Ride to Redemption (5 page)

“I
can’t see where we’re going,” cried Candi, still somewhat unsteady from the
wine.

“Nothing
to see. Just hold my hand.”

I
pulled her to the shoreline and climbed to the ledge. “This is where trust
comes in, Candi,” I assured her. “Close your eyes. We’ll run and jump on
three.” Before she had a chance to protest, off we went … one, two, three,
launching into the abyss below. The water depth was at least eighty feet, and
I’ve never really worried about hitting bottom day or night.

I
was first to the surface, with Candi bobbing up and down, squealing like a
child beside me. She screamed, “Let’s do it again,”

Startled,
I noticed off to my right, not forty feet away, a bass boat with two surprised
anglers fishing for Smallmouth Bass in the darkness.

“Are
ya’ll okay?” came a voice from the general direction of the boat.

“We’re
fine,” I replied, just as a three million candlepower spotlight shined directly
on us in all our glory.

“Ya’ll
can turn that off now! I assure you we’re all right.”

I
heard their quiet chuckles and boisterous comments about our nakedness. I
shouted once again, just to get them to leave. “Yes, men, those are magnificent
hooters. Now, move along, and we’ll do the same. Sorry if we scared the fish.”

“Them
thangs are prettier than any ole fish we’ll catch tonight!”

Embarrassed
and sobering too quickly, Candi got squarely behind me as I back-peddled toward
the boat. Racing me back, she attempted to climb the swim ladder before I
stopped her. “We’re fine, baby. Besides, do you know anyone else who can tell
the story of flashing two fishermen at night on Dale Hollow?”

Candi
stammered, “Do you realize if we’d jumped a minute later, we might have landed
in their boat?”

“Naw,
the way sound travels in the dark on this lake, they would’ve caught onto us
before we hit the water. Don’t worry. They’ll be bragging all night and all day
tomorrow about those magnificent two that got away!”

Candi
managed a light laugh as she neared me in the water.

“Let’s
not get in the boat just yet, baby. Come here.” I grabbed her hand and pulled
her close. I could feel her heart racing. Not from the excitement of being with
me, unfortunately, but from the flight of the fishermen. “It’s okay, baby.
They’re gone. It’s just you and me again.”

Ever
so slowly, Candi calmed down in the security of my arms.

“Kiss
me, D,” she pleaded, and not being one to ignore her directions I immediately
ravished her with my lips. Tongues probing, and nibbling each other’s lips,
ears, necks and shoulders, we were suddenly lost in another moment. The
previous ten minutes seemed like a distant memory, and the next twenty became a
lust-filled blur.

“Thank
you, baby. Thank you,” were all the words she had the strength to say.

“No,
baby. Thank you,” I gasped, utterly spent myself. “Tonight, we have
successfully completed the 4 Ds: dinner, discovery, disaster (albeit diverted)
and dessert. That’s a good night in anyone’s book of memories.”

Chapter
5

C
andi
and I arrived at the house exhausted. We both looked longingly at the rose
petals lining the stone-inlaid staircase. She stared into my eyes and gave me a
naughty smile. “Baby, I’m ready for round two if you are, but just sleeping
with you after a long hot shower, sounds just as wonderful.”

“Great
minds think alike,” I stated, taking her hand and leading her up the rose-littered
staircase. We shed our clothes even before we hit the bathroom door. As I
adjusted the water settings, we both scampered into the large two person
shower. Willingly, we soaped one another up and rinsed away our long, but
wonderful day. Seconds after drying off, the bed invitingly called our names,
snuggling us into the goose down bedding where we quickly went to sleep.

Morning
broke for me at 5 a.m. I had hoped the dog and I could get in a good three-mile
trek before Candi woke up. Major, however, had other plans. It’s funny how a
cold nose and wet tongue will awaken even the soundest sleeper, even if it
wasn't mine.

“Hey,
baby. Where are you?” I heard Candi call out. “Major, go find daddy.”

The
playful canine was diligent and did as directed, while Candi followed giggling
behind him.

“I’m
downstairs. I was headed out to walk, that is, if I can drag Major away from
you.”

