The Race Driver

"I would enjoy your company Jay. I'm meeting my sister and her family at five at a downtown eatery before the parade. We can either join them in a early dinner or we could go somewhere after the parade if you like? The parade starts at seven and lasts about an hour."

"Sounds good Beth, I think I would like to wait to eat after the parade if you don't mind? So give me directions to your home and I'll pick you up in an hour."

"Jay we can meet somewhere easy for you to find and I will ride with you."

"Beth I'm not used to my date driving herself everywhere we go, I do like to make sure my date is returned home safely. Is there a reason why you don't want me to know where you live?"

"Of course not. Tell you what, just for tonight we can meet somewhere easy for you to find then when you take me back to my car you can follow me home. Will that be ok?"

"Fair enough, I'll see you in an hour at that bar we first met at."

He was waiting for her when she arrived. On the drive they talked about her hometown. When they got to her hometown he could see why she loved it. Even without all the decorations lit up yet, the Christmas scenes were charming.

He had enjoyed meeting her sister and her family and seeing her eyes sparkle as she watched the parade with her two nieces. When the lights came on, Jay had to admit that the little town was beautiful. After the parade they said their goodbye's to her sister and made their way out of town to a restaurant she had told him about.

After dropping her off at her car he followed her to her home. He pulled into her driveway and parked behind her car. She was already getting out of her car before he reached her door.

"Do you feel better now that you know where I live," she asked him?

"Yes. Now, are you going to invite me in or do we say goodnight here in your driveway?"

"Jay what are you expecting from me,"she asked him pointedly?

Beth figured that once he had seen that she lived in a house trailer he would finally realize just how different they were.

He could see the tenseness enter her body, the questions in her eyes and knew that he had to tread lightly if he wanted to continue on with this friendship.

"I expect you to offer me a cup of coffee, some more conversation, introduction to your dogs, and a kiss goodnight when I leave," he told her honestly.

"Well, I think I can handle three out of four of your requests," she told him opening her door to allow him entrance.

They were immediately greeted by her two dogs. They both had to get a good sniff of him to see if he was ok before the larger one ran off to retrieve a toy which she brought right back to him. He had reached down to pet the smaller one and the little guy cowered close to the floor as if he were afraid of him.

"It's ok, he'll let you pet him, he just doesn't know you to trust you. He had been abused when I got him from the shelter. I've had him five years now and he still cowers when you reach down to him. He had been very badly mistreated according to the vet from the animal shelter."

"Now this one will fetch that toy for you as many times as you will throw it for her,"she said smiling down at her pet.

Beth began making the coffee while Jay tossed the toy down the hall for the larger dog to fetch. She knew he liked his coffee black so she poured him a cup and took it to him where he sat on the couch in the living room. She sat on the love seat across from him and heard his soft chuckle.

"Are you afraid of me Beth, is that why you didn't choose to sit here on the couch with me?"

He was smiling a very wicked little smile which Beth couldn't help but laugh at.

"Jay, why have you wanted to spend time with me. At first I thought it was just because you were bored and just needed someone to talk to in a strange town."

"Because I enjoyed our conversation and your company that night in the bar. Your nice to be with and I have very much enjoyed our talks."

"How much longer are you going to be in town," she asked him?

"I leave on Wednesday, I have some business to attend to in California."

"Tell you what, seeing that tomorrow will be the last time we can share a meal how about if I cook, it's the least I can do after all the meals you have gotten me?"

"Well, I don't know...Can you cook," he asked grinning at her?

"When I want to, I promise it won't kill you or make you ill. How does seven sound?"

"Seven will be fine. I will be looking forward to a home cooked meal," he told her.

They talked for a little while more then he told her he had a early meeting in the morning so he should be on his way. She got up to walk him to the door, but when she reached for the door knob he stayed her hand.

"Oh no you don't, you owe me that kiss goodnight," he told her reaching for her.

Before Beth could move he had pulled her tight into his chest as his mouth descended on hers. The first touch of his lips against hers sent a little jolt of electricity through her. She hadn't realized that she was standing on her tip toes until her legs began to give way from the raw passion in his kiss.

