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The sweltering sun sagged in the smooth purple sky. The air was heavy and dense with humidity. Heat radiated off the bluegrass in sheets of shimmering rays, distorting the beautiful mountains in the distance. It stifled his breath like a wet blanket offering no relief as he inhaled, the smells of summer damp and sticking in his nostrils.
The lazy days of a Kentucky summer seemed to ooze by like molasses. A welcome breeze cooled him and gently sifted through his unkempt hair as he sat beneath the old weeping willow on the front drive. His lanky jean-clad legs were curled to his youthful bare chest, naked ankles crossed. The light beat down on him him as he watched the clouds drift by.
Above the soft and cheerful pit-pitasee of the flycatcher pipping his song through the holler and the gentle rustling of foliage as the fleeting air caressed the trees, the sounds of the vicious domestic occurring inside his home reached his ears. His good-for-nothing drunk thief of a father and his too-quick-to-forgive mother were at it again.
Arlo'd been deep in his cups at the VFW hall again and had staggered home looking to fight. Francis had, of course, told the boy to go outside. He needn't worry she said, just as she always did. Arlo would sleep it off, she assured him. No need to get him riled further by hanging around. She'd keep him appeased until his own whiskey lulled him back into a sleepy stupor again. Raylan knew there was no pleasing that man. There were no right answers to his drunken questions. All paths lead to the same place, one that left blue-purple bruises and scars on both Raylan and his mother.
It's why he was waiting on the lawn, avoiding Arlo and not wanting to see his mother scurrying around the kitchen feverishly preparing dinner for him, a forced smile plastered on her face as she tried to charm her way out of his path. Raylan knew she'd have a new excuse for the shiner she'd have when he returned. A friend promised to rescue him- take him fishing. An hour ago. He looked down at the insects scurrying around his bare feet. As he pondered how life must be for a bug and if he ought scoop some of these up for bait, he heard the familiar roar of an inline six.
He stood and collected his pole and pail of bait from their respective resting places against the sad, old, knotted tree in the relative coolness beneath it's canopy. He snugged his Harlan High School Baseball hat low over his eyes. It felt tight. Must be time for a haircut again he thought, as he smoothed a calloused hand over the unruly sorrel locks which stuck out in shaggy sprigs around his ears.
He stepped out of the shade and squinted into the sun at the column of dust rising above the trees. The rumbling grew closer as a truck skittered down the crusty holler road. Boyd Crowder leaned from the drivers window. He was waiving and grinning with his wild, onyx hair predictably standing on end, clutch in his Daddy's faded blue Ford chattering as he slowed. A plume of dust bellowed around him and a shower of grit sandblasted the fenders.
Boyd was a curious sort, Raylan thought. He was a mystery. Sometimes he was dangerous and wily like a rabid fox, other times he'd be pensive and timid or bold and obnoxious. Raylan liked that he had layers. He enjoyed having someone as damaged as he was around to have his back. Boyd was good in a fight. His fists were as fast as his silver tongue. He and Raylan were those rare kinds that can back up their shit-talking. They would often scrap with other kids over girls and cars and other stupid things. Sometimes the two of them would go looking for trouble, just for the fun of getting roughed up a bit and the satisfaction of drawing blood from those kids in turn. Boyd was smart, too, nose always buried in some book about philosophy or chemistry. By all accounts, he should grow up to be somebody if he could wriggle out from under his daddy's imposing shadow. They had a lot in common coming from homes run by fear and violence. Raylan liked most his easy smile and quick wit when he was relaxed, like after a good fight or a few beers.
Raylan shot his buddy a wide smile and strode with a sweeping gait toward the road. He padded his bare feet across the scorching ground to the passenger side. He hoisted his gear into the bed next to Boyd's, the tender skin of his belly sizzling as it brushed the blistering sheet metal of the truck. The rusted hinges protested as he pried the door open.
The vinyl seat seared his naked back as he wrestled the window down and took a long drag on his hand rolled cigarette. He passed it to Boyd, who sucked it til the ashes grew long and blew smoke rings off his practiced tongue before letting out a chuckle at Raylan's wide-eyed amusement in his newest parlor trick, streams of poison vapors snaking from his nostrils.
