chapter FORTY
SATURDAY, AUGUST 9, 1975
Well, it’s officially been twelve years (tomorrow) since Curtis and I got married. And it has officially been the first time I’ve been inside a bar, the first time I’ve had a “real” drink (and maybe the last time, too). At twenty-seven, I think it might be safe to say that I’ve taken my time getting to this point.
“You ready, baby?” Curtis called to Lorrie from the living room.
He’d helped a couple of the hands take care of a few things that afternoon, then come home, showered, and changed, all in preparation for tonight, only to realize that women needed a hell of a lot more time to get ready than a man.
He’d been ready for the past hour and a half. Lorrie had been getting ready for twice that amount of time. And yet he was still the only one ready to go.
“One more minute!” she hollered.
Yeah, he’d heard that already. About twenty-five times.
Knowing it would be pointless to rush her, Curtis flopped down onto the couch and was about to light a cigarette when he looked up to see Lorrie stepping into the living room.
His world came to a jarring halt.
“Holy shit,” he mumbled under his breath.
The woman standing before him, glammed up like he’d never seen her before, made his dick jump to attention. Her hair was straight, falling over her shoulders and midway down her back. She was wearing cowboy boots and a frilly skirt that hung above her knees, along with a black shirt that she had tied beneath her breasts, showing off a glimpse of her stomach.
He damn near came right there in his jeans.
“You said to dress sexy,” she said, looking at him sideways.
“Well, woman, you nailed it,” he mumbled, getting to his feet. “I’m just not so sure I wanna take you out in public lookin’ like that. Don’t wanna have to hurt a man for looking at you too long.”
What he said seemed to please her, because she smiled brightly. “Well, I’m ready when you are.”
He’d been partly serious when he’d said he wasn’t sure he wanted to take her out in public. The woman made his mouth water looking like that, and he knew she would draw attention wherever they went. But since one of David’s high school buddies was officially opening his new bar tonight, Curtis had promised his brother he’d go, and he wasn’t about to go without her.
Sending up a silent prayer that he wouldn’t get in a fight tonight, Curtis walked Lorrie out to the truck, admiring the sexy sway of her ass every step of the way.
Twenty minutes later, they pulled into the gravel lot of Moonshiners—what had previously been known as Gary’s Bar. Since no one knew who Gary was, one of David’s buddies from high school had bought the bar from the previous owner and decided to rename it Moonshiners. Fitting name, Curtis thought.
“Why did he name it Moonshiners?” Lorrie asked as they walked through the parking lot.
“If I had to guess, it’s because he’s been makin’ his own liquor up to this point.” Living in the country had its perks. It helped that the sheriff was quite fond of moonshine.
“Really?” She peered up at him.
Curtis nodded and opened the door to the bar, allowing her to go in before him. T.G. Sheppard’s “Devil in the Bottle” crooned from the jukebox, heard over the sound of muted conversation. The place wasn’t crowded, but then again, in a town the size of theirs, it wasn’t expected to be. It looked no different than when it had been Gary’s Bar, except for the sign that spouted the new name.
“Curtis,” a deep voice rumbled from across the room.
“Robert,” Curtis replied, taking Lorrie’s hand and leading her over to the bar. “You remember my beautiful wife, Lorrie.”
“I remember,” Robert said with a grin, holding out his hand to her. “Good to see you again.” His eyes returned to Curtis. “Thanks for comin’ tonight.”
“Thanks for invitin’ us. How’s your brother?”
“Who, Mack?” Robert chuckled. “That boy ain’t got a lick of sense.”
Curtis laughed, but only because they all knew the opposite to be true. Turned out Robert Schwartz’s kid brother Michael—everyone knew him as Mack because even at twelve he was as big as a truck—was some sort of genius. Not that you’d ever know it to talk to him. Apparently he preferred to keep that tidbit of information to himself.
“Good to hear,” Curtis teased, glancing down at Lorrie. “You want somethin’ to drink, darlin’?”
Lorrie nodded.
“What can I get ya?” Robert asked, his eyes hopeful.
Lorrie shrugged. “What’s good?”
Only then did it occur to him that his wife had never had a drink before. At least not that he knew of.
“I’m thinkin’ you look like a Tequila Sunrise girl,” Robert suggested, glancing at Curtis for approval.
Curtis nodded. He hadn’t a clue what was in it, but why the hell not? “I’ll take a beer.”
“Comin’ right up. We got billiards and darts in the back if you’re interested.”
Following Robert’s direction, Curtis led Lorrie to the back—which was really only a few feet away from the front—to check out the billiards table. He wasn’t much for the game, but he didn’t mind sitting and watching. He found an empty table in the far corner, pulled out a chair, and waited for Lorrie to take a seat before he took the seat next to her.
“What d’ya think?” he asked her as she continued to look around.
“Nice place,” she said sweetly.
“You don’t have to be nice on my account,” he teased.
