“Hello, ladies.” His hands rested on the edge of the window by Jeri, but his gaze remained fastened on Ella’s face. “Out for a stroll or are you racing tonight?”
“If you’re up for it,” Ella said, fighting a frog in her throat, “I thought we might go head to head.”
The big grin grew bigger. “Let me just say so to my guys.”
“I’m getting out here.” Jeri cut in. “I’m not risking my life. Introduce me to your friends.” J.D. raised his eyebrows, but nodded. Jeri hopped out with a quick peck on Ella’s cheek. “Hang him up by his Buster Browns.”
Ella laughed and watched J.D. introduce Jeri to his friends with the Harleys. Then he got in the Mustang and pulled up next to Ella. Together they joined the line toward the starting line. A woman with a giant bouffant had a big white flag, which she waved as she leapt into the air each time she sent off a pair of draggers.
J.D. kept glancing over at her. Ella tried to calm the fluttering in her chest, but it didn’t want to listen to reason. Adrenaline surged through her body as they crept toward the starting line. When she realized they were next, a sense of calm came over her as she waited to see the bouffanted woman wave that flag.
All at once, with a squeal of tires, they were off. Ella’s body tingled as she slammed through the gears, her skin as taut as a wire, her mind pumping as fast as the pistons. They crossed the finish line, where twin boys who looked about twelve crossed their flags in a mock swordfight. Ella released a deep breath she hadn’t realized she’d held the entire way.
Braking, she looked over at J.D. whose smile threatened to meet at the back of his head. They pulled down to the end of the competitors’ cars and jumped out of their autos.
“I so whupped you!” Ella cried.
“It was me by a hair.”
“Oh, no it wasn’t. I had you beat from the get go, and you never got near me.”
J.D. shook his head. “It was close at the end. You couldn’t tell the winner without a photo.”
“We are so going to go again.” Ella could feel the flush in her cheeks and loved the way the streetlights lit up J.D.’s teeth when he smiled.
“But not now,” J.D. said, his voice quieter as he touched her arm. “You’re not in any hurry are you?”
“I suppose not,” Ella said and leaned back against the hood of the Cherry Bomb.
“Good, because I want to take advantage of your dueña being gone.” He stepped closer so his thigh pressed against hers. “And I think I want to try that kiss again, the one we started last week.”
Ella looked up, and her heart skipped a little faster. “Now where were we . . . ?” She lifted herself up on the hood, glad she’d worn the jeans without any rivets—the tight jeans that hugged her curves so nicely. Ella had also worn the soft cashmere sweater with the short sleeves and the low V-neck. She hoped he appreciated it.
J.D. moved in close, putting his hands on her shoulders. “You have a real spark,” he leaned in to brush her lips with his. “A lot of skill, too. You’ve got an amazing car—which seems fitting.” He leaned in, dropping his hands to her waist and locking his mouth on hers. Their tongues wrestled, neither giving way. J.D. pressed up against her, warm and hard. Ella wrapped her arms around him, feeling the play of muscles in his back.
He moved his hands to her cheeks, his mouth hungry against hers.
Ella thought her thighs might just burst into flames right there. She wanted to feel this man inside her and groaned with desire. He heard her and moved his hands to her chest, caressing her aching breasts, rubbing his thumbs against her nipples. The exquisite joy filled Ella as she arched against his touch.
She wanted skin on skin, though, and slipped her hands underneath his T-shirt to feel his warm flesh. It made her so wet. Ella wrapped her legs around him and pulled him back with her, so he had to let go of her breasts and throw his hands out on the hood, keeping his mouth glued to hers and grinding his hips against her.
He arched up and lifted his hands from the Cherry Bomb’s hood to slip under the soft folds of the cashmere, the better to caress her breasts and to tease the nipples again. It wasn’t enough! J.D. seemed to sense her growing frustration and he shoved her sweater up to reveal her bra. After feasting his eyes for a moment, his mouth latched onto her left breast with a greedy abandon before moving to her right, his tongue circling her hardened nipple before he took it between his teeth, gently squeezing it while she moaned.
