Jeepers Creepers

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After getting stuck with my two wheel drive pickup three times in less than nine months I decided it was time to upgrade. Besides, the Nissan was eight years old, although it had less than seventy thousand miles on it as I also have a Mini Cooper. I mostly use the truck for working Habitat and construction sites are often rough, especially here in the mountains. Two of the times I'd gotten stuck were at different Habitat build sites.

I'm more of a buyer than shopper. I knew I wanted a mid-size truck, even though nowadays they're the size of the full size trucks of my youth. I'd admired the Jeep Gladiator when it came out back around 2021, so I decided to check it out. Half an hour later I parked the Nissan at the dealership and was immediately greeted by a young salesman. After a short test drive, an hour's worth of negotiating, and another hour waiting for the truck to get prepped, I was headed home in my new Jeep.

The next Wednesday I took it to the current Habitat site. One of the other volunteers drives a four door Wrangler, and after she admired my Gladiator we chatted about Jeeps whenever we were working near one another. She suggested I check out the local Mountain High Jeep Club which she said had monthly meetings and planned off-road drives, as well as attending the occasional Jeep rally.

An introvert, I'm not big on joining clubs and stuff but I've also never actually gone off-roading. Besides, I don't meet many people as I tend to stay to myself until I'm comfortable. I do belong to a British car club and have a number of acquaintances there, although none live very close to me. And the few women who participate are all married, most riding passenger with their husbands.

So I found the club's posting on social media and the VP posted a welcome and some details on becoming an Annual Member. Some of the rides and events they held were member only, so I PM'd her and asked for more details. She replied a day or two later. With dues of only $40 per year, which covered everyone in the household (no benefit for me), it seemed reasonable. I decided to sign up and see how things went the first year and then decide on renewing or not.

A few weeks later the club held it's monthly meeting at a burger joint near me. It was on a Tuesday night to avoid the tourist crowds in the town where we would meet. As suggested, I arrived an hour before the meeting to find parking and get some dinner. Once I found the suggested parking lot I pulled into a space next to a bright red two door Wrangler. My Granite Crystal Gladiator contrasted nicely.

As I got out of the Jeep I realized the Wrangler was occupied. A few moments later a woman climbed out of it and said "Hi! Are you new?"

"Yes, in fact I have to find Bonnie and give her my application. This is my first time attending - this is only about six weeks old," I said, pointing to my Jeep.

"I'll introduce you to Bonnie when we go into the restaurant. I'm Peg, by the way, but most people call me Pixie."

"Very nice to meet you, Pixie. I'm Tucker. And I'm new to Jeeps and the whole scene. I did have a '92 Cherokee about twenty years ago but I lived in Florida then and there weren't any off-road trails around. I only put it in 4WD once on the test drive to make sure it worked. This may be sacrilege but I haven't decided whether I'll take this one onto the trails. Certainly not until it's broken in a bit more. Too shiny to scratch right now," I grinned.

"I love the way these look but I really don't have any need for a truck. My Wrangler is more agile off-road although we have several of these in the club and they do just fine on the trails," she said.

When we got into the restaurant Pixie asked, "Are you planning to eat here?"

'Yes, I've never eaten here so I figured I'd try it out," I replied.

"It's pretty good if you like burgers. Shall we get a table together?"

I'd noticed she wasn't wearing anything on her left ring finger but I had no idea if she was single, involved, or whatever. She looked to be in her late 50s or early 60s, petite with a nice figure and a pleasant face that lit up when she smiled. "I'd love that," I told her. "To be honest, I'm a bit of an introvert so it's difficult for me to meet people."

Pixie laughed and said "Welcome to the clubs - I'm in both the Jeep and the introvert ones myself so I can relate! Having something in common like the Jeeps makes for an easy ice breaker."

The hostess seated us at a two-top and we both took a couple of minutes to review the menu. When the waiter arrived we both ordered burgers, hers with fries and mine with onion rings. We also both ordered a beer. Then we began the 'get to know you' small talk. We discovered we lived less than ten miles from one another, she in a rental unit with a roommate named Cindy and I alone in my cabin in the woods.

