tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-36057048584174672062024-02-20T08:42:54.803-08:00Never Had To Knock On WoodTannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.comBlogger117125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-2215497039626132622009-01-14T19:02:00.000-08:002009-01-14T19:24:39.951-08:00The End<meta name="ProgId" content="Word.Document"><meta name="Generator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><meta name="Originator" content="Microsoft Word 12"><link rel="File-List" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CAngela%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_filelist.xml"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:officedocumentsettings> <o:relyonvml/> <o:allowpng/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><link rel="themeData" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CAngela%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_themedata.thmx"><link rel="colorSchemeMapping" href="file:///C:%5CUsers%5CAngela%5CAppData%5CLocal%5CTemp%5Cmsohtmlclip1%5C01%5Cclip_colorschememapping.xml"><!--[if gte mso 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mso-para-margin-left:0cm; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;} </style> <![endif]--> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;">My Saturday started off as normal as ever. I woke up early, rolled out of bed and crashed on the couch with a box of Fruit Loops in one hand and the remote in the other. Just as it was when I was a boy, Saturday mornings was all about the cartoons. It was the way it should be.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;">Except this Saturday morning, half way through my first cartoon, my phone rang. Two of the three waitresses that were supposed to be working that morning were in a car accident the night before, Scott informed me. “They are ok, just a little shaken up but they won’t be in. You need to find someone to cover or come in and work in the restaurant.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>Being short staffed, I knew it wouldn’t be that easy to find someone to cover one shift, let alone two but I tried all the same, since I didn’t really want to work on the only full day off I had in almost two weeks. It seemed I wasn’t the only one who felt that way either, of the ten people I called, half didn’t answer and the other half told me that they couldn’t work. I even tried calling some of my strictly banquet servers, to see if either one of them would like to make a couple extra bucks but I had no luck.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>Hauling my ass of the couch, I had no choice but fore go my cartoons that morning. “Next week, I promise,” I told my TV as I turned it off.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>****<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>I walked into a sideshow, I swear. It was only 7:30 am, the restaurant had only been open for a half hour and already it was filling up. “Is there a sale I don’t know about?” I asked Betty, my head waitress, as I walked into the server’s station.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Just your average Saturday morning,” she threw over her shoulder as she disappeared into the crowd of customers with two drink trays in her hands.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>I couldn’t believe she was smiling! She’s got to be crazy, I thought as I walked back through the kitchen to my office. I was in the middle of removing my jacket when Scott appeared out of nowhere. “I didn’t call you to come in and sit in the office. It’s crazy out there; Betty could use a little help.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Then go and help her,” I snapped, not really in the mood for his bitchiness. “I just came back here to take off my jacket and change my boots; I’ll be out front in a second. Or longer, if you really want to jump all over me this morning.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>****<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“We’ve been waiting for twenty minutes already! How much longer will it be for a table?” An hour into the breakfast crowd and I didn’t think we would ever get through it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Just a couple more minutes,” I replied as pleasantly as I could to the couple. Problem was that we couldn’t clear the tables as quickly as needed, so there were a few dirty ones still sitting empty. Even though Scott was still there, he wasn’t much help, he just sat in the corner of the restaurant, watching Betty and me with a disapproving look. I wanted to go over to him and tell him to leave because we needed the table, but Betty wouldn’t let me. “I need this job,” she told me as she quickly made her drinks for three different tables.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“That’s what you said a few minutes ago,” the husband told me as I started to walk away. “This has to be the worse service I’ve ever received; I want to talk to your manager!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>Tapping my nametag, I stared at him. “I am the manager and as you can clearly see we are really busy. I’m sorry you have to wait a little longer than planned but we are doing our best to ensure that you are seated as quickly as possible. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go answer that bell.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>As the husband sputtered, I walked towards the kitchen, slamming through the doors. “Read the bill Tanner!” one of the cooks yelled at me when I asked where the order went.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Table 14,” another cook called out.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Thanks,” I called back as I grabbed the hot plates and returned to the restaurant. As I was placing the order in front of the customers and asking if they needed anything else, I heard the bell ringing again.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Just refills please,” the little old lady smiled up at me. “Hot water and lemon for me and decaf for my husband, when you have a minute young man.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>I couldn’t help but smile back. Don’t ask why but maybe it was the sweet way she spoke or maybe I was just losing it. “I’ll see what I can do,” I told her as I turned to go answer the bell again.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Table 20!” Came the call when I walked through the door.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Thanks,” I laughed as I grabbed the plates. “Thanks a lot!” I threw over my shoulder as I hurried back into the restaurant.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“What can I do?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“What?” I stopped in my tracks.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“You look like you could use some help,” Anna motioned around the busy restaurant. “I want to know what you would like me to do.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>The bell rang again. “Well…” I glanced around. Dirty tables. Line up to pay and to get in. “Clean tables? Bring out orders? Seat people? The choice is yours Anna.” I started to walk away but then paused, “Table 14 would like refills, maybe grab the coffee pot and hot water and see who else needs refills.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Yes Sir!” She saluted me with a big grin on her face before jumping into action. I happen to pass her five minutes later and she was juggling the coffee pot and a couple menus while seating the couple who were complaining at the front counter earlier. “Can I interest you in some coffee?” She asked. They said yes. “Good,” she filled their coffee cups and told them that either Betty or I would be with them as soon as possible.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Why can’t you take our order?” The husband demanded.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>Anna chuckled, “I’m afraid this is over my head, I’m just the Personnel Manager! Tanner and Betty are better qualified.” Lowering her voice, she told them she was afraid she’d mess up their order. “And nobody wants that!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“You are great, you know that?” I told her when I happened to run into her a few minutes later as she was returning to the kitchen with a bus pan full of dirty dishes. “I didn’t handle that couple very well at the front counter.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“I know,” she smiled. “I saw that and decided I should offer to help.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“What are you doing here anyway? Aren’t you off on Saturdays?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“I had to come in to finalize payroll,” she told me. “If I don’t, no one gets paid!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>The bell rang. “I better get that,” she jumped. “And you better get those drinks out too.” I was still standing at the server’s station making my drinks when she came out of the kitchen. “Hey,” she called out. “Tell me, how long as he been sitting there watching you guys run around like this?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>I didn’t even have to look; I knew she was talking about Scott. “For a while now.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>Anna rolled her eyes. “I think it’s time he did something, don’t you?” She walked away with a mischievous grin on her face.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>I finished my drinks and delivered them. A couple minutes later, I was standing at the front counter about to cash out a group of people when Scott came up and told me he would do it. I happened to run into Anna on my way to grab a table’s order. “What did you say?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“I told him we were busy and needed the table.” She responded. “And I also told him that there were a few tables to be cleaned if he needed something to do.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>I told her she had balls and she laughed. “The worse he can do is fire me Tanner.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>****<o:p></o:p><span style=""></span></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style=""></span></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style=""></span>Anna tossed the dirty rag she was holding, into the wash bag and then sighed. It was almost 3:30 and the rush had finally died down enough that we were able to make the restaurant look inviting once again. “I should be going now, I have dinner plans tonight.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Thanks for all the help, we couldn’t have done it without you,” Betty gushed as she counted her tips for the day since she was off.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“No problem,” she replied as she gathered her jacket from its spot in the corner of the front counter. “Just don’t need help anytime soon; I’m not sure I’m cut out of this kind of work!” She may have been serious but I saw the way she handled customers and I believe she really enjoyed herself. “Have a good day guys,” she called over her shoulder as she left.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Wait! Anna!” Betty jumped up and went after her. Five minutes later she returned, shaking her head. “She’s nothing like I thought she would be.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>I was in the middle of writing the supper special on the board. “What do you mean?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“She just seems so serious all the time and I thought she was in Scott’s back pocket but the way she told him to get out or help? That was intense! She also made me laugh when it was really busy. Plus, she busted her ass along with the rest of us and she refused to take a cut of my tips! She said she was just doing her job and that I deserved it all for having to deal with her! Like she was trouble or something.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>I smiled. “She’s right, you do deserve it all, you were great today Betty. Thanks for all your hard work.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>Betty blushed. “You were pretty great yourself.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>With a laugh, I told her to go home or I would make her stay until the next shift got in. “I don’t think so,” she grabbed her coat. “My husband has tickets to tonight’s game and I’m going with him!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>****<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>By the time the next shift showed up, I was more than ready to get out of there and enjoy the rest of my day off. Unlike Anna and Betty, I didn’t have an plans with a significant other and even though I could’ve called someone up, there was only one I wanted to spend time with and she wasn’t giving me any signs that she was interested still.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“She has to be,” I told myself as I wandered through the aisles of the local grocery store. I had convinced myself that there was no way I could still be so wrapped up in her and she wasn’t giving me a second thought. “I just need a plan,” I told the bag of potatoes I yanked from the display.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>Apparently, a better plan than kissing her at midnight on New Years and taking off. <i style="">“Who does that?” Shelly ripped into me a couple days after. “What did you think she would do Tanner? Run after you in the freezing cold when you didn’t seem to want to stick around and find out if she liked it or not.” To make matters worse, she asked me who I got romantic advice from, “Your brother?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p>She went on to ask me where I disappeared to. “Sara tried calling you but there was no answer at your place. Where did Travis drag you? To some whore’s house?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p>The boys were spending the week after New Years with Travis so Shelly didn’t know that we went to mom and dad’s house. When I told her Travis was all for leaving and he wanted to see the boys, she was speechless.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p>For about a second. “What the heck is he trying to pull Tanner? He’s acting so weird. Moving out of the house without a fight, wanting to spend time with the boys, not fighting me for anything in the divorce…” She trailed off. “He’s not sick, is he?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p>“No, he’s not Shelly.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p>With a groan, Shelly told me she doesn’t understand Travis anymore. “I wish he would talk to me,” she confessed. “He use to talk to me all the time, now he barely says a word.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p>“Maybe he thinks it’s better this way Shelly, you did tell him you wanted a divorce.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p>“Yeah but….” She sighed.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p>“I really don’t know what Travis is thinking. And no, he didn’t give me advice on Sara, I just couldn’t handle being there any longer watching other men try to pawn her.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p>“You should’ve stuck around,” she told me. “She really wanted to talk to you, she had asked Billy to make sure you knew she was going to be there.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p>“That’s great,” I said. “But if that was the case, if she wanted to talk to me, why hasn’t she called? It’s been a few days.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p>“She got a surprise visit from her mom,” Shelly informed me. “The day after New Years, her mom showed up and it sent Sara spinning. I’m not sure what happened but she didn’t sound too happy when I talked to her the other night.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p></i></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><i style=""><o:p></o:p></i>After talking to Shelly, I called Billy to see what he had to say but he told me it wasn’t a good time. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” he promised but I didn’t hear from him again.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>Part of me wanted to just go to Sara’s and see what’s up but another part of me wanted her to be the one who came to me. I didn’t want it to seem like I was pushing her. I think I did enough of that.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>So without a plan and my friends being no help, I went home Saturday and threw a couple pork steaks into the oven before jumping in the shower.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>****<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“I’m coming, I’m coming.” Dropping my razor, I grabbed a towel and ran out into the kitchen where I dropped my cell when I came home. No sooner did I pick it up but it stopped ringing. I went to check who called and it started ringing again. It was my parents’ number.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Hello?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Tanner, where are you? I’ve been trying to call you all afternoon.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“I was at work,” I told mom. “What’s going on? Is everything ok?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Yes, of course everything is ok. I just wanted to see if you were going to come over for supper, you told me you didn’t work today.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“I wasn’t scheduled to work but there was an accident and a couple of my waitresses couldn’t come in. I -” Mom cut me off to ask if the girls were ok. “From what Scott told me, they were shaken up but not really hurt. They hit a deer on the highway last night.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“They are lucky,” mom said before changing the subject. “Are you coming over for supper?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p>
<br /></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;">Running a hand through my wet hair, I told mom I had a long day and already had something in the oven for supper. “Maybe tomorrow,” I offered.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Sure, sure,” she replied but I don’t really think she was paying that much attention to me anymore. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” she told me before saying ‘bye’ and hanging up on me.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>****<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>With Theory of a Deadman’s CD ‘Scars & Souvenirs’ playing in the background, I got to work, making the rest of my dinner. To go along with the pork steaks, I decided to make garlic mashed potatoes and heat up a tin of cream corn. It wasn’t anything fancy but to my empty stomach it sounded like a meal fit for a king.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>Pushing up the sleeves of my old High School sweatshirt I pulled on when I got out of the shower, I pulled the 10lb bag of potatoes I picked up at the grocery store onto the counter and then turned to grab a knife. When I pulled up a stool and sat down at the counter, I not only had a knife but also a glass of red wine. I don’t normally drink wine but on my way home from the grocery store, I stopped into the liquor store and bought a bottle for the hell of it. The first sip I took of the wine, made me cringe but I was determined to drink the glass, at least.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>While the guy from Theory of a Deadman sang about being so happy he threw some chick out, I ripped open the bag of potatoes and took a couple out to peel. I had five peeled and went for the sixth one when I stopped myself and wondered why I was making so much. I had thrown the pork steaks into the oven without realizing I put in all four and now I was in the middle of peeling a lot of potato, sure I liked leftovers but there was a limit.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>Shoving back from the counter, I got up and grabbed a pot from the cupboard for the potatoes. As I filled the pot with water, my doorbell rang. With a frown, I turned off the tap and placed the pot on the counter before grabbing a dish towel to dry my hands.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>As I made my way across my living room and down the hall towards the front door, I thought maybe it was Travis since he had a habit of just showing up whenever he felt like it but whoever it was didn’t hold down on the doorbell or push it in rapid succession so it couldn’t have been him. Then I thought it could be mom and dad since she did call and hang up suddenly when she found out I was home but it was suppertime and there’s no way she would be out ‘visiting’ anyone at that hour, it just wasn’t like her.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>I can honestly say that, while I may have hoped it was her, I never really expected it to be Sara. In fact I almost myself convinced I was seeing things when I opened the door to see her bundled up in front of me, holding a big gift bag. “Hi,” she looked nervous as she gave a half wave and smiled up at me.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>I stared at her for a long time. Maybe a little too long because her smile faded and she raised a questioning brow in my direction. “Can I come in?” She asked as a cold wind stirred the snow on my front step. “Or is it a bad time?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Uh sure,” I stumbled as I moved back to let her in.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Brrr!” She shivered as I closed the door. “I thought it was going to warm up,” she stated as she pulled her hood down and shook her head sending all her curls bouncing as she did. “With all the cold weather,” she continued as I watched her unzip her coat and remove it. “I hoped it would be a really early spring.” She chuckled and turned towards me. “Do you think it’s possible?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>She could’ve asked me anything at that moment, anything at all and the answer would’ve been the same. “Sure, yeah,” as my eyes travelled from her pretty, smiling face to the white, low cut v-neck sweater that clung to every curve. I only got a moment to dwell on her chest before her fingers cupped my chin and she forced me to look at her face again. “Save that for later?” She asked with a smile. As quickly as she touched me, she dropped her hand again and moved further into my home.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“What?” I started after her, still shocked that she was there.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>She paused in front of the fireplace, which I had lit just after I got out of the shower. “Oh,” she sighed as she turned back on to it. “That feels so nice!” Wiggling her butt, she laughed as she told me that it was cold.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“I see,” I needed to get away from her that moment or I would’ve done something she would’ve slapped me for. But her butt would not have been cold anymore. Crossing the living room, I made my way around the counter into the kitchen and grabbed the pot I filled before she showed up.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Oh!” She exclaimed as she pulled up a stool on the other side of the counter. “You haven’t had supper yet, I’m sorry, I didn’t know I was interrupting.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>I started to tell her not to worry about it when she reached across the counter and placed her hand on my arm. “Did you want me to come back another time?” She asked as she leaned over the counter, giving me a clear view down her sweater. <i style="">Fuck me</i>, I thought as I pulled my arm away from her to grab my wine glass. <i style="">She’s not wearing a bra!</i><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Tanner?” She raised a brow as I drained my glass. “Are you ok?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Yes.” <i style="">I can tap Morse code on the counter with my cock. What do you think?</i> “Would you like some wine?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Sure,” she flashed me a smile. “If you’re sure it’s ok I’m here.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“It’s fine,” I told her as I pour a glass of wine for her and another for myself. “Have you had supper yet?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“No, I haven’t. I was too nervous about seeing you again, I couldn’t eat.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>At least I wasn’t the only one. “Are you still nervous?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>Holding up her hand, she held her thumb and pointer finger apart about a centimetre. “A little,” she chuckled. “But it smells so good in here; my hunger is starting to overcome my nervousness.” She asked what I was making, when I told her, she groaned. “Sounds good Tanner,” she rubbed her stomach. “I like it when a man cooks, it’s so sexy.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>****<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>I stayed on my side of the counter for as long as I could. I wouldn’t dare go to her side because I knew nothing in the world would keep me from hauling her into my arms and kissing her senseless. But soon, I had dinner on and we were just sitting there, not saying anything at all.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“You have a nice place Tanner,” Sara said after a good five minutes of us just staring across the counter at each other. “Care to give me a tour?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Umm?” I watched her hop down from her stool and stare at me expectantly. “Sure, ok. A tour.” With my hands rammed into the pockets of my pj pants, I walked around the counter and started towards the front of my house. “Front door.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Yeah,” she slipped into step beside me. “I remember that well. I wasn’t sure you were going to answer, it seemed to take forever!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Uh huh,” I continued a little further down. At the end of the hall was the main bathroom, I stopped long enough to flip on the light and say bathroom before I started to move again.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Wait a minute,” she grabbed hold of my arm. “I didn’t get a good look at it.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Sorry,” I mumbled as I went back and turned on the light for her again.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>She walked into it, looked around and then turned towards me and said, “Nice,” before joining me in the hallway again. “What’s next?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Spare rooms,” I informed her as I flipped on the light in the first one. “Yeah,” I glanced at the mess of boxes. “I really haven’t gotten around to cleaning this one up yet but the other one is liveable. Travis keeps saying it’s his room…”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Oh?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Sometimes he crashes here when he goes out.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Ahhh,” she nodded her head. “It must be nice to live so close to the bars.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>I shrugged. “And you’ve seen the living room and kitchen.” I rambled as I walked through both. “This,” I paused by the back door. “Leads to my back yard.” Without giving a thought to the fact that it was minus 30 outside, I yanked the door open and let in a blast of cold air.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“It’s cold!” Sara exclaimed as she gripped my arm and hid behind my back.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Sorry,” I slammed the door shut again and turned to her. “That’s my house.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>She frowned.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“What’s wrong?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“You aren’t going to show me your room?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>One glance over my shoulder towards my room was all it took to make me think of not only showing her my room but also showing her the inside of my bed and how great it can be naked.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>Thankfully, the oven timer went off.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Dinner’s ready.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>****<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>Over dinner we talked about work, friends and family. There never seemed to be a moment of lull in our conversation until the last piece of food was put away and the dishes were done. Then, the kitchen seemed to become smaller as I stood there watching her return my dish towel to its rack. “So….Sara…”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Yes?”<span style=""></span><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>I was going to ask her what she was doing here but the moment she turned around, I found myself asking if she had seen ‘The Dark Knight’ yet. “I bought it when it came out,” I rambled on, not letting her get a word in. “But I haven’t found time to watch it. Do you want to watch it? With me?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>Her eyes lit up. “Yes,” she grinned as she walked towards me. “But I have to admit, I’ve never been a huge Batman fan. I haven’t seen any of the movies at all.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“You haven’t seen ‘Batman Begins’?