Harley's Choice

by Shaelin Ferra

  "You are his biggest fan and would like an autograph?” Kit Carson sighed, apparently he'd heard this several times tonight.

  "Well yes, that is true, but it's not quite what I came to say," I looked at both of them and was rewarded with a pair of blue eyes and pair of green eyes. They were both extremely handsome and yet looked lonely. My eyes fell onto Kit; he looked the same in the movies as he does in real life. His face was rugged and ravage by at least a three day beard but instead of making him looked unkempt it did nothing but intensify his piercing blue eyes and the tanned skin told me he spent plenty of time out side.

  His hair was longish, long enough that it kept flowing into his face. Finally he pulled his long fingered, strong looking hand away from his beer and ran it through his hair pushing it back. As he turned to talk to Kyle Mallory I noticed a small white scar on his left temple. I ran down scenarios in my mind of how he could have gotten it, but really I just sort of put him in my place…nothing fit. I could see he still looked as fit as he did in the last movie I saw him in, or at least his chest and shoulders and arms did. Anything that was accentuated by the tight shirt he was wearing. Now I’m not real good on judging weight and height but by the way the table came to his lower chest area and I had to damn near use a booster seat told me he was close to six foot.

  Kyle Mallory looked like he did on his book jackets and so much more. The black and white photos do not due him justice. His green eyes and dirty blonde hair added a beautiful aura of colors to his softly tanned skin.

  A cough brought me out of my thoughts, "you wanted to say something miss?"

  "Oh right, so yeah, well the thing is that to get the crowd away from me I said that I had seen you at the beach." I looked directly at Kit.

  "When you say you saw me who did you think I am?"

  "Kit Carson," I whispered in his ear so that no one would hear me. His eyes widened and the look asked how I knew who he was, "please, I just got done finishing watching one of your movies last night." I leaned back to my side of the table and looked at the two of them, "I can't promise they will stay away long but they're bound to find out that it was a lie and then come back to where they know there's someone famous." I smiled at the two of them and went back to my table.

  As I sat there drinking my beer enjoying the music I could now hear and watching the people. I had finished my beer and my waitress (Missy I found out) stopped at my table, "you want another one?

  "No, but I will take a soda in a high ball glass,” she just looked at me, "please." She nodded and turned but I reached out and grabbed her wrist. “Hey can I get one of those burgers to go in about an hour?”

  “Oh sure, not a problem.” She smiled and walked back to the bar. I looked down the bar and noticed a man watching me - I filed that under 'future information', she came back with my drink and I sipped it trying to figure out what I was going to do now. I figured I'd go back to the hotel and eat my burger and watch TV.

  I finished the drink and pushed it out and like a good waitress she was there asking if I wanted more, "no but I’d take my burger."

  “It’s already ready; I’ll go get it for you.”

  “Thanks,” she smiled again and went to get my food. When she returned she carried the bag and another soda for me.

  "This is from the man across the bar."

  I frowned slightly, "thanks." I make it a habit not to drink things that are bought for me, I glanced up at Missy.

  "It’s just soda; I made sure that he didn't see what went in it."

  "Thanks," I smiled at her and took a sip and took my to-go bag and placed it next to me. I sat drinking my soda as the crowd got denser. The Kyle Mallory word had spread again and the bar was filling up elsewhere too. I was doing good ignoring it until a big scruffy man bumped my table and spilt my soda and I snapped. I grabbed the giant man buy the scruff of his neck and pulled him into the seat next to mine. “Hello.” His eyes just glared at me. “I don’t know if you know this or not, but you just bumped my table and spilt my drink.” I waved down my shirt. My voice was hard and no where near sweet. “Now why don’t you walk up to the bar and get another one before I remove the reason you have to wear underwear.”

  He looked disbelieving and so for a little flash I pulled my knife out of my purse and poked him between the legs. “Get me now?” he swallowed hard and visibly and nodded. “Good, and while you’re at it you might want to tell your friends there that there’s a psychotic bitch at the next table that is close to snapping, yes?”

  He nodded again and stumbled away from my table toward the bar and on his way back I saw him whisper in a few ears, he placed the drink at my table and backed away.