Ella knew she should be thinking about being seen, but all she wanted was more. J.D. lifted his head and fixed her with an intent stare before he moved one hand up to her neck and used the other to slip into the top of her jeans. Moaning, Ella moved her own hand down to pop the button at the top, then slide the zipper. J.D. leaned in and wiggled his fingers down until she gasped.
His mouth sought hers again, seemingly starving for her taste as his fingers slipped lower, at last, sliding into her wetness as Ella bucked with pleasure. Hampered by the snugness of her jeans, J.D. did his best to stroke her, curving his fingers and seeking her g-spot.
It didn’t take much. Ella saw spots before her eyes as she began to come, crying out as she arched up, and he jammed his fingers in and out, maximizing her pulsations. Her chest heaved and filled with such exquisite joy that she wanted to whoop at the sky. For a second, Ella thought she had—or he had—but then she recognized the sound.
Sirens blared somewhere near the starting line. J.D. and Ella looked at each other with surprise. There were shouts everywhere. J.D. pulled his hand out of her pants with a sheepish grin, but took a moment to stick his fingers in his mouth, evidently savoring the taste of her. Ella’s face flushed warmly.
“We better go.” Ella couldn’t bring herself to get down from the hood, however. A decided languor filled her body, and she wanted simply to revel in the warmth. J.D. put his arms around her and lifted her to the ground with care, though she swayed a little, light-headed yet. They grinned at each like idiots.
“Hey! Hey! You idiots! We gotta go!” Jeri jumped off the back of a Harley that roared up beside them. “Move it!”
J.D. grabbed Ella for one last kiss. “There’s a hot rod rally in Manchester next weekend. Bands, cars, food. Meet me there?”
“All right.” Ella blinked, hoping it would clear her head.
“Car. Now!” Jeri looked over her shoulder, where the sirens were getting louder. Ella waved and finally tottered over to the door of the Cherry Bomb, zipping her jeans as she walked, blushing when Jeri raised eyebrows at her, but there was no time to talk. Hitting the gas, she pulled away with a quick glance back at the Mustang.
“I still don’t know your name!” J.D. yelled before jumping in his car, too, and pulling out behind them. Ella laughed and sped up as much as she dared, her gaze darting left and right to make sure the way was clear. The warm night poured in through the windows, filling her with a heady thrill as she kept a watch on J.D.’s Mustang in the rearview mirror all the way to the exchange at Hartford, when he headed east and they north.
Wisely, Jeri held off on the third degree until they got back to her house. Ella hoped she could just drop off her friend, but Jeri wasn’t about to get out of the car until she’d heard enough to be satisfied.
“I can’t believe you let him get his hands down your pants right under the streetlight!” Jeri shook her head in disbelief. “Crazy!”
Ella beamed. “And oh, did it feel good.” She sighed and leaned back.
Jeri smirked. “How blue do you think his balls are?”
Ella laughed. “I’m sure they weren’t for long.” She shivered imagining him taking his cock in hand, thinking about her. When he’d pressed up tight against her, she’d felt the hard length of him. Delicious!
“So, some hot rod rally Saturday? I am going to be so bored.” Jeri sighed and got out of the car, leaning in the window. “He better be worth it.”
The smile on Ella’s face lasted all the way home, where she found a slice of pecan pie on the table from h
er gran. What would she say if she knew her granddaughter had been dodging the cops tonight? Ella giggled, then went to her room, threw off her clothes and fell into bed, renewing the sensations J.D.’s hands had aroused in her with her own fingers and coming again before dropping into a deep sleep.
Waking the next morning, Ella found the smile still on her face. Jumping out of bed, she went to the closet and started digging through until at last she found it. Pulling the red sundress out into the light, she regarded it. Not quite vintage, but with a few accessories it would look like it matched the Cherry Bomb. She grinned at the Bettie Page poster on her wall, then frowned and cast a glance at the bottom of the closet where a tangle of Converse lay. Ella considered her Docs and decided no. Grabbing her phone, she hit the four key, and Jeri’s number rang.
“You up for some shoe shopping?”
Jeri yawned in her ear. “At last, something I want to do. When are you picking me up?”
