Returning Pride (22 page)

When the elevator doors closed, he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. He ran his hands up and down her sides, then stopped and leaned back.

“Just what do you have on underneath this thing?” He asked.

She gave him a wicked smile and mouthed “Nothing.”

He couldn’t remember getting into their room. He thought he fumbled with the door and at one point cursed the damn credit card key locks.

Then they were inside and he was inside her against the back of the door. His hands fisted in her hair, and he pulled her head back to expose her neck as he ran his mouth over the long curve.

She tasted like the sun, hot and ripe for him. He could feel her vibrate with every moan of pleasure. His dress pants had pooled at his feet, so when he tried to move he’d almost ended up on his ass.

She laughed and held on to him as he thrust deeper and harder. He could tell the differences in her body. How could he not notice when her skin started to glow right before she was about to come? She vibrated with every moment of pleasure he gave her and when she peaked, he felt her convulse on him, and then he released himself to the pleasure as well.

Allison was glad to be back in Pride. She’d enjoyed the short trip with Iian, they’d ended up spending most of their time in the hotel room. They did take a break and go to one of his friend’s restaurants downtown. The Italian place was fancy and the food was even fancier. Not that she was complaining, she just liked the hometown feeling the Golden Oar provided more than the upscale variety.

Iian had spoken to his friend for a while. The man had even sat at their table and talked to them in sign language. It was nice to know that he had other friends out there. She had gotten nervous when the man had hinted that Iian should move his restaurant to San Diego, since he would make a better living in a larger city. Iian just shook his head and said that he was already making a good living in Pride.

There was something about coming home to the big house with Iian that felt right. She spent the first half of her Monday in her new art room. She’d cried at the loss of the three paintings that had burned in the fire. They were the first pieces she’d done in almost a year that truly had more meaning to her than most of the others.

So she sat back down and started re-creating one of her favorites that had burned up. It had taken her almost a week to finish it the first time. This time she knew exactly what she wanted and thought it would take her half the time.

She enjoyed teaching and was thankful that she had three days during the week that she could still have to herself. Part-time was perfect for her schedule. Knowing summer was coming up, she looked forward to having more time, since she’d only agreed to teach at the boys and girls club for two days a week.

She needed the extra time for her art and her mother. The short fifteen-minute drive to Edgeview always felt like a relaxing trip. The winding roads were wide and the scenery was always breathtaking, no matter the season. She’d found a few places she wanted to stop and paint. Knowing this summer she would have that chance, she made mental notes on them.

She’d found out that the best time to visit her mother was after four o’clock. That way, lunch was out of the way and it was still too early for the evening Bingo session, which was after dinner at six.

Her mother seemed to enjoy every visit and she actually looked like she was enjoying herself at the Hotel. She kept talking like it was all some elaborate vacation. She didn’t want to discourage that thinking.

Megan had gone with her one day and taken a picture of them out on the balcony with the sun setting behind them. She’d blow up two copies and had framed them, one for herself and the other, she’d hung on her mother’s wall. It felt good to have another picture to keep as a treasure.

Today her mother hadn’t been in such a good mood. She was complaining about the lunch they’d had. She kept saying over and over that it was Tuesday and she wanted the salmon instead of the lemon pepper chicken.

When Allison tried to explain to her that it was indeed Monday, her mother looked her right in the eye and said, “Of course I know it’s Tuesday. You know you remind me of my daughter Allison. Have you met her? She was just here.” Then she looked around the room as if she was trying to find her. She’d left the Hotel with a heavy heart.

She’d done her shopping at Walmart slowly. Her mind kept racing over questions. Would there be a day soon, when her mother didn’t recognize her at all? Since moving her to the Hotel, she’d noticed that her mother had ingrained herself so deeply into the people there that she appeared so happy. Was that a good thing? Or was it causing a larger rift between mother and daughter that would would completely close in time due to Alzheimer’s.

Driving home, Allison played that scene over and over in her head. She watched as the sun sunk lower on the horizon. The peaceful drive became a burden and she just wished she was home with Iian.

Then bright lights came out of no-where. A large truck with its high beams on rushed up so close to her bumper she thought it was going to hit her. Her heart began to race. The lights blinded her until she reached over and flipped her rear-view mirror down to night mode, which help shield most of the brightness. Still, her side mirrors reflected the bright lights directly into her eyes. When she thought the truck was going to back off, it flipped on two search lights that were mounted on top of a roll bar. These lights were so bright, Allison swerved to stay on the road. Grasping her steering wheel, she did everything she could to stay within the lines.