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>She shook her head.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Sara!” I sighed. “You have so much to learn!” Without thinking, I grabbed her by the hand and immediately felt a familiar shock go through my entire body. Stopping suddenly, I dropped her hand. “Sit on the couch, I’ll be back in a minute, the movies are in my room.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>****</span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“You know you can sit closer Tanner, I don’t bite.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” I muttered.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“What did you say?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Nothing.”<span style=""> </span>I stared at the TV wishing the movie would hurry up and play. “You never said why you were here.” Turning towards her, I waited for an answer.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Oh right,” she jumped off the couch, hurried towards the front door and grabbed the gift bag she came in with. “I totally forgot about this.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“What is it?” I asked as she held it out to me.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Open it and find out,” she smiled at me. “It’s a birthday-housewarming-Christmas-or whatever you’d like it to be gift.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>Taking the gift bag, I placed it at my feet. “How about an ‘I just wanted an excuse to visit you because I missed you’ gift?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Yes,” she nodded. “There’s that too.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“I missed you.” I lowered my head and pulled the bag open, popping the tape she had holding it together. “It hasn’t been the same, I’ve felt like….” I trailed off as I pulled Sara’s gift out of the bag. “Baby?” I stared at her, shocked as I held another one of her homemade quilts in my hand.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>Sinking to her knees in front of me, she brushed her hand over my cheek. “I missed you a lot. It was so hard to leave you even though I knew you were right, I wasn’t ready. There wasn’t a day that passed where I didn’t think about you and wish that I was stronger. I wanted to be with you but I knew I wouldn’t be doing either one of us a favour if I pretended that I was ok.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“I didn’t want to push you away,” I whispered as her hand caressed my cheek.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“I know.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“It was the hardest thing I ever had to do.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“But you had too.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>I nodded, “I did. You needed….”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“To be me again.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Yeah,” I chuckled. “I was afraid you forgot about me. You never called me.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>Sara moved closer. “No, no Tanner. I could never forget you. You were strong when I needed you to be and you helped me see that I didn’t deserve all the crappy things that were going on. You helped me more than you’ll ever know.” Taking a deep breath, Sara sniffled, “I love you so much,” she whimpered. “I thought I lost you forever.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Lost….” I stared at her in disbelief. “Sara, come.” I pulled her off her knees and with her quilt in one hand; I led her down the hallway, towards my room. Flipping on the light, I swung her around in front of me and held her in my arms. “Baby,” I pressed my lips against her ear. “Do you understand?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>Wide eyed, hand over her mouth, Sara stepped out of my arms and headed towards my bed, where the first quilt she made me was spread out. “Oh Tanner…” Leaning over, she ran her hand over her handiwork.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>It was too much for me to ignore. Dropping her new quilt, I went to her, my hands gripping her hips as I pulled her back against me. “You can only tease me for so long.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Tease you?” She laughed as she turned around in my arms. “Tanner, I don’t plan on just teasing.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>****<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>In the middle of the night, I woke up cold. I couldn’t understand it until I rolled onto my side and saw my little blanket thief sound asleep with her back to me. “Sara?” I kissed her bare shoulder. “Is that why you gave me the second quilt?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>She wiggled further into the cocoon she made with my blankets. I couldn’t help but chuckle, she had done the same thing to me when we went camping our first summer together. “You’re lucky I love you.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Yeah,” she turned her head towards me. “But you’re still not getting in my cocoon.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Oh really?” Grabbing her, I rolled her onto her back while crawling on top. “I believe I’ve gotten in there a couple times already and…” I paused to kiss her. “You loved it.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Tanner!” She slapped my shoulder. “God, you are such a pervert!”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“I know,” I nuzzled her neck. “You love that too.”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>“Yeah,” she sighed as her arms snaked around my neck. “So?” She stroked her fingers through my hair. “Are you going to make me beg, or are you -?”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>I cut her off with a kiss. “Let me in!” I hissed impatiently as I tore at my blankets. Even though, I saw her naked and explored every single inch of her body a couple times by this time, unwrapping her that time was just like the very first time.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class="MsoNoSpacing"><span style="font-size:130%;"><o:p></o:p>The last sheet fell away from her flesh as she arched her body towards mine. Groaning softly, I gripped her sides, completely blown away, once again. “You are so beautiful Sara.” </span></p> Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-11675116788943246992009-01-09T14:48:00.000-08:002009-01-09T14:49:06.370-08:00The End - Part Three<span style="font-size:130%;">For months, people have been whispering in my ear about every event in Sara’s life. It’s funny how everyone seemed to think I was entitled to know what she was doing when I was the one who pushed her away. Whenever I asked them, most of them told me that it was what she needed. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br />“Sara was pissed when she came home from the city,” Billy told me. “Partly with you but mainly with herself. She knew that her lack of confidence was her biggest problem but she thought she was doing fine. Obviously she wasn’t.”<br /><br />So, I guess Billy thought I did Sara a favour. My mom, on the other hand, was upset with me for a good month. She thought I should’ve encouraged Sara to seek help while being there as her friend. “I don’t know where I went wrong,” she grumbled. “I thought I raised my boys right but one is getting divorced and the other is using women like play toys!”<br /><br />Yeah, mom was taking Travis’ and my women issues to heart. “You boys can’t bring these wonderful women home, make them a part of our family and then toss them aside!”<br /><br />There was no arguing with mom when she got like that so I stayed away from her as much as I could. By the end of the summer, she was in agreement with Billy – Sara needed a push to get the help she needed to finally put The Bastard and her prick of a father behind her.<br /><br />Travis was about the only one who was happy that I pushed Sara away. He went on and on about all the parties and clubs we could go to.<br /><br />Whatever their position, no one hesitated to tell me everyone moment of Sara’s life. They kept me up to date on her therapy process and how she was changing for the better. I was shocked when Billy told me that she applied for a management position during the daytime and got it!<br /><br />“She always talked about going back to days,” he told me. “But she couldn’t handle the idea of being around customers. I thought she was joking when, out of the blue, she told me that she applied for Backroom Manager.”<br /><br />Even more shocked when I found out from Shelly that she spent a couple nights a week with Sara in kickboxing classes! “She just called me,” Shelly explained when I asked her how that came about. “She said she wasn’t sure she should be calling but wanted to know if I would like to join her in kickboxing classes.”<br /><br />Apparently, in her therapy it came up that she wasn’t happy with the way she looked, she thought she was fat and decided to do something about it but she didn’t have anyone to workout with. She called Shelly because she was the only female she really knew, besides Anna, who had her own things going on.<br /><br />From all reports it seemed like Sara was getting her life on track and she sounded like she was happy. She was even dating. And that killed me. I had nightmares of Sara with other men. Taunting me. Teasing me. Telling me of all the things Sara would do to them in the bed. The scariest one was when Sara’s ‘guy’ was my brother.<br /><br />Upon hearing that she was dating, I tried to find out from them, if she was still mad at me. Of course, no one would tell me flat out, they all told me that I would have to talk to her.<br /><br />Would you believe the idea of talking to her scared me?<br /><br />****<br /><br /> “Fuck, it’s cold!” My brother pushed pass me without stopping to remove his snow covered shoes. “Who the hell ordered up this ass bitingly cold weather?”<br /><br />“Hey!” I went after him. “Respect my floor, take your boots off!”<br /><br />Standing in front of my fireplace, he held out his hands and rubbed them together. “You sound just like mom.” Glancing over his shoulder, he told me if the next thing out of my mouth was, I just cleaned them, he was leaving my sorry ass home.<br /><br />“Just take your shoes off,” I threw over my shoulder as I headed back to the bathroom to finish getting ready to go out.<br /><br />It was News Years Eve and I was going to the bar with Travis with hopes of running into Sara. I knew she would be there, Billy told me that they were going with a group of people from work, but he wouldn’t tell me if she was going to be on a date. “You’ll just have to show up to find out,” he told me.<br /><br />“Tanman,” Travis appeared in the bathroom doorway. “I have to ask, can I crash here tonight?”<br /><br />“What’s wrong with your place?”<br /><br />He shrugged. “Nothing, you just live closer to the bar.”<br /><br />At the end of summer, I went out of a limb and made an appointment with the bank to see if I could get a mortgage. I didn’t think I had a hope in hell of getting one but someone must’ve been on my side, the agent called me two days after my appointment and told me that everything was a go. I ended up buying myself a newer manufactured home located in a park just a few blocks away from the main bar in town.<br /><br />The beginning of September, I moved into my new place. While I was moving in, Travis, in a move that shocked the hell out of everyone in the family, decided that he would be the one to move out of the house he owned with Shelly. “I don’t want my boys living in an apartment building,” he told me one night over beers. “I’ve already fucked them up enough.”<br /><br />****<br /><br />Travis and I weren’t at the club ten minutes before he disappeared and left me standing by the bar feeling like the biggest loser. It was ten o’clock and my first scan of the bar didn’t look too promising, I didn’t see anyone I recognized. I was starting to think that Billy lied to me and Sara was somewhere else celebrating the coming New Year with some other guy.<br /><br />I had to tell myself that he wouldn’t do that to me, not when he expressed how great he thought it would be if we got back together, ‘for real this time’.<br /><br />My second trip around the bar, I spotted Shelly with a group of her girlfriends so I stopped to see how she was doing. “Tanner!” She giggled as she hugged me. “What are you doing here?”<br /><br />“Celebrating the new year,” I told her.<br /><br />“By yourself?” She glanced around and then sized me up. “Dressed like that,” she tugged on my shirt. “You have to be here to impress someone – who is she?” Raising a brow, she asked, “Sara? I heard she was going to be here tonight.”<br /><br />Chuckling, I gave her a shrug. “You know me Shelly; I’m just here for a good time.”<br /><br />“Uh-huh,” she gave me another hug. “Keep telling yourself you aren’t missing her.”<br /><br />****<br /><br />It was almost eleven o’clock before I caught a glimpse of Sara and I’m ashamed to admit, I almost didn’t recognize her. Travis, who had returned not long after I left Shelly and her friends, elbowed me as he exclaimed, “Fuck me, Sara is smokin’ tonight.”<br /><br />“What?” I turned in the direction he was pointing and had to do a double take because I couldn’t believe the beautiful happy woman standing just ten feet away from me was the same one I pushed away in May.<br /><br />“What are you waiting for man?” Travis gave me a shove in Sara’s general direction. I told him not to shove me; I wasn’t ready to go talk to her at that moment. “Then I’m gonna go talk to her.” He was gone before I could stop him, throwing, ‘you talked to my woman’ over his shoulder as he went.<br /><br />Instead of standing around, looking like a loser, I started another walk around the bar, never taking my eyes of Sara. Travis wasn’t kidding; she looked so hot that night. I knew before I saw her that she was going to be dressed up, Billy had told me that much but nothing could’ve prepared me for the strapless, nearly skin tight number she was wearing. I don’t even need to tell you were exactly my eyes travelled, anyone who knows me, knows my gaze rested on her chest.<br /><br />As I watched her greet my brother with a hug, I wished the bastard was dead and I was the one with her tits pressed up against my chest.<br /><br />I needed a drink.<br /><br />****<br /><br />For an hour I watched her laugh and dance with her friends. An hour of watching random guys walking up to her group, get close and whisper in her ear. There was this one guy who just couldn’t seem to let her get any space between them. He was the one I imagined killing.<br /><br />Ten minutes to midnight, I had enough…beer…and of sitting around watching the woman I wanted laugh at other men’s lame (I’m assuming) jokes.<br /><br />Five minutes to midnight, I decided I was going to talk to her.<br /><br />One minute to midnight, I finally pushed off my bar stool and started across the room.<br /><br />Twenty seconds to midnight, I stood behind her, trying to figure out how to get her attention as the Clingy guy made a move for her.<br /><br />10….I grabbed her by the arm.<br /><br />9….I spun her around to face me.<br /><br />“Tanner?” She stared, wide eyed, up at me. I wasn’t sure if that was a good thing but it was too late to worry about that now.<br /><br />3…My hand slipped around her waist and I drew her to me.<br /><br />2…1...<br /><br />As everyone shouted Happy New Year, I lowered my head and brushed my lips against hers, kind of like a test, to make sure she wasn’t about to kill me or something.<br /><br />“Tanner…” she moaned as her arms wound themselves around my neck and her body melted against mine.<br /><br />It seemed to go on forever, yet it seemed like a split second. It ended all too soon and believe it or not, I was the one who pulled away. I didn’t want too but I felt overwhelmed. It’s hard to describe, I wanted to kiss her but the second I touched her, I wanted more and there was no way to get that in a club. At least, not in a way that wouldn’t be disrespectful to the woman she was.<br /><br />“Happy New Year Baby,” I whispered before releasing her and disappearing into the crowd.<br /><br />I was walking out the door when Travis caught up to me. “What the fuck man! You had her, where the hell are you going?”<br /><br />“Home,” I continued on my way. “I need to get out of here.”<br /><br />I thought he was going to call me a pussy and tell me to get my ass back in the bar but he surprised me. “I know what you mean.” I frowned. “What?” He glared at me. “You think I love seeing my wife having a great time without me?”<br /><br />I shook my head. I guess, he did understand some times.<br /><br />“You know what I want to do?”<br /><br />“No Travis, I don’t.”<br />“I want to see my boys.” He held out his hand to stop me. “Let’s grab a cab and go to mom and dad’s place.”<br /><br />I had such high expectations for the night but to tell the truth, the way it ended, wasn’t all that bad.<br /><br />Problem was, I hadn’t heard from Sara like I hoped I would.</span><br /></span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-1580780250362076032009-01-09T10:12:00.000-08:002009-01-09T11:20:25.278-08:00The End - Part Two<span style="font-size:130%;">I wish I saved my breath; it never was going to happen, no matter how much I wanted it too. Sure, there were feelings and a whole lot of chemistry but in the end, Sara’s demons were too much for her to overcome that weekend.<br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">“I can’t keep doing this Sara.”<br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">“I’m sorry, I wish it weren’t like this.”<br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">“But it is.” With a deep sigh, I pushed her away from me, even though it was the last thing I wanted to do. “I think you should go.”<br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She started to speak but I didn’t want to hear it, I had enough. I was tired of telling her how I felt and having her remain frozen to me. I hated being the only one who seemed to care if we ever moved pass being friends. My body hurt from all the sexual tension that had been building up without any real release. I needed to find release and it didn’t look like she would be the one to help me with it. She wasn’t ready to be willing.<br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She had to go.<br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">As much as I tried to tell myself it was for the best, watching her drive away that May morning tore me apart. I can’t tell you how many times I reached for the phone to call her and tell her I didn’t mean it when I said it was over. I wanted to tell her I was sorry I pushed; I would give her all the time she needed.<br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">When I wasn’t thinking about calling her, begging her to come back, I was wishing that she appeared at my door. In fact, every time I heard footsteps for a couple days after she left, or every time my phone rang, for a brief moment I held onto the hope that it was Sara. It never was of course, but I still wished it.<br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">To this day, I believe that if it wasn’t for my training in the hotel and the gruelling interview, hiring and training process I had to deal with when I got back home, I would’ve went after her. Or went down the same road my brother was travelling since Shelly left him.<br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I won’t lie and say it’s been easy to forget everything I feel for Sara. It hasn’t. No matter how much I bury myself in my work or who I use to get her out of my head. Even alcohol doesn’t help, trust me, I’ve tried.<br /></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I missed her. There wasn’t anywhere I went that I didn’t have some flashback to a time I spent with her. It was crazy how the woman could be everywhere and mean so much in just a short amount of time. From the time she broke up with The Bastard until the morning she drove away from the hotel, it had only been six months. I have had relationships – sexual relationships – that have lasted longer than that but some of them I really don’t remember at all. Nothing I’ve ever experienced could even come close to the emptiness that I felt without Sara.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">So, last month, I decided to do something about it.</span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-48281164862684679622009-01-09T07:36:00.000-08:002009-01-09T08:08:44.370-08:00The End - Part One<span style="font-size:130%;">I held my breath as my fingers brushed against her towel. I didn’t think I had a chance in hell of actually getting it off her this time so I took my time, figuring that she wouldn’t be so quick to push me away if I didn’t seem like I was trying too hard to see her naked. I couldn’t believe how nervous I was but one look at her in the mirror told me I wasn’t the only one, Sara was chewing nervously on her bottom lip.<br /><br />“Relax,” I whispered against her temple. “I won’t hurt you, I promise.”<br /><br />“Tanner….”<br /><br />“I promise.”<br /><br />Sara nodded, her eyes lifting to meet mine in the mirror; she looked sad.<br /><br />“What’s wrong?” My eyes dropped to her chest, I tried not to be disappointed but to tell the truth I was getting a little tired of the wall she threw up whenever I tried to get close.<br /><br />She mumbled something but I didn’t catch it, so I asked her to repeat it. With a sigh, she slumped in my arms, “It’s ugly.”<br /><br />My head snapped up. “Ugly?” I shot her a questioning look. “What’s ugly Sara?” She couldn’t have been talking about herself, there was no way, I had seen most of her at one point or another, I knew what she looked like and ugly wouldn’t be a word I’d use to describe it.<br /><br />“Tanner….” She tried to turn in my arms but I stopped her. “Please, don’t.” She begged as she wrapped her arms around herself, rubbing her upper arms in a classic protective mode. “I don’t want to see it.”<br /><br />It blew my mind that she was telling me she didn’t want to be naked when I couldn’t wait to get my hands on her naked flesh. In fact, I couldn’t help but run my hands over her sides as I asked her why she didn’t want to see herself naked. “I know I would love to see you naked so I don’t understand why you don’t want to.”<br /><br />Shifting from one foot to the other, Sara looked uncomfortable. “I don’t want to talk about it.” She tried to wiggle out of my grasp but I had enough of her avoiding issues with me.<br /><br />“Talk to me Sara, stop avoiding the issues and tell me what’s going on. I can’t do anything when you don’t let me in.”<br /><br />“I’m not avoiding anything,” she snapped. “I just don’t want anyone to see me naked.” With that declaration she pushed away from me and scurried to the far end of the bathroom. “There’s nothing wrong with that Tanner, a lot of people don’t want others to see them naked.” She picked up her hairbrush and started to brush her hair. “I’m not a freak.”<br /><br />“Never said you were, I just said you needed to talk to me if you want a relationship with me – I can’t deal with this wall you throw up whenever I want to get closer.”<br /><br />Slamming down her hairbrush, she turned to glare at me. “What about what I want Tanner? Why does it always have to be about what the guy wants?”<br /><br />Leaning against the sink, I took a deep breath. “It doesn’t have to be about me Sara, it can be about you, if you only let me in on what’s going on with you.”<br /><br />Shaking her head, she turned away. “It won’t matter what I say Tanner, you’ll never understand.”<br /><br />“You aren’t even going to try?” I was pissed; I thought I deserved some explanation or something. “Do you even want a relationship? Or are you just wasting my time?”<br /><br />“Do I…?” She stared at me, her eyes started to fill up with tears. “I can’t believe you asked me that.”<br /><br />With a sigh, I asked her what I was supposed to think. “I keep trying to get closer and you keep pushing me away.”<br /><br />“What do you expect from me?” She asked as tears rolled down her cheek. “Do you think it’s easy for me? No one has ever cared about what I think or feel – I’ve had to hide everything - it’s not easy to change.”<br /><br />“Sara, I ask. I want to know. I’m not like….” I didn’t want to say his name; it always left an awful taste in my mouth whenever I thought about what he did to her. “I won’t hurt you Sara.”<br /><br />She nodded, tears rolling down her face. “I know,” she whispered. “I know.”<br /><br />“Come here,” I reached for her. “Don’t cry.”<br /><br />“I’m sorry,” she sobbed as she walked into my open arms. “I don’t mean to be such a bitch.”<br /><br />Wrapping my arms around her waist, I held her tight. She felt so good, I didn’t know what I would do if she wasn’t there – she meant a lot more to me than I wanted to admit. “It’s ok baby, I don’t think you are a bitch.”<br /><br />“No?” She lifted her head off my chest. “You just think I’m crazy.”<br /><br />I smiled, “You have to be to be with me.”<br /><br />“I am with you Tanner,” she squeezed me. “I want to be with you, I do.”<br /><br />“I’m serious Sara.”<br /><br />“So am I.”<br /><br />“Being with me, you need to trust me enough to let me in. I need to know what’s going on, I can’t be tossed against that wall whenever you don’t feel like talking.”<br /><br />“I know,” she gave me a weary grin. “It’s just going to take some time but I promise I’ll try – I really want to be with you Tanner.”<br /><br />“Good,” I kissed her forehead. “So, we’ll start –“<br /><br />“Tomorrow,” she stood on her tip toes and kissed my cheek. “We have to get ready for dinner.”<br /><br />I chuckled. “What about after dinner? Can we talk then?”<br /><br />“Yeah,” Sara nodded. “We can.” She pushed back from me and returned to fixing her hair. “Are you going to shower?”<br /><br />I told her I was. “Did you want to watch?”<br /><br />****<br /><br />Before I pulled back the shower curtain, I wrapped my towel around my waist. I didn’t want too but if Sara wasn’t showing me then I didn’t want her to think that I was trying to push her if I paraded around her naked. Although, truth be told, I would rather be naked.<br /><br />“Hey, look at you!”<br /><br />“What?” She laid down her brush and turned towards me. With a hesitant hand, she touched her hair, “Is there something wrong Tanner?”<br /><br />“Not at all, I like it.”<br /><br />“Yeah?” She glanced in the mirror, looked happy for a split second before a frown appeared.<br /><br />“You ok?”<br /><br />She nodded, gave me a smile but it never reached her eyes. “I’m going to get dressed.”<br /><br />****<br /><br />We arrived downstairs about five minutes later than the time that mom requested but it looked like we weren’t the only ones who were late, Travis hadn’t shown up and Anna wasn’t anywhere to be found.<br /><br />“Travis wouldn’t be doing something he shouldn’t with that Anna, would he?” My mom had pulled me aside just as Sara and I joined dad, Billy and her at the table.<br /><br />“Like what mom?”<br /><br />Mom gave me a knowing look. “Travis is a married man Tanner, I need to know if –“<br /><br />“Good evening everyone,” Anna came waltzing into the restaurant, alone. “Oh wow,” she went to Sara and touched her hair. “You look amazing; you should do your hair like that more often.”<br /><br />“Yeah?” Sara smiled at her as she fingered her hair. “Thank you Anna.”<br /><br />Anna took a seat next to Billy, giving me a quick glance before telling Sara that it couldn’t have been the first time I heard that she looked good. “I’m sure Tanner has told you how beautiful you are.”<br /><br />I told Anna I did. “But, of course, she didn’t believe me.”<br /><br />Anna smiled. “Sometimes my boyfriend doesn’t think I believe him either, but I do, it’s just different to hear it from another chick because chances are that she’s not trying to get some, if you know what I mean.”<br /><br />“See?” Sara patted my cheek and gave me a smile. “I’m not crazy.”<br /><br />“I never said you were Sara.”<br /><br />Chuckling, Anna told Sara that her guy always tells her she’s crazy. “But,” she leaned across and lowered her voice, “If you ask me, I think they love it when we are a little crazy, gives them something to fall back on when they have no idea what to do with us.”<br /><br />“Is that so?” Sara grinned up at me. “Maybe I can be a little crazy, you know, if it helps you handle me.”<br /><br />****<br /><br />“Where is Travis?” It was a half an hour later and my brother still hadn’t graced us with his presence. “I tried calling the room but there wasn’t an answer.” Turning to me, she asked me to go upstairs and find out where he was. “Check the parking lot for his car!” Mom called after me as I left the restaurant.<br /><br />Turned out, I didn’t even need to waste my time getting up; Travis was stomping across the lobby as I was leaving the restaurant. “I need a drink,” he told me. “Let’s go out somewhere and have a guys night, what do you say?”<br /><br />Before I could tell him that I didn’t think it would be a good idea for me to have anything to drink, mom came out to see what was keeping us. “Your father needs to eat,” she told us as she grabbed both of our arms.<br /><br />****<br /><br />I had only been seated again for a couple minutes when I felt a tap on my shoulder. “Tanner?” I turned to see one of the servers from the banquet standing over my shoulder. Her eyes widened, “It is you!” With her hand still on my shoulder, she went on to tell me that the rest of the banquet girls and her were shocked to hear that I was in the hospital.