They laughed their way up to the nearest creek, Lynyrd Skynyrd and .38 Special coming in low on the radio through the static. When they reached the stream, Boyd skillfully swung the tailgate toward the edge of the bank after a brief struggle with the rebel flag shifter knob, which elicited groaning complaints from the tired gears and a few colorful words from Boyd.
They peeled themselves off the seat and poured out of the cab into the comparatively cooler air near the stream. Raylan took off his hat to sift through his damp hair before replacing it. He stepped onto the rear tire, toes gripping its deep tread and swung a wiry leg over into the bed. Boyd did the same on the opposite side. They dropped their lines into the tepid, slow moving water and reclined against the wheel wells. Raylan deftly cracked open two frosty beers from the cooler with his weathered hands and passed one to his buddy. They sat without saying much enjoying the bird songs and serenity.
After several hours of not so much as a nibble, they decided this spot must be fished out from all the area kids coming here to escape their miscreant parents. They packed up their empties, reeled in their lines and crawled back into the cab. Boyd fished the keys out of his tattered jeans and tried to fire up the old truck. Nothing. The boys shared a knowing smile and climbed back out into the sweltering heat.
Boyd popped the hood and propped it open with an broom handle he carried with him. They wrenched on the old girl for a while, trying to pinpoint the problem. Raylan brushed corrosion from the battery terminals and reconnected them. Boyd filed the points til they were flat. They checked the connections on the distributor, coil and each plug. Still nothing. The sun was starting to set and they were running out of light.
Raylan drew a deep breath and removed his hat, defeated. He passed a greasy forearm across the beads of sweat forming on his forehead, leaving a dark smudge there and matching fingerprints on his hat. Boyd snorted smoke from his nose and took another swing of his beer.
Boyd's house was closest so they set off walking there in search of tools, parts and more skilled mechanics. Bowman was a whiz with those old Fords. He'd know just how to fix it. Coated in grease up to their elbows and with soaked in sweat, they sauntered down the road an icy beer each and plaid shirts slung over their shoulders.
A few miles down the road they heard a vehicle approaching. They flagged down the driver as the lights hit them. A surprised Ava grinned at them from the drivers seat. She smiled sweetly as they piled into her Bronco like sardines in a tin. Raylan's long legs crowded Ava's shifter. All three touched shoulders. It was unbearably humid, even with the windows rolled down.
They got to Boyd's around the same time the fight raging there was busting out the front door and spilling onto the lawn. Boyd thanked Ava for the ride and Raylan for his help with the truck. He excused Raylan from going back to the truck afraid that if he brought it up just now his old man might whip him.
"Come get me tomorrow, Raylan. I'll gather some parts and tools and we'll go wrench on her some more. We'll get her home one way or another," he said and nodded with a broad smile. He swung the door closed with gusto to ensure it latched and they watched as he ascended the hill to the front door, stepping over empties and gingerly opening the screen door as to not alert the drunken brawlers around the corner on the porch of his presence.
Raylan scooted away from Ava to a more comfortable distance in the heat. They rode back towards the Givens part of town mostly in silence. The brisk night air was a welcome change from the day's blistering sun. He tugged his shirt on but left it unbuttoned. The skin on his shoulders felt tender from the slight sunburn he'd sustained. He was terribly thirsty. He lapped his sticky tongue over dried lips.
"Wanna stop at the store for a Coke, Raylan,"Ava asked brimming with happiness. She could tell he was thirsty even though he wasn't saying anything. He was too stoic to complain. It was woman's intuition. At the ripe old age of sixteen, Ava had grown to know enough about men to tell when one was thirsty.
She had been eyeballing him since her headlights illuminated him on the dirt road to Rabbit's Holler. Today must be her lucky day. She'd always had a crush on Raylan Givens. He was so tall and athletic. All of the older girls would flirt with him, bat their big, dumb doe-eyes at his dreamy face as he rounded the bases, lanky legs carrying his lightly muscled frame easily around the field. His smooth, tanned skin shone in her headlights, even beneath the grease that smeared his chest, face and halfway up his powerful forearms.