  Some followed him, most didn’t, but I sucked down the drink and grabbed my food, purse, slid off the stool, nodded through the crowd toward the famous men and made my way to the door. I watched the creepy guy who ordered me a drink watch me and so I became the drunken chick and swayed out the door.

  I had made it about five steps down the sidewalk before the noise of the bar hit my ears then was silenced again. I heard the shuffle of foot steps behind me and so I stumbled a bit on my heel and was rewarded with a view of the creepy man from the bar.

  I paused and played lost and turned down an alley way and kept walking till, “Hey beautiful, where ya going.” His voice was heavy with drink and his step was still a shuffle.

  I giggled. “I think I’m lotht - lost, I don’t know which way my hotel is.” I poured innocence into my voice and a giggle to top it off. Then I stumbled into a dumpster. “Oops,” then “Oh, pooh I think I hurt my ankle.”

  “Well here, now, what kind of gentleman would I be if I didn’t help a woman in need?” I watched as he stepped toward me and I stuck my hand in my purse and palmed one of my knives. Just as he got close to me I fell toward him as I corrected my stance and he caught me, just like I knew he would. “My you are nothing but a little thang ain’tcha darlin.” He picked me up by my arms. Dammit I was going to have a bruise.

  “Aw, such a nice man, could you put me down please?” my voice slightly losing its drunkenness.

  “Maybe I happen to know there is a place, just right back there where you could sit down,” and he started walking to the back of the alley. Rule one: don’t let them move you.

  “No, you know I’ll be fine, I think I remember where my hotel is.” I giggled slightly hysterically.

  “Now, now, I insist.” Rule two: make sure you leave evidence.

  I wiggled out of my shoe and it clattered to the ground. “Oops.”

  “Stupid slut!” He snapped as he bent allowing my feet to touch the ground and that was all I needed. I got the momentum and threw my knee into his nose. The resounding crunch was satisfying “Bitch!” he hollered, “I think you broke my nose.” He touched his nose gingerly and I knew he was acting just like me, all the evidence of alcohol gone from his voice. “They said you wouldn’t break things!”

  “Just be lucky I didn’t add air conditioning to your torso.” I flashed the knife under his tearful eyes. I watched as they flashed wide “You must be new?” he nodded slightly, “word of advice, if you are going to try to take a woman off the street always take the bag first. It’s our go to weapon.” He just nodded, still hutched over holding his nose, I felt bad. “Here,” I helped erect his position and gave him a bit of tissue, “call my father, I’m done with his tests and the next one will be sent home in a body bag. Don’t worry he’ll compensate you for the nose, there’s a hospital I think right that way a mile or two.”

  I walked off flipping my knife and as I reached the entrance of the alley I noticed two men running up my direction. I slipped my knife back in my purse, then I realized who was coming, “um, hello?” I smoothed my hair down and glanced into the alleyway, the man with the broken nose was not in sight.

  “Hello, we got here as soon as we could. When we saw him leave…” Mr. Carson stood before me barely out of breath and Mr. Mallory a step behind him.

  “Oh,
well that’s nice, but there’s nothing going on here, I was just walking back from where I came.” And that excuse would have been fine if it weren’t for the horrible timing of the man with the nose issue to come stumbling out of the alley “and – what’s your name?”

  “Steven.” He mumbled around his hands.

  “Steven here was nice enough to help me when I twisted my ankle.” I think Steven mumbled ‘bitch’ here but wasn’t sure.

  “And this is the thanks I get, a broken nose.” He walked off grumbling something about working for my father and the ice bitch from hell. Or at least I think that was what he said.

  “So, yeah thanks.” I headed off and they followed me. I spun, and was confronted with the two famous men and I also realized I had the height way wrong, these two stood a good foot over me and I was getting a crick in my neck, so I stepped back a step, but too late realizing that I did actually twist my ankle and my world sort of tilted sideways as the pinch of pain raced up my leg and down I fell.

