Friday, April 1, 2011

Chapter 16

"Wha..." Richie stared at the joint in Annie's hand.  He blinked at it, stunned.  Then a sly grin crept to his lips.  "Where did you get that?"

Annie giggled, giving her head a sassy little toss.  Her eyes sparkled in the moonlight.  "It's a small town, Richie.  People know where to get things."

Richie chortled at her reaction.  He would bet his Impala that Annie had acquired the little hand-rolled cigarette when she slipped into the back room before departing Ruby Mae's.  There were undoubtedly more than a few vices available for indulgence at that place.

"I guess so."

"So... You wanna join me? Or shall I just keep this all to myself?"  Annie gave a little wave with her hand to frame the question.  Her grin widened as she saw Richie's gaze follow the joint's movement.

"Hell Yeah, I'll join you."  Richie laughed softly again, not only at Annie's mischievous expression but at the thought of the effect the marijuana would have on him.  With all that had happened the last few days, with all the disappointment waiting for him in future, he could definitely stand to mellow out for awhile.

"Good."  Annie extended her arm, her pink-tipped fingers daintily spread as she offered the joint to Richie.  "Here.  There are some matches in the glove box."

Richie took the paper twist from Annie's hand and regarded it for a moment.  The joint was well-constructed, tightly rolled so that its contents wouldn't escape when the first flash of flame disintegrated the pinched end of the paper wrapping.  But still, they didn't want to waste any of this little Saturday Night Special.

"You got a roach?"  Richie looked back at Annabelle and saw she was still grinning at him.  His heart skipped a beat at how pretty she looked, leaning back with her hands braced behind her against the truck bed, swinging her long, tanned legs over the tailgate's edge...

Annie's lips pursed thoughtfully.  "Good question.  I'm pretty sure there ain't one with the matches..."  She pushed forward from her lean, twisting her body to look back over her shoulder at the pickup's cab.  "Maybe I got somethin' in the box."  Annie pulled her legs up, bending her knees to raise her bare feet up high enough to clear the tailgate's edge as she shifted sideways on her behind.

Richie felt another surge in his groin as his eyes dropped to Annie's slender, tanned feet resting beside him on the truck's tailgate.  Her toenails were pink too, the same hue of polish as she wore on her fingernails.  Jesus, even her feet were pretty.

"Oh, wait... I know.  Yeah, I got somethin'."  Annie's voice snapped Richie's attention back to the task at hand.  "You get the matches."

"Okay."  Richie nodded and took a step back from the tailgate as Annie moved again, climbing to her feet in the truck bed.  "Gimme a minute.  I gotta take a leak."

Annie giggled as she raised a hand to tuck a breeze-stirred lock of golden hair behind her ear.  " 'Kay.  But you may not wanna wander too far from the sand, 'specially not out near the trees.  All kindsa creatures out there in the night.  The kind that slither."

Richie involuntarily shuddered at the thought of encountering a snake.  "Yeah, I'm not goin' anywhere.  Just around front of the truck."

Annie gave Richie a saucy grin.  "Okay, then.  I promise not to peek."  She playfully covered her eyes with one hand, then spread her fingers so he could see one long-lashed blue eye sparkling back at him.

Richie chortled softly as he felt a blush creep to his cheeks at her tease.  With a little shake of his head Richie tucked the joint securely behind his ear and turned away.  He heard Annie moving around in the truck bed as he took a handful of steps along the side of the old pickup.

When he reached the front he turned his back to Annie and the truck and lowered his zipper.  Richie sighed with relief as he emptied his beer-swollen bladder onto a clump of weedy beach grass at the sand dune's base.  Giving his dick a couple good shakes, he stuffed it carefully back inside his jeans, no easy feat since he was still semi-hard.

Richie took a deep breath and prayed a few hits from the joint would not only relax his mind, but his body as well.  Spending the rest of this night in a state of arousal would be painful.  And Annie wasn't doing anything to make it any easier on him, with her long bare legs and her pretty pink nails and her shiny, soft lips and sparkling blue eyes and tousled honeyed hair...

Richie reached up to scrub his hands over his face, careful not to dislodge the joint from its place behind his ear.  He took a deep breath and slowly blew it out, willing himself to be calm.  It wouldn't be long until he would be chemically mellow.

That thought made Richie grin.  He turned and moved a few steps to tug open the passenger door of the old truck, then leaned in and punched open the glove box.  As Annie predicted there were several matchbooks in the little compartment, along with a crumpled half-empty packet of Marlboros.  Richie chuckled softly.  Apparently Annie had more than one vice.