When she spotted Bonnie Pixie called her over and introduced her to me. I stood, shook her hand, and handed her my application and the membership fee. She glanced it over and said, "Welcome to the club! Follow me to the table up front and I'll give you your badge."

It wasn't long before the meeting began. Each of the new members, including me, were asked to stand and introduce ourselves, including the year, model, and color of our Jeep. We were also encouraged to briefly describe our Jeep and off-road experience - easy for me as I had none.

Then the President, who turned out to be Bonnie's husband, covered some old business, club updates, and upcoming rallies, some as far as three hours away.

Much like the motorcycle club I belonged to in Florida where we had Road Captains who planned and led rides, this club has Trail Captains who do the same. There were two trail rides planned for this month and the two Captains each described them. For the benefit of newbies like me they gave a trail rating, from easy to very challenging. Both of this month's rides were rated Medium in difficulty.

By the end of the meeting Pixie and I seemed to be comfortable with one another. I was certainly not only comfortable but also interested. She'd told me she was single with no prospects on the horizon. That was understandable as she and I appeared to be the only two at the meeting who were over fifty. And the vast majority were obviously couples, mostly married and many with children.

As the meeting broke up people quickly began leaving, most likely because they had to work the following day. I'd learned that Pixie worked in a dental office in town and she knew I was retired but had Habitat the next day. "Interested in a nightcap before we head home," she asked.

"Well, it's been almost two hours since our earlier beers so they should be metabolized by now. Personally I'm not much of a beer guy but I could go for a scotch - just one since we're driving," I said.

"Agreed. I'm very careful about driving after drinking but I think one will be okay," she said.

I waved for our waiter and ordered a Johnny Walker, neat. Pixie asked for a vodka tonic in a tall glass, which would dilute the vodka more. I instructed the waiter to put both drinks on my tab.

"Oh, no, you don't have to do that!" Pixie objected.

"You've been very helpful breaking the ice for me and making me comfortable with both dinner and the club stuff. Least I can do," I insisted.

"Well, okay. So, do you plan to go on either of the upcoming rides? I've done both trails and I'd put them between Easy and Medium," she said.

"I don't know. I barely know how to engage 4WD and would have no idea if I should be in 4 high or low."

"How about this. Why don't you ride along with me? I can explain what I'm doing and why so you have a better idea what's needed off-road," she offered. "I've been in the club nearly three years, so I've been on lots of trail rides."

"Pixie, that would be fantastic! If you're serious I will absolutely take you up on it," I declared.

"Done deal, but with one catch. I would love to see your cabin so you'll have to give me the address so I can pick you up," she grinned.

"You got it," I replied. "If you'll give me your cell number I'll text it to you."

She rattled off her number as I created a new contact in my phone. "I'll text it to you as soon as I get home," I promised.

We finished our drinks while chatting about the modifications she'd made to her three-year old Wrangler and any plans I had for mine. I told her I wasn't much of a mod guy so we'd have to see. Perhaps participating in club events would lead to me seeing mods on other's Jeeps that appealed to me as well.

I walked Pixie out to our cars and when we got there I reached out to shake her hand, but she had other ideas. She stepped up to me and gave me a nice hug which I returned. "Thanks again for everything, Pix," I told her.

She grinned and said "Only special people are allowed to call me Pix. It fits you. Night!" Then she climbed into her Wrangler and waved as she started it. I did the same and followed her out of the parking lot. She turned right for the shortest route to her home and I went left. Despite taking different routes we'd actually both be heading in the same direction after we each took our next turns.

As soon as I got home I texted my address to her, once again thanking her for everything. I immediately saw the little bubbles that meant she was typing a reply. A moment later I saw 'YVW. I had a great time tonight. See you Saturday!" I sent back a thumbs up emoji.

It wasn't quite nine o'clock yet and since I was home I poured myself another scotch. I sat on the sofa, sipping my drink and thinking about the evening. Pixie had surprised me with the hug, and for a second I had thought she might kiss my cheek as well. For a self-declared introvert she was pretty outgoing with me. While introvert doesn't mean shy, many often are, including myself. But we definitely hit it off. I wondered how things would go on Saturday.

Friday evening Pixie texted me, suggesting she pick me up at eight the next morning. I replied that I would be ready as soon as she gets here. Now it was her turn for the thumbs up icon. I set the alarm for six and went to bed by ten, sleeping soundly.

