Chapter 18
His mouth lowered, slowly. Her lips felt delightfully alive, swollen from the last kiss, but she wanted more, more!
They were almost secluded here. A line of shrubs cut them off from the other bathers. She had already surveyed that. She wondered how far he would go with her before they did go up in the bushes.
She opened her lips eagerly-and when his mouth finally descended, the tingly heat of it made her shiver. His provocative, teasing approach, with his tongue exploring the moist roll of her mouth, sipping at her desire, brought a little cry from her throat.
He worked his tongue slyly inward, in stages-withdrawing a few heartbeats, then sliding deeper. She had an impulse to fling her arms around him, but she sensed that he wanted her just this way, relaxed, receptive, as their desire climbed ...
She pressed her lips around his tongue, savoring the stimulative caress. She had never before been kissed this way. And it was more heady than she had ever dreamed was possible.
He was going to take a lot of time with her.
She didn't care where he had learned his finesse. She kept her thoughts away from the other girls he had touched and fondled.
Finally, she felt his hand rest feather-like on her thighs. His fingers were so gentle-yet so manly. Tracers of zesty delight awakened wherever he touched. His hand stole along the velvety inner areas of her thighs and she spread them.
"Sweet, sweet!" he whispered, into her mouth.
Now his hand grazed the patch of cloth at her loins, settling on her bare tummy. Bubbly thrills possessed her. A sensuous yearning swept from her legs to her aching nipples. His tongue went deep, fluttering, lifting her desire even more.
Voices intruded. His hand left her, then his mouth. She almost cried out at this interruption in their lovemaking. She saw a young couple stroll by, hand in hand. The girl glanced at Nona and Nick and giggled. They passed on by.
"Just a minute, dimples," he said. He took her beach robe and drew it over their legs, then high enough to conceal her shoulders. The sun had shifted slightly, and they were now partially in the shade.
"This will give us a little more privacy," he said, kissing her on the end of the nose. "Until we're ready to move, anyway."
I'm ready to move right now! she thought, shivering.
Immediately his hand went to her breasts. His head was down even with hers, now. He thrust his tongue between her lips and gently lifted the bikini-top away from her swelling, sensitive mounds.
They surged outward. Feverish tinglings commenced as he cupped and fondled, bringing her nipples into sharp points.
"These are wonderful!" he whispered, a tightness in his voice.
"Ohhhh-Nick," she cried, softly. "Play with them!"
He edged nearer until she felt the pressure of his loins on her femininity. She firmed her bottom against him. His fingers on her nipples teased and cavorted. Delicious little waves of joy warmed her whole body, and her desire began to center where his hand had roamed just a moment before between her thighs ...
The compelling sweetness of her need transcended anything she had ever known. It was sharp and fierce. Waves of voluptuous delight spread from her aching nipples, downward ...
She gasped. She felt a flowing of her love-fluids, and when his hand reached down, inching inside the little piece of cloth covering her girl-mound, it was as if he followed an unspoken, frantic wish.
Now his hand cupped her femininity-and she cried out, the darts of her need sweeping her toward a provocative summit.
His lips closed searchingly about a peak of delight-and the titillations he continued to make, the wonderful sensitive zones he explored, raised her eager desire even higher.
Her fingers dug into his shoulders. She tensed. A furious shivering commenced in her loins, swept along her body ...
"Ohhhh-oh-Nick!" she cried.
She trembled on the brink of gaspy culmination.
He held her quietly a while, but she couldn't wait any longer. She was so close to it!
"Please!" she breathed, shivering in a thrall of anticipation.
She had hoped that she could quell her eagerness until they were up in the bushes, but she had waited so long and her excitement was so great, she couldn't help herself.
Now he held her tightly and his caresses raised her passion to new levels of sensual delight. Her breath caught. She closed her eyes and suddenly hot desire claimed her entirely. Throbs of exquisite sweetness rocketed throughout her being. Fiery little stabs of joy raced along her thighs and up to her throbbing nipples.
She moaned fiercely and went shuddering into her climax.
