Stream Ran Dry

by Jeanne Harrell

  “Until later, Rebecca….”

  “See you, Wyatt…” And the door closed. Reluctantly, Rebecca let out the breath she was holding and looked up to watch the floor numbers descend. Soon she knew he was on the main floor, heading towards the front door to catch a cab. Rebecca ran over to a front window to watch him as he left. Ella came over to join her and they quietly watched the scene together.

  “So…that’s Wyatt, huh?”

  Rebecca nodded watching his cab go up the street.

  “Yeah…”

  “You’ve got it bad for that guy, you know.”

  Rebecca blinked at her. “What?”

  “You just watched him leave the building and get into a cab. Why else would you do such a mundane thing?”

  “I’ve watched people leave before.” Ella’s smile hit high beams.

  “No, you haven’t, sweetie, but think that if you must.” She poked Rebecca’s arm. “…Going to see him again?”

  “Dinner tonight.”

  “… Thought so. What are you going to wear?”

  “My blue pencil skirt, white ruffled blouse and my new killer heels…”

  Laughing, Ella leaned a hand against the window. “Well, I’m glad you’ve made that decision at least… Go get him, kid.”

  “Quit calling me kid…”

  * * *

  He thought he’d seen her in multiple ways by now – in jeans, slacks, a pretty dress… glaring at him, smiling and giving him soulful looks… covered with dirt and dust, hair sticking up every which way but Wyatt had never seen her like this…

  * * *

  CHAPTER TEN

  When he picked her up at her apartment promptly at six, she opened her door a second after he knocked – Was she watching for him? –

  Rebecca was beautiful… A visual feast for his eyes -- She wore a lovely skirt that emphasized her shapely body with the most feminine lacy blouse imaginable. Layers of ruffles with a tantalizing neckline… Her sexy heels showed her gorgeous legs at their best. Jewelry was at a minimum and her makeup was artfully done… a little blush, eyeliner, mascara and lipstick… Wow…

  Her hair was styled in soft layers around her face and shoulders. It was a rich brown, gently curled and so shiny. Rebecca looked like she had stepped out of a fashion magazine. He blinked, stunned…unable to speak. He’d never dated such a beautiful woman before…

  He held onto his cowboy hat as she invited him in. As he brushed past her, Rebecca could smell a subtle aftershave that was very pleasant. He’d combed his sometimes messy hair neatly to one side, his boots were polished and his jeans were clean. The pale blue Western shirt he wore had to be new – She could detect small creases in the back where his ironing may not have been so good. Rebecca’s face reflected her mood… He was gorgeous. She’d never dated a rancher…

  “You look beautiful, Rebecca.” His smiling lips matched his smiling eyes.

  “…You look pretty good yourself, cowboy. Would you like a drink or something before we go?”

  “No, I’m good, if you are.” He glanced around at her apartment. “Much neater than your office.”

  She laughed at that. “Yes, sir… Just how I like it.”

  She picked up a small clutch from a table and started back out the door. He held the door for her and closed it quietly behind them.

  “My rental car is down this way.”

  “Have any trouble finding the place?”

  “Nope. My GPS works very well.” They walked down the sidewalk towards his car and a few people glanced their way, smiling and nodding.

  “…I think we look pretty good together,” she said.

  “I’d have to agree with that,” he added.

  When he’d helped her in the car and gotten in on his side, Wyatt looked over at her, giving nothing away on his face. He gripped the steering wheels with both hands.

  “What are you doing with me, Rebecca?”

  She smoothed her lipstick with a finger, giving him a sweet smile. “I think it’s called getting to know one another. Is that okay?”

  “Yes, ma’am,” he laughed. “It’s more than okay. It’s just that…”

  “…just what?”

  “You’re this beautiful city girl. What could you possibly want with a country boy like me? Just look at you… You’ll light up any place we go, anywhere in the world.”

  She reached over to cup his face. “No one has ever said such a wonderful thing to me ever…”

  He leaned into her hand. “…Ever?”