The next morning I dressed in cargo shorts, a t-shirt, and hiking shoes, just in case we had to get out and push or something. A few minutes before eight I heard the alert from my security cameras and looked out the window to see Pixie pulling her Jeep up my drive and around the circle. I grabbed a hat since my bald head easily gets sunburned. The definition of torture is taking a shower with a sunburned, bald head. Pixie had the tops off her Wrangler so the sun would be shining down on us throughout the ride, unless the forest canopy was thick enough to block it.

I walked out and locked the door behind me then climbed into the passenger seat of her Jeep. "I assume we need to leave so the cabin tour will have to wait until you bring me back home," I said.

"Right you are! But before we leave, c'mere," she replied, leaning over the console to give me a bit of a side hug. I hugged her back and said, "Thanks again. I really appreciate this. And this is just a small token," I said as I revealed the little rubber duck in my hand.

There is a tradition in the Jeep world of giving other Jeeps rubber ducks, known as Duck, Duck, Jeep or just Ducking. It was started by a Canadian woman after she had a confrontation with a stranger in a gas station. She had to call upon a friend to 'rescue' her and as a thanks she bought a bag of rubber ducks and hid them around his house. She also put one on a Jeep in the store's parking lot, with a note 'Nice Jeep'.

Friends heard about it and encouraged her to post on social media. She did, explaining that the idea was all about random acts of kindness. It's normally done anonymously but I couldn't think of any way to do that to Pixie so I just gave it to her. She laughed, took it, and added it to the collection of at least twenty already adorning her dashboard before shifting into gear and heading down the driveway.

As we drove to the meeting point for the ride, Pixie explained what we were in for. "As I said Tuesday, this is really between Easy and Medium. We will only be using 4High. You probably know that 4Low is limited to about ten miles per hour. There's nothing on this trail that requires that. But there are a couple of off-shoot trails that are much more difficult. I'll point them out to you as we approach."

"Sounds good," I said.

The morning passed pleasantly, with great weather, good company, and a fun experience. Pixie handled her Jeep skillfully. We followed about eight other Jeeps with another fourteen or so following us. Pixie was careful to leave an appropriate gap between the Jeep in front of us and the one following did the same.

At about eleven a.m. we reached the end of the trail and returned to paved roads. There was a nearby restaurant where those who wished could stop for lunch and talk about the ride, but Pixie suggested we skip it.

"To be honest, I've been to that place several times and each time I was disappointed. If the food was good the service was slow, or the food would be under or over-cooked while the service was okay. What would you think about going into Cleveland and having lunch at Clyde's Tavern?"

"That works for me, but I'll warn you, lunch is on me. I insist as it's the least I can do for you chauffeuring me around and giving me all those tips and pointers about trail riding," I told her.

"But that's what the duck was for, wasn't it?" she said, grinning.

"So sue me, i'm overly generous," I grinned back.

Once again the conversation at lunch went smoothly, both at ease with the other. We talked about the ride, discussed the next one on which I would, again, be her passenger, and her plans for eventual retirement. I learned she was sixty-two, eight years my junior. She planned to work another three years so she would be eligible for Medicare once she lost her group insurance. She enjoyed her job, even though it paid 'just okay' in her words. Her co-workers were all female which was another reason she hadn't had much luck dating. I could relate.

I told her about my British car club and the upcoming ride that group was having. That ride would start in Murphy, NC and go to Tellico Plains for lunch. Those who so wished could then drive the Cherohala Skyway to Robbinsville, NC and then find their way home.

"Sounds great! Obviously you won't take the Gladiator, will you?"

"No, my other car is a 2019 Mini Cooper S John Cooper Works. I do have two classic British cars - a '93 Mini Cooper and a '58 Morris Minor Tourer. But both are works in progress and need wiring work," I explained. "So would you like to join me?"

"Absolutely! That's next Saturday, right?"

"Yes. We'll have to leave around 8 to make it to the starting point on time. Where should we meet?" I asked.

"Why don't you pick me up at my place? I'm in Sautee and I imagine you'll be heading to the Richard B. Russell to go through Blairsville and the Murphy Highway, right?"

