by Pepper Pace
“I’m going to make a fire.” He had one blazing in less than five minutes and then he stripped down some long straight branches and skewered the morels on them. Once they were seared on the outside and juicy on the inside he gave the branch to Shaun who had crept over to sit down beside him. He loaded the other branch with more morels for himself.
Tentatively she popped one of the hot mushrooms into her mouth. “Mmm. Good. Taste like…chicken.” She gave him an appreciative look and he smiled in relief. She was acting more normal—though he was unsure if normal was the way she usually acted. At least she had lost that distant look in her eyes.
They ate their fill and there were still more mushroom waiting to be roasted. She rubbed her hands across her knees.
“Uh Bodie…I need to use it.”
“Oh,” he shrugged. “I won’t look.”
She grimaced. “Well…would you come with me?”
Bodie gave her an unsure look. “Okay.” Together they walked a little ways into the denser forest. He pointed out some leaves as safe to use if needed. “You ever go camping?” he asked when his back was safely turned. He heard the rustle of pants being lowered.
“Yeah. When I was younger Craig took me to a chalet.”
“That ain’t camping.”
“We had to walk through the woods to get to it.”
Bodie chuckled. He heard little splatters of liquid hitting the ground. Suddenly he had to go too and he unzipped and relieved himself against a tree.
“I went swimming in a creek when I was a kid. It was nice. But I’m not too partial to woods and bugs and things—Oh!”
She had walked up on Bodie peeing. She turned away, quickly averting her eyes although she had not seen anything except his bare buttocks from where he had hiked down his pants. She had time to think that it was quite a nice butt.
After a moment Bodie finished and they headed back to camp together. Shaun’s eyes darted around as she kept so close to Bodie that their arms were pressed together. “Uhm…are there wild animals around here?”
“Wildcats. But nothing’s going to mess with us if we don’t mess with it. I’ve been camping in these woods since I was knee high to a toad stool.” They sat back on the ground while Shaun tried to ignore the odd noises in the dark. She drew her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs.
Bodie moved closer to her and placed his arm around her shoulder. “You still cold?”
“A little.” He rubbed her arm lightly and she thought that it felt incredible. She allowed her eyes to close as she sighed in contentment.
A few moments later Bodie closed his tired eyes and then rested his cheek against the soft springy curls on top of her head.
Chapter 6
Shaun didn’t remember falling asleep. But when she opened her eyes she found that she was laying beside Bodie, her head cradled against his arm and shoulder. His breathing was even and quiet. She glanced around without moving. The fire had gone out, burning down to just red embers that glowed softly in the night like strange candles. It was darker than any dark night in Chicago. In the country night was black despite the moon and stars glittering above—away from streetlights, passing cars and homes illuminated from within.
Using the small amount of illumination to see, Shaun tried to study Bodie’s features in the dark. He was handsome even if he did have a mullet. And he talked so country—she found herself emulating his country dialect. God, but he was the bravest man she had ever met. She replayed the way he had beat up those Klansmen at the bus station and the way he never acted the least bit scared, even when that fool shot at them.
Man, wouldn’t Craig go for Bodie. Patrice would too. Shaun blinked. No, SHE could really go for Bodie. He was everything that she had ever searched for in a man…and more. He was kick-ass, incredible looking, owned his own business…what more could you ask for? She scowled. For him to be black? Why? He might be a redneck but he certainly wasn’t a racist.
She snuggled deeper into his arms and he pulled her to him and like a big bear he enclosed her protectively within his embrace.
This was more comfortable than sleeping in a feather bed! Shaun yawned and slid her arm around him, getting even closer. Oops, maybe too close. Could that really be...? DAYUM! Maybe he had put the tire iron down his pants…
Just as she was getting ready to get happy at what was poking against her thigh, a sudden sense of sadness fell over Shaun. She could reach up and trace his muscles with her fingertips or place her lips in the hollow of his neck. She could reach down and stroke him until he quivered in her hands. But she realized that she wanted that and more. She wanted this big countryman as her own.
No! That’s stupid! Who falls in love with a person that they’ve known for just one day?
Shaun froze as she thought about that word that had shot through her mind like a bullet from a Klansman’s rifle.
I love Bodie. She waited but the world didn’t end. She smiled. But it soon faded. After today she would never step foot on this mountain again, and therefore she would never see Bodie again.
Her brow drew together. If that’s the case, then I’m going out with a bang!
Shaun slid her body up until she was face to face with the still sleeping Bodie. Gently she placed her lips on his.
He didn’t budge.
She regarded him a moment before leaning forward again and this time allowing her kisses to trail down his chin. When she got to the hollow of his neck she allowed her tongue to flick him lightly. Bodie’s hand suddenly moved up and he buried his fist into her wild hair, urging her back up to his lips. When she complied he took her lips, owning them with his kisses. She was amazed that there seemed to be nothing sleepy about his movements and she wondered if he had been awake all along, seducing her with that huge bulge that strained in his pants.
