CRANKSHAFT

By BLACK CHERRY

CHAPTER TWO

“I’ll Fly away…”

WESTBOUND:

Sharon held onto to Leather, hugging her close as the wind and Texas hills swept passed them at high velocity. She was freezing, but could feel the warmth of Leather’s body soothing the wind-beaten chills out of her. She found the ride to be in itself an adventure, despite having suffered car trouble to attain it. It’s not like she wasn’t thinking about this very thing when her truck decided to crap out on her, Well, in my fantasy she didn’t think I was a dork! she thought to herself sadly.

Just as she was beginning to let go of her anxiety, she saw the service station on the right, and felt the change in the bike as Leather clutched and began to gear down for the stop. She was sad, but relieved. Sharon wanted to get her truck repaired and get back on the road. To where? She asked herself. Anywhere but here, her mind supplied. The shadow purred to a halt outside the Last Chance gas station. Sharon shook her head when she saw the sign. “Man, is that for real?”

“Sure is, “ Leather laughed. “Let’s see if we can get you a tow.” Sharon began to dismount the bike, but lost her balance and felt herself begin to teeter. Just as she was about to take a tumble she found herself wrapped up in Leather’s arms and once again she was face to face with her bad girl biker. The heat that passed between them could fry an egg, Sharon started, but didn’t speak. Leather smiled and murmured softly. “You have cool eyes.”

The blonde was silent, afraid to even breathe for fear of breaking the moment. She was in turn looking into Leather’s eyes; lost in the pools of blue fire. She thought about the close proximity of their lips, I could just… She tilted her head. I could kiss you… She moved closer, slowly closing the gap between them in a breathless, almost timeless moment.

No!

Leather hastily pulled away and went to the station door, needing a moment away from the blonde to regain her composure.  She pulled on the door, rattling the heavy chain holding it closed. Locked. Damn. She looked in the window. No one was there. Leather turned back to Sharon who was fighting back an angry blush. The dark rider wanted that kiss. More than a thirsty man in the desert wants water! But she had to make sure the girl would be okay before she fucked her and broke her heart. I’m a bitch, she thought to herself, but I’m not a fucking bitch.

Or am I?

“Okay, here’s the deal,” she said, turning to Sharon, “Looks like they’re gone for the day. There’re no motels here, not for at least fifty miles. I could run you back to Mike’s, but he’ll be closing up for the night. What do you want to do?”

Sharon’s jaw dropped. “What do you mean ‘what do I want to do?’ What can I do?”

Leather crossed her arms, her fingers tapping her forearm. “Well, you can come to my place and stay the night…“

Indignant green eyes glared back. “Hold it right there. Is this some kind of pickup scam?”

“What? No! I’m trying to help you! Do you want the fuckin’ help or not?” Leather snapped.

“Okay, I was just checking. I saw the way you looked at my tits back at the burger stand. I wanted to wipe the drool off your chin.” Sharon replied wryly.

Oh shit. Leather started to speak… then stopped… then started again with an angry growl. “Fuck it.” She jammed her helmet onto her head, “Either get on or don’t. I got better things to do.” Leather was pissed about getting busted for staring at Sharon’s tits. She mounted her bike and cranked it, then revved the engine, pausing a moment with a knowingly raised eyebrow. She’ll get on, she thought to herself.

Sharon hurried and got on the bike behind Leather. She was all mixed up. She totally wanted to go on some bad girl adventure, riding off into the sunset with a leather dyke, to be made to be her bitch, yeah. But, a more adult, sensible side of her really wanted to get her truck fixed and maybe just go back home. Home? Go home to what? To an ex who screwed around on her with her boss? She wouldn’t even have a job when she got back, at least she wouldn’t have one for long. Fran will see to that, the bitch! Just the thought of her ex was enough to make her cradle herself tighter to Leather, and this was not lost on the dark rider at all. Leather felt Sharon burrowing in closer behind her, a sensation she thoroughly enjoyed. She kicked the bike into high gear and sped west, as if to race the setting sun. Behind them darkness was pouring over the landscape, like a blanket; stars were showing through the ether and they felt the icy nighttime wind licking at their heels.

At long last, Leather slowed the bike and turned off the highway onto an unpaved ranch road. Sharon could see a house on the hill at the end of the way. She was relieved. In fact her desire to get warm, clean… and laid… was almost overwhelming.  Damn, I’m bad! She scolded herself for having the lascivious thought.

Leather stopped the bike, and got off. She helped Sharon down and pulled her helmet off before she spoke. “Well it ain’t much, but it’s home,” she said, as she motioned for Sharon to step up on the wrap around porch.

“It’s charming!” Sharon replied, “It doesn’t seem like you at all!” she chuckled.

Leather raised an eyebrow, and opened the door for her doubtful guest. It isn’t me, Babe, she thought to herself with a sad sigh. It was my wife. She wiped her boots and followed Sharon inside.