“Well,
evidently, I’m going, too. Just give me a few to brush my teeth and toss on my
workout clothes.”

It
had been forever since I’d had a workout partner. I could quickly get used to
this new morning routine. In a flash, she descended the stairs for the second
time and joined Major and me outside.

Candi,
Major and I made it to the farm road just as the sun came over the horizon. “This
is when I think the clearest,” I confessed to Candi, as we walked briskly down
the farm road. “Time stands still here near the meadows and wooded thickets.
It’s the best meditation ground I have ever found, bar none.”

Bob
white quail, calling from both sides of the road greeted us, and off in the
distance, crows cawed back and forth non-stop, as they badgered a red-tailed
hawk. Tall rows of field corn were ready for harvesting and the mass fields of
sunflowers were drooping over, announcing their seed would soon be ripe.
Thousands of yellow finches danced across the fields just as the sun
illuminated the eastern sky.

“Awesome!
Just awesome. What a mind-cleansing place to walk.”

“Just
wait for phase two,” I proclaimed as we approached a herd of young Holstein
cows. “I don’t know what it is, but the cows are enthralled with Major.”
Suddenly, just like the many days before, the entire herd broke for the
fencerow and walked with us at least half a mile, sniffing and snorting at
Major the entire time.

The
next thing we came upon were large silver silos that dotted the landscape of a
century-old dairy farm, populated with red barns, sporting shiny silver tin
roofs. Up and down the green pastures are large herds of Holstein cows, with a
few jersey calves thrown in for good measure. “Here beats the heart and soul of
America,” I proudly exclaimed. “I sometimes wonder if the farmers know just how
majestic this place looks to me.”

Candi
smiled as we walked. “D, you are one passionate guy. You embrace your home, the
lake, and even this place with an appreciation and reverence that I’ve never
seen. It’s as if there will be no tomorrow and all you have is today.”

I
couldn’t argue. My recent past had only fueled my fire for the simple pleasures
of life. In fact, this quaint walk woman and dog is just about as calm and
peaceful as anything I could imagine on my own. And the beauty of it is, all I
have to do is witness it. That pretty much sums it up, walk, gaze, and wonder.

Completing
our three-mile trek in less than forty minutes was a good way to start the day.
We slowed our pace near the end of our walk to let our bodies cool down. This
invigorating trek also worked up an appetite. Cooking hearty breakfasts is my
specialty — and making country gravy, I learned, was hers. Between us, we
had scrambled eggs with pickled jalapenos, sliced homegrown tomatoes, and
sausage gravy smothering homemade biscuits. “So much for my weight-loss program
this morning!” I exclaimed.

“D,
if we ate like this every morning, we’d be the size of the barns we passed
earlier!”

“This,
my dear, is comfort food,” I remarked while the guilt of what we were eating
caused me to suck in my stomach just a little.

“Did
you bring that sundress we talked about for this weekend?” I asked hopefully.

“Of
course and more,” Candi responded proudly, “especially since you said they
weren’t to wear on the bike.”

“Great,
could you wear one for me this morning and bring jeans and a tee for later?”

“What,
we’re not going to shower together after the fun we had last night?”

“Not
this morning, baby. I can’t control myself around you when your clothes are
off. Besides, we’re going shopping. If I get wet with you, we may never make it
out the door.”

Thankfully,
just the thought of going shopping seemed to immediately appease her, whereby,
she ascended the stairs with a satisfied, radiating glow.

I could really, really get used to having her around.

Chapter
6

“H
ey, baby, it’s our
three-week anniversary plus one today!” I exclaimed. “Why don’t you drive us to
my leather outfitter, while I practice with the BOA I got you for our
anniversary?”

“A
boa?” she questioned, “You mean like a feather boa or like a snake?”

“Neither,
baby. There happens to be a third type. Once we get on the main road, I’ll
share it with you … as in intimately.”

Candi
seemed puzzled as I climbed into the back seat of her Range Rover and removed
her driver’s seat headrest. “Do me a favor?” I asked as an afterthought. “Run
back inside and bring me two pillows from the couch. Trust me,” I assured her.
“There’s plenty of method to my madness.”