The sky, even with her eyes closed, seemed to fall. The lovely vibrations within her were beyond her most wistful dreamings.
As the wonder of it turned into tiny after-shiverings, she was able to breathe again.
And he hasn't even claimed me fully yet, she thought, dizzily.
"Ohhhh-Nick!" she breathed, her hands locked in his curly hair. "Oh, God!"
"Damn!" he whispered, possessively. "Damn, you are wonderful! I want every bit of you, Nona. Now!"
"Y-yes!" she answered.
"Come on-slip your halter back in place. We're heading for the tall timber!"
She sighed. "I'm weak!"
"Okay-I'll carry you."
"I-I think I can walk now...."
Moments later they were walking along a shadowy trail, deeper into the woods. Nick carried the blanket and most of her things. She had slipped into her robe.
No wonder the women are crazy about him, she thought. Her legs still were shaky, but she was as eager as he to continue. He reached a small clearing. The grassy area sloped a little, but they were hidden here from all eyes.
He let go of her and spread the blanket. She eased the robe away from her body. She looked at his swim-trunks, at his arousal, and a fit of shivering possessed her.
So many new things are going to happen to me, she thought.
He caught her around the waist and pulled her down on the blanket. She giggled. She swayed backward, full length. She untied her halter and tossed it aside. Her breasts pointed up at him ...
His eyes seemed to bore into hers. His hands went to the elastic band of his swim trunks.
She held her breath, waiting. Here, in broad daylight, facing her, he was going to expose himself. And she wasn't going to be shocked, or shamed. She knew it was right.. .
He was strong and virile! He was all man!
"Awright! Hold it, chum!" a hard voice cried.
For an instant Nona was so terrified she couldn't move. That voice! She had heard it before-the night of the fire outbreak, from the back seat of Nick's car ...
She yelped and snatched at her cast-aside bikini-top. Nick stood rigid, his swim shorts now back in place, his chin jutting forward, anger twisting his features.
The ragged, unshaved man stood at the rim of the clearing, a revolver in his hand.
Nona had seen him before, through her binoculars. She had felt his grimy claws on her shoulders, groping for her breasts.
She fastened her halter, trembling. Her exquisite longing for Nick, the glow of passion he had kindled, all went flying. It was awful. This filthy Ridge-runner was going to spoil everything!
"What the hell do you want?" Nick asked.
"The girl, chum! You come on over here an' turn around. I'm going to tie you up. And both of you keep your traps shut. Got it?"
I should have told Nick what I saw the day he was out in the brush with Ivy, she thought.
"You rotten bastard!" Nick grated. "You'll fry for this."
"Hell, I ain't going to kill anybody." The man snickered. "She won't be hurt none ... Snap it up!"
Nona watched Nick limp across the clearing, toward the man holding the weapon. Tears gathered in her eyes.
We could have gone to his cabin or mine, she thought. Ivy's not around. I was too eager ...
As Nick approached, the Ridge-runner drew a section of rope from his soiled jacket pocket. He glared at Nona. "Come here, chick. You're goin' to tie him up!"
She clenched her hands. She shook with fright. But she could see no alternative. She rose slowly and obeyed. The revolver, aimed at Nick, made her hurry. The outlaw tossed her the rope. He motioned Nick to turn around, his hands behind him.
Even the rope was dirty. Fingers shaking, she followed instructions. She hated to see the fibers bite into Nick's tanned wrists, crossed. It was an ugly nightmare.
"Tighter!" the man commanded. He came nearer, cautiously.
She wasn't so much afraid for herself as she was for Nick. She could endure being handled as long as Nick didn't get shot. She tried not to think of what would follow ...
Once Nick's wrists were bound, he was instructed to sit down. Another section of rope went around his ankles. He winced a little as the cord touched, then pressed, his bandaged ankle. She was as gentle as possible.
She was aware of the man's scrutiny of her nearly-nude body, and her dread climbed. Already she could smell him. She tried desperately to think of some avenue of escape. She didn't tie the second knot as tightly as the first.
"Chin up, darling!" Nick whispered.
"Shut up!" the Ridge-runner barked.