Inside the cozy house, the blonde saw her suspicions were correct. This was not the dark rider’s style at all. It was soft and warm and comfortable. In fact, it was downright homey. Her eyes led her around the room from the roll top desk to the fireplace to the overstuffed sofa and soft pastel colors. No, this wasn’t her dark rider’s style at all.

Leather’s eyes followed Sharon as she took in the room. She watched intently, wondering what the stranger would make of her homage to a life no longer hers. This was actually the first time she had brought a woman home with her since before she was married. But I'm not married anymore, she thought sadly. Sharon’s expression was one of curiosity and confusion when she finally turned to face her mysterious hostess.

“My late wife.” Leather said quietly. “She did the decorating. I haven’t changed anything since…“ she stopped herself and looked down, running her fingertips slowly along the coarse material of the top of the sofa.

“I'm sorry.” Sharon said quietly. “How long?” she asked, but Leather ignored her and began to cross the room.

“Uh, you can sleep in there,” she said as she pointed toward a small room off of the hallway. “I’ll take the couch.”

Sharon walked up behind Leather and slowly moved around her to touch her arm, looking up into her sad blue eyes. Then she walked into the dark woman's arms and felt her slowly respond to the closeness. “I just need a hug,” the blonde murmured nuzzling into Leather’s chest. “I’ve had a very bad day.”

With a long sigh, Leather returned the hug and kissed the top of the blonde’s head, enjoying the smell of her hair and the scent of her skin. “It’s okay,” she said as she rocked Sharon back and forth, holding her close. Leather held onto her for what seemed like an eternity. She was wrestling with herself in her mind. She had wanted to have this lovely girl in her bed… had wanted to take her nine ways to Sunday, but this simple hug changed something. It was so familiar… so warm and welcoming, it felt like a homecoming… as if was meant to be. But Leather couldn’t quite put her finger on it. After all, she’d never seen this chick before.

“Okay,” the dark woman said, still stroking the blonde's hair as she nestled in her arms, “The bathroom’s down the hall, and there’s extra blankets in the chest at the end of the bed. You should have everything you need… so, I’ll say goodnight.”

“No, I don’t have everything I need.” Sharon took a breath, gathering her courage.

“What?” Leather asked quietly.

“I need someone to… sleep with me?” she said as she looked up with askance.

Green eyes with a twinkle of mischief and warmth met eyes more vibrant than the bluest summer sky. Leather was lost in the moment. She stared into those peridot pools and her mind drifted further south, her thoughts turning to a darker passion. She bent down to touch her lips to Sharon’s, softly at first, but then she possessed the blonde's mouth hard and pulled her up into her arms, pressing their bodies tightly together.

The dark rider kissed Sharon probingly and powerfully, offering deep, wet, slow kisses with a commanding force of want and desire smoldering in them. She carried Sharon into the bedroom and laid her on the bed, covering the smaller woman with her leather-clad frame, completely dominating her. Her hunger was awakened and suddenly, her body growled with desire. A whole lot of fucking was going to happen and it was happening right now!

Sharon surrendered into Leather’s hard conquering kisses; she was wet and ready by the time she hit the mattress. It had been a long day, she had so much stress to let go of, and she felt a rebirth in this dark woman’s arms. She felt safe, beautiful and desired. She felt everything she always wanted to feel with a lover, but had never truly known…with the first kiss she'd known she was home. But how do I get this stranger on the same page? Oh for Christ's sake Sharon, get fucked first, then plot to wheedle into her life! she chastised herself, surrendering further to the hungry groping of her dark biker’s hands moving over her breasts.

Leather ripped open Sharon’s blouse and began kissing her cleavage, licking and teasing the skin until gooseflesh covered her and her nipples were like peach pits. “Pierced?” she murmured as she exposed a pink orb, “Mmmmmmmmmmm, I like!”  Sharon moaned as Leather’s mouth covered her hard nipple and sucked it, rolling her tongue over it and clicking the barbell on her teeth. Then the dark rider worked down to Sharon’s navel and probed it with her tongue darting into it with quick motions. The blonde squeaked out a gasp of pleasure at the unexpected touch. But Leather quickly moved up to face Sharon once more. “Honey, what’s your name?” she asked sheepishly

“Sharon Walker, what’s yours?” the blonde answered with a sultry whisper as she began to kiss Leather’s jaw and nibble at her throat.

“Jodi,” Leather gasped, “But my friends call me Leather.”

Sharon pulled back and looked into the dark rider's incredible eyes, “Mmmm… I always wanted my own leather daddy,” she purred as she licked her lips.

Leather raised an eyebrow, offering a horny smirk as she took off her jacket and lowered herself onto Sharon, pinning her down with her weight. “In that case, your name for tonight is My Little Bitch!” she commanded as she covered Sharon's lips in a hard, commanding kiss.

