Sassafras, Part 73

Joan


“I’m not leaving.” I lifted my chin, wishing I felt as confident as I tried to sound, but I would have probably done anything he said. He could probably even convince me to go back to New York if he tried harder. For a minute we just sat staring at each other, then he shrugged and softly stroked my cheek.

“Okay, you’re not leaving, but if you’re not leaving you need to stay out of trouble. I already talked to Matt, and tomorrow I’ll stop at the police station and see if I can find out anything. Maybe they learned something over the weekend. All I want you to do tomorrow is relax. Go shopping or take a bubble bath or something.”

“Ooh, a bubble bath.” I closed my eyes, thinking about how long it’s been since I was able to indulge in something as simple as hot water and bubbles. “I can’t believe I’ve been here almost a week and haven’t had a bath yet.”

Rick tilted his head slightly and sniffed. “Well, you smell pretty good for being so ripe.”

“Oh, very funny. I take a shower every morning. I just haven’t taken a bath. It’s usually one of the first things I do when I come to town. I lived in four different apartments in New York and none of them had tubs, just showers. One even had a shower in the kitchen. Well, not exactly in the kitchen. There was a door that looked like it would be a closet, but it was a shower. I think it really used to be a closet it was so small. Just think, when I move back here I can take a bath any time I want to. That would be wonderful.”

“I know what you mean. There weren’t any bathtubs in prison, either. One of the first things I did when I got out was take a long hot bath. Before I got drunk or laid. It was hard to have much of a social life when I was living with my parents. I was glad when I got this job, even if it meant moving out here. This town really isn’t that bad once you get used to it. I still can’t get over finding out I live in the former No-Tell Motel.”

“Somehow, you belong there.”

“Gee, thanks.”

“Oh, I’m just kidding.” The movie ended while we were preoccupied. The TV was playing a Kevin Costner movie, that one where he goes crazy and thinks he’s an Indian. Something Something Wolf. I never was a big Kevin Costner fan. He was just too much of a pretty boy for me. The movie was already half over and I didn’t have a clue what was going on it in. All I could tell you about that movie was it had nice scenery.

I couldn’t believe it was already past 8. I didn’t want the evening to end. I didn’t want Rick to leave. We were still sitting on the floor, leaning back against the couch, curled up together. God, it felt wonderful. Even better than the sex had been. Just feeling him next to me, even his big hairy legs rubbing against my skinny little bird legs, gave me the most wonderful feeling. I could have sat there in his arms like that all night long, running my fingers through his chest hair. I had never in my life felt so comfortable with a man, much less a completely naked man.

“Do you mind?” Rick asked, looking at my hand on his chest.

“Sorry,” I mumbled and pulled my hand away.

“Don’t stop,” he picked my hand up and put it back. “I like that. I meant, do you mind all this hair? One woman I dated said I reminded her of Bigfoot.”

“It’s different. I’ve never seen anybody so hairy. I mean, I’m sure I have, but never knew it, you know? After all, it’s hard to say how hairy somebody is until they take their shirt off.”

“It’s the Italian in me. A blessing and a curse.”

“I don’t know about the curse. I like all this hair. It’s sexy. I used to listen to other women talking about some guy’s abs or ass or whatever, but I never saw anything newsworthy about them. This, I like. I never knew I had a thing for hairy chests. I don’t know, maybe I just have a thing for your hairy chest. I like the way it looks, and the way it feels when I touch it. When we make love, all I can see is your face and this enormous hairy chest, and I like it.”

“I’m glad.”

“Me, too. I’ve learned a lot since I met you. I guess I led a pretty sheltered life. Until I met you, at least. Sex was never even really very interesting. It was just something men expected. I was always just glad when it was over.”

“You’ve got to be kidding.” He looked over at me in surprise.

“No. The first time I didn’t really know what to expect. He seemed to be enjoying himself quite a bit, but I was more confused than anything else.”

“What about the second time?”

“Well, at least I was less confused.” He laughed. “Well, maybe it wasn’t that bad, but I couldn’t understand what the big fuss was about. I mean, it was the most boring five minutes of my life.” We both laughed then. “I didn’t understand what all the fuss was about until I dated Phillip. Unfortunately, he would rather go out with his friends than waste any more of his precious time with me than he had to. See, I told you I dated your kind.” Rick nodded his head in silent agreement.

“He was always going out with his friends, but if I wanted him to go anywhere with me he was always too busy. The only time I was able to talk him into going somewhere with me he got drunk and tried to convince me to have sex in the men’s room. I actually went into the men’s room with him before I came to my senses. No wonder you guys are in and out so fast. It was disgusting in there. I can still remember that horrible smell. And this was a pretty nice restaurant, too, not some bar or something. What was it like for you? Your first time?”

“You have to promise you won’t repeat this. It would ruin my reputation as a lady’s man.”

“Okay, I promise.”

“I fell off the couch.”

“No!”

“Yes. Right on the floor. I was 16 and she was 19.”

“Ooh, an older woman. I’m impressed.”

“I don’t think she was. Especially after I got so excited I fell off the couch.” It was my turn to laugh. “Don’t laugh. I hit my chin on her knee and chipped a tooth.”

“Well, I’m glad you’ve improved your technique since then.”

“You have some pretty good moves yourself.”

That made me smile. I started to say something, but all that came out was a big yawn.

“I think it’s past your bed time.”

“Maybe,” I admitted. “Will you stay? Or do you have to go home tonight?” I slid my arm around his waist and nuzzled my face contentedly on his chest. I loved all that hair. I loved everything about him. I could have fallen asleep just like that and been perfectly happy. “You know, I never slept with anybody before. You know, really slept. Everybody else was always gone when I woke up, or I was gone before they did. It was so nice when I woke up yesterday and you were right there next to me. I want to wake up like that again. It was so nice.” At least I tried to say nice, all that came out was another yawn.

“I’d love to stay. This time I won’t have to run out the door five minutes after I wake up.”

“Mmm. That would be nice, too,” I murmured. The next thing I knew I felt his hand slide under my knees and then he was standing up with me in his arms. All of a sudden I wasn’t so sleepy. “Put me down. I can walk.”

He just smiled and kept walking.

“I’m going to go get a frying pan,” I warned him.

“Not if I don’t put you down you won’t.”

“You’re impossible, do you know that?”

“Yes, I know, but you love it.”

All I could do was sigh.

He was right.