The Long Story

[TimothyBFan]

""Tim! No! I couldn't! I would never!" Willie was stuttering and near tears. Tim laughed and took her hand.":

Darn right I would be in tears!!! You had me scared there for a minute! I thought I was going to be made responsible for the loss of those beautiful locks! Yikes!! Glad I just got to run my hands thru it and make it all pretty again!

[Troubadour]

Fab add, as always. Lots of fun to read!

[ticky]

See? it's right here *G* I've been crazy busy with other stuff, but I'll try and add to it today *G* okay?

[ticky]

Here's a little bit. Im on a writing jag right now and if I dont fall asleep to early tonight, There'll be more!! *G*

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James wandered down the stairs and through the dining area. He noted the hair cutting remnants still littering the floor and table. He wasn’t too worried about any messes he saw, he knew it'd get cleaned up. He pushed the door to the kitchen wide and shuffled to the cupboard. He pulled out a glass, shuffled to the refrigerator and took out an earthenware pitcher. He poured himself a glass of Orange Juice, returned the pitcher to the refrigerator and walked past the laundry room door. It was shut and he could hear the muffled giggles and low voices coming from inside. He smiled and shook his head. He didn’t want to know what was going on in there. He continued down the hall that led to the small apartment where Willie was staying. He could hear voices and giggles coming from there as well. He smirked and walked on by. There seemed to be a lot of that happening around here lately.
The covered porch that ran the length of the side of the ranch house was cool from the shade it provided and the slight breeze that blew past. Somehow, when the ranch house had been laid out, the builder had had the presence of mind to put the porch on the breezy side of the house. Not that there was much of a breezy side, but it managed to keep this area a good 5 degrees cooler then the rest of the house. James took a long pull off his OJ and sat on the back steps. From this angel he was looking out over the driveway and the tall sign that rose over it and announced the ranch. Beyond that were the reddish hued hills of the desert country that surrounded them. James sighed and listened to the quiet. He heard the front screen door slam shut and a lone voice echo through the empty house.
"Out here!" James shouted towards the open door. Foot steps, The echo of cowboy boots on the hardwood floors and the familiar gate. Fiddler's head peeked around the door frame and his long legs followed.
"Hey boss man. What'r you hidin' from out here?" Fiddler clapped James on the back and sat on the step next to him.
James grinned and looked down into his glass.
“Just thinkin’, old friend. Do you think Grandpa had the presence of mind when he built this place to actually think about the cool side of the house and where to put this porch? Or was it just dumb luck?” James leaned back on his elbows and stretched out his legs and let the light breeze brush over him.
Fiddler grinned. James’ Grandfather and his own Grandfather had been good friends and had actually both built this old ranch. As much of Fiddler’s history was here as was James.
“Oh I dunno. I kinna like ta think the Ol’ Man had ‘nuff sense in him to know where a good coolin’ porch would go.”
James smiled and shook his head. “Ya know, by the time he was my age, he’d had a family, built this ranch and was successful member of this community. Makes me feel like I’ve lived a very small life.”
Fiddler eyed his friend. “You’ve been all over the world. You’ve built this place back up to where it shoulda been under your Dad, and I hear tell that you did the same for another place out on the coast! Doesn’t sound like a small life, Man. Sounds like more then most men do in a life time.” Fiddler kicked a hole in the dirt at the foot of the steps.
James chewed on his words for a moment. “Maybe, but I’ve wasted a lot of time. Too much time, time on what I thought I wanted and time on what I thought I should want.” James stood and stretched. He picked up his now empty glass and looked again out at the vast empty landscape. “I’m done wasting time. There are some things I need to live up to now. Things I need to face that I’ve been putting off too long.” He looked down at Fiddler and smiled. “It’s time for me to grow up.” James walked into the house.
Fiddler sat on the steps and watched the shadows shortening under the morning sun and sighed deeply.
“Funny,” he mumbled to himself. “I thought you’d done that way too early.” He stood up feeling very old suddenly and turned towards the barn. Cathy was just finishing up at the barn and closing the door. Fiddler smiled. If there was anyone in this world who could make him feel like a teenager, it was Cathy. He started to walk towards the barn and broke into a trot. Cathy was getting into her truck so Fiddler whistled to get her attention. She looked around till her eyes fell on him and a grin spread across her face. She leaned against the door of her truck and waited as he slowed to a walk as he approached her.
“Hey, beautiful.” He slipped his hands around her waist and leaned in for a kiss.
“I was just thinking about you!” Cathy smiled and returned his slow enthusiastic kiss.
Fiddler leaned back and furrowed his brow at her. “Hmm… You’ve been talking to cows and thinking about me? I’m not sure I approve!”
Cathy grinned and raised her eye brows. “You don’t know what those cows have to say! After all, they hang out with the bulls.” She wiggled her eye brows at him.
He cringed and took a quick breath through his teeth. “Ooh, those are some big shoes to fill!”
Cathy giggled. “It’s not his shoes I’m worried about”
Fiddler groaned and chuckled. He leaned in close and whispered into her ear. “Are you doing anything tonight?”
She fingered the button on his shirt. “Why? You have plans?”
“Sure do. I wanted to show you the size of my shoes.” His face was buried in her hair so his words were muffled. Cathy understood every word.
She smirked and pushed him away. She climbed into her truck, shut the door and started the engine. She reached through the car window and grabbed him by the collar. She pulled him close till his mouth was less then an inch from hers.
“Come by tonight, 6pm. I’ll cook dinner.” She kissed him long and slow, pulled back slightly and grinned at the shocked expression on his face. “Bring a tooth brush.” She could have sworn she heard him groan and she did see him smile, but the growl of her engine masked any noises coming from him.