With
Candi driving the winding back roads, I contemplated my next move. “Candi, when
we reach the interstate, pull over on the edge of the on-ramp for a second.”

“Will
do,” she chirped with a sudden rush of excitement in her voice.

Stopping
as directed, I asked her to move her seat as far up as possible, and then lay
the back of the seat almost all the way down. Never having done this before, I
was making it up as I went, hoping it would work out just the way I had
lustfully envisioned.

“Just
how am I supposed to drive?” she asked.

“Here,
put these two pillows behind your back for support. Are you comfortable, baby?
Can you see to drive?”

“It
will do,” Candi answered, somewhat perplexed.

“Then,
let’s do this,” I exclaimed.

She
pulled back onto the ramp and merged onto I-40. The traffic was heavier than
I’d hoped, but it would have to suffice.

“Baby,
set the cruise to seventy and whatever you do, please keep your eyes on the
road and your hands on the wheel. We’ve got fifty miles ahead of us, and we
want to arrive in one piece.”

Starting
with the nape of her neck, I preceded to bite, kiss, and nibble each side …
along each ear, up and down the top of each shoulder. Soft moans escaped her as
the heat generated by my lips escalated her excitement. Slowly, I moved my
hands around each side of her reclined seat and into the sides of her sundress.

While
continuing to tease her with my tongue, my fingers found their way inside her
bra, where I massaged each of her voluptuous breasts. Candi’s breathing
increasing rapidly, and I asked if she was doing okay. Looking into the
rearview mirror, she nodded hesitantly, while gingerly biting her lower lip.

“Thirty
more miles to go, baby,” I whispered into her ear, “and now for the finale.” I
seductively unwrapped Candi’s present, the BOA (Baby Orgasm Accelerator), right
before her eyes, glued as directed to the road. After turning it on low, I
eased it under her dress and into her nether regions. To my pleasant surprise,
my hands discovered that Candi had come willfully prepared for this shopping
adventure, as in commando.

The
BOA has a twofold purpose in that it massages two distinct areas of a woman’s
woo-hoo. With the expert assistance of the BOA, firmly held in place, exactly
as designed to perform its magic, Candi exploded as wave after wave of
sensation pulsated through her body. Her hands gripped the steering wheel for
dear life as her legs quivered on the floorboard. Thankfully, she followed my
instructions to the letter and never once let go of the steering wheel or took
her eyes off the road.

Awesome,
I thought.
We have
so
arrived and we aren’t even there yet!

Chapter
7

Y
es,
Leather Outfitters is the best at what they do, especially when it comes to
fitting men and women in jackets and chaps. My friend, Les, is even better than
the average specialist.

“Candi,
this is Les,” I announced, introducing them. “She needs the works, Les —
jacket, gloves, a helmet and chaps.”

Les’s
eyes lit up when I said chaps, while Candi looked back at me quizzically.

Hesitating
to say another word about chaps, I continued, “Let’s pick out a jacket first.
The rest you can match to it.”

“Better
start with the best you have, Les, my friend. Her tastes are over the top.” I
smiled over at Candi, who was nodding in approval. Sizing her up in his head,
Les’s first choice was correct. It was fine Italian leather with a zip-out
liner and Kevlar-reinforced elbows and shoulders.

“Next,
the chaps,” I instructed. “They have to fit a little tight, because over time
they will stretch. Plus, I’ll be staring at them for the first fifty hours or
so, at least until the newness wears off. What?” Les chuckled under his breath,
while Candi dropped an eyebrow in my direction.

“Here,
let’s try these,” announced Les, motioning for her to raise her arms while he
prepared to fit her seamlessly. “Same company that made the jacket, made
these,” he told her. I couldn’t help noticing he had one hand semi-massaging
her crotch, while his other hand was zipping the chaps from the top down.

“How
do those fit?” he asked.

“They
feel tight.”

“Here,
miss, let’s put the other leg on, before we rule these out. We may need to try
on three or four pair to make sure we find you the 'purr-fect' fit.”

