The Long Story

[Mrs Henley]

Oh Oh, the true guys are coming up!

Great story again Rhonda!

[ticky]

MY TURN! I might let some of ya'll in on the fun.. if yer good *G*



Rhonda had packed up the few belongings she'd had with her in the Last Resort and turned off the light as she left. She wasnt sure when or if she'd be back, She and Joe were headed to Las Vegas to find Lisa and Frank. Was she crazy? How much did she know about this trucker? I mean, yeah, she'd slept with him, and yeah, he had those dreamy green eyes, and ok, his smile could melt steel and.... Rhonda found herself staring blindly into space and smiling at just the thought of him. She shook her head and rubbed her eyes. She HAD to be smart here! This was her life she was talking about, more then that, this was her heart! hadnt she just been through this? Hadnt he kicked her to the curb? How was Joe any different?
"Babe?" that familiar voice rang down the corridor. A face, a smile and those green, green eyes peered around the corner of her door. "You about ready? The truck is all gassed up and ready to roll!"
Rhonda just stared at him for a moment. He recognized that look on her face. He hadnt known her for long, but he recognized pain and sadness. He walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her.
"Im just waiting for my beautiful girl." He kissed her forehead and held her close. "Are you sure about this?" He looked into her eyes. " You dont have to go if you dont want to. I can go alone."
She looked at him for a long time. She knew she'd be more miserable without him then afraid with him, in fact, looking at him, all the fear was gone. She smiled back and held him close.
"Im fine. I just had a weak moment."
He tilted her chin up and kissed her very softly "'at's my girl" He grinned.
Joe picked up the small duffle and wrapped his arm around Rhonda lest she change her mind and ushed her out the doors.
The truck was beautiful. Rhonda hadnt really seen it before, it having been pretty much dark out when Joe picked her up. That seemed like so long ago. What ever happened to saturday night? It was a life time ago. The truck was huge and black and very shiny with a large golden eagle painted on the doors and across the hood.
Rhonda let out a long slow whistle. Joe grinned proudly. "Beauty isnt she?" Rhonda nodded slowly in agreement. Maybe this trip wouldn't be so bad! Joe opened the door for her and helped her up into the cab with a curt pat on the backside on her way up, that made her gasp. She looked back down at him through slitted eyes and smiled. He grinned back. Joe was obviously very happy. When Rhonda got turned around and looked around the cab, something struck her. There was no sleeping space here. HE had LIED! HE had planned on sleeping with her the WHOLE time! Rhonda was livid. She thought about jumping down out of that truck and leaving right then. Tears stung her eyes and she couldnt get a deep breath. She'd wait till he got in the truck, slap his face THEN leave! MEN WERE WORTHLESS! Her rage was boiling over.
Joe opened the door on the other side of the truck and lifted himself up to see Rhonda's tear filled eyes staring daggers at him.
"whats the matter, baby?"
"DONT you DARE Call me baby!!!! There is NO sleeping quarters in this cab Joe, YOU LIED TO ME! YOU TRICKED ME!"
Joe smiled and pulled himself into the cab. Rhonda hauled her hand back and slapped him hard across the face. The sound of the slap resounded in the cab and Joe's face flew across the seat and he hit his head on the window. It wasnt hard, but it was all Rhonda could do to not jump over the seat to see if he was all right.
"ow.... " Joe touched his quickly reddening face and looked at Rhonda. His brow was furrowed and his mouth was tight. He reached back and unlatched a door behind his seat. The entire back of the cab opened to the cargo area. Rhonda looked, blinked, rubbed her eyes and looked again. Behind her was a fully furnished apartment. Not just a sleeping space, but a queen sized bed, a nice one! dressers, a tv, stereo and sofa! She pulled herself up from the seat dumbfounded and moved slowly to the back of the cab and into the apartment. It was like an RV, she thought, then no, this was much MORE then any RV she'd ever seen. It was more like a bachelor pad on wheels! She opened a small door at the back of the room and there was a REAL bathroom! with a SHOWER! and a TOILET! HURRAH! no coke bottles! WHEW!
Then she remembered what she'd done to Joe. He was standing in the doorway looking hurt and stricken. She walked to him and slid her arms around his neck, she buried her face in his shoulder and held him close.
"Im so sorry" she wept into his shoulder. He melted. He held her close and kissed her hair.
"Listen, I dont know who he was, or what he did, but Im not him. I dont want to hurt you,.. ever.." He held her tight. She looked up at him. Her eyes were over flowing and her nose was running. Great! Swollen eyes and a red nose. She looked like a muppet. She gently touched his red swelling face and cringed. She softly kissed it. She softly kissed his lips. He returned her kiss and they stayed there for a long time. He brushed her hair from her face. His breath was short and ragged.
"We cant right now" he grinned at her.
she nodded and grinned back.
"We need to get going" He let her loose and watched her climb back into the cab, admiring the view on her way out. Joe took a moment to shake his head and his hands. He took a few deep breaths and climbed in after her. This was going to be an interesting trip!
Joe sat in the drivers seat. He leaned over and kissed Rhonda. It took a little longer then he thought it would, but eventually they pulled apart.
"not now, not now, not now..."Joe repeated to himself quietly. Rhonda grinned at him, took his hand and kissed it.
"later.." she said quietly to him.
Joe started the truck. He never took his eyes off of her. The truck roared to life. He looked briefly out the front windshield so he wouldnt flatten any passer-bys, dogs, small compacts, then he looked back at her and smiled.
"later.." The truck pulled out onto The Dark Desert Highway and headed out of town.