[Prettymaid]

Ooooh, sounds like I'm having Fiddler for dinner - and dessert!

[Peekaboo]

Another wonderful add, Rhonda. Can't wait to see what happens next.

[ticky]

Okay, I know I'm a little long between posts here, but I've been working on this one a while.. I'll get around to everyone eventually *G* anyway, here's a little Thomas and Shirley for ya'll

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Shirley had finished cleaning the second story early and she was contemplating taking on the El wing just to get away from the lobby and temptation. It really didn’t matter anyway. She’d noticed he’d covered his mirror with a towel. She’d been avoiding him like the plague, trying to stay out of his way, trying to keep her mind off his lips, his chest, his long legs. Men equaled trouble. She’d learned that a long time ago and she wasn’t about to forget it. She wasn’t afraid of him, no. There really wasn’t anything to be afraid of. He acted a big story, but she could tell his heart wasn’t in the tough stuff. There was something else there, something gentler, creative and well hidden under years of a forced tough exterior. Well, it didn’t matter anyway. She wasn’t going to be a part of all that, ever. She’d waffled long enough and was heading towards the El to start cleaning when his door opened. Shirley took a deep breath and held it. Oh please, please don’t let him see her; don’t let him talk to her. He looked out and spotted her. A slow grin covered his face and his eyes narrowed.
“Hello beautiful lady. Might I have a word?” He beckoned her to him. She had to follow. Not only was it her job to keep the guests happy, her feet seemed to have a mind of their own. Something seemed to be pushing her. He smiled at her, evidently pleased with her willingness to indulge him. He smiled and leaned against the door frame with his hands in his pockets.
“Good.” Though Shirley. If his hands were in his pockets, she’d be relatively safe.
“What can I do for you, Mr. Palmero?” She refused to look into his smug, self satisfied, deep, dark sexy eyes. She’d concentrate on his chest, oops! No, not good. Okay, his neck, long slender, well defined, UGH... no... Uh, the wall behind him. Good! That worked, the wall with the mirror. The mirror that had shown her... OH God, no, nothing was working. She just closed her eyes.
Thomas smirked at her uncomfortable fidgeting. “Well I can think of a lot of things you can do for me.” The corners of his mouth twitched and his eyes softened a little. How could she know all that if she had her eyes closed? Oh, she didn’t. DAMN, she was staring directly into those dark eyes.
“But for now, the bed side light in my room seems to need a new bulb. Do you have one?”
Shirley looked into his room. The lamp by the bed was one of those small lamps, oddly sized she supposed to fit well on a bed side table, but she thought they looks like they belonged in a child’s room. The bulb that went into it was an odd one too. Forty watt and shaped like a candle flame. RIGHT! As if anyone was going to be fooled by that. She sighed. She knew exactly where to find those but it was kind of a pain. She nodded and hurried down the hall to the supply closet. It was a walk-in style but just barely and way over filled with supplies. She unlocked the door, swung it open and stepped inside. She barely fit. It was a tiny space. She stepped on a small stool and lifted her arms over her head and stood on her tip toes. As she stood and reached for a box over her head she felt a pair of hands on her hips and flinched. He had followed her!! He was standing behind her holding her waist. She started to spin and stack of toilet paper came down on their heads and at the same time the door flew closed. The rolls of toilet paper wedged itself around her body effectively freezing her in place. Thomas started at the slammed door.
“WHAT THE..??” He tried to turn but he was stuck. He reached around his back and tried to open the door but it was locked fast.
“IT’S LOCKED!! GET ME OUT!! HELP! I NEED OUT!!” He was shouting which wasn’t doing anything to help the situation.
