Slow Burn

by Alexis Adaire

  When I get home, I head to my bedroom to get some sleep. Passing the spare bathroom in the hall, I see something through the door that gets my attention. I turn on the light to see a pair of black lace panties sitting on the counter. Somebody forgot her underwear this morning.

  I text Jess.

  Hey, you forgot something here.

  Her reply arrives quickly.

  Now what in the world could I have left behind?

  I’m starting to think she didn’t forget them after all.

  Hints: black, lacy, very sexy.

  I don’t have to wait long for my phone to ding again.

  My panties! Now I’ll never see them again. :(

  I compose a response.

  I’ll bring them on our next date.

  Romantic, right? Her reply makes me laugh out loud.

  WTF? You’re gonna wear my panties?

  Well, that’s definitely not what I meant.

  Um… no. But I might use them to bind your wrists.

  My phone is quiet for at least a minute, and I start to wonder if I might have freaked her out. Then a message pops up.

  Stop that talk unless you want me to come back over there right now.

  My kind of girl.

  So Boxcar Jessica has a twisted side?

  This time her response is quick.

  Maybe a little twisted. Care to find my limits?

  This conversation has taken a very interesting turn.

  Oh, don’t you worry. I intend to.

  Her reply is perfect.

  I’m not worried, Tyler. Not in the least.

  I struggle to take a nap, finally falling asleep for a couple of hours. I wake up with a hard-on, which I shouldn’t have because I’m supposed to be sexually exhausted after last night.

  Chapter 13

  Jess

  I may be the happiest woman on the planet. After running into my old crush totally by accident, I’ve now been dating him for the last three months. And sleeping with him, of course. I’m constantly amazed at how perfectly suited Ty and I are as both friends and lovers. We’ve yet to have a single argument. Even better, we’ve gotten our two dogs together and they quickly became fast friends.

  Our sex is spectacular, better than I ever would have hoped for. It’s never mundane, and seems different every time we get together. We’ve tried light bondage, with him blindfolding me and tying me to the bed, then having his way with me for the next hour or more while I lay there, helpless. Ty was the first guy I’d ever tried roleplay with, and it was so much fun. I was the nurse, coming to check up on him in his hospital bed. If he’d actually been hooked up to a heart-rate monitor, I’m pretty sure we would have tripped an alarm.

  Although he’s an amazing lover, more than anything I adore Ty because he’s such a good man. He’s very alpha, which I absolutely love in a man if he’s also a gentleman. There’s a tricky balance to pulling that off, but Ty manages to do it beautifully.

  I’m busy at work at Ravencrest Pet Shelter, where I’ve been volunteering for the last month. I don’t particularly care for having a boss who’s always around. At Wrenwood, Rhonda and I co-managed the shelter and Grace rarely dropped by. Emily isn’t bad, but she seems to be keeping too close an eye on me, and it bugs me. I’m a grown woman and a good worker. Thankfully, this will be ending soon.

  The architect finished the design for the new shelter early, and the cleanup of the old site has been completed. If all goes well, they’ll break ground on construction next week, and by the new year, we’ll be ready to go. Of course, it’s only late August now, so I’ll be stuck with Emily looking over my shoulder for a while longer.

  I’m in the middle of checking in a litter of four boxer/pit bull mix puppies when Emily sticks her head in the room.

  “Your firefighter is out front.”

  My heart starts beating faster immediately. I thought Ty was working today and am thrilled that he’s here. He’s only stopped by once before in my month at Ravencrest, and the other workers still kid me about it. I think they’re all just jealous.

  When I reach the lobby, I see him standing there in jeans and his navy LFD T-shirt. His scruffy hair and two-day stubble excite me on several different levels.

  “Hey, handsome.” He smiles, and I swear to God I can feel that smile all the way down in my clit.

  “Can you take a quick break?” He’s got something on his mind, I can tell.

  “Sure,” I say. It’s not time for my break, but fuck it. What’s Emily going to do, fire me? Grace is still the one paying my salary. I tell the girl working the front desk that I’ll be back in ten minutes, then step outside with Ty.

  As soon as the door shuts, he grabs me by the waist and pins me to the side of the building. His mouth is on mine before I know what’s happening, his tongue toying with mine. I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of kissing this man.

  When I finally get a chance to breathe, I say, “That’s the best things that’s happened to me all day. Did you come here just to do that?”

  He’s all smiles. “I had a great idea. Can you take Friday through Monday off?”

  “Sure. Emily won’t like it, but that’s not my problem. She’ll get over it. What did you have in mind?”

  “A road trip. Just me and you and the truck.”

  I love the idea. We haven’t left Linville since we started dating, and we’ve spent most these last three months either in Ty’s bed or in mine.

  “Oh my god, yes. That sounds wonderful.”

  “I thought we could do an Americana trip, hitting a bunch of antique shops in little towns, eating at diners and Dairy Queens, then getting drunk at local bars before heading back to cheap motels for some hot sex.”

  “You had me at ‘Dairy Queen.’”

  “We’ll leave early Friday morning,” he says. “That gives you two nights to pack a few suitcases, the way most women do.”

  “Ha! You should know by now that I’m not most women.”