<br /><br />“I know what you mean,” Sara leaned forward, her hand slipping over my thigh as she moved. “When his mom called me at work and told me, it took a few minutes for it to sink in.”<br /><br />The smile on Robin’s face slipped for a split second as she glanced at Sara.<br /><br />Sara didn’t seem to notice, or maybe she didn’t care, she just continued to tell Robin just how worried she was. “I freaked out,” she told Robin. “I didn’t know what to do. Thankfully, I have a great best friend who is a rock…” She reached over and gave Billy’s hand a squeeze. “You’re the best.”<br /><br />Robin couldn’t have seemed more disinterested in what Sara was saying if she tried. “That’s nice,” she aimed a fake smile in Sara’s direction.<br /><br />Letting go of Billy’s hand, Sara turned around, not looking too happy. “I’m sorry,” she glanced at Robin’s hand on my shoulder. “I didn’t catch your name.”<br /><br />By this time everyone at the table had dropped their menus. They were watching the interaction between Sara and Robin, who didn’t respond to Sara’s question. “Not going to answer?” Sara raised a brow and then surprised me with a shrug. “Doesn’t matter,” she patted my thigh and gave me a smile. “It doesn’t matter.” Then, as if nothing happened, she picked up her menu and gazed up at me. “What do you recommend Tanner?”<br /><br />I wanted to laugh because it wasn’t the reaction I was expecting from Sara. To tell the truth, I expected her to be pissed and think that I was doing something with Robin behind her back. Not because I was but because that’s the conclusion most women would jump to when another dared to approach their man.<br /><br />“Depends on what you feel like baby,” I stated as I slipped my arm around her shoulders and leaned in to kiss her temple. “Chicken, beef, pork or just something that’s all veggies?”<br /><br />“I want….” She trailed off as her eyes met mine. “You,” she whispered.<br /><br />****<br /><br />I planked my ass down on a bar stool. Next to me Travis was slamming back shots, already on his way to a good hang over. “Are you going to tell me why you are drinking yourself stupid tonight?”<br /><br />“She’s done.”<br /><br />“Who’s done Trav?”<br /><br />With a chuckle, he asked me who I thought. “Shelly,” he shook his head. “She told me she was done, she couldn’t – no, wouldn’t go to counselling or give us another shot. She said she gave me all the chances in the world to show her I care…” With a shrug, he motioned to the bartender to give him another shot. “I showed her the best I could Tanner, she just don’t understand but….I’m a guy for fuck sakes, we don’t do mushy bullshit stuff.”<br /><br />“Not true, some guys do – I do.”<br />“Maybe she should’ve married you then.” He slammed back his shot before telling me he couldn’t talk to me. “Guys like you give the rest of us a bad name.”<br /><br />“Come on Travis, if Shelly means anything to you, you won’t let her get away. Stop drowning yourself in alcohol, get your ass back home and deal with your issues!”<br /><br />I left Travis sitting at the bar, sulking, to cross the lounge to the far corner where Sara was perched on a stool watching Anna and Billy play a pool. “Hey,” I pulled up a stool and sat next to her. “I thought you were playing?”<br /><br />Shaking her head, she told me that she lost the last game. “The balls wouldn’t cooperate with me!”<br /><br />I couldn’t let that statement go. Leaning closer, I lowered my head until my mouth brushed against her ear. “Baby, I know of a set that will.” </span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-59556664659722281322008-12-10T12:10:00.000-08:002008-12-11T15:31:00.899-08:00Through My Eyes<span style="font-size:130%;">I wish, for once, I could start something with Sara and actually finish it. But no, there's always something fucking with my plans. Like the whole bloody universe is working against us being together.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">This time the universe used my mom to stop us.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sara and I were getting x-rated in the elevator, not expecting it to stop before reaching my floor. We certainly weren't expecting my mom to catch me with Sara sucking on my neck while I tried to rip her bra off to get my hands and mouth on her.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"TANNER! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!?!"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Mrs. Ross!" Sara jumped back from me as if she was burnt, slapping at my hands as she tried to right her clothes. "I...we....I mean...he..."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">My mom looked right past Sara, giving me the dirtiest look I've ever seen her give. "What on earth are you thinking?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">If Sara didn't look like she wanted the floor to open up and swallow her whole, I would've told mom I was thinking I wanted Sara naked. Instead, I just shrugged and kept my mouth shut.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"For the love of God Tanner, do your pants up." I watched horrified as mom came at me as if she was planning on zipping me up herself.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I got it." I turned away from her and zipped myself. "I'll do it."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">While I was hiding my goods, mom was lecturing me on the inappropriateness of my behaviour and how disrespectful it was towards Sara to manhandle her in such a public place. "I thought you were better than that Tanner." Shaking her head, mom said, "I thought I raised you better than this."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">There was no arguing with that. If I told her she did, she'd be more pissed. If I didn't say that she did, she would be pissed. It was a lose-lose situation and I had other things on my mind, so I apologized to her and to Sara for being unable to control myself.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Alright," Mom smiled at us. "I was coming to look for you two, your dad wants us all to have supper together in the restaurant." She started to back out of the elevator. "Be there at 6 sharp." As my mom walked away she said something about having to find Travis and Anna. "Oh! Mom looked over her shoulder at Sara. "You friend....Billy, was it?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sara nodded.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"If he's free, we would love for him to join us as well."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sara pulled me into her arms as the doors closed and the elevator started to move again. Giggling, she pressed her face against my chest. "You should've seen the look on your face!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Me?" I laughed. "What about you? Stammering? Trying to explain? The blushing? What do you have to say about that?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The elevator stopped, Sara pulled away from me. "I'd say we have only an hour before meeting your parents for supper."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">****</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What are you doing?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Frowning, I straightened from leaning over to swipe my card through the card lock. "What do you mean? I'm unlocking the door."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"This door?" She looked confused.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yeah," I pointed to the room number as I said it out loud. "My room."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sara crossed her arms over her chest, she looked pretty upset as she tapped her foot and stared up at me. "Since when?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Since Scott moved Anna and me into our own rooms last -" Sara started to shake her head. "What are you...? Stop shaking your head and...Are you laughing?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She nodded. "I'm such a moron!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"O-kay...gonna tell me why?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sara opened her mouth but her voice was drowned out by a group of young kids as they moved from the elevator, down the hall past us to the rooms on the end where we shove most school teams when they are in town for tournaments. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Can we go inside?" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Once my door was open, Sara made her way into the middle of the room, glanced around and then turned towards me with her hands held out to me. "I've been driving myself crazy all week," she confessed. "I thought that you were mad at me, playing some kind of game or something but..." Shaking her head once again, she sighed. "But you weren't, you just changed rooms and didn't tell me!" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I didn't?" I tried to think back - to remember what I told her but she was right, I don't think I ever mentioned that I had switched rooms. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"No," she smiled. "And all week, I've been calling your old room and leaving you messages." </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Front desk didn't put you through to my room?" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"No," she shrugged. "Not when you don't ask for a guest by name."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"So you...." She nodded. I laughed. "Smart Sara, real smart." </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">****</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Sara?" I rapped on the bathroom door for the second time in two minutes. Sara had been in the bathroom for a half hour, getting ready for dinner with my parents. "Sara, I have to go. Hurry up."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The bathroom door opened and in a cloud of steam, I saw Sara standing, wrapped in just a towel. My eyes didn't know where to focus first, there was just too much to take in. I was speechless. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Close your mouth Tanner," she chuckled as she moved closer to me, which did nothing for my speechlessness. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I had to do it, I just couldn't stop myself. It was like my hands had a mind of their own, or maybe they were doing the dirty work for other parts of my body. Gripping the edge of the towel, I tugged on it and damn near had a heart attack as the towel fell away. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Tanner!" Sara screamed and scrambled to recovered the towel. "I thought you had to pee!" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">****</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sara stood at vanity, towel tightly wrapped around her as she ran a comb through her wet hair. In the mirror, she was avoiding looking in my direction as I washed and dried my hands next to her. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I'm upset with you," she stated when I wrapped my arms around her waist from behind. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Why?" My lips trailed along her neck as I told her I loved everything I saw. "You are so sexy."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yeah, right," Sara snorted. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"For real, let me show you." I reached for her towel again. </span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-33945498710206762112008-12-04T10:11:00.000-08:002008-12-04T11:37:07.785-08:00In Your Room<span style="font-size:130%;">Normally when someone mentioned cameras and pictures, Sara was out of the room like a shot but while mom searched through her purse, looking for the camera she thought she had in there, Sara cuddled closer to me. "We do look good, don't we?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Giving her the once over, I told her that she looked really good. "Me, on the other hand, I've looked better."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Hmm," she grinned. "You know you look good, so don't even."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yeah, I'm rockin' the black and blue today, baby."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Pushing herself up on her elbow, Sara gazed down at me, a smile playing on her lips. I asked her what she was thinking but she just grinned and told me that even hurt, I looked good.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Is that so?" I raised a brow. "Good enough to -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Well I don't know <span style="FONT-STYLE: italic">what </span>happened to my camera." I was about to tell mom that it was ok when Sara piped up that she had her cell phone on her.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"It's not the best way to snap a photo but..." she pulled her phone out and after a brief run through on how to work the camera before turning back to cuddle with me.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">It seemed to take forever before mom finally got a photo that both her and Sara agreed looked awesome. While they were going through the photos, criticizing them, Billy appeared from out of nowhere.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Hey..." He glanced briefly at Sara and my mom, giving me a questioning look.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Mom wanted a photo."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Ahhhh." He nodded knowingly before asking me why. "No offense buddy but you look like crap."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Shrugging, I told him Sara thought I looked good.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"And you believed her?" Billy snorted.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Of course he believed me," Sara swatted at Billy. "You look good," she leaned in and kissed my cheek. "He's just jealous."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I'm not even gonna ask how you figure that one Sara."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">He wasn't the only one who didn't want to know and thankfully Sara didn't explain it to either one of us.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Somewhere in between the catching up with Billy and teasing Sara, my parents slipped out of the room, using Travis as an excuse when I knew all they were really wanted to do was sleep since they didn't do much the night before.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I didn't really blamed them, I was pretty tired myself but as long as Sara was in town, I didn't want to sleep at all.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Of course, we all know what happened, I fell asleep.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I fell asleep. I couldn’t believe it. I had been missing Sara for a couple weeks and when I finally got her in my arms, I was so wiped, I fell asleep on her. When I woke up, she was gone. Not from the room just from my arms.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She caught shit from the nurse for being on the bed," Billy told me when I asked him why Sara was sleeping in the chair next to my bed.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">While Sara slept, Billy and I talked about work and Sara. He told me that Sara had been on edge all week, waiting for this week to be over so she could come visit me. "It's all she's been talking about," he chuckled and told me it was cute but a little annoying. "Then when your mom called her at work..." he trailed off, as he shook his head. "She was so worried, she was in no shape to drive and your parents had already left so she called me."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"She call you away from something?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Had a few friends over. A little party but I'm glad she called, Cal showed up."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What did he want?" I couldn't help thinking back to a couple weeks ago when Sara and I were interrupted by Billy, who was upset that Cal just broke up with him.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Me." Billy shrugged. "He said he wanted to 'talk' but I know the difference, talking wasn't what he had in mind."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I couldn't think of anything to say, I just stared at him, trying hard not to get an mental images of what exactly Cal wanted Billy for.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"He's crazy," Sara mumbled as she lifted her head. "You should've told him to fuck off."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Sara!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What?" She wiped her hand over her mouth. "You know I'm right, you shouldn't be giving him the time of day."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Easy for you to say."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Billy it's not easy, I don't like seeing my friends being used and you know Cal -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Sara, I know!" Billy snapped. "I know what he wants and maybe...." He shrugged. "Maybe that's what I want too."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Whatever," Sara shook her head sadly. "Do whatever you want, I told you what I think."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I will."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sara rolled her eyes as she turned back to me. "How are you feeling?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Tired." I yawned as I reached for her. As my hand caressed her cheek, she gave me a smile but she looked really tired herself. "You too, by the looks of it."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Closing her eyes, she nodded. "Very but..." With a shrug she told me that she'll sleep later.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You don't have to stick around, I'm not really going anywhere." I suggested that she checked in on her mother. "She does live here, doesn't she?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I want to spend some time with you."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"That's great Sara but you haven't seen your mom in a while, maybe you should go see if she's home."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">In the end, I managed to convince her to go get some rest, or do something else instead of waiting in the hospital with me. It wasn't that I didn't want her there, I just didn't want anyone feeling sorry for me while I was stuck in a hospital bed.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Unfortunately, I got the feeling that Sara didn't see it my way - she seemed sort of pouty as she left with Billy but she didn't say anything to me besides talk about seeing me later.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">With everyone gone, I drifted off to sleep, only to be woken what seemed like moments later by the nurse. She told me that I couldn't just sleep all day, I had to get up and walk around. "You don't want to spend anymore time than necessary in this hospital, now, do you?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Even if that was what I wanted to do, the nurse had no intentions of letting it happen. Before I could respond, she was damn near pulling me out of bed while muttering something about needing the bed for someone who was really sick. As I thought, what a bitch, I wondered if this was the same nurse that my mother and Billy were talking about.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">By mid afternoon, I had more than enough of the nurse and her attitude, I wanted to go home and she wanted me out. One phone call to find the doctor and about twenty minutes later, I was standing at the entrance of the hospital waiting for my parents or Travis to come get me.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The first thing I did when I got back to my hotel room was call Sara to let her know I was out. "I broke out," I told her when she answered. "Told the fucking nurse I was tired of her bullshit."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sara snorted. "Just like that?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Fuckin' eh!" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Laughing, Sara told me there was no way I said that, "You're too nice Tanner."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Get your ass over here and I'll show you nice."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Lowering her voice, Sara told me she wasn't looking for a nice guy. "How naughty can you be Tanner?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Meet me in the lobby," I growled into the phone before hanging up.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Twenty minutes later I was standing in the hotel entrance, pacing impatiently while I waited for her to get her ass there. As I paced, I couldn't stop myself from going back to the night before I left to go away for training in the city. It was dangerous thinking considering that I was standing in the middle of a busy hotel entrance with the beginnings of a serious hard on forming. But fuck it, that added to the excitement. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">When Sara came waltzing into the hotel, I didn't bother to say 'hello' I just grabbed her. Ignoring Billy, I hauled Sara towards the elevator unable to wait to be alone with her. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Tanner!" Sara chuckled as she tried to wiggle out of my grasp. "What about Billy?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"He can watch, if you like," I threw over my shoulder. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Not that desperate," Billy informed the both of us. "I'm gonna see if there's a room available and then...." he trailed off with a shrug. "Maybe I'll call up some old friends."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I pulled Sara into the elevator. "Have a good time," I called as the doors shut. Jabbing the floor button with my finger, I noticed a frown cross Sara's face for a brief second. I would had asked her what that look was for but I wasn't thinking with my head....well at least not the top one. Haha!</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Ahhh, Big Boy," Sara sighed happily. Wrapping her arms around my neck, she pressed her body against mine. "I've missed you <em>so</em> much Tanner."</span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-17867606817802910582008-11-10T10:22:00.000-08:002008-11-11T13:52:35.040-08:00Caring For The Sick<span style="font-size:130%;">Even though I toyed with the idea of moving on from Sara, I knew the moment I saw here standing in the doorway of the hospital room, it would be easier said than done. There was something about the way she stood there watching my parents and me that made all thoughts of finding anyone else, hard to swallow. For the first tie in my life, I found myself not wanting anyone else.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Although it was very strange for me to feel that way, it was exciting as well. As my mom fussed over me, I couldn't help but wonder what it was about the shy, uncertain, reserved woman that made all the other women I meet seem like skanky whores? And since when did that skankyness not turn me on?<br /><br />Pondering that, I couldn't help but stare past my parents, tuning out their chatter as I studied her. I was surprised to see her standing there, I honestly didn't think that anyone would've called her but I should've known the difference, Anna liked to interfere and she liked Sara, so it was only natural for her to call her and let her know I was hurt. With her hair pulled back in a ponytail I came to despise when we worked together, I couldn't help but notice that she looked tired, like everyone else I've seen since I woke up. I wondered if it had anything to do with being woken up late at night or if she had even gone to bed when she got off work Friday morning - many times she didn't sleep on her first day off, she always kept going until she just couldn't function anymore.<br /><br />But, I frowned as I took in the clothes she was wearing - jeans and a t-shirt, her work 'uniform'. Hair in ponytail, jeans and t-shirt? Was she working? I glanced around the room, confused as I wondered if it was in fact Saturday morning or if I was actually out longer than I thought.<br /><br />No, it's Saturday morning. It has to be, otherwise mom and dad would've been here already. Then why...? It was messing with my mind to see Sara in work clothes on a Saturday morning when she was supposed to have Friday and Saturday nights off.<br /><br />"Tanner?" My mom moved into my line of sight, a worried look on her face as she reached out and pressed her hand against my forehead. "My poor baby," she sat on the edge of the hospital bed and asked me if I was feeling ok.<br /><br />"I'm -"<br /><br />"Of course, you aren't." Mom cut in before I could tell her I was fine. "I'm going to find the doctor," she told meas she stood up. "I want to know everything that's wrong with my baby." I tried to tell her I was fine, just in a little pain but she refused to believe me. Grabbing my father's hand, she told me she'd be right back.<br /><br />"Oh hello Sara, I didn't see you there." Letting go of my father she gave Sara a hug. "You'll keep him company," she told her. "It'll do him good to spend some time with you."<br /><br />When my parents left the room, I half expected Sara to be reserved and need coaxing to come closer to me but she surprised me by confidently striding across the room. Confidently that is, until she tripped and stumbled.<br /><br />"Well," she chuckled in embarrassment when she caught and righted herself. "That was smooth."<br /><br />"Very," I snorted, my attempt to hide my laughter failing miserably.<br /><br />"Go ahead," she grinned as she came to stand at the side of my bed. "Laugh it up, it's so good to hear."<br /><br />I laughed until I thought I was going to cry from the pain. "Oh it hurts," I groaned as I folded my arms over my midsection.<br /><br />Sara looked so concerned, I thought for sure she was going to start to fuss over me, something I really didn't want from her - from anyone really. Trying hard not to cringe from the worrying I thought was about to come from her, I waited.<br /><br />There was a light in her eyes as she told me to stop laughing then.<br /><br />"I can't help it," I groaned. "You looked so cute, your cheeks stained red from falling for me."<br /><br />"I didn't fall," she stated matter of factly. "I tripped - over my feet." Her cheeks turned bright red again.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Patting the mattress, I smiled, one I hoped looked innocent and not that of a sex starved inmate getting his first conjugal visit in 10 years. "Sit down so you don't hurt yourself."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Once Sara was perched on the edge of my bed, she asked me how I was doing. "When your mom called me at work, she was so upset and crying, I was so afraid that I wouldn't get to talk to you again."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Mom called you?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sara nodded. "Yeah, she said that she wanted you to be surrounded by all the ones you love, so that you would get better faster."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">A couple months ago, Sara would've hesitated over saying something like that but as the words flowed through her lips, she sounded confident and she even smiled as she stretched out her pinky and slide it along mine. "Looks like she was right."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I chuckled, "Mom always says 'mother knows best'."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Nodding in agreement, she told me that her mom liked to say the same thing. "Must've been in the Mom handbook."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Turning my hand, I caught her fingers and held them. "Think they were given it when they left the hospital with us?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Maybe," she shrugged. "Either that, or they think it's the best way to convince us they know what they are doing."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Sounds about right," I shifted against the mattress, trying to get comfortable and see her at the same time.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Did you want to sit up?" She went to stand up but paused halfway, "Can you sit up?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">To tell the truth, I didn't really want to sit up, I wanted her to crawl onto the bed next to me. I wanted her curled up at my side with her hand roaming over my chest like she loved to do. I wasn't going to tell her that but some how it just seemed to spill. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I don't think I should," she replied stating that she didn't want to hurt me anymore than I was hurting already. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"It'll help." I told her that her laying next to me would take my mind off the pain.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">It really didn't take all that much convincing on my part to get her to shed her steel toes and curl up next to me. "That's good," I murmured against her forehead as her hand slid to rest on my hip for a moment before sliding up to the center of my chest. "I feel better already."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sara didn't say much once she was laying next to me. She was so quite that after a while I started to worry that she fell asleep on me. "Sara?" I tried to see her face but it was pressed against my side. "Are you sleeping?