Grabbing the cigarettes and a book of matches, Richie pushed the glove box and truck door closed in turn.  Then he turned his gaze to the pickup bed and Annie.  Again his dick throbbed with anticipation when he saw what she had done.

While Richie's attention was diverted Annie had turned the truck bed into a little lounge.  She had unrolled the sleeping bag and topped it with the tattered quilt, and moved the radio up to a perch atop the old footlocker.  The Doobie Brothers' It Keeps You Running drifted from the little speakers, the melody mingling with the quiet rush of the waves against the sand.

Annie was back in her place on the tailgate, her legs dangling over the edge and her hair stirring in the breeze as she looked out at the ocean.  Richie chuckled softly as he watched her take a sip from the the half-empty can of Budweiser that had showered him earlier.

He took another deep breath to calm his restless dick, then wandered to the back of the truck.  "Got the matches."  He gave Annie a little smirk.  "And the smokes."

Annie laughed softly, her voice harmonious with the music and the soft ocean sounds.  "Yeah, well.  I have a few bad habits.  I drink, I smoke, I cuss, I hang out at places of ill repute... Good thing I go to Church, huh?" Her eyes twinkled merrily as she smiled at Richie, then they dropped to the silver cross resting against his chest, just above the curved neck of his white tank.

Richie chortled softly as he turned to settle on the tailgate beside Annie.  The old truck groaned slightly as it dipped with his weight.  "Yeah, I guess.  Go confess your sins and you get to do it all over again with a clear conscience, right?"

Annie smiled as she admired Richie's handsome profile in the moonlight.  Butterfly wings fluttered in her stomach as her eyes lingered on the soft curve of his lips.  The Good Lord definitely did something right when he created you...

"Baptists don't confess."  Her gentle drawl was filled with amusement.  "That's a Catholic thing.  We just believe in salvation.  We show up every Sunday, and we occasionally take communion.  That pretty much covers us."

Richie turned his face to hers, a gentle grin stretching his lips.  "Well that's a Hell of a lot easier than what Catholics do.  Not that it really matters to me.  I haven't been to Mass in months.  My Ma would kill me if she knew that."  He chuckled softly, then dropped his gaze to the matches and cigarettes in his hands.  "Though I have a feeling she knows."

"Think she knows you're sittin' here in the moonlight with a girl, drinkin' beer and gettin' ready to smoke a doobie?"  Annie couldn't resist the question, delivered in a gentle tease.

Richie snorted out a laugh at that.  "Naw.  But I'm pretty sure it wouldn't be a surprise to my Old Man."  He looked again at Annie, then laid the cigarettes and matches on the tailgate between them.  He pulled the joint from behind his ear and held it out to Annie.  "You find somethin'?"

"Yeah."  Annie took the cigarette with one hand while reaching behind her with the other.  Richie laughed again when he she pulled a worn black felt cowboy hat onto her lap.  His brown eyes shone with amusement as he watched Annie detach a metal clip from the hat's decorative band, then hold it up for his inspection.  Three leather cords embellished with wooden beads and white and brown feathers dangled from the clip.  The feathers stirred lightly in the breeze.

"Forgot I had this thing.  Got it at the county fair."  Annie carefully clamped the metal alligator clip over one end of the joint, then turned and tossed the hat behind her, into the pickup bed.  It landed with a soft thump against the wooden footlocker.

She giggled again, then smiled shyly as her eyes met Richie's.  "Well, it ain't like I do this a lot.  Smoke weed, I mean.  And I really did buy this thing just because I thought it was pretty."  She gestured toward Richie with the clip in her hand, making the feathers swish with the movement.

Richie nodded.  "Hey, no need to explain to me.  I ain't exactly no angel, neither."  He picked up the matchbook, flipped it open, and tore a match from the strip.  "You ready?"

Annie nodded, then leaned toward Richie.  Richie swallowed hard as he watched Annie's shiny pink lips pucker around the end of the joint, ready to suck in a breath when he ignited the other end.  For a second his mind flashed on the image of Annie's pretty lips encircling his cock.  Richie's hand trembled slightly as it poised over the striker on the matchbook.  Jesus....

Clearing his throat as he shook the image out of his brain, Richie dragged the matchhead against the striker and cupped his hand around the little flash of fire.  He raised the flame to Annie's waiting hand, trying not to notice the reflection of the firelight dancing in her beautiful eyes.  Annie puffed gently as the joint ignited, wisps of smoke curling from the glowing tip of the little cigarette.  Almost immediately the sweet, heavy odor of smoldering marijuana drifted through the night air.

Richie shook out the match and tossed it onto the sand, then watched as Annie worked the joint.  He grinned gently as he watched her draw in a deep breath, then hold it.  She held out the roach to Richie, offering him a hit as she continued to hold the smoke in her lungs, letting it go to work.

