THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION. ALL CHARACTERS ARE LIKEWISE FICTITIOUS, AND OVER THE AGE OF 18. ALL SEXUAL ACTS ARE CONSENSUAL.
ROADSIDE RESCUE
The rain is relentless, my tow truck slogging through a veritable sea of brakelights, holiday traffic backed up until maybe the end of time. It's taken me the better part of an hour to reach you, but there, ahead, your blinkers in the emergency lane. I pull in front of your stranded hybrid, tug on my slicker, and exit the truck, into the cold downpour.
"Took you long enough," is your cheery greeting through the window you've just lowered. For some reason you are soaked, your hair - brown, auburn? - in clumped strands about your neck and shoulders.
"Traffic doesn't part for tow trucks," I murmur.
"What?"
"Never mind. Right front, correct?"
"Yes."
"Spare?"
"No."
"Why are you soaked?" I ask.
"I got out to see if I had a spare."
"I'll apply a patch if I can, otherwise I'll have to tow you somewhere." You raise your window by way of reply.
It's immediately obvious the aerosol patch is not going to inflate the tire. I run my flashlight over as much as I can see, though the location of the puncture is not visible. A tow is inevitable. I suspect this news will not thrill you.
"You can't fix it? You're sure? Fuck."
"I'm sorry."
"So now what?"
"I tow you wherever you want to take the car. Mechanic's, your home, wherever you say."
You swear again. "So much for my party."
"Have you got a raincoat in there?"
"Just a shawl."
"Let me get your side of the seat ready and we'll make a dash for it."
"Fuck." You look up at me. "Guess I said that already."
"Give me a minute."
From behind the console seat of the truck I pull a folded wool army blanket and try to arrange it on the seat. Hopefully it will help keep you warm.
You lower your window again as I approach. "There's a blanket in the seat," I say, trying to keep runoff from my slicker from dripping on you. "I'll help you onto the running board and then the seat."
You watch me as your window slides up, obscuring you. Then you open your door and scoot out, quickly becoming drenched. "Fuck," you half-shout. I grab your hand and lead you toward the truck. "I'm in heels, not so fast!" More than a half-shout.
I help you onto the running board and then into the seat. Your black sequined party dress clings to you and as you climb in, the pale white of your upper thigh and rise of your ass cheek flash. You turn to see if I've caught a glimpse. Did I look away in time? I might be busted. I quickly pull off my poncho and stuff it behind the seat.
I set the signals and raise the front of your car...and...I'm definitely busted, because you sit glaring at me from the far edge of the seat. But you say nothing other than to more or less order me to turn up the heat. I oblige, then slowly ease into this nightmare of traffic.
You're shivering as you drape the blanket over you, teeth chattering. "Does that go any higher?" you ask, jutting your chin at the heater.
"It's on full blast."
"Fuck. I'm freezing. And this thing is too itchy." You yank the blanket off you and stuff it in a pile between us. I tuck it behind your seat, then move over another lane, not that it helps our progress, and listen to your teeth chatter.
"I'm sorry," you say after a while. "I'm usually not this bitchy. Or whiny."
"No worries. This wasn't the evening you had planned."
"No, it certainly fucking wasn't." You look over at me. "I'm not usually this much a potty-mouth either."
"No worries."
"Do you have anything besides that blanket?"
"I wish I did. Sorry." You shiver with a small moan. A long couple minutes pass. The occasional rat-a-tat of your teeth.
"Look," I say. "I don't want to be misunderstood here. But if you want to slide over, I can put my arm around you and maybe it will help warm you." I look you in the eye. "I'm harmless."
"You were staring at my ass."
"I wasn't staring. Anyway, just an offer."
"You won't try anything." Statement, not a question.
"Let's see now," I begin slowly - "I could lose my job, maybe even be arrested. Oh and worst of all, you give me a bad review online."
At least that earns me a giggle. You slowly slide over, watching me all the while. I drape my arm over the top of the seat, and you snuggle part way into me. Then snuggle a bit more.
"Is this helping?" I ask.
"Maybe. Too soon."
I ease over another lane and we crawl, crawl, crawl. There's no sound but the driving rain, the slap of the windshield wipers and the heater. You shiver again and I gently pull you tighter.
We pass under some highway lights and for the first time, your skin is illumined. A gorgeous expanse of chest and cleavage, the perfect swell of what appear to be full, round breasts. But this is not the moment to be caught looking and I stare at the taillights in front of us. We pass under the light and the cabin is dark again.
Until it's not. Another set of highway lights, and now a long, still idle. The tops of your breasts glow like moonlight. I permit myself a glance...they're so beautiful...and you detect the movement of my jaw. You stiffen.
"Look how I'm sitting. You're getting an eyeful, aren't you?" I don't answer.
"I guess it's the least I can do," you sigh. "You have been nice, I have to admit." And then you pick up my hand from around your shoulder and study it, turning it this way and that. "You have nice hands", you say. "Clean. Warm too."
"Thank you."
And with that you let my hand drop, and my fingertips brush your chest, your breastbone. Such soft skin. Neither of us says anything and for maybe the first time I understand the phrase 'charged atmosphere.' For you make no effort to move my fingers, my hand. Your breathing has grown shorter.
OK dude...
Lose your job.
Get arrested.