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"No," she replied, sighing as she shifted her position to look up at me with a sleepy grin on her face. "I was just relaxing; I'm so comfortable with you."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I'm just a big old teddy bear," I remarked. She snorted and went back to pressing her face against my side. "Hey," I picked at her t-shirt as I asked her why she was working on a Friday night. "Don't you still have Friday and Saturday's off?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yeah," she tilted her head back to gaze at me again. "But I wanted Sunday and Monday off this week."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Oh?" I raised a brow, trying to ignore the pang of jealousy inside at the idea that she would switch her days for something but not for me. "Big plans?" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She chuckled, hiding her face so I couldn't hear what she said. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I can't hear you," I poked her side. "Why did you switch your days?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">When she lifted her head, her cheeks were bright red again. "I switched so that I could come to the city to surprise you on your next days off." </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I was shocked. After not hearing from her at all last week, I thought for sure she was pissed about the bar chick still. "You were coming to see me?" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She nodded. "I wanted to surprise you."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I was a mix of emotions when she repeated that. It was great that she wanted to surprise me by visiting but why the hell wouldn't she still talk to me all week? It didn't make sense. "You still could've talked me to you know."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Her eyes clouded over, her brow wrinkled in confusion. "What are you -?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I can't believe that nurse!" My parents came barging into my room before Sara could finish what she was saying. My mom was in the middle of ranting about the nurse when she spotted Sara curled up on the bed with me. A smile appeared on her face as all negative thoughts about the nursing staff was forgotten. "Oooohhhh," mom gushed. "Don't you two look so cute together! Quick!" She batted at my father as she asked him where her camera was. </span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-71168707796906659252008-10-30T08:41:00.000-07:002008-10-30T14:19:31.092-07:00Aftermath<div><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>While Anna was in the middle of her ranting, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I thought it was just Travis so I didn't stop her but when she finished, the 'any suggestions on how I get it there?'</em> <em>let both of us know it wasn't Travis who overheard the conversation.<br /><br /></em>Scott stared down at Anna as he hovered next to her chair. He repeated the question when she didn't answer but it didn't look like she had any intentions on saying anything. "I see," he said finally before turning to me to ask how I was.</span></div><div> </div><span style="font-size:130%;"><br />Despite feeling like someone beat the shit out of me, I told Scott I was doing fine - I didn't want to talk about how I was feeling. "I just want to get out of here."</span><div> </div><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size:130%;">Scott nodded, mumbled something about understanding and then told me to drop into his office as soon as I could. "I'll need you to give a full report of what happened," he told me before turning back to Anna to ask her to step into the hallway with him. "</span></div><div> </div><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size:130%;">Reluctantly Anna got up from her chair. "I'll be just outside," she told me. "Call me if you need <em>anything.</em>"</span></div><div> </div><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size:130%;">With Anna gone, there was no one to keep my mind off the pain - I wanted to call her back in just so she would do the endless chatter thing that she did so well. But I didn't because I started to think about how good it was to have her there, caring for me and that got me thinking about Sara.<br /></span></div><div> </div><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>Sara</em>. I sighed. I didn't know what to think about her behaviour anymore. I really thought she was into me, just a little cautious because of the Bastard but now I wasn't so sure. I hadn't heard from her since the night I went out with Travis. She failed to return my calls. She never answered when I called. Was it time to move on?</span></div><div> </div><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size:130%;">"Hey Tanman!" Out of nowhere Travis appeared and after a quick once over, he started to give me shit. "I come to the city to party with you and you check into the hospital? What kind of brother does that?"</span></div><div> </div><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size:130%;">"I got into trouble with out you," I joked and attempted to laugh but ended up wincing in pain.</span></div><div> </div><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size:130%;">"Anything for the attention," he remarked with a smirk as Anna, who had just returned without Scott, hurried to my side.</span></div><div> </div><span style="font-size:130%;"><br /></span><div><span style="font-size:130%;">"He's alright," Travis stated when Anna asked me how I was feeling. "I told you he would be alright, didn't I?"<br /><br />Anna gave him a funny look. "Don't you mean, <span style="font-style: italic;">I </span>told <span style="font-style: italic;">you</span>?"<br /><br />"No," he scoffed. "You were the one freaking out -"<br /><br />Anna snorted. "Me?"<br /><br />"...freaking out and lying to the nurses about being his girlfriend -"<br /><br />I raised a brow.<br /><br />"Hey, I only said that because they wouldn't let me in otherwise!"<br /><br />Travis was just grinning as he corrected himself. "Wait, didn't you actually spill some tail a romantic weekend and a proposal?"<br /><br />My eyes widened as I turned to stare at her the best I could without hurting too much. "What?"<br /><br />"They wouldn't let me come in," she said defensively. "I was worried."<br /><br />"So you told them we..." I couldn't even say it.<br /><br />"Yes!" She exclaimed as she moved to swat at Travis for laughing at her. "You don't know how horrible it was!" She turned to me. "You rolled down over the stairs and there was a loud crack when your head hit the wall! I thought you were really hurt." Lifting her hand, she brushed her hair out of her eyes. "I needed to know you were ok, and I would do it all over again if I had too!"<br /><br />With that said Anna excused herself. Just as she disappeared, Travis pulled up a chair to my bed. "God she's so hilarious when you get her going."<br /><br />"You're such an ass," I chuckled before agreeing with him.<br /><br />"It's so easy to push her buttons," he commented with a grin. "All night I had it going about one thing or another. Why, while we were in her room -"<br /><br />I stopped laughing and felt a sudden desire to kick my brother's ass. "Why were you in her room?"<br /><br />"She invited me."<br /><br />"For what?"<br /><br />He shrugged.<br /><br />"What did you do in her room?"<br /><br />"Hung out."<br /><br />When I asked him again what he did in her room, he got all defensive and snapped, "I didn't do anything <span style="font-style: italic;">Dad</span>, so lay off."<br /><br />"How is everyone in here?" An older blond nurse came waltzing into the room so I didn't get to ask him anything else.<br /><br />"Great," I hissed through clenched teeth as she hit every single sore spot on my body as she checked things off her clipboard.<br /><br />"Good," she gave me a smile and told me that the doctor would be in to see me soon.<br /><br />"How soon? I really want to go home."<br /><br />"Well, he starts his rounds at 5 so..." she glanced at her watch and told me it was 4:20. "Just relax, get some sleep and before you know it you'll be back at the hotel with your fiancee." She flashed me a smile and patted my arm. "Congratulations."<br /><br />When the nurse left, I groaned. "Not even two hours ago, I was standing at my room door. Why the fuck didn't I go in?"<br /><br />"You're a Fucker."<br /><br />"Just shut up."<br /><br />"Make me, Pussy."<br /><br />I laughed, "I can still kick your ass Travis."<br /><br />"Yeah, right!" Travis laughed. "You can't even drag your ass off that bed Tanman."<br /><br />"Oh yeah?" I tried, it hurt like hell but I managed to sit up in the bed. "Better run, I'm going to..." I felt very dizzy suddenly.<br /><br />"Tanner!" Travis' laughter died as he leapt from the chair. "Don't you dare fall out of that fucking bed!" He helped me lay back down, cursing the entire time.<br /><br />"What's going on?" Anna reappeared at the side of my bed. "What are you trying to do to him?" She snapped at Travis as she rearranged the sheet over me. "Are you ok Tanner? Do you need me to get the nurse?"<br /><br />"He needs you to stop smothering him," Travis snapped.<br /><br />"I'm fine..." I still felt a little light headed to tell the truth.<br /><br />"Don't." Anna batted Travis' hands away from me as she tried to put some distance between him and my bed.<br /><br />"Don't tell me what to do," Travis started slapping her hands whenever she touched me. "He's a big boy, he can tell us when he needs something."<br /><br />This went on for a couple minutes, Anna was getting more and more frustrated but Travis seemed to be enjoying it. "Stop hitting me!" She finally snapped at him.<br /><br />So what did he do?<br /><br />"Anna watch -"<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">SWACK!</span><br /><br />Anna yelped and spun around. With one hand rubbing her butt, she gave him the dirtiest look ever. "Don't you <span style="font-style: italic;">ever</span> slap my ass again!"<br /><br />Travis shrugged nonchalantly. "Ok," he replied but I knew the look in his eye, he was planning his next slap.<br /><br />"I mean it!" She poked him in the chest. "Don't do it again."<br /><br />"Ok."<br /><br />Glaring at him one more time, Anna turned back to me. "Are you sure you're ok?"<br /><br />"Yeah, I'm just getting tired."<br /><br />"Oh, then maybe we should...." she glanced over her shoulder. "Don't even think about it!"<br /><br />Travis held up his hands and tried to look innocent.<br /><br />"I'm not that stupid."<br /><br />He just grinned.<br /><br />"We should let Tanner get some rest."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yeah," Travis glanced at me, looking sorry. "Before mom shows up and smothers you even more than Anna."<br /><br />"You called mom?" I was pissed. I hated having mom worry about me for something so stupid.<br /><br />He pointed to Anna. "She made me! Told me if I didn't call her, she would and she would let mom know that I didn't think she needed to be bothered."<br /><br />"Your mom is listed as an emergency contact Tanner, I had to call her." Anna didn't even listen to me when I tried to explain that mom over worried and I didn't want her called unless something serious happened.<br /><br />"This was serious! You could've broken your neck or worse Tanner. What would've happened if I didn't call her and it turned out differently?"<br /><br />"Umm," Travis leaned closer to her. "I believe I called her."<br /><br />"Only because you refused to let me near the phone."<br /><br />"You were freaking out! That's all I needed mom to hear when she woke up, some crazy chick crying as she told her that her son took a flight down the stairs on his head."<br /><br />"Guys stop it!" I had enough. "When did you call mom?"<br /><br />Travis looked at Anna. "Was it 3? 3:30?" She nodded.<br /><br />"Great," I sighed, closing my eyes. "I'm going to need more sleep before I can deal with her."<br /><br />"Ok, we'll be quiet." Anna reached for the chair next to the bed.<br /><br />"No," I glanced back and forth between the two of them. "Can you guys go? I'm alright so there's no need to stick around."<br /><br />Anna didn't want to leave Travis ended up almost dragging her out of the room. "Call me if you need anything," I heard her call as he pulled her away.<br /><br />I fell asleep almost immediately.<br /><br />The doctor came in around 5:30 but I was still half asleep, I had no idea what he said.<br /><br />My parents showed up 6. My mom cried and ran across the room to give me a hug when she saw I was awake. She squeezed me so hard, it hurt but I didn't really notice because in the doorway, almost hidden from my view by my parents, stood Sara. </span><br /></div>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-2171957448835105552008-10-29T11:01:00.000-07:002008-10-29T11:41:18.352-07:00Chain Of Events<span style="font-size:130%;">A door down the hall opened. "You fucking bitch!" A guy yelled as a scantly clad women in her late thirties stumbled backwards out into the hallway.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"It's not -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"It's not what?" The guy yelled as he shoved the woman backwards again, getting dangerously close to the stairway. "What it looks like?" He asked her but never gave her a chance as he called her a fucking cunt. "I work my ass off to get you everything you want and you repay me by fucking everything that walks? I don't fucking think so Bitch!" He went for her again but was stopped by another guy, in his underwear, from the same room.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Get the fuck off me!" The first guy took a swing at the second guy as he grabbed him off the woman. "I'll kill you!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">By this time another door opened down the hall - Anna's door.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>Oh fuck,</em> I thought as I saw her peek her head out the door. <em>Are you stupid? Go back into....no! Don't come out!</em> I watched Anna take a deep breath and start towards the two guys who were now throwing punches.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">My only thought was to stop her; to make her go back to her room. I guess I was so focused on what Anna was doing, I didn't notice that the first guy had gotten away from the nearly naked guy and spotted me heading towards them. "Who the fuck are you?" He demanded, taking me by surprise, as he shoved me. "What? Are you here to fuck her too?" Turning towards the woman again, he called her a dirty fucking whore. "Who else are you fucking?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">This was getting out of hand, I could hear other guests in the hotel calling out for them to shut up and even a couple of them had poked their heads out of their doors. "Please go back into your rooms, this'll all be over soon."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I called the police," one of the female guests, whose room was right next to the stairs, informed me as her male companion pulled her back into the room. "I also called to complain to the manager." </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>Just great,</em> I thought.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You called the police on me?" The irate man spun around and headed towards the room of the 'helpful' female guest. "You fucking little whore, how dare you call the police on me!" He screamed as he banged on their door. "Get out here Bitch!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Tanner, do something!" I heard Anna hiss.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Just go back to your room," I told her as I headed over to the screaming guy. "Listen sir -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I don't quite remember what was said or what exactly happened. I'm assuming he shoved me because all I really remember is hearing Anna scream my name as I tumbled backwards, down the stairs I was so worried about earlier.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Everything went black.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I don't know how much time passed since I took the flight down the stairs and the moment I came to and heard my brother giving Anna shit for what happened. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What do you think I could've done Travis?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You were supposed to be watching out for him!" Travis snapped at her. "You got him this stupid job, the least you could do is make sure he came back in one piece."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Came back...Travis he'll be ok, the doctor just told you that!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Whatever! Get outta my face, I'm done talking to you."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What, are you two now?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Just....just go away Anna. Go away."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"No," she replied. "I'm staying right here until he wakes up so deal with it."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Travis mumbled something but I didn't quite make it out. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I fell back into the blackness again. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">----</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The sun was shining through the hospital blinds when I woke again. I needed something to drink but when I tried to roll onto my side to see if there was water around, every single muscle, joint and bone in my body seemed to cry out in pain. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">My involuntary wince and the resulting groan must've gotten someone's attention because I heard a chair move. Not even a second later, Anna was peering down at me with concern written all over her face. "Tanner?" She reached out and gently touched my cheek. "Are you ok? Do you need something? Are you in pain?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yes," I wanted to say more but I made the mistake of trying to nod my head at the same time. Stupid idea. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Do you want me to get the nurse?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"No...water."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Ok, sure." She looked around and then told me that she would have to go get some. "I'll be right back," she said as she hurried out of the room. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">In no time at all, she reappeared at my side with a small pitcher of ice water and a couple glasses. "The nurse said the doctor will be in soon to check you over and if he's happy with what he sees, you'll get to go home."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Home?" I stared at her. "How? What about work?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Well..." She shrugged as he leaned over and slipping her hand under my head. "This is gonna be a little awkward," she warned me. "But it's the best way to do it...I think."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">After a few frustrated sighs and a couple wet spots on my pillow, I managed to sip back enough water to satisfy the need for the moment. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I'm sorry," she said out of the blue. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"For what?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Everything," she sighed and pulled her chair up to my bedside. "I feel that I should've been able to handle the situation without this happening."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Anna, no. This isn't your fault. If anything it's mine for not thinking it through." </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Your brother is blaming me."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"My brother is a jackass sometimes," I chuckled and then groaned. "Listen, it's not your fault. And...wait a minute," I frowned. "What is Travis doing in the city?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">With a shrug, she told me that she didn't really know. "I got a call from the front desk around 6 last night, telling me that he was down in the lobby. He wanted to talk to you but when they told him you were busy with the banquet, he wanted to be let into your room to wait. They told him they couldn't do that and he got pissed so they called me."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What did you do?" I asked cautiously, knowing full well they didn't get along the last time Travis showed up. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I told him the same thing they told hm at the front desk, he told me I was being a bitch. I told him that bitch or not, I couldn't just let him in your room, I would have to talk to you. He told me to go fuck myself and I told him to grow up."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"And then you hung up?" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yeah," she chuckled. "I hung up, waited for ten minutes or so before I headed downstairs to see if he was still around or if they kicked him out."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She went on to tell me that he was still there, sitting in the lobby pouting. "Front desk told me that he said he was staying until you came out of the banquet and then they would all get it." </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Get it?" I laughed. "What exactly were they going to get?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I don't know," she shrugged. "I figured he realized that he wasn't getting anywhere and didn't have anywhere else to go if he got booted out of the hotel. Anyway," she glanced over her shoulder and then continued. "I went to talk to him, he told me he was bored and wanted to know when you would be finished. I didn't know but he didn't like that at all; he wanted to go out to the bar."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Did you tell him you'd call him a cab?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Anna grinned, "I thought about it, I really did but no. I told him that he was out of luck, you were working so he'd either have to sit there all night waiting for you to finish or he could play some pool with me in the lounge."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What?" I stared at her. "You offered to hang out with him?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yes, I did."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Why?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Because he's your brother?" She offered but I didn't believe that for one minute. "Fine," she sighed. "I offered to hang out with him because it got me away from having to deal with Scott."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">It took little to no prompting for Anna to tell me that Scott had been bugging her. "I don't know what to do anymore," she told me. "I told him a long time ago that I wasn't interested in him like that and I thought that he got the message but it seems that he hasn't. Or maybe he refuses to believe that I'm not interested."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"So they rumors are true?" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Rumors?" She sat up straight in the chair and stared at me. "What rumors?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"The ones that are going around saying that Scott's relationship with Kim is on the rocks because he's hot for you. The grapevine says that Kim has given him an ultimatum, fire you or she's leaving."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Oh my God!" She slumped back in her chair. "I should've known," she shook her head slowly. "It makes sense, the looks and comments...."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I didn't do anything!" She exclaimed. "You have to believe me Tanner, I haven't done a damn thing to make that man think I'm looking for anything from him."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You have a boyfriend," I stated. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You're damn right I do!" She jumped out of her chair. "I have a boyfriend, who I love with all my heart." She was pacing, telling me all the great things about her relationship, how happy she was and how she wasn't about to ruin her relationship for something she didn't feel. "Scott can take this job and shove it if that's what he thinks is going to happen."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">While Anna was in the middle of her ranting, I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. I thought it was just Travis so I didn't stop her but when she finished, the 'any suggestions on how I get it there?' let both of us know it wasn't Travis who overheard the conversation. </span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-76682468425812233932008-10-16T10:40:00.000-07:002008-10-16T13:19:52.361-07:00First Time Out<span style="color:#339999;"><span style="color:#336666;"><span style="font-size:130%;">Ten minutes before I had to be down in the banquet area, ready to serve the ridiculously rich guests that occupied the largest banquet room the hotel offered, I was standing outside Anna's door.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"><span style="color:#336666;">"Come on, come on," I whispered impatiently as I tugged at the untied bow tie that was giving me trouble. It wasn't giving me so much trouble a half hour ago, when it was still tied but somehow I managed to untie it. Or maybe the fuck up fairy was visiting me, hoping to get a good laugh.</span> </span><br /></span><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="color:#336666;"><span style="font-size:130%;">I was about to knock again when the door flew opened. "It's about time."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Anna rolled her eyes. "What do you want Tanner?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I need help," I told her as I walked past her and into her room. "I have to be downstairs in a couple minutes and I can't get this damn thing to cooperate with me."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"And you think I know how to work one?" She snorted. "Do I look like I go around tying -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Maybe you should," I grinned when she frowned. "Maybe the boy would like you to tie him up."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Her eyes widened as she gasped, "Tanner!" She lashed out, hitting my in the arm while she told me just how much of a pervert she thought I was.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yeah," I smirked. "I know."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Shaking her head, she told me that she didn't know how to help me. "But maybe..." she headed off towards the small table by the window where her laptop was opened. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Whatcha doing?" Pulling up a chair, I leaned in to see what she was typing but damn, her fingers worked quickly. Before I had a chance to see the screen, she was motioning for me to come closer as she studied something. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You shouldn't have left this until the last minute," she lectured me a couple minutes later when she had to untie it and try again. "Don't get mad at me because you aren't ready - it's not my responsibility!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You should know how to tie this," I snapped.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Oh?" She shot me a dirty look. "Do I look like the type -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You keep telling me you have a guy, you'd think you'd know how to tie a tie!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I'm not sure if it was an accident or not but the material tightened around my neck as she informed me that being a guy, I should know how to tie one on myself. "Now shut up, or you'll really be late!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">As it was, I was ten minutes late getting downstairs. And just my luck, Scott was waiting for me. "I did say 5, didn't I Tanner?" He asked as he glanced at his watch. "You should've been here..."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I held up my hands to stop him before he even got started. "Anna already lectured me around being late."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Anna?" Scott didn't look to happy as he looked around. "Where did you see Anna?"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Stopped by her room," I threw over my shoulder as I made my way over to Lonna and the rest of the banquet crew. "Good evening ladies." I flashed them, what I like to think is, my sexy 'you know you want me' grin and for the most part, it seemed to work; I got a few whistles and comments on how hot I looked all dressed up. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Except from Lonna, she gave me a dirty look and demanded to know what the hell I was doing there. </span><br /></span><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">"Scott told me to be here," I informed her. "You know, after he found out that you haven't been training me properly." </span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">"I'm training you the best I can," she hissed. "I can't help it you aren't picking it up."