Shadow of Doubt (15 page)

Dolly awoke the next morning still smiling.  She wasn't sure if she had ever went to sleep or if she had laid and stared at Jordan's luscious body next to hers all night.  She crept over to him and kissed him gently on the chest.

“Good morning handsome,” she greeted when he finally opened his gleaming eyes and gazed back at her.

“Good morning,” he answered as his mouth quickly covered hers and he pinned her to the bed with the weight of his body.  “Care for an instant replay?”

“I've dreamed about it,” she replied already breathlessly enjoying his movement.  They made love quickly and played together in the shower before finally dressing for their journey to Georgia.

“Don't you want breakfast?” Dolly asked as Jordan carried their things to the trailer.

“We can grab something on the way,” he replied.  “I'm anxious to get moving.  It'll take till sundown at least to get there.”

“Do you have plenty of food and water for Myron?” she asked, double checking that all was ready.

“He's good.  Let's hit the road.”

Dolly cuddled snugly against him as they drove.  Jordan made sure her seat belt was securely around her this time.  Then she began to worry again about his friendship with Martin.  She looked up at Jordan.

“Jordan...about Martin...”

“Don't worry about Martin,” he replied strongly as he again reached down and opened the cooler.  “I'll make sure he doesn't cause trouble again.”  He handed Dolly a beer and this time opened one for himself.  “Now hush and drink up!  You know the rules little lady.  Besides, you're awful cute when you're drunk.”

Dolly chuckled at his devilish grin.  “You wouldn't take advantage of me would ya?”

Jordan leered at her playfully.  “Oh yes I would,” he assured with an impish smile.  Then he reached out to change the station on the radio.

“Don't!  I like that song,” Dolly admitted as she stopped him.

“You do huh?  When have you heard it before?” he asked almost suspiciously.

“I don't know, but it's pretty.”

Jordan patted her shoulder and drove on as they listened to the country western music on the radio.

As Dolly snuggled to the warmth of Jordan's body it suddenly hit her.  She looked up at him, mouth open, and started to speak but decided against it.  She didn't want him to know.

“What's wrong?” he asked as she quickly closed her eyes and mouth again.

“Nothing.  I was just curious to know where we are,” she quickly covered looking around at their surroundings.

“Just about in Georgia,” he replied as he pulled her head warmly against his shoulder.

Dolly had remembered that the song on the radio was the same song she had heard in her dream a couple of weeks earlier.  She wasn't sure why or what it meant but felt there was no need to tell Jordan until she knew for sure.  He already thought the dream was weird enough.

Now she could clearly see the faces of the people screaming and a blur of a man singing on stage.  It was confusing and still made no sense to her.  Maybe a concert she had attended...or someone on television.  Then Jordan broke her train of thought by playfully sliding his hand up her thigh.

“You had better quit that,” she warned and teasingly grabbed his hand just before he made his target.

“Why should I?” he asked through his sexy grin.

“I don't wanna be in another wreck.”

“Oh but at least this one will be worth it,” he teased as his hand tried to inch again.

Dolly grabbed it and held it tightly smiling back joyfully.  It felt good to finally have him wanting her as she has wanted him for so long.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” he finally retorted.

“Cause...its afternoon and I'm hungry,” she replied trying not to laugh.

Jordan shook his head.  “Geesh, you're gonna break me on food.”  His eyes quickly scanned her slender body and he shook his head again.

“I can't help it.”

“I'm just teasing.  We'll stop in a little while.  Gotta keep my woman happy.”

Dolly felt her body tingle.  “His woman.  I like that, I like that very much,” she thought proudly then snuggled to him nearly forgetting her hunger.  Thinking only about the night before, hardly unable to wait for the night that is yet to come.

Dolly watched again as the final lap of the race began.  Not a good day again for Jordan.  He had two blown out tires and his car was a little banged up.  Dolly already knew he wouldn't place in the top spots as he roared across the finish line in sixth place.  She was still proud of him though, and couldn't care less if he never won again as long as they were together as a couple.

Martin kept his distance all afternoon when he saw Jordan and Dolly appear smiling arm in arm.  Still Jordan hadn’t mentioned the fact the he knew the truth and Dolly only hoped it would fade and they could at least remain friends.  She didn't like Martin, but didn't want to see friends of that length of time be parted because of her.

Dolly smiled joyously when Jordan emerged from his car.  His face was red and his black wavy locks nearly straight from the weight of the sweat.

“Now that's what I call a trophy,” he stated with pride as he grabbed her up and kissed her gallantly.

“Ewwww...you stink and are all sticky!” Dolly exclaimed with laughter as she teasingly pushed him away.

“That's all right.  Now you have a reason to wash my back for me,” he replied and kissed her again making sure he knew Martin was watching.  Making sure he got the message to leave his lady be.

Martin tried to keep his distance now and remained with the rest of the crew, but Jordan saw him repeatedly and nervously glancing over at the two of them.