Beth was getting lost in his kiss, if Jay wasn't holding her so tightly she would have crumpled at his feet. She had been kissed in passion many times before and had enjoyed the kisses, but this was different. This kiss had her on fire, there had been no spark, the gradual building of a fire, this was an explosion, she was being consumed by the flames of his kiss.

Jay wanted to do nothing more then to drag her back to her bedroom and make love to her, but he knew now was not the time. He had an unfair advantage over her at this time, she would regret anything that happened after this point and he didn't want that to happen.

"Now that is what I call a goodnight kiss," he told her softly after ending the passionate kiss.

Beth couldn't talk, she was still trying to catch her breath after that explosive kiss. He was still holding her and she could feel his racing heartbeat beneath her fingertips.

"Why?"

Just one word, that was all she could manage to say.

"Because you have very kissable lips and I've wanted to taste them since that first night."

Beth pushed herself away from him, she didn't know what to say, her emotions were still running on high and the confusion she was feeling just made things worse.

"I'll see you tomorrow at seven Beth. Sweet dreams."

How long Beth stood there staring at the door she had no idea. She was still trying to figure out what had just happened. An hour later, laying in her bed she was still trying to figure out that kiss. A kiss goodnight was one thing, but that kiss was anything but an ordinary kiss goodnight.

All day she couldn't get that kiss out of her mind, so to take her mind off it she decided to make homemade lasagna for their dinner that night. She spent the better part of the day making the sauce then constructing the lasagna. She put it in the oven an hour before he was due for dinner. While it was cooking she made a side salad for them. She hadn't bothered making anything for dessert because she had never seen him order anything sweet the three times they had eaten out. She took her shower while their dinner was cooking.

Beth took the lasagna out of the oven to allow it to set for at least a half hour before serving it then went about setting the table. She filled the coffee pot so it was ready to brew after they had eaten their meal in case he wanted coffee.

Jay arrived promptly at seven with a bottle of wine. As soon as he was inside the dogs greeted him. Owlsa now put his paws on his pant leg to welcome him allowing him to pet him while Jesse ran off to fetch her toy to drop it at his feet and await his pat on her head.

"Something sure smells good Beth. I have a feeling you really can cook after all," he told her smiling.

She got two wine glasses from the cupboard for him while she sliced the lasagna and dished up their plates.

"Beth this is delicious, and I mean that sincerely. I've eaten many true Italian dishes and this is every bit as delicious as any that I have eaten before."

"Thank you, I'm glad you've enjoyed it. Would you like a cup of coffee while I clear up in here," she asked him.

"Yes, that would be lovely and I'll help you clear this up while we wait for the coffee to brew."

After they finished clearing up the kitchen they took their coffee's into the living room. Beth had the TV on and the Green Mile was just coming on.

"I love this movie, I think it is one of Stephen Kings best," she told him.

"I've never seen it," he told her.

Beth didn't want him accusing her of being afraid of him again so she sat down on the opposite end of the couch from him. Owsla came over and curled up beside his mistress's feet when he was sure she was going to stay there. Jesse tried to get Jay to toss her toy again but Beth told her to lay down and she obediently did as she asked.

They sat in silence when the movie began and Jay found himself engrossed in the story line. They talked during the commercials but both of them were intent on the movie when it started back up.

"I have to say that is one of the best shows I've seen in a very long time. I'm glad we watched it. Are you crying Beth?"

"A little. I still can't make it through Old Yeller without crying my eyes out," she told him wiping the tears away. "When my youngest granddaughter would stay the night with me she always picked out the movie Dragon Heart to watch just so she could wait for the sad part that would make grandma cry. She would sit with the box of tissues on her lap just waiting for me to cry so she could wipe my tears away."

Jay stood up and asked to use the restroom, she told him where it was and while he was gone she refilled their coffee cups.

When he came back, he walked up to stand in front of her. Jesse immediately put herself between them and sat staring up at him.

"Now that is the look of back off mister, if I ever saw one," he said looking down at Jesse.