“No, I like it. I’ve just never been to a bar before, so I don’t have much to compare it to.”
Curtis frowned. “I guess I shoulda been takin’ you out before now, huh?”
Lorrie shook her head. “You know me; I’d much rather be at home.”
“Well, tonight we’re gonna enjoy ourselves. Have a coupla drinks, maybe do a little dancin’.” He smirked at her.
“You? Dance?”
There was a first time for everything.
Robert brought their drinks over, then disappeared quickly.
Curtis watched as Lorrie peered into the glass in front of her before leaning down and sniffing the drink. Her cute little nose curled up the way it normally did. She met his gaze and whispered, “What’s in this thing?”
He had no clue. “You probably don’t wanna know.”
She took a tentative sip, her nostrils flaring as she did, but then her eyes lit up, and he knew tonight was going to be a good night.
Well, if he could get her home in one piece, it would be.
After just one of those fruity drinks, Lorrie was feeling good. Better than good, actually. Her fingers were a little numb, as were her lips. Maybe her ears, too. The effect the alcohol had on her was interesting. She wasn’t sure how much she liked it, but for now, she was going to enjoy.
Not only was it making her worry less, it was also affecting her libido. She’d found herself needing to be closer to Curtis, so rather than sitting in her own chair, she’d taken to sitting in his lap while he talked to several people who’d come to say hello. Apparently, as she’d always suspected, Curtis was a rather popular guy. A lot of people who’d come tonight knew him, which wasn’t at all surprising. She enjoyed sitting there, listening to them chat.
Rather than interrupt, she’d decided to watch people, enjoying the music and the laughter, wondering why they hadn’t done this before. Then she remembered, they hadn’t gone out like this because she always came up with an excuse not to. But now that she was here, Lorrie knew that this was the sort of place she could get used to. Although it was a bar, it had a homey feel. Everyone knew everyone else, and the conversations were about family and friends and all things Coyote Ridge.
“You want another drink?” Robert asked, passing by their table on the way back to the bar.
Figuring what the hell, Lorrie nodded.
Robert tapped the table and smiled. “Be right back.”
She felt Curtis’s warm breath on her neck as he moved her hair back. “Are you gonna get drunk tonight, Mrs. Walker?”
“I might,” she said, smiling although she still couldn’t feel her lips.
His voice was low as he whispered into her ear. “I’d definitely like to see my naughty girl drunk.”
She wasn’t so sure about that. As it was, she was feeling a little frisky already. If the alcohol continued to work, she might just want to sneak Curtis into the bathroom and have her wicked way with him.
Robert brought her drink back, striking up a conversation with Curtis and ending their teasing session. Because her tongue was also numb, the second drink went down a lot easier than the first, but she tried to drink it slowly, knowing that too much alcohol wasn’t a necessarily a good thing, no matter how great she felt at the moment.
“You ’bout ready to head home?” Curtis whispered to her.
Almost an hour had passed since the last drink, and she was still tipsy, not quite sure she could stand on her own. They’d attempted dancing, which she’d learned Curtis was actually good at, but when the room had begun spinning, he’d insisted on sitting back down.
“Ready when you are,” she told him.
“We’re gonna head on out,” Curtis told whomever he was talking to.
Lorrie hadn’t been paying attention to half of what they were saying, choosing to enjoy simply being out of the house with Curtis. She liked the fact that he was so popular, that everyone seemed to like him and want to chat. More than that, she liked that he didn’t want to be too far away from her, pulling her back into his lap when she had tried to give him a little breathing room earlier.
“Come on, darlin’,” Curtis said, putting his arm around her. “Let’s get you home.”
Lorrie nodded, though he hadn’t asked her a question. The action made her smile, which then made her laugh, and before she knew it, she was giggling uncontrollably as Curtis helped her into the truck.
“I think it’s official, darlin’. You’re drunk.”
Maybe so.
When Curtis climbed into the truck, Lorrie took a deep breath, then rolled down the window to get some air when he was pulling out of the parking lot.
“Did you have fun tonight?” he asked.
“Yep,” she said quickly, looking over at him. Once again she was smiling, and the numbness had spread throughout her body.
“Sorry you didn’t get to do much. Next time we’ll try the dancin’ thing before you knock one back,” he said, his eyes on the road.
“Well, I can think of somethin’ I can still do,” she slurred, leaning over so that her head was in his lap.
Curtis’s hand came to rest on the back of her head. “Honey, what’re you doin’?”
His voice was rough, and she knew he didn’t need her to answer, because she was already unbuckling his belt buckle and then undoing his jeans, freeing his erection.
“Baby…”
Feeling emboldened by the alcohol, Lorrie took Curtis’s penis into her mouth, sucking him just the way she knew he liked.
“Aw, fuck, darlin’,” he growled. “This ain’t safe, you know that? Your mouth feels too damn good. Hard for me to focus.”