Richie heard Annie exhale as he took his own hit off the joint.  Her soft chuckle was music to his ears as he savored the taste of the sweetly-acrid smoke on his tongue and felt it burn in his chest.  Slowly he blew it out, exhaling a long stream of smoke through his mouth and nose as he relaxed.  It only took a minute for him to feel the gentle numbing effect of the drug creeping through his synapses.  His smile broadened.

"Man... that's some good shit."

Annie nodded and chuckled again as she accepted the joint back from Richie.  She held it in her hand for a minute, studying it, enjoying the relaxed sensation rolling over her.  "Yeah.  Like I said, I don't do this a lot, but when I do Charlie always hooks me up good."

"Charlie, huh?"  Richie felt his voice rumble in his chest.  "Friend of yours?"

Annie nodded, raising the joint again to her lips.  This time she took a smaller hit, sipping daintily from the end of the joint before handing it back to Richie.  She paused while she held in, then released the smoke.

"He was a couple years ahead of me in school.  His sister Betsy was in my class, one of my good friends."  Annie giggled.  "You know his Daddy."

"I do?"  Richie's brow arched at her statement.  He had met a lot of people over the course of the day.  He wondered who she meant.  "How?"  He raised the joint to his lips and took another toke.

Annie giggled again and leaned back on her elbows, looking dreamily up at the sky.  She turned her grin to Richie.  "He's fixin' your car."

Richie's eyes widened as he involuntarily choked on the smoke in his lungs. Coughing and sputtering, Richie gasped for breath, the smoke flowing out of his nose and mouth in a gush.  "Wha... What?" he wheezed.  "Eh... Eddie?"

Annie nodded, tossing her head back and laughing out loud at his suprise.  Her merry, melodic voice tugged at Richie's heart as he struggled to regain his breath.  "Yeah, Richie.  Eddie.  Charlie's his oldest boy.  He works at the paper mill now, but even back in high school he always knew where to get stuff."

"Christ."  Richie took a deep breath, regaining his calm.  He was starting to buzz a little now, from the alcohol and from the pot.  "I didn't expect that."

"Why?"  Annie held out her hand to Richie, motioning for him to pass the now half-consumed joint.  " 'Cause Eddie's a good, honest Christian man?  That don't mean Charlie ain't.  He's a good guy too.  Not a stoner or anything, he just has connections, that's all."

She smiled slyly at Richie before raising the joint to hover next to her lips.  "Besides, you said it yourself.  Mama Sambora's Sweet Baby Boy ain't exactly an angel, right?  Especially right this minute."

Richie laughed and nodded slowly at Annie's little dig.  "Yeeeeaahhhhh, ..." he drawled.  "Guess you're right about that."  He considered her comment for a moment, thinking back to his buddies in Jersey.  They had all raised their share of Hell together, breaking a few laws and enjoying more than a few illicit substances along the way.  And every one of his partners in crime were good guys from good families.

Annie watched Richie as he drifted away for a moment.  She wondered fuzzily what he was thinking about.  Whatever it was, it must be good.  He was smiling.  There was no sign of the pain she had seen the other times he had turned introspective.

With a little sigh Annie looked away from Richie and up at the sky.  It was a beautiful summer night, clear and bright and calm.  Thousands of stars twinkled against the velvety blue blanket stretching from horizon to horizon.   She took another little puff from the joint, then offered it back to Richie.

He didn't notice until she gently said his name.  He silently took the clip from her hand and regarded it thoughtfully.

"Richie, come back here."  Annie scooted backwards, swinging her feet up onto the tailgate's edge then wiggling her way back into the truck bed, onto the quilt.  With a little sigh she stretched out on her back, propping herself up on her elbows and grinning down at Richie.

Richie felt his pulse race at the sight of Annie lying there, beckoning to him.  Jesus, she looked beautiful.  Feeling the stirring in his groin, Richie raised the joint for another hit before doing her bidding.

Hastily toeing off his sneakers and letting them fall to the ground beneath the tailgate, Richie climbed up into the truck bed.  He settled beside Annie, careful not to brush the lit end of the dwindling cigarette against the blankets or his skin.

Annie smiled at him before looked skyward again.  "Beautiful, ain't it?"

Richie followed her glance, looking up at the night sky.  "Yeah," he agreed softly.  "That's one of the things I've always liked down here in the South." He carefully leaned back on his elbow, shifting onto his hip.  "I mean, I know it's the same sky, the one I see in Jersey.  But somehow it looks so much bigger from down here.  More wide open."

