From Crash to Crush

"You know you're going to make someone a wonderful wife." She said joking.

He returned with his meal and sat down beside her, feigning a disgusted look at her comment. She was suddenly a little uncomfortable having him that close to her. She contemplated this unexpected and unusual feeling. She tried to ignore it. Why did he all of a sudden make her uncomfortable? She came to the conclusion that it wasn't him but the monster in his pants. The thing seemed to be every where Evan was. Duh, no joke. It's just that now the thing has raised its ugly head, she looked at him differently. Ugly, she thought, umm, she bet not.

After they ate, Evan cleared the trays and dishes and piled a bunch of pillows on the floor and dropped down on them, leaving Teresa untouched on the couch. TV looked pretty good tonight and they settled in for an evening being entertained by it. Teresa stretched out on the couch and watched Evan in the pillows. They watched several shows like this. Between shows Teresa slipped off the couch and moved to Evan's side in the pillows.

"Mind if I join you?" She asked.

"No, not at all, glad to have you." He answered smiling at her.

He put his arm around her gently and tucked her into his side. She laid her cast on his chest and her head under his arm and settled in for more TV. He was glad she had made this move. He was going out of his way to make sure she was as comfortable as she could be with him.

Before long Teresa was twisting and stretching her left leg and moaning softly. Evan could tell she was in some pain. She had been on her bruised hip too long today, it was making her pay for it now. Evan got her a pain pill and a glass of water. She took it but it would take awhile to take effect.

"Can I see your bruise honey?" Evan asked.

"No, it's not in a viewable place." She answered.

He put his hand on the elastic waist of her sweats. "Please, I just want to kiss it and make it all better. I won't look promise, I will close my eyes." He begged.

"No. I'm not even wearing panties. They cut into my hip and made it hurt, so I'm not wearing any." She told him, placing her hand on his.

He looked down at her hips and looked as if to say, 'wow nothing between me and heaven but a thin layer of cotton.' He pushed the waistband with his thumb.

"Please, I just want to see your bruise, I promise I won't pull your sweats down. I promise Teresa." He continued.

She took her hand away and watched him as he eased her sweats down her bruised hip. He grimaced when he saw the dark purple. There seemed to be no end to it but he stopped as he promised he would. He leaned down and gently kissed her bruise.

"Teresa, I am so sorry you hurt. I wish there was something I could do to take your pain from you. How far down does it go?" He asked, being as honest as he had ever been.

He ran his hand down her leg on the outside of her sweats. She nodded and said about there when he reached the end of the purple area. He was amazed at how big this bruise was. He laid back down with her and caressed her sweet face in his hand.

"Is the pain pill helping any?" He asked lovingly.

"Not yet but it will soon." She answered, still obviously in pain.

She kept rolling and twitching and flexing her leg in pain. She should have stayed in the car at the lake. She remembered the strange feel of him against her stomach and decided that getting out of the car at the lake was definitely the right thing to do. She was hurting and not in a sexy mood at all. This bruise with its pain would be gone one day but the memory of standing snuggled against Evan at the lake would be there forever. The pain killer finally kicked in and she could once again settle down with Evan and enjoy the TV.

Teresa was asleep before the show they were watching was over. She bent her left leg onto Evan's stomach rubbing her thigh across his penis as she moved over it. The heat coming from her sweats was almost more than he could stand. Her body was so hot. He held her and watched TV. She would shift from time to time; he knew her leg must have been hurting. She slept for almost two hours. When she woke up she went to bed kissing him softly on the cheek. He let her go, knowing she needed her rest worse than he needed her company. He loved being with this woman.

The next day she called Sally and made a new appointment. She made the interview. Sally was impressed with her and the things she had written but there were other people involved in making the decision. Sally would call her and let her know. Teresa gave her Evan's number in case she was still there.

Evan talked her into staying with him and waiting to hear about the job. She decided that would be the best. She called back home and let people at her present job know what was going on and that she wouldn't be able to travel for awhile. They told her to take all the time she needed. Evan and Teresa spent the next several days having fun and getting to know each other better. It seemed the more they found out about each other the more they had in common. Evan kept himself under control, she was as safe with him as she could be with anyone.

