Diner 1

These two people just popped into my head one day. I hope you enjoy reading about them.

*****

'I know, I know. I'm late, alright?'

My boss is angry, pressing his lips together, arms folded, as he watches me burst in the back door, into the kitchen.

'I fucking know. Stop looking at me like that, will you? There was an accident over on San Juan Boulevard, and it was all backed up. C'mon, it's only 10 minutes,' I say, pointing to the clock on the wall. He shakes his big head at me.

'At least tidy your fucking hair up or something. You look like you just got out the shower and I don't want you dripping water all over the customers out there.' He turns and walks out the kitchen.

I roll my eyes at Franco, the cook, who just smiles and looks back down at the oven. He's not a talker. Doesn't have much in the way of English. But the boss is right. My hair is still wet from the shower at the gym, so I walk in back, to the lockers and the mirror, pull my hair away from my face and braid it tightly down my back. Smooth my blouse down, check that I look ok from the back and then I'm out, into the diner.

Sonny raises an eyebrow at me and smiles as I walk past the counter. 'We're gonna be busy - party tonight.'

Oh right, I'd forgotten that. We were opening the little private function room up for someone's - was it birthday? Engagement?

'Am I on the private function tonight or out here?' I ask. My boss juts his chin out at the diner, which I take to mean I'm doing the regular shift out here, with the regular diners. I nod, pick up my pen and pad, slot them into the top of my skirt at the back, and then take stock of who's already in.

It's just a few minutes before the private party starts arriving, and it's chaos, as me and my fellow server Abby try to get them settled in their room at the same time as finding tables for the other diners who are not part of the party but have contrived to arrive at the same time anyway. Confusion reigns.

'You need any help here?' I turn my head towards the voice in my ear. He has shockingly clear, green eyes, long, straight, black hair, stubble.

'No, we're good,' I say, and he smiles a wide smile.

'Ok,' he looks down to the stupid name badge pinned on my blouse, '- Dee. I know you're good, but that wasn't what I was asking.'

I want to be annoyed. I manage to scowl, but at the same time, I feel something alive running up and down my spine.

'You ok?' He's still watching me.

'Someone trampling my grave, I guess,' I say, finding his green gaze unnerving.

'Hey Jim. Over here!'

We both turn our heads and there's a white girl with big teeth waving at Green Eyes - Jim, evidently. He shrugs, turns back to look at me.

'You on all night, here?'

I nod. 'Until closing.'

And then he saunters off, toward the function room. And now, I'm doing the watching, because he sure looks good with those long legs, in jeans and boots.

I settle my new customers in their booths, taking their orders, passing by Sonny with the drinks orders on the way into the kitchen, picking up the drinks on my way back, and delivering them to the tables. It gets busy. I watch the night get dark through the windows. They face west, so the sunset is often pretty spectacular here. I take a sip of my own water. They're only just starting to eat in the function room when Abby comes out, asks me to help her while it's quieter for me out here. It's warm in there. There's maybe twenty five of them in here, all ages. It's a birthday. One of the older women is sitting with balloons tied to her chair and cards all around her place setting. I balance the tray on one hand as I lean in to put some of the drinks down on the table. And suddenly realise I'm leaning right over Green Eyes. I very nearly let the tray go, somehow save it, but not before he's put his hands on me, front and back, to steady me.

'Well. You again,' he smiles.

'Shit,' I hiss under my breath. 'I damn near had these drinks all over you and the table.'

'I know. But look. No-one's seen anything.' He gestures to the rest of the room, and it's true. They are all busy drinking, eating, laughing, taking photos. I set the rest of the drinks on the table, and realise with a jolt that he's still holding onto me.

'Do you like my touch, Dee?'

Truth is, I did. And then dammit it, if he didn't slide his hand down onto my ass and give it a little stroke. I straighten up, and he lets go.

'What time is closing?'

'Ten thirty, eleven. Depends.'

He nods, then, and picks up his drink, takes a sip. There's no reason for me to be standing here with an empty tray, so I take off, back into the main diner.

'He's a looker,' Abby winks at me as I pass her.

'I think he knows that,' I reply, and she laughs. She has two kids already, not that you'd know it to look at her, and a devoted husband. I don't know how we are friends, we have almost nothing in common, but we are. She was kind to me from my first day out here. New job, new place to live as far away from home and from Phoenix as possible, new everything. So I'm grateful to her for showing me genuine friendship. I laugh too, and she winks at me again before disappearing back into the function room.