Well Shaun wasn’t going for seduction. She had been smoldering and now she was blazing hot. She reached down between them and stroked him through his pants. Damn, it wasn’t a tire iron but it was bigger and harder than any man ought to be.
Bodie inhaled deeply at the way she touched him. He gripped her ass with his huge hand, finally claiming what he had been eyeing all day. He felt a sudden tug on his zipper and then Shaun was reaching into his pants and gripping his cock.
The air got caught in Bodie’s chest. He hadn’t felt another’s hand on him like this in far too long and he could very easily embarrass himself by shooting off in her hand right then and there. How could such a petite woman be so damn forceful and yet so damn sexy? He could no longer deny the draw that he had been feeling for her every since he had set eyes on her giving shit to JD in the bar.
He liked her. Not just for the deep cocoa brown skin that was so rare up here on the mountain, nor for the knock-out curves that she possessed on her petite frame. He was drawn to her open innocence and bravery. She was strong even when she was hurting and he wanted very badly to make every bit of the hurt go away.
Bodie reached up and undid the buttons on the coveralls that she wore. Shaun helped him and then quickly shrugged out of them. Bodie then undid the button and zipper on her jeans, tugging them down enough to grip the bare flesh of her ass. His fingers dug possessively into the flesh of her bodacious backside.
“Oh my god,” he groaned. Shaun finished pulling off her jeans and he did the same. Soon he was lying on his back wearing only a t-shirt and staring up at the half nude woman who had just stumbled out of her jeans and panties. With amazingly little effort he pulled her down perching her atop him with her luscious brown legs straddling him.
Shaun had never straddled a man that was so big that her knees could barely touch down! His cock strained upward and she was mesmerized by how stiff and thick it was. She examined the way the dark hair of his pelvis crept up his belly and then covered his chest. She had never seen a hairy chest—Craig waxed and well the boys of her past were narrow-chested wannabe men. She wasn’t sure if she liked it but braced herself by planting her hands on
his chest and felt that his body hair was curly and soft.
He watched her as she ran her hands over his chest, his hand stroking her thighs and she decided that she liked it. She liked that he was a big hairy bear of a man with a country twang and a huge cock. And soon she felt her nectar seeping from her and knew that it was running down his legs too.
Using both hands Shaun gripped his shaft causing Bodie to groan again. Carefully she lowered herself onto his rigid erection and Bodie gripped her hips to steady her.
Lord, he thought, she is tight! The blood raced through his veins as she made several attempts to get him completely inside of narrow passage. Her gasps and moans were like gasoline to an open flame. He wanted it to be good for her like she was making it good for him. Instead of thrusting wildly Bodie rolled his hips and pistoned in and out of her smooth and rhythmically.
Oh my god! She thought as he somehow managed to keep his body still except for the delicious rolling of his hips. His giant cock filled her more completely than ever before. Wantonly she reached up and massaged her aching breast through the fabric of her blouse. Bodie’s hands were suddenly there, moving beneath her blouse and beneath her hands to join her manipulations. He pushed her bra up until her heavy breast fell from their confines and when he glimpsed them in the slight illumination left by the moon and the stars he sucked in an audible gulp.
Beautiful. Nothing had ever been more beautiful to him, not the red sunset of the mountain cliffs, or the virgin snow in the valley. Nothing could eclipse the sight that he glimpsed until Shaun quickly pulled the blouse and bra over her head. She rode him smoothly, pelvis rolling in concentric circles to his steady thrusts. And then she lifted one breast to her mouth and he saw her lips enclose one dark, fat nipple.
“Oh damn…” Bodie whimpered, His hips suddenly pumped wildly into her.
Shaun threw her head back and screeched, sounding much like the wildcats that cried out in the dark. She bounced up and down on the cock that she now rode with frenzied abandon.
“No…” he warned, but it was too late. He could feel his balls tighten. He pushed her away so that he could pull out but she was cumming too and she wailed and bounced even harder.
Bodie felt himself explode within her and he wailed right along with her. It seemed to endure forever; sparks of pleasure prolonging the orgasm even past the point of ejaculation.
Eventually there was not enough energy to even move and Shaun collapsed on top of the big mountain man in total exhaustion. His arms came up around her and she managed a smile.
Damn, what had just happened? It was amazing… “That was too quick,” was what he said even while his mind was thinking half a million different thoughts.
She raised her head from his chest. He could clearly see the damp ringlets surrounding the most beautiful face that he’d ever set eyes on.
“No it wasn’t. I needed that, Bodie. Just like it was.”
Mesmerized, he stroked her back gently. “Shaun,” he said after a few minutes. “Spread out my shirt and those coveralls on the ground.”
She gave him a curious look but did what he asked.
“Lay down.” He helped her. “It’s time for desert,” he said in a lazy country drawl, and then positioned his head between her legs.
~***~
The first crack of dawn fell onto the two sleeping figures; arms and legs all a-tangle. The sun was high in the sky before Bodie finally woke up from his cozy slumber.
