But for Rodden this story would never have been possible deeply indebted.
*****
Roden twisted his head slowly and rubbed the back of his neck. The damned bus seats were about as uncomfortable as they could be. He would have sworn to anyone who asked that he would have been more comfortable sleeping in a cardboard box.
The business that needed his help had offered a bonus of $1500 cash upon arrival if he could be there within twenty-four hours and the flights he could have taken were booked solid. Roden knew the buses would be packed on a holiday weekend, but he was eager to earn the bonus and so comprised on comforts.
Roden was reading a book but listened absently to two women talking while they waited for the bus. They had their backs to Roden, and he really wasn't paying attention. One said something about having gone to visit her parents for a few days and was heading back to her husband.
He stood and stretched. His reflection on the glass panels of the terminal building was a bit disappointing. His sandy brown hair was a tangled mess, though it made him look like he was one of the male characters in twilight. He was even scruffy from having arrived at the bus terminal a mere forty-five minutes after receiving the phone call. At six foot two, he was trim and fit, and his shirt showed it.
He turned away from his reflection and looked at the two women whose voice he had been overhearing. One had a small child with her. The other was quite pretty and appeared to be traveling alone. The bus that was their connection arrived. Roden had his laptop open and quickly packed it up before he could board the bus.
As he boarded the bus Roden shook his head when his head popped up above the seats. It was wall to wall and didn't look like much fun at all. He worked his way down the aisle, passed the woman who had been waiting with the child, and found an empty seat... beside the second woman who had been in the conversation. She was seated at the window, looking out at the sun that was just dipping behind the hills to the west. Rodden asked if it would be okay for him to sit beside her. She pursed her lips, her eyes flashing over his body, but she gave one quick nod to indicate her consent.
Having nodded her consent, the woman turned to look out of the window again wanting to speak to someone on her mobile. Having pressed the keys, she held it to her ears and waited.
"Hi, this is Sarah," she spoke in a soft voice, "would it be possible to reschedule my appointment and fix it next week? I am afraid I can't make it this evening...yes, yes...Tuesday evening? Oh, that would be just fine. Thanks honey."
The bus was already on its way. As she looked out aimlessly at the receding trees of the countryside, she recollected her discussions with her psychologist in the last two sittings that she had had. It had been a great effort on her part to even agree to meet Dr. Anderson, suggested as it was by Matt, her husband. They were married for almost four years now and yet, there was a greater vacuum in her mind and body than she could have imagined when she was younger. She did discuss this with a few close friends, Sally particularly, but was always inhibited in broaching this embarrassing subject to her husband. Frankly, this related to her physical need which, admittedly, was perceptibly higher than many women. There were so many areas in their sexual life that she would have liked to experiment with but for the lack of imagination and drive from her husband. Matt could understand that something seemed to be wanting but was too much of an inactive novice to take corrective action other than suggesting professional help.
Sarah wondered if there was some deficiency in her, something that somehow dampened Matt in exhibiting his sexual prowess. She failed to find any major flaw in her physical being which was hampering their life. She was quite young at twenty seven and she almost had an hour-glass figure at 34 28 36 on a five feet five inch frame. With auburn hair up to her shoulders, mysterious gray eyes and a devastating smile, she drew attention wherever she went. It was impossible for others, however, to know what lay hidden and undisclosed in the mind that guided that body.
Her thoughts suddenly transported to the passenger on the adjacent seat. She stole cursory glances at him now and then, always pretending that it was somewhere else that her attention was riveted rather than him. However, her actions made her draw the following conclusions - he was tall, middle aged, trim without a doubt as the clinging shirt revealed, unkempt hair probably due to extended hours of travel and handsome despite his age. Almost a clone of George Clooney, she asked herself? She laughed inwardly at the flight of imagination as her wings of fantasy were taking her. The man was reading a book, the title of which she couldn't make out as it rested on his lap. Sarah wondered if she should also take out the book in her bag, 'Fifty Shades of Grey' which she had leafed through in the earlier lap of her journey. After a while she took out the book, searched for the page she had come up to, and was soon engrossed in the contents.
Sarah's attention was broken when she heard the man beside her exclaim, "Excuse me".
She looked up from her book at the man beside her. He seemed to have a twinkle in his eyes and a grin at the corner of his mouth.