"Sure, Ava," he said looking at her quizzically. She was more than cute, that was for sure, but her daddy kept battalion of Bluetick Coonhounds and a loaded double barrel for older boys like him who'd come sniffing around her. He thought she might be flirting with him, the way she fluttered her eyelashes and blushed at his every word. He'd have to keep a safe distance even though her luscious, golden hair did smell like lavender and even though her supple chest glistened with sweat in the moonlight below her soft, dewy cheeks. He forced himself to think about anything else and peeled his eyes away to gaze at the empty road coming into view in the dim headlights.
They pulled into the general store around 8:30. They hopped out, into the rough gravel of the driveway. Raylan cursed softly as he managed to find every pointy rock with his tender heels. Ava giggled when he apologized.
He washed off some of the filth from the day with the tap outside of the store and his handkerchief. She watched as he drew the damp cloth over his face and along the back of his neck.
Her eyes followed a stray water droplet as it meandered over his collarbone, lingering briefly on his beautifully sculpted chest then licking his navel before disappearing into his jeans. She swallowed hard, suddenly rather thirsty herself.
They bought Coke and an ice cream and sat on the storefront porch for a few minutes. They talked about school and Boyd and finally each other. Ava said something cute which made Raylan laugh. He closed his eyes and tilted his head back to let out a loud, infectious chortle and a flash of brilliant white teeth. She'd never seen someone smile quite like that, completely unburdened for a fleeting instant, free.
When he reopened his eyes, Ava's face was there, inches from his nose. She kissed him long and deep and he breathed in her lavender scent. She tasted like strawberries from her ice cream. Her tongue was cold and sweet as it darted over his, in and out of his mouth. Her hands traced the path of that curious droplet and found the soft skin of his stomach. She brushed her fingertips along his quaking abs down to the button on his jeans. He grabbed her by the shoulders and gently held her away.
"Ava," he began.
She interrupted with "Ava, stop? Or Ava, don't stop?" and smiled coyly at him, her cool blue eyes dancing like water dripping off an icicle in winter. He smiled and blushed. She could hardly believe it- she had made the Raylan Givens blush! It only fanned her fire.
He continued, "Ava, we're in public. It don't look right with you being so young and all. Your daddy'll tan my hide if word gets around."
"Daddy ain't gonna know, Raylan. Even if he found out, he couldn't tan your hide," she purred into his ear, running her soft hands over his biceps and making him shiver. "Besides, you're only two years older than me." She stuck her bottom lip out; luscious, pink and wet, glistening in the neon of the store's open sign.
He cleared his throat and stood up. "Let's get movin',"he said. She tossed him the keys and said she'd been driving all day. Raylan nonchalantly snatched the keys out of the air with the skills he'd honed on the field and oozed his way over to her truck.
She watched him with admiring eyes as he slunk like a jaguar, Levi's hugging him in all the right places. She got up when he reached the door and rushed to the passengers side. He started the truck up and wrestled it into drive and she waited to make her move.
Once they were cruising down the dirt road a safe distance from the store, she slid closer to him on the bench seat. He didn't seem to notice as he kept his eyes on the road. A moment passed and she scooted a little closer, cracks in the vinyl pinching the backs of her knees. He shifted gears and his elbow grazed her breast sending electricity rolling through her.
He looked over, a little shocked to see her so close. He started to say something as his eyes drifted back to the road. She reached up and trailed her tongue over his ear and sunk her teeth into his lobe. He leaned away, but could only get so far while keeping the truck between the ditches. He jammed on the brake and clutch, shifted and as they came skidding to a stop, engaged the e-brake.
"Jesus, Ava! You want me to wreck your daddy's truck, too?" He grabbed her hands and untangled her arms from his neck. "I told you, your father'll kill me." His hard eyes drilled into hers, his nostrils flaring. The muscles in his chiseled jaw twitched. It drove her up the wall. She panted at him, chest heaving, and licked her lips in what she thought was the sexiest way she could.