Sally called the next Monday and gave Teresa the bad news. They had decided to go with an in house promotion. Sally assured her that she would keep her resume on file and if anything else came open Teresa would be the first one Sally called. Teresa hung up the phone and cried.

Evan had gone to the store and was just getting back as Teresa was hanging up. She tried to wipe her tears and hide the fact that she had been crying.

"What's wrong Teresa?" he asked.

"Oh...nothing, it's just...oh Evan they gave the job to someone else," she said through her tears.

"Oh no, Teresa, I'm so sorry. What are you going to do?" he asked.

"I don't know. I guess I will go back home and stay at my job there," she replied.

"Oh I don't think so young lady," he said.

"Evan I have to go back. I don't have any way to live here," she told him.

"Teresa I tell you what, I have to leave day after tomorrow. I will be gone for about two weeks, three at the outside. You stay here and get better. Look for a job and when I get back we will see what happens. And, I did a network earlier this year for a publisher here. I made a pretty good friend there, Maxine Taylor. Let me call her and see if she can do anything for you. Ok?" he rattled it off so fast she had to let it all sink in.

"Let me think about it," she said.

Teresa slept on the idea and decided a couple of weeks recuperating would do her good. Her job back home wasn't in jeopardy. Evan talked her into letting him take her resume and articles she had written to Maxine. Maxine said that she couldn't promise anything but she would see what she could do. Maxine was a mid-level executive there and carried some weight.

Teresa drove Evan to the airport that next Wednesday and saw him off. The trust he showed in her made her feel special, staying at his place and driving his car. When she got back 'home' she found an envelope lying on the kitchen counter. Inside was Evan's credit card and a letter. It told her to use this card in case she needed anything. She hugged the letter to her chest and wished he was there to kiss her. She determined not to use the card. She wouldn't take advantage of the situation for anything.

She watched the want ads for jobs and called on a couple. They weren't exactly what she was looking for but she was about to decide that staying there with Evan was the most important thing. She was almost ready to do anything to stay with him, at least stay in the same city. A week came and went with nothing much happening. Then on Friday afternoon Maxine called and asked if Teresa could come in and talk with her Monday morning around nine o'clock. Teresa told her she most definitely could.

Teresa was fit to be tied the whole weekend. Evan called on Saturday morning. He was ecstatic about the news; they talked for almost an hour, nothing serious, just simple small talk. She hated to hang up. She wasn't sleeping well from all the excitement so she took a painkiller Sunday night to insure she would sleep and be rested for Monday morning.

Teresa was up early Monday getting ready; the butterflies were already swirling around in her stomach. She wanted a job near Evan so badly; she would do anything. She was at 'City Scene' magazine sitting outside Maxine's office at eight-thirty. Before she had been there five minutes a very distinguished looking lady in her late forties or early fifties entered the hallway and approached the office.

"Hello there, you must be Teresa?" she asked.

"Yes, and you're Ms. Taylor?" Teresa replied.

"Yes, but its Maxine, please," she said insistently. "Come in; you're early. What happened to your arm?"

"Oh, I was in a car wreck but I'm right handed so there won't be any problems," Teresa told her.

"Oh I see, you type one handed then?" Maxine smiled.

"No, two handed but really it won't be a problem if you just give me a chance, and besides, it should be off in a couple of weeks," she said taking a seat in front of Maxine's desk.

"Well, Teresa, I have looked over your articles and I showed them to the senior editor and we feel like we would like to give you some freelance work if that would suit you," Maxine told her.

"Suit me, suit me, it would absolutely floor me, I would love to freelance for you," Teresa couldn't hide her excitement.

"Great! Teresa we are not a large publication so until you have satisfied us on several articles the pay will be low. At least three articles let's say. You prove you're worth it and we will give you more work and the pay will increase. How does that sound?" Maxine said.

"You've made my day Ms. Taylor, Maxine. I can't wait. When can I start?" Teresa wasn't even trying to hide her excitement.

"How about today?" Maxine asked.

"Today? Of course, what do you want me to do?" Teresa asked.

"We are sending a photographer to a hang gliding competition on the coast. It's about an hour's drive. She is leaving at one o'clock, can you be ready to go by then?" Maxine asked.

"Oh yes, that sounds incredible. I would love that," Teresa answered.