*G* yeah....

I gotta put the squirt to bed. I'll write more in a bit and give someone else a chance *G*

[ticky]

back at the Inn.. *G*

Shirley leaned against the old desk in the lobby of The Last Resort and fumed. Glenn had done it to her again. He couldnt keep treating people like this and get away with it! That boyish charm and deep blue eyes of his werent going to carry him long! Someday someone would see through all that charm and see what a snake and scoundrel he really was!
Shirley placed the eraser end of her pencil on the next card in the deck and flicked it across the desk top towards the old fedora that lay upside down on the floor a few feet away. Ten of hearts.
Missed.
She had seen Joe's truck pulling away earlier heading out of town. Rhonda was riding shotgun. She wondered when they'd be back, if they'd be back. Lucky ducks!
flick! Two of spades
Missed.
It was hot and muggy today. It'd be perfect down by the creek. She'd be in her hammock right about now with a cold coke and a hot day dream about that guy. She smiled.
flick! The card sailed across the desk and floated on down and landed on a shoe. A very shiny mens shoe. A hand reached down and picked it up. A hand with a diamond pinkie ring on it. Shirley watched the hand rise up past a pair of slender dark gray slacks, well pleated, a white button down shirt that clung to a slender but well muscled stomach, chest and a long slender neck, chisled chin and white grinning teeth. Shirley caught her breath. It was him! That guy! The one who had checked in earlier. The one who was kind of scary and yet Shirley couldnt stop thinking about him!
He held the card up and looked at it.
"Queen of hearts! You know, the queen of Diamonds, she'll beat you every time, but the queen of hearts..." he kissed the card and put it in his chest pocket. That chest, his shirt was clinging to him in all the right places.
"The Queen of hearts is always your best bet."
Shirley recovered her wits and stood tall. Men, they always made trouble.
She cleared her throat.
"Uhh, could I have my card back please?" Shirley held out her hand defiantly.
He smiled at her. He pulled the card from his pocket. He held her hand with one hand and placed the card in it with the other. Then he placed his palm over the card. His hands were warm and dry and very gentle. She was surprised at this. She had him pegged as a cruel dude, she thought he was ruthless, she thought he was crude. But his hands told her another story, one with an ending she'd like to have a say in.
"Be very careful with her." He looked deep into her eyes. "You're holding my heart!" He lifted her hand and turned it over. He kissed her knuckles, brushing his lips ever so gently over the skin, his eyes never leaving her face. He grinned mischieviously at her. "But then, I wouldnt want to leave you with less then a full deck." He stepped back and began to walk backwards towards his room. He turned and then stopped. He looked at her.
"Im Thomas, by the way." He smiled. "and you are?"
"Shirley.." she nearly whispered. She was mezmerized.
"Shirley." He grinned. "It is a pleasure to meet you. I hope we will have many, many more such meetings. I look forward to it."
"yeah..." she whispered.
With that, he turned and went down the corridor to his room. He unlocked his door. Glanced back, winked and went inside. It wasnt till Shirley heard the tumblers on the lock click into place that she regained her voice.
"Be sure and let us know if you need any towels!" she shouted down the corridor too late.
She turned and knocked herself in the head with the heel of her hand. "DOH!"
She sat heavily in the old chair in the lobby. He was amazing! He had the deepest darkest eyes she'd ever seen! They were bottomless. His hair was long and tied back. It gave him an air of distinction like royalty. He was the nicest dresser she'd ever seen outside those fashion magazines they got down at the Cut n Curl. She was smitten! She wondered if he really was dangerous, and did she care? she sat sprawled in the old stuffed chair looking at herself in the mirrored ceiling. Thats when the weirdness started....
It's late, Im tired.. you're going to have to wait to find out what the weirdness is *G*

