Boswell, LaVenia (4 page)

            “Jenny . . . honey baby, you wear this sexy outfit just for me?”  He had to ask, though he knew she had, just for him.

            Before she could even look surprised at that he continued, “Ya did, didn’t ya, huh, sweetie pie?  Well, it sure makes me hungry for ya real bad, Jen.  Real bad.  I been planning to show ya things ya won’t even believe, sweet thing!”  He tried to half whisper in what he hoped was his most seductive deep masculine voice.  The music piped into the mall made it difficult to be heard, so he made sure Jenny could feel the pounding of his heart and the bold excitement building in his body.

            Suddenly she tried to break away.  He laughed, knowing like a scared calf about to be branded she wanted to put some distance between them until she felt safer.  No way would he let her go, not now, not this time! 

            He decided to try and seduce her with provocative words as his breathing grew ragged and his hands started pressing her even tighter against him.  He was pretty sure he was saying things she’d never heard or thought of before and hoped they’d spark her interest.

            Her angry, gasping response wasn’t exactly what he’d wanted.  He ignored her shoving hands and protesting words, as she struggled to get free.  Crushing his lips on hers in a wild and demanding way, he felt her resist all the harder.

            She was simply trying to make it look good, he reassured himself.  She really wanted him, but didn’t want their friends to know.  He’d had women like her before.  They taunted and teased until they got what they didn’t know they wanted.

            He spotted the utility door that went outside into the ally just a few feet away and began pulling her with him toward it.

            She’d begun to tremble, which added to his excitement.  Her pretty face looked like hot cinnamon, while her heels tried to dig into the tiled floor but kept sliding.  “Stop, stop, stop!” she called out loudly, angrily when he gave her a second to breathe.  “Have mercy Scott!  Give it a break, will ya?!”

            His fire burned brightly and his eyes were a little glazed as he growled his panther rumble low in his throat, that warned her clearly not to provoke him to further anger.

            An idea, brilliant actually, he decided, as he pulled his lips from hers and his gaze away from looking down her top to look into her eyes.  “Jen, doll baby, I know I haven’t told you yet, I, I been saving it for a special night, but I got’ta tell ya the truth.  I love you girl.  Crazy about ya.  Don’t be like this.”  He hated the half whine in his voice.  Letting a female bring him this low was inexcusable.  Nevertheless, the damage was done.  Trying to look as sincere as possible he crooned on, “I do love you, sweet thing.  I really, really do!  Now, sugar, I
need
you really bad tonight.  So, let me make love to my sweet baby?”

            “Don’t you dare do the
‘
I love you
’
to me!  Let me go this instant!” she was yelling at him in a boiling rage.  “Let me go, Scott.  You’re acting crazy.  Turn me loose now!”

            With both her wrists caught by one large hand and his other around her waist, welding her to him, she still managed to jerk her fists upward so it caught him under his chin.  Scott grunted like it was nothing, though it hurt, and continued wrestling with her, hoping to get to that exit door.

            She was about to get loose he realized, but if he worked it right he would pick her up and head out that exit where trash bins could block the door until he finished showing Jenny you don’t tease a man like him and just walk away.  He never lets that happen, not ever.

            Jerking her arms and moving her head out of range of his face, she looked pleadingly at their friends who were openly staring now.  Marcus had gotten out of his chair, looked furious and was walking toward them.  She called out, “Hey!  Need a little help over here!”

            Understanding finally hit Scott when he turned his head again and saw their friend’s hung mouth faces.  Marcus was glaring at him and coming on.  So, a brave rooster, Scott realized, was coming to challenge.  It’d draw too much unwanted attention and he sure didn’t want any police around, he finally decided with reluctance.

            Rolling his large shoulders to ease the tension Scott tried flashing his dimples at Jenny again as he straightened up and released her.  It was simply bad timing, he concluded.  Just bad timing.

            “Yeah, well, sweet thing, guess you had me thinking about things you didn’t want me to think about there for a while, lil’ darlin’.  It’s your own fault though.  You’ve got to admit, this outfit is made for making a real man, like me, hungry and maybe a little deranged.”  He stared down at her plunging neckline and laughed a wicked laugh as his hand came back to cup her there again.

            Jennifer viciously slapped his hand away as she stood gasping, snorting and calling him different animal names.  She looked as cute as a tiger cub with her anger all flared up with her hissing and spitting, he thought with an amused smile. 

            Her fists balled up and she shook her finger in his face.   He grabbed and kissed her shaking finger.  That seemed to send her into some kind of conniption fit, while he stood back and laughed outright at her.

            Having Jenny for an almost girlfriend was sure getting rough, he admitted to himself with a shake of his head.  She hadn’t put out yet but she could sure heat up the blood fine and dandy.  Now this thing she had about changing her clothing style he really liked.  He’d been trying since their first date, three months ago to get her to allow their relationship to move up to a higher, much more intimate level.  She kept putting him off, even on their second date and lastly their third.  She tried acting not that interested when he knew she was, had to be.  Look how she’d dressed for him tonight.  She had to of known he’d be here. 