"Well, all of our writers are on other assignments so you get this one," Maxine told her.

Maxine pressed a button on her intercom, called for Nancy and a ladies voice answered. "Yes."

"Nancy, this is Maxine, I have a freelancer in my office could you come in for a second?" she asked.

Nancy answered sure and the intercom went dead. I a couple of seconds a young girl, younger than Teresa, came into the office.

"Nancy Dillard this is Teresa Brady, Teresa, Nancy," Maxine introduced them. "Nancy we are sending Teresa with you today to cover your story. Teresa this story is basically a photo essay; you will just need to caption the photos. Write all you want but we will only take captions on this assignment. Do either of you need anything else?" Maxine asked in conclusion, handing Teresa a sheet of instructions for delivering her articles. Company policy and things like that.

The two girls looked at each other, shrugged their shoulders and shook their heads no. Teresa followed Nancy to her office. Nancy filled her in on the details of the photo shoot. She told her how best to dress, when they would be leaving and where Teresa should meet her at one o'clock. Teresa headed home floating on cloud nine to get ready for the day.

She needed to buy some clothes, some comfortable jeans and shoes. She decided that since she was going be getting paid that she would, after all, use Evan's card with every intention of paying him back as soon as possible. She grabbed a quick lunch and was waiting for Nancy at one. They piled into a company car and headed to the coast.

They talked most of the way. Nancy was a really sweet young lady and they took to each other instantly. Nancy had started freelancing for 'City Scene', they had just put her on the payroll about a month ago. It didn't pay a lot but she managed.

When they got to the location Teresa couldn't believe her eyes. There were so many brightly colored hang gliders it looked like a field of wild flowers. She hadn't realized it was such a big deal. Nancy informed her it was a state-wide competition and exhibition. Nancy described what she would be trying to get photographically to give Teresa some idea of what to write. Teresa already had two pages of her letter sized note pad filled. They walked among the gliders; Nancy took pictures while Teresa kept on writing. She described the gliders, the people, the whole atmosphere of the place. Then they headed to the cliffs and watched the hang gliders take off for the next thirty minutes. One after another of the colorful gliders silently drifted out over the cliffs and into thin air. They made their way down the cliff to the beach. Nancy had to help Teresa several times. Her cast made it more difficult than it should have been. Teresa apologized for being so much trouble over and over. Nancy assured her that it was no bother. They spent the next hour photographing the descents. Teresa would pick out one glider that had just taken off and described it as it circled back to earth. She couldn't believe she was getting paid to have so much fun.

When Nancy had four rolls shot and Teresa had over ten pages filled they headed back to the car. They sat there resting for a few seconds. Nancy asked if she could read the notes she had taken and Teresa handed her the note pad. Nancy broke out into a huge smile as she read on.

"This stuff is great!" she almost shouted. "I mean absolutely wonderful."

"Thank you," was all Teresa said but her heart leapt inside her chest at Nancy's admiration. "I can't wait to see the photographs you took. Do you think I have what they want at the magazine?" she asked shyly.

"Oh you gave them so much more than they asked for it isn't funny," Nancy answered, still reading Teresa's notes.

When she finished she handed the pad back to Teresa and started the car. They stopped to eat dinner on the way home. They had really enjoyed each other's company today. They talked about the story and got acquainted over dinner. They were back at the magazine before dark. Teresa said goodbye to Nancy and told her she couldn't wait until they got to work together again. Nancy agreed that they had had a great day and she too looked forward to their next collaboration.

Teresa got home and began to type her notes into a clear precise article to e-mail to Maxine. It took longer than it should; Teresa was restricted to typing with one hand for the time being. Evan called about nine o'clock. Teresa came unglued on the phone telling him about her day that she had a job even though it was freelancing. She was so excited she forgot to tell him hello. He laughed with her and her excitement infected him, he was just as happy to hear she had found work as she was. His heart was beginning to make plans for her. They talked for over an hour, and half of that was saying goodbye. Neither one wanted to hang up.

Evan would be home in two days and she would need to pick him up at the airport and three in the afternoon. She couldn't wait but she at least had plenty to keep her busy until then. She went to sleep that night, her thoughts drifting between Evan's return and her glorious day.