[ticky]

Ok, I love the weirdness, so Im going to run with it..

Shirley sat sprawled in the stuffed chair in the lobby of The Last Resort and stared into the mirrored ceiling. She was thinking of that man, Thomas he'd said his name was. Thomas with the brilliant smile, Thomas with the rippled belly and firm chest. Shirley grinned to herself as she stared into the mirrors and imagined what he was doing right at that moment behind the closed door. She could see him walking across the room and tossing his jacket he'd had slung over his arm across the bottom of the bed. He reached up and took the band off his hair and let his pony tail loose. His hair was long and wild. He looked like a lion! He started to unbutton his shirt, one button, then another and another and then he pulled his arm out of one sleeve, letting the white shirt fall off his shoulder, the the other arm, other shoulder and he stood before the dresser and the mirror shirtless with his wild mane of hair loose and beautiful. His chest and belly were the color of perfect toast. Not too dark, not too light. Just tanned and warm. Shirley was starting to really get into this fantasy and laughed to herself for being so silly. She looked away from the mirror and shook her head. At least she had a really great imagination! Everything she'd imagined had been so real! She started to stand up and glanced back up at the mirrors. He was still there! She blinked. She rubbed her eyes. She looked back up. He was there. He was taking off his watch and he looked up into the mirror above the dresser. He saw something and leaned in close, leaning with both hands on the dresser, staring intently at the mirror image. Shirley put her hands over her eyes and counted to ten. She looked up again and there he was! This time however, she saw his whole face looking right at her! She jumped! Then she saw him stalking across the room towards the door. Shirley jumped up and ran to the desk. She took an innocent pose behind the desk, same as when he'd come in, with her pencil in one hand, her head leaning in the other, looking bored and flicking cards at the old hat on the floor. Flick. three of diamonds, missed.
Thomas came roaring out of his room and stopped short at the sight of her flicking cards. She casually looked up at him.
"Anything wrong? Do you need something." She didnt even lift her head from her hand. She added acting to her list of abilities. He looked confused. He narrowed his eyes and looked at her closely, then smiled.
"No, Im fine. I just thought .. never mind. you just go back to your.. uhh... game." He grinned at her and walked back into his room.
She heard the tumblers of his doors lock click into place and she ran back to the mirrors and stood just beyond their reflection. She gazed up into them but didnt see anything but the reflection of the old chair, the worn out old rug and a side table that had a copy of the Examiner from last July sitting on it. She shook her head and blinked several times. All that cleaning and dust must have made her eyes tired and he had her rattled for sure!
She sighed, smiled to herself and walked back to the desk. At least she'd have the memory of that beautiful body and that hair! She stopped. That hair, that body. When he'd run out of his room, he'd been shirtless and his hair was loose! Shirley's jaw dropped open. She ran back to the mirrors and stood right below then. She gazed up but saw nothing but her own open-mouthed stare. She plopped down into the big chair and gazed up. It took a moment but there he was! In the shower! NAKED! His hair was wet and the water ran in rivulets down his chest, stomach, hips, bottom. Shirley blushed furiously but could not look away. He was beautiful!
The bell on the front door hadnt worked for a long time, but there was a tell-tale creak to the hinges that alerted Shirley that she was about to be discovered watching a naked man in the shower. Not only that, but a naked guest! in a seemingly magic mirror! They'd toss her in a nut house and throw away the key. She jumped up when the door opened and stood trying to look casual next to the big chair, with her arms folded tightly in front of her.