"Exactly. Takes about an hour twenty and departure time from the Hot Spot is ten a.m., although that club is almost always late leaving."

"Believe it or not, I've never ridden the Cherohala," she admitted.

"It's beautiful, particularly when the leaves are turning. We're a bit early for that but the views are still great. I've ridden it on motorcycles as well as cars. I've also done the Tail of the Dragon on three different motorcycles, my GTI, and the current Mini."

"We'll have to plan on doing that as well. I've always wanted to," she said.

When we finished lunch she drove us back to my cabin where I showed her around. She loved the knotty pine walls and floors and the overall 'cabiny' feel of the place. As we came down the stairs from the loft, the end of our tour, she stopped me in the living room. Face to face, holding my hands, she looked up into my eyes and said, "Are you going to kiss me or do I have to get things started?"

I wrapped my arms around Pixie, leaned down, and pressed my lips to hers. Her lips were soft, warm, and inviting, and I tasted something citrusy. As I pulled back she resisted, pressing her lips back onto mine. In a moment I felt the tip of her tongue run across mine. I parted them and she darted in, searching for and quickly finding my tongue. We frenched for what seemed to be two or three minutes before she finally withdrew.

"What brought that on," I asked.

"At your age I figured we didn't have time to waste," she kidded, grinning broadly. "Are you okay with it?"

"Very much, just a bit surprised as we've only been together twice since meeting," I said.

"I know, but I also know I was very comfortable with you before we even finished eating before the club meeting. I had hoped my hugs would send the message but you didn't seem to be catching on so I thought I'd speed things up a bit."

That week we texted several times every day, met for lunch twice and dinner once, and phoned whenever we could. Saturday morning I picked her up at eight and we did the car club ride in my Mini. She enjoyed the ride to the Tellicafe and lunch there but truly enjoyed the Cherohala Skyway. We stopped at every scenic overlook and she took photos at each one.

It was dinner time when we arrived back home. "Let's grab a pizza from the Nacoochee Tavern and take it back to your place," she suggested.

"Sounds good. We're about twenty minutes out. Why don't you give them a call and place our order. Hopefully it will be ready when we get there, or very soon after," I replied.

After picking the pie up we drove to my cabin. "Is the pizza still warm enough or should I heat it up some?" I asked.

"Feels pretty hot to me," she said, as she grabbed plates, knives, and forks while I fixed each of us a drink. I'd stocked vodka and tonic and had lime juice in the fridge. I set them at the table and we sat and dug in. When we finished I put all the dishes and silverware in the dishwasher and the left over pizza in the fridge.

"Is it okay to use the master bathroom?" Pixie asked.

"Of course. Make yourself at home."

After what seemed like a long time I heard the pocket door to the bathroom slide open. I turned to watch as she emerged from the bedroom. The shorts and blouse she'd been wearing all day were missing and she came into the living room barefooted, wearing one of my button down shirts. it reached halfway down her thighs.

I stood up to meet her and opened my arms to hug her. She wrapped her arms around me and we met for a deep, french kiss. I felt no bra strap on her back and when I slid my hands over her ass cheek I was almost certain she wore either a thong or no panties at all.

"Critical question - how long does it take those little blue pills to take effect?" she said.

"No idea. I've never needed them."

She smiled then broke away and, taking my hand, led me into the bedroom. I noticed the quilt had been folded all the way down and the top sheet pulled part way. She sat me down on the bed then dropped to the floor to remove my shoes and socks. Standing, she pulled me up and pulled my t-shirt over my head and off my arms. Then she unbuckled my belt and unbuttoned my jeans.

She struggled a bit unzipping my fly, because the raging hard-on she'd caused stretched the fabric. Finally getting it down, she managed to lower my jeans to the floor, where I lifted first one then the other foot so she could slide them off. I stood there in nothing but my boxer briefs, which were tented out by my cock.

I reached out and began unbuttoning my shirt she was wearing. As I reached her waist I could see that my earlier thought was correct - she wore no bra although I was certain she'd had one on earlier in the day. When I finished all the buttons and slipped the shirt off her arms I saw that she had also removed whatever panties she'd worn. Pixie stood before me fully naked.