"Maybe that's just 'cause the country is more wide-open down here," Annie mused.  "Not so many people livin' so close together.  Lots of little towns, like Darien."

"Maybe."  Richie looked at the remnant of the joint, its amber tip now slowly dying.  "Here -- you want the last hit?"

Annie nodded, turning onto her hip to face Richie.  She carefully took the roach from his fingers and raised it to her lips, sucking the last wisps of smoke into her mouth.  Richie watched her wide-eyed, fascinated with the pucker and relaxation of her soft lips.  He unconsciously exhaled along with Annie as she breathed out the last curls of sweet-smelling smoke.

Annie regarded the now-dead butt in her hand.  To be sure it was extinguished she blew lightly on it, stirring the ash but not rekindling an ember.  With a little sigh she turned and reached up to lay the roach clip on the lid of the footlocker, next to the radio.  Richie's gaze followed the motion, then lingered on the stirring feathers that dangled over the side of the wooden box.

"So..."

Richie's gaze returned to Annabelle at her soft sigh.  It took him a second to focus, and he realized he was now feeling very, very relaxed.  He felt a contented smile curl his lips as he shifted again, stretching out his long legs and leaning more comfortably on his elbow as he lay facing Annie.

"Yeah?"

Annie fluttered her lashes demurely and giggled.  "What now?  We got beer, and  music, and the beach..."

Richie's smile broadened at the thought of dancing with Annie again, of holding her in his arms and feeling her cheek against his chest.  Wondering what music was on the radio, he tried to focus his fuzzy brain on the sounds coming from the little box.  He squinted and frowned as he tried to make out the familiar words and melody, then sighed with relief when he recognized the music, almost a full minute later.

"Maaaaaannnnn.... this is a great fuckin' song.  I actually seen Bruce do it a bunch of times, back home."  Richie grinned and closed his eyes, his head bobbing gently as his fingers flexed against his leg, fingering out the guitar rhythm to Prove it All Night.

Annie chuckled softly, her heart melting at Richie's endearing little smile as he drifted into the music.  She knew he was feeling as mellow as she was.  But she didn't want to just lay there beside him and listen to the radio all night, until they either passed out or fell asleep.  She wanted to share more than just a happy high with Richie.

"Hey, Richie?"  Annie watched as slowly his eyes fluttered open, his long lashes parting to reveal those beautiful, deep, wide-pupiled pools of chocolate.  "Wanna play a game?"

He chuckled throatily.  "Sure.  What kinda game?"

Annie smirked and shifted to a more comfortable position.  The movement made her slide a little closer to Richie on the old quilt.  "How about.... Truth or Dare?"

Richie's eyes opened wider as he grinned.  "Truth or Dare?  Man, I suck at that game."

Annie giggled girlishly.  "How can you suck at Truth or Dare?  It's easy.  You just answer a question honestly or take a dare.  It ain't fuckin' rocket science."

Richie felt another little charge in his crotch at Annabelle's swear, coupled with a stab of anxiety at the thought of what truths she might ask him to reveal.  He felt closer to her than ever right now, more open and honest, and not just because he was high on grass.  Because he was high on her.

Richie knew Annabelle wanted to know more about him, about what really happened in Memphis.  About his failure as a musician.  But tonight was such a beautiful night, he was feeling so damned good... he just didn't want to go there.  Tonight he just wanted to forget about all the dark shit and enjoy himself.  Enjoy being with Annie.

"C'mon, Richie.... please?"  Annie's soft plea drew his eyes to hers.  When their gazes locked he crumbled.

"Oh... alright.  But just for a little while."  Richie grinned goofily.  Fuck it.  "You go first."

"Okay."  Annie's eyes sparkled merrily as she considered her first move.  "Truth or Dare?"

Richie closed his eyes and grimaced.  He was probably going to regret this.  "Truth."

Annie swore silently.  She was hoping he would say "dare."  She already had one of those figured out.

"Okay.... um.... When and where did you lose your virginity?"

Richie's eyes opened and his brows arched as he grinned at Annie's question.  It wasn't at all what he expected.  "Well, get right to the point, I see?" he teased her gently.  "Okay.... um...."  Richie squinted again as he tried to recall the night he had popped his cherry.   "Let's see.... it was nineteen.... uh... seventy-four, I guess?  Yeah.  I was fifteen.  Summer of '74."

Annie's brows lifted at Richie's statement.  He was fifteen in 1974?  That would make him what, nineteen or twenty now?  Her mind flashed back to their initial encounter yesterday, when she had playfully chided Richie for asking her age.  When she turned the question around on him he said he was twenty-two.