The next morning the phone rang before Teresa was up. She hoped it was Evan and answered the phone beside the bed. It was Maxine. Teresa snapped awake and sat up to listen.

"Teresa?" she asked.

"Yes, Maxine? Good morning, did you get my article?" she asked.

"Oh yes indeed I got your article. I though I told you captions. You send me a short novel," Maxine said.

"I'm sorry. Didn't you say to write what I wanted and you would pull the captions from it?" she asked confused.

"Well, that was the idea. I showed your story to the editor and he flipped. We're expanding the story two pages. Can you come in today and get with Nancy and lay it out with her photos?" Maxine asked.

"Sure. What time Maxine?" she answered.

"Nancy said her pictures would be ready by eleven. Can you make it by then?" Maxine asked.

"I'll be there." Teresa excitement just hit one hundred on a scale of ten.

Teresa went to Maxine's office when she got to 'City Scene'. Her secretary told her they were in Nancy's office looking over the article. Teresa headed that way. A thought hit her suddenly that she might be stealing Nancy's thunder on the story; after all, it was suppose to be a photo essay, not a written one. She poked her head inside the door sheepishly.

"Come in Teresa!" Maxine said when she saw her. "This is Bill Richter, the managing editor, Bill this is Teresa Brady."

"Very happy to meet you young lady. This is quite a story you have given us," he said, shaking Teresa's hand.

"Thank you Mr. Richter, it's nice to meet you," Teresa replied.

"We're pretty informal around here, its Bill if you don't mind," he told her.

"Ok, Bill it is," she smiled back at him.

Teresa looked at Nancy, she was smiling up at her, holding a magnifying glass over a table full of gorgeous photos. She didn't look offended but Teresa would make sure.

"Nancy I hope this isn't going to mess with your program for you article," she said looking a little worried.

"No way girlfriend. I told you that you had a great story here. This doesn't surprise me in the least. Besides that, how do you expect your paltry words take away from my awesome pictures, come look at these," Nancy answered handing the glass to Teresa.

Teresa walked to the table and took the glass and started examining the photos. They were truly gorgeous. The bright colors against the clear blue sky made for a shocking contrast. Bill broke Teresa's concentration when he keyed the intercom and a voice answered on the other end.

"Is the Brady check cut yet?" he asked.

"Almost Bill, it's just coming off the printer now," the voice answered.

"You want to do the honors Maxine?" he asked.

"Absolutely Bill, be right back," with that Maxine left the room.

Bill, Teresa and Nancy returned to studying the photos. Teresa didn't really know why she was here, she didn't know much about layout of text and such but she was glad they had included her in the process. They even asked her to do the editing, she was glad to. Maxine was back in no time; she handed Teresa an envelope. Teresa took it and opened it. The check was for five hundred dollars. Her eyes flew wide open. Five hundred for one day, and not even a full day at that. She looked at Maxine and asked if there had been some mistake. Maxine assured her there was no mistake. She added that 'City Scene' wanted her to remember them the next time they needed some freelance work. Teresa assured her that she would always be available for her freelance needs. Maxine wasn't so sure. She felt that when this article hit the streets that every magazine in the area would be knocking on Teresa's door to do work for them. Time would tell. Teresa and Nancy spent most of that day finishing the article. She worked carefree and happier than she could remember being in a working environment.

When she saw Evan approaching the baggage claim her heart raced like it never had before. Her knees were getting weak; she hadn't anticipated this reaction. He dropped his carryon and grabbed her gently, paying attention to her arm. Her appointment to get the cast off was next week. He pulled her close and without hesitation pressed his lips warmly against hers. He kissed her for the longest time. She didn't have to wonder if he had missed her, his kiss told all. And she kissed him back just as warmly.

She didn't stop talking on the way home. She rattled off everything that had happened. She showed him her check; she hadn't known what to do with it. She had been using his card for things and would pay him back out of her check if he could get it cashed for her. She had even been apartment shopping, trying to find one close to his house. She noticed he looked a little disappointed at this. She ignored it and went on with her tale. She was one excited little girl just about now. He suggested they stop for a bottle of champagne and get a couple of steaks to celebrate. She looked a little concerned. She told him she had never had champagne before.