“Need a ride, flyboy?”
Alan had been eyeing the yellow corvette on the used car lot and hadn’t paid any attention to an old brown pick-up pulling into the car dealership. “Where’ve you been?”
Melissa patted the faded paint on the door of the truck. “She’s old and she’s slow, but she’s reliable. How’s the Navigator?”
“It needs a new transmission. It’ll take a couple of days.”
Melissa opened the door of the truck and slid over to make room for Alan on the driver’s side. She knew he preferred to drive. She tilted her sunglasses up and leaned over to kiss him. A kiss from Melissa was not to be hurried and Alan didn’t bother to try. She melted against him and the world went away for a while. A car roared past them and honked its horn. The door to the truck was still open. He reached over to close the door as they parted.
“Why did you bring the truck?” he asked, running his hand along her bare back. She wore a red halter, a short black skirt, and black sandals. Her skin was warm. The air blowing from the vent was warm too. Alan had never known the air conditioning in the truck to work.
“Oh, a number of reasons. Daddy and Geoff took off for the golf course almost as soon as we got there… in the Lincoln. Mama took Robbie and Sus with her to get groceries in the Suburban since it looks like we’ll be staying a few extra days. Besides, I like this old truck. I learned to drive in it.”
Alan turned the truck around and headed out of the car lot. “Can I get back to the interstate somehow if I turn right here? We’ll never turn left.” He watched the three lanes of dense traffic moving each way in front of him.”
“Let’s go the back way. You turn right here and head North.”
He glanced at her.
“Consider it the ‘scenic route’,” she said with a smile, shifting so the scenery he was noticing was the interior of her halter top. “It’s a pretty drive, and not nearly as much traffic.”
He shrugged. “Just tell me where to turn, love.”
There was a break in the traffic and Alan took it. He pulled the truck into the first lane, shifting awkwardly, unused to having the gear shift lever on the steering column. “You learned to drive in this? I thought you learned to drive in Chicago.”
Melissa laughed. “Daddy wouldn’t let us near a car in Chicago. He said the traffic was too bad and it was too dangerous. But Granddaddy had us in this old thing by the time we were twelve and could see over the dashboard. We’d get in it and tear over the dirt roads on the ranch, take him over to the quarry where he could smoke without Grandma harping at him. I was still so small I had to kind of stand up and jump down hard on the clutch to make it shift.”
Alan shifted into second, pushing hard on the tight clutch. “Well, one thing is for sure, if you could drive this, everything else would be a piece of cake.”
“Very true. It’s a hard beast to shift, but with the wide tires, it hugs the road well. There was this one hill where we used to see which one of us could bounce the highest going over it.”
“How many sets of shocks did you go through?”
“I never asked. Oh, take the next exit. You head up toward Round Rock and catch the road over to Mason.”
“Got it.” Alan checked the mirrors and reached for the turn signal.
“Hand signals. This one doesn’t have a turn signal.”
“Christ!” Alan stuck his hand out the window and turned more quickly than he would have liked. Then he brought his hand back in to grab the steering wheel as he downshifted, coming to stop at the light.
Mel chuckled. “Been a while since you’ve been in something this primitive?”
“Eagles don’t use turn signals,” her husband growled, then he leaned over and tickled her knee. She laughed and shifted so he could run his fingers up and down her inner thigh.
She leaned her head against his shoulder. “Eagles also don’t have bench seats.”
“But they do have a bunk in the back and autopilot,” he countered.
“So they do.” Mel pointed ahead of them. “See, there’s the sign for the turn-off. It’s about five more miles.”
“Got it.” He put his arm around her, maintaining a steady speed in the right-hand lane. The controlled access road would only let them off on the right-hand side. “Bench seats do have some plusses,” he said, reaching down to give her breast a squeeze.
“I agree.”
The highway to Mason was straight, but not flat. It rolled up and down over increasingly steep hills. In the gullies there were measuring sticks and sirens to warn of flash floods.
“I like this part of Texas. It reminds me of Oz,” Alan said. The city fell away fast and the scenery consisted of rocky hills with sparse grass and small twisted trees.
“Mmm, yes, I’ve always thought so too.” Mel turned in the seat and stretched out, bending her knees and pillowing her head on Alan’s lap.
Alan grinned, remembering the first time she had brought him out here. “Love, don’t you try to blow me on this road. I’ll bang up the car for sure, and they’ll find us wrapped around a tree with the family jewels hanging in the breeze.”
“I won’t,” Mel promised, somehow sounding virtuous when he knew she was anything but.
