Cassie climbed down from the rig and looked around. The driver, a man old enough to be her father, had stopped in Snyder, Texas for gas and to catch some sleep. He had picked her up in Albuquerque, and they had both enjoyed the company along the big expanse of desert highway. He had told Cassie she reminded him of his daughter, and he worried that she wouldn't be safe with another driver. Cassie had simply smiled at his comments and allowed him to feel as though he had somehow saved her from the clutches of some other truck driver.
Cassie blew the old man a kiss and gave him a wave before she hefted her canvas bag over her shoulder and made her way to the restaurant. The old man had plenty of snacks in the truck, but Cassie was starved for something hot and filling. They had driven straight through from Albuquerque, and her stomach was noisily telling her it was neglected.
Cassie walked into the restaurant and took a look around. As is typical of any small town truck stop, all eyes looked up at her when she walked in. The place wasn't crowded, though the crowd was mostly men. There were a couple of female waitresses, and in the back Cassie could see two women sharing a booth – one was obvious a trucker, the other probably had a more notorious profession. Cassie smiled to herself as she spotted a booth in the middle of the restaurant and headed towards it. She knew she was being sized up as she walked, and she put an extra wiggle into her walk.
It was hot in New Mexico and Texas this time of year, so Cassie had worn short denim skirt that clung to her hips and showed off her long legs to perfection. The white tank top fit like a second skin over her full breasts, and she was completely aware that the areola were faintly visible to anyone who cared to look closely. Her auburn curls hung down her back and framed her face, complimenting her big, blue eyes. The sandals that she wore showed off feet that were small and well pedicured – amazing for one who spent her entire time on the road.
When she got to the booth, Cassie slid in, leaving space for anyone who cared to join her. She smiled at several men, some of whom smiled back. When the waitress appeared, her glance at Cassie left no doubt that she believed Cassie was simply nothing more than a truck stop whore on the prowl. Cassie blushed slightly, and wanted to tell the waitress that she was not one of these women who bilked the truckers out of money for hand jobs. But she knew the waitress wouldn't care one way or the other, so Cassie shrugged her shoulders, and gave her order to the girl.
As she waited for her food, Cassie busied herself by looking out the window and wondering just what kind of place Snyder, Texas was. It was west Texas, yes. Lots of desert. Small, too, very small. She wondered if the only thing to the town was what they had passed on the interstate – a few gas stations, a couple of stores, and more bars than anything else. Or were they still called "honkytonks" here? Cassie shrugged her shoulders as her food arrived, and dug into it.
When she was finished, Cassie looked around and noticed that most of the restaurant had emptied out. There was still one old man sitting at the counter nursing a cup of coffee, and another, younger man, reading through a newspaper. The waitresses leaned behind the counter no doubt sharing whatever gossip this tiny burg could come up with. Cassie placed her money for the bill on the table and collected her bag.
She walked out and into the Texas twilight. Evening was coming on fast, and Cassie had no idea what she would do. There were only three rigs still in the truck stop, and no one around. She didn't remember seeing a motel on her way through town, and with the sun going down, her chances of finding a ride became slim.
A breeze picked up with the setting sun, and Cassie shivered slightly. Rummaging through her bag, she found a sweater and quickly pulled it over her head. Although it was bulky and a couple sizes too big for her, it somehow made her look like a cute little waif. Well, as little as 5'6" could look. Cassie slung her bag over her shoulder, and walked to the main road. There wasn't much traffic, and what little there was slowed to look at her in such a way that she knew they were locals trying to figure out who she was and what she was doing there. No, she would have to walk towards the highway, and get away from the locals, maybe hitch a ride with some one passing through or another trucker who didn't make the stop into Snyder.
The area she walked to was rather remote. There were a few industrial buildings, but Cassie didn't see any activity. The thought crossed her mind that she might be out there quite a while, maybe all night, and fear began to creep into her mind. What if there was some one in those buildings? Some one who wasn't at all friendly? As the sun set below the horizon and the sky turned darker blue, Cassie began to wonder if she considered her predicament as fully as she should. She knew she was still naïve, but she had always been okay before. Now she wasn't so sure.
She waited for hours, looking up at the black sky sprinkled with stars, and feeling the cool breeze blow across the desert. Her legs were cold, but she huddled into the sweater, and tried to take her mind off of the coolness by trying to find constellations. Her mind suddenly became aware of sound of a motor in the distance, and her heart leaped. Yes! Maybe this was her ticket to somewhere! She could see the headlights in the distance, and she quickly stood up. She smoothed her skirt and hitched it higher over her waist, allowing more of her legs to show. She quickly fluffed the curls of her hair, and took up a stance that enabled her to show off her legs. Extending her arm, she lifted her thumb, indicating she wanted a ride.
The car neared and Cassie felt her eyes blinded as she fell into the glare of the headlights. The car slowed and moved towards the shoulder. Cassie gave a huge sigh of relief, and quickly picked up her bag, brushing off the dust. When she turned around, she not only noticed the car was just a few feet from her, she also saw that it was a Texas State Trooper. She put on a smile, but she worried that the Trooper would simply ask what she was doing and then leave. Well, maybe he could at least take her to the nearest motel.
She saw the door open, and a man get out and stand behind it She was about to say something, when she heard him speak.
"Put down the bag, and move to the front of the vehicle."
Cassie's heart started to pound with fear. What could he possibly want?
"But, officer, please, let me ex – "
"Drop the bag, and move to the front of the vehicle, NOW!"
Shaking, Cassie dropped the canvas bag, and walked to the front of the car. She felt her body was slowly turning to liquid fear. She heard the gravel crunch, and saw that the officer had moved from behind the car door and was making his way towards her bag. He picked it up and opened. As he rummaged through it, Cassie blushed.
"Officer, there's only personal stuff in there. I swear, I don't have any drugs or anything. You'll just find clothes and stuff"
He gave her a brief glance as he continued to run his hands through the bag. She saw him stop, look down, and pull out a black lacey thong. He held it up to the headlights, turning it slightly, as Cassie burned with embarrassment. She watched as he brought the panties to his nose and inhaled deeply, pausing for just a moment, before stuffing them into the pocket of his pants.
"HEY! You can't do that! That's personal property!"
The Trooper merely glanced at her as he took her bag to the front door of the patrol car and flung it on the passenger seat. She watched as he walked to her. He wore the uniform of a Texas State Trooper, yet it could not hide the athletic build of his body. His face was angular, yet handsome. His hair looked dark in gathering gloom, and it was impossible to see the color of his eyes.
When he reached the front of the car, Cassie could see he was sizing her up. She blushed under his gaze, but there was still more fear than anything else. She felt her body shaking and she was suddenly afraid to look him in the eye.
