by Sable Hunter
When Reno came out, he looked to the car. No Journey. He glanced all around. No. Journey.
“Journey! Journey!”
Panic rising in him like a wave, he began to jog around the parking lot, searching behind every car. “Journey!” He started imagining what might be wrong. He had watched enough news on television to know women on their own were no safer in this age than the one he’d left behind. There were mean people no matter the place or the year. “Journey!”
“Here I am.”
Relief made him weak. “I told you to stay put. Where did you go?”
“Stay put?” Even though she loved him to distraction, no man was going to draw an X on the ground and tell her to ‘stay put’. “I just walked to the edge of the lot. Look what I found.”
Reno was in no mood to look at anything. “Do you realize what could’ve happened to you?” He tore his hand through his hair. “Anything!”
“Reno, I’m fine. I found kittens.” She held them out like she once offered a carrot to a snorting mustang.
The haze of fear was beginning to wear off. “Kittens?”
“Yes, someone threw them away. We can’t leave them here. They’re too small.”
“What are we going to do with kittens?”
“Here. Hold them. I’ll go buy some milk.”
Reno returned to the Subaru and held two black and white kittens in his lap until Journey returned. Once she was behind the wheel, she took the top off a short Styrofoam container and poured some milk into it. “Hold it so they can drink.”
“I’ll swanny.” Reno managed a smile while he watched the tiny little creatures drink. They were lapping so hard and fast that they were throwing drops of milk up onto their own faces. “They are something, aren’t they?”
“Yes, cute and helpless.”
“What are we going to do with them?”
She sighed as she steered the car back onto the road. “There’s no shelters open at this time of night. We’ll just have to take them with us.”
Since it was getting too dark for Reno to read, he amused himself with the tiny cats. “You have a tender heart, don’t you, my Journey?”
“I guess so. I hate injustice, especially when the victims are small or helpless.”
He understood. “Yea, me too.”
“And that’s why you have to do what you have to do.” She shrugged, thinking of what lay ahead for him. “While you’ve been reading, I’ve been considering our plan. I don’t think I should try to take Cinnamon. I want to be on Traveler with you, that way I’ll be more likely to not be lost in the shuffle when we go through the portal.”
“That makes sense.” He stroked the head of one of the kittens and was rewarded with a resounding purr.
She was surprised when he didn’t say anything more. She’d expected him to say something about it being wiser if she just stayed in her own time. “Good. What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking how I plan to spank that sweet ass of yours when we get into a room for the night.”
“You plan to do what?” She asked in a tone far softer than the question deserved.
As if attempting to instruct an errant child, he repeated himself. “When we get in a room, I’m going to sit on the bed and bend you over my lap. Then, I’m going to pull up your skirt, pull down your panties, and heat your bottom until it’s rosy pink.”
Journey paused. She knew this man – or she thought she did. He was not cruel. “Is this a sex thing that mid-nineteenth century cowboys are into?”
Reno bit his bottom lip to keep from chuckling. “Maybe. And I won’t deny that I will most likely get some sexual gratification out of seeing you all naked and plump across my knees. Not to mention the pleasure I’ll receive from my palm warming your luscious derriere.”
By this time Journey was feeling a little tingly between her legs. “And why did this raunchy activity come to your mind as entertainment for the evening?”
Reno continued to pet the kittens. “Because you aged me ten years back there. When I came out and could not find you, a thousand horrors bombarded my poor brain. What if someone hurt you? Stole you? Raped you? Killed you?” With each question his voice grew more desperate. “You belong to me, Journey. Whether we spend our life together or not – you’ll always belong to me.”
“We will be together.”
Her quick announcement seemed to have no effect on him. “You’ve got to promise me something.”
“What?”
“This world is a dangerous place. As the man who loves you above all others, it is my responsibility to keep you safe. It is my honor to keep you safe.”
“Reno…”
He shook his head and she stopped speaking. Obviously, this was important to him.
“I need you to promise me that if I tell you to do something, you’ll do it. No questions asked. If you are walking down a path and I say stop, I want you to stop. There could be a snake about to strike. If I tell you to go in the house right now, you go in the house. There could be a tornado coming or a wolf or a lunatic with an axe about to attack. Just know, I will not be asking you to do things just to amuse myself. And I won’t be asking you to do something just to punish you.”
By this time, Journey wanted to laugh – but she didn’t dare.
“I want you to know that you can trust me. Above all things, you can trust me. The only reason I’d ever ask you to obey me is to guard you. To keep you. To protect you. To keep you safe. Do you understand?”
“Yes, I do.”
He let out a long, soft sigh. “Good. I’m glad.”
“Does this mean I still get a spanking?”
“Yes, it does.”
She turned her full attention to the road. “Good.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Night was fully upon them when they crossed the Mississippi River into Memphis. Journey was tired, but she was still fully alert. Reno and the kittens, bless their hearts, were sound asleep. Her heart melted at the sight. Actually, she was learning some surprising things about herself. Not only did she like seeing a bit of Reno’s jealous side, she was equally turned on by his dominant behavior. Especially since he’d completely convinced her of his sincere concern for her best interest.