  “Ever…”

  “Then there’s something wrong with these city boys.”

  “…Ha! I’d have to agree with that.” She sat back in her passenger seat. “Now drive. I’m taking you to a lovely place for dinner. I hope you like Italian food.”

  “I do.” He missed her soft hand on his face already. It had made his heart beat faster and his stomach turn somersaults. Would he be able to eat?

  Yes, he wanted more, he thought, as he drove where she instructed… Much more…but he also knew that she was right – They needed to get to know one another better. Theirs might not be such a good fit after all -- Although he was going to cross his fingers and rub his lucky horseshoe… Wyatt wanted this relationship to work out more than he ever could have imagined. Maybe they’d lay out a few ground rules tonight, so he would know where he stood. That would be helpful… She was worth the wait.

  He started to relax through dinner – he’d ordered lasagna and it was delicious. She was bright, funny, silly, sexy and a lot of fun to be with…easy to talk to… Wyatt couldn’t imagine why she didn’t already have a boyfriend, but then he’d just scratched the surface of getting to know her.

  Wyatt didn’t drink much, but had a second beer. He didn’t drink much of that even, because he knew he’d have to bring up Missy. He’d hoped the beer might make him a little braver – It didn’t. Rebecca had just been telling him about her parents and the car crash that took their lives. She trusted him enough to let him in with that kind of information and he knew the time had come for his. When she had finished the story about her parents and he had sympathized, Wyatt stepped into the pause that followed.

  “I owe you some information, Rebecca.”

  “What’s that?”

  “… I suppose Mary told you that I was married once.”

  “She did…”

  “My wife died before we’d barely been married two years.”

  He sadly gazed at his plate and she reached over to squeeze his hand.

  “I can’t tell you how sorry I am, Wyatt.”

  “Thanks. It’s not something I bring up to all my dates.”

  She bit back a grin. “…And how many dates have you had since then?”

  His eyes slid to hers. “…Okay. Not so many.”

  She shook her head. “Not good enough. Tell me how many.”

  “Okay,” he laughed. “You’re the first.”

  Rebecca gasped, holding her hand to her chest. “You haven’t been with a woman in three years?”

  “No.”

  She looked around quickly for the waiter. “Check!” she called out when she saw him.

  “Rebecca…” he laughed again. “It’s all right…”

  “No, it isn’t.”

  “I’ve come to terms with the fact that I may not marry again.”

  “You’re kidding…”

  He shook his head.

  “… Then what are you doing with me?”

  He shrugged his shoulders. “To tell you the honest truth, I just don’t know.”

  She gave him a good hard look.

  “You’re the first man that I’ve been interested in for a few years myself. If you let me down, I’m going to be really pissed.”

  His eyes lit up. “You’re a lot of fun, you know.”

  “You’re going to have to pay the piper for this fun, though. You know that, right?”

  “What kind of payment do you want, miss?”

  Her eyes kept his. “Wyatt�
�honestly. Do I have to draw you a diagram?”

  “…I may not be able to give you what you want, Rebecca.”

  “And just how do you know what I want?”

  “I have a pretty good idea.”

  “Doesn’t…Um…Do…Ah… are all parts working?”

  His laughter was quick. “Yes, ma’am…”

  “Then what?” She spread her hands out in front of her. Then it hit her…the deceased wife.

  “Wyatt, I swear if you’ve gone to all this trouble and don’t want to see where this relationship goes, I am going to be incredibly pissed.”

  “Becca, you’re adorable.”

  “Becca?” She swallowed hard and tears came to her eyes. “No one’s called me that since…” Her voice muted and her eyes closed. Wyatt reached over the table to take her hand.

  “Are you all right?”

  “Yes… My dad called me Becca.”

  “I thought so. You looked like a Becca to me.”

  They stared at each other until he flagged down the waiter and paid the bill.

  “Let’s go.”

  “Yes, let’s…”

  They stole furtive glances at one another all the way back to her apartment. She sat up straight… bit her lip…squirmed in her seat. But how does he feel? Wyatt’s face was expressionless. Maybe he wasn’t interested after all…

  “You mentioned the pink scarf you saw me wear. What’s the story there?”

