Chapter V

Chapter V

Rusty couldn’t get the nights events out of her mind as she packed. She couldn’t get back to sleep when she arrived home so she put her restlessness to use and began packing up her studio. Surprisingly she heard a knock at the door.
Opening the door not sure what to expect she was pleasantly surprised to find Sera on the other side.
“Sera I totally forgot you were coming over to help me pack” Rusty replied. 
“Well how else was I going to see off the only friend that I had ever made since working at Boston General and get the scoop on last night’s events at once.
Rusty had a friend, a friend that she was leaving. Where would she start?
‘It was the night I always dreamed of. We didn’t talk much…’ She said giving a secret smile. 
‘Oh really’ Sera said. ‘Well don’t stop there, I want to know everything’. She said sitting down on the couch.
We went to Dolce’s and I don’t remember what I ordered. I was so focused on him; it could have been tree bark. After dining we went to the Salsa club and danced the night away.’
‘I didn’t know that you can dance.’
‘Neither did I. Prior to last night I had only danced in my apartment in front of the TV. I just put all of the moves that I practice there to good use. It was the greatest night of my life.’
‘Oh really…the greatest night you say? How did it end?’ knowing that Rusty was leaving things out.
‘This morning with me sneaking out of his hotel room before he woke up and deflated my ego.’ She said as matter of fact plopping down on the couch beside Sera.’
‘Why Rusty that could be the man of your dreams, why give up the promise of a relationship?’
‘Because Russet has been packed away in one of those boxes’ She said pointing down to the few boxes that held everything precious to her in the middle of the floor.
‘And when I take her back out, it will be after my sentence in Angel Pass. At this point in my life I have nothing to give but Rusty and I can’t lose focus. I am almost where I need to be to start living my life for me.’
‘Is that what you’ve been doing all this time? Is that why you haven’t gotten close to anyone at the hospital, why you haven’t let anyone get close to you…because you feel everything in life is temporary until you finish your stent in Angel Pass? Oh Rusty, don’t you know by now that life will throw you a curve ball and your entire plan will go up into smoke. Life is about living in the moment not waiting to be lived. You better start living it now before it starts living you.’
‘I don’t quite understand what you’re saying but this has been my plan since I was a child and I have lived it well without any hiccups. I have lived a much disciplined life. I have left room for curve balls after Angel Pass and not before.’ She said getting up off of the couch. ‘Now what I need to do next is get these boxes taped up so that when the movers get here they can be loaded up immediately.’
‘Movers, why do you need movers, you have, ‘she paused to count the boxes, seven boxes, one duffle and three suitcases. Why are you wasting your money on movers? Drive!’
‘I don’t have a car let alone an SUV how am I supposed to do that with no vehicle.’
‘Rent one’ Sera said not giving an inch.
‘I don’t want to rent one then I would have to drive all the way to Montana by myself. Rusty knew Sera was building up to something she was hoping she didn’t suggest asking Max to drive with her because then she would have to tell her that she never got his number.
‘What do you think about a friend to go with you?’
‘Then I would lose my one hundred dollar deposit’ She said hoping she wouldn’t have to lie to her friend about not getting any form of contact from Max.
‘How much money are the movers charging for the total trip?’
Rusty didn’t want to answer because she knew what would be next but she couldn’t bring herself to lie to her new best friend.
‘Two thousand plus tolls and gas’ she said with her head down.
‘And how are you getting there?’
‘The bus’ she mumbled
‘the bus! Are you kidding me? We are so going to have a road trip… I haven’t taken a vacation in the five years I’ve worked at Boston general and I just happen to own an SUV so we are loading up your things and hitting the road.’ She said throwing her arms around Rusty. ‘Now you can thank me later for saving you so much money. Now go and call the moving company while I call the job and let them know that I am taking some time off.’
Rusty was stunned, she didn’t expect for Sera to suggest that she come along and it would give her more money in her account for after her sentence was complete plus allow her to do something she had never done before and that was bond with a friend.
‘Uh Sera, there is one more thing. I don’t drive that well. The only time I’ve ever driven was to pass the driving test.’ Rusty said embarrassed, hoping that Sera didn’t retract the offer. 
