Moonlight and Merlot

The continuing saga of the lives, loves and heartbreaks of the residents of Dion Valley, CA.

As with all the best things in life, this is for adults only.

*****

“There is something I’ve always wondered,” Nick said as he slid behind the wheel of Lela’s ancient Cadillac. He adjusted the steering wheel and the seat, watching Lela from the corner of his eye. She sat slumped in the passenger’s seat, staring off into the distance, silent, sad and disappointed. He wished there was something he could do for her, but he knew that she had to work it out on her own.

“What’s that?” Lela asked listlessly.

“How are you friends with Phoebe?” he asked, and started the engine. “I can’t figure out why you even speak to her.”

Lela let out a small, harsh chuckle and slowly turned her head to look at him. “Sometimes I wonder myself.”

He waited for her to go on, but the silence just stretched out between them. “Well?” he asked finally.

“Well what? I mean, what’s there to say? Dion Valley is this big,” she said and snapped her fingers. “Who else is there to talk to? And besides, for all her faults Phoebe will do just about anything you ask her too. Especially if it’s odd or dangerous.” She flashed him a smile that was all teeth. “What more could a girl ask for in a friend?”

Nick shook his head. “That doesn’t seem like enough.”

“She is very useful,” she said and made a sour face. “Though not exactly trustworthy.”

“You can say that again,” Nick grumbled under his breath. On the surface, Lela’s answer seemed reasonable enough, but he got the feeling that she wasn’t telling him everything, that she was holding something back or leaving something out. He glanced over at Lela, drinking in her beautiful profile as she stared out the passenger window. He thought about pressing the issue a little more—he was very certain she was hiding something—but in the end he decided to let it go.

“So,” he said after another long bout of silence, “where am I taking you?” He looked over at her with a wide grin. “Your place or mine?”

Nick was happy to see a real smile form on her lips. “Why don’t you surprise me,” she said in a deep, purring, pure sex voice.

Heat rushed straight to his groin as he returned her smile. The night had suddenly gotten much better.

[Until next Tuesday…]