It's still real warm outside when I step out of the back door for some air, even though it's been dark for at least a couple of hours. I drink from my glass, glad of the quiet. I hear someone crunching out on the gravel, towards where everyone parks. I realise with a jolt that it's Green Eyes, striding over toward a truck, carrying what looks like some boxes, which he slings in the flatbed. I enjoy those long legs again. He turns back toward the diner. I'm still watching, thinking it's dark enough that he won't see me, but I'm mistaken, as I see him halt a little and change course, walking over in my direction now. Of course, the light coming out from the kitchen windows behind me must have made me visible.

'It is you. I thought so.'

'Yup. It's me alright.'

'No mistaking that shape. Or this smell.' He lifts up my braid to his face and smells it. 'Fresh out of the shower. Or at least, it was when I first got here.'

I tip my head back with surprise.

'Don't worry. I'm not here to hurt you.' He smiles. 'But I would like to have some serious fun with you. How about that?'

I open my mouth but no words come out. He is real good to look at. And he smells good too.

'I like the way you smell too, Green Eyes.'

He smiles. 'Jim. Call me Jim.'

'Jim.' I think his hair must be nearly as long as mine. 'I'm Dee.'

'I know that. I can read.' He touches my name badge and then he's squeezing my nipple through my blouse and bra, pulling it a little, circling his fingers around it, then underneath, cupping my breast. I watch him, again lost for words.

'Mmm. I could do that all night,' he says, 'but I need to go back in, make sure my grandparents get home safe. I'll be back, though. Ok?' I nod, dumbly, and with the briefest of touches on my lips, he's gone. I start shivering all over, and go back inside.

'Hey, girl, you alright? You look a little startled.' Abby's there, slinging her purse over her shoulder. 'I gotta go, sweetheart. Dale's birthday tomorrow. There's not much more to do in there - just some clean-up, but they're all about ready to get going. See you Monday.' And she breezes out the door.

Abby's right, there's almost no one left in the diner, and the private party is emptying out. No sign of Jim, but no sign of the birthday girl either, and I put two and two together, and realise that it was his grandmother's birthday party. I'm gathering up all the glasses when my boss comes in.

'I'm outta here early, too, Dee. You can lock up, ok? We'll split the tips up tomorrow.'

'Ok, sure.'

'You did good tonight, Dee. Sorry to come down on you hard earlier. End of a long week.' He shrugs and I smile.

'That's ok. I was late. And not too polite myself.'

He pats my arm, 'You're a good kid,' and takes off.

I clean up, wipe down the tables, straighten the chairs, shove the used napkins in the trash, even give the counter top a wipe down. First Franco, then Sonny, leave me to it. 'No, I'm good here. You go, get out of here back to your guys and girls,' I say to them both, Sonny smiling because he knows he's going home to his guy, but out of all the staff here, only I know that. It's a secret that I keep for him. He kisses me on the cheek as he's picking up his car keys from the bar.

'One day you're going to get me into trouble saying it like that.'

I laugh. But then as soon as he's out the back door, he's back inside, with Jim standing just behind him.

'Hey, Dee, this guy's out here, says he's waiting on you.'

I feel myself going red from head to toe. 'Uh-huh.' I look at Jim, who looks straight back at me, unflinching and bold. He's come back to get me.

'Is that ok with you, Dee? I'm not leaving you here alone if this isn't what you want.' Sonny's face is serious.

'Uh, no. That's ok. I'm good,' I reassure him.

'If you're sure.'

'I'm sure.' Sonny leaves, giving Jim a warning look. 'Be good to her,' he says. Jim raises his arms out to his sides, palms up. 'I will.' Then looks at me.

'You about done here, or you need some help?'

I duck my head. 'No. I'm done, just finishing up. Give me a minute, and I'll be ready.'

Ready for what, I ask myself, as I retrieve my bag from my locker, pee, wash my hands, look at myself in the mirror. I don't know what I think I am doing. I don't know this guy. And I don't make a habit of meeting guys alone at the end of my shift in this diner on the edge of town. Far from it. My palms feel sweaty. I smooth down my skirt one last time and step out into the corridor. He's waiting for me there.

'Wondered if you were having second thoughts?'

I shake my head. 'No. But I don't make a habit of this. Whatever this is.'

