbringing. It wasn't necessarily that she was pretty. No, she was to plain and plump for such an adjective. Yet it had always been a rule with her mother, that if she ever left the house, she needed to be put together.
She settled, as she did in any other town. And then she heard the rumble of Harley's and everything changed.
It was nearing noon, and Edith still hadn't had a chance to let Mr. Monroe know that she would need to leave the office for lunch. She hoped it would be okay. Mr. Monroe was a really nice guy and Edith didn't think he would throw a fit if she went to the garage to get her Jeep looked at.
She finished typing Mr. Monroe's case file. She took a second to smooth her peach top and black slacks. She took out her little compact mirror and made sure that her makeup was fresh looking and her appearance put together. She looked down at her outfit. She loved that particular top, it made her skin glow. When she was satisfied, she went into Mr. Monroe's office.
"Yes Edith?"
"Mr. Monroe, would it be alright if I left the office for my lunch break? I need to have my car looked at." The words came out rushed and clumsy, but she was nervous. She was always nervous.
"Of course Edith. You don't even have to ask. Your lunch break is yours to do with as you please." He offered with a genial smile.
Edith smiled in return, thanked him and left.
The ride to the garage was an anxious one. Her beloved Jeep had been making strange coughing noises that made it jump when ever she tried to accelerate. She had to put off any sort of repairs for a few weeks, because she needed to first start establishing herself before she could afford luxuries such as car repairs. But she had finally gotten around to having enough money to afford some minor car repairs. And she prayed to God that they would be just that, minor.
When she entered the car lot of the garage she had to admit that she was intimidated. She had never seen so many large men with so many tattoos before. She steadied her breathing before she exited her car and walked towards what appeared to be the office.
Inside, sitting by the computer was a stunning, and what Edith was sure to be called "sexy" older woman. She had dark hair with blonde high lights and wore tight clothes, that didn't appear trashy, but rather intimidating like the men. The woman was absorbed with the books in her hands that she didn't hear Edith enter.
"Ma'am?" Edith called out, but too loudly because the would be unladylike and if her mama had taught her anything it was that a lady never raised her voice.
The woman looked up and her sharp glare assessed Edith form head to toe. Edith almost squirmed under the intense gaze, but managed to hold herself together at the very last minute with her mother's word echoing in her mind.
"Can I help you?" Just like her eyes, her tone was direct.
"I hope so. I just need my car looked at. It's been making some strange noises and I haven't got the faintest clue as to what it might be." Edith offered a kind, yet sheepish smile. She had not been kind to her beloved Jeep. It was not out of any sort of malice, but rather ignorance. And no matter how many things she read up on, she could never figure out how to properly take care of her car.
"Alright." The woman answered in a bored tone.
Edith gasped in realization. " I'm sorry ma'am. I forgot to introduce myself. My name is Edith McAlister." She moved further into the room and held out her hand. The woman looked surprised, but recovered quickly.
"Gemma." Gemma took her hand and shook it, and Edith felt much better. Gemma watched a shy smile cross across the girls face and felt somewhat chagrined. It hadn't been her intention to make the girl nervous, but with the baby and everything else that had been happening… well it seemed hard to hold on to social niceties.
"It's nice to meet you Gemma. My Jeep is right outside." Edith offered.
"Hold it for a second. I need to have one of the boys look at it, and he'll need to talk to you." Gemma left the office and Edith followed. Once they were next to her Jeep Gemma seemed to shout out what sounded like "Jacks" but Edith couldn't be sure. Not soon after a handsome blonde man was with them.
"What's up Ma?" The man offered Edith a boyish grin. Edith returned it with a polite smile. She could already tell, with that simple grin that this man was still more boy than fully matured man and still full of mischief.
Jaxs looked at the broad in front of the sweet forest green Wrangler. She obviously wasn't around these parts. At least not from her expensive looking clothes. He moved closer to her, his grin stretching, at least she had a nice rack.
"Edith needs some work done." Gemma watched her son taking in Edith, working his charm on her. The boy never turned it off. Gemma almost felt sorry for Edith, but then again, she felt sorry for all the dumb bitches that let themselves be manipulated so easily. She glanced at Edith and did a double take. The girl wasn't falling for him. She still had that polite, but distant smile on her face.