It was Sheriff Soda. OH GREAT! That was just perfect! The law!
"What?.. I mean Hey Sheriff. what can I do for you?" Shirley didnt look at the Sheriff again but walked quickly over to the desk.
"Hey Shirley." The Sheriff's brow was wrinkled and the confused grin on her face told Shirley her act just then had been somewhat less successful then the previous one with Thomas. She'd need to work on her guilt disguises a little more she thought. Still she went back behind the desk and began writing diligently in an old ledger. She had no idea what she was writing, she was just trying hard not to look at the Sheriff.
"Where's Glenn?" The Sheriff didnt take her eyes off of Shirley. There was something strange going on here but she had no idea what it could be. Shirley's color was as red as the old once velvet curtains that hung in the front window.
Shirley glanced up at the Sheriff. A distraction. perfect.
"Oh you know Glenn. He railroaded me into standing her watching the curtains rot this afternoon while he took off for a nice little vacation with the Doc." Shirley rolled her eyes and tried hard to remember how upset with Glenn she was. It was better then letting the Sheriff see how bothered the images she'd been watching made her. She leaned again on the desk and started flicking the cards once more. Flick! Four of clubs. Missed.
The Sheriff watched the card fly through the air and land close to the hat.
"Close!" she grinned at Shirley. Shirley smiled back.
"So, I heard you have a new guest here. I hear he's kind of scary!"
Flick! Ace of spades. Missed.
"Well, I wouldnt call him scary." Shirley mused.
"Oh? What would you call him?" Sheriff had never seen Shirley rattled before. There must be something to this guy.
"I dont know. Smart, sophisticated, .." ..HOT!! Shirley thought to herself.
"I see. So you dont think he's any threat? Has he mentioned the Sad Cafe or Lisa at all to you?" The Sheriff was in investigation mode. It would be very hard to hide anything from her now. Shirley had to distract her.
"No, nothing at all. Say, Sheriff, didnt I see James drive up to the ranch just a little while ago? I thought you were going to go up there to talk to Fiddler. Did you run in to him? I havent seen him for a while. Where's he been?"
It was the Sheriff's turn to blush. She looked away from Shirley. It had worked!
"Uhh, yeah I saw James. He hadnt mentioned where he'd been but he looked great! I mean, he seems to be well." The Sheriff was rattled.
"So umm.. back to this mystery man." damn...Shirley's ploy had backfired. The Sheriff was so anxious to change the subject it just bounced back to her.
"I dont know anything about him Sheriff." Shirley looked back to her useless writing in the old ledger as if it were important.
"Well, what room is he in? Maybe I'll just pop in to say hello and see if theres anything to be worried about." The Sheriff was trying to see what Shirley was writing. Shirley moved her arm up over the ledger to cover the nonsense she was scribbling.
"OH, I think he's in the shower right now." Shirley volunteered. The Sheriff raised her eyebrows and tilted her head at the now blushing young woman.
She smiled back at the Sheriff's glance.
"I heard the shower go on down the hall. Since Rhonda checked out this morning, he's our only guest in the main building. Well, in any of the rooms for that matter!" Shirley rolled her eyes. She was still bitter about having to watch the desk.
Sheriff Soda smiled disingenuously at her."Of course. Well, tell him I'd like to talk to him." She turned to leave the stopped and turned back to Shirley. "That is, if you happen to see to him again." She smiled again and nodded her good bye and walked out the door.
Shirley watched her walk out the door. She walked to the door and watched the Sheriff walk across the parking lot towards the Ranch. It wasnt till she was out of sight that she was able to breath again. She walked to the big chair and collapsed. She did NOT look up. She didnt dare. She closed her eyes tight and wished it all away. If only it had been that simple.
I love weirdness... *G*