“Hey don't you have work to do Martin?” Jordan yelled over to him when he caught him looking their direction again.

Dolly felt suddenly flushed knowing it was about to go down.  Jordan was sure to purposely start trouble with him.  They were surely going to argue...or worse, she had felt the tension brewing all day.

“Let's go Jordan,” she cut in quickly trying to avoid what ever was about to transpire.

Jordan threw his arm firmly around her neck.  “Okay, I've no use for that bastard anyway,” he proclaimed.

They headed toward the trailer.  “He's your best friend Jordan.  Don't start trouble.  Please, just let it go.”

“I didn't start it.  Besides...it's not the first time he's pulled a stunt like this with me.  I'm sick to death of it.  Some friend huh?  Always trying to take your best friends woman and have her for himself.  I don't see that being much of a friend.”

Dolly could see the rage as his emerald eyes seemed to deepen in color with his fury.  She didn't bother asking about the other times before, only wanting to change the subject.  They entered the trailer and Dolly playfully undressed her smelly partner and shoved him into the shower.

The next morning Dolly pulled on the jump suit Jordan had bought for her and tried to zip it as fast as she could, but the cast on her arm was still a nuisance.

“I'll get that for ya darling,” Martin appeared and offered.  Before she could protest he had already grabbed the zipper and whisked it up.

Dolly froze at Jordan's slashing glare.  “I've had about all of you I can stand,” he declared as he came around to her side of the car and held Martin's stare firmly.

“I was just trying to be helpful,” he tried to explain as he grew obviously nervous.  “She's got a broken arm.   It's the least I can do isn't it?”

“No.  She doesn't need your kind of help.  The lady wants absolutely nothing to do with you.  She's
mine
and you better remember that.”  Jordan took her waist and lifted her through the window of the car himself.

Dolly got the feeling there was a story behind this disagreement that went a lot farther back then
her
but hadn't yet figured it out.  She kept silent liking the way Jordan had publicly declared her as his lady.  She smiled triumphantly as he again squealed away with her and rounded the track nearing 150 miles per hour.

As they rounded again another car suddenly entered the track and shot in front of them.  Jordan didn't see him coming until it was too late.  He slammed on the brakes and was able to steer clear of the car but swerved out of control and spun into the concrete wall, the front corner barely catching it.  Dolly screamed in horror as the car jolted her around and they went spinning across to the other side of track and landed upside down on the inside of the oval.

“You okay?” Jordan yelled out immediately, worried only about Dolly.

Hanging upside down still buckled in their seats, Dolly burst into laughter upon realizing they were both unharmed.  “I'm fine.  I don't see how, but I'm fine.”  People ran from everywhere to see if they were injured or not.

“Come on, I gotta get you outta here,” Jordan declared.  He carefully unbuckled his own seat belt and holding on to the steering wheel with one hand lowered his body down.

Forgetting she was upside down, Dolly still laughing unbuckled her seat belt causing her to fall to the bottom of the car feeling Jordan's hands grabbing at her and softening the impact of the fall.  She sat up laughing even more uncontrollably now as a hysterical Jordan slowly made his way to her and began to carefully pull her from the overturned vehicle through the driver side window.

“You stupid...” he began but couldn't finish his statement due to his own laughter as they now sat on the ground just outside the overturned car.

“Just imagine it,” she began.  “I survived two wrecks in the last two weeks and nearly kill myself getting out of the damn seat belt!”

Jordan leaned his head on her shoulder unable to speak, tears streaming his face, his body jerked with laughter.    They both were only able to see amusement of the situation knowing they were unharmed.

“Quit laughing at me,” she warned as she took off her helmet and stood up, now looking down at him.  “C'mon dude, let’s do that shit again!  Only this time...I'm driving!”

Jordan looked back at her still laughing along with everyone else now.  He never dreamed in a million years he'd actually be laughing about wrecking his precious car.  His prize possession.

Dolly grinned at her handsome companion.  “Well, I couldn't possibly do any worse than you just did,” she prodded.

Martin joined them.  “I don't think its hurt too bad.  Just needs a little body work,” he informed Jordan who finally grabbed hold of Dolly and pulled himself to his feet.  Even the sight of Martin didn't bother him now.

“I'm not worried about it,” he replied as he took Dolly's hand and walked away.  He glanced back over his shoulder to look once more at the car, then back to Dolly.  “We're damn lucky, ya know that?”

“Yes I do,” she replied as she tip toed to kiss him.  “And I enjoyed every bounce of it.”

“You're a dangerous woman.  I'm gonna have to keep a closer eye on you.”

They quickly packed up again the next morning cutting their trip short after all.  Jordan wanted to get back home so he could begin the repairs on his car.  It was only damaged cosmetically but that car was Jordan's pride and joy and he kept it in top notch condition and not only that, it was what paid the bills.