Opposites Attract

by Michelle M. Pillow

  ‘Ya’ll stoppin’ at the Grand Canyon?’ Slim pulled the flat tyre off and set it aside.

  ‘Sure are,’ Ted said. He and Ethan put the spare on.

  ‘You be sure to stay out of Las Vegas,’ the woman said. ‘That city is nothing but sin and trouble.’

  ‘Yes, ma’am,’ Ethan said. She seemed pleased with his answer.

  ‘Ah, good.’ Slim nodded, standing back to watch them. ‘Glad to see ya’ll didn’t have one of those doughnut tyres. These roads are too rough to be drivin’ on a doughnut. They’re so small, I can’t see how anyone rides around on them. Ya’ll just make sure to get another spare real soon. California is a sight off from here.’

  ‘Will do, sir,’ Ethan said.

  Slim nodded, obviously satisfied. Alexis moved closer to Ethan, lightly touching his back.

  ‘Thank you.’ Ethan lowered the car and handed the jack to Slim.

  ‘Not a problem.’ Slim swung the jack into the back of his pickup.

  ‘You kids have a nice night,’ the woman said, switching off the flashlight. The moon was adequate to see by and the trunk light was giving off a soft glow.

  They said their goodbyes. The pickup took off. Ted and Ethan put the flat where the spare had been before reloading the trunk of the car.

  Ted chuckled as they finished. ‘I don’t even want to know what you guys were doing out here “talking”.’

  ‘At least we got the car fixed,’ Ethan said, winking at Alexis.

  ‘Yeah, the way Alexis made it sound, you were about to be murdered,’ Ted teased. They walked towards the campsite. Alexis couldn’t help but laugh at herself. It did seem foolish now. Ethan wrapped his arm over her shoulder and lightly kissed her temple. Ted eyed them briefly before looking ahead. Alexis smiled and couldn’t help but think that Ethan had just claimed her as his woman.

  They woke up early the next morning just after sunrise to Summer giving herself a sponge bath outside her camper. The sight caused them to hurry as they packed up to go. Thanking everyone for their hospitality, they finished their drive down the Highway of Legends. Alexis just smiled at Susan before leaning over to cuddle by Ethan’s side in the car. He kissed her temple. Driving with one hand, he draped his arm over her shoulders.

  The mountain scenery was beautiful in the morning light, turning from green to dark browns to greys and bright blues. They passed by abandoned coal mines and a town full of beautiful old architecture. Stopping for gas along the Colorado border, Alexis waited as Susan followed her into the bathroom.

  ‘Well?’ Susan asked immediately. ‘Ted told me what happened.’

  ‘Oh, yeah?’ Alexis asked.

  ‘You seem pretty cosy.’ Susan crossed her arms over her chest.

  ‘Are you mad at me?’

  Susan sighed, uncrossing her arms. ‘No, of course not. Are you happy? You’re sure you want to . . .’

  Alexis smiled, unable to help it. She felt wonderful this morning. ‘It’s not like I’m getting married. Ethan and I had a good talk, that’s all. We’re taking things very slowly and we’ll see what happens.’

  ‘I am getting married,’ Susan blurted, before gasping and covering her mouth. She hopped on her toes in excitement, waiting for Alexis’s reaction.

  ‘What?’ Alexis stood for a moment, shocked. Then, suddenly, she started screaming in excitement. Susan joined her and they jumped up and down hugging like excited teenagers.

  ‘I know, right?’ Susan nodded.

  ‘Oh my,’ Alexis said.

  ‘I know.’

  ‘Wow, I can’t . . .’

  ‘Yeah.’

  ‘Wow.’

  ‘Uh-huh.’

  ‘When?’

  ‘Yesterday on our walk.’ Susan quickly told Alexis everything, finishing with, ‘I can’t believe he just did it then and there. It was so beautiful. I nearly fainted.’

  Alexis grinned. ‘That stupid dog was good luck, wasn’t it? That crazy lady was right.’

  Susan laughed.

  ‘I can’t believe you waited to tell me in a bathroom,’ Alexis scolded.

  ‘Well –’ Susan shrugged ‘– it’s the first second we had alone and I couldn’t keep the secret from you any longer.’

  ‘Oh, congratulations, sweetie,’ Alexis said, giving her friend a big hug. ‘I know you two are going to be so happy together.’

