3God, I hate the sun out here, feels like it's glaring at me. It's nicer near the coast, where the breeze soothes the sting and keeps it cool, like a caress, without being uncomfortable. The doors close behind me, I take a deep breath, close my eyes in relief and the first thing in my mind is "Thank God they have air conditioner!" When I open them I see Mark staring at me and chuckling. That's fine, I don't mind if he laughs as long as I get to stay inside. And get coffee. The smell of coffee permeates the room, overpowering the scent of bacon and eggs and waffles, and it's wonderful.
I slide in the booth, grab my cup and flash Mark a smile, looking around for the waitress. She notices me and saunters towards our table. She has the cutest apron I've ever seen, must be at least thirty-years-old, but I love it. It's pink and white and has stripes and embroidered little flowers. And I instantly love her too, because while her right hand holds a little white pad the left holds a pitcher full of dark coffee.
'Well hello son, seems you have gotten yourself a little bit of company. She the one you sent Benny for?' She's got an accent, don't know what kind, but it gives her a very motherly vibe. Benny was the chatty man from the auto-repair shop –Call me Benny, Mr. Smithson is for old farts. News spread fast, I see. She must have noticed me staring at the pitcher like it holds the secret to eternal life, because suddenly it occupies my whole vision and the smell inundates my nostrils. 'Coffee sweetheart?'
'Oh yes please, and thank you. It smells so good I'm probably going to drink a whole pitcher all by myself.'
'Tastes just as good, and that's a promise. I'll give you kids a bit to figure out what you are eating and be right back, ok?'
I nod. I'm too busy pouring sugar and milk into my coffee to see what Mark does. Halfway through my first cup a menu suddenly materializes in between my face and the coffee. Damn.
I look up, shaken from my coffee-induced stupor to find Mark laughing at me.
'You should probably take a look at this before Maureen –that's our waitress- comes back. She might withhold the coffee.'
I instantly grab the menu and begin scanning it. Cheeseburger or full breakfast fare with pancakes? I want pie, so better make it a burger, pancakes always feel like dessert.
Maureen refills my cup as she takes our orders, and I think she might be an angel. I'm already feeling more human.
'I'll have the bacon cheeseburger with a side of fries, without the lettuce and the tomato please.'
'Sure thing, honey. How do you want the burger?'
'Well done, please.'
She notes something down in her little pad, waves it at us and leaves towards the kitchen. Mark looks at me over the ream of his glass with a funny-looking smirk. I don't think he has the kind of mouth that was meant to smirk. Kiss someone senseless, sure, but not smirk.
'No greens, huh? You look like the green healthy foodstuff kind of girl.'
I'd feel offended, but he's not the first guy to say that -I eat junk food all the time and I'm still thin, deal with it. I'm just lucky like that. I'm short though, that's got to compensate. I gulp down what's left of my second coffee and answer him.
'It's just the look, trust me. I don't believe in salads.' I don't. Seriously, it looks like you are munching on grass and tastes just as good. Cows eat grass all the time and they are not exactly the image of fitness, are they? I know my argument is invalid, shut up. 'Food shouldn't be green. Unless it's pickles.'
The food arrives soon after our discussion on green food (which lasts approximately two seconds, since he agrees food should not be green and main courses should contain meat and/or fish), and eating takes precedent over chatting up the handsome stranger. He practically gulps down his burger, and while I don't think I've ever seen someone eat so fast in my life he still manages to make it look sexy, somehow. He has to practice this in front of the mirror, there's no way that happens naturally.
'So,' he says, pointing at me with a fry. 'Correct me if I'm wrong, but people don't usually go on road-trips all by themselves.'
He sounds a mix of curious, cautious and amused. And I'm probably crazy for picking up a tone apart like that, but I like to think I'm usually right about this kind of thing.
'I was supposed to travel through the country with my ex.'
'Your ex?'
'Well, that part's a recent development.'
He laughs.
'So you decided to do the trip anyways?'
'Yeps. I was all psyched up already, no need to cancel just because I caught my ex cheating.'
'Woah... I expect that was loud.'
'Not really. I might have been a bit cruel, though.'
'I'm sure it was well deserved. What did you do?'
I smirk. Unlike him, I can pull off smirking successfully, especially when I think of that night...
Trisha had arrived home the day before, back from her semester abroad, and she wanted to go partying but I had a paper due first thing in the morning. So I stayed home and stared wistfully at the door every once in a while, wishing I'd gone with Trish and Carol to set the local clubs on fire.