She thought about grabbing her cell phone, but it was still in her purse on the floor of the passenger side. Concentrating on maintaining her speed, she was totally unprepared when the truck bumped her car from behind. It wasn’t hard, just a tap, but her wheels turned with the momentum and she had to yank her wheel back before she ran off the side of the road. Just as she got her tires back on the road and out of the gravel, she was hit again, this time a lot harder. She screamed as her hands grasped tighter to the wheel. Her head bobbled back and forth with the motion. Her neck screamed at the tension.

Trying to think if there was a turnoff ahead, she watched with fear as the truck backed off and prepared to ram her again.

Then she saw her chance. Up ahead was a small turnoff. If she could fake like she was going to pull off, she might be able to gain enough speed to out run the truck.

As it approached, she gassed her tiny Honda praying that the small engine would have enough in it to outrun the larger vehicle. Just before the turnoff, she yanked on her wheel hard to the right. The truck was so close that when it pulled to the right, its tires caused the gravel to spit up past the windows. Waiting until the last second, she yanked her wheel to the left just in time to avoid a large cement barrier.

The truck had been going too fast to make the turn. She watched in horror as it slammed on its brakes. She could hear the tires on the gravel. Reaching down, she yanked her purse into her lap and frantically reached for her cell phone.

Knowing she couldn’t text, since she was focused on watching her rear-view mirror, she dialed the next person who came to mind.

Less than two minutes later, she passed the Pride’s welcome sign with no sight of the truck behind her. Two more minutes and she saw Todd’s jeep coming towards her. He passed her and turned around and followed her to Four Corners, a small local gas station.

When her car stopped, she just sat there as Todd approached her window. Her hands were glued to the steering wheel, her phone was sitting in her lap, and she realized she was still on speaker phone with Megan.

“Todd’s here. I’m okay. We’re at Four Corners. Thank you so much, Megan.”

“I’m glad your okay. Iian and Robert are on their way. I’ll talk to you later.”

She removed her fingers one at a time from the steering wheel and noticed how white her knuckles were just as Todd knocked on her window.

“Are you okay?” he asked, opening her door.

“I’m fine, I’m just shaken up,” she climbed out of her car and her legs felt wobbly. She looked up as she heard Iian’s motorcycle fly down the road towards them. Robert’s cruiser was not far behind him.

Iian had jumped off the bike and quickly gathered her in his arms.

“Damn it, Todd, tell that brother of yours that I don’t care who’s in danger, he can’t do eighty on that damn bike through town,” Robert said as he got out of his car.

Allison and Todd laughed.

“Are you okay Allison?” Robert asked as he approached.

Pulling out of Iian’s death grip, she signed along. “Yes, I’m fine. Just a little shaken up, I think.” She looked at Robert and answered the question that was on everyone’s mind. “It was Kevin’s truck, but I couldn’t see if he was behind the wheel.”

“Damn it!” She heard Iian cuss for the first time. He pulled his hands through his hair and started to pace.

“Let’s just have a look at your car.” Robert walked to the back of her Honda. Everyone followed him.

She’d lost her back bumper in the last hit. Both of her brake lights were gone. Her trunk had been flung open and she was sure the latch was history.

“Did a number on the car. Are you sure you’re okay? No head or back pain?” Robert asked as he took out his pad to write something down.

“No, I had my seat belt on. I didn’t hit my head or anything. I think I’m just shaken up.” She rubbed her neck and was thankful.

Iian came to stand in front of her. He quickly asked her the same questions Robert had. She took her time and answered him.

“I’m going to have to tow your car in. It’ll be at Rusty’s shop. I’m sure you’ll want him to fix it up, anyway. This way, I can take pictures and whatever else we need for evidence.” Robert bent and pulled a twisted piece of metal that had lodged in between two corners of her jagged car. “Well, it appears I have all the evidence I need right here.” he turned the metal around to show everyone an Oregon license plate that was not her own and no doubt belonged on Kevin’s truck.

Iian was feeling restless. He sat on the large bed waiting for Allison to get out of the shower. Todd had driven her home in the Jeep with him right behind them on his bike. He should have taken the day off and driven with her to Edgeview. What if she had died? He knew the road to Edgeview. There were lots of twist and turns, and most of all, there were places where the guardrail was the only thing protecting a car from plummeting off a cliff to a watery grave.