a half I’d been at Barnacle Bell’s she had only drank one glass of red wine. Another was sitting on the table in front of her by now, but she’d been nursing it for quite some time. Since she hadn’t drank much I knew well and good that while Fred, Buster and Jack were deep into a discussion about the Miami Dolphins the private, alluring smile that rose on Julie’s lips had nothing to do with alcohol. Neither did the telltale look in her eyes – her bedroom eyes. As our eyes locked together, the sixties-throwback duet had just begun a rendition of the old Bee Gees hit To Love Somebody. It’s a slow song, an emotional one, and as soon as Julie heard it she laid her hand on top of my thigh. Her smile widened in a way I can best describe as adoringly, and she whispered in my ear, “Come on, Sonny. Dance with me.”
Our gaze lingered for just a moment before I stubbed out my eighth cigarette of the day and found myself saying, “Sure ... why not?”
As if I were some kind of prize, Julie led me by the hand through the crowd. Once we were out on the dance floor, she quickly but gently slid her hands around the small of my back, drawing me toward her. The feeling was incredible; the scent of her perfume, my face nestled against hers, the slight tickle of her ebony hair, the heat from her uplifted breasts and stomach snug against my body. As our hips slowly swayed in unison I felt like I was going to implode. Then she held me tighter yet, and together we listened to the music and the old song’s sentimental lyrics.
As we danced on, something told me that Julie Albright was overwhelmed by desires she hadn’t felt in a long, long time. I can’t tell you why, but I just knew it. And I was right. Just before the song ended she whispered something in my ear. Her voice was low and sensual, but I couldn’t quite discern her words. Leaning my head back, I asked her what she’d said. She didn’t answer right away. Instead she studied my face, as if she was double-checking something. Then her eyes shifted to mine. She looked at them – into them, for what seemed like a long time but really wasn’t. It was one of those moments when time seemed to stand still. Finally she spoke. In that same soft, sexy tone she said, “Come home with me, Sonny. Let’s go right now.”
We said good bye to the guys at the table, paid the tab then drove in the darkness back through the pines to Julie’s trailer.
As I followed her, I saw in the periphery of my headlights a raccoon coming out of the woods. It stepped quickly to the side of the road, reared up on its hind legs, and looked my way. It was uncanny. In the conical light the black-masked animal’s eyes glowed bright yellow, and they seemed to be looking into the van – directly at me. The creature stared through the windshield, right into my eyes. I didn’t know why but I immediately thought of Wendy. “No!” I said shaking my head. “Don’t be ridiculous.” I of course didn’t believe it was a sign or a message or anything hokey like that, but Wendy did appear in my mind. And when I saw her face, I suddenly believed there was no way I’d going inside Julie’s trailer with her. Quickly, frantically, I started scouring my mind for an excuse.
A minute or so later Julie pulled in alongside her place and I parked next to Doyle’s. I knew by then what I was going to tell her – the truth. That deep inside, angry as I was with my ex-wife, I still hoped we’d somehow get back together. But I didn’t tell Julie that. As I stepped across the thin strip of grass separating the two aluminum trailers, my plan went all to hell. For standing outside her car now, in the soft light of the moon, Julie Albright looked like Venus herself. Not only did the glow from the heavens accentuate every curve of her body, but it highlighted all the kind, beautiful features on her face. I was mesmerized. I’d have followed her anywhere.
When I walked around her car and stood in front of
Our gaze lingered for just a moment before I stubbed out my eighth cigarette of the day and found myself saying, “Sure ... why not?”
As if I were some kind of prize, Julie led me by the hand through the crowd. Once we were out on the dance floor, she quickly but gently slid her hands around the small of my back, drawing me toward her. The feeling was incredible; the scent of her perfume, my face nestled against hers, the slight tickle of her ebony hair, the heat from her uplifted breasts and stomach snug against my body. As our hips slowly swayed in unison I felt like I was going to implode. Then she held me tighter yet, and together we listened to the music and the old song’s sentimental lyrics.
As we danced on, something told me that Julie Albright was overwhelmed by desires she hadn’t felt in a long, long time. I can’t tell you why, but I just knew it. And I was right. Just before the song ended she whispered something in my ear. Her voice was low and sensual, but I couldn’t quite discern her words. Leaning my head back, I asked her what she’d said. She didn’t answer right away. Instead she studied my face, as if she was double-checking something. Then her eyes shifted to mine. She looked at them – into them, for what seemed like a long time but really wasn’t. It was one of those moments when time seemed to stand still. Finally she spoke. In that same soft, sexy tone she said, “Come home with me, Sonny. Let’s go right now.”
We said good bye to the guys at the table, paid the tab then drove in the darkness back through the pines to Julie’s trailer.
As I followed her, I saw in the periphery of my headlights a raccoon coming out of the woods. It stepped quickly to the side of the road, reared up on its hind legs, and looked my way. It was uncanny. In the conical light the black-masked animal’s eyes glowed bright yellow, and they seemed to be looking into the van – directly at me. The creature stared through the windshield, right into my eyes. I didn’t know why but I immediately thought of Wendy. “No!” I said shaking my head. “Don’t be ridiculous.” I of course didn’t believe it was a sign or a message or anything hokey like that, but Wendy did appear in my mind. And when I saw her face, I suddenly believed there was no way I’d going inside Julie’s trailer with her. Quickly, frantically, I started scouring my mind for an excuse.
A minute or so later Julie pulled in alongside her place and I parked next to Doyle’s. I knew by then what I was going to tell her – the truth. That deep inside, angry as I was with my ex-wife, I still hoped we’d somehow get back together. But I didn’t tell Julie that. As I stepped across the thin strip of grass separating the two aluminum trailers, my plan went all to hell. For standing outside her car now, in the soft light of the moon, Julie Albright looked like Venus herself. Not only did the glow from the heavens accentuate every curve of her body, but it highlighted all the kind, beautiful features on her face. I was mesmerized. I’d have followed her anywhere.
When I walked around her car and stood in front of
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