Annie grinned slyly.  Well, well.  Apparently Richie did have some truths to disclose in their little game.  She spoke up, prodding him to continue his answer.  "Okay, 1974... where?  And how did it happen?"

"Hey, you didn't ask for details!" Richie protested playfully.  "Just where and when!"

"I know, but you gotta tell me how it happened, too.  For Christ's sake, Richie.  I'm sure it ain't no secret."  Annie's demand was lightened by the teasing lilt in her voice and her eager grin.

He sighed melodramatically.  "Oh-KAY.  It was summer 1974, in Wildwood.  That's down the Jersey Shore.  Some buddies and me were hangin' out at a beach house, havin' a party with a bunch of guys and girls.  You know, drinking beer, smokin' a little wacky tobacky..."

Richie paused and gave Annie a lopsided grin.  "Anyway, there was this real pretty girl there, long blonde hair, great tits.  She was 17 or 18.  She took me back in the bedroom and gave me my first blowjob, which was fuckin' great.  Then she got me hard again and let me do her."

Annie giggled.  "And was it good?"

"Fuck yeah!"  Richie laughed.  "Shit, any guy will tell you his first time was good.  Especially when you get blown."  He paused again, grinning with the memory.  His cheeks colored lightly as he realized how blunt he was being.  "But I guess honestly I probably wasn't that good.  It all happened pretty fast."

"And the girl?  You still know her?"

"Naw.  Some chick from South Jersey.  She was somebody's cousin's friend, just up to hang at the Shore.  Her name was Julie, I think.  She had a great rack."

Annie chuckled softly at the dreamy expression on Richie's handsome face.  She loved that he got a happy little far-away look when he talked about his friends or his parents or New Jersey.  It was obvious he missed the place, that his torment came not from his home, but from somewhere else.  Something relating to his musical experience.

But she didn't want to try to solve that mystery tonight.  Richie's happiness was just too sweet.  She didn't want to take it from him.  She'd rather let him bask in the good memories, let this night create a new memory that would make him smile when he looked back on it.

"So, you were fifteen, huh?"  Annie repeated the point, wondering if Richie would catch on that she had figured out his fib.

"Yeah."  Richie nodded.  "Just turned.  It was middle of July, right after my birthday."

Annie quickly did the calendar math in her head.  Today was June 30th, so that meant..... Well well.  He's only nineteen.  Annie smirked.  But for nineteen he's quite a Man...

"Okay, I told you the truth.  Now my turn."  Richie pushed himself up a little higher on his elbow, focusing his attention on Annie.  "Truth or Dare?"

Annie considered the question for a moment, then decided.  She would let him warm up a little before challenging him to come up with a dare for her.

"Truth."

"Okay, how did you lose your virginity?"  Richie grinned triumphantly, proud he had turned the tables on her.

Annie tossed back her head as she laughed, then smirked at him.  "Oh, real original question there, Richie."  She giggled again, then answered.  "I was sixteen, it was after the Homecoming Dance, in the back seat of Bobby Gentry's Daddy's Cadillac Coupe de Ville, parked out at Grover's Point."

At Richie's questioning look she added, "That's down South of town, on the Intercoastal Waterway.  Pretty little place, lots of good hiding places for makin' Mischief."  Annie winked at Richie.  "And no, it wasn't that great.  He was a virgin too, and we kinda made a mess of things.  But with time and practice it got better."

Richie chuckled.  "Fair enough."  He smiled at Annie for a minute before prodding her.  "Okay, your turn."

"Truth or Dare, Richie?"

Richie took a dramatic deep breath before answering.  He was actually having fun with this little game, just relaxing out here under the moon and the stars with Annabelle.  She was so pretty and sweet and kind and funny... Richie felt like he could talk to her all night.  But he wanted to make things interesting, see what more "mischief" she might surprise him with.

"Dare."

Annie's eyes widened at his response.  "Oh, really?  Dare?"  She grinned devilishly.  "You sure you wanna do that?"

Richie nodded.  "Uh huh.  Bring it on."  He made a little beckoning gesture with his fingers, inviting her to continue.

Annie stared at Richie for long a moment.  Then her grin faded, softening to a hopeful smile.

"Kiss me."

7 comments:

  1. I can't believe you left it there! I don't think I can wait a week for the next chapter now!

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  2. Damn I adore this story another reason to love Fridays ;-)

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  3. I can't wait until next week. I really hope he kisses her. I have a feeling they may do a whole lot more in the bed of that truck.

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  4. Nooo! Not the end of the chapter!!! Can't wait for next week! -ferfy0

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  5. Grrrrrrrrr.....You did it again!

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  6. So Sambora, up to a dare?!?!?! LOL!

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