Where There's Smoke
“. that." "Yes, ma'am, it surely is the right word. It gets the message acmss, all right." "Well then? Was I wrong?" Bowie massaged the back of his neck. After what seemed to Janellen an eternity, he raised his head. "Fact of the matter is, it isn't the right word. If that's what I wanted, we could have done it on your kitchen linoleum. But I think too much of you to toss up your skirts and go at you like you're no better than a ten-dollar whore. See, MissJanellen, you're quality and I'm ...trash, and nothing's ever going to change that." "You're not trash!" "Compared to you I am. Besides which, I'm an ex-con." "You served time for doing something that needed to be done. In my opinion, the beast you assaulted deserved prison, not you." He smiled indulgently at her vehemence. "Unfortunately, the state of Texas didn't agree." Turning serious again, he said, "Neither would the people of Eden Pass. If you were to take up with me, how do you think folks would react?" "I don't care." She rounded the desk and knelt in front of the chair in which he sat, trustingly placing her hands on his thighs. "Bowie, all my life I've lived according to what other people wanted for me. I've done everything that was expected of me and nothing that would be looked upon with disfavor. But not too long ago, Key reminded me that life is passing me by." She inched closer. "I didn't realize how right he was until you kissed me. Then, for the first time in my life, I experienced a sense of bursting free. I don't want to grow old and then discover that I missed the best things life has to offer because I was afraid of offending someone else. For thirty-three years I've been the prim and proper Miss Janellen, and frankly I'm bored with her. The only fun and excitement she's ever had was with you. "So what if the hometown folks raise their eyebrows over us? They've been tsking for years over my spinsterhood, pitying me because I didn't have any beaux. Between pity and disapproval, I choose disapproval." Taking a deep breath, she added, "If you like me even a little don't back off because you're afraid of damaging my reputation." "If I like you even a little," he repeated, smiling his sad smile. He pulled her up and settled her on his lap. "I like you so much my heart goes to aching every time I think about you, which is all the time." He took her hand and stroked the back of it, his touch light, as though he feared breaking the fragile bones. "Folks aren't going to cotton to us being a pair, Janellen. You stand to lose so much. Me, I got nothing to lose. No money, no name, no family or friends or a position in the community. But you could be hurt bad." She laid her fingers against his lips. "I won't be hurt, Bowie." "Yes, you would. I'd hurt you, and I can't hardly bear to think about it." Their faces were very close. His eyes were dark and intense, and she knew that he was no longer referring to the effect that their being together would have on her social standing. He was talking about the physical pain their coupling would cause her. She whispered, "I wish for that hurt. I wish for it right now." She fell against him softly. A low moan escaped her as his arms enfolded her. She tilted her head back against his biceps and welcomed his urgent kiss. They kissed hotly and hungrily, their mouths melding. He stroked the side of her face, trailed a finger along the line of her jaw, touched her neck. Between fervent kisses Janellen whispered encouragement. When his hand moved to her breast and gingerly covered it, she lovingly murmured his name. "I can't go on with that or I'll do what I swore I wouldn't do." She opened her eyes and sat up straight. "What are you saying, Bowie?" "That I'm not going to fuck you." She uttered a small sound of protest and dismay. He hastened to add, "What I want to do is make love to you. I want to do it proper, on a bed with sweet-smelling sheets, in a place that's clean and worthy of you." She relaxed and laughed softly. "That doesn't matter to me, "It matters to me. I still think I'm the worst thing that's ever happened to you, but you're the best thing that's ever happened in my life, and that's for damn sure. I won't treat you like any old gal I could get off with." While Janellen was disappointed that he'd stopped the foreplay, her heart filled with tenderness. "I'm fairly certain you're a virgin." He glanced up and she nodded. "I can't imagine why that is, but I'm damned glad no other man beat me to you. It's an honor I don't take lightly, so when it happens, I want it to be like the first time for me, too. And in a way it will be. I've never done it with a woman I'd share my toothbrush with." She giggled