            With a half smug smile, and crossing his arms over his broad chest, he decided she was probably just a little scared, feeling sure she was an innocent still about real lovemaking.  But to keep telling him no was getting too old.  Why she didn’t give into the inevitable darned if he could figure out?  What was the harm anyway?  It was bound to happen sooner or later, why not with him?  At least she’d have a man who could appreciate all her beautiful body had to offer, not some stupid boy.  She’d come to understand the truth of it before long, for a certain, he’d now see to that.

            He made up his mind, the first chance he got to have her alone he planned to teach her a few of his tricks.  Like tying knots, how to manage a running calf coming out of the chutes, how some pain is needed to bring an animal into submission and so much more.  Some she’d come to like, heck, perhaps even love.  Other things would depend on her and how much of a fight she wanted to make.  Main thing was she’d be all his when he was through with her.  Maybe even branded, all depends.  His woman.  He’d decided.  And now that’s the way it was gonna be.  She was gonna be all his, until he tired of her.

            Taking his black cowboy hat off and wiping the sweat from his face on his shirt sleeve he flashed a look at his friends.  Marcus had stopped in his tracks, afraid of him, he knew.  Smart kid.

            Flustered, frightened and deeply embarrassed Jenny thought if she could just get away . . . .  Grabbing up her purse, she fluttered off without looking at anyone and called over her shoulder, “Come on lady-friend we have books to browse.”

            Marcus turned and looked at
Salina
.  They were both in shock over the open display of the obvious lust Scott exhibited.  They now stared at each other, gauging the surprise in each other’s eyes.  It had been like watching a movie of love starved cowboy meets sexy, resistant siren. 

            He suddenly realized
Salina
was still staring at him, seemingly wanting him to make a remark.  “Guess he’s more into her than we knew, huh?”

            Jumping to catch up with Jenny she glared at him and said with a smug smile, “Oh, I knew he was crazy all right, what I didn’t know was that he was dangerous crazy.  Tell your cowboy-mountain cat friend to back off, or he may find himself declawed and neutered.  And I mean that!” 

           
Salina
hurried to help calm a frightened Jenny, who was badly shaken and trembling like a leaf as she’d broken away from Scott.

            Walking off Marcus ignored Scott’s yell out to him, as he headed for the hot pretzel stand, near the book store, to keep an eye on the girls till they were safe in their car headed home.

3 –
ALICE
HAIR

Extra early Saturday morn, Jenny nervously jumped each time her cell vibrated.  She’d taken it off ringer so as not to awaken her parents.  It’d been Scott each time, texting or calling, so she refused to respond.

            He’d truly terrified her last night.  The memory of his eyes, those of an insane man’s, nostrils flared like some wild beast, his lips crushing, his hands and fingers bruising her arms, and his overall overwhelming power, refusing to turn her loose . . . made her skin crawl. 

            Looking down at her arms and hands she noticed small purple spots forming around her wrists and a few up and down her arms.  His fingertips.  She knew, and his persistent calls verified, Scott wouldn’t let things drop.  He was dangerous. 

            Deciding to get it over with and hear the worst of it she punched in her phone message center.  First his voice was nothing but yelling and screaming, demanding she pick up or call him back.  Delete.  As the messages went on, about ten so far, they slowly became more coherent and he’d reverted to begging and apologies, sort’a.  Saying he was so in love with her, and her being his woman he missed her and hadn’t meant to scare her . . . .  Delete, delete, delete.

            Made goose bumps rise each time she thought about him, and as much as she’s tried to put it behind her all night long, she hadn’t managed.  Hardly any sleep made her feel extra tired and grumpy today.

            Her new sexy, bold persona was simply a horrifying memory now.  If she never sold another article, short story or novel in her life, she wouldn’t go that route ever again.  With a deep sigh she had to admit, it wasn’t her anyway.  Why she even thought to try and be someone she wasn’t proved how oddly she’d been thinking lately.  She wasn’t bold, sexy or daring.  Out of kilter.  That’s what she was.  Out of kilter.

            Looking in the mirror at her long hair as she brushed it, the memory of Scott’s mouth on her neck and ear and her hair concealing it made her want it all gone. 

            All the hour long scrubbing in the shower she’d done when she got home hadn’t helped do more than remove his scent and cologne from her.  The fear he’d instilled was still alive in her.  His overwhelming strength was the most terrifying.  Being held against her will and unable to get lose, plus it’d been terribly embarrassing.

            If he’d managed to open that utility exit door . . . .

            “Well, I sure don’t want these any more,” she said aloud as she threw out the jeans and top from last night.  As she stuffed them into an old shopping bag she noticed her hands were trembling again.

            Stuffing several more of her new clothes into the bag for the Veterans Association Thrift store she grabbed it up and headed into the kitchen.  It was still early so her mom wasn’t up yet.  Her mom and her tended to be late sleepers.  Morning simply wasn’t their thing, usually.

            “Dad, I’m going to drop off these clothes and I think I’ll go to the hair salon,” she stated as she bent to kiss the top of his head.  He was sipping coffee and reading the Florida Times Union while munching on toast with cinnamon and sugar.

            Tapping the saucer that held his toast she warned, “Dad, too much sugar isn’t good for you.”

            He smiled crookedly at her.  “Yeah, I know, cupcake.  Don’t go telling on me now.  I hate that artificial jam your mom tries to shovel down my throat.  It’s not the same.  Doesn’t taste the same and the texture is all wrong.  Slimy.”