“HEY!! Stop shouting. The key is in my pocket, just reach in and slip it out. My hands are stuck.”
Thomas’s breathing was rapid and shallow. He was panicking and Shirley knew she had to get him under control or he was going to pass out. The only control she had on him was an obvious attraction. Why did it always come back to sex? MEN!
“Thomas? She nearly whispered, deepening her voice and making it as sensual as she could manage, being covered in toilet paper and her arms stuck up over her head. “Thomas, listen to my voice. Are you listening?”
He was pressed up against her. She leaned back into him. She needed to get his attention on her and not on the locked door. It must have worked; she could feel his hands slide up her waist and around her rib cage. Uh oh, maybe it worked a little too well. She needed his attention, not his groping.
“Thomas, I want you to listen to what I’m going to say. I need you to slip your hand into my pocket and find the key. You can unlock the door and we’ll get out. Alright? Can you do that for me Thomas?” Her arms were starting to tire.
Thomas slipped his hands around to her belly and worked his way down to her jeans pockets. Her body was reacting to this whether she wanted it to or not. She sighed and rolled her eyes at the tingles working their way down her body. “OH geeeeeszzz…” she thought. Betrayed by her own body. Thomas’s hand found her pocket and slipped inside. She thought he was spending more time then was necessary searching her pocket for the key. She was sure he’d found it and was just playing now. She’d say something but she didn’t want to scare him into panic again. That’s what she was telling herself anyway.
“Got it.” He pulled the key out of her pocket. She could hear the smile in his voice. Relief? Conquest? His chance to feel her up? She wasn’t sure what drove that smile this time, but she was relieved he had the key. Her arms were starting to cramp. She heard him fiddling with the lock, metal on metal and then a gasp and tink tink tink…
“Uh oh...”
Shirley hung her head and sighed. He’d dropped it. Thomas’s breathing was getting faster and he was starting to sweat. Not a pleasant thing in these small quarters. She had to regain control. UGH!
“Thomas? It’s all right. We can still get out. Don’t panic.” She shifted a little. If he leaned hard against the door she might have room to turn around. If she could turn around she might be able to put her feet on the door and push it open. If Thomas helped push, they might break the old wood around the door frame.
“Thomas. I am going to turn around and face you. I think we might be able to break the door frame together. I need you to lean back as far as you can against the door so I can turn around. Do you understand me?”
Thomas’s body became slightly slacker against her body in answer. Shirley slowly began to turn; Thomas gasped and let out“Oof” as her hip pushed into his abdomen.
“heh, sorry.” Shirley was trying to figure out how she was supposed to suck in her butt; instead she leaned in close to the shelves. It wasn’t too bad as the fallen toilet paper shifted and cushioned her a little. Soon she was turned back around and face to chest with Thomas. She could feel the flush of embarrassment start from her toes and gradually work its way up to her neck. Thank goodness the light was very dim in the small closet. Maybe he wouldn’t notice.
“Well, helloooo…” There was an all too familiar and somewhat unpleasant humor in his voice. Damn, he noticed.
“Look, let’s just concentrate on getting out of here, Okay?” Shirley was starting to sweat too. A small space completely filled with two bodies forced together, Why the friction alone… “Shirley shook her head. She had to stop thinking about those things.