  She asked him the quiet question in the car on the drive back.

  “Sure you want to hear this?”

  “Yes…”

  “My wife, Missy… I still have her favorite scarf, which is pink. I keep it in my saddlebag. Where did you get that scarf you wore in your hair?”

  “Mary gave it to me.”

  “…Figures.”

  A sense of gloom settled over them.

  She shook her head. “Maybe you’re right, Wyatt. This might be too big a chasm for us to cross. I just can’t compete with a ghost.”

  Wyatt looked over at her. “I was probably out of line to ask you out to begin with.”

  “You don’t think you’ll ever get past her?” Rebecca’s voice softened.

  “… Perhaps not…”

  He stopped the car outside of her apartment. She turned her head toward him as he looked over at her. Then she shrugged, swallowed some unwanted feelings and grabbed the door handle.

  “Well, all right then. Thank you for dinner. I guess it was nice knowing you, Wyatt…”

  “You’re not incredibly pissed?”

  She shook her head.

  He nodded. “Let me walk you to the door.”

  “No, that’s fine.”

  “Rebecca, please wait for me to walk you to your door.”

  “… Bossy, aren’t you?”

  He smiled. “I can be…”

  Wyatt walked around the car and opened the door for her. She got out clutching her tight skirt and he noticed the expanse of thigh that showed when she moved. She heard his quick intake of breath… An unreadable look on his face.

  Rebecca wondered what was going through his mind as he walked her up to the door. With a shaky hand, she opened it with her key. Turning to him…

  “Aren’t you going to see me in? That’s what a gentleman would do…”

  “Yes, ma’am. Of course.” And he walked her in. Once inside her apartment, Rebecca quietly put her clutch on the table and turned to face him, slight frown on her face. Impulsively, she walked up close and backed him up to the closed door with her hand lightly pressing his chest.

  “…Becca…”

  “No,” she said with her fingers on his lips. “You only get to call me Becca when you’re ready for the next step. No step, no Becca. Understood?”

  She’d hypnotized him with her beautiful eyes. “Yes, I understand.” But he made no move to leave.

  He was caught like a coyote in a trap. Wyatt knew he’d have to chew off his own arm to leave her apartment alive… And then he pushed back some almost unrecognizable feelings.

  She took off his cowboy hat and threw it on a chair. Then she slipped off her sexy heels, leaned up and lightly brushed his lips. Once…twice… Wyatt silently said to hell with it all and grabbed her, kissing her long and hard – they had lightning in a bottle and they both knew it.

  With her arms around his neck and their lips planted firmly together, she twisted her fingers in his hair. He pulled her legs between his and they were twisted around each other like ivy. Wyatt soon was pulling up her skirt and eagerly searching for her panties. Her breathing became erratic and Rebecca was caught up in his search. Then all of a sudden… he stopped…

  Total stop…

  “Wyatt?”

  He didn’t respond.

  “…Um… What’s happened? Are you all right?”

  She placed her hands on both sides of his face and looked at him. Wyatt’s eyes were unfocused…

  “Wyatt?”

  He slowly shook his head and moved away from her.

  “…Can’t do this, Rebecca.”

  Her arms fell limply to her sides. “You must be the only man in the universe who can’t… or won’t…”

  He picked up his hat and placed it on his head.

  A pained look flashed across her face. “Wyatt… please… What’s wrong? Talk to me.”

  “You’re the first since Missy. I just can’t…”

  Rebecca exhaled audibly and laid her hand on the erection in his pants.

  “Are you really going to tell me that you aren’t ready to join the living again, Wyatt? Really? You seem pretty ready to me.”

  He leaned into her hand and she knew he wanted her very much. Then he shook his head. “Just can’t do it…”

  “You mean you just won’t do it… There’s a difference. Do you think that Missy would want you to grieve forever? Never love someone ever again?”