"Yes?" Sarah asked enquiringly.
"Roden," the man said extending his hand. Her eyebrows flashed with curiosity but as they shook their hands they smiled.
"Are you reading what I think you're reading?" Roden asked. Her eyes demured and she blushed. "I thought so. I'm curious about it. Can we swap?"
She nodded hesitatingly and bit her lip. Roden handed over the book he was reading and heard a gasp escape her lips as she looked at the book title. 'Opening Lines That Drop Her Panties'.
"Come on, Sarah. You're not a prude or you wouldn't be reading this," she heard Roden say. Her jaw clenched.
"How do you know my name?" she asked with her jaw clenched.
"You said it on the phone," Roden replied, his face revealing a mischievous smile.
He began to read the book that Sarah had handed over and much to his surprise, so did she. He'd heard about the 'Fifty Shades Phenomenon'. To him it proved what he had believed about women for a long, long time—many of them wanted a man in their lives who would sometimes demand, and take, what he wanted.
"This is pretty racy stuff. You, uh. Do you have desires that way? Do you like to be controlled?
He looked down into her eyes. They were so brown they seemed black to him. Her makeup was heavy, but well done. Her auburn hair framed her face perfectly but made her look not unlike a little trapped animal. Somehow, he got the impression she didn't feel trapped by him; she felt trapped by herself.
He lowered his voice and leaned in. "Tell me. Something's lacking isn't it?"
She was gorgeous, full-figured, and almost impossibly curvy. He turned in his seat so that his back blocked her body from the other passengers. He placed his hand on her skirt and squeezed her thigh softly.
Sarah was astounded at this open display of physical proximity. She thought it unthinkable that a stranger's hand would be placed on her thigh, even in a gesture of friendship. Blushing profusely, her first reaction was one of purposeful resistance as she put a hand on Roden's, to prevent further advancement of the male hand. Then she looked across the aisle to see if anyone had been glancing at her direction. Satisfied and relieved that she and her co-passenger were unnoticed and ignored, she whispered ever so softly, "Please, I would rather if you didn't."
Continuing to blush, she looked down at the hem of her skirt, ensuring that her thighs were as covered as any prudish woman's would. And yet, her eyes were keen to watch that strong hand resting on her thigh that remained unconcerned at her appeal for withdrawal. Partly hidden by her resisting hand on top, it still appeared big to Sarah. A hand, she felt, that could easily grip and cover her face or other areas if the man so wanted.
Sarah flipped through the pages of the book the man had handed over and, through the bits and pieces of what she read, she was now in a grip of arousing sensuality with that hand presenting greater intent and purpose. It would be difficult for her to keep Roden's hand at bay for long and she knew, quite soon, it would just be one of inevitable surrender. Night had descended and there was darkness outside the windows of the bus which sped along the highway. The journey was a long one and the bus was not scheduled to reach its destination before next morning. Sarah wondered what lay for her through the night but, in her mind, she was awakening to the moment of truth. She could helplessly feel her hand involuntarily slackening its grip on the man's hand as if she sought to give him greater mobility of purpose. Desperately, she tried resistance - if only she could release her thigh she could regain her sense of morality and prudence. If only!
It was getting cooler inside and her dress wasn't very reassuring to her for the long night. She thought of asking for a blanket if they could provide one but couldn't see the attendant with the high back seats obstructing her view.
"It's getting chilly inside. Do they provide some sort of a blanket to the passengers?" she asked Roden, having overcome her shyness and inhibition.
"No, no," Roden laughed. "This is a bus, not an airline. If you're not prepared with your own, you're going to freeze . . . unless you happen to be lucky enough to sit with someone who came prepared and is willing to share."
He'd noticed the reduced pressure on his hand and slid it down toward the hem onto bare flesh. She stiffened noticeably but did nothing to stop him. He pushed up underneath until his hand was between her thighs and smiled into her eyes.
"How cold are you anyway?"
Sarah ignored the question. Her lips drew into a thin line. Roden turned on the overhead lamp and stared shamelessly at her breasts. Her nipples stood rigid against the fabric. He turned the lamp off, pulled his pack out from beneath his seat, and unzipped the largest compartment. A thick, fleece blanket puffed out as it was pulled from its restraints.
"Want to share?"