</span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">"Not picking..." I trailed off, completely shocked that she would say something like that. It's not like my job was rocket science, any idiot could do what I do. Well, maybe any idiot who is organized and doesn't mind having a million and two little details to worry about. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">"You need to leave." Lonna turned, said Scott's name but he was no where to be found. "Where did Scott go?" </span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">Most of the banquet staff just shrugged but Chelsea, who came into the kitchen just after Lonna said I was stupid, mentioned that she thought she saw Scott heading for the elevators as she was leaving the front desk. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">Now, I'm not one to repeat gossip but it seems that there have been talk that Scott has the hots for Anna. Rumor has it that Scott's relationship with Kim has been rocky since he hired Anna, there is even talk that Kim gave him an ultimatum - fire Anna or she walks. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">If the rumors were about anyone else but Anna, I would've jumped into the conversation, wanting to know more but I considered Anna to be like the annoying little sister I never had, therefore, I felt the need to 'protect' her 'honor'. "Come on guys," I cut off the gossip mill. "This isn't 'old biddy' hour, we have work to do."</span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">As they broke away, I swear I heard someone snidely comment that maybe Scott wasn't the only one who was hot for Anna.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">I almost lost my lunch at the suggestion.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">Once every one's mind was back on work, Lonna started to shout orders at both the banquet crew and me. At one point, while I was helping one of the younger servers, another more experienced server came over and asked me why I wasn't the one in charge. I told her that, technically, I was just like the rest of them for the banquet. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">"That sucks," she stated. "You would be so much better than Lonna. At least you wouldn't treat us like morons."</span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">I didn't reply, I thought it would be better if I just let her say what she needed to say instead of getting in the middle of it. I figured that I would talk to Lonna, or Scott, about her attitude later when I heard a loud crash from the kitchen. "I'll be right back," I told the younger server as I went to check it out. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">"Watch where you're going!" Lonna snapped at the only male server working that night. "You were given eyes for a reason! Use them!"</span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">I wanted to slap the bitch for yelling at the kid in front of everyone but instead, I called her name and told her I had a couple questions for her. "What's going on?" I asked her the moment we were out of earshot. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">"Don't mess with me Tanner," she warned as she jabbed me in the chest before spinning on her heel to shout a new batch of orders at the staff. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">Even now, I'm just shaking my head at that. </span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">Hours later, I was wiped. I wanted to head upstairs, jump in the shower and fall into bed but Lonna decided to cut out and told me that I was in charge. "Remember Tanner," she threw over her shoulder as she was leaving. "I don't have to prove I can do my job, you do. Oh," she paused at the door. "Don't fuck this one up, the hotel can't afford to piss these clients off."</span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">Once Lonna left, I realized that I was really starting to hate that bitch. She thought that me failing had nothing to do with her? Well she was fucking wrong. If I failed, sooner or later, Scott and his father would realize that it wasn't because I'm not qualified, it's because Lonna has some fucking chip on her shoulder.</span></p><p><span style="font-size:130%;color:#336666;">Things seemed to go far more smoothly after Lonna fucked off. I don't think I could've asked for a better group of servers or a better party. It <em>almost</em> made up for Lonna's bitchy attitude. </span></p><p><span style="color:#336666;"><span style="font-size:130%;">When the last guest had finally left and the staff went home, I was finally able to drag my sorry ass to the elevators and down the hallway to my room. As I slid the key card through the slot, I heard a door open down the hall. It was reflex to look but I wish I didn't.</span> </span></p>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-7379037672086207892008-10-01T09:43:00.000-07:002008-10-01T11:38:07.574-07:00Killing Time<span style="font-size:130%;">A light tapping sounded on the office door moments before I heard it squeak open. "Tanner?" Anna spoke softly as if she was afraid of what she would find. I guess she was ok with what she found because the next thing I know she's coming into the office. "I guess the apron thing wasn't working out."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Can't hold my weight," I mumbled as the edge of the desk dug into my forehead. "I haven't given up on it though."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Hmmm," she pulled one of the spare chairs around to my side of the desk and sat down. I know this because I could hear the chair as it was drug over the floor and I saw her shoes out of the corner of my eye. "Maybe you should put it on hold," she placed something on the desk and slid it across to me. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Curious, I lifted my head a little and eyed the heaping plate of fries and gravy I ordered. "Where's my burger?" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Anna had just finished plopping a cheese/gravy covered fry into her mouth so it took a moment for her to tell me that someone accidentally gave out my burger. "They told me to tell you it would only be a couple minutes for a new one."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Grumbling, I sat up and pulled my fries towards me. "Can't get any worse."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What can't?" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"My week." I stared at my fries, I wasn't even sure I wanted them anymore. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Been a bad week?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I nodded. "My brother's marriage is failing apart, I think I fucked up with Sara, Scott is probably thinking he made a bad choice hiring me and now I have to work a split shift because Lonna didn't show me any of the banquet stuff."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Anna popped another fry into her mouth and chewed thoughtfully. "Ok well," she took a sip of her pop before telling me that maybe it wasn't as bad as it seemed. "The state of your brother's marriage isn't something that you can change Tanner; no matter how much you may want to help. This is something that your brother has to deal with and you can only be there for him when it all comes down."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I knew she was right but still, I couldn't help but wish there was something I could do. I loved Shelly, I thought she was great for Travis but I knew she hadn't been happy lately.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Taking another sip of her pop, Anna told me that she didn't know what was going on with Sara and me so she really couldn't offer any advice. "But," she reached out and gave my hand a squeeze. "Don't give up trying, she could just be busy and hadn't had the time to call you back."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"For a whole week?" I shook my head. "No, if I didn't do something dumb the night I went out with Travis, it wouldn't be an issue -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Anna frowned. "What did you do?" She asked cautiously. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">With a shrug, I told her that Sara's friend 'caught' me flirting with another chick. "She made it seem a lot worse than it was though."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Did you tell Sara that?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yes!" I told her that Sara seemed ok when we got off the phone that night. "She wanted to know if we would talk the next day but she didn't return my calls."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I don't know what to tell you."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Have you talked to her this week?" I was hoping for something, some news but Anna just shook her head. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">It was a little awkward sitting in silence with Anna as we both ate our lunch. I was starting to wonder if she knew more than she was letting on when she suddenly jumped, making me jump as well. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Sorry," she chuckled as she went on to explain that she was sitting there trying to remember what else it was I said. "Scott doesn't regret hiring you Tanner, he was just upset that Lonna hadn't done what she said that she would. Plus he -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Doesn't like to look like a fool?" She shot me a questioning glance. "He told me so before we went into the restaurant."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I don't really blame him, it reflects badly on him and -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I cut her off by asking if he said anything to her before he left. "He seemed pretty pissed that you didn't know anything about it."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Why didn't you tell me?" She asked while giving me a dirty look. "You just left me wide open and I didn't know what to do."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Sorry," I said while trying not to smile. "I did go looking for him earlier this week."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You told me that it was nothing!" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"No," I grinned. "You asked if I needed him to come back and I -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Were a jerk and hinted that maybe I needed him for something."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Jokingly, I told her that I couldn't help that it seemed like they were closer than necessary. "You are in his office <em>all</em> the time."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She scoffed. "That's where <em>my</em> office is Tanner, you know that. And you know that I have a boyfriend who I'm crazy about so stop it!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Oh, the <em>boyfriend.</em>" I nodded knowingly. "The one that I have yet to meet."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Whatever," she rolled her eyes and stood up, grabbing her empty plate. "Have fun tonight," she threw over her shoulder as she disappeared through the doorway. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">My only thought was - where the fuck was my burger??</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-7366299919696208472008-09-23T10:16:00.000-07:002008-09-23T11:07:34.989-07:00All In A Day's Work<span style="font-size:130%;">Time is flying around here, I barely have time to look at my computer, let alone write anything. Please cut me some slack and hang on while I try to play catch up to what's going on now. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">What started out as a free weekend with endless possibilities turned into a crappy weekend when my brother and all his marital problems walked into my room. It got even worse when, after the night out with my brother, I didn't hear from Sara. Despite all of that though, the weekend wasn't too bad in the end because my brother went home and I was moving into another room - without Anna. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I can't tell you how excited I was to finally have the room situation cleared up. I needed my own space and some time for myself - Anna never shut up when she was in the room. It was like she needed to hear her own voice to be happy. Or maybe she just loved to talk, who knows. All I know is that I can't stand it when people go on and on about shit that I care nothing about. I don't really want to know everything her boyfriend's - son?...daughter?...whatever? - said or did. I don't care if it was cute or funny, it has nothing to do with me.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The morning of the move, Anna and I were to pack our stuff and bring it downstairs to the front desk before we went to work. When the rooms were cleaned, Scott told us that he would make sure our bags were put into our new rooms and we would have to stop by the front desk after our shifts to pick up our new keys. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Are you sure you have everything?" Anna asked me as we were walking out the door Monday morning. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Does it really matter?" I asked her. "If we forgot something housekeeping will find it and bring it down to the front desk for us. It's not like we are checking out and will have to make a trip back here to pick it up."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Instead of replying, Anna did what she always did whenever I pointed out an error in her way of thinking, she rolled her eyes at me.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What?" I asked, just because I knew it bugged her. "It's true. If we leave something behind, we'll have it before we even check into our new rooms."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">OK, maybe there was something about Anna I would miss when we got our own rooms. When I was bored, there was never anything better than to bug her. It was hilarious how easily frustrated she would get with me. Then again, I did take the opposite side of whatever she was saying, just to tick her off. It's a wonder she didn't kill me in my sleep some nights. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">After work Monday night though, when I walked into my room and closed the door, I almost missed her non stop talking. It was too damn quite and I was too tired to go out anywhere. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Work wise, things were going along well. I wasn't having any problems with the restaurant manager part of my job description but the banquet manager part? Well that was a little harder to do when they weren't letting me do anything at all with it. I had asked Lonna when I would get a chance to make a booking or even take part in a banquet but she keeps telling me that I still have stuff to learn on the restaurant side of things. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Wednesday morning, I decided it was bullshit. I went to Anna to see if Scott was around but she told me that he was at one of his families other hotel's for a couple days. "What's going on Tanner?" She wanted to know. "Is there anything I can help you with?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I debated telling her but in the end I just told her that I needed to speak with Scott. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">With a smile, she told me that she would tell him when he called later to see how everything was going. "Did you want me to tell him that he needs to get back here immediately to take care of something?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She set herself up for it, so I don't think it's wrong of me to take advantage of the opportunity. "I don't know Anna, do you need him to take care of something?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She frowned. "No, I don't...." Her eyes widened and she gasped as I laughed. "That's not funny Tanner! There's nothing going on between Scott and me!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">It was so easy. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Friday morning, I was cashing out a customer when Scott came up to the counter with a huge black binder and an older couple. "I'll just leave you with Tanner here," he told the couple. "He'll let you know what's available for that day." Before walking away, he handed me the binder, he told me that the Lismens wanted to look into booking a banquet room for their daughter's wedding in the fall. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">In a panic, I looked around for Lonna and remembered that she wasn't in until later because of the banquet that night. Calling out to Carrie, one of the waitresses, I told her to seat the Lismens in one of the boosts in the back and get them something to drink. "I just have to check on some things," I told them. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Once Carrie started to lead the Lismens off, I booted it across the lobby to the front desk where Scott had stopped to talk to Anna. "Finished already?" Scott looked shocked. "We didn't have anything for that day?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I don't know -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What do you mean you don't know?" He snapped. "What did you do with the Lismens?" Before I could even tell him the situation, he started saying how poorly this reflects on me and my abilities. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Oh yeah?" I raised a brow. "How poorly does it reflect on you and this hotel to send clients to me when no one has taken the time to show me where the info for the banquets is? Lonna hasn't let me do anything but the restaurant side of things since I've been here and now you expect me to put this banquet stuff out of -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Whoa," Scott held up his hand, gave Anna a questioning look before turning towards me again. "What do you mean she hasn't had you do the banquets? I was talking with her on Monday and told her I needed you to start on the bookings. She told me she would handle it."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Well," I shrugged. "I guess she decided that by handling it, it meant that she did them and left me in the dark."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Scott swore under his breath. "Why didn't you tell me sooner?" He wasn't looking at me when he asked that, he was looking at Anna. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What?" Anna frowned. "How was I supposed to know?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Anna, you are my personnel manager, you are supposed to be checking up on the training process. You have to be on top of all employee issues before it comes to something like this!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She started to protest but Scott was already heading towards the restaurant. "Tanner, you'll watch and listen while I go over the Lismen's requirements and check the dates. Anna, call my father and let him know that I have to deal with issues here so I won't make it back over until this afternoon."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">As we made our way through the restaurant, Scott told me that I should've informed him before today that my training wasn't complete. "I hate looking like a fool Tanner."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">It was around 2pm when Scott finally decided that I knew enough to handle taking the basic reservation by myself. "I'm going to tell the girls at the front desk to transfer any calls about the conference room to you so you get some practice."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I didn't have the energy to question him, I just nodded and pretended that I was excited about the possibility of getting a call. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Why don't you grab something to eat?" He said as he opened the office door. "Can't have you passing out tonight when you are in the middle of serving the Homeowner's Society their meals."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I did question that, I was supposed to have the night off. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Not anymore," he replied. "You'll be here at 5 like the rest of the serving crew. Have a good night Tanner."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Fuck, I wanted to deck the little bastard as he went waltzing out of the kitchen. Instead, I pulled out the manager's food order slips and wrote down what I wanted for lunch. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I had just returned to Lonna's office in the back of the kitchen when the phone rang. Fearing that it was a call about a reservation, I took a deep breath before answering in my best professional voice.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Hey Tanner, I just saw Scott leave, do you have a minute?"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"No Anna," I sighed. "I'm in the middle of contemplating how to hang myself with an apron."</span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-90883042777355719892008-08-28T11:42:00.000-07:002008-08-28T14:38:09.531-07:00Out Of His Mind<span style="font-size:130%;">"Oh, you are still here." It was almost 11 when Anna returned to our room. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Travis, who had claimed her bed for his as we watched TV, rolled his head to the side to look at her. "Yeah." Then, pointing to the phone on the nightstand, he asked her to call her boyfriend. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Puzzled, Anna asked him why. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I think the phone is broken."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What?" She crossed over to the night stand and picked up the receiver, dialing '9' for an outside line. "Dial tone," she held the phone out to him. "It works."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"No," he sat up, shaking his head. "I don't think it's able to receive calls." Anna didn't look too convinced, she hung up the phone. "Look, could you just give him a call and ask him to call you back?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Telling him she didn't have time for it, Anna started to walk away. "The phone's not broken," she threw over her shoulder. "Your wife just don't want to talk to you."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Bitch!" Travis spat as he sent her pillow sailing in her direction. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">When she disappeared into the bathroom, he turned to me. "Try calling Sara again, maybe she was just sleeping and didn't get your messages."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"If last night didn't happen -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Travis groaned. "How many times do you want me to apologize? I said I was sorry her friend caught you having a good time but fuck man -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"But I wasn't having fun," I snapped at him. "I didn't even want to go out!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yeah, right!" He scoffed. "You didn't seem too miserable when you face planted in that chicks' tits with every shot." </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Her tits weren't even that special," I informed him. "They're fake and she smelt funny."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Like that ever mattered before Tanner!" He laughed. "Are you forgetting that I <em>know </em>the women you've hooked up with?" He paused and then said, "Tammy."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I <em>almost</em> puked at the mention of her name. Cringing, I tried as hard as possible <em>not</em> to remember Tammy's horrible body odor. It wasn't that she didn't shower - she did, we did together - she was just a sweaty woman. "I was drunk most of the time, what the hell did I care?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Ok." He slid across Anna's bed to sit on the edge facing my bed. "Candy?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Candy?" I stared blankly at him. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You know," he motioned towards his face. "The chick fucking ugly chick you were banging for a while....the one who was <em>always</em> stuffing her face with whatever candy she could get her paws on."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Oh!" I rolled my eyes. "You mean...." I frowned. "What was that chick's name?" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Travis shrugged, "Don't know but fuck Tanman, she was <em>ugly!</em>"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Maybe it was cruel. Maybe it was completely uncalled for but Travis and I had a good laugh about 'Candy' and many of the other 'miss' chicks that I've dated. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"With all the losers that you dated, I have to know, what's wrong with Sara? She doesn't seem to be a 'miss'."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"There's nothing wrong with her." </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"There's got to be something," he insisted. "Otherwise mom would have her over all the time - getting to know her - like she did with Shelly when..." He ran his hands over his face as he trailed off. "Why isn't she calling me back Tanner? She can't be serious, can she?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"About leaving you?" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">He nodded and then told me something I didn't know before. "This isn't the first time she left." He went on to tell me that Shelly had packed up the boys and her stuff a couple times before. "She always went to the hotel - the one I took her too that night - but I called there and they said she wasn't registered."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Maybe she went elsewhere," I offered.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You think?" He sounded so hopeful, I didn't want to tell him that 'no, I didn't think'. "No," he replied before I could. "She wouldn't change hotel's unless she..." All color drained from his face. "She's serious. She's done with me." </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">What do you say that hasn't been said before? </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">While I tried to think of something to say, Travis fell back against Anna's bed and rolled onto his side, facing the wall. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The only noise in the room was the sound of the shower running and the TV as it circled through the same old commercials for the tenth time that night. Every now and then I would hear Travis cursing under his breath but I didn't know what he was saying. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Quarter to twelve, Anna was seated at the table by the window with her laptop. Fast clicking of the keys, familiar MSN sounds and the occasional laughter were all I heard from her since she sat down there. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Travis, when Anna came out of the bathroom, got off her bed to lie on mine but he wasn't in the mood to talk; he laid back and closed his eyes. He hadn't moved at all so I assumed he was sleeping. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Me. I was tired but not tired enough to sleep, so I was watching bad late night TV with the captions on so I didn't disturb either of them. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Someone else had other ideas though. At twelve, the hotel phone broke the silence. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Travis and I jumped at the same time; both hoping it was for us. As soon as the first ring finished, I snatched the receiver off the base. "Sara?" Nothing, if not hopeful.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Sorry, no," Shelly's voice came over the phone. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Oh! Do you -?" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"No!" She cut me off. "I don't want to talk to Travis. I want you to tell him to stop calling me."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I watched Travis fall back against the mattress again, only to jump up a moment later to disappear into the bathroom. "He's in the bathroom," I whispered. "I can get him, it won't take too long."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Tanner you aren't listening to me," Shelly sighed. "I don't want to talk to him. Tell him to stop calling me, I'll call him when I'm damn good and ready - divorce papers in hand."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I didn't want to hear that. I didn't even want to be involved in this. "He's my brother Shelly, I can't be the one to tell him that." I asked her if she was sure this was what she wanted to do. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She hesitated, for the longest time. So long that I thought she would tell me that it wasn't, that she wanted Travis to smarten up. Then she finally spoke, "I have to Tanner, it's never going to change and I'm tired of it."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Ok." What else could I say? Besides, "I'm not going to be the go between, if you want Travis to stop calling you, you'll have to tell him yourself. And I'm <em>not</em> telling him that you won't be willing to talk until you have divorce papers drawn up. I'm not doing it."