  Wyatt stiffened and removed her hand. “I…I don’t want you talking about her. It’s not right…”

  Rebecca walked around him and yanked open the door.

  “Maybe you should leave. I’ve got no time for a man stuck in the past.”

  He took the hat off his head, running an unsteady hand through his hair. “…Rebecca.”

  “No, I mean it. Out! Come back when you’re calling the shots instead of your deceased wife.”

  Angrily, he left tightly gripping his hat and mumbling to himself. When Wyatt got into his rental car, he blew out a few calming breaths and counted to ten, but all he could see were Rebecca’s beautiful, stormy eyes and her lovely long hair. He could smell her subtle perfume and feel her soft hands upon his body. Amazing… she had wanted him as much as he’d wanted her. Absently, he stuck the key in the ignition and drove slowly back to the Bellagio Hotel. Streetlamps reflected shadows across his anxious face.

  Meanwhile, Rebecca paced around her apartment getting more and more worked up. How dare he! Who did he think he was! She could have lots of guys but had chosen him and he turned her down. Really? Rebecca hadn’t even had sex in a long time because she wanted to do it right this time. She wanted a relationship with someone she could care about. So she and Wyatt had taken some time to get acquainted – His intentions toward her seemed honorable and crystal clear -- she thought he liked and wanted her. She sure had wanted him… Damn it! There’s always a fly in the ointment.

  She stomped around her kitchen some more, narrowed her eyes and ran into the bedroom. Rebecca found the pink scarf that Mary had given her and immediately threw it in the trash. No way was she going to substitute for anyone. If Wyatt couldn’t accept her for who she was, she wasn’t going to settle for second best. He’d have to recognize eventually that Missy was gone and that she was still here. However, Rebecca was under no illusions that Wyatt was going to accept those facts any time soon.

  Maybe it was time to move on. He didn’t seem like that good a bet after all…

  She had trouble changing into her pajama pants and tank top. Her legs wouldn�
��t cooperate and go into the right pant leg. She fell over trying to fix it. The tank top got twisted somehow and she ended up ripping if off and throwing it across the room – twice. Next Rebecca washed her face with skin lotion and brushed her teeth with shampoo. How the hell had that happened? After she finally straightened out those problems, Rebecca flopped around on her bed, pretending to sleep before turning on the 11:30 news on TV and watching it without seeing. All she saw instead was Wyatt’s handsome, confused face… And he apparently would never really want her. It was a hard truth to swallow… She smacked the off button on the remote and tried to read a book when she heard the soft knock at her door. What’s going on? Now what?

  Wyatt had driven back to the Bellagio, wondering about his state of mind. In the elevator, he pushed the wrong button and wearily rode the elevator up and down several times before he finally got his floor. He had to catch his breath when the elevator door eventually opened, like he’d just run a long race.

  Next he tried to go to bed but was too agitated by the sexual energy Rebecca had stirred up in him. Blinking at the ceiling, he stroked his face hard and rubbed his eyes… Wyatt got up and fitfully paced the room, back and forth until he finally tore off his shirt. With clenched teeth, sweat broke out on his forehead. Desperation showed on his face but he was having major trouble coming to terms with the balance of Missy vs Rebecca. How could he pay homage to one without losing the other?

  He flopped back down on the bed and carelessly flicked on the 11:30 news -- Muting the sound, he tried to read a book, but saw only blank pages. Rising again, he wearily dragged off his jeans and brushed his teeth… But sleep just wouldn’t come. He tossed…turned… then tossed some more. Wyatt saw Rebecca’s lovely yet so angry face everywhere he turned in his bed. At midnight, he finally gave up and put his jeans back on. Where was that shirt? This situation just wouldn’t do…

  * * *

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Rebecca peeked out her peephole and saw Wyatt standing there. She slowly opened her door and he just stood there, looking incredibly sexy… His unbuttoned, untucked shirt framed a muscled torso. His hair was tousled, tight jeans hung low on his hips and the cowboy hat was nowhere in sight. Were his eyes bloodshot? Apparently, someone else was having trouble sleeping.