Warm and Cozy on a Cold, Rainy Day

I enjoy writing short stories, those of an easy read nature. Some commenters want longer, some want more excitement, some want action. Well, to each his own. Some people cannot be pleased, so I try not please all.

Warm and Cozy on a Cold, Rainy Day

It is a cold and rainy day... yep, as I write this on a Memorial Day weekend. Somebody said this is the unofficial first day of Summer, well.... There ya go on that one. The weather came in off the Atlantic, it being 52 degrees here in South Carolina. I had to have something to do, so, I decided to brew a hot cup of coffee and see what would come out of banging away on the keyboard. That reminds of someone who said if you had enough monkeys and typewriters, a complete dictionary would be found.

Oh, well, today is the unofficial first day of Summer.

My wife came by and asked what I was doing.

So, I told her.

She asked what I was going to write about, but I had no answer other than something would come to mind. She said it was not raining inside the Citadel Mall in Charleston, so she was going to drive the hour and spend the day knocking around there.

I offered to go with her, but she said no, that I should try for my story.

She left for the bedroom to get dressed and ready to go.

Forty-five minutes later, she stopped for quick kiss. She was wearing

four-inch heels, a nice dress, and was made up.

I became suspicious.

Let me tell something about my wife. Her name is Alicia Smithsworth Gooding. She is 35 years old. She is a very nice-looking lady, well built, gracious, intelligent and has a great sense of humor. She graduated from the University of South Carolina, earning her nursing degree and subsequent certificate.

I met her on the Columbia, SC campus where I was majoring in Public Relations. It was our junior year; I remember it well. I was sitting under a tree, eating a sandwich.

A commotion got my attention. A guy was hassling a girl, holding her arm while she was trying to shake him off.

I got up, fast stepped it over, told the fellow to let loose.

He told me to bug off, this was none of my business.

I said "Miss, are you OK with this?"

She responded with "No, he thinks he owns me, but I broke it off with him last week. He will not stop coming after me."

I am not a really big man, at six feet tall and 180 pounds with he a few inches shorter and 25 pounds lighter.

"You will let go of her now, or wish you had, your choice."

I shot him a look similar to Clint Eastwood's "make my day."

He looked at her, then me, back at her finally letting go.

"Have it your way, Alicia, I'm finished," Off he went.

I invited her to join me under the tree, she did. That was the beginning of our relationship, we clicked and started dating with our being married three months after graduation.

We do not have any children yet, but trying.

I am Roger Gooding, 38, born and raised near Charleston, SC. I work for a major airplane manufacturer in Charleston, Public Relations, of course. I love my work, get to do some light travel, never overnight. I like photography, fishing, biking, working out at the gym and writing poetry.

Alicia likes the biking and the gym too, but adds pottery making and sweetgrass basket weaving to her interests. (If you, dear reader, are not familiar with sweetgrass baskets, I suggest you look at some online photos, truly amazing works of art.)

We enjoy ballroom dancing so take lessons. More than once she has been imposed upon by some bloke looking to cut in on us. None ever made it.

She is a nurse at the MUSC Medical University Hospital. She works in the Emergency Room, enjoying the variety of cases. Although some days she comes home really stressed when some horrendous cases were placed under her care.

My suspicious thoughts made me think of one of my favorite writers, one Micky Spillane, this inspiring me to make like Mike Hammer.

Charleston, SC is known as a friendly town, with the chance of hooking-up with a woman at 3.8 out of 5, with daytime odds 3.7 out of 5. The Citadel Mall is just as good as any, so Uncle Google says. All a guy or gal has to do is look the part, find a seat and just look inviting (or interesting).

There are 3.8 chances out of 5, somebody will make a move. The move does not have to be much more than a smile or hello, hoping for a return in kind. If that spawns an approach, then it's off to the races.

So, I followed her heading South on State route 17 towards Charleston. She found her way to the mall; I was half an hour behind her. I parked my car several rows from hers, so I could watch, but decided I would don my disguise and go in. I had a pair of shades, a close-cropped fake beard, wig, baseball hat and other helps in my disguise kit. I checked myself out, not bad, no, not bad at all.

I finally spotted her, sure enough, sitting demurely and watching passersby.

I took up a seat far enough away that she would not see me.

Several men passed by, but she did not show any interest. Then one did who was fairly handsome, she smiled but he kept going. This happened six times, defeating the 3.8 out of 5 chances.

She got up and started walking in my direction. I shifted trying not to look obvious. But she cast her eyes on me and beamed one of her award-winning smiles. I returned it with one of mine.

She sauntered over and asked if I would like some company. I nodded.

One thing about me is that I was good at voice impersonations. We began to talk, and she remarked how much I sounded like John Wayne, so I said "well, little lady, he and I were born and raised in the same town, that being Winterset, Iowa." She nodded. We talked for about 15 minutes with some innuendo interspersed.

I told her I was just visiting, that I was staying at the Wyngate Inn on University, mentioning room 306. I said I had to leave, gave her a nice smile, and left. I drove directly to the motel.

I went to liquor store next to the motel and selected a bottle of wine. I went to the room, opened the bottle and poured two glasses. I then sat down.

In a few minutes there was a knock at my door, there she stood.

I invited her in, took her coat, then offered her a glass of wine.

She took a sip, responding, it tasted like her favorite. I showed her the bottle; she confirmed it was her favorite. I said it was mine too, it having a light flavor, and reasonable price.

She sipped hers quickly then began undressing.

I asked "lights on or off?"

She said "off."

The dark shades, with the lights out made the room pitch black. I removed my disguise, found my way to bed and scooted closed to her nude body. I started nuzzling her neck, and she began to purr, we proceeded to an hour of love making. It was very nice, indeed.

She said, "Roger, what a lovely way to spend a cold, rainy day, eh, love?

I said "yes, my sweet wife, lovely indeed."

Note: Heading off comments, I reserved the room while driving to the mall and if one of the men she smiled at while in the mall would have approached, she would have had them move on, knowing the game was afoot.