Outside the window, the moon blushed on the Texas night sky. Off in the distance, a coyote cried out and the stars shown like shy jewels painting the stratosphere like a showgirl from the Moulin Rouge.

**

Hours later Sharon awoke. She felt the warmth of Leather lying on top of her and the heavenly weight of her lover's long, lean form. She smiled shyly to herself as her mind replayed the hours of passion that had spent her dark rider. The blonde smirked in the darkened room. "Damn, I needed that,” she whispered, breaking the silence of the room. She shifted, causing her dark rider to shift in turn and roll over onto her side with a sleepy groan.

The room was cold. The window was open and Sharon felt a sudden chill on her skin without her daddy to cover her. She crept from the bed to the windowsill and tried to quietly close the window but it jarred and then fell down with a loud crash.

Leather shot up in the bed. “What the fuck!?” She blinked sleepy blue eyes at Sharon, who was standing sheepishly by the window, trying to calm the frantic beating of her heart. The dark woman raised an eyebrow at the blonde.

“Uh... it was cold in here,” Sharon offered, a blush tinting her cheeks.

“Shit. You scared the fuck outta me," Leather growled. She lay back down and peered at Sharon through the half darkness. "Well are you coming back to bed or what?”

“In a minute, I gotta pee!” Sharon replied, trying not to, but unable to stop doing the pee pee dance. Leather chuckled and fluffed her pillow with a swat. “Okay, just don’t fall in,” she muttered and fell back asleep.

The blonde tip toed to the bathroom but, on her way back to the bedroom, decided to take herself on a little tour. The house was small, more of a cottage. It was cozy and warm with spare, yet comfortable décor.

“Hmmmmm... Somebody likes Martha Stewart,” she whispered aloud.

Sharon turned on a small lamp and began to examine at the books on the bookcases tilting her hand as she read the titles on the spines. After a moment, she came across a photo album and the nosey side of her character won out. She took it to the sofa and sat down thinking to herself, Damn, I love going through people’s stuff!   The blonde just had to know more about this mystery woman. She knew she wanted something from Leather but she wasn’t sure what. Well, actually she was. She just wasn’t ready to say it aloud to herself at the moment. She had to be sure. By nature, Sharon wasn’t an impulsive or whimsical woman. She was usually careful; but now she wanted nothing more than to throw caution to the wind and do something completely out of character for her. Sharon couldn’t pin point the why of it. She just wanted to do it. She wanted to stay here.

Insane? Quite possibly. Yep, the notion sure sounded like it... However, at that moment insanity had a blessed appeal that sanity never had!

As Sharon turned the pages in the old dusty album, she entered the world of Leather’s past. Leather had mentioned a late wife. The woman was a beauty to be sure, a little thing, very young. Leather was younger in the photos than she looked now, but it was difficult to tell how much younger. The wife was a freckled redhead with blue eyes. She was smiling and her eyes were filled with mirth. Leather was happy, and, Sharon noticed, not wearing her trademark leathers at all. She chuckled to herself thinking aloud, “On the next Oprah... Before They Were Bad Asses!”

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” asked an angry voice from behind her, making Sharon jump and get hastily to her feet.

Oh shit!, Leather had woken up to catch her red handed. “I couldn’t sleep,” the blonde woman explained.

“So that gives you the right to snoop through my things?” Leather was livid. Her jaw was clenched and her voice was a low growl that came from between gritted teeth. Leather grabbed the album away from Sharon and placed it back on the shelf in its place. She turned to face her nosey companion and folded her arms over her chest.

“I wasn’t snooping! I was just—“ Sharon stopped, tears welling up in her eyes. She hadn’t meant any harm, and she sure as hell hadn’t meant to upset her hostess. What was she supposed to do now? Her heart sank and she sat back down, dropping her face to her hands, sobbing softly.

Leather was dumbstruck. She growled again, shaking her head. Chicks. Leather stepped toward Sharon and leaned down to address her. “Look, I didn’t mean to make you cry,” she said softly. “Sharon, come back to bed.”

Sharon, still hiding her face, sobbed and shook her head, feeling completely humiliated.

This girl! Leather screamed in her mind. “Please?” she forced out.

Sharon looked up, surprised to find that Leather’s gaze wasn’t angry anymore, but instead, more puzzled and sympathetic. “Um...” she started, her voice husky from crying. “If I do, can we cuddle?”

Shit. A long moment passed, “Okay,” Leather sighed.

Sharon popped up from the sofa and headed toward the bedroom but she paused at the door, looking back at Leather with penetrating green eyes. “Well, come on!” she smiled.

Leather stood then for a moment, completely dumbfounded. Then she scratched her bare thigh and shook her head.

“What the fuck just happened?!"

  to be continued in chapter three