He looked back at her bewildered but interested. She could almost see his gears turning, weighing the outcomes, as he looked her over slowly. She took advantage of his pondering and scooted closer still. She leaned into him again, and kissed his mouth. His lips were soft and warm. His breath smelled like beer and ice cream. He parted his lips to allow her tongue entry. She eagerly obliged. She leaned her chest into his, hands cupping his chin.
He wrapped his powerful arms around her and started kissing back. He pressed against her as he kissed, slowly moving them away from his door and towards the open seat.
She laid back against the vinyl. It was cool now, and it felt nice against her bare shoulders. He ran his hand through her hair and allowed her head to rest on it. He continued to kiss her, his hot breath mingling with hers on their lips.
With his free hand he began working on her blouse buttons. She moaned into his mouth as his fingers fumbled with the tiny closures and knuckles brushed against her breast. She felt stirring between her legs from him on top of her and passion clawed in her belly.
His long legs were cramped in the cab of her truck, but he didn't care. She peeled his shirt off over his shoulders and ran her hands down his broad back, letting her fingernails slide along the slickness. His look had changed. His eyes bore holes into hers, he was hungry and insatiable. Still fiddling with the buttons but growing more impatient, he gave up and ripped her blouse off, sending buttons scattering onto the dash. He brushed the shirt back to reveal a lacy cami beneath. His weathered fingers danced along her stomach, over the shirt raising goosebumps along her limbs. His hot breath seeped through the lacy and found her hardened nipples.
His calloused digits brushed the top of her shorts and she shuddered. He felt it and looked straight into her eyes, his burning like coals. He searched for her emotion to see if she was regretting making such a bold move but only found want and desire staring back at him beneath her wide, liquid cool eyes.
She raised herself up off the seat to meet his mouth. She crushed her lips to his, tongue invading his mouth recklessly. She continued to push against him until he leaned back onto his haunches, long legs furled beneath him. She didn't let up with her kiss and shoved him back into the door.
He hit the door surprisingly hard and let out a little hiccup. She stripped her cami off to reveal the pristine opalescent skin of her breasts. The moonlight kissed her soft curves, casting shadows on her taut feminine form as she crawled her way toward him. She grabbed his thigh and felt the muscles quiver. She ran her hand down the long length of his limbs to his ankle and straightened his knees. She shimmied her way up his legs to his lap.
Raylan groaned as she brushed against the bulge now tightly pressing against his jeans. He cupped one rough hand around her supple breast, causing her to let out the most exquisite sound and kneaded it while she panted into his mouth. He brushed his thumb over her hardened nipple and felt her shiver. He trailed kisses down her jaw and neck to the tender skin of her chest. Her nails dug into his shoulders. Her mouth was closed around his earlobe again. Her breath coming short and swift in his ear stoked the inferno within him.
He licked her nipple, making it harder than it was before and ran his hands down her back. They came to rest momentarily on her hips. He squeezed her gentle curves a moment before grasping the fabric of her shorts. His deft fingers made quick work of this button and her fly, easing the shorts down around her knees.
The stark white of her panties contrasted even in the dark against the tanned skin of her thighs. He stared at them a moment, tracing a finger along the string clinging to her hip bone. His heart beat was so loud, he though sure she could hear it pounding. His fingers sent electric sparks to her center, causing her to quiver like jello. Flames lapped at her belly. Her head was swimming.
She ran her hands over his resplendent chest and lowered her head to his nipple. He groaned through gritted teeth as she bit it. She licked his shuddering ab muscles as she undid his jeans and slide them and his boxers down his legs. He was magnificent. She kissed his hip bone and traced her tongue along the trembling muscle that rested above it.
She took him eagerly into her mouth and he moaned his satisfaction into the roof. Her tongue swirled around the head as her lips worked down the silken shaft. Her mouth was hot and left his skin deliciously icy on the upward strokes. She wiggled the rest of the way out of her shorts and he helped her out of her thong with his lanky reach.