Beth reached over to take hold of Jesse's collar and was smiling. She couldn't help but chuckle before telling him the reason for her laughter.

"Jesse has this thing about someone towering over me. She loves both of my boys but she has twice grabbed my oldest son in the crotch when he has leaned down to kiss me good bye. My youngest is wise to her so he always reaches down to hold her collar while he kisses me goodbye. We don't have a clue why she does it, but she just can't stand someone towering over me," she explained to him.

"She is only protecting her mistress. She is just letting me know not to get any ideas, that she is watching," he told her laughing.

Beth was about to say something but Jay sat down then reached across the couch to take her hand.

"Come down here and sit next to me Beth, your much to far away."

"Jay why are you doing this?"

"Because I like you and want to get closer to you."

"We are from two different worlds. Your suits and ties and I'm jeans and t-shirts. Your fine wines, and lavish restaurants, while I'm beer and burgers."

"That's bullshit Beth and you know it. I wear jeans constantly and believe me these hands get dirty. Just because we live differently doesn't mean that we can't be together," he told her with conviction.

"Jay, I can't be, and won't be someone you pass the time with for a couple of weeks while you're here then when you leave that's it. Neither of us fit in the others world."

"That's still bullshit Beth. Look, I don't want us to argue Beth, I'll be back on the weekend and we can talk more about this when I return. Thanks again for dinner, it was a fantastic meal that I will always remember sharing with you."

He was up and out the door before she could say anything.

Now what, he was thinking to himself as he drove back to the hotel? How was he going to make her understand he was genuinely attracted to her. She had to many preconceived ideas why he wouldn't be. She was everything he liked in a woman and that was the real trouble, he knew without a doubt that proving his attraction to her would be the hardest thing he had to do.

Jay liked women with some meat on their bones, he liked them full and curvy, small women just didn't appeal to him nor were they made for a man like him. He liked a woman he could feel in his arms, soft and cuddly not boney and breakable.

Beth was built like that, he loved her long blond hair that he ached to wrap his fingers in. He loved that when she smiled it made her eyes seem like they were twinkling. He loved how mischievous she was, as in the night she had taken him to the strip club. Never in his life had one of the women he dated taken him to a strip club to watch a bunch of bare breasted women dancing on a stage. They would have felt threatened by that.

Beth tried to make sense of Jay's apparent interest in her for the next two days. He had called her every night since he had left and that alone puzzled Beth. He told her he would be back in town Friday night and would pick her up around seven to go to dinner. She decided that she would invite a couple of her friends to meet them at the bar Friday night so he could see just how different she was from him and the type of people he was used to being around.

When Friday night came she told him she was supposed to meet some friends at the bar that played country music and rock-n-roll. She wanted him to see first hand how different their lives were.

Jaye and her boyfriend Tim were waiting for her when they arrived at the bar. Tim's best friend Jim was also there with his girlfriend Lisa. Beth introduced everyone to him and he had gotten a chuckle out of her girlfriends name being Jaye as well.

Beth was sure that he had probably only heard this type of nasty talk from the men in his pit crew. She was also sure that he was not used to hearing women saying the word fuck as often as she and the other two women used it that night. Her friend Jaye was part Cherokee Indian and after a couple of drinks she would talk non stop. She couldn't hold her liquor at all.

The first slow song the band played, Jay took Beth's hand and pulled her out onto the dance floor. He pulled her in tight to his body making sure that she could feel his heart beating as they danced.

"What's the matter hon, do you feel safer with all your friends around tonight? Afraid that I might have designs on you and not take you home if you don't put out? Maybe your thinking you can just dump me here and catch a ride home with your friends, just in case I might ask to come inside when I take you home?" It was said more like a challenge, daring Beth to deny it or prove him wrong.

"I can take care of myself darlin I don't need my friends to protect me from the big bad wolf."

"I have no doubts about that at all," he whispered in her ear.

The rest of the evening went by quickly. He laughed and joked with her friends and even told a couple of dirty jokes himself. He really seemed to be having a good time. Beth was just never quite sure if he was laughing with them or at them.