[Prettymaid]

He looked like a lion!

Ooh does he have lion eyes too?

[ticky]

OOO Not yet! but thanks for the idea!! heheehe just kidding.. Only one set of Lion eyes per uhh.. town? *G* whatever..

[eaglesvet]

The weirdness is great...sounds like quite the mirror!

[Troubadour]

Still brilliant Ticky - I am loving this! Always great fun to visit after a long day at work Keep it comin'!

[Glennsallnighter]

Ticky, this just goes on and on!! The twists and turns are brilliant!! keep going! Attagirl!!

[ticky]

I havent put any of these guys in any of the stories. they looked lonely and sad... that's better..

Cathy had gotten all ready to heard the cows into the barn to set up for milking. Frank had about 2 dozen milk cows and it was Cathy's turn all alone to get them milked in the morning. She never had a problem rounding them up. Milk cows were in a lot of pain by morning and looked forward to being milked. Cathy smiled at the idea. She'd look forward to a nice warm breast massage first thing in the morning too, from the right hands. Cathy grinned.
Just then Fiddler came loping into the barn anxious and ready to help Cathy out... with the cows. Cathy was wearing overalls. They werent terribly flattering but they were practical. Cows werent careful and they were usually dirty and covered in mud and dung. Cathy pulled on her hip waders too a large straw hat that hung down over her face. It kept the flies at bay and her hair was fairly clean when she finished.
Fiddler could only think of making a good impression on Cathy. He admired this woman so much, how could he make her happy?
"You look real pretty this morning Miss Cathy." Women liked compliments. Fiddler looked up at Cathy to reap his rewards in a big smile. He saw what she was wearing. The overalls, the hat, the hip waders and the look of incredulous disbelief on Cathy's face. Fiddlers face went white and he stammered.
"I..I..I meant earlier, you know, this morning. NOT that you arent pretty nuff now!.." Fiddler couldnt win. Cathy just stared at him open mouthed. He blushed so furiously it was almost painful to watch. He looked down at his boots and he was sure she'd never talk to him again.
Cathy began to laugh. She laughed hard. Fiddler looked up surprised and stricken. She was laughing at him! It took Cathy a few minutes to catch her breath. She saw the look of sadness and embarassment on Fiddler face and took some pity on him.
"Oh Fiddler, I know what you mean and thank you so much." She walked over to Fiddler and gave him a friendly hug. She wasnt sure how well this would go over. Fiddler never struck her as a very physical man. That was a shame. He was very well built! Just the friendly hug gave her ideas about those strong arms and broad shoulders. His hair smelled like the out doors, straw and something else, she wasnt quite sure what, she couldnt place it. Something spicy. His hands were warm and large, but gentle and strong. Her hug was well received and Fiddler beamed. His face changed when he smiled. He was a different man, so handsome. Cathy had never known Fiddler like this. This out fit and this place was not right for these feelings. She'd save them for later. She needed to take a close look at her feelings, and at this man. She smiled and patted Fiddler on the shoulder.
"Let's round us up some doggies!" She grinned at Fiddler.
"Yes Ma'am!" He mocked back at her and grinned. A tingle shot through her from her toes to her head. Yeah, she really needed to take a closer look at this man.


UGH.. I was going to write more but Im so tried I cant stay awake. More tomorrow.. (Im just glad I got to talk about breast massages here! *G*)