Same
scenario, different leg, but this time Candi pointed at his head as Les kneeled
in front of her, “Do you see where his hand is?”

I
nodded yes, while biting down on my lip to keep from laughing out loud.

“There,
miss, walk around in these for a minute while I go pick out a few more.”

Candi
immediately grabbed my arm and dragged me half way across the store. “Listen,
D, the last time I was involuntarily felt up like that was at the Atlanta
airport, while being patted down by a semi-mustached, female TSA Agent.”

I
had to laugh. “Candi, Les is good at what he does. Yep. he just takes a few
liberties while fitting you, that’s all. Oh, and just so you know, he does the
same thing to guys.”

“I
don’t even want to go there…”

“Les,”
Candi screamed across the store. “I’ll take these. Don’t bother looking for
more. You’ve done well, seeing how it’s your very first time fitting me.”

Les
looked like someone just stole his favorite toy, still he reluctantly nodded OK
and walked to the register to ring-up our purchases.

Our
mission complete, we headed back to the lake, this time with me in the front
seat relaxing, instead of distracting. Too much of a good thing, as in lust
driven romance, can alter the depth of a somewhat promising relationship. I was
hoping to myself, somewhere in our newness, albeit lustfully skewed, we had the
inner workings on which to build something solid.

Candi’s
phone rang, startling both of us. It was Marcy announcing she was going
shopping in Nashville for the rest of the weekend. She invited Candi to join
her if she could.

“What
do you think, D? I'm sure I'll need a few more clothes for our trip.”

“I
think that’s a great idea. Go for it. Tell her you’ll be there in two hours.
I’ll drop you off. Besides, I have countless things to deal with before I head
out. I haven’t even packed my own stuff!”

We
met Marcy off one of the interstate exits near Cookeville, and Candi happily
jumped out of her car. She bounced around to my side and stuck her head and
ta-tas inside the window. With a big kiss, she rubbed herself against my face
and whispered, “I’ll miss you. Bye, bye, baby.” And with that, she was off.

I
hope she remembers where to pick up her SUV…

I only had a few days to finish shipping my last few
boxes of clothes and, well, other items. My plan was to leave Wednesday and
meet Candi in Sioux City by Saturday afternoon. It would take some work on my
part to meet that schedule.

Pouring
over the current financial records of thousands of potential clients was a long
and tedious process. I’d had many of these packages complete and ready for over
a year now, and I was finishing up with the last few hundred packages this
week. With no one I could trust to assist me, I spent twelve hours a day over
the next three days determining who in my recently-acquired circle of friends
possibly needed the most assistance. Shipping this many packages, while
scheduling their timely pick-up was a major undertaking. Nevertheless, I was up
for the job. If I were to ever make amends the way I felt they should be made,
I’d have to push my nose up against the old grindstone and get the job done.

Over
the last few years, I’d been helping roughly ten to twenty people a month by
shipping my priceless care packages of diamonds, along with a few other odd
valuables to them. These, of course, were highly controversial and if ever
discovered by the government they’d be confiscated and never become beneficial
to anyone. Safety for me, and the recipients of my shipments, counted on total
anonymity. However, I soon realized that the longer my anonymous financial
assistance continued, the greater the possibility of my discovery. I had no
intention of going down with this ship, and I didn’t like the possible paper
trail that could eventually lead right back to me, so strict adherence to
safety accompanied each parcel.

My
plan is this: my bike trip is to be my
coup de grace
. I would be mailing
over one thousand individual packages from six separate cities, spread out over
eighteen hundred miles across the U.S. and possibly Canada. Using this
adventure to accomplish such a major undertaking was something I’d dreamed up
last year. Going west to Sturgis and beyond with 300,000 other bikers would
help me get lost in the crowd … with the powers-that-be none the wiser. Thus, I
had grown a beard, added some pronounced tattoos, and let my hair grow long. If
you’re trying to blend in, as well as fit in, you might as well look like
you’re enjoying the ride.

… Trust me, now that
Candi is onboard, I planned to.