  He smiles. “Yeah, I’ll give you that.”

  Ty says he has to get to work, and leaves me with one last kiss and a head filled with images of a blissful weekend exploring small town Iowa.

  ***

  After dinner that night, I cover Bianca’s cage and retreat to the bedroom with Mindy. Fortunately, the four cats I’d been fostering were taken in by Ravencrest when I started working there. I decide to start packing tonight, not because I’m bringing a lot of clothes, but because I’m determined not to. I plan on narrowing down what I’ll need until it can all fit inside my weekender. We’ll see who takes the bigger suitcase.

  I’ve got clothes lying all over the bed when my phone rings. I’m hoping it’s Ty, but I’m delighted when I see “Lyle” on the screen. I haven’t talked to my brother in ages.

  We chat for a while about how he and my folks are doing. Sometime after I graduated from high school, Lyle had a nasty auto accident that left him with a badly mangled hip and a shattered right leg. He was transferred from tiny Linville General to a first-class hospital in Cedar Rapids, where he learned he was looking at about a year of difficult physical rehab before he’d be walking normally again. Dad had recently retired, so he and mom rented a place there so they could help Lyle. They ended up liking the broader cultural aspects of big city life, so they bought a house in Cedar Rapids and sold me their house here for about a quarter of what it was worth. Lyle eventually recovered and found a job there, and when he was ready, got his own place.

  That was about five years ago, and ever since then, I’ve kidded Lyle about how he convinced the entire family to abandon me here in boring Linville.

  “So what’s new with you?” he asks.

  We’ve covered all the topics regarding Lyle and our parents, and I’ve been patiently waiting to tell him my big news. I start with the fire at the shelter, then describe the brave firefighter who saved the kittens for me.

  “I ran into him a few days later, totally by accident, and he asked me out. We’ve gotten together e
very few days since then. It’s been three months now.”

  “You sound like you really like this guy,” Lyle says.

  “I’m crazy about him.”

  “But do you love him?”

  Whoa. The “L” word. I’ve been wondering that myself. When my brother asks me the question, the warm feeling I get throughout my upper torso confirms it for me.

  “I’m pretty sure I do.”

  “Sounds serious.”

  “I can’t tell at this point,” I say. “But I’m beginning to think it could be one day.”

  “Well, look at you. My little sister is in love with a fireman!”

  I laugh. “I never said I was in love. We’re just taking it slow and having fun. We’ll see where it leads us.”

  “Is he a local?”

  “That’s the weirdest part about it. We didn’t realize it when we first met, but he was my boyfriend for a couple of weeks back in fourth grade, then he moved away from Linville and only came back as an adult. He’s actually the first boy I ever kissed. Isn’t that romantic?”

  “So, do I know this guy?”

  “I don’t know if you ever met him. His name is Tyler Jackson.”

  The phone goes quiet. Did we get disconnected?

  “Lyle, are you there?”

  “Yeah, I’m here,” he says slowly. “Are you joking about this?”

  His serious tone alarms me.

  “Joking about what?”

  “Jess, I do remember Tyler Jackson. Tall guy, good looking?”

  “Yes, at least he is now.” What is he getting at?

  “I remember him from about ten years ago. He was a friend of Bobby Moncrief’s. I saw him a few times around town, mostly at bars. This was before the accident.”

  “So what’s the big deal?” I ask.

  “Jess, that guy did time at Anamosa.”

  The Iowa State Penitentiary? No way.

  “Impossible.”

  “I swear to you I’m not making this up,” Lyle says.

  “I don’t believe it.”

  “Jess…”

  There’s an awkward pause.

  “Did time for what?” I demand.

  “Murder.”

  “Fuck you, Lyle. This isn’t funny.”

  “You remember a while back, there was a drunken argument over a woman in that trailer park behind the auto parts place on Division Street? A guy was stabbed to death. Sound familiar?”

  I vaguely remember that story, though I didn’t think I knew any of the people involved.

  “It can’t be.”

  “I’m sorry to be the one who told you,” he says.

  My breathing is heavy and my brain feels like it’s on fire. The tears arrive out of nowhere.

  “Are you sure it’s him?”

  “Yeah, Tyler Jackson. That’s the guy. I remember he claimed it was self-defense, but still. Shit, Jess.”

  I tell my brother goodbye, then spend an hour crying my eyes out. When I run out of tears, I think back on everything Ty and I have done together, trying to find any clue at all that might give validity to the idea that my boyfriend is a former convict.

  That’s when I remember the conversation we had the first time we were in his bed, when he said he had done “stupid things” in his past, but that he’d repaid his debt to society.

  Oh my god. This is really happening. I feel my soul go numb.

  I’ve allowed myself to fall into this little fantasy about Ty and I being perfect together. In the last five minutes of my phone call with Lyle, that idyllic scenario went up in flames, just like the shelter did.

  What am I going to do?

  Chapter 14

  Ty

  As I load my stuff in the truck Friday morning, I realize I haven’t heard from Jess in a while. It’s unusual, because we’ve been talking or trading texts every day for weeks now. Then again, it’s only been two days, and she’s probably just busy. Besides, in another hour we’ll be hitting the road together for a long weekend.