She had read about things like this in the newspapers and she couldn't believe he would let them both go after it was over ... Could she charm him, somehow, and get her hands on his weapon?
She stood up, huddled, keeping her eyes on Nick.
Would he shoot Nick if she screamed for help? Probably!
"That's better," the man snickered.
"Is this the way you got Zelda Nesbitt?" Nick growled.
A strange look twisted the skinny man's whiskered face. "They can't pin that on me!" he snapped. "I'm not a murderer!" He held the revolver more steadily. "Sure, I take groceries when I need 'em...." He laughed hoarsely. "I know who messed up that Nesbitt broad! The big cow, spread-in' her hind end around town, askin' for it ... I like 'em younger-like this one!"
"Sooner or later I'm going to break your filthy neck," Nick answered.
"Big words! I heard you workin' on the piano. You're outa your water around here, city dude! We're wastin' time! Come on, chick. We're going back in the brush. That's what you come out here for, wasn't it? A little fun."
He cackled, his yellowed teeth showing. Nona shuddered. The whole thing seemed, even yet, horribly unreal.
"Who did kill Zelda?" Nick asked.
Nona realized he was stalling, hoping for a break. His face was ashen. A wild fury burned in his eyes, a loathing and hatred he was trying to curb.
"A cool one, eh?" the man growled. "Let the stupid hillbilly cops figure it out. I heard on the radio they got their sights set on you!"
The muscles in Nick's face ridged. He wasn't jerking at the ropes that bound him. He wasn't pleading or begging. That wasn't like him.
"Git goin', cutie," the man ordered. "See that trail? Follow it." He waved the revolver at a break in the bushes on the uphill side of the clearing.
He glared at Nick. "You start yellin' and I come back and plug you-understand?"
Nona was glad she wouldn't have to endure the beast's hands on her with Nick watching ... She would have to give in! She had heard that the best way to handle a rapist was to yield, surrender ...
Shivering, she shot a last look at Nick, and walked stiff-legged across the grassy area toward the trail.
I hope it won't last too long, she thought desperately.
She moved. She heard the man following. A few yards along the path, and it turned. A small open space appeared. A chipmunk bobbed across the trail.
"This'll do," the man commanded.
Nona saw a fallen tree and sank down on it. She shook all over. She kept her eyes away from him. A horrid chuckle came from him. He placed the revolver on a moldy stump. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw him jerk at his belt, then lower his trousers ...
"Stand up and take those pieces off your body, girl!" he cackled. She did as she was told. First the top section, then the lower half.
He laughed, a kind of insane titter. "You won't get away this time, girl!"
His voice seemed to violate the beauty of the forest around them.
Now she was naked, except for her beach slippers.
"Whooeee!" he chirped. "Look at that!" He came nearer. "Wiggle a little!"
Terrorized, she complied. She would close her eyes so she wouldn't have to see him ... She weaved her hips. If she could delay things, maybe someone would come along and find Nick ...
"So you know who killed Zelda, do you?" she managed.
"Shut up! Wiggle!"
Her throat was dry, her whole body covered with goose pimples. She looked down at the cast-off segments of her bikini, and tears welled up into her eyes.
This beast will take my virginity, she thought.
"You're the cutest little thing that's ever come around here!" he blurted, creeping nearer. He kicked his dirty denims away. She shut her eyes, tight.
She felt his cold, claw-like hands on her breasts. She nearly jerked away. She bit her lip, hoping, hoping ...
She heard him panting.
Suddenly she heard a muffled curse. She snapped her eyes open. Nick stood at the edge of the clearing, the revolver in his hand.
"Okay, crud!" he snapped. "One move and I drill you in your filthy guts!"
Relief washed through Nona. She staggered, her taut nerves crying out in exquisite relief. She crumpled on the ground, sobs choking in her throat.
The Ridge-runner stood paralyzed, ashen-faced. Finally his mouth worked.
"How-how'd you get loose?" he squeaked.
"Never make fun of a piano man again, hill-ass! I've got very strong hands-and wrists. Or maybe you wouldn't understand. Now, get those cruddy clothes back on!"