‘Well then that means we will be killing two birds with one stone. Get ready to get behind the wheel.’ She said giving her a hug. I am going home to change and pack. I’ll be back in a couple of hours. I’ve always wanted to do something like this. Thanks for letting me come along.’ Sera gave Rusty a hug and ran out of the door. Josie felt like she was hit with a freight train. Sera was a little ball of energy, a beautiful red-head with a sandy brown year round tan not much taller than Rusty. The hospital crew didn’t usually include Sera in much of anything either, probably because although she was a talker and didn’t S sitting around listening to gossip. She always had a kind word to say about everybody, including the people who were mean to her. That was probably why Rusty liked her so much they didn’t really fit in well at the hospital together. Everyone knew that when they were at work the job was always done right. The crew that came behind them never had to prep before their shift began; unlike Rusty and Sera…When they came into work had to clean up from the nurses and P.A’s from the previous shift and stock up their own supplies. This would be an interesting trip to Montana. She couldn’t wait!

When Sera arrived back at Rusty’s apartment she was toting bags.
‘Uh Sera? You do know that we are leaving this apartment for good, right?
‘Yup!’ She said enthusiastically, ‘then why is it that you are bringing packages in when we are to be carrying packages out?’
‘Because’ Sera began with a mischievous look on her face. Russet gave me a few ideas, according to the navigational system in my truck we are going to be on the road for an entire day. I think that we are going take Russet back out of the boxes and resurrect Serafina, with a twist.’
‘Serafina? Is that your name, boy are we a pair. Russet and Serafina, why can’t we just be Rusty and Sera and bring forward our inner Russet and Serafina.
‘Which brings me to my bags.’ She said handing Rusty one of her shopping bags. ‘This is for you.’
Rusty opened the bag and took out the tiniest pair of shorts she ever seen along with smallest of shirts. At the bottom of the bag there was a pair of running sneakers in the brightest of colors, So out of the ordinary for Rusty’s normal white signature Nurse orthopedic shoes that were made for maximum comfort
‘Oh they gave you the wrong size for me, these are way too small’ Rusty said holding up their shorts…
‘No they’re not; you know what I noticed yesterday. You are absolutely beautiful. You wear your hair in that tight bun every day covering up your beautiful eyes with those thick rimmed glasses. You wear big bulky clothes, clothes obviously made for comfort and not style, not to mention those 1970 style nursing shoes. We both live our lives trying to get through the day and not actually living at all. We are going to discover the other side of comfort on this trip, shorts, t-shirts and sneakers. You look about my size about a two right?
‘Yes, but that doesn’t look like a two, it looks about a two for toddler.’ Her comment made Sera laugh.
‘Go and get changed and I am going to start loading up your things into my truck.’
‘So when are you going to get changed. This isn’t a one person show. If you aren’t going to change then neither am I’
‘Okay, I was going to wait until you changed being that you only have one bathroom. But you and I are the only two people in this tiny apartment so I guess me changing right here in the living room really wouldn’t be much different from me changing in the bathroom.’ Sara said as she started to take off her clothing.
By the time Rusty came out of the bathroom from changing Sara was already outside loading up her SUV with boxes. Rusty looked around the room at the life she lead for the last several years there was nothing of Rusty here. As she glanced at the corner she noticed her Antique mirror was still in the apartment with the blanket wrapped around it, she walked over to carry it to the truck and the blanket fell off. For the second time in two days Rusty was looking back at a woman she knew was herself but didn’t recognize. She looked like a teenager.
‘Rus, there is one thing missing,’ Sara said staring at Rusty look back at her reflection in the mirror. ‘The bun has got to go.’ She walked over to Rusty and pulled the bun out of her hair and watched her spiral curls spring to life as her hair tumbled down her back.
Rusty turned around and looked at Sera who now looked about nineteen in her shorts and sneakers and glanced up at her French roll. Sera, as if reading her mind reached into her hair and starting snatching hair pins out. After the last pin was out she shook out the curtain of red hair that looked like it would never hold a curl. She walked up to Rusty and put an arm over her shoulders and just stared back at the two of them in the mirror.