“First thing’s first. I have to put my arms down” Shirley was examining the situation as to where the best place to put her hands would be. She could pull them into her own chest which would put them in Thomas’s face. While this would solve some issues for her, she was pretty sure he’d complain. The only other option was to put them around Thomas’s neck. This was not a good idea. This would be trouble, but she was in control, not her body. She could manage this situation rationally and with dignity, she thought. She lowered her arms around Thomas’s neck. He looked up at her. He was tall, she hadn’t noticed how tall he was before, but now his face was just inches from hers, his lips were so close, his eyes were so deep and intense. She closed her eyes and silently counted to 20. She thought about emergency medical training and open sores, Old nuns and how cheese was made. Anything that might take her mind off its current course.
She took a deep breath.
“Okay. Look, here’s what we’re going to do. I’m going to put my feet on the door on either side of you and push. As I do that, you’re going to push back as hard as you can and maybe we can break the door jam. Got it?”
Thomas thought about it for a moment and a sly smile slipped across his face, then a chuckle.
“Awe Baby, you didn’t need to go to all this trouble to get me in that position. You should have just asked.”
Shirley thought about slapping him but, considering the circumstances, it was probably better that he was making bad sexual innuendos then panicking… and she couldn’t reach his face right now, well not with her hand. Deep breath.
“Yeah, right, Romeo. Let’s just get out of here, Alright?”
Shirley leaned back as far as she could and slipped her knee up and placed her foot under Thomas’s right arm and firmly against the door. Then she lifted her other knee and slipped her foot under Thomas’s left arm. She supported herself by pushing against the shelves behind her.
“Okay, push!” She felt Thomas lean back and press firmly against the door as she pushed with all her might. Nothing happened.
“Damn, I have to put my legs down.” Shirley pulled one leg down then the other. She was out of ideas, but she had to keep him calm.
“Okay Thomas. I’m out of ideas but I’m sure someone will be along soon, so we just have to keep ourselves entertained for a few hours.”
Once again that sly grin crept over Thomas’s face and his tongue slipped across his lower lip.
“Well, I can think of some pretty entertaining things we could do.”
Shirley must have been tired or maybe oxygen deprived because she actually considered his idea for a moment. She shook her head and took a deep breath.
“Think again, Casanova. I’ve no interest in you that way. You are a guest here and that’s all. I was thinking we might chat a bit.”
Thomas must have caught on to her pause. He wasn’t buying it.
“I think maybe you’re lying. I think maybe you do have some interest in me.” His hands were still wrapped around her waist. His thumbs were now caressing her back and sending shivers all over her.
“you..you really need to stop that.” Shirley hated that her body was betraying her. Her breath was short and skin tingled where he was stroking it.
“Really? You want me to stop?” His lips were less then an inch from hers and his breath stirred the hairs around her ears.
“No,… I…I mean yes. Yes, stop.” Was she leaning closer to him? NO! She couldn’t be! But then, she was.
“Yes? No? No? Yes? You sound confused. Maybe you should think about it a while.” His lips brushed her.
She’d lean back, or better yet, step back a little. She was sure there was a little room on that little stool for a half a step. She shifted her foot back and… The stool slipped and she fell forward. He caught her lips first, then his arms and body cushioning her fall against him. It was an accidental kiss that lasted a good 15 seconds. The second kiss was less accidental, lasted a little longer and her hands slipped into his hair all on their own. That’s when the door swung open and they fell into the hall, along with all the toilet paper, a stack of clean sheets and the box holding the oddly shaped 40watt light bulbs.
Shirley separated herself from the toilet paper and Thomas and looked around for whoever had opened the door. No one was there except her and Thomas. She stood and reached into the box, pulled out a light bulb and handed it to Thomas. She smiled at him.
“Here ya go. Have a nice day!” and hurried off down the hall.

