Ryan and Kallie were following the coast down from New England to visit old friends in Georgia. They'd been fighting a blinding rain storm for hours and they were sick of it. When Ryan saw the neon sign proclaiming "Piney Green Lodge, Vacancy" against the blue-grey North Carolina sky, he tapped Kallie's leg, she nodded enthusiastically and they pulled in.
The motel was a small independent, the kind they usually preferred if it was clean. It was single story with a nice covered portico and wooden benches to sit outside the rooms to watch the rain or cool off.
They unloaded their gear and took it into the room. Their next door neighbor was propped against his open door frame in faded jeans, white socks with no shirt. He was lean, muscular and tanned with a high and tight military haircut. Ryan had noticed a turn-off for Camp Lejeune on the way in, so it was fair to say the guy was a Marine. He nodded at Ryan, but saved most of his non-verbal greeting for Kallie, looking her up and down with an easy smile. Kallie smiled nervously, but quickly averted her gaze and hurried into the room.
Once they got their stuff stowed away in the room, Ryan walked out the door and looked at the bike. He normally gave the bike a once-over when they got settled, but with the rain still pouring down he would wait until morning.
"Nice bike. Where y'all from?" the Marine asked.
"California...San Jose. Name's Ryan," he said extending his hand.
"Scully, they call me," shaking hands. "How long y'all stayin'?"
"Hopefully, only tonight. We're waiting out this storm for today, then hope to ride into Charleston tomorrow."
"Good luck with that. I've been here three days waitin' on my brother to fetch me, and it's been pouring piss out of a boot the whole time."
"Well, maybe we'll get a lull in the morning and we can get out of it. The TV was showing it clear down in Savannah and it's headed kind of north so it might work out."
*.*.*
The motel was clean and comfortable except there was no air conditioning. They left the door and window open to let in some air and flopped down on the bed propped up with pillows to watch TV. After a promising weather update, Ryan started to doze off. He woke with a start not knowing how long he had slept, but it was dark out and Kallie was nowhere in sight. The bathroom door was open, but she wasn't in there.
He heard voices softly against the background of rain outside the door, and Kallie's little laugh. He figured she was outside trying to cool off and talking to someone doing the same. He was a little dopey from the nap, but heard more gentle laughing and snatches of whispered conversation. "No..." she protested softly. "I don't think so..." "Maybe..." "I'm married." "The door's wide open, you know." "This isn't such a good idea." "Damn...you could put someone's eye out with that." Two people laughing. "No...Scully...stop. Nothing's going to happen." Seconds later, Kallie came into the room and shut the door. He shut his eyes as she looked over at him, then she went into the bathroom.
With the rain and Kallie's attempts to keep things quiet he didn't hear the conversation very well, but well enough to know Scully was trying to put the make on her already. She hadn't made much of an effort to shut him down until the end. She'd always been a flirt, and occasionally got in a little over her head. Ryan was careful not to let it go too far anymore. Kallie walked out of the bathroom wearing a white satin camisole and blue flowered pajama bottoms.
"Cleaning out that not so fresh feeling?"
"What's that supposed to mean? I thought you were asleep."
"Apparently so. It was starting to sound like old times out there."
"How many times do I have to tell you, Ryan. Nothing happened that night. We were all drinking. You fell asleep and David and I just talked."
"Yea, he was talking with his hands, but I couldn't tell what he was saying with them under your blouse."
"Nothing happened. Let it go, Ryan."
She dropped into a chair and propped her feet on the edge of the little table in one motion. He watched her firm breasts sway gently as she absent-mindedly filed her nails. He smiled to himself.
*-*-*
A sharp knock pulled him out of his reverie. He looked around surprised until he noticed the adjoining door to the other room. Ryan opened the door cautiously.
"Just me," grinned Scully on the other side, meeting his gaze then taking in an unhurried eyeful of Kallie who didn't even look up.
"Since we're all stuck here, I was wondering if y'all would like to share a pizza with me?"
"You have pizza?" Kallie jumped up, her nipples scribing erratic designs on the inside of her top.
"Well, no, but we could order one up." They all suggested their favorite toppings and Kallie phoned it in. Scully went back to his room to get some beer, and passed them out when he returned. He sat in the only other chair at the small table with Kallie. Ryan flopped back on the bed propped up with pillows against the headboard, TV clicker in hand. Kallie and Scully exchanged small talk while Ryan flipped through the channels.
"He always does that. Drives me nuts," Kallie stage whispered to Scully who laughed touching her arm briefly in a friendly gesture.
A knock at the door announced the pizza. Kallie jumped up, grabbed some money from the top of the dresser, giving the driver a $5 tip and a playful shake of her boobs. Scully laughed again. She kicked the door shut while the guys sat there watching her. "I ordered it. I paid for it. I get to eat it. You guys can get a candy bar from the machine."
Scully grabbed for the pizzas and wrestled Kallie for them briefly. He gave up and put his arm around her shoulder. "Fair fight, but I'm still hungry so you have to share."
"OK, but it will cost you a couple more beers if you still have any over there."
"I got plenty. Be right back."
Kallie watched his ass in the tight jeans as he left, then looked over at Ryan who had an expression she couldn't quite read. "What?" she demanded.
"Nothing. We seem to have become such good friends."
"Why not? We're stuck here. Besides, they're all friendly in the South. Don't be a poop." They looked away from each other as Scully came back into the room. "What'd I miss? Someone die?" he said lightheartedly.
"No. Nothing. Let's eat."
Kallie and Scully sat in the rickety chairs. They pulled the table over closer to the bed and Ryan sat on the edge of the mattress. The conversation was light and friendly. Tomorrow's weather. Who they are visiting in Charleston. What Scully is going to do now that he's out of the Marines. When will his brother show up and take him home.
A few times, Kallie felt Scully's bare foot on hers. The first time, she jerked it away in surprise almost upsetting the drinks on the wobbly little table. Ryan looked at her sharply, and she looked away blushing a little. "I'm such a klutz sometimes," she offered. "Sorry."
The next time his foot touched, she closed her eyes briefly. And the next time, she casually turned away so he couldn't reach her foot anymore. Ryan was a little puzzled by her fleeting expressions, but knew she was a lightweight when it came to drinking and she was on her second one.
While Kallie and Scully got into an animated discussion about politics, Ryan excused himself to go to the bathroom. Two tours in Iraq with the Army left him unable to take sidesβall politicians were crooks and liars.
"I thought he'd never leave," Scully said with a wink grabbing her hand.
"You're bad," she laughed, but enjoyed the feel of his hand on hers. "Nothing's going to happen..."
"You don't sound so sure anymore."