One big, calloused hand tangled in her thick, soft hair holding it away from her face as she worked. The other rubbed her shoulder with anticipation. After a few minutes he tugged her hair and encouraged her to come back to his lap. She did and hovered over his glistening, throbbing sex. He held her close, one arm tightly wrapped around her back, it's hand gripping her shoulder the other enveloping her hip. She gripped him gently and sunk onto him slowly.
She breathed through clenched teeth, her beautiful brow furrowed. He wanted to kiss away that pain, take it all into his being. He ran his thumb along her jawline and brushed her hair behind her ear before finding the satin skin of her hip once more. She was so warm and tight and slippery. She seemed to glow in the soft light of the full Kentucky moon.
A cool breeze lapped at them from the window while the frogs and crickets serenaded them in the stillness. He fought to restrain himself from moving. He wanted to wait for the softness in her face to return. He couldn't wait much longer as she rose slightly and settled again adjusting to him. His toes curled and he passed his tongue over his soft lips again, dragging his teeth over the bottom one. He had to do something, anything, to keep himself still.
He reached between them and rubbed his thumb in a circle over her clit. She threw her head back and moaned, loud and breathy, into the ceiling. Her back arched and lifted her breasts into his face. He began lapping at one of them, trailing sloppy urgent kisses along it's soft curves. She wriggled slightly on him, her body responding to his touch and that was all he could take.
His grip tightened on her shoulder, pulling her down, impaling her on himself. His free hand grabbed her knee and he began to thrust up at her wildly. Her head snapped down to look at him. Boyish Raylan was gone. All that remained in his eyes was burning primal desire. He bit his lip and growled at her.
She settled into a rhythm grinding on him, impeding his violent thrusting. His head lolled out the open window and he moaned into the Kentucky hillside. Her nails clawed at the flesh of his chest and shoulders. She sucked on his neck. He took her full buttocks in his strong hands and effortlessly hefted her in a rhythm he chose. She stared down at him, beautiful blue eyes locked onto his. She writhed and moaned louder with each splendid stroke, hands moving restlessly from his warm coils of muscle to the cool metal of the roof to the soft grip of the steering wheel.
He released her buttocks and grabbed her by the hips, slamming her down on him. She yelped at the depth and strength of him. He moved her hips in concert with his, controlling the motion, and she stroked herself with knowing hands. The warmth grew in her belly with each minute shift of his hips, beating with her heart in waves of pleasure, sending ripples of ecstasy in all directions. Her breathing went ragged. Her head swam and her vision narrowed until all she could see was the moonlight glinting of his perfectly moist lips and the sweat pouring off his neck. The pleasure erupted within her, unlike anything she'd ever experienced. Heat and rapture radiated from her center to her toes and scalp. She howled his name and ground herself harder into his hips.
She pulsated around him in a gush of warmth and wet. She writhed on him like an animal gone wild. Her golden hair fell around him like a curtain and lavender filled his nostrils. Her body hummed with ecstasy. Her moist, full lips nibbled at the skin of his neck, hot breath lapped his ear. She purred his name into it. It was guttural and involuntary and it pulled him over with her. He spilled inside of her in a release of tension so great he spewed obscenities and gripped the dash with white knuckles afraid he might disappear.
He grunted and collapsed backward onto the door like a puppet who had his strings cut. She could feel him twitch and move inside her, but he held firm to her hips not letting her move til he was finished. She leaned into his slick chest, her glorious hair sticking to him. He laid limp while he panted and groaned until his heart rate returned to normal. She listened to it pound in his heaving ribcage, watched the artery in his neck throb and waited it to slow.
She wrapped her arms around his lean midsection and clung to him. His muscles rippled beneath her face as he lifted his head to kiss the top of hers.
They laid entwined in the moonlight for a while before getting dressed and driving to Raylan's, fingers tangled all the while on the shift knob. When they arrived, he shut the Bronco off and kissed her deeply before sliding out of the drivers seat and onto the cool grass of the front lawn.
She watched him slink up to the darkened house, Levi's still hugging him in all the right places before she drove away into the night, a satisfied smile etched on her face.