Checking the GPS, she smiled at the thought of the hotel she’d chosen. At the first red light in town, she’d checked for a vacancy. Luckily, there was one. She hoped Reno would like the idea of staying at the Guesthouse at Graceland located just across the street from Elvis’s own home.
When they pulled into the valet parking area, Journey slipped the sleeping kittens into her oversize bag. She didn’t know about the pet policy, but these babies were so tiny they didn’t really count as pets. “Reno. Sweetheart. We’re here.”
When he opened sleepy eyes, it was to see a man loading their luggage onto a cart. “Where are we?”
“At the hotel. Come with me. This nice fellow will see to parking the car and getting our luggage to the room.”
“Where is Blackie and Spot?”
She playfully winced at the names. “Shhhh. They’re stowaways in my purse. Grab the rest of the milk.”
Once inside, Reno turned in a circle taking in the glitz and glamour of the themed hotel. There were subtle touches of Elvis everywhere. She approached the registration desk and was mesmerized by the tasteful mural featuring the King’s face. As she claimed the keycard to their room, she looked around to see where her man had gotten off to. For a second or two, she couldn’t find him, and a dash of fear turned her blood to ice. What if he got lost? What if he disappeared? What if he found some odd, stray portal and wandered into it like Elvis, who was rumored to be everywhere and nowhere. Yes, she knew she was being silly. He was right here. Somewhere. She whirled once more and crashed right into his chest. “Where’d you go?” Her voice was a little shrill.
He rubbed her arms, soothing her. “Looking for a place to get some food. There’s the EP Grill next door.”
Journey made it abou
t three feet to a chair so she could sit down. “Okay. I am weak.”
Reno gazed at her with a hint of amusement. “Thought you’d lost me, did you not?”
“Yes. I thought you stumbled through a portal to Antarctica. Freezing with the penguins.”
“You know that’s not going to happen, don’t you? Lightning striking – and all of that.” He knelt at her feet while she caught her breath.
“I do know I’m being silly. Irrational fear.”
“Like mine at the gas station?”
“No.” She had to admit the truth. “What you feared happens to women much more often. I promise not to put you through any needless worry again.”
“That’s my girl.” He rose and held out his hand. “I love you, Sojourner.”
“I love you, Reno.”
After taking the kittens up to the room and feeding them again, she made them a bed on a towel. Being resourceful, she found a tissue box, which she emptied of tissues, then filled with a little of the dirt from one of the potted plants on the balcony. “This will do until we can get something better.” It didn’t take her long to introduce the little ones to the concept of using the sandbox. When they were finished, she patted them clean, then put them to bed – where they promptly fell asleep.
“Okay. I’m ready when you are,” she announced after washing her hands.
“You’re a natural born mother, aren’t you?”
She frowned. “And you can tell that from how I treat a kitten?”
“I most certainly can. Cruelty is something I’ve very familiar with, but I can recognize kindness, gentleness, and a nurturing spirit. Those characteristics are the essence of motherhood.”
What he said was so sweet, all she could do was smile. “Let’s go, cowboy.”
Hand in hand, they left their room and went down the elevator to the lobby. Along the way they made note of the Elvis memorabilia decorating the hallways. Nothing overt. All very tasteful. “He was dead before I was born, you know.”
“I would be too if I’d led a normal life. You like older men, huh?”
“There’s nothing normal about you, Reno Black. And yes, I like antique men who look twenty-six.” She giggled as he placed his hand at her waist to playfully goose her in the side.
As they made their way down the long hall to the restaurant, Reno took note of the countless women they passed. Only a few husbands seemed to be tagging alongside their wives. “Women really loved Elvis, didn’t they?”
“Yea, he will always be one of the handsomest men to ever live.” At Reno’s deep intake of breath, she added quickly, “Not as handsome as you though, sweetheart.” At his chuckle, she leaned into him, enjoying their closeness. Taking note of the song being played, she hummed along. “I’ll remember you, long after this endless…” The words she sang suddenly hit her and she couldn’t go on.
Reno didn’t seem to notice. “He does have a great voice.” He looked up, listening to the music. “The mall was like this. Music all around. Where is it coming from?”
Journey pointed at a couple of well-disguised speakers. “Surround sound, I guess you could call it.”
When they came to the grill, he held the door, then they waited to be seated. Once the hostess showed them a table, she presented each with a menu. Since they were starving, they quickly scanned the page and made their selections. “Let’s share pimento cheese and fried green tomatoes. For the main course, I think I’ll take the Delta Burger. How about you?”
Reno twisted his mouth into a knot. “I’ll take the same, but I want sweet tea and a piece of the Banana Chocolate Cake before we leave.”
“I think that can be arranged. And I want sweet tea too.”
Once the order was placed with their waitress, they took a moment to relax. “I bet you’re tired,” she noted. “You kept your head buried in a book all day.”
“I could sleep,” he admitted. “I still haven’t found what I’m looking for, though.”
“I’m not sure you’re going to find an admission of guilt spelled out. You might have to put two and two together. What the book has revealed already is pretty damming.”