"I take it I passed the test and proved that I could get along with your friends and have fun," he asked her on their drive back to her house?

"It wasn't a test Jay, I just wanted you to see the world I live in," she told him.

"Good enough. So now you have to give me the same courtesy and spend a day in mine. I'll pick you up at eight am, pack a bag and bring a dress we will be spending the weekend out of town, and don't worry Beth you will have your own room," he told her when he saw the shocked look on her face.

"I can't just take off on a moments notice Jay, I have to make arrangements for the dogs."

"Do your sons take care of them when you go away or do you board them." he asked her?

They were pulling into her driveway and Beth's mind was still racing at this new turn of events. She couldn't just take off with him, she barely knew him for one thing. Oh god, don't let him kiss me again or I will agree to anything he wants she was telling herself when he stopped the car.

"My sons usually take care of them when I go away, but the boys will want to know where I'm going," she told him.

"I'm not sure yet but you can call them once we get to wherever our destination is and let them know."

He got out and came around to let her out of the car. Once they got on her porch steps he pulled her into his arms. Be ready at eight, then he pulled her up and kissed her. The kiss was short and sweet. He waited until she was inside then he went to his car and drove off.

Beth called her son because she knew he would still be up to ask him to come pick the dogs up in the morning. She told him she was going to be gone a couple of days and would call him later and tell him where she was staying when she got there.

She was ready when Jay arrived at eight the next morning. She only had one dress, she usually wore it to funerals and occasionally on the rare occasion when she went somewhere that a dress was required.

When she asked him where they were going all he would tell her was that it was going to be a surprise. So when he pulled into the airport the look she gave him had all kinds of questions in her eyes.

"Come on, we have to check in our luggage before we can board."

Beth followed him over to the ticket counter where he checked them in. The boy tagged their baggage and told them where to go to board their flight. When they boarded the plane they were shown to the first class section. Beth had flown with her uncle in his small Cessna when she was younger, but she had never been on a large plane before now.

"Jay where are we going," she asked him.

Just then the flight attendant started explaining the safety measures, at the end of her instructions she told them they would be landing in Las Vegas in approximately five hours.

He wouldn't tell her anything more about the trip other then he had someplace special he wanted to take her. They talked about anything and everything and the next thing Beth knew they were telling them to fasten their seat belts for their landing.

It took them a little while to wait for their baggage, but once they had their bags in tow Jay led her to a shuttle that would take them right to the hotel they were staying at. He checked them in and good to his word he had arranged for her to have her own room, although she thought it was rather sneaky of him to make sure it was a connecting room suite.

"Beth I have some other arrangements to make so why don't you go rest a couple of hours before we get ready to go out tonight. Here is your room and your bath. We have dinner reservations for eight so be ready and wear your dress," he told her, giving her a quick kiss before heading out of her room.

Beth took her shower then filled the huge tub up so she could soak away some of the tenseness she was feeling. They had some wonderful smelling bath oils and she choose a sandalwood essence. She tried to sleep but her mind was racing with so many questions. She had called her son earlier and told him where she was, she gave him the phone number to the Hotel in case anything happened while she was gone.

Beth couldn't help it she was very attracted to Jay, and she had been hungering for his kiss ever since she had experienced that first consuming kiss form him. Not a night had gone by that she hadn't relived that kiss in her mind and dreams. That wasn't all Beth hungered for. She was aching to know his taste, she wanted to taste the heat and passion of him.

Jay knocked on Beth's door telling her he was back and was going to go take a quick shower before they headed off to dinner. She was ready except for putting on her dress. She was standing on the balcony waiting for him staring up at the stars.

Jay stopped at the door before making his presence known to Beth. She was wearing a black dress, it was a modest dress, curved neckline, about an inch above her knees, and long sleeved. Something sparkled at her wrist and he assumed it was a bracelet. As he got closer to her he noticed that the dress was velvet, her hair was pulled back behind one ear showing off one of her silver earrings. Her hair was shiny and flowing down past the middle of her back. He wanted to pull her into his arms and kiss her deeply, he was aching to touch the silk of her hair. He restrained himself then announced his presence.