This story will make more sense if you read
The Siren Scent
first.
Special thanks to several readers for encouraging this sequel.
All characters are over age 18.
The Dancing Harlequin
The young couple instinctively pulled each other tighter as they entered the door to the noisy tavern. "Are you sure we ought to eat here?" the wife asked.
Her husband shrugged uncertainly. "The desk clerk at the motel said it was the best place at this hour of the night."
As they made their way over to a small table off to one side, they were buffeted by loud voices, partially heard tunes from the piano on the far wall and gales of laughter. "What is a Dancing Harlequin, anyway?" the young wife demanded, gesturing at the sign over the bar.
The man shook his head just as the waitress arrived. "What can I get you folks?" she shouted above the ruckus. They settled on the breakfast menu, and the slim young woman hurried away to place their order.
"Did you see her?" the man asked, leaning over the table to be heard. "She had the largest eyes I think I've ever seen."
His wife crossed her arms and glared at him. "Well, I was watching your eyes, and it wasn't her face you were staring at."
His protestations of innocence fell on deaf ears.
Soon the waitress was back with their order, and the wife noted approvingly that this time her husband carefully stared at nothing but his plate. The food was good, they found, and after traveling all day, they were hungry enough to consume it quickly.
Just as they were finishing, a loud bang startled them as the door to the tavern flew open and hit the wall. In swaggered a tall man sporting a large belly and clothes still dusty from the road. As he strode into the tavern, his boots clomped loudly on the floor. "I hope you've got plenty of beer on tap," he hollered, "'cause I've got me a powerful thirst."
The husband noticed that several of the people seated near him turned away, not eager to attract the fellow's attention. But the waitress apparently had no such qualms; she marched up to confront him and said pertly, "If you'll bring the volume down to a low roar, Mister, I'll be glad to fetch you whatever you like."
The man stared at her and blinked. "Well, well, ain't you a pretty little thing? Maybe I'll hold off on that brew and have a big swig of you instead."
She looked around the room as if to engage her audience, then turned back to the brawny fellow. "Sorry, I don't think you're big enough to handle me."
The crowd laughed and the newcomer's tone lost its joviality. "They call me Big Bill, and it ain't because of my height." He grabbed his crotch lewdly and laughed, then put a big paw around the woman's waist and pulled her to him. "So why don't you and me go someplace where I can show it to you?"
Instead of flinching, the waitress stepped even closer, then thrust her hand down onto the man's crotch and squeezed. He howled in pain and staggered backwards. "Just like I thought," she crowed, "that's no sausage, just a cocktail weenie."
The laughter from the crowd erupted again, and now the big man's face turned deep red with anger. "Nobody disrespects Big Bill and gets away with it."
"You're all talk and no action, Little Bill," she taunted. "You've got no game, and you sure as hell don't have . . ." she pointed at his crotch.
The man roared his rage and charged. "Oh my God," the little wife moaned, "he means to kill her!" She turned her face away, so all she heard was a loud crash followed by an "Oooh" from the other patrons. The young woman turned back to see Big Bill lying stunned on his back. The big-eyed waitress was kneeling between his legs, her knee pressed against his groin.
"This has been a lot of fun, Big Bill," she said evenly, "but if you don't want me to mash your balls into a paste, I suggest you leave and don't come back, understand?" To emphasize her point, she pressed down slightly with her knee, producing a deep groan of pain from the big man.
When she eased up, he scrambled backwards, then rolled over and headed for the door. "And don't forget your big cock," she added, "if you can find it." More laughter and applause from the crowd serenaded the man as he rushed out into the night.
The waitress looked around and grinned. "Well, folks, that concludes tonight's entertainment. We'll be closing soon, but you probably have time for one more round before we kick you out."
Her announcement was followed by applause, and a number of patrons moved to the bar for last call. The young married couple, however, tossed some credits on the table and hurried to the front door. "We are definitely going to find another place to eat tomorrow," the wife pronounced, yanking on her husband's arm.
The waitress walked behind the bar and grabbed the red-headed bartender around the waist. "So, husband of mine, you weren't going to defend your wife's honor?"
He hugged her back. "Are you kidding, Lamia? The only question I had was whether that big ox would be able to walk after you finished with him." His grin grew broader. "But seeing you in action got my juices flowing, if you know what I mean. So as soon as we get the place cleaned up, how about you and I . . ." He leaned closer and whispered in her ear.
Her eyes brightened. "We're closed tomorrow -- we can clean up in the morning," she said huskily.
When he awoke the next morning, Colin, her husband, found that Lamia was already awake. She lay on her back, staring at the ceiling pensively. "Is everything alright, Babe?" he asked, pulling her to him.
"Of course," she said quickly, "everything is fine. Why wouldn't it be?" She snuggled closer to him.
"I was just afraid maybe you were unhappy about being stuck on Frontier 4. Life here has to be pretty different from what you had on Salicia. I know it's a lot different from Terra."
She bit his earlobe playfully. "You silly man, the only thing that affects my happiness is being with you." Then a thought crossed her mind and she grew serious. "You're not unhappy, are you?"
He pulled her tighter still. "The last year -- starting a new life with you -- this has been the best year of my life. As long as you're happy, how could I be anything but?"
"Good answer, husband," she growled, and tavern clean-up was once again postponed. And later, after another rousing session between the sheets, if a hint of pensiveness returned to her expression, Colin didn't notice it.
That afternoon, when much of the cleaning was done, Lamia nudged Colin to get his attention. "Don't forget that I'm going over to Alford to see Terri's new baby. They want me to stay for dinner, and if it gets too late, I may spend the night with them. Sure you don't want to come with me? They said they'd love to see you."
"I can't. I really need to stick around here and work on that refrigeration unit. It's been acting erratically, and I'm afraid it's going to conk out on us just when we need it."