She smiled up at him and reached up to her neck, undoing the two buttons that fastened the halter. “I just wanted to make sure you had some scenery to enjoy.” She peeled back the two sides of the halter, leaving her breasts bare.
“Now that’s the kind of scenery I like,” Alan said, reaching down to pinch a tight nipple, moving it as he would a gear shift. “You’re right. There are some advantages to bench seats.”
Melissa smiled and closed her eyes, enjoying his ministrations. “So how long have you been a breast man, flyboy?”
“Long as I can remember.”
“I’ll bet you used to steal “Playboy” magazines and look at the dirty pictures.”
“Didn’t have to steal them. Dad had a stack in a bathroom cabinet. He had a subscription. I’d just take the one from the bottom and no one ever noticed. Mum threw them out about twice a year.” He stroked her breasts, arousing her with a practiced hand. “For a while I kept the best ones pasted in a spiralbound. Then Mum found it and made Dad talk to me about respecting women’s bodies.”
“Respecting them? You were practically worshipping them!” she laughed.
“Well, Mum didn’t like the fact I really just wanted to look at the breasts. If they didn’t fit on the page well, I was apt to cut off their heads. That part didn’t matter to me. She was afraid I was going to end up being some kind of pervert.”
“Well, I think you turned out pretty well.” She lifted his hand to her lips and kissed the tips of his fingers.
“Thank you.” He smiled, glancing down at her.
The drove in silence for a while, Melissa enjoying Alan’s touch, Alan enjoying the chance to touch her. They had been in the Navigator with the kids for most of the last two weeks on vacation and there hadn’t been nearly enough time for the two of them to be alone. He reached over and pulled up the short black skirt, expecting to see a familiar red lacy thong. He was not disappointed.
“I’m glad that transmission gave out while we were near your folks.”
Melissa smiled as he played with the elastic band of the thong. “Me too. Or else we’d be stranded in some motel with the kids for a couple of days.” She opened one eye. “Are you deliberately teasing me, Mr. Carter?”
“No, dammit,” he replied, just touching the top of her pubic hair with his fingers. “I can’t reach any farther.”
“Well, we have to fix that.” Melissa sat up, pulling up her halter top. “I’m about to explode.”
“You’re about to explode?” Alan laughed. “I’ve been that way for the last thirty miles. And don’t worry about that top. I think I’ve only seen three cars since we left Travis County.”
Melissa looked around and smiled. “See that gully up ahead?”
“Yeah.”
“There’s a turn-off just up the other side. Just a little two rut road.”
“I see it.” Alan slowed as the went through another dip with a measuring rod to show how deep flood waters might be across the road.
“It curves around up a hill. Great view. Very private.”
Alan glanced at her as he slowed down. “Should I ask how you know about this?”
Melissa winked at him. “Common knowledge in these parts.”
“Uh-huh.” He took the turn and they bounced along, following the rocky path. It curved to the left as it climbed, then straightened out onto a small plateau. There were the remains of a burned out house, just a brick chimney and front porch steps with an enormous azalea bush on each side of the steps to nowhere. There were two elderly oak trees twisted and spreading, then a drop off to the road below. The view was spectacular.
You could see for miles to the west. The sun was sinking toward the horizon, not yet setting, but turning everything below them golden. Melissa smiled proudly. “Isn’t it great?”
“You’re right.” He parked the truck facing west. Below, the road began to twist down into another valley, then climb to yet another plateau about two miles away. He slid over, away from the steering wheel and Melissa was immediately straddling him.
The view was occluded by his blonde beauty and for a long time neither had any thoughts of any view outside the car.
The thong was no obstacle. There was a slit down the center of it. His fingers moved quickly between the folds of cloth and folds of skin. Melissa explored his fly and quickly unzipped his pants, his need assisting her as she loosened his clothing and stroked him. Their kisses were hot, deep and hungry.
“I am so tired of being quiet,” she gasped as Alan peeled her halter down again and placed his lips over one nipple.
“Be as loud as you want, love. The kids are miles away.” The vacation had been fun, but with the kids in an adjoining room, their love life had been curtailed.
With a satisfied moan Melissa guided him inside her. “Oh, that’s good!”
He pressed deeper. “Tell me what you want love.”
She told him, in no uncertain terms, using language that she would never use around her children. Here by themselves, she quickly became his wanton lover once again. His release came quickly as hers came loud and long. They relaxed against each other, catching their breath before starting again.
