2 Will He Stay?
It's three minutes till seven and I'm standing beside my truck, waiting. Will he show? I doubt it. Why would he? We don't even know each other. We've only have said a handful of words, me more than him, to one another.
I don't want to go without him. I wonder briefly if I should give him a few extra minutes and then shake my head. No. He can tell time. If he isn't here in the next thirty seconds, I'm gone. He ain't coming. I bite my lip, fighting tears and start my truck. A deep breath, a quick look around before I slide it into gear.
Just when I'm getting ready to pull out, a taxi stops in my path. I begin to launch into a colorful tirade at the driver when I see the back door open. He steps out, two duffle bags, one in each hand, and a shoulder bag.
My heart stops. He looks good. Sunglasses, jeans, grey tee-shirt. I blink, wondering if maybe I'm seeing things. I hear his voice, thanking the cabbie. I take off my sunglasses as he removes his. Our eyes meet as he steps toward my truck. I cut the engine and step out.
"Didn't think you would make it," I mutter.
"Almost didn't," is his soft reply.
It strikes me funny, we've never exchanged names. I smile and extend my hand, "I'm Jennifer,"
"Sean," he tells me, taking my hand in his. His are warm, callused and large. I again picture them sliding over my body. The image makes me blush; I feel the heat of it on my cheeks. He cocks his head and looks at me with a ghost of a smile, almost as if he's reading my thoughts.
"So, where we heading? He asks me as I pretend to make room for his stuff. I'm not fooling him. He had to have seen the large open area in the back for his bags.
I hand him the map and point to Divide, Colorado nestled high in the mountains. A small town, snows a lot but it's beautiful. I got a job working in the casino. I think he could get a job there too, maybe as a bouncer? Security?
He drives. I watch. He's beautiful. I sigh.
I give him my suggestion and he grunts at me then tells me he isn't staying.
"Why did you come, then?" I ask him, more than a little let down. He tells me I shouldn't travel that distance alone. I sniff at that. I've been doing everything alone for the last two years.
"How long are you staying?" I find myself asking. This is the most we've talked, ever.
"Till it's time to go," he replies rather elusively.
I wonder at his cryptic words. Time to go? Before he gets attached? Before I do? Before one of us gets hurt? I will, either way.
We'll sleep together. Soon. I'm sure of it. He is too. I just hope he knows who he's with when he does.
"What was her name?" I ask him after a few hours of silence pass between us.
"Stacey," He tells me and I can still hear the love and pain in his voice. He looks at me, the silent question.
"John," I tell him. He nods.
"Shot," we both say at the same time and our eyes meet entirely too long to be safe while driving.
One word, that's all it takes to relax into each other. The silence no longer strained.
We stop and argue slightly over who pays for gas. He insists. I allow. This time. We decide to drive straight though. Should only take about sixteen hours. It's a long drive, but we'll take turns. He only allows me to drive about six of them, as he instructs me on the proper way to handle a motor vehicle.
We cross into town with a deep sigh out of both of us. If it were on the road any longer, we'd be yelling at each other. I giggle. He looks at me and then finally smiles. My heart stops, and then breaks. God he's beautiful.
It took us seventeen hours due to food and gas stops. It's midnight. Nothing's open but the casino. We're tired, dirty and starved. We order to go. As we wait, we play the quarter slots. I win a thousand bucks. First damn thing I won in my life. Maybe my luck's changing. I pay for dinner. He allows me.
Eight minutes later, we pull into our house. A little bungalow set back from the road. It's cute but small. Two bedrooms and a bath. Kitchen and living room is more of one large room. Not much else. We eat in silence, too tired to talk. He insists I shower first. I don't argue.
I collapse on the bed as he cleans up and briefly wonder if he will join me or go to the other room. I must have fallen asleep because when I roll over the place is pitch black and locked up tight. I find myself alone and feel tears of exhaustion prick my eyes. I'm so tired of being alone.
Its four A.M. when I get up to get a drink. His door is open and I can hear his deep even breaths. I close my eyes and wish I had the strength to go in there and touch him. I wonder if he sleeps nude. I lift up a little prayer that he does.
Lost in thought I don't hear him move behind me as I stand, staring into the fridge. The light must have woken him up.
"You ok?" he asks and I jump and spin around whacking my elbow on the door with a curse.
I blink. He's in grey boxer briefs and he is a god. "Ah yeah… I was thirsty. I didn't mean to wake you… sorry."
He smiles slightly as I rub my elbow and frown. He takes my bottle of water and uncaps it. I stand, transfixed as I watch him take a long pull. I think to myself that watching his neck move as he swallows is the most erotic thing I've ever seen.
He points to the fridge door and says, "You might want to close that,"
I curse again and shut the door, shrouding us in blackness. Now I can't see him at all. I wait for my eyes to adjust and feel his hand on my arm. He leads me back to my bed and then leaves, only to return a few seconds later with his own pillow.
He settles in behind me, pulls me close and I know… he pretends I'm Stacey.