The two went from one end of the Buckland Hills Mall to the other, and Ella began to despair. Jeri insisted that Ella didn’t really need red, that black or white would do just as well, but they turned a corner and there they were: heels higher than she’d ever worn, red patent leather that looked as slick as wet nail polish, and they were perfect.
“There goes your college fund.” Jeri joked, but she was a bit in awe of Ella’s certainty. They had her size, the shoes fit perfectly, and the price—while hefty—had not been beyond her means. “You got a thing for this guy.”
“Oh, yeah,” Ella said as she took the bag from the helpful clerk. “This is a good thing. A real good thing.”
When they got back to Ella’s, her gran was making a pot of tea and had a tray of biscuits all set out. “What’s this? Girly shoes? Ella, I have to say I’m shocked.” Her lovely face creased with a smile. “What’s all this about?”
Ella shot a glance over at Jeri, then coughed. “There’s this hot rod rally on Saturday. I’m taking the Cherry Bomb to show her off a bit and, you know, I have to dress the part.” She could feel her cheeks getting red and hoped they weren’t as crimson as the shoes.
Jeri stuffed the chocolate treats into her mouth with alarming rapidity. “I’m not wearing anything vintage. I have a perfectly nice dress to wear.”
“I can’t believe these fashions have all come back.” Gran waved a finger at Ella. “Watch out for those greaser boys. They slick back their hair and wear tight trousers.” She chuckled at her own joke. Ella and Jeri exchanged a secret smile.
Saturday could not come soon enough. Ella could hardly concentrate as she rolled out the dough at Fontana’s that morning, thinking about J.D.’s hands and the possibility of what they would do later. At eleven, Ella and Jeri got ready to throw off their aprons and hairnets when Mama Fontana appeared, wringing her hands with worry.
“We’ve got a last minute catering job! Oh girls, this is a big one. Don’t let me down. I know I’m going to lose you after graduation, but not yet! Can you stay just a little longer?”
Of course, they would; Ella squashed her impatience. Mama Fontana had been a doll to them, paying well above what their friends were making in fast food, giving them bread and rolls and treats to take home every day. It wasn’t that much to ask. She tried not to look at the clock hands and think about J.D. getting bored and going off with some other girl.
When they’d boxed up the last set of dinner rolls and breadsticks, she grabbed Jeri, and the two headed back to her house, yelling a quick hello to her gran, before jumping in the shower one after the other to remove the bakery smell.
Ella sat in front of the mirror applying her eyeliner with careful sweeps, uncapping her favorite Estée Lauder red lipstick to follow the curve of her lips. She turned to look at Jeri. Her friend had swept up her black hair into a kind of modified Amy Winehouse ‘do and now lined her eyes heavily. Ella smiled.
“Hey, I’m going for a type,” Jeri said.
“What type is that?”
“It’s the ‘don’t fuck with me’ type,” Jeri said, smacking Ella on the top of her head. With her rolled up jeans and large men’s shirt Jeri looked enough like a bobbysoxer to fit in with the Kustom crowd. “Are we ready now?”
Ella sighed. “I hope he hasn’t gotten bored waiting.”
Jeri frowned. “Girl, he isn’t going to have a thought in his head but you.”
Ella had her doubts.
*
When they got to the Elks Club, the whole street was thronged with people and cars from every decade. Ella was crestfallen. There was no way she’d find J.D. in this crowd! She eased the Cherry Bomb into a space on the street, but getting out of the car, Ella faced a barrage of questions about the kustom custom work as folks swarmed around her and her car.
She looked over at Jeri who nodded and walked off to look for J.D. Ella turned back to the white-haired guy with the impressive walrus moustache and sideboards who was feeling the soldered joinings with an almost carnal delight. They were talking chrome when a hand tapped her on the shoulder and she turned to see him there.
“Good to see you,” J.D. said and then wrapped his arms around her and kissed her.
“And you,” Ella answered when she could draw breath.