He grimaced. His back ached, his neck was stiff and his jaw was sore. On top of that he had to piss like a racehorse. But then he stared down at Shaun all cuddled up against him, mouth slack and soft snores escaping and his grimace turned into a grin.
“Shaun, baby.” He gently kissed her neck and shoulder.
“Hmmm.” She stirred.
“Wake up, baby. We need to get up. It’s late in the day.”
She sat up suddenly, completely awake. “Oh…I thought I was dreaming.” Then she smiled. “It was a good dream.”
Bodie looked away unable or unwilling to speak aloud the words that described his feelings about last night. After an awkward moment he stood up on stiff legs and for the first time Shaun got to admire his nude body in all its glory. Damn…he was…damn…
He walked a short piece into the woods and relieved himself. Shaun wasn’t that brave and didn’t want to risk exposing herself to anymore creepy crawlies than what had probably already skittered over her while she slept, so she quickly dressed and found a place to crouch and pee. When she returned to the campsite Bodie had his clothes on and was bringing up his boots.
She knelt down beside him and looked out at the beauty of the surrounding forest. “I never thought I’d say this. But I’m going to miss these woods.”
Bodie paused and looked at her. In that moment there were so many things that he wanted to say to her, to ask her…maybe he was crazy to want it…so in the end he just nodded and finished tying his boots.
Shaun stood up uncertainly and looked for something to do. She kicked dirt on the remnants of last nights fire even though it was dead cold. She wondered if Bodie had any regrets about last night. Maybe the finger in the ass had been too much for him…
“Well,” he said, standing. “I guess we’re ready.”
They were silent as he searched for their reverse trail. Shaun didn’t want to break his concentration, but she so wanted to ask if last night had meant as much to him as it had to her.
She had never experienced anything so powerful or fulfilling. Making love with Bodie had been like experiencing everything for the first time. It was as if she had been walking through life in black and white and then suddenly color had been introduced.
She knew that she couldn’t just walk away from Bodie completely. But how did he feel? Was he just another good ol’ boy that had made the best of an opportunity to take a dip on the black side? Maybe he liked his all-white world up here on the mountain. The idea that last night was nothing more then slam-bam-thank you ma’am chilled her.
So in the end she didn’t ask.
They got back to the truck in the late morning. Shaun was filled with trepidation as they approached it, but nothing seemed out of order. Bodie found a hastily scribbled note on his steering wheel.
Bodi
Lets say we forget about all this? No harm no foul. Tell that lady we are sorry. If you want me to pay to fix any bodywork to your truck I will just be bringing it to your garage anyway. Sully will be in jail for killing my brother so you will not be able to beat a hole in his ass for shooting at you. But I pretty much took care of that myself.
-Derrick
Bodie was laughing so hard he couldn’t read the note to Shaun so he just passed it to her.
She, on the other hand, was not amused.
“I don’t believe this.” She was shaking her head. “That’s it?! I’m sorry for terrorizing you, for almost kidnapping you, for shooting at you, and sending you on a high speed car chase; we just made a mistake?!”
“Shaun-”
“No, Bodie!” She pointed at him. “It ain’t okay! I want off this fucking mountain, out of this back wood state and back to Chicago where everybody is normal!”
Bodie started the truck. “You want some coffee first? Get cleaned up-?”
“No! I don’t want any coffee. I don’t want you to drive me to Richmond. I want to go back to the bus station, cash in my ticket and buy another one back to Chicago! Where’s my purse?!” She found it on the floor and searched it for her ticket. “I hate this stupid-ass place!” she muttered and then stared out the window with tears welling up in her eyes.
Bodie drove back to town silently, peeking at her often but seeing nothing but rage on her face.
He pulled up to the bus station in the exact same spot where they had fought off the Klan the day before.
Shaun barely waited for the truck to come to a full stop before she climbed out of it. She hurried to the entrance of the bus station and before pushing the door open she
glanced over her shoulder at him one last time. Then she disappeared.
Bodie silently fumed. He ripped open the glove box and retrieved his pack of cigarettes. He smoked it trying to calm his anger. When it was down to the butt he threw it out the window and then peeled out of the parking lot still angry.
Chapter 7
Bodie was working on the engine of Toady Allen’s car. Toady was forever buying junkers for two and three hundred bucks and then expecting Bodie to work miracles. Rebuilding the carburetor wasn’t going to do it. Nothing short of a new engine was going to keep this thing running.
He slammed the hood and fished a rag out of the back pocket of his coveralls and wiped his hands.
It was after nine and he had already sent Pete and Bobby home. He locked up his garage and got into his new car, which was actually older than him. It was a black 1968 Dodge Charger that he had rebuilt over the course of the last six months.
He’d gotten rid of his truck. Somehow his tastes had changed.
At home he took a bath and had a couple of sandwiches then he decided to head over to Stubby’s to unwind. He turned the radio where it was set to a classic R&B channel and grooved to Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On.
The bootleg joint had the same old crowd that was always there each night and they made room for Bodie. Laura came over to stand beside him. He hid a grimace when she tried picking up on him.