Read Online Just Beyond the Curve by Larry Huddleston - Free Book Online

phone?” John said seriously. “I thought it was
in my head! Like a fire alarm or something!”
    “We were gettin’ pretty hot,” Judy agreed, surprised
at her own unharnessed passion. “Answer the phone, John.”
    “Yeah, at least a three alarm!” he agreed, rolling
away from her and reaching for the phone. He snatched it up then
leaned back against the padded headboard with the phone to his ear
and mouth. “Yeah?” he asked.
    “John?” Allen asked with a hint of laughter in his
voice. “Allen, here. Hard night?”
    “Just gettin started good,” John confessed.
    “I don’t know where you been, Son, but I know where
you’re supposed to be in a half an hour from now!”
    “Where?” John asked suspiciously.
    “On the tour bus headed for Houston!” Allen said
laughing. “So, I suggest you get your butt in gear and be on it in
half an hour. You got ninety stops to make before Christmas.”
    “Half an hour?” John asked confused, wondering where
the time had gone. “We’re not supposed to leave until one
o’clock!”
    “That’s right,” Allen agreed. “It’s twelve thirty
now. Since we hadn’t heard from you by lunch, we figured I’d better
call and make sure you was still alive. Since you are I want you on
that bus, John! Get moving!”
    “We’re on our way,” John said, then rolled over
quickly and hung up the phone. “Come on, Judy, we gotta go! We
leave in half an hour!”
    “To where?” she asked looking at him
disbelievingly.
    “Houston!” he replied seriously, swinging his legs
off the bed and standing up.
    “Time sure flies when you’re havin’ fun, huh?” she
asked musingly.
    “Yeah!” he agreed, reaching over and taking her hand.
“Come on, girl,” he laughed helping her from the bed and leading
her toward the shower. “And just think, we’re only just getting
started!”
    “Yeah,” Judy giggled childishly.

CHAPTER SEVEN
    When John and Judy came through the front door of the
hotel the tour bus was waiting at the curb. Every window was filled
with one or two smiling, knowing faces.
    As they neared, the front door of the bus swished
open with a sound of released, compressed air. When John assisted
Judy up the steps and onto the bus, they were both met with good
natured laughter, catcalls, wolf whistles and suggestions that all
knew what the newlyweds had been up to all night long.
    With their faces as red as they had ever been, the
two newlyweds found their reserved seats and sat down, grateful
that the bus was pulling away from the curb and into the flow of
traffic.
    “They all know what we been doin’,” John whispered
softly to Judy. “How’d they find out?”
    “All newlyweds and married people do it,” Judy
assured him. “Even people who aren’t married.”
    “I know that, but how’d they find out that we was
doin it?”
    “Because we’re newlyweds,” Judy assured him, patting
his hand gently.
    “They’re a lot smarter than me,” John replied. “I’d
never think that about someone I didn’t know very good, even if
they was newlyweds!”
    “You’re smart where it counts, John,” Judy assured
him.
    “I guess,” he answered doubtfully, watching Allen
coming down the center aisle toward them.
    “You two look like hell run over!” he grinned
knowingly, causing them both to flush scarlet once again.
    “I sure feel good to look that bad,” John assured
him.
    “I’ll bet you do,” Allen said with a smile, glancing
at Judy. She quickly looked out the window to hide her
embarrassment. “Surprises me you’re still walkin,” he added.
    “We’re not,” John said seriously. “We’re sitting,
ridin’ on the bus, Allen.”
    Allen looked at John with a blank expression. He
wondered if John was being facetious or just plain ignorant. “Never
mind,” he said. “Your gear’s on board. You’ll need to warm up. The
D-10s in the back.”
    “Warm up?” John asked with a confused look on his
face. “I’m quite comfortable,