"What's seems to be the problem darling?" Jaxs asked, his tone dropping to a low timber. He moved closer to Edith still. She was a little heavier than what he preferred, but she had beautiful, milky skin, and large doe brown eyes. Her hair was beautiful as well. It was shiny brown and seemed to be curly. He couldn't really tell since it was made up. But it still looked nice, sophisticated. He bet she would be all quiet moans and gasps. She would be a real lady in the sack. He really did need a change.
"Well… Jack?" Edith started.
"Jax. Like Jackson, but shorter." Jax offered.
"Right, Jaxs. My Jeep has been making a strange noise every time I start it or accelerate. It allows does a little jump every time I do those things." Edith's brows furrowed in worry.
"Well I'm sure we'll get that taken care of you, Edith." Jax presented. He just noticed that she had a cute mouth. It was small but plump. The upper and lower lips almost equal in size, making them look like they has recently been kissed.
"Wonderful. Thank you so very much Jaxs." Edith smiled again, this time looking more genuine. Gemma noticed that she was still not looking at Jaxs with lust, but her boy sure was giving her the seeing over.
"Let's go back into the office and get everything ironed out." Gemma motioned back towards the office.
"Give Jaxs the keys, and he'll get started." Edith offered the keys readily and Jaxs left them both with a cocky salute goodbye. Edith and Gemma went back into the small and cluttered office.
Gemma pulled out the official paperwork that would need to be filled out. They both took a seat. Gemma noticed that Edith retained her posture even as she was sitting. She would have thought it stuck up, but nothing else about Edith suggested that she was so Gemma let it go.
"I don't think I've seen you around here before." Gemma started as she watched Edith fill out the paperwork. Edith paused and looked up.
"Oh, I've only moved her about a month ago. And I'm not much for socializing." Edith finished quietly with a small, sad smile.
"Hmm. What do you think about my son?" Gemma asked. Edith only looked at her questioningly.
"Jaxs." Gemma elaborated.
"He seems nice." Edith said, slightly baffled.
"You wanna hit that?" The question was completely unexpected.
"No ma'am." Edith fired back, somewhat outraged.
Gemma laughed. "Damn! You look pissed, honey."
"No need to worry. I'm not interested in boys. Never have been." Edith replied. Her tone was even and Gemma thought there was slight anger in it.
Gemma stopped laughing. "Good. I like smart bitches." Edith sat stunned for a second, but then the approving look on Gemma's face reassured her that she meant no insult, in fact, Edith felt like she was being complimented. A smile stretched across her face as she stared at Gemma.
"So what do you prefer… women?" Gemma asked after another moment of silence had passed.
Edith finished signing her name at the bottom of the forms with a flourish. She smiled in accomplishment. She looked up at Gemma.
"No ma'am. I prefer man." Edith finished with a smirk. Gemma laughed again, and this time Edith joined her.
"We'll give you a call when they find the cause for your Jeep problems. If you agree to the price, we'll get everything started." Edith and Gemma were standing right outside the garage. Edith glanced at her watch. She still had about 20 minutes before she would have to be back at work.
"That's fine Gemma. You have my number. Feel free to leave a message because I probably won't answer until after work." Edith looked inside her purse quickly.
"You know, let me give you my work number as well. That way if you don't hear from me in a couple of days, you can reach me there. I have a tendency of losing my phone." Edith gave her the card with her work number and her name on it. She was very proud of those business cards. They made her feel like she was important.
Gemma took the card and ran it through her fingers. She was looking at Edith intently. "What are you doing this Friday?"
"I don't really know. More than likely nothing." Edith replied. She looked around the garage. The men all looked very menacing. The motorcycles lined up on the side of the building added to that menace.
"Come to dinner." Gemma commended.
"I'm sorry?" Edith asked startled.
"Dinner. Friday at seven. Come early." Gemma brooked no room for an argument.
Edith wasn't sure what was going on, but it was the first time anyone had ever asked her out to dinner and that was something new and wonderful to her. But why would Gemma want for her to come. She needed to know.
"Why do you want me to come?" She asked. Edith didn't have the best outlook of the world. The world had shown itself to be cruel and miserable with little regard for Edith. She was just one small human in an endless universe. She had come to terms with her insignificants, but she understood that not everyone else had.
"I like you." Gemma pursed her lips as if the confession angered her in some way. "I can't say that that's ever happened before."
Edith stood in front of her a little stunned. Gemma's words left a light feeling in her chest that made her grin like an idiot.