  Ethan felt Alexis’s hand on his thigh. It was a big turn-on, just holding her next to him as he drove. The couples were quiet as they headed into New Mexico. He smiled to know Susan and Ted had gotten engaged. It was about time. The two were mad for each other, almost sickeningly so at times, though it was sweet and Ethan could well understand the tendency as he held Alexis.

  ‘You know,’ Ethan said. They were still in the mountains but the landscape looked more like a desert, with its red sands and high cliffs. Hot-air balloons floated overhead, contrasting the colours of the mountainous desert beauty. ‘All and all, this trip has gone really well.’

  Alexis looked up at him and just smiled. She looked a lot different than the prissy debutante he picked up on the sidewalks of New York City.

  ‘I can’t believe all we’ve seen,’ Susan said, sighing.

  The trip through New Mexico was uneventful. They stopped for food in Taos around noon. They went to the Taos Pueblos, an ancient community still inhabited by Taos Indians. The adobe homes and churches were gorgeous structures. Alexis took her camera and didn’t want to leave. Ethan loved watching her when she was taking pictures.

  The land became more like a desert as they headed into Arizona. They passed by the Petrified Forest National Park but didn’t stop, as they drove through the Painted Desert towards the Grand Canyon. Gigantic dinosaur statues were alongside the road. The first time Alexis saw one in the distance, she stiffened and pointed. By the time they figured out what it was, Ethan couldn’t help but tease her. She took it all in her stride, jolting him in the ribs with her elbow.

  ‘Ow.’ He winced. She had got him in a sore muscle. Falling off the skateboard hadn’t been too bad when it happened, but after making love to Alexis on the trunk of his car and then spending the night on the hard ground, his back was a little sore.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ she asked, looking mortified.

  ‘Back in Colorado I was messing around with this kid and his skateboard. I had a little accident,’ Ethan said, trying to act like it was no big deal.

  ‘It looked like it hurt to me,’ Ted said, laughing.

  Ethan grinned. ‘Saw that did you?’

  ‘Yep.’ Ted reached up and patted his shoulder. ‘It’s all right. I won’t tell everyone you were showed up by a nine-year-old boy.’

  Ethan laughed. ‘I think he was at least ten.’

  The terrain became rich with colours along the roadside. The plains seemed to go on for ever with only tumbleweeds and cactuses to break up the landscape. It was a vast contrast to the mountains. Alexis took pictures from the car window, letting the desert heat into the car.

  ‘Let’s just keep driving,’ Alexis said when Ethan offered to pull over. ‘I don’t want to get stuck in the desert like we did in the mountains.’

  Ethan stroked her cheek and nodded in agreement.

  15

  By the time they made it to Flagstaff for the night, it was dark. Alexis was tired of being in the car. They’d driven a long way, touching three states. She watched Ethan shift uncomfortably in his seat. She too felt stiff and longed for a shower. They hadn’t been able to bathe the night before as they camped outside.

  They found a hotel along the road. The air smelled of pine trees as they stepped outside. Ethan booked the hotel rooms while everyone waited in the car.

  After her shower, Alexis loaded some of her photographs into Ethan’s computer, freeing up a memory stick. It only took a few minutes once the software was installed. Yawning, she collapsed on the bed. She wore her navy-blue silk chemise. It felt good to be in pretty clothes again. Flipping through the channels, she waited for Ethan to ge
t out of the shower.

  When the water shut off, Alexis smiled, turned off the television and went to the bathroom door. Knocking softly, she said, ‘Don’t bother getting dressed. I’m going to give you a massage. Let me work those kinks out of your back.’

  Ethan pulled the door open to look at her, grinning. Water dripped down his face from his hair. ‘Really?’

  ‘Mm.’ Alexis looked him over. ‘Dry off first. I’ll get the lotion.’

  His grin widened. Alexis went to her bags and pulled out her lotion. It was the expensive kind and she didn’t have much left. Seeing Ethan crawling on the bed to lie naked on his stomach, she knew she didn’t care.