As the sun set, all golden and orange, the light illuminated her blonde hair. She looked like a Valkyrie, back arched, gold hair glowing with a halo behind her. She called him her stallion and rode him with passion. He murmured his love to her as she came again. She curled against him, recovering again. He stroked her bare back, burying his face in her blonde hair. There was a tapping on the side of the truck.
Melissa looked over his shoulder. “Oh, my god! There’s a cop.”
Alan quickly pulled her halter back up, fastening it around her neck. “I don’t suppose it’s Pete?” Pete Duncan was the local sheriff and an old friend.
“No such luck. It’s a Highway patrolman.”
“Damn, damn, damn.” Alan muttered. “Move,” he ordered, pushing her off his lap so he could put his clothes back together. She twisted gracefully, paused long enough for him to fasten his pants, and opened the door.
“Hello, officer,” she greeted him smoothly.
“Ma’am,” the older man touched his hat. “Can I see your driver’s license and registration?”
“Certainly, officer. It’s my mother’s truck.” Melissa leaned back in to the glove box to pull out the registration while Alan slipped out of the car and pulled out his license. Melissa retrieved her purse and pulled out her license too.
The officer scanned the registration and held out his hand for the licenses. “Susan Thompson. Over at Miller’s Bluff?”
“Yes, she’s my mother,” Melissa said with a smile.
“Your grandfather was my family’s doctor for years. I remember seeing you around the house when you were just a tiny girl.” He squinted his eyes. “You the travel agent or the doctor.”
Melissa laughed. “I’m the travel agent.” She didn’t bother with any further explanation.
The officer, whose silver name badge indicated his name was H. Dietrich, nodded sagely. “You’re a friend of Peter Duncan’s, aren’t you.”
“Yes, we are,” Melissa said. “In fact, my husband played golf with him yesterday.”
Alan nodded and the patrolman turned and held his hand out. Alan shook it. “Pleased to meet you Officer Dietrich.”
“Pete’s a nice young man. Good sheriff.” He looked over at the abandoned homesite. “I expect you know the Kinnisons too.”
“Of course,” Melissa said. “Hank Kinnison and I grew up together. Pete and I used to double date with Hank and my sister, Helena. They’re nearly always at our house for Thanksgiving.”
“This is the Senator’s great-grandparents’ homestead. They own all the land around here, you know.”
“Yes, I remember Hank mentioning that once.”
“The Kinnison family has always asked us to keep an eye on the area. It’s a bit distant from the ranch house.”
Melissa nodded. When Hank wasn’t in Washington, his home was about twenty miles from here, on the other side of the ranch. She turned to Alan and put her hand on his arm. “You remember, last year at Christmas we went to a party at Hank’s. He took you out to the garage to see that classic Corvette he just bought.”
“I never forget a Corvette,” Alan said with a grin. “Since we’re going to be here a few more days while they’re fixing the Navigator, I should call him and see how the restoration is going.” He explained to the patrolman. “We’ve been out west with the children. Fortunately, the transmission went out yesterday when Pete and I were coming back to Miller’s Bluff from the golf course.” Alan was beginning to think they might get out of this without being arrested. Melissa was dropping all the right names.
“Kids, eh? How many?”
“We have three,” Alan let Mel continue the conversation. She was doing well at keeping the old guy from giving them a ticket for trespassing, indecent exposure, and god knew what else. “Two boys and a girl. The oldest turned nine last January. They’re with their grandparents while we took the Navigator into the city to get it fixed.”
Officer Dietrich nodded and handed back the licenses and registration. “Since you’re friends of the Kinnisons, I don’t think this would be considered trespassing.” He looked out over the bluff. “There sure is a great view from this spot. Don’t blame you for coming up here to enjoy it.”
“Yes, we thought we’d enjoy a quiet sunset before heading home.”
“Well, sorry I disturbed you folks.”
“Not at all, officer,” Melissa said with a smile. “It was nice to meet you.”
The patrolman headed back to his cruiser, parked next to the azaleas behind them. Alan put his arm around his wife and gave a sigh of relief.
“Mel, one of these days, you’re going to get me arrested.”
Melissa laughed. “You wouldn’t want your life to be dull, would you?”
He slid back into the cab of the truck. “I suppose not. And this is a hell of a lot better than the threat of being killed by space aliens.”
Melissa sat close to him, her hand on his thigh as he started up the truck. He gave her a warning look and she smiled innocently. He grinned in return and eased the truck around and back down the bumpy path to the highway below. They waved at the patrolman who was jotting something on a clipboard. He waved back and shook his head as he watched the old truck ease down the dirt track. Those Millers must be some kind of nymphomaniac family.
Maureen J. Long