Before she could give Gemma her confirmation, she heard a ruckus across the lot. In came six Harleys, the rumble of the engine making the earth vibrate below Edith's stilettos. She felt the vibration all the way to the apex between her thighs. There was just something about a big man on a big bike that sent her thoughts reeling, and her thighs clenching.
She watched the men get off their bikes and take off their helmets. One man, his hairs curly and his face a rugged mask set in a slight sneer held most of her attention. She watched as he took of his sun glasses and the glacier blue of his eyes almost made her pant.
She watched as he said something to another man and turned to her direction. He piercing eyes looked her over lazily, taking in every rise and dip of her body. When he finally got to her face, Edith quickly but subtly turned her head to Gemma. She gave her what she hoped was a genuine smile.
"I would love to come over to dinner. Should I bring anything?" She asked. She could feel the man's gaze still on her. She fought to keep herself from gasping. The man had a way about him, his eyes and body confident promising something more than simple satisfaction. Something… like ecstasy.
Danger! Her brain screamed. That part that told her that she needed to run, needed to hide, it was warning her again. And she always listened.
"No. Just come early." Gemma walked back into the office. Edith watched her until the door closed. She turned to leave. On her way, she knew she would have to pass by the bikers. She lowered her head and didn't look at them… at him. And all the way back to her office her brain screamed Danger.
"Yo, Gem." Tig called as he entered the office.
"What is it, Tig?" Gemma didn't look up from her work.
"Who was the broad?" Tig asked picking up some papers and looking at them. He didn't understand any of it. Shit, thank god he was only there to kill.
Gemma paused her work, and resumed quickly. "Potential customer. Why do you ask?"
"No reason." He leaned back against the wall, crossed his arms and sighed.
"You need something, Tig?" Gemma looked at him over her glasses. And damn if she didn't look like his second grate teacher.
"No. I'm good." He said. He started to walk out, paused for a second - Gemma was sure he was going to say something - but he didn't. He just walked out.
Edith spent the rest of the day trying not to think about The Man. Somehow the title seemed apt. With his curly black hair and an intense gaze, he was all man. There were several times where she had to literarily shake herself out of her lustful thoughts. Not that he would be interested in someone like her. A man like that was only interested in hot women who wore little clothes and large heeled shoes.
She looked down at her own 3 inch stilettos. Not just high heels then, but trashy looking shoes. The once with lots of glitter and sequence. Edith wouldn't be caught dead with shoes like that.
She went back to the computer screen. It said 6:03pm on the bottom right hand corner. It was time to go home. She saved her work and turned off her monitor. Mr. Monroe had left a few hours earlier and the office was empty save for her. She looked out of one of the large windows by her desk. The sun was still high even now. She supposed those were the perks of living in California in July.
She went around and turned off lights; mostly in Mr. Monroe's office and the kitchen. She tended to leave the lights off in the main lobby where she worked because the large window's provided plenty of light and she preferred the natural light over the artificial that the florescent bulbs provided.
She picked up her purse and made a final sweep through the office, making sure that all the cabinets were locked before she left. She locked the door and stood in front of the entrance for a second. The office was located on Main St. in the heart of Charming. It was a wonderful location and Edith loved the ride to and from work. But her apartment would a long walk, and she was starving since she never got around to eating.
She decided to walk over to the little restaurant a few block away from the office. She hiked up the strep of her purse and started waking. This part of Charming was not disappointing at all. It was… quant. Like a part of a long forgotten American history.
But it wasn't completely perfect. The little imperfections made it all the more real to her, and she appreciated that. Only because she had a tendency to forget what the world around her really was. The tattoo parlor with the young women of ill repute and young boys with big egos standing outside, posturing like peacocks. And next door, a bar. There was no posturing around the bar. The man that hung around there, had no need for petty posing, they stood tall and proud and confident in their place in the world. The women were different from the men. They resembled the same young women of ill repute, still posturing, some of them older, beaten by life but still hanging on the thread of their youth by giving themselves to anyone that would take them.
Edith was disgusted by them. She tried not to be, she really did. But she couldn't help the quick wave of repulsion the moment a young women, who looked no older than nineteen, with a skirt that seemed to consist of 3 inches of material and a bra stumbled out of the bar with a man three times her age groping at any bit of flesh he could get his hands on.
Edith hurried her step when it was time to cross before the bar. But quickly looking up and down the street, she decided to cross over to the other side. Her cute, tan stilettos made a comforting "click, click" as she rushed across the road. She was on the other side before she allowed herself to breathe again.