  Alexis started at his feet, taking her time as she massaged up one leg and then the other. The scent of cucumber and green tea wafted between them. She kneaded his butt until he groaned. The muscles tensed slightly under her palms and she felt his hips thrust subtly forwards, as if involuntarily. Next, she worked her hands up over his back and arms. He made soft groaning noises of appreciation, grunting a few times as she worked knots out of his back. She straddled his hips, becoming very aroused by the sensual feel of his body beneath hers.

  ‘Turn over,’ she said, her words sounding husky and low. She stood up on the bed. Ethan flipped over. He gave her a lopsided grin as he glanced down at his erection. He was at full mast. Alexis sat beside him this time, rubbing his chest. His hand lazily wandered along the back of her thigh as she bent over him, gliding up to her butt to play with her lacy thong.

  ‘When we get to California, I’m going to buy you a bunch of lacy, silky, girly underwear,’ he said. ‘You look too damned hot in them.’

  Alexis smiled, liking the sound of still being with him in California. She moved to sit between his thighs, forcing him to spread his legs. His body was open to her and he looked almost vulnerable on the bed. She massaged down his hips to his thighs, ignoring his centre.

  He chuckled softly. ‘Mm, you missed a spot.’

  ‘Shh, who’s giving this massage?’ Alexis pretended to scold.

  ‘But –’

  She pulled her hands off him and he groaned, not saying another word. Slowly, she squirted lotion into her hands, rubbing them together, warming it between her palms. Ethan watched her from under heavy lids. She made a great show of working the lotion through her fingers. He bit his lip.

  ‘Is this the spot?’ she asked, her voice a sultry murmur. She cupped his balls, rolling them in her palm, reaching to the sensitive piece of flesh buried just beneath them.

  ‘Ah, yes.’ His hips jerked.

  With her other hand, she grabbed his shaft lightly and ran her fingers up the length of him. His feet dug into the mattress as he thrust himself into her palms.

  ‘Tighter,’ he begged.

  Alexis squeezed his cock harder. He groaned in approval. She began to wiggle, completely aroused by the sight of his pleasure and feeling very dominant by the way his legs were spread to her. She wanted to conquer him, show him how much he desired her, needed her in his bed. Her lotioned index finger slipped between the cheeks of his firm butt. His eyes opened in surprise, but she kept working her hands.

  ‘Alexis,’ he tried to speak. His cheeks clenched over her finger but didn’t stop her progress. The lotion helped the digit to slide to the tight rosette. She didn’t penetrate, merely rimmed the outside.

  ‘Ah, shit!’ he swore softly, suddenly jerking and thrusting around like a madman against her hands. ‘Ah, shit. Shit.’

  He exploded, spilling himself on his stomach. Alexis drew her hands away, watching him, suddenly shy as she awaited approval. Ethan looked at her, eyes wide. Alexis stood and went to wash her hands. Then, grabbing a warm towel, she handed it to him for his stomach.

  ‘You’re absolutely amazing, you know that?’ he said, cleaning himself and tossing the towel on the floor.

  She smiled, relaxing with his words of approval. ‘I know.’

  Laughing, he pulled her into his arms, and proceeded to make love to her until they both fell asleep, thoroughly exhausted.

  The Arizona town was nothing like they’d expected. It had been too dark to see much of the landscape, but instead of desert, there were thick tree-covered hills backdropped by mountains.

  ‘This country really is worth seeing, isn’t it?’ Alexis said, climbing back into the Lincoln. Ethan kissed her temple, starting the car. They were getting a late start for the Grand Canyon, but none of them had been in too big of a hurry to get back on the road.

  ‘According to the hotel clerk,’ Susan said, ‘the South Rim of the Grand Canyon is closest. We should come across some signs.’

  Two hours later they were near the South Rim. The rocky terrain was covered with small cactuses. There was hardly any traffic. In fact, they’d only passed three cars during the last hour. The sky darkened to a blue-grey and it started to drizzle by the time they pulled up to see the canyon. They’d come this far and decided to hike through the unpleasant weather. Even huddled beneath Ethan’s jacket, trying to take pictures in the rain, was worth the trip. The canyon spread out before them, deep and wide as far as the eye could see. It truly was one of the greatest sights they’d seen on the trip.

  They would’ve stayed longer, but the rain only got worse. It was falling full force by the time they came to the Hoover Dam on the Nevada border, making it hard to see. Traffic was backed up due to the weather and it took them several hours longer than planned to reach Las Vegas.