Lorrie didn’t let up, slurping him into her mouth, licking him with her tongue, teasing him the way he’d always teased her. She loved the sound of his voice as he continued to talk while he drove, apparently not as distracted as he’d said he was.
When the truck came to a stop, she knew they were home, yet she still didn’t release him from her mouth. She liked the warmth of him against her tongue, the way his hand fisted in her hair, the deep rumble as he encouraged her to continue.
“I’m thinkin’ we need to take this inside, darlin’.”
Still feeling daring thanks to the alcohol, she shook her head, releasing him from her mouth before sitting up. “Not ready to go inside.”
Curtis’s sexy smirk made her wet. Yep, she’d said it. Or thought it. One or the other.
“Then what d’ya propose we do?” he asked.
“I think you should return the favor,” she told him, nodding toward the erection he was now stroking slowly.
God, that was hot.
“But you didn’t make me come, darlin’.”
Ready to remedy that, Lorrie moved over him again, but Curtis quickly stopped her with his hand on her forehead, laughing.
“I ain’t ready to come yet, baby,” he said, his voice gravelly. “But I can damn sure return the favor.”
Lorrie squeaked when he urged her onto her back. There wasn’t a lot of room in the truck, but apparently there was enough for him to lean over, his head between her thighs as he shifted her panties to the side and slid his tongue through her slit.
“Oh, God!” she cried out, scrambling to hold on to something as the sensations overpowered her.
“Is that what you want, dirty girl? You want me to eat your sweet pussy right here in the truck?”
She nodded, her head falling back as he put his mouth to her again. It felt so good, the way his tongue teased her, flicking that sensitive bundle of nerves before spearing into her. He continued to torment her until she was begging him.
“Curtis, please…”
“Tell me, baby,” he growled. “Tell me to make you come. Say it.”
“Please…” She tried to get the words out, but she couldn’t.
“Tell me, Lorrie. Tell me to make you come, and I’ll give you what you need.”
His tongue lashed at her again as he licked her repeatedly, sending her higher and higher, but not quite to that pivotal point.
He paused again, his finger dipping inside her, going deep, then curling until he was pressing on that sensitive spot only he knew about.
“Curtis! Pleasepleaseplease!” She was rambling; she knew it, but she couldn’t help it.
“Say it!” he commanded, his voice deeper, rougher. “Tell me you want me to make you come.”
“Yes! Make me come, Curtis! Please make me come!”
As soon as the words were out of her mouth, that was exactly what he did, sending her spiraling out of control.
“Don’t pass out on me yet, baby,” Curtis growled.
Lorrie opened her eyes to see him standing at the passenger door.
When had he gotten out of the truck?
“Let’s finish what we started,” he crooned, helping her to sit up, then get to her feet.
He led her up to the porch, but rather than go inside, Curtis pulled her around to the side of the house and backed her up against the railing.
“Right here, darlin’. I wanna fuck you right here.”
Lorrie nodded, wanting that, too. Apparently the alcohol was making her lose her mind, but she was feeling too good to care.
“Turn around,” he instructed. “Hold on to the rail.”
Lorrie turned and gripped the rail while Curtis pulled her panties down her legs. She stepped out of them, then spread her legs wide, welcoming him.
“You’re ready for me to fuck you, huh?”
“So ready,” she whispered, though she was pretty sure it had come out much louder than she’d intended.
“You’ve got me too worked up, darlin’. I’m not gonna go slow.”
Lorrie shook her head. She didn’t want slow. “Fast and hard.”
“Fuck,” Curtis grumbled at the same time he pushed into her.
Her muscles clenched around him as she leaned over. He stretched her so deliciously she never wanted him to stop.
Curtis began thrusting into her, growling and grunting as he did, obviously not caring that they were outside. It was a good thing they didn’t have any close neighbors or they might be the hot topic at church on Sunday.
The thought made her giggle.
Curtis’s fingers gripped her hips tighter. “Stay with me, baby.”
Oh, she was with him, all right. “Curtis.”
He slammed into her, his hips pumping faster and harder. She had to lock her elbows to keep from falling over.
“Oh, yes,” she squealed. “Harder. Please. Harder.”
He muttered something that sounded like, “You’re gonna be the death of me, woman,” but she wasn’t sure. Regardless, he did as she asked, nailing her over and over, faster, harder, deeper. His fingers dug into her hips, the pain mixing with the pleasure until her head was buzzing and her body was trembling.
Her orgasm rocketed through her, making her knees weak.
“Yes, baby,” Curtis crooned, his mouth close to her ear.
She felt him pulsing inside her as he came.
“Not sure how I feel about you drinkin’, but darlin’, we can certainly do that again anytime you want.”
Lorrie smiled. “What about tomorrow?”
Curtis was shaking his head as he led her inside the house. “Let’s get you to bed, you dirty, dirty girl.”