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Shelly told me it was ok, she understood. "I guess I just wanted to -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The phone was yanked out of my hand. "Hey!" I tried to grab it back but Travis wouldn't give it up. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Shelly?" He swung at me as he said her name. "Come on Shelly, don't do this, I know it's you, who else could it be?" He paused but I'm assuming she didn't say anything because he hung his head. "Ok, fine, don't talk, just listen. I -" </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What do you mean you don't want too? Why not?"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yeah, ok, I know but -" He let out a frustrated groan. "Damn it Shelly, you know I didn't mean that!" </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What do you...you know me better than that damn it!"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"No!" He started to shake his head. "No, I'm not."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"No!"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Well I don't care, 'no' is all I have to say to that. I'm not agreeing to it!"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"If you want to know why, come home and I'll tell you why."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Damn it Shelly, I..." he trailed off when he realized that I was listening to his every word. Turning away from me, he held his hand over his mouth and whispered, "I'll do anything, anything at all for you, but I'm not signing anything that says our marriage was a mistake! We aren't a mistake Shelly - yeah, we argue but all couples argue. It doesn't mean -"</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The longest pause of his entire conversation happened at that moment; I believe it was a whole five minutes. As he listened to Shelly, I watched his face turn red as he got angry. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">And then he blew up. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Fuck that shit!" He snapped. "Who the fuck do they think they are, telling you that we aren't working when he's out screwing around every single weekend! Tell your brother to go fuck himself, we aren't getting a divorce."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I'm guessing she told him that she was filing for divorce because he told her that he really didn't want her to do that. "Let's talk about this, face to face Shelly." He told her she could even pick where they talked. "There, at home, somewhere else, I really don't care, I just want to see you."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">A few minutes later, Travis asked her to tell the boys he missed them. All the anger that was in his voice moments before had disappeared. "I'm glad you called Shelly, missing you is a bitch when I don't hear from you."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">When he hung up, a smile - the first real one since he arrived the night before - appeared on his face but disappeared the moment he looked up and saw Anna and me. "What the fuck are you two staring at?"</span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-39844624196686531332008-08-26T12:36:00.000-07:002008-08-26T14:13:35.443-07:00Shared Traits<span style="font-size:130%;">My head was spinning. It wasn't a smart idea to jump up in bed like I did. Closing my eyes, I tried really hard to calm the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach. <em>I'm never drinking again, </em>I pledged to myself, knowing that the next time the situation presented itself, I would indeed indulge once again.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Somehow, I'm not quite sure how, but I managed to make it off my bed. "Fucksakes Tanner, put on some clothes!" My brother snapped. "No one wants to see that!" For a split second, I thought I stripped before I got into bed the night before. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I'm dressed!" I told him after checking to make sure I was wearing the pj pants and t-shirt I barely recalled pulling on after talking to Sara. As I made my way towards them, Travis told me I was a dumbass.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Ignoring that comment, I told him I wanted to know what went on between Shelly and him. "Why did she leave...now?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Travis gave me the 'death stare'. "What is that supposed to mean?" He glanced at Anna before asking me if I expected his wife to leave him. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Are you kidding? I'm surprised she stuck around as long as she did, you're an asshole. You treated her like crap and -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Travis got to his feet, his hands clenched in anger as he glared at me. Just when I thought he was going to punch me, he came at me, his shoulder ramming mine as he walked on by. "Thanks for nothing, Fucker." </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The bathroom door slamming shut sounded like a gunshot in the silent room. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">****</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Are you ready to talk now?" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">A few hours had passed since Travis threw a few choice words at me through the bathroom door moments after he slammed it shut. He had stayed in there for the best part of an hour before he came storming back out into the room to grab his wallet. When I asked him where he was going, he flipped me off and walked out. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Over the rim of the newly opened beer he had purchased when he left the room, Travis shot me a dirty look and a "Fuck you." </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Quit being a bitch."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"<em>Fuck off!"</em></span><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">With a shrug, I told him if this was how he acted with Shelly, she had ever right to take the boys and leave. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Shut your fucking face!" He yelled at me. "I did everything I could for that bitch!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I laughed. Really laughed. "Everything?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">He nodded. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You've got to be kidding me! You ignored her. You treated her like crap. You didn't do anything she wanted to do and you <em>always</em> forgot her birthday and your anniversary!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">His face was starting to turn red, like it always did when he got mad. "I worshipped the fucking ground that bitch walked on! <em>She</em> left <em>me!</em> Are you forgetting that?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">From the sidelines, I heard Anna quietly say, "Being called a bitch always makes me feel all warm and tingly inside."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Travis heard her too. "Who the fuck asked you?" He demanded. "Mind your own fucking business!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Anna stared at him, and for a second, I thought she was going to rip a strip off of him. Instead, she calmly shut her laptop and got off her bed. "No one asked me," she said tersely. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"That's right, so keep your fucking comments to yourself."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Fine," Anna shrugged. "What the hell do I care anyway? From what I've seen, I'm glad your wife left you and took the boys with her; you're an ass. They all deserve someone who'll treat -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Travis held up his hand. "My wife loves me - there is no one else."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I didn't say there was," she replied as she slipped her shoes on. Turning to me, she told me she was going to visit some friends. "I'd say 'have fun' but..." She glanced at Travis. "I'll be back later Tanner."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">When Anna left, Travis started ranting and raving about her suggestion that Shelly could be with someone else. "I'll fucking kill any man who so much as looks at her!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Calm down! Shelly isn't out with another man."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"How do you know? She could be! She did mention some bastard who was trying to hit on her a couple weeks ago. What if -?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Travis! Shelly isn't with another guy."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"She could be," he muttered. "She's hot enough to have someone else."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I tried to make him see that Shelly wasn't seeing someone else but he refused to believe it wasn't true. "Why else would she leave me?" He asked at one point. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I jumped all over that one. "You're an ass."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Fuck you, I'm not!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Why did she leave then?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">With a shrug, he told me he didn't know. "We were watching TV and she started on about what we were going to do this summer for vacation. Next thing I know, she's screaming at me and shoving her shit into a suitcase, threatening to leave me."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What did you do?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I told her if she had it so bad, then she knew where the door was."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>Fuuuck!</em> I closed my eyes and just shook my head. "You told her to leave."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">He didn't say anything. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I opened my eyes. "You <em>told</em> her to leave!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">He started to deny it. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Are you fucking crazy?" I grabbed his shirt and started to shake him. "You fucking asshole! You told her to leave! And then you have the nerve to come here and drink yourself stupid, acting like you don't know why she left!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I don't -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Shoving him backwards, I told him he was the dumbest fucker alive. "What woman would stick around when she's been told and shown over and over again that she means nothing? It was only a matter of time before she left your sorry ass." I started to walk away from him. "Congratulations Travis, you destroyed the best thing that ever happened to you."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Later that night, as I was watching TV while Travis tried, in vain to get a hold of Shelly, I realized that I hadn't heard from Sara. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">But I did hear from Scott. He had knocked on my door just before supper, looking for Anna. When I told him that Anna was out with friends, he told me that he just wanted to let us know that our original reservations were straightened out. "Come Monday morning, you two will be in two one-bed rooms, like you were supposed to be from the start."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">When Scott left, Travis asked if he could change rooms with Anna when the time came. "She's hot bro, why aren't you trying to hit that?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I didn't bother to answer that. He wouldn't believe me if I did. </span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-69898212377706705882008-08-20T13:02:00.000-07:002008-08-20T13:53:32.894-07:00Overheard<span style="font-size:130%;">Sara didn't leave me hanging all that long, it just seemed like forever. "Becca told me that she ran into you and she was having serious doubts that you were half the man I think you are."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I am the -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Tanner," Sara cut me off. "Becca told me that you were taking shots from some cheap whore's chest - is that true?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yeah but -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"She also told me that you were dancing with her, very close - is that true?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What she didn't -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"All I need is a 'yes' or 'no' Tanner. Were you pressed up against her on the dance floor?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I wasn't the one pressed against anyone," I replied defensively.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Oh? Becca was wrong?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I wanted to say yes, she was wrong but I couldn't. "Maggie was the one pressed -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Maggie?" Sara repeated. "Let me guess, she's blonde with a huge rack."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Well, yeah but -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Doesn't matter," Sara cut me off once again and it was starting to piss me off. "Becca also said that you were taking her back to the hotel with you when she came up to tell you what a scumbag - her words - she thought you were."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">It wasn't a question and I thought about not saying anything but I'm not a complete moron. "I wasn't -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yes or no Tanner."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"For fuck sakes Sara, stop cutting me off! Let me tell you what happened. Becca doesn't know every fucking thing that went on, she wasn't fucking there!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Don't swear at me," she snapped. "I'm just trying to understand what is going on. I thought we..." She sighed. "I don't know," she admitted. "I guess I waited too long."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Closing my eyes, I groaned, "Sara."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I didn't want to believe her Tanner. I told her you wouldn't do that, not now, not after..."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Rubbing my hand over my face, I shook my head. "I didn't do anything Sara, I swear."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"But Becca said -" I cut her off, telling her that if she wanted to know exactly what happened, I would tell her. She hesitated for the longest time before quietly telling me that she needed to know what happened.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Starting from the beginning again, I told her how Travis showed and wanted to go out. "He thinks I'm whipped," I told her. "He saw your picture and read what you wrote."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Oh no!" Sara squeaked. "Tanner that wasn't for everyone to see!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"He just showed up, I didn't have time to close the window before he blew past me and saw it." Then, with a chuckle, I told her that if it's any consolation, he thought she was hot.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">By the noise she made, I could tell she was blushing.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You are, you know."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She quietly said 'thanks' before asking me to continue.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">After I filled her in on all the events of the night - good, bad and indifferent - thanked me for being honest with her. "You could've told me that Becca was lying but you didn't, you told me everything. Thank you Tanner."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Following her 'thank you' there was silence; it stretched on for a few minutes. I don't know what she was thinking but I was wondering if what I told her made a difference or if the damage had already been done. I wanted to ask her but somehow I couldn't - I had a sinking feeling that if I did, she would tell me she didn't think we would work out or something.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">For some reason, that idea didn't sit well with me.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I guess I should let you go," Sara said, breaking the silence. "You are probably pretty tired and -" She yawned. "I know I am."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yeah..." I didn't want to go, not with everything up in the air.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Ok."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Ok," I repeated.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">More silence.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Ok," she gave a little yawn again. "I'll talk to you later?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">It wasn't much but the questioning tone gave me some hope, even if it was just a tiny bit. "Yes, we'll talk later."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">After we hung up, I remained in the bathroom, seated on the edge of the counter. It would've been so easy to walk away from my 'relationship' with Sara and I'm sure anyone I talk to about it would tell me it was time to write it off but something told me that it would be the biggest mistake of my life.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">And I don't know about anyone else, but I've made enough mistakes in my 29 years. I'm ready for the 'right' thing.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">****</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I woke up the next morning, wishing I was dead. My whole body ached and my head felt like it was about to explode. I started to curse my brother for insisting on the multiple shots when I realized that the noises in my head, wasn't just noises, my brother and Anna were talking. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Why don't you sit down?" I rolled my head to the side and, through barely opened lids, I spotted Anna sitting at the table over by the window, with a notebook opened on the table in front of her. "How are you feeling? Headache?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Travis grunted as he slumped in the chair across from her. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Stomach feeling nauseous?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Travis grunted again. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Anna sat up straighter and stared at him. With a eyebrow raised, she asked him, "Memory hazzy? Anything you wish to apologize for?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"'Polgize?" Travis slurred.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yes, apologize," Anna insisted. "You scared me out of a very nice dream about my boyfriend and you <em>grabbed my ass!!</em>"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Instead of looking sorry, Travis seemed happy. "Hot ass," he mumbled. "You liked it."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Anna gasped. "You pig! How dare you assume that I liked, or wanted you to grab my ass?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"It was sticking out," he informed her as he leaned across the table. "Such a hot ass, it was begging to be groped." </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I almost cheered when she reached across the table and slapped his face.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What the hell was that for?" Travis demanded. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You know damn well!" She replied and told him that the only man she wanted grabbing her ass was her boyfriend. "And you," she gripped the wrist of the hand he held up to his face. "Your married, what the hell were you doing grabbing my ass? Your wife is going to kill you when she finds out."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Travis yanked his hand from hers and in his move to lean back in his chair, he told Anna that Shelly wouldn't care one bit who's ass he was grabbing. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yeah, right!" Anna scoffed. "Men always say that when they do something wrong but you know what? She'll care because she's your -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"She left me!" He snapped at her. "She won't fucking care because the bitch packed her shit, took my boys and told me to go fuck myself four days ago!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Despite the nasty headache, I sprung up in bed. "What?!?!"</span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-37369806921201657102008-08-16T14:14:00.000-07:002008-08-17T09:12:22.812-07:00What Do You Know?<span style="font-size:130%;">Anna stood at the foot of her bed, a blanket wrapped around her body as she shot daggers at Travis' passed out body. "I'm going to kill him," she hissed.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Calm down, he didn't mean anything by it."</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"He didn't..." she turned her daggers my way. "Who the hell is he? Why is he here?" Motioning towards the table over by the window, I told her I would tell her everything I knew if she calmed down and joined me there. "No, tell me now."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I need to sit down," I threw over my shoulder as I wandered over to the table. While I settled down into the uncomfortable chair, Anna fumed over by her bed. "Unless you like to stay close to him."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">It was hilarious, how pissed she was. I would've laughed but I couldn't be certain what she would have done if I did. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I wanna know what that man is doing in my bed and in this room," she whispered as she dropped into the chair across from me. "What makes you think you can invite people here Tanner? This isn't just your room!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Rolling my eyes, I told her I didn't invite him. "Travis just showed up here and told me we were going out." With a quick glance towards the beds, "I have no idea why he's here."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What? You didn't think to ask?" She went on to ask why men got drunk instead of talking.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"There's nothing to talk about, we just went out." And Travis was all over other women all night. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Whatever." Anna sighed. "I'm going back to sleep, keep your brother from grabbing me again, or I will kill him." </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Whoa, whoa." </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Anna chuckled, "What? Do you honestly think I'm going to share a bed with him?" She climbed into my bed. "You, on the other hand, shouldn't mind, since he is your brother." With a smirk, she pulled the covers up to her chin. "Good night Tanner, sleep well."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sleeping well wasn't what I did. Travis rolled around all night and tried to spoon me on numerous occasions. I don't think I'll ever be the same again. I'm not sure if it was Travis' spooning or what, but I couldn't sleep at all. I kept replaying the night, the run in with Becca. Was she right, would Sara freak out? Or would she be understanding? Would she know that I had no intentions of doing anything with anyone else.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I guess there's only one way to find out." </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Grabbing my cell, I headed into the bathroom with a nervous churning in the pit of my stomach. <em>I'm fucked. She won't understand. I've screwed up before we could really get off the ground. </em></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The ringing stopped, there was a click on the line and then nothing. "Sara? Are you there?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yeah," she sighed softly. "I was sleeping."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Smiling, I told her to stop teasing me. "I would give anything to have you here....sleeping."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The sound of her laughter was music to my ears. "Missing me already Big Boy?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You could say that."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Ok," she chuckled. "I will. You miss me."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">We talked for a few minutes about her night, how Billy is doing and their plans for tomorrow night. She told me that she thinks Billy might have found someone to help him get over Cal. "Of course, he says they are just friends but you never know."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"That's great." I really didn't want to talk about Billy or the possibility that he found someone new when there was a good chance that tomorrow any chance I had of having a relationship of my own was destroyed. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yeah, it is. Problem though, the guy he told me about lives a good 6 hour drive from here and -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I ran into Becca tonight," I blurted out, catching her off guard. My plan was to wait to see what she would say but suddenly I couldn't. I needed to tell her now. "Travis showed up here tonight, he seemed determined to go out, so we did."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Oh, well it's nice that he came to -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I cut her off again. "We went to a country bar that the front desk girl told us about but Travis wasn't too impressed so we ended up leaving."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Sorry to hear -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"We ended up at a club I use to frequent when I lived here and -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I know."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Travis wanted to..." I trailed off as I realized what she said. "What?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I know," she sighed. "Becca called me about a hour ago, she told me."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"She told you?" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yes."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>Fuck!</em> "So she told you....?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sara didn't say a word. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Come on Sara," I begged. "Please don't go quiet now. Talk to me."</span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-8474112258657542362008-08-13T10:36:00.000-07:002008-08-14T16:43:52.800-07:00Tried<span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">I've never been one to buckle under peer pressure but something that night weakened my resistance. I could blame it on the alcohol in my system but truth be told it was Maggie's chest, they called to me. I guess it comes as no surprise that I'm a tit man. It doesn't matter how pretty, smart or skinny a woman is, if she doesn't have a good rack, I don't see her. Maggie had no worries about me not seeing her, she had near perfect tits. The only woman whose chest was better is...</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Tanner!" Travis jabbed his fingers into my ribs. "Take the shot!"</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">After telling him to shut his trap, I turned back to tell Maggie that, while the offer was nice - really nice - I wasn't about to take a shot from her chest. She had other ideas. Maybe she knew about my beast fetish, or maybe she just felt stupid standing there with a shot glass between her tits. Either way, when she grabbed my hand and brought it to her chest, all while pouting. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">Can I just say, not every woman is cute when they pout. Maggie? She was one of those women. Good thing she has a great rack. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">I did it. I followed in my big brother's footsteps. I lowered my head to her chest, took the shot glass in my mouth and sucked it back. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Yeah!" Travis slapped me on the back. "I thought you were going to pussy out." He told me. "For a second, it looked like you were thinking of Sara."</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">As Maggie slipped her hand up my back and press her tits against my side, I almost had a panic attack. Would Sara understand that it was nothing? Did I even need to tell her? Would it hurt her if she didn't know? She did tell me to have fun. She can't be upset when she told me too, right?</span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"><br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Let's dance," Maggie gripped my hand and dragged me towards the dance floor. I didn't even have time to tell her I'm not much of a dancer before she turned towards me and pressed her body against mine. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">Two hours, a few dances and a couple hundred dollars later, Travis was so tipsy, he was falling all over the place. And the glimpse of temper I saw months ago had reappeared. Every time I turned around, he was in someone's face, asking to be punched. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"You're a fucking pussy!" He yelled at some random guy while I watched the bouncers drag him away kicking. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">Rock, the bouncer that was at the door earlier, came up to me. "I suggest you take him home Tanner, he's done for the night."</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">Outside the club, Travis was trying to convince Nikki and Maggie to come back to the hotel with us. "It's too early to call it a night," he told Nikki as he held her close.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"He's right Nikki," Maggie piped up. "It's only 2 am and you said you weren't going home until -"</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"I know what I said!" Nikki snapped. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Come back to the hotel," Travis slurred against her neck. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">It went on for a while, their conversation about the girls joining us back at the hotel. Travis insisted they came, Nikki would say 'no', and Maggie would give me a look as she tried to talk Nikki into going. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Ok! Fine!" Nikki finally broke. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Yes!" Travis grinned. "You won't be sorry sweetheart."</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">A half hour later, we were still outside the bar waiting for a cab. Travis was getting way too friendly with Nikki and the couple times I tried to talk to him, to tell him to smarten up, he was married, he told me to fuck off. Maggie, not happy with the little attention I was giving her, was pouting. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">I was in the middle of ignoring Maggie's overly suggestive movements and cursing my drunk ass brother, so I didn't notice right away when the chick from earlier, the one that was watching me, appeared.</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">Maggie glued herself to my side, clinging so tightly to me, I could barely breathe. Startled, I turned my attention away from my brother's flirtation with Nikki. "What the -?" </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Go away," Maggie told the chick. Barely looking at Maggie, the chick rolled her eyes. The dirty look in her eyes as she turned towards me stopped me from saying anything. "Didn't you hear me? I said go away."</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">The chick glanced at Maggie before shaking her head and turning back to me. "Sara was so wrong about you."</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Sara?" Maggie shot me a curious look. "Who's Sara?"</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"His girlfriend," the chick snapped. "Or at least she will be until she finds out what a jerk he really is." She spun around and stormed away. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Wait!" I called out, still unsure of who she was and how she knew me. "Wait!" I pushed Maggie off of me and went after her. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Leave me alone!" She snapped at me when I caught up to her. "And stay away from Sara too! She doesn't deserve to have her heart broken once again!" With a slap across my cheek, the chick told me what a lousy human being she thought I was. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"I didn't do anything!"</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Yeah! Right! I saw you face plant in that chick's chest a few times!"</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"I did a couple shots," I told her. "Sara won't have an issue -"</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Sara had been cheated on time and time again!" She yelled at me. "She won't understand this!"</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"I'm not cheating on her!" </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"No?" She motioned towards my brother and the girls waiting by a cab. "And you aren't going home with her either, right?"</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Who the fuck do you think you are?"</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"I'm Sara's friend, you know that. Ken's sister."</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Don't fucking mention that bastards name."</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Why?" She glared up at me. "Because you know you aren't much better?"</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">I never in my life wanted to shake a chick before, but this one was pushing it. "I'm nothing like him," I hissed. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"No?" She snorted. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"No."</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"If that were the case Tanner, you wouldn't be here about to take home some random chick." She told me she had to go but before she did, she let me in on something. "My brother isn't done with Sara, no matter what she thinks. Ken has gone to anger management classes and AA meetings, all because he thinks he can get her back." She gave me a helpless look. "I told him it was pointless because Sara was happy and she would never look at him again but I'm wondering what she'll do when she finds out about this. She'll be crushed Tanner, she really loves you."</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Then don't tell her."</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">She shook her head. "How can I not tell her? I'm her friend, I can't stand by while someone hurts her, I promised her that."</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">I sighed. What was I going to do? I didn't have any intentions of doing anything with Maggie, she was too pushy and clingy for my tastes and I didn't want to lose Sara. "I know you won't believe me but I swear I have no desire to hook up with Maggie."</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">Becca looked away. "You're right, I don't believe you." </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">Before she left, Becca told me to talk to Sara. "You need to be honest with her and with yourself because if you really want her, you can't be running around with other women."</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">No fucking way! I thought sarcastically as she walked away. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">Twenty minutes later, I helped a pissed off Travis through the hallway of the hotel. "You're a fucking asshole, do you know that?" He asked me for the millionth time since I sent the girls away at the bar. "I was going to lose myself in her and you fucking ruined it for me!"</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Oh shut up!" I balanced him against the wall while I opened my room door. "Anna's probably sleeping, don't wake her up."</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Anna?" Travis perked up. "Is she hot?"</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">Lying, I told him she was ugly as sin. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Oh well," he laughed. "I'll keep the lights out." </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">Helping him into the room, I told him he was a real bastard. "At least I'm not a pussy," he replied. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">As we entered the room, I figured I would drop him on my bed and he would pass out but the second we approached the beds, that changed. </span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">Anna in her bed, sound asleep, with her black pantie clad rear end sticking out from under the blankets. "Fuck me!" Travis stumbled towards her bed. "Ugly or not, she has a sweet ass!"</span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">"Travis!" I grabbed for him but it was too late, he fell onto Anna's bed. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:trebuchet ms;font-size:130%;">Anna jumped up, screaming.</span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-31201876340642093292008-08-11T10:12:00.000-07:002008-08-11T16:18:13.665-07:00Tempted...<span style="font-size:130%;">Even though I didn't really want to be out, I found myself slipping into my old ways as I scanned the crowds, looking for someone who fit my needs. There were plenty of women all over the place - standing at the bar, hanging by the pool tables, sitting at one of the many tables and dancing on the floor. It was the last lot of women who held my attention when Travis slipped away saying he needed something to drink.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Uh huh," I waved him off, not taking my eyes off one of the dancers on the floor.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Go easy," he laughed before disappearing.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The song ended, the object of my attention slowly made her way off the dance floor. Wishing to speak to her, I moved a couple steps to the left, to put myself in position to make it happen.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Just like I hoped, she was paying too much attention to her friends to notice me and she walked into me; wide eyes turned upwards in shock. Meeting mine, she flashed me an apologetic smile and motioned me closer.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I'm so sorry." Her breath grazed my ear as her hand came to rest on my upper arm. "I didn't see you there," she chuckled, her hand squeezing my arm. "Hard to believe though." She moved on before I could reply but I was very confident that it wasn't the last I would hear from her.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Tanner! Tanner!" Turning, I spotted Travis as he made his way back. When he reached me, he grabbed my arm and told me how much he loved me. "This place is fucking awesome Tanman. And the chicks...." he trailed off as a couple blondes walked by, waving their fingers in his direction as they passed. "They're hot - I'll be back."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">With a shake of my head, I watched Travis follow the girls back to their table. When he moved between the two of them and wrapped one arm around each of their waists, I decided to find my own blonde - brunette, redhead, whatever - to give my undivided attention to.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">My first stop, before I did any body searches, was to the bar to get myself another beer. Armed with a nice refreshing bottle, I slowly began to make my way through the crowds of semi drunk people. As I moved, I was looking for two things, the chick from the dance floor and my 'friends' the bouncer told me were hanging out inside.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I circled the bar once without spotting either one of them, nor did I see Travis in my travels. I wasn't worried though, not about him. Sure he may have seemed like he would do something stupid but I was certain that he wouldn't do anything to jeopardize his relationship with Shelly. He was just looking to have a little innocent fun.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">On my second trip around the bar, I finally spotted the dance floor chick, all wrapped up in someone else's arms. For a moment, I stood watching them together before getting bored. With a shrug, I completely forgot about her and continued on my way. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">It was starting to get to me, not finding any action. It was a first for me. Never had I gone to the bar before and not had chicks hanging all over me. Even when I was seeing Nance, there wasn't a night when I was out without her, or even with her for that matter, where I wasn't given a chance to take another woman home, if I wanted. Nance, of course, didn't know this. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">An hour later, I was standing in the same spot as before, watching the chicks on the dance floor. Only this time it was different, I could feel someone watching me and it made me a little uneasy. Trying not to draw attention to myself, I turned and scanned the crowds to see who was watching me. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I almost missed her as she sat in the darkness almost hidden behind the group of people around her table. She was familiar, I thought I should know her but I couldn't place her for the life of me. But the way she was looking at me told me that she knew who I was. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Halfway into my struggle through the crowds towards her, Travis reappeared at my side with the two blondes from earlier. "Hey Fucker!" He slurred slightly as he held onto the two chicks. "Come do some shots with us."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">For a brief second, I hesitated but one glance towards the direction I was headed, told me that the chick wasn't there anymore. "What the hell," I shrugged and followed my brother, Nikki and Maggie to the shooter bar. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Nikki, the shorter and chubbier one of the two, leaned in over the bar to order the shooters; the bartender nodded, grabbed two shot glasses.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Why only two?" I barely heard Travis ask when the bartender took Nikki's money. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"It's our treat for you," she replied as she held out a glass to Maggie. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Ok then...." Travis' jaw dropped when the girls lowered the shot down between their tits. Wide eyed, he turned to stare at me as the girls worked on balancing the glass. After telling me this was the 'best night ever', he turned back to Nikki. I swear I head him say, 'going down' before moving towards her chest. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">A moment later, he tossed his head back, emptying the shot glass. "Aren't you going to take the shot?" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I looked from Maggie's chest to Travis and back again. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Come on Fucker," he hissed. "Take the shot."</span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-3298907794292610882008-07-20T05:28:00.000-07:002008-07-22T10:22:49.748-07:00Hanging out with Trav<span style="font-size:130%;">Travis ignored all my suggestions of where to go while we stood in the elevator waiting for it to take us down to the lobby. He told me that I didn't know where to go anymore, "It's been a year since you lived here," he reminded me.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The moment the elevator stopped, he made a beeline for the empty front desk. When I asked him what he was doing, he told me that 'the hottie' should know where to go and if I played my cards right, I wouldn't be alone tonight.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I don't need -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Shhh!" He shoved me when the front desk chick came out from the back office. "Hey there." He flashed her a grin as he leaned against the counter and then, in true Joey Tribbiani fashion said, "How <em>you</em> doin'?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I couldn't help but roll my eyes. "What are you doing?" I hissed over his shoulder.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Travis barely glanced my way. "Would you shut it?" He hissed in return before turning back to the chick. "My brother has been working so hard this week, he thinks that he doesn't need to get out but I don't agree." He paused and then asked her if she knew of a place to unwind. "Where would you go if you weren't working tonight?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"The only place to go," she told him. "Legends." Travis nodded, not really knowing the place at all. "I'm meeting some friends there in an hour," she informed him. "Maybe I'll see you two there?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">----</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"This places blows!" Travis whined not even forty minutes later. "If I wanted to see wanna be cowboys and stuck up cowgirls, I would've stayed home! Who the hell listens to this crap anyway? And the two step?" He paused to take a couple steps, like he was doing the two step, and then shrugged his shoulders. "That's exciting."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I placed my empty glass on the table we were standing around. "Let's go then."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Go where? Back to the hotel? Fuck that!" He slammed his empty beer bottle down on the table. "It's not everyday I get to the city without my wife or kids, I'm telling you we aren't going back to the hotel until I get..." he trailed off. His head turned as he watched three of those 'stuck up cowgirls' walk by.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Travis!" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What?" He turned towards me. "Aren't you the guy who told me that there was no harm in looking, when you were doing more than looking behind your girl's back?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"That was years ago, I was stupid."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"And horny," he laughed. "Wasn't it her best friend and her cousin? At the same time? Lucky bastard."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"It was a long time ago and things have changed."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yeah," Travis agreed. "You've become a pussy. Wrapped all around the finger of a girl who isn't putting out. What the fuck happened to you Tanman?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I was about to tell him nothing happened to me but I knew I had changed. Not that long ago it was all about sex for me, it didn't matter who it was or where it was, as long as I was getting it, I didn't fucking care. I was out most every night, all night, flirting and fucking like it was my last night alive. But now? It was barely 10 and I was more than ready to call it a night. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">What the hell happened to me? When did I become such a boring fuck? </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Turning to Travis, who was still waiting for an answer to his question. I told him I knew of a place loaded with hot, easy chicks. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Alright!" He grinned. "That's what I'm talking about!" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">An hour later, we finally made it to the front of the line for the hottest nightclub in the city. A place I visited many times when Nance and I were still together. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Fuck me!" The 300 pound giant of a bouncer exclaimed when he saw me. "Tanner, how the fuck are you man? Last I heard you were hightailing it out of town."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I told him I was in the city for a job and was just checking out the scene. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Aww-yeah!" He slapped me on the back and gave me a shove towards the entrance while listing a few people I used to know, saying they were in there somewhere. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Are any of the chicks hot?" My brother asked as we entered the club. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I grinned. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"This is going to be fucking awesome!" </span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-26302871246864861922008-07-17T09:06:00.000-07:002008-07-19T16:41:00.137-07:00Surprise, Now Let's Go<span style="font-size:130%;">The first weekend Anna and I spent in the city, we weren't working. Scott told us there wasn't too much going on that weekend so we could go home if we wanted but Anna told me that she had planned on meeting up with some old friends while she was off, some girl she knew and her family, Brandy, I think that's what she said the name was. She offered to let me borrow her car to go home if I wanted but I couldn't say 'yes' to that, even though I really wanted to go home to talk to Sara face to face about what Anna told me on the drive in. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">It bugged me that Sara didn't think she could talk to me about wanting to be my girlfriend. I didn't understand how we had come so far - I was giving her what she told me she needed and we were getting to know each other better. I thought she trusted me. I thought she knew I wouldn't do anything to hurt her. But most of all, I thought she knew that I cared for her. A lot.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">But I guess there was something I was missing and I wanted to talk to her in person about it - over the phone just wasn't my style - and, to be honest, I wanted another blow job.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sara's blow jobs. Fuck! They are all I think about. Her mouth. Her hands. The sounds she makes. I can't stop thinking about what it would be like to fuck her and it's causing me some problems. I'm so fucking horny all the time. I spend so much time in the bathroom jerking off, trying to hard not to groan too loud but it doesn't matter because my hotelmate knows what I'm doing - she chuckles softly each time I disappear into the bathroom. I want to tell her to fuck off, and I would, if I didn't know that late at night, she disappears into the bathroom with her cell phone and runs a bath. And I'd bet my last dollar that she isn't just calling her boyfriend to 'chat'.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I needed Sara. No matter how much recent information bugged me, I knew it didn't change the fact that I wanted her. When I talked to her Thursday night, I tried to convince her to come up to see me for the weekend. "I can get rid of Anna,"<em> </em>I informed her.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Chuckling, she asked me how things were going with Anna.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Great but I don't think she's likes me much."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Oh?" Sara seemed surprised. "Why do you think that?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Well. she ignores me when I'm horny, she won't cuddle with me and she screams at me when I start to take my clothes off - it's not the most encouraging sound." Pausing, I took a deep breath, the silence on the line made me wonder if Sara didn't understand that I was kidding.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">But then she started to laugh.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yeah," I sighed sadly. "Last time I take her away for a month!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sara laughed even harder. "Oh boy..."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I kept going for a couple more minutes but soon hearing her laughter through the phone was almost like torture. "Can you come see me this weekend?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I wish," she sighed. "But I promised Billy I would go to the movies tomorrow and then be his date for some party on Saturday. He doesn't want to be alone this weekend, not when he knows he'll be seeing Cal for the first time since they broke up."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">When I said 'ok' she sighed again. "I would rather come see you," she told me. "What about next weekend?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I told her not to worry about it and to have a good time with Billy.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Tanner, I'm sorry, I wish I knew before that you were off. Then I would've -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Sara, I said don't worry about it. I know you have things planned, I just thought I would ask, that's all."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I just don't want you to be mad."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I'm not," I reassured her. "Sure, I want to see you but it's ok, I still have the memory of the morning I left, that gets me through the 'hard' times..."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"When Anna's ignoring you," she added with a laugh. "Maybe I should ask her to give you a hug, for me."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"No, no, that's alright. Just email me some sexy pics and that'll hold me over for now."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I don't have any!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Well it's high time you take some! You have a man stuck in a hotel room with nothing to do but think of you, he wants a visual he can touch while he's doing that."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sara chuckled. "You are such a pervert."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I couldn't disagree. "So when should I expect the photos?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sara never did give me an answer to that question, not that I was completely serious, but the next time I opened my email, I got a surprise. While it wasn't the naked photo I hoped for but it still blew my mind. Then again, any photo of Sara in just her panties with her arms crossed over her chest, giving the camera a naughty look, would blow any man's mind. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I was in the middle of reading the words she wrote when there was a knock on my door. Since I wasn't expecting anyone and Anna was out visiting her friends, I decided to ignore the knock and for a moment I thought it worked. Seconds later, the knocking turned to pounding and a voice followed close behind. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I know you are in there Tanman!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Travis? I frowned, what the hell was he doing at my door?</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Come on Tanner," he called again, without the pounding this time. "The chick at the desk told me you were in, I think she's hot for you." When I opened the door, he was in the middle of saying I should 'hit that'. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"The only -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I know, I know," Travis pushed past me, into my room. "Sara has you wrapped around her little finger, you don't see all the babes surrounding you...." He stopped in front of Anna's bed, reached down and picked up her nightshirt. "Or maybe you do see them?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Rolling my eyes, I snatched the nightshirt from him. "Anna is someone I work with -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Who happens to sleep in the same room as you? I don't believe you haven't made a mo - oh oh oh!" He dove onto my bed, grabbing the laptop I was using, his eyes bulging out of his head. "Then again..." he whistled. "Sara's smokin'!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Give me that!" I grabbed for it but he rolled over to the other side of my bed. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"'<em>Tanner, I wish I could be there with you. I hope you enjoy this picture, even if it's not the one you were hoping for. I really miss you and can't wait to'...</em>blah, blah, blah..." Travis snapped the lid down. "We are going out. Get dressed."</span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-87495944744301514552008-07-14T00:58:00.000-07:002008-07-14T06:41:21.378-07:00Making it her business<span style="font-size:130%;">Laying back against the pillows of the firm queen sized hotel bed, my mind drifted back to my last morning at home and how I woke up to discover Sara's hot mouth already where I wanted it. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">There wasn't much light coming in through the dark curtains I had over my window from when I slept during the night, but it didn't matter, I didn't need light to know just how fucking hot it was to have her suck my cock so eagerly. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I was in the middle of recalling the sexy sounds Sara made when I heard the tell tale sign that my hotel mate had returned - the sound of the key card in the door. I suppose I should've moved to cover up seeing I was sporting a hard on with only my underwear on but I really couldn't be bothered. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Besides, it's not like it's the first time Anna had seen me hard. Not that she pays much attention to me or it. I swear she's totally oblivious to the fact that I'm male. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">While the door swung open, I remained sprawled out on my bed with my arms over my head and my eyes closed, trying to hang on to the image of Sara's head bobbing at my crotch but it was difficult because Anna was never quiet when she came in. Always making some noise, dropping something here, groaning/sighing there and let's not forget the overwhelming need to talk and make everything her business. Then again, that last part shouldn't have surprised me, especially not after driving up to the city with her. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I hadn't planned on driving to the city with her, things just happened. My car starting to crap out was part of it. The other part of it was Sara, not wanting me to drive my dying car, suggesting that I take Anna up on her offer to catch a ride with her. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">"You are both going to be there at the same time," she stated. "Why not carpool?"</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">Why not indeed, I thought.</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">About an hour into the drive, I discovered why not. Anna turned down the music that was playing on her stereo. "I shouldn't ask," she started. "It's not really any of my business but I like Sara and I don't think that she should be so unsure of things - not after all this time."