The bar was several feet behind her before the heard the sound of heavy boots hitting the pavement. She noticed the sound only because it was quick and then it seemed to slow when it came nearer to her. It almost sounded like someone was following her.
Edith bit her lip nervously. No, no one was following her. Why would they? She was a nobody. She let out a shaky breath and found that even without her consent her feet very moving just a little bit faster. And again the boots behind her seemed to speed up.
The restaurant was so close, only two more blocks and she would be inside the safety of a low lit space with lots of people that wouldn't see her. She craved that anonymity that it would give her.
She was coming across an alley. She could see that it was especially dark because the street light before it was out. It was menacing in an otherwise well lit street. A hand grabbed her shoulder from behind and steered her into the alley. She felt her breath catch in her throat, but she couldn't scream. The hand turned her around and pushed her until her back was flush against the wall.
Edith looked forward, expecting to see a face but only seeing a hard chest covered in a blue shirt with a leather west. Her eyes traveled upward. First came the strong jaw, then the high cheekbones and at last the haunting blue of The Man.
"Hello darlin'." His voice was like nothing she had ever heard before. It was a low growl, but also slow and languid, yet mischievous. As if it was going to spring on her a cruel joke.
"I don't believe that we've been formally introduced." She felt his hot breath waft over her forehead. He was close, only an inch separated them; one strong arm closed her in from the outside world while the rest of his body seemed to tease her with awareness.
"E-Edith McAllister." She stammered and brought one hand between their bodies for a shake. He looked down at her small trembling hand in amusement. He brought his face back up.
"Alexander Tragger. At your service." He took her small, soft hand in his much larger one and shook it up and down once. When he was done he didn't let go of her.
Edith swallowed. She couldn't keep long eye contact with him. His rough hand was dry around her own. He was probably getting grossed out by her sweating palms. He showed no sign of urgency or anxiety. He simply studied her from head to toe.
"Can…can I help you?" Edith finally asked. Alexander tilted his head to the side, not in a questioning manner, but mostly to view her at a different angel.
"You're wearing pants." He said obviously.
"I know…" But she didn't really. She didn't understand the man in front of her. He made her insides clench in anticipation, made her want to arch into him, and set of the danger signals in her brain.
"How about you come home with me tonight." It wasn't that he was suggesting it. Edith looked at his rough features and wanted to desperately caress them. Maybe he would be yielding beneath her touch - the hand holding hers tightened - and maybe he wouldn't.
"I-I can't." She whimpered as he moved closer. It was a frightful little whimper, like an animal would make when cornered by a predator.
"Why not?" And now his voice had started to purr, and Edith felt the vibrations in his chest, so close to hers, making her breasts react.
"Because." His face lowered to hers and Edith felt the her body give a large shudder that made her breast push against his chest. The contact was brief, but Edith still continued to feel the thrill of the quick touch.
"You scare me." Edith briefly saw a smirk steal across his lips before they connected with hers.
His lips were surprisingly soft against hers. "Nothing to be scared about." He whispered.
He let go of her hand. She felt his hand go to the hem of her shirt. The soft cotton of the peach top felt wonderful against her skin. She wondered if he also liked the feel. She then noticed his hand slip underneath the hem and rest on the lower part of her stomach. She inhaled sharply and waited for his next move. He raised his hand, moving towards her breast. Strangely Edith found herself enjoying the rough texture of his palm.
"So fucking soft." He breathed into their kiss.
The kiss was the best she had ever had. It wasn't just the technique - even though the playful teasing of his tongue was extraordinary - it was the intensity. Alexander was kissing her with full intent and focus centered on her.
At last his hand cupped around her breast and his tongue entered her mouth completely. The teasing seemed to be over. Now there was only forceful possession. His hand slipped under her bra and cupped around her bare breast and Edith felt a spike in her core.
Finally they parted both needing to breath. Alexander lifted his hand from beneath her shirt and stepped back. Edith focused only on breathing and staying upright. He looked at her flushed face and her plump lips all moist and red from his assault.
"Don't wear pants. They're a pain in the ass. Only dresses or skirts." He said. Edith looked at him blankly. He gripped her chin and brought her face close to his.
"Got it?" He growled. Edith nodded slowly .
"Good." He let go of her chin and she leaned back against the wall.
"Because if you do wear pants again, I'm going to have to punish you." He gave her another smirk full of promise and left. Edith watched him cross the street and go back into the bar.