[eaglesvet]

[ticky]

Just for fun....


Lisa heard the familiar voices in the room from behind the closed bathroom door. It didn’t seem to be room service and they didn’t sound as if they were going to leave anytime soon. She pulled a pair of khaki shorts and a lace trimmed camisole from her bag and walked out of the bathroom and looked up at Joe and Rhonda.
“Well, hey you two! What are you doing here?” She leaned forward into a warm if not confused hug from the couple.
“Congratulations Lisa and Frank. We were so happy for you when we heard!” Rhonda placed a light kiss on Lisa’s cheek.
Lisa chuckled. “So you drove all the way here to say congratulations?”
Rhonda looked at Joe and his brow furrowed slightly.
“Not exactly. Some strange things are happening at the café, We needed to find you to talk about it.” Joe was glancing back and forth between the other couple.
“At the café? Is everyone alright?” Glenn had moved to stand beside Lisa who was still looking confused.
Rhonda smiled half heartedly. “No, everyone’s fine. It’s just that…” She looked to Joe.
“Well there’s a stranger in town and he’s saying the Café belongs to him.” Joe was talking to Lisa but looking at Rhonda.
“What? Who is this guy?” Lisa was indignant with her fists on her hips.
Rhonda looked back at Lisa. “He says his name is Thomas Palmero. He says his father Papa Palmero is the rightful owner of the cafe”
Lisa’s face went ashen and her eyes went wide. She grasped the side of the sofa and sunk dead weight into it.
“Baby? You okay?” When Glenn saw how pale she was and her knees began to buckle, he jumped to her side.
“I’m… I’ll be alright. I… it’s just… I know that name.” She turned a panicked face to Glenn. His brow furrowed and he pursed his lips.
“Yeah, I do to. That’s the bastard who’s out to kill Frank.”
Joe and Rhonda looked at each other confused.
“But you’re…” Joe started.
Lisa broke down crying and covered her face with her hands.
Glenn cradled her. “It’s okay, baby. He wont find us here.”
Lisa shook her head emphatically.
“You don’t understand.” She looked up into Glenn’s face. “Papa Palmero is my father.”

Lou watched the white, cream-ladened milk pour into the 50 gallon stainless steel vat. A 50 gallon vat was pretty small for cheese making but she’d gotten a great deal on it on Ebay and it was someplace to start. She was about ready to graduate up to a bigger vat and she had her eyes on a 300 gallon vat she’d seen in “Cheese Making Illustrated”, but she didn’t have the $30,000.00 they were asking for it new. She hoped that one would show up on Ebay or Craiglist, but it didn’t seem likely.
She stirred the white frothy milk and watched the last of it drip from the tanks Cathy had brought over that morning. This was a beautiful batch. The milk was heavy with cream and the color was pearlish. It was so fresh it was still warm, perfect for adding the rennet, if one added rennet to their cream to make cheese. That’s not how Lou did it though. When the milk had settled and was a still white pond, Lou walked across the room and washed her hands. She’d been so lucky to buy this small farm on the creek. She even had a fresh water spring. The water was icy cold but smelled sweet. She washed her hands up to her elbows and dried them on a paper towel.
She stood over the small vat and looked down at the still white pool then slipped one finger into the creamy froth, stirring then one finger from the other hand, stirring in the opposite direction. Slowly she slipped her hands into the warm milk and stirred. As she did she could feel the cream gathering and firming. This part of the process was becoming rote and her mind wandered. CJ… she couldn’t stop thinking about him. Those eyes, that smile, that body! She shook her head but the smile that came with those thoughts lingered.
Lou was aware that her feelings came through in the cheese she was making. For instance, once, after a fight with Fiddler, she’d made a batch of the sharpest white cheddar she’d ever tasted, almost inedible, but in the cheese world, things like that were highly prized and she ended up selling it all to a cheese shoppe in Paris for $150.00 a pound! The camembert she’d made after her mother passed away was so soft and creamy, it nearly didn’t set up. It was one of her first purposeful attempts at making cheese. She wondered now, what would come of this batch with such thoughts of CJ running through her mind.
“Brie.” Lou grinned. “This batch will have to be Brie.” It was the perfect blend of sensuousness and bite. A very lustful cheese and fit very well with CJ’s wine! She couldn’t wait to try the two together. They’d compliment each other perfectly and together would create a sensuous, seductive event and she would most definitely be there, and the cheese would be good too!
Brie wouldn’t take much coagulation so she pulled her hands from the already stiffening milk and washed them again in the icy water.