and nuzzled his shoulder. "Will you share your toothbrush with me?" In reply he kissed her, pressing his tongue deep into her mouth. "I'll be looking for a place where we can go," he said hoarsely when the kiss ended. "Your trailer," she suggested enthusiastically. "I'll come tonight after supper. "That trailer is fine for me, but it's not lit for you to set foot in." "Bowie!" He stubbornly shook his head. "It's got to be someplace special. When I find it, you'll be the first to know." "But when?" "I don't know yet." His eyes burned with desire. "As soon as possible." "Until then, you can come to the house every night after Mama goes to bed." "I'd never sleep with you sneaky like that under your mama s roof." "I didn't mean we'd sleep together, just be together. I can't leave Mama alone. Maydale would get suspicious if I asked her to stay late every night. I'd soon run out of excuses to be away from the house. If we're going to see each other, you have to come there." He frowned. "That's tempting fate, Janellen. If we take chances like that, something terrible could happen." "That's silly. Nothing's going to happen." "Your mama could catch us together. Then the shit would hit the fan." He was right on that score. But even her mother's disapproval wouldn't keep Janellen from seeing him. "We'll make doubly sure we don't get caught until we're ready to make our friendship' public." She grinned happily. "I'm ready to tell the whole world." "I'd postpone that if I were you." He was as grim as she was ebullient. "Sooner or later, something's bound to go wrong. I'm unlucky like that." "Everything's changing for both of us." "Janellen." He held her face between his hands again and peered closely into her eyes. "Are you sure about this? Are you absolutely sure? 'Cause being with me isn't going to be a picnic for you. In fact, it's likely to be hell." She covered his hands with hers. "Being without you would be hell. I'd sooner die. I love you. "I love you too. And you can believe it or not, but I've never said that to another living soul." They kissed again, and she wore him down until he gave her his promise to come to her back door at midnight that niht. Heather Winston had absolutely no interest in the search for the Northwest Passage. Irritably, she set aside her American history textbook and gave her mind over to the much more important matter of keeping Tanner Hoskins in line. She was on duty at the check-in desk of The Green Pine Motel, as she was every weekday night from seven till ten. It wasn't hard work. It allowed her time to do homework and study for exams. But it also kept her from spending time with Tanner. Between cheerleading practice, the football team, and all their other extracurricular activities, they had very little time to be together except on weekends. She didn't like it any better than he did, but he complained the most. "Lately your mother's got you on such a short leash, it's hardly worth going out at all. Heather was afraid he would soon tire of their situation and seek the companionship of a girl with a lighter schedule and a more lenient curfew. Just that morning she'd caught him flirting with Mimsy Parker at her locker between second and third periods. Everybody had seen them together. By the time school was dismissed for the day, it was all over campus that Heather was on the verge of being dicked. She wouldn't have it. Recently Tanner had been elected student body president. He'd scored two touchdowns last Friday night. He was the most popular boy at school this year. She wasn't about to let Mimsy Parker have him. As she was devising various methods of keeping him faithful, a bowlegged man entered through the automatic doors, removed his hat, and surveyed the lobby. "Hi. Can I help you?" "Evenin', Miss Winston. "You know me?" "I've seen you with your folks. My name's Bowie Cato." She recognized his name. He was the ex-convict now working for the Tacketts. Heather experienced a thrill of fear. Was he about to rob her? His darting eyes were wary and nervous. She was the only one on duty in the lobby. A waitress and a short-order cook were keeping the restaurant open, but they wouldn't be of any help to her if Bowie Cato had armed robbery and murder in mind. "You might think this is a peculiar request," he said, after selfconsciously clearing his throat. "But, well, I got, uh, kinfolks coming to spend the weekend. My trailer isn't big enough to sleep them and me, too, and anyway, these kin are kinda persnickety. So what I'm looking for is a place for them to stay. One night, maybe two." "I'll be happy to make a reservation for you, Mr.MoreLess
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