  One particular thought has been popping into my mind lately, but I’ve been ignoring it because it seemed premature. Then John at the station house asked me point-blank, “Is she the one?”

  Is Jess the one?

  That’s a good question.

  I’m thirty years old now, so it’s definitely not too early in my life to settle down. Then again, I’m still young enough to wait another few years if I want. The idea at this point, though, is to find the right girl. And I realize it’s entirely possible that I’ve found her.

  This road trip will be the most time we’ve spent together, four full days with no way to get away from each other. If we’re still on this endorphin rush when we get home Sunday night, I’ll have to give the matter some serious thought.

  ***

  Jess looks tired when I pick her up Friday morning.

  “Everything okay?” I ask. Even when she looks like crap warmed over, she’s still adorable.

  “Yeah, I just had a couple of nights of insomnia, that’s all.”

  I load her stuff into the truck and we hit the road. I drive for a few hours and the whole time, Jess never says a word unless I ask her a question. She seems preoccupied, looking out the window or fiddling with the radio. I chalk it up to her just being exhausted because she’s not sleeping well.

  Our first stop is Winston, Iowa, and we arrive just in time for lunch. I pull into the lone Starbucks I see and ask, “What’s the oldest restaurant in your town?” A few minutes later, we’re in McGuinness’s Drug Store, which has an old cafe inside with a U-shaped counter surrounded by leather-topped swivel stools. It’s perfect, and we grab a couple of grilled cheese sandwiches and share some fries, then top it off with the best chocolate malts I can ever remember tasting.

  We stop at a couple of antique shops and wander around. Jess is usually the one to initiate hand-holding, but so far today, I’m the only one making that move. I’m hoping a good night’s sleep will rectify her moodiness.

  Our day ends in the little town of Alistair. After a disappointing dinner at an Italian spot that had rave reviews on Yelp, we look for a place to sleep. The plan had been to purposely stay in cheesy motels, but I think Jess needs more comfort tonight, so we find a big chain and check in.

  Jess heads for the shower and stays in there for an extended period. After she’s done, I take my turn, then walk out of the bathroom naked. She’s lying on the bed watching TV in yoga pants and a T-shirt, and doesn’t even look in my direction.

  I sit next to her on the bed. “You sure nothing’s wrong?” I ask, running my hand through her hair.

  “I’m just tired, Ty. I have a bit of a headache, too.”

  Despite her sour mood, I’m still ridiculously horny after spending all day with her. I just bury that desire, though, and we go to sleep early. Not only do we not have sex of any kind, there’s no sense of intimacy, either.

  ***

  Jess seems about the same on Saturday. We go through another day of driving, antique shopping, and even get in a little hike around Lake Warren during the hottest part of the afternoon. We’re both sweating our asses off, and when we reach a secluded part of the lake, I try to convince her to go skinny-dipping with me. Jess begs off, saying she’s not comfortable getting naked out here in public, which I find odd, considering that there’s no one anywhere near us.

  Later, I get us another nice hotel room for the night, this time bringing along a six-pack. The beer has the effect I’m looking for, and Jess loosens up some, enough to agree to sex. It’s strange sex, though, without the same passion we usually exhibit. At least on her end; I know I’m trying to give it my all.

  On Sunday, we do a lot of driving, ending the long day in the town of Carron. We’re making a giant loop, and from Carron it’ll be a four-hour drive back to Linville tomorrow. By the time we pull into Carron it’s almost eight o’clock, and something I see on the outskirts of town gives me an idea. I tell Jess this is going to be a very special night, then stop at a liquor
store, returning to the car with a bottle of Jack Daniel’s, a two-liter Coke, and a bag of ice. I go directly from there to a Kmart, where I buy two portable reclining chairs.

  The liquor was understandable, but the chairs confuse Jess.

  “What in the world are you doing?” she asks.

  “You’ll see,” I smile.

  Circling back where we came from, I pull into the Carron Drive-In Theater.

  “A drive-in? Really?” she asks. “I didn’t even know these things were still around.”

  “Hey, it’ll be fun. Have you ever been to one?”

  “Sure, the Linville Triple, back when I was in high school,” she says.

  “More than a decade ago. It’s time.”

  After paying our entry fee, I find a good place to park. Since it’s Sunday night, it’s not very crowded and we get a spot slightly to one side. I back in, then Jess and I climb into the back of the truck. Now she understands the chair purchase, as I set them up side-by-side for us to sit in while watching the movie. We make a trip to the concession stand for dinner, grabbing hot dogs, popcorn, and two cups. When we return, I mix us two Jack-and-Cokes just in time for the start of the movie.

  The movie is one of those idiotic “Transformer” movies. I don’t mind, though, because after a couple of drinks, Jess seems to be getting back to her old self again. We’re laughing and holding hands as we make fun of the dumb movie. We get a little loud, but it’s not a problem since there are only a couple of other cars here tonight.

  As we munch our popcorn, Jess tells me about her nephew’s third birthday party, at which the little boy insisted they serve “peanut-butter-jelly popcorn.”

  “Does such a thing even exist?” I ask.