Cathy had just walked into her small but charming cottage. She’d been so lucky to find such a great deal. James had sold it to her for a more then reasonable rate. It was only a few miles from the ranch and town and had a beautiful view of the creek. There was plenty of room for a garden and a beautiful tiny pink rose grew in a massive heaping vine up and over her front stoop. The entry consisted of a small front porch with a white bentwood rocking chair and a fat yellow cat named Henry. She scratched his head as she opened the door. He looked up, purred and smiled at her. Cathy knew he ate, she always put food out for him and it was gone by the time she got home, but she didn’t often see him off his chair. She stepped through the door and the phone rang.
“Hello?”
“Hey beautiful.” It was Fiddler.
“Hey yourself. Didn’t I just talk to you about 5 minutes ago?” She couldn’t keep the smile out of her voice.
“Yeah, but I missed you, besides, I forgot to ask you if you were doing anything tonight?”
Cathy felt herself blush from head to toe. He missed her. She grinned.
“Well, actually I did have plans to see my boyfriend tonight.”
There was a pause and a sigh on the other side.
“Why does that always happen to me? The good ones always have boyfriends. I suppose he’s some big dumb jock type with lots of muscles and little or no brains?”
Cathy laughed “No, he’s the sweet, sensitive type who cries at sad movies and picks flowers.”
There was a verbal cringe on the other line “Awe cheeeezzz, I thought we were talking about me, but now…”
Cathy laughed. “We were, are. What exactly was it you had in mind?”
“Well, I WAS thinking about dinner and a movie, but now I think I need to redeem my manhood. Pro wrestling? A rodeo? John Wayne and tobacco chewing?”
She laughed again. “I think your manhood is safe and in tact. Dinner and a movie sound great.”
Fiddler chuckled. “Great, I’ll pick you up in 15 minutes?”
“Well, I know you’re a cowboy and you’re used to the smell, but if we’re going out in public, I’d rather smell like something other then cow poo. Give me at least 30 minutes for a shower and getting dressed.”
“Well okay, but we’ll miss the coming attraction previews.”
“I don’t mind if you don’t.”
He didn’t.
The smile never left her face as Cathy thumbed through her mail. Bills, bills, advertisements, and a legal sized, windowed envelope from Los Angeles. Hmm..
Thirty minutes later Fiddler softly knocked at Cathy’s door. It was open and she was sitting on the floor staring blindly into space with her mouth hanging open. In her hand she held a legal sized envelope and a sheet of stationary paper. At the top of the stationary were embossed letters spelling out “Whee, Cheatum and Howe: Civic Law Attorneys”
Fiddler gently kneeled beside Cathy and she slowly turned her head to look at him and handed him the letter.
“Whatcha got there sweetheart?” He took the letter and read. “Holey crap.” Fiddler fell hard on his backside next to Cathy, still holding the letter.

[Prettymaid]

Ticky!!! It's been so long I can't remember the whole long story! This edition (featuring me) was great! But something tells me anything from the law firm of Whee Cheatum & Howe can't be good!

Oh, and , btw, Cheese Making Illustrated?