‘You know we favor one another, we could be sisters or cousins or something. Look at us’ Sera said excitedly
‘I think that your mother would have told you if you had a sibling.’ Rusty replied.
‘Well she actually did before she died. I have two sisters. Both younger, we were separated as children when my parents died.’ The mood suddenly changing as Sera’s voice became morose.
‘What happened?’ Sera asked silently. 
‘My parents didn’t have any other living relatives. They died in a boating accident when I was five. My sisters and I were all sent to foster homes and then separated.’
‘Oh that sounds awful!’Rusty exclaimed. ‘Have you tried looking for your sisters?’
‘Yes, that’s what actually brought me to Boston. The last bit of news that I’ve heard is that my youngest sister’s foster parents relocated here.’
‘Where are you originally from?’
‘Tennessee.’ Russet froze where she was.
‘Rusty what’s wrong with you? Why are you looking like that?
‘I was adopted from a foster home in Tennessee, when my foster parents moved here? I know it is farfetched but what a coincidence is that that we are both from Tennessee and both adopted. We could almost be sisters’
‘Almost, Rusty how old are you?’
‘Twenty three’ Rusty watched as Sera’s mouth dropped. Sera I would love to have you for a sister but it is highly impossible that you and I are of the same two parents. You are Caucasian and I am not’
‘What gave you the impression that I’m Caucasian’ She said with a cheeky grin on her face.
‘Your complexion, not to mention your bone straight red hair.’ Rusty said her voice dripping with sarcasm.
‘Well do you see this tan?’ She said to Rusty. It didn’t come from the sun or from a bottle it is my skins complexion. To be honest I don’t know what I am but I do know that I am not one hundred percent Caucasian, maybe a mix, but not pure anything. And I don’t think you are either.’
‘Well what are your sister’s names, because I think you would have asked me a long time ago if you had a sister named Russet.’ Rusty said as a matter-of-fact.
Well, I’m the oldest, the older of my two sisters is Nuri-Ena and my youngest sister is McKenna.’ Sera said with pride.
‘Where in the world did your parents get those names from? McKenna was the only one with a normal name’. Rusty exclaimed. Rusty wasn’t about to tell her that her first name was hyphenated and McKenna was the second half. She was searching for her sisters and it would be cruel to give her false hope with so many odds.
‘All of our names mean fire. Sort of like yours, Russet.’ Sera made a mental note to contact her investigator and inquire about Rusty; too many coincidences didn’t sit well with her.
‘Fire huh, well let’s get take our smoking hot selves off to get the rest of these bags out of here and on the road. I don’t want to be late on my first day.’

Chapter IV

Max made a beeline for his mystery women now known as Russet and swung her up into his arms in a caveman attempt to mark his territory. The crowd roared with approval. Men and women alike, as he carried her off the stage and straight out of the hotel in his arms.
Rusty buried her face in Max’s chest completely embarrassed at how she was swept up and carried out of the ball room like a helpless child. This was her evening to take charge, to leave the men panting, to take risks and leave them wanting for more. Her being carried out of the ball room catered to the Nurse Rusty persona that she left in her apartment. She had to take back her resolve that was snatched from her in one swoop of his rock hard biceps. Taking a deep breath, her trademark for gathering strength, she was side swiped by the spicy male scent of his rock solid chest. 
‘Goodness, he is all muscle’ Rusty thought.
Max held her close to his body taking long strides determined to exit the hotel as fast as possible daring anyone to interfere with his mission. Her scent seized his senses which resulted in a powerful erection. 
“And just where are you taking me” Russet whispered into his chest causing a shiver to ripple through Max’s body giving her a surge of power and the relinquishment of enough of her resolve to surrender the helpless child and take her sexy right back.
Max squeezed her tighter giving in to the impulse to massage her body against his erection. She would be his tonight. 
“Okay, macho man put me down.” Rusty said as she forced her decent down the mountain of a man that held her in his arms. Not expecting her journey to be so long she stumbled against him when her feet finally touched the ground immediately putting her hands out to prevent being engulfed in his mesmerizing scent, not anticipating the sizzle of electricity that surged through her from the point of contact.