</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">I raised a brow, I had no idea what she was babbling about. </span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">She glanced from the road to me and back again before asking if I agreed. When I told her I didn't know what she was talking about, she gave me the dirtiest look. "Can I ask you something?" </span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">I shrugged, it was going to be a long ass car ride, so I figured it wouldn't hurt. </span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">"What's wrong with Sara?"</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">I frowned, "What do you mean? She seemed alright last night and this morning."</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">Shaking her head, Anna told me no. "Not like that, I mean, why is it that you two aren't dating?"</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">I stared at her. She continued. </span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">"I know she was pushing you away for the longest time while she tried to deal with the scars from her last relationship but why haven't you made a move on her lately?" She paused and then said, "You aren't fooling around with someone else are you?"</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">There were so many things I wanted to say. "You don't know what you are talking about," I snapped. "There's nothing wrong with us."</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">"No?" Anna gave me a dirty look again. "Then why the hell was Sara stressing over whether or not you were interested in her still? And why the hell would she talk about doing something to make sure that you wanted her, not someone else?"</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">"Sara knows that I want her," I stated. "Why last night..." I trailed off as I thought about what Anna said and the fact that Sara suddenly seemed eager to suck me off. </span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">Anna shot me a questioning look. </span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">"No," I shook my head. "Sara knows how I feel -"</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">"Does she?" Anna cut me off. "From what I hear, she isn't so sure what you feel or what you want from her. It wouldn't be so bad Tanner, but Sara wants things from you. Things she doesn't think she deserves."</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">"What things?"</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">"Sara's going to kill me," she mumbled. </span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">"You can't just say that and not continue."</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">With a sigh, she told me that Sara wanted to be my girlfriend. "She told me she didn't know how to bring it up."</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>"She doesn't have to bring it up because as far as I'm concerned, Sara </em>is <em>my girlfriend."</em></span><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">Anna chuckled, "Well you might want to mention that to her."</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">After we finally got checked in that night - there was a huge mix up with the room reservations that led to Anna and I having to share a room for most of out stay - I called Sara. I wasn't going to bring up what Anna told me, but as we were getting ready to hang up, Sara told me to have a great night. </span></em><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">Without needing to stop to think or anything, I responded with, "Can't when my girl is so far away."</span></em><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">Sara's reaction? A gasp and complete silence. The longer the silence went on, the sillier I felt, and I started to curse Anna in my head. </span></em><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">"I miss you," Sara finally whispered. "I know it's silly but I really do."</span></em><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">I smiled, "I miss you too."</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">As I hung up the phone a few minutes later, I though, maybe Anna knew what she was talking about afterall. </span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;">But I'll be damned if I ever tell her that!</span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Opening one eye, I watched Anna as she plopped down onto her bed. "Do you want to grab something for dinner?" She asked and then turned towards me, her eyes briefly resting on my hard on before rolling back in her head. "After you are done thinking about Sara that is."</span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-78631033288172069002008-06-29T14:34:00.000-07:002008-06-29T15:39:48.707-07:00This Weeks End<span style="font-size:130%;">When I returned to my room, Sara had found her way under the covers and had pulled them up to her chin. "Sara?" I whispered as I stepped carefully towards my bed. I didn't want her to be to asleep. After what she did for me, I didn't really feel like sleeping. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Apparetly she did because she didn't stir as I lifted the covers and joined her in my bed. Nor did she move when I slid up behind her to take her in my arms. It was disappointing to tell the truth. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sleep was a long time coming that night. While I tried to drift off to sleep, I found myself going back and forth between debating how to wake Sara up without her getting upset and thinking about the next month in the city learning everything Lonna thinks I need to know for my new job. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I didn't think I would ever get to sleep, to tell the truth, I thought I would end up having to sleep in Anna's car on the way to the city the next day but luckily, in the early morning hours, I foudn myself falling into a deep sleep. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Dreams came and went. They ran into each other, mixing until they were so utterly forgettable when I woke up in the morning. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">And what a wake up it was!</span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-47558105517562464212008-06-27T13:15:00.000-07:002008-06-27T15:51:33.688-07:00A Little Something<span style="font-size:130%;">As her fingers curled around the waistband of my boxers, her lips nipped at my stomach. "Fuuuck!" My hips came off the bed involuntarily when her tongue flicked over my skin. Her chuckled was muffled, I barely heard it but oh hell did I feel it. If I wasn't hard, that vibration would've been enough to get me there. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">While my hips were off the bed, Sara slipped her hands around to my back and tugged my boxers down over my ass; her nails gently scratching my skin. She disappeared for a brief moment - actually she moved back enough to slide my boxers off and toss them over her shoulder but it seemed like she disappeared. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">When turned back to me, her eyes travelled downwards to my cock. "Wow," she gasped, almost breathlessly before leaning in to press her lips against mine. "I want to kiss..." her hand circled around my cock.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You want...?" I didn't have a hope in hell of finishing that statement once her lips started downwards once again - nipping, sucking their way down my chest, over my stomach and down to her hand which still encircled my shaft. I jerked in her hand when her lips pressed against my tip. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I was almost afraid to react to her sudden interest in exploring my shaft with her fingers and mouth. I thought that I was dreaming and if I mentioned anything or groaned too loudly, she would stop. I swear I would've died if she stopped. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">But she didn't stop. Not once. She licked. She sucked. She played with my balls. She did everything I wanted her to do with my cock - except ride it. I tried, numerous times to pull her up my body to give her something in return but she insisted that this was all about me. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"It's not a good time for me," she said at one point. It took me a few moments and the staring 'come on, you know what I'm saying' look before I understood what she was hinting at. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Does that...." I grabbed hold of the shirt she was wearing. "Can this come off?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Without saying a word, or lifting her head from my crotch, she helped me remove her shirt. Once her shirt was resting somewhere on my floor, she moved up my body, her hands covering her bare breasts. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I slipped my hands around her wrists. She raised a brow before looking down at her chest. "You want to see?" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I nodded and she removed her hands. "Ohhh yesss..." </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"> "You want to feel?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">My eyes widened. I nodded so vigorously, I rocked her which made her tits bounce. "That's what I"m talking about!" I lunged forward, wrapping my arms around her waist to drag her down to the mattress with me. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">My hand slid up over her ribs until it cupped around her tit. "This isn't about you," she moaned when my lips closed around her nipple. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yes it is," I murmured. "I want this."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You do?" Despite my protests, she shoved me away. Cupping her tits again, she asked me how much I wanted them. Laying back on my bed, I told her that I've thought about nothing but wanting her since I met her. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Good to know," she straddled my legs, leaned forward and squeezed her tits around my cock. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The pressure, the movement, the warmth. I couldn't handle any of it anymore. Months and months of teasing finally had it's toll. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Sara..."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I didn't even have time to finish my sentence. But she seemed to know. Her hands fell from her tits and one circled around my cock to finish me off. It was messy. It was hot. And she loved every drop of it. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">And I loved that she didn't jump out of bed the second I was finished to go wash off my handiwork. Instead, she curled up next to me for a good ten minutes before suggesting that I go wash up before I fell asleep. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You don't want to meet Anna tomorrow covered in -"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"My man juice?" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, she won't really care for that. Plus her boyfriend wouldn't like it."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Scott?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Scott?" Sara looked confused.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You said her boyfriend."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She scoffed. "Scott isn't Anna's boyfriend Tanner!" With a chuckle she told me that Scott is engaged to some chick named Kim. "They are getting married at the end of the summer."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"So..." I frowned. "Who's Anna dating then? I thought she was with Scott, she seemed happy to see him."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"They are friends," Sara told me. "Anyway, enough about Anna." She reached up and squeezed my shoulder. "Go shower so we can get to spending the rest of the night together."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">In the shower, I realized that I was relieved that Scott and Anna weren't dating. </span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-12215315844399174282008-06-24T11:06:00.000-07:002008-06-24T11:42:58.240-07:00The Night Before<span style="font-size:130%;">If I never have to see Beverly again, I’ll be the happiest man in the world. Fuck was she a bitch towards me in the last two weeks that I was there. You know, I understand that she went through assistant managers like crazy before I was there and yes, she was counting on me to stick around but fuck, if I want to leave, I’m going to leave. No amount of guilt trips or tears were going to change my mind. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><br />My parents, on the other hand, were excited that I was getting into something that would make me happy and leave me financially secure.<br /><br />“So does that mean you’ll be moving out?” Dad asked me when I took them, and Sara, out for dinner to tell them about the job.<br /><br />“Oh!” Mom backhanded dad. “Don’t be silly, Tanner can stay with us as long as he needs.”<br /><br />“If it’s alright,” I glanced from mom to dad and back again. “I would like to sick around for a little while longer.”<br /><br />“Of course it’s alright,” Mom replied immediately. “You are welcome to stay as long as you need Tanner, we told you that when you first asked about coming home.” She shot dad a dirty look as she told me that nothing has changed. “We love having you home. Right dear?”<br /><br />Dad agreed with mom and then asked me to tell them a little more about Scott and the hotel. “I drove past that place yesterday, didn’t look like they were ready for business. And you are quitting your job already?”<br /><br />“Well no dad, they aren’t ready to open yet but it’s not a big deal –”<br /><br />“Not a big deal?” Dad stared at me. “Now Son you should know better than to jump into something that’s not a sure thing. Why –“<br /><br />“Dad, I know what I’m doing. Trust me please?” I went on to tell him that I wasn’t jumping into anything. “After I work my two weeks with Beverly, I’ll be going to the city, for a month, to work alongside Lonna, the woman who does the same thing I’ll be doing at Scott’s father’s hotel. When we come back from the city, Anna and I will be interviewing potential waitresses and banquet servers. I will have to train them and get everything ready on end before we open. It’s going to be crazy – even without being opened.”<br /><br />“Anna?” Mom gave Sara a sidelong glance. “Who’s Anna?”<br /><br />Sara smiled. “Anna is ­–“She paused, gave a little sigh and then continued. “I mean, she <em>was</em>, the Infant department manager at my work. Scott offered her a job in personnel at the hotel and she took it.”<br /><br />It was a sore spot for Sara, Anna leaving the department manager role. When we went back to her place after meeting Scott and Anna at Mac’s the night he offered me the job, Sara told me that she wasn’t happy that Anna was leaving.<br /><br /><em>“Why do all the great managers leave?” She asked me. “We have a system, the department is running smoothly and sales have been crazy. Why does she have to leave?”</em><br /><br />She was upset; she hated change and had gone through a couple really horrible department managers so she wasn’t looking forward to whoever was taking over after Anna left. To cheer her up, I told her she could always work for me.<br /><br /><em>“You would have to go through the whole interview process,” I told her jokingly. “And I’ll try to keep my hands off you at work.”<br /></em><br /><em>“Uh huh,” she snorted. “You’ll be trying to do me on the banquet table!”<br /></em><br /><em>I raised a brow. That was an idea.<br /></em><br /><em>“Don’t even think about it!” She demanded with a chuckle.<br /></em><br />I thought about it; over and over again. And I brought it up every single time there was a break in conversation between us. I mentioned it so much that every time there was possibility of silence, Sara would start to sing. It got to the point that I was mentioning it, partly just to bug her, but mainly to hear her sing. She would make up these little songs about what we were doing or about wishing I wasn’t such a horndog; they were hiliarous.<br /><br />The day before I left to go to the city, Sara was over – I had asked her to spend the day with me since it would be the last time I saw her for a while. She came over right after work, we had breakfast together and then she showered while I made a list of all the stuff I had to do before I left. Stuff I wanted to leave until the next day but Sara wanted me to get it out of the way so that we could spend the last moments I had in town, together.<br /><br />After spending all day out running around town, I was happy to finally be able to relax in my room, in just my underwear. I was on my bed, finishing up a phone call to my brother, when my door opened.<br /><br /><em>Yaaaawwnnn!</em><br /><br />Raising a brow, I stared at Sara as she stood in my doorway.<br /><br />She looked embarrassed. “Sorry.”<br /><br />She yawned again.<br /><br />If she was wearing one of my t-shirts. If she didn’t stretch along with the yawn, giving me a nice glimpse at her pink panties, I think I would’ve laughed.<br /><br />“Gotta go,” I told Travis before hitting the ‘end’ button and tossing my phone in the direction of my nightstand. “C’mere,” I held out my hands.<br /><br />Sara was half way to my bed before I even reached for her. Kneeling on the foot of my bed, she flashed me a sad smile. “I really wish you weren’t leaving tomorrow,” she told me as she leaned forward – hands on either side of my feet – her body so close to my legs as she moved forward, crawling over me.<br /><br />“I’m going to miss you,” she pouted when she came face to face with me. “Do you have to go?”<br /><br />“Ummm…” All thoughts vanished the moment her fingers began to trail over my chest.</span><br /></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Are you going to miss me?" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yesss," I hissed as her fingers found their way down over my stomach, to my underwear. One corner of her mouth turned up on a sexy smirk. An eyebrow arched. Then I watched, in awe, as her eyes traced the same route her fingers took moments before. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Leaning over me, her mouth brushed against my ear. "Close your eyes Tanner," she whispered. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I gave her a questioning look.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Just do it," she chuckled. "Trust me Tanner, you'll like this."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Smiling, I did as she asked while settling back against my pillow again. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Can you see?" I told her no. "How many fingers am I holding up?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"None." I said confidently. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You can see!"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I laughed. "No Sara," I reached down to my waist where both of her hands still hovering over my boxers. "You didn't move these."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Oh shush," she slapped my shoulder playfully and told me to keep my eyes closed. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"They're closed!" I laughed. "It's black and there are white fuzz - oh fuck!" My jaw dropped. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">And her hands tugged at the waistband of my boxers. "These are in the way."</span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3605704858417467206.post-31053866794332346012008-06-05T12:28:00.000-07:002008-06-06T10:45:09.252-07:00Spot Filler<em><span style="font-size:130%;">After a pretty hot, but frustrating, make out session, I laid on my back while Sara curled up next to me. As her hand trailed over my chest, she turned to look at me. "I have a confession to make."</span></em><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">The way she said that she had a confession you would think that she was about to tell me some crazy, bad thing that she did. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"So...?" I lifted up on my elbow and gazed down at her. "What did you have to confess?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Well..." She bit her lip nervously as fingers on one hand danced against my chest. "I lied, a little."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"><em>A little?</em> I laughed, "About what Sara?" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"About Anna, Scott and the job." She bit her lip nervously. "Are you mad at me?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She lost me, I told her. I didn't quite understand how she could have lied about any of it; it wasn't as if I imagined the whole night. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Of course not, she replied. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Why don't you explain how you lied - a little."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She seemed a little uneasy as she started to speak. "I didn't <em>really</em> lie. I mean, I didn't know for sure what Anna wanted you to meet Scott for but I had a good idea. I just didn't want to tell you in case it wasn't what was going on because I didn't really know."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">I listened, in amusement, to her little rambling. When she was finished, I raised a brow and didn't attempt to hide the beginnings of a smile as I spoke. "You aren't very good at telling stories, do you know that?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Oh shush." She stuck out her tongue at me so I told her I had a place she could use it - she rolled her eyes and shook her head. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What?" I laughed. "Did you expect me to say something else?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She pretended to think about it for a second before shaking her head. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Good." I slipped my hand under her back and pulled her closer to me. "Now, tell me what you were talking about."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Still shaking her head, she pressed her lips together while trying not to smile. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Are you going to tell me?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Again with the head shaking. This went on a little while longer, I would ask her a question and she would reply with a shake of her head.</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I can make you talk."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">In mid head shake, I reached out and took hold of her jaw. With my thumb under her bottom lip, I moved her lip as I spoke in a higher voice. "<em>Oh Tanner, you are soooo hot! I can't wait to get you naked and under me!"</em></span><br /><em><span style="font-size:130%;"></span></em><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">For some reason, she laughed hysterically at that. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What?" I chuckled. "I'm not the one who said it, you were."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"No, I didn't."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Sure you did, I heard you say you want me."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Uh huh," she shifted until her arm was circled around my back as she stared up at me. "Like I was saying about the lying..."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sara started off by telling me that she had been talking to Anna about stuff that's been going on with her for the last couple months. "She's an great listener," she told me. "I feel she understands where I coming from and she does have a lot of stories to tell to help me through some difficult moments."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"You talked to her about me?" I already knew that Sara had said something about me to Anna before just from what Anna said when she stopped by work to see me. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yeah," she looked away briefly before meeting my gaze. "I talk to Anna about everything."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Everything?" I raised a brow. "So that little comment you made a few minutes ago - about wanting me badly? - she would know all about it?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Tanner!" She playfully shoved me as her cheeks turned bright red. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Sorry, continue." I wasn't sorry at all. Actually I was plotting how to corner Anna to see exactly what Sara has said about me. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Ok, so at some point we spoke about you, the girls and how you weren't really doing what you wanted but it was in the same field so you were ok with that. And..." she stopped to bit her lip and give me this look, as if she was waiting for me to get mad about something she said. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">When I told her to go on, she took a deep breath and shrugged. "Anna wanted to know more about what you use to do so I told her what you told me about the restaurant and your educational background. I didn't think anything about it but later, after she had told me about how she met Scott, and then asked me to give you her number, I started to wonder if she was looking to recruit you for his new hotel."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I see," I nodded slowly. "So you think I would be upset that you might have guessed what Anna wanted?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Well..." she shook her head. "Not really. More like, upset that I talked to Anna about you."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"And possibly got me a chance at my dream job?" </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">She nodded slowly. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Yeah," I chuckled. "I'm so ticked off - I think you are going to have to make out with me a lot to fix this."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Closing her eyes, she sighed heavily. "I guess if I <em>have</em> too."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"If you have too?" I pulled her against me and rolled over onto my back, dragging her on top of me. "You don't <em>have</em> to do anything - but I would like it if you did."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">We were getting pretty hot when rapid knocking on her bedroom door interrupted us. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I'm busy Billy!" She yelled out in between kisses.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">He said something that neither one of us could make out. When she asked him to repeat what he said, he shoved the door open. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Billy! Wha -" Sara stopped short of giving him hell when she saw that he wasn't his usual cheery side. "Billy?" She slowly moved off me and sat on the edge of the bed. "What's wrong?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I didn't mean to interrupt," he started. "But..." his voice cracked as he lifted his hand up and rubbed the back of his head. "I just thought you should know that Cal and I just broke up." </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sara was off the bed and at his side before I even realized that she moved. "What do you mean?" She asked. "Why?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">He shrugged, still not making eye contact. "I don't know, I thought we were doing great but I guess not."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What did he say?" She wanted to know. "What excuse did he give?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Billy turned his head her way but he wasn't looking at her. "He said he enjoyed my company..."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"What the hell does that mean?" Sara demanded. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I don't know!" He snapped at her. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Hey," I jumped up off the bed. "Don't talk to Sara like that."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"It's ok," Sara waved me away as she slipped her hand around Billy's arm. "Do you want to talk about it?"</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"I should've waited," he told her. "I didn't want to ruin your night."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">Sara told him that he didn't and then asked him to give us a couple minutes. "I'll meet you in the kitchen," she told him. "Don't down the ice cream without me."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">After Billy moped off, Sara turned to me and made a face. "I'm so sorry," she started but I stopped her. </span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">"Go on, I'll just nap while you are gone."</span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;"></span><br /><span style="font-size:130%;">To be honest, I didn't want her to leave but if she stayed, she would've been worrying about Billy. At least I had stuff to think about while she was gone. Like how do I tell Beverly that I won't be with her much longer and what it will be like to spend a month in the city with Anna. </span>Tannerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03608430479044064427noreply@blogger.com18