“Let’s dance.” J.D. grabbed her hand and dragged her toward the Lodge. Even before they entered the building, Ella could feel the rockabilly beat. A trio in red and black howled away on the little stage, belting out a raucous tune. J.D. drew her into a whirl and they moved around the dance floor with the rest of the crowd all carefully dressed in vintage styles. Ella grinned to see Jeri spinning away with a guy she recognized as one of the Harley riders. She’d have to ask J.D. about his friend, but for the moment, it was all she could do to keep up with his ambitious moves. The song came to an end, and the dancers applauded. The strains of the next song began: a slow one and Ella saw J.D.’s eyes grow bright with anticipation.
He drew her close, wrapping his arm around her back and resting his hand at the top of the curve of her behind. He nuzzled her ear, then whispered, “I couldn’t stop thinking about you all week.”
Ella smiled, inhaling the scent of his hair gel. “I admit you’ve been on my mind, too.”
“I didn’t want to wash my hand,” he said, his voice rough with emotion, “because I could still taste you on my fingers.”
Ella’s knees melted. “I thought of your hands every night in my bed.” Her face grew warm as she said the words, but she felt glad she had.
“I want you so bad,” J.D. said, pulling her tight against him so she could feel his rigid prick against her belly. “I want to make you all mine.” His mouth sought out hers, and his tongue thrust deep between her lips.
The music stopped, and their kiss went on. Ella pulled away at last, looked into his eyes, and smiled. She grabbed his hand and led him off the dance floor. A quick look around and she spotted the seemingly brand new handicapped stall, and without hesitating, Ella led him in and locked the door behind them.
J.D.’s eyes were heavy with desire as he reached up to unbutton the front of her dress. He smiled at the polka dot brassiere revealed, and reached up, cupped her breasts, and buried his face between them. Ella closed her eyes until he bit through her bra to pinch her nipples between his teeth. She gasped with surprise. J.D lifted her up on the cabinet beside the sink and Ella kicked off her shoes to wrap her legs around him.
He reached behind to unclasp her bra and pushed it up to feast on her breasts hungrily. Ella felt her clit pulsate in time with his mouth. She heard him unzip his black jeans and heard them drop to the floor. He fumbled with something and she realized he was putting on a condom.
“Do you want me?” he asked, panting.
“Oh god, yes!” Ella grinned, knowing her own eyelids were half-closed with pleasure. J.D. grabbed her ass and slid her off the counter and onto his cock. They both moaned. He felt so good inside her. His hands held tightly onto the side of her hips as he pressed her against the counter and thrust deep. Ella found
herself close to climaxing which surprised her, but she had been so excited all day, it wouldn’t take much at all.
Perhaps fearing that it would take more, J.D. freed one hand to rub her clit with his fingertips as he continued to thrust in her with rapid strokes. Before long, Ella gasped and cried out while J.D. continued vigorously thrusting into her, grunting with the effort and his growing excitement. Soon, he was there, too, roaring with delight as he pounded against her, shuddering with the strength of his orgasm.
They grinned at each other, panting in the quiet of the restroom, the dull thump of the band too far away to feel real. J.D. leaned in to kiss her, his hand plunging into her hair. “God, you’re wonderful.”
“You’re not bad yourself,” Ella said, pulling him in for another kiss. “I’ve been wanting this.”
He rubbed his thumb across her cheek. “You’re gorgeous, you know cars, and you can beat me on a straightaway. It’s the whole package.”
“Oh, so now you admit it.” Ella teased. “I beat you.”
“That time,” J.D. said, letting his hand drop to caress her breast again as Ella arched and leaned back. “I think we need a rematch,” he said.
“Anytime,” Ella said when a loud rapping interrupted. “Go away!”
“It’s me!” Jeri shouted. “You gotta come out.”
“Go away!” Ella repeated.
“It’s your gran!”
Ella looked at J.D. then hastily buttoned up her dress as he pulled out. She stepped over to the door, unlocked it, and opened it a crack. “What?”
Jeri held up her phone. “It’s your gran. They took her to Hartford Hospital. They think it’s her heart.”
Ella started. She turned back to J.D., who had discarded the condom and zipped himself up again. “I have to go. I’m so sorry!”
J.D. stepped across the room. “I’m sorry. I hope she’s all right.”
Ella patted her dress to make sure everything was in place. That’s when she realised she was barefoot. One shoe lay in the middle of the tiles, but the other was nowhere in sight.
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