“Now that you’ve had the chance to play the role of caveman we can get on with our date” Shimmying her dress into place. She looked up locking in on his menacing blue gaze; she grabbed him by his tie ignoring the intimidation that he exuded. 
“I’m in charge here” She said as a matter of fact and turned around and walked toward the cab she rented for the night and got in praying that he would follow, she refused to look back believing it to be a sign of weakness.
No way was she leaving him. Besides the twenty five thousand he spent on this evening’s event, he wanted more and that more did not end on the sidewalk in front of the hotel he had just carried her out of. He chuckled at the thought of her being in charge, never had he ever allowed himself to be led around by a woman and definitely not a little scrap of one. He would let her get comfortable thinking she was in charge and just when she didn’t expect it he would make his move. Caveman… she hadn’t seen anything yet.
The ride to Dolce Ristorante, Boston’s most exclusive Italian restaurant was more intense than she had expected. Rusty kept her eyes closed and her head back very casually, not wanting to give away her nervousness. She could feel him looking at her as his cell phone rang. Surprised that he answered, she listened to him speak medical terminology to the caller and was glad to know that they had something in common to break the ice with. Deciding to take the risk opening her eyes Rusty glanced up at his daunting expression feeling slightly intimidated but refusing once again to submit she went from the fuel, sitting on the other side of the cab with her head leaned back and eyes closed, to the fire, sitting right next to him with her head leaning on his shoulder, eyes once again closed and to give the fire a little crackle she placed her hand on his thigh feeling his muscle jump. The phone fell to her lap, she used her other hand to close it shut disconnecting the call and not saying a word.
This little lady was going to be trouble. Max thought as he tried relaxing his fast approaching erection.
The restaurant could have been a barn; he would have never known the difference. His focus was totally on his partner. She chose the lobster, eating it slowly and seductively, he stared all through the meal not touching anything on his plate. It was a good thing that dinner didn’t last long. But to his surprise they went to a salsa club for a night of dancing.
Rusty not wanting to share anything of herself chose the salsa club specifically for that purpose. She always dreamed of dancing the night away with the man of her dreams and tonight she was going to live that dream. She kept him on the dance floor showing him the moves that she practiced at home in front of her television. With Latin dancing being such a sensual expression of movement she treated tonight like four play. Rubbing, bumping, grinding and gyrating all around the dance floor. There were several attempts to cut in but all were meant were gruff looks of dare and possibly a growl. She was having the time of her life.
The night was coming to a close. Rusty had danced the night away not wanting to think about what was coming up. The agreement that she made with herself is that she would take some risks this night, but as the night progressed the biggest risk she had taken was leaning up against him in the car and placing her hand on his thigh. The music slowed down giving Rusty the perfect segue. She leaned her head on his chest and listened to his heart beat. This is where she wanted to be always she thought to herself.
Max wrapped his arms around her waist and massaged her back.
‘This is more like it’ He thought. He wasn’t letting her go tonight. She was his. He lifted her chin and gave her deep kiss, slipping his tongue into her mouth mingling with her own. It was time to go. Ending the kiss with a light peck he linked hands with her and led her out of the club and back into a cab and off to his hotel room. He was in charge now.
Rusty knew what was to follow and because this was something she had never done before ever in life she was nervous that if he knew he would not want to pursue the night’s course.
‘I hope I do everything right’ she thought to herself, her hands fidgeting in her lap.
Sensing her apprehension, he placed his hands over her fidgeting ones and kissed her forehead, causing her to look up at him giving him access to her plump lips that he claimed immediately.
He kissed her all the way in the cab to his hotel room. She knew where she was going but she didn’t care. As long as he held her in his arms everything felt right. She put all the passion she wished she had for a love that she wished would be forever but knew could only be temporary into loving him. Why did she have to meet him now? Why couldn’t she meet him after her sentence in Angel Pass? Buddhist believes that if something was meant to be yours it will always be yours even if separated it would make its way back to you. Would she ever find her way back to Max after she finished in Angel Pass? Tonight she would be giving him her most prize possession and he wouldn’t even know it. But she would. This would be a memory that she would treasure for the rest of her life. As he led her through the hotel lobby this time on foot she snuggled into the crook of his arm, shielding herself from the looks that swayed in their direction as they made it through the very hotel he carried her out of. When they made it to Max’s penthouse suite she allowed him to undress her all the way to the bedroom then he laid her down as he undressed himself.