  ‘All right, guys,’ Susan announced as they drove into the brightly lit streets of the city. ‘I have coupons for hotels.’

  Alexis chuckled. ‘Do you spend all your time at the brochure racks?’

  ‘What?’ Susan asked, laughing. ‘I’m cheap and living off my boyfriend right now. I spent my last dime in Colorado.’

  Alexis frowned, sitting up to look at Ethan. She’d just been letting him carry her money and pay for things since they had that great run of tattooing luck in Iowa City. In fact, she really had no clear idea of what the trip was costing. There were the hotels, the cost to get into some of the roadside attractions they’d been to, road tolls, gas, food, souvenir T-shirts she’d started collecting along the way in each state. She just assumed Ethan would tell her when her money ran low, or tell her to get a job like in Wisconsin. Realising that she’d unintentionally let her life slip back into the old pattern of letting other people pay, she asked, ‘How much money do I have left?’

  ‘You’re good,’ he said. ‘No gambling, though.’

  Alexis glanced back at Susan. She was looking out the window at the bright lights. Now wasn’t the time to talk to Ethan about money. She had a strange feeling he was lying to her. Had he been paying her way? Suddenly, she didn’t feel so well.

  As everyone debated on hotels, Alexis stared out the window. It was strange seeing the tall buildings. After driving through the middle of the country there was a surreal sense of coming back to civilisation. Sure, they’d been through cities, but places like New York and Las Vegas were in a league of their own. They pulsed with energy. Numerous stretched limos passed by. One had a couple standing up through the sunroof. The man wore what she guessed was an Armani, or at least very close to, and the woman was in an unmistakable Nicole Miller masterpiece. The stretched black gown was gorgeous.

  Alexis caught her reflection in the window. Her dark hair was a little frizzed by their hike through the rain. Her skin was pale. She needed make-up. Looking down at her clothes, she suddenly became embarrassed by the Colorado T-shirt. And, though her blue jeans were designer, one would hardly glance twice at the package she presented. She looked hideous.

  Alexis pulled down her hair and combed her fingers through the length, trying to smooth it. Ethan glanced at her, a curious look on his face. He reached for her, stroking her cheek. She tried to smile, but the look was weak.

  The hotel Susan picked was nice. However, Alexis’s embarrassment only grew as Susan presented her coupons at the front desk. She didn’t say anything.
Ethan put the room on his credit card, furthering her suspicions that she might have become a financial burden on him. She tried not to be shallow, but being surrounded by the glamour that was Las Vegas only made her realise how much she’d lost. Ethan had put a bag on a cart. Though they had free valet parking, they had to take their own luggage up to their rooms.

  The blue and gold décor in their room was so much better than the pastels they’d encountered at their other stops. The thick bedding and matching curtains were printed with a delicate leaf pattern. Ethan dropped off their bags and went to bring the luggage rack downstairs. From the window, Alexis could see the bright lights of the strip.

  ‘Hey, is everything all right?’ Ethan asked. Alexis jumped, not realising she had zoned out for so long on him. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back along his body.

  ‘I’m not in the mood right now, OK.’ She moved out of his arms.

  ‘It’s not like I expected us to just have sex,’ he said, his words measured.

  ‘I’m just tired,’ she said, yawning for effect. ‘I’m going to take a shower.’

  Ethan stepped out of the hotel suite and took a deep breath. Something was definitely up with Alexis. He couldn’t explain it, but he felt like he was losing her. Did he even really have her? He’d known what would most likely happen when they got to the end of the trip, only he hadn’t expected it to happen so soon. California was still one state away.

  Susan came out of her room. Seeing Ethan, she blinked in surprise. ‘Oh, hey, what are you doing out here?’

  ‘Taking a breather,’ Ethan said. ‘You?’

  ‘Um, actually, I was just going to see if you guys wanted to go out to eat with us tonight,’ Susan said.

  ‘Alexis is in the shower,’ he said. ‘She says she’s tired.’

  ‘Oh.’ Susan turned to go back into her suite.

  ‘Wait, Susan,’ Ethan said. He glanced at the hotel door. He opened his mouth, wanting to ask her so many questions and unsure where to start. They’d become friends over the course of the trip, not so close as she was with Alexis, but he’d like to think of them as friends.