Reno smiled when the waitress brought their tea. “Thanks.” Once they were alone again, he took a sip, considering the matter. “As bad as Taylor is, I know he’s not the only man who feels the way he does. I need to find a substantial link, some viable proof to stop the army from doing exactly what Taylor wanted them to do in the first place.”
Journey could see how worried he was. “Have faith. You’ll find exactly what you need.”
“That’s what Kota said would get me home. Faith.” He unfolded the cloth napkin and laid it on his lap. “I don’t have to tell you this, but Kota’s a really strange man.”
“Is he a lot like Ela?”
“Uh. No.” Reno shook his head with a smile. “Ela was subtle. Kota is like a steamroller.” He paused, his eyes staring into the past. “It will be good to see her again.”
Journey placed her hand over his. “I look forward to meeting her.”
“Two of my very favorite women.” His face clouded with sorrow. “I hope I can find my mother’s grave. Wouldn’t it be awful if the land was so changed that I couldn’t recognize the spot where I laid her?”
“Yes, it would.” She didn’t say so, but Journey feared her grave might lie beneath a parking lot or a four-lane highway. “Before we leave in the morning, we’ll try to pinpoint the destination on a map. As close as possible, anyway.”
After the waitress brought their food, their conversation turned to their absent host. “Out of all the performers in the world, why did you introduce me to Elvis? Why not the Beatles? Or Michael Jackson? Or Michael Bublé?” He named off singers that he’d learned about in the past few days.
“Well…” She thought a moment. “First, you’re both from Tennessee. He’s from Mississippi originally, but Memphis is his town. Second, my mother loved him, and her mother loved him – so does Aunt Myra. He’s a family tradition and a way for me to connect to the other women in my life. Third – he reminds me a lot of you.”
This brought a barked laugh from Reno. “How? I do not look like him. I certainly don’t sing like him.”
“There’s a photo of him when he played in a Western called Charro that I’ll show you sometimes. There is a definite resemblance. As for your voice, you’re good – you’re no Elvis, but you’re good.” She took a bite of her burger, then wiped her mouth. “The way he reminds me of you is how he treated people. Now, he had his faults. He loved women a little too much. Some of his songs spelled that out in flying colors.
“Smorgasbord, Girls Girls Girls, Girl Happy.” Reno began to name off song titles.
“You do know your Elvis!” She was pleasantly surprised. “But, yes. He was definitely girl happy, which contributed to his divorce. What I’m talking about is his generosity. His philanthropy. He was notorious for being generous with people who could never repay him. He gave about two million to charity every year, which sounds like a lot to you, I know – and it was a great deal of money for his time. He gave his friends gifts, paid their medical bills, their mortgages. He bought gifts for strangers, cars mostly. At one point, I think I remember it being thirty-one Cadillacs he gave away, but don’t quote me on that.”
Reno didn’t interrupt her, he just listened intently.
“And once he was at a payphone and couldn’t find a dime in his pocket to make a call. This old man saw him searching and walked up to offer him one. Elvis got his address, telling him he wanted to send a thank-you note later. Well, he did and when the man read the note, he found out that Elvis had paid off the mortgage on his house.”
“Very generous.”
“I believe you did the same thing for Saul, didn’t you?”
Reno just shrugged and Journey continued, “And money wasn’t all he gave away freely. When he was called upon to serve, he served. He was drafted into the army and turned down a chance to serve the time as an entertainer.
Instead, he was just a regular G.I. Joe. And when it came time to pay his taxes, he just asked how much, not even taking the money he gave to charity as a deduction. Now, some might say that was pretty stupid, but he felt he had so much, that he wanted to give what he could, to who he could. Plus, like you, he adored his mother. That says a lot about a guy.”
By the time she was through with her little speech, Journey had tears in her eyes and Reno’s response was to lean over the table and give her a sweet gentle kiss. “I’m honored you think I’m like Elvis. I’ll try and live up to his example.”
After dessert, they returned to their room. Reno checked on the kittens while Journey readied herself for bed. When she came into the room, he gasped. She was wearing a see-through, floor length white gown trimmed in lace. As he watched, she pulled on the string at her neck and let it fall to the floor. Her next move took his breath away, for she came forward and draped herself across his lap. “I promise to never scare you again.”
Tears welled in his eyes. He rubbed a soothing hand down her elegant spine, then let his palm trace the shape of her beautiful bottom. Drawing back his hand, he gave Journey one gentle pop, before picking her up and bringing her into his arms. “I love you so much. I’d never hurt you. You know that, don’t you?”
“Yea, I know.”
As they made love, they were unaware of the Elvis song drifting over the speakers…
Until It’s Time for You to Go.
* * *
“Do you think Chloe and Dudley will like Blackie and Spot?” Reno worried as he settled into the car seat with the small kittens in his lap.
“We’ll probably have to negotiate several peace treaties, but I’m sure they’ll be fine.”
“I guess they could be barn cats,” Reno suggested warily. “Although, I don’t want them to end up as a coyote snack.”