And then, when I was halfway through my conclusion, the door opened, and in stepped a very tipsy Trisha with a guy reeking of alcohol plastered all over her. A very familiar guy. His hands were on her butt -she's got a magnificent ass, even I can admit that- and he was kissing her neck, and when his eyes parted from her for a second to take in his surroundings he went pale and then green. I suppose finding your pissed-off girlfriend glaring at you from inside your night-one-stand's flat will have that effect on you.
Trisha didn't notice at first, but when she saw my glare she stepped away from him, confused. I wasn't mad at her, but she had no way of knowing that my ire was meant for the guy she'd brought home.
'Daniel.' My voice is icy. That's good, cold means I'm not likely to fly off the handle and punch him.
'Cathy! What, who...? I can explain this, I swear.'
I ignore his babbling.
'I see you've met Trisha, my flatmate.' Her eyes widen, she looks at me and then at him and back, and I can almost see a little light bulb going off in her head. 'You know, Daniel, I thought that now that she's back maybe we could have a threesome, have a little fun together, but I see you just can't wait to get in her pants, so please, don't mind me, bed's that way.' I gesture towards the hall, hoping Trisha won't call me on my bluff.
'Is this the Daniel you told me about?' She looks him up and down, then sneers. 'No, thanks, from what I hear you are not even worth the wrapper.' She dismisses him with a look, and steps closer to me and pouts. Trisha is not beautiful; she's hot, but not beautiful. And then sometimes, she just looks at you through her lashes and... she smolders. No idea how she does that, but I've seen her do it to several guys and they all go crazy. It's the first time it's directed at me, and I'm not ready for it. 'But Cathy' she purrs, putting her arms around my neck. I return the embrace. 'I'm horny now... help?'
I smirk at her, kiss her cheek, and with a little push Daniel is out of the flat and the door slammed shut. Trisha abandons the pout the second the door is closed, shoots me a look, goes to the kitchen and gets me a cup of tea, stealing concerned little glances at me all the way.
I can't believe we pulled that off...
'Made him think I'd planned a threesome for us with my hot flatmate, then told him since he couldn't keep it in his pants I'd just hook up with her instead.'
'Seriously?'
'Yup, I was surprised too when my flatmate covered for me. And when he fell for it.'
'Wait, she the one he cheated on you with?'
'Tried to, yes. He didn't know it was her, though, while we were dating she was out of the country and she'd just gotten back that day.'
'Unlucky him. How do you pull the only girl your girlfriend will find about?'
'She's really hot. And he's an idiot.'
He laughs again. This whole conversation is making him chuckle, laugh or smile, and it's a really attractive look on him. I'm single, and if he is too, maybe a little flirting and a little fun won't hurt...
'So, what about you? Any girl waiting for you at home?'
'Nah, I'm single. Move around too much for a relationship.'
'But not a one-night stand.' I might have accidentally skipped the part where I flirt. He's hot, excuse me for being distracted.
'Nope.' A seductive smile, and even in the little booth he gives an impression of lounging.
He's just gone from hot to sex on legs, and I have no idea how he did that, but hot damn!
'Good.' And I did not mean that to come out so suggestively... hell, who am I kidding, of course I did.
He walks me to the garage, where they tell me my car won't be fixed until tomorrow morning. I check in at the local motel and he makes some calls while I'm getting my keys.
When I step out from the shade of the motel he's half sitting on top of his car, and I feel like I could just walk up right between his legs and kiss him senseless. But that might be a bit too forward...And we might not be able to stop it before we are having too much of what they call a 'public display of affection'.
'So...?' I may sound hopeful, but I have a whole afternoon and night to while away in a tiny little town in the middle of nowhere. He's sexy, and I have a motel room already. You do the math.
Half a smile, not a smirk, and suddenly sex in a public place doesn't seem like such a bad idea.
'I'm good till tomorrow.'
'Good.' And hell with it, I walk right between those glorious legs of his, grab him by the belt and pull him up for a kiss. I dangle my motel key before his eyes. 'I've got a room. Want to stay in or take a tour of the place?'
In answer he pulls me flush against his body and returns the kiss.
Right, room it is.
We part ways the following morning -he ends up having to leave before breakfast- but I get a couple pictures on my phone first, because this is exactly the kind of boasting I want to do when I get back from my trip. I'm not usually one for sex with strangers -I don't really do one-night-stands- but just this once I think it was worth it. Mind-blowing guy, mind-blowing sex, and the best road-trip story ever.
R&R?