  A hand, a giant massive hand cradled my back. “My hero.” I deadpanned. “Now would you be so kind as to let me up and back up. You two are tall.” I stood and removed my heels and slid them into my purse and now in my bare feet I took off walking/limping back to the hotel and heard them behind me. I spun one more time. “Where are you two heading?”

  “To that hotel.” Mr. Mallory pointed to the one I was also staying in.

  “Of course, come on.” We walked along the street but I paused when we came to a book store. Oh books. “Well thanks for the escort I’m sure I’ll see ya around.” I slipped my shoes back on and wiggled my ankle till I heard another pop, and it immediately felt better. I waved to the guys and walked into the book store.

  “Hi, welcome.” The lady behind the counter cheered as I walked in, “we close in just a bit.’

  “Thanks, and it’s alright I just came to get one book.” I walked to the mystery section and plucked the new hard back for the Harrison Scarlet series. I walked back up to the counter and placed the book on the counter.

  “Oh I love this series, I read them the minute they come out.”

  “Me too, this is the only one I didn’t get the day it came out.” I looked guiltily out the window but didn’t see either man.

  “Oh you’ll like it, so much drama and just enough sex to make it all so delicious.” I laughed, and agreed the man that was outside had such a way with words that he made you feel that you were there with the characters solving mysteries and loving them.

  She rang me out and I was smiling and holding the book to my chest as I stepped out of the store right into the chest of the said author “Ohmiricin!” I was instantly angry with myself for not noticing so I projected my anger toward them, “you could have left, I have my big girl panties on I would have been fine!”

  “Yes, I have a feeling you would have, but you see we felt guilty that you were put into that position to begin with, that we’ve decided to make sure you get to the hotel unmolested.” Kyle’s voice held a touch of laughter, but was also deep. His voice brought to mind that of a bubbling brook, one you just had to play in.

  I smiled at his sentiment and tried hard not to laugh hysterically at the thought of that even happening.

  “We figured it was the least we could do.” Mr. Carson spoke, his voice was rough, gravely and deep, it was like wading into a deep river. One would want it to drag one down into its depths. “With you dispersing the crowd at the bar like you did.”

  “Well the guy was no biggie, and the crowd was an annoyance for me as well. We’ll call it selfish intentions.” Then I realized I was minus one to go bag “Oh! My food!” I looked to the alley and was saddened all over again and like always, the mention of food made my stomach growl.

  “Well then we owe you dinner.” Mr. Carson turned to Mr. Mallory and spoke in his ear and suddenly, like a kick to the gut, I realized who they really were. I must have made a sound because two set of eyes looked to me. “Are you alright ma’am?” Well that answered that; they didn’t remember me.

  “I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about the food.” I turned, and walked to the hotel leaving them with a stunned looked on their faces. I couldn’t really blame them for not know who I was. I did change, a lot. I stopped and turned back. “You know what you can do for me.” I looked to Kyle whose eyes were still suspended in surprise. “Do you think you could sign my book? I have them all and I’d love to have one that was signed.”

  “I’d love to.” He turned to Carson, my knights, I was saddened that they didn’t remember me but I was going to correct that right now. “You have a pen?” Carson patted himself and I flushed remembering him in the movies and knew I’d no longer watch them in the same way. When Carson shook his head I stepped in.

  “Here I have one.” I pulled out the pen in my purse, “here” and handed it over to Kyle.

  “So who do I make this out to?”

  I wrapped my arms around my stomach. “Kitten would be fine.” There was silence and I looked up into two set of wide surprised eyes. “Just there, on the first page would be fine.”

  “Harley?” I looked into Carson’s eyes and smiled and nodded. “My god Harley!” he pulled me into a crushing hug and just laughed.

  “Breath,” I squeaked out. He laughed again and I was set down for just a second when another set of arms grabbed me and pulled me into a differently shaped chest. “Kitten!”

  Then Carson spoke, “don’t cry kitten.”

  “I-I’m not.” I felt Kyle’s arms tighten around me and I let loose. The tears wouldn’t stop for nothing. “Oh I have missed you guys so much I thought about you every day for ten years.”

  “Oh, kitten we missed you too!” Carson pulled me to him and lifted me up. “Still so slight, yet so strong.”