'I don't neither. But I like the look of you, for sure. And the smell.' He reaches out and grabs a handful of my hair, holds it up to his face again. And then he's kissing me, hard on my mouth. He bites my lip.

'Ouch.' I pull away.

'You don't like that? You liked this, earlier.' And he's pinching my nipple. I lean in to kiss him and bite on his lip. I feel him smiling, and keep on kissing, deeper in. He pushes me until I'm backed up against the wall, still pulling and tweaking my nipple. I'm aching for him to stop and move to the other breast, it's so sensitive, but when I wriggle underneath him, he crushes me harder up against the wall. It's harder to breathe like this, but I want it. I feel him pulling at the hairband in my hair, so I reach up to help him, flipping my fingers to loosen the braid. 'Better,' he grunts, taking hold of both my wrists and holding them above my head as my hair falls loose. He continues to hold me like this, arms trapped above me, to kiss me some more. I'm straining upwards, standing on the balls of my feet, to meet his lips. He adjusts his grip on my wrists, and one of his hands smooths down my back, down to my waist, where my shirt is riding up above the waistband of my skirt. I shiver when his hand touches my bare skin.

'No. Not here. Let's get out of here.'

He lets me go and I drop my arms down. He takes my hand.

'Ok. Let's go,' he says.

I fumble around with the alarm, then the keys, my hands are shaking but I'm trying not to show it.

'Are you ok?' he asks me, as the keys drop out of my grip and onto the ground. I laugh nervously. 'Hey, I'm not here to hurt you. I was being honest about that, earlier.'

We bump heads, both reaching for the damn keys at the same time. We both laugh now.

'Is that your car, over there?' He points to my beat-up Honda.

I nod.

'Shit. That is tiny. I'll never get in that! C'mon,' he's striding over to the truck. 'There's a lot more room in here.'

I follow. But before he unlocks the door he's turned around, standing there watching me walk across the parking lot. Aside from the sounds of the highway in the distance, and a dog barking somewhere over by the school, it's quiet, and the crunching of the gravel sounds real loud. I draw up in front of him and he grabs my hands, pulling me close.

'Let me touch you', his voice low. And his hands are pushing and sweeping all over - my shoulders, back, waist, breasts, hair. He grabs handfuls of it to pull me closer, and kisses me hard again. I reach up to touch his face and into his hair. It's real thick and strong. It gets tangled around my fingers and I pull harder than I meant to trying to get them out, and he groans. I start to apologise and then re-think, as his grip tightens and his kisses go deeper. I pull at his hair again, and get the same response. So now I get it, and I too, take handfuls of his hair and pull on it.

'You're a quick learner,' he grins at me. I look away, push away. 'Hey, I'm only teasing. What? You're shy?'

'I don't make a habit of this ...'

'But - you've done this before, right? Have you?' Tipping my chin up to make me look at him. 'This isn't your first -?'

'No', I cut him off. 'No. But it wasn't like this.'

'Oh?'

'No. Nothing like this.'

He holds my look for a second, then kisses me lightly on my lips. 'Not like this,' he asks? I shake my head. 'Or this?', as he bites my lower lip, more gently this time. I shake my head again. 'Or this?' He runs his tongue down the side of my neck? I shiver.

'No. Nothing like this.'

'This?' He pushes his hand up inside my blouse, presses the flat of his hand on my belly. I shake my head again, feeling his hand pressing up underneath my breast. I'm breathing harder now, wanting him. My blouse is too tight for him to get any further. I sigh.

I reach up again, feel his hair down to his back, find my hands on his hips, holding on to his jeans. His hand is back on my belly and then pushes down further, curving it around me, holding me. I hum, close my eyes, lean into him. 'You like that?' he whispers into my neck, and I nod. His hand slips further in-between my legs, and I jump backwards. Surprised by my reaction, I giggle nervously. 'Sorry.' He swings us around so I have my back to the truck now, and we kiss some more, him pushing into me so that, for the first time, I get an idea of just exactly how he's feeling about me. I surprise myself by wanting to touch him, and wriggle my hands down to find him, hot and hard behind that denim. He grunts, which makes me think I must be doing something right. After a while, he moves back, takes my wrists in one of his hands again, and holds them over my head and with his other hand, begins to undo the buttons on my blouse. He drops down to kiss the flesh between my breasts, and I am amazed at how good this feels.