She was hypnotized by his strip tease before she could think about what was going to happen he was there beside, all over, on top of her kissing her in places that she had never dreamed of being kissed.
He wanted to make this moment last forever. He wanted to slow down the pace to make it as good for her as he knew it would be for himself. They kissed… he was so desperate for her but something inside of him told said to keep it slow. As he settled between her thighs he looked into her once light brown eyes now chocolate with desire and said.
“Are you sure you want this.” As much as he wanted to just take her he had to make sure that she would not regret this in the morning.
Rusty realizing that he must have said something by the way he that he was looking down on her with a questioning gaze of desire.
“Yes” she breathed, meaning it to be a question but it came out more like an answer.
Max was so excited and relieved to hear the word yes he almost came before thrusting into her. He guided himself slowly into the moist walls of her womanhood hoping to tease them both into the best ride of their lives. Before he could fully occupy her body he was stopped by a barrier. He looked down at her clenched teeth and eyes squeezed shut and knew the answer to the question before he asked.
“You’re a virgin” He said in awe.
Rusty slowly opening her eyes looking back at him with a look of determination.
“Does that make you want me any less” she questioned. Rusty placed her hands on his butt and ground into him making him break eye contact when he closed his eyes at the wave of pleasure that shot through him and groaned.
“Are you going to claim what I am giving you or are you going to leave me wanting you forever” She said in a whisper.
“Russet”, he said her name for the first time tonight. “I am going to ask you this question for the last time tonight. Are you sure?” Praying to God she wouldn’t change her mind because he didn’t know how was going to disengage himself from her.
“I have never been surer about anything in my life. With the choir singing Hallelujah in his years he thrust home claiming her as his own. Not moving, attempting to give her body the chance to adjust to his own he was surprised to hear her whisper in his ears.
“So you’ve decided to change your mind have you?” Rusty said while grinding into his body. Gyrating against him like she was salsa dancing again.
“Am I going to have to put you on your back and show you how this is done” She issued a challenge that made him chuckle. She was in trouble now. He bent down and took her nipple into his mouth withdrawing himself almost completely out of her before he slowly slid himself back in over and over again, while making his way over to her other breast attempting to drive her as wild as he felt already. Turning her over on her stomach he put her in his favorite position, on all fours and gave his mouth the feast fit for a king. His Queen, he nibbled sucked prodded pulled and let his tongue play with her womanhood until she screamed with pleasure with that he positioned himself over her slamming home as her walls of pleasure contracted around him, he thrust in and out and attempting to hold on to his control until her climax was complete. Feeling himself about to come he covered her back grabbing her breast from behind thrust into her constantly until he was totally spent.
Lying down beside her, he turned his head to look over at her wondering if she was okay. She laid there with her eyes closed. He went to the bathroom and came out with a wet rag and began cool her off with the wet towel.
Rusty was not expecting for him to do this. This seemed more personal than what had just transpired. Before she could protest he was done and back at her side gathering her in his arms and drifting off to sleep. He took her again that night waking her up with his attentions and putting her back to sleep with exhaustion.
He was going to find a way to get her back to Montana with him. She was a keeper and he was going to do just that. He would spend the morning convincing her to come back home with him. Whatever she did at the hospital she could do exactly that in Angel Pass with a man that loved her. Love? Where did that word come from? Although he had never used it before, somehow it fit. He loved her and he would spend the rest of his life showing her just how much. He hugged her closer to himself not wanting to even be apart from her in sleep and dozed off. 

Rusty came to the next morning not remembering where she was. Trying to move she realized she was trapped in an iron grip. She placed her hand on the iron grip and a flood of last night’s events invaded her thoughts. She had to get out of here. She slowly slid out of his grip and out of the bed. Grabbing her clothes, putting them on as she made her way through the suite to the front door, she slowly opened the door hoping that he wouldn’t appear questioning where she was going, she slid through the door and made her way through the hotel lobby for the third time in two days she was hoping she didn’t run into anyone who recognized her.