counter, wiping at blemish-free glassware, restless and anxious, dreading the conversation awaiting her at home.
The sound of an engine got Minty looking up, coming half to standing. When she saw an RV rolling to a stop outside the diner she slumped back down again. The geriatric wayfarers who sailed the highways in those things were fussy and demanding and never tipped worth a damn.
But when the bells on the door jingled, a blond guy in his late twenties came in and took a booth, long legs ending in frayed Chuck Taylor’s jutting out from under the table. He lifted the menu and Skye heard him sigh.
Minty stood, adjusted her apron, warming up one of her smiles as she clacked over to him. “Evenin’.”
“Hi,” he said with no enthusiasm, gazing past Minty.
Skye realized he was looking at her and she turned away and pretended to neaten a stack of menus.
The blond man ordered a cheeseburger, fries and a coffee. Minty tried to make conversation but got only monosyllables in reply. She tore off the page of her order book, stuck it in the clip on Earl’s hatch and slid up beside Skye.
“Cute, isn’t he?”
“I dunno.”
“Got a young Brad Pitt thing going. When Brad was in that movie with Susan Sarandon.”
“ Thelma & Louise .”
“Uh huh. Lord the six-pack on that man.” Minty was lost in recollection, then she nudged Skye in the ribs with a bony elbow. “He can’t stop starin’ at you.”
“Minty, you’re crazy,” Skye said, laughing. But it was true and the man was beckoning her over.
Minty nudged her again. “Go on, go git yourself some.”
“He’s calling you.”
“No he ain’t. Get going.”
Skye walked over, feeling a blush on her face.
“Yes sir?” she said.
“Where can a man get himself a drink in this town?”
When she gave him directions to the nearest saloon, he nodded, smiling, and she saw he had pale green eyes and very white teeth.
“Whyn’t you join me, when you’re done?”
Right then Skye felt something she’d never felt before. A raw surge of desire, a heat that spread from her middle outward. She felt a hunger, a hunger for this man’s hands on her, for the feel of his body. And with that came another hunger, and she could smell the spice of his flesh, smell the saltiness of the blood coursing through him. Could feel his warmth as she feasted.
Skye spun and ran for the bathroom, locking herself in the stall, sweating and shaking. She heard the clatter of Minty’s shoes and saw her high heels under the stall door.
“You okay, girl?” Minty asked.
“I’m fine,” Skye said.
Minty tapped on the door. “Come on out.”
Skye flushed the toilet and stepped back into the washroom. Minty stared at her, then she laughed.
“You’re a virgin, ain’t you?” She wagged a hand, false nails like talons. “Don’t bother to answer. What you’re gonna do is get on out there and take Brad up on his offer.”
“No way.”
“Honey, you gotta do it sometime, and I speak from experience when I say that a quickie with a stranger is the ideal way to get the business done.”
Skye shook her head but a bold feeling rose in her. She wanted this and when Minty took out her lipstick Skye didn’t argue, just let the older woman paint her lips red as blood.
“Now you get rid of that apron and you get out there. I’ll tell Earl you’re feeling poorly. Lord knows, you’ve covered for me enough times.”
So Skye went out, not hearing Willie Nelson warbling on about how he fell to pieces, or the clatter of Earl washing plates in the kitchen. She heard only the beating of her own heart, strong and regular.
The blond man had eaten half his burger and pushed the plate aside, a few dollar bills tucked beneath it. He stood as she walked toward him.
“I thought you’d gone and run out on me.” Skye shook her head, not trusting her voice. He smiled and said, “You don’t need lipstick, you’re pretty enough already.”
And she let him take her hand and lead her
The sound of an engine got Minty looking up, coming half to standing. When she saw an RV rolling to a stop outside the diner she slumped back down again. The geriatric wayfarers who sailed the highways in those things were fussy and demanding and never tipped worth a damn.
But when the bells on the door jingled, a blond guy in his late twenties came in and took a booth, long legs ending in frayed Chuck Taylor’s jutting out from under the table. He lifted the menu and Skye heard him sigh.
Minty stood, adjusted her apron, warming up one of her smiles as she clacked over to him. “Evenin’.”
“Hi,” he said with no enthusiasm, gazing past Minty.
Skye realized he was looking at her and she turned away and pretended to neaten a stack of menus.
The blond man ordered a cheeseburger, fries and a coffee. Minty tried to make conversation but got only monosyllables in reply. She tore off the page of her order book, stuck it in the clip on Earl’s hatch and slid up beside Skye.
“Cute, isn’t he?”
“I dunno.”
“Got a young Brad Pitt thing going. When Brad was in that movie with Susan Sarandon.”
“ Thelma & Louise .”
“Uh huh. Lord the six-pack on that man.” Minty was lost in recollection, then she nudged Skye in the ribs with a bony elbow. “He can’t stop starin’ at you.”
“Minty, you’re crazy,” Skye said, laughing. But it was true and the man was beckoning her over.
Minty nudged her again. “Go on, go git yourself some.”
“He’s calling you.”
“No he ain’t. Get going.”
Skye walked over, feeling a blush on her face.
“Yes sir?” she said.
“Where can a man get himself a drink in this town?”
When she gave him directions to the nearest saloon, he nodded, smiling, and she saw he had pale green eyes and very white teeth.
“Whyn’t you join me, when you’re done?”
Right then Skye felt something she’d never felt before. A raw surge of desire, a heat that spread from her middle outward. She felt a hunger, a hunger for this man’s hands on her, for the feel of his body. And with that came another hunger, and she could smell the spice of his flesh, smell the saltiness of the blood coursing through him. Could feel his warmth as she feasted.
Skye spun and ran for the bathroom, locking herself in the stall, sweating and shaking. She heard the clatter of Minty’s shoes and saw her high heels under the stall door.
“You okay, girl?” Minty asked.
“I’m fine,” Skye said.
Minty tapped on the door. “Come on out.”
Skye flushed the toilet and stepped back into the washroom. Minty stared at her, then she laughed.
“You’re a virgin, ain’t you?” She wagged a hand, false nails like talons. “Don’t bother to answer. What you’re gonna do is get on out there and take Brad up on his offer.”
“No way.”
“Honey, you gotta do it sometime, and I speak from experience when I say that a quickie with a stranger is the ideal way to get the business done.”
Skye shook her head but a bold feeling rose in her. She wanted this and when Minty took out her lipstick Skye didn’t argue, just let the older woman paint her lips red as blood.
“Now you get rid of that apron and you get out there. I’ll tell Earl you’re feeling poorly. Lord knows, you’ve covered for me enough times.”
So Skye went out, not hearing Willie Nelson warbling on about how he fell to pieces, or the clatter of Earl washing plates in the kitchen. She heard only the beating of her own heart, strong and regular.
The blond man had eaten half his burger and pushed the plate aside, a few dollar bills tucked beneath it. He stood as she walked toward him.
“I thought you’d gone and run out on me.” Skye shook her head, not trusting her voice. He smiled and said, “You don’t need lipstick, you’re pretty enough already.”
And she let him take her hand and lead her
Similar Books