But - 'Not here,' as he undoes another button. And just then, headlights sweep over the parking lot. 'Shit. Fuck. No.' I grab at my blouse, but he's covering me with his body. The lights move on, someone just using the front lot to turn around.

I'm fiddling with the buttons, trying to do them up again.

'You really are shy,' he says, helping me. 'How? With a body like yours.' He reaches round to unlock the door. 'Come on, Dee, get in. You're right, we should go somewhere better than this.'

I get in, slide across the old bench seat, and he gets in after me, grimacing and having to adjust himself in his jeans. He sticks the key in the ignition and the truck rumbles into life.

'This your truck?'

He nods, puts his arm across the seat to see out of the rear windscreen to back out and around the lot, onto the street. He leaves his arm there as he drives, resting around my shoulders. I look at him as the street lights pass over his face.

'Are you Navajo?' I ask.

'Mostly,' he replies. 'You?'

'Some. On my mom's side.'

'Thought so.' He nods his head.

'Where are you taking me?'

'Somewhere I know that's quiet and beautiful. Like you.'

I smile, and look out the window for the rest of the ride.

We've climbed a little, up onto the mesa. It is beautiful. Wide, high sky, with the first stars just coming out. I love it out here. It's clean and wild, nothing like the city. I wind down my window and hold my head outside, my hair blowing out as we drive along. I shake it, enjoying the feeling of the air over my face and on my scalp. And then we stop. We're at the top of an overlook. He switches the headlights off.

'Look at that,' I say.

'It sure is beautiful, but I'd rather look at you.' He's holding me again, undoing my blouse again, dragging a finger along my collarbone. I do feel shy, now he's pushing the blouse off my shoulders. He seems to sense this. Stops.

'You are shy. Don't you want me to look at you?' He's feathering his hands around my ribs, underneath where my bra sits, which tickles like crazy, but emboldens me. I reach around and undo the clasps, watch his eyes widen as the bra drops away. It's strapless, I couldn't find any of the others when I'd dressed for work. I can hear him breathing, and then feel it, as he closes his mouth around one of my nipples. I jump again, and squeak and then giggle. I feel him smile up against my breast, and feel as much as hear him say; 'You like this?' I hold his head, right there, keeping him in place. I love the noise he's making as he licks and kisses and bites on me. I pull a length of his hair again, and am rewarded with a grunt, and a harder bite. He shares this treatment out between each breast, back and forth. I realise I'm practically lying flat on the bench seat now, and I can feel some of his weight on me, his hair draped over us both. He raises up some. 'It's warm enough to be outside. More room for us.' He's holding my bra in one hand, hooks it over the back of the seat, and then sits up, reaches over the back of the seat and starts pulling blankets and a quilt out. I watch him, and he turns back to look at me, sees my puzzled look.

'I sleep outside sometimes.'

'Really?'

He shrugs. 'Yup'

'On the ground?' I ask.

'Sometimes. I use the back of the truck too,' and he gestures to the flatbed.

'Here?' I ask, looking at the way his body is moving so purposefully and gracefully as he piles the blankets up.

'Sometimes,' he says, glancing out of the window.

I lie there, wondering about that, when he interrupts me; 'C'mon, let's go lie down, look at the stars for a bit.' And then he's reaching back over me, opening the glove compartment and digging around in there after something. He bends a bit further, I watch his lean body straining and stretching from his waist to reach deep into the compartment, and I reach out to stroke a hand down his side, and round to his back where his shirt is tucked in, which causes him to stop and lean down to give me a light kiss. And then he finds what he was after, pulls out a brightly coloured packet, new, still in its cellophane wrapper.

'These are just in case.' He holds the box in front of me so I can see. 'We don't have to be doing anything you're not sure of.' He kisses me again, quickly and then is sliding backwards out of his side of the truck, grabbing the blankets as he goes. I sit up, pull my blouse closed again, regard my bra draped over the seat, and decide to leave it there. And then slide all the way over to his side of the truck, and jump down onto the ground. He's busy laying the blankets out a few feet away and I walk over to him, watching him squatting down in those jeans, arranging them how he wants, checking for stones underneath by kneeling over and patting and smoothing his hands over the wool.

'Are you checking me out?' he's turned his head and is laughing.

My hand covers my mouth, I'm caught out, and the other still holds my blouse closed. 'Ok, let's try this for comfort,' he says, indicating the bed of blankets, so I walk over and kneel upright in front of him.

'You have amazing hair,' I say, reaching up to stroke it.