  Kyle kissed my cheek. “Kitten you have no idea how we missed you.”

  “I wasn’t sure you guys would make it.”

  “We made a promise Hars; of course we were going to be here.” I looked to Carson as he spoke. Then it all came flooding back. All the gossip I’d heard regarding him.

  “Oh sweet mother of Wolf’s bane you left a year ago, no that’s not right you dropped off the face of the earth a year ago.” I looked to Kyle. “And they say you’re a recluse.”

  “We have a lot to talk about Hars, let’s go back to the hotel and get a pizza and talk.”

  Carson mentioning pizza set my stomach to rumbling; they both laughed and started walking back to the hotel. “Um, Kyle you can put me down.”

  “Are you kidding you have a twisted ankle”

  “Yes, I know, but I’ll be fine, really.” I wiggled and tried to get down and was rewarded with a smack on my butt. “Hey!” But my body didn’t feel the same indignation that my voice held.

  Carson laughed and his fingers tickled the back of my knee and then Kyle grunted when I kicked him just above the groin.

  “Don’t do that again Carson, she about destroyed the boys,” Kyle said without much laughter. He gently set me on my feet and hunched over. I rubbed his back while he breathed through the pain.

  “See I told you…” I looked at Carson who threw his head back and laughed and then I heard Kyle starting to giggle. The three of us laughed all the way back to the hotel. We stopped when we walked in and walked very fast through the lobby and into an elevator. Then the doors closed and the three of us were in the confined space of the elevator, something switched.

  Something that didn’t have a name.

  Yet.

  The doors open on the fifth floor and I walked to my door and heard chuckling. I looked behind me at them “What?”

  “That’s me.” Carson pointed to room 529

  “And that’s me.” Kyle pointed to room 525

  And I tried not to find the Freudian meaning behind it – too late.

  “Come on in.” They followed me into the room and I shut and locked the door. “Be right there, why don’t you guys go ahead and order the food,” and I walked into
the bathroom.

  As soon as I shut the door I cracked it silently, hey I’m not ashamed - I’m nosy by trait. “Shit Kyle…”

  “You don’t have to tell me. I was there.”

  “God I thought she was cute in school, I was waiting and wanting, she was so young I couldn’t do anything, but now…” Carson sounded like he was choking on his words.

  “I understand. I still remember the day we pulled her off Ryan Roberts; she was solidly in my heart that day. I never laughed so hard; she was so slight and little and was clawing at him like a little tiger. It was a sight for sure.”

  They both chuckled at that memory. I remembered a different situation: There I was a sixty pound ten year old sixth grader and they zeroed on me like a missile and got me backed into a corner with Rebecca hanging off Donny’s arm. He gave the command and Ryan started in with horrid insults and kept looming over me like the giant he was. Insult after insult after insult I wished for my knights to come and save me. Then I remembered they had counselor meetings and wouldn’t be out for another few minutes. I was huddled down in the corner when he poked me and I lost it. I snapped. My vision blurred and a red haze filled any remaining sight. I sprung. I don’t remember what happened after that, the next thing I remembered was being held between two bodies being soothed and whispered to.

  “I think I’ve loved her since the first day of sixth grade when she had a look of murder in her eyes in the fifth period.” Carson’s voice seemed distant.

  “So what do we do? We’ve shared women in the past. Do you think she’d be open to that?”

  “No the bigger question would be could she accept us?” I wanted to run out yelling yes, yes I would accept them however they wanted, together, individually but I knew I had to find out who they were now. I heard Kyle ordering pizza and set about doing what I came in here to do.

  “Hey Hars we’re going to step into our rooms and we’ll be right back.”

  “Ok.” I heard the door. I stepped out into my bedroom and took a deep breath. I couldn’t imagine for a moment that my knights would turn into such large alpha males. I was turned on and scared all at once. I found myself standing at the connecting door to room 529. I unlocked my side of the connecting doors and raised my hand then lowered it and turned around then turned one more time and knocked lightly and was surprised that the door was answered so quickly. “Hi.” I said breathlessly to the sight before me.