Lucy waited as the old man behind the motel’s desk slowly wrote down her information in his reservation book. The whole operation was a bit archaic which made her curious at just how old-fashioned the room was going to be, but she needed to stop for the night. If she kept driving, she wouldn’t hit another town for a good two hours and it was already dark.
As she tapped her fingers lightly on the edge of the desk, she glanced around the small lobby when headlights caught her attention. A black van pulled into the lot and suddenly her stomach dropped at what kind of creep was probably going to be staying at this motel the same time as her. She made a point to nudge her bag closer to her feet before putting her attention back to the elderly man behind the desk. If his hand moved any slower, she’d swear he wasn’t even moving.
The slamming of two car doors was heard before the small bell above the door rung as the newcomer entered the lobby. It’s now just the three of them in the small room. She hears a bag drop against the floor somewhere behind her and she can’t help but glance over her shoulder. The creepy looking man she was expecting to own that van was anything but.
A ruggedly, good looking man stood by the small selection of brochures, picking one up in his large hands and perusing the information. A black duffel laid by his feet and she noticed the black boots he had on, much different from the usual traveler. The man turns towards her and catches her eye, throwing her a polite smirk before turning back to the brochure in his hand.
Embarrassed at being caught, she quickly turns back towards the old man. Another minute or two, then he’s handing her a key to room number 26. Picking up her bag, Lucy thanks the elderly man before stealing another glance at the handsome stranger, who is glancing at her right back.
Of course, she would have trouble opening her door. Bag on the ground, she tries for the umpteenth time at pushing it open. The key turns but the door is so old and misshapen that there’s obviously an issue here. Her shoulder hurts and her foot hurts, both being utilized to try to open it. The handsome stranger walks out of the lobby, heading her way presumably to his own room, and she can only imagine how long she’s been at this since the old man takes forever.
Not wanting to make eye contact during this embarrassing moment, she just keeps trying as she hears the man open his door with no issue.
Then she hears foot steps heading her way and she looks up, blowing a strand of hair from her face.
The handsome stranger is walking towards her, “You, uh, you need some help there?”
His voice is rough and sexy and she hates even more now that she’s in this ridiculous predicament.
Lucy’s about to decline, not one to usually accept help, but her arm does hurt, “I, um, I think – actually, yeah, if you wouldn’t mind,” and she takes a step back, “Old door is jammed pretty good.”
The man throws her a polite grin and tries the knob, “Yeah, seems that way,” he tries just pushing on it normally but when it doesn’t budge, she watches as he uses his shoulder to give a one, two shoves popping the door open.
“Oh my god, thank you so much!” she picks her bag up.
“Yeah, no problem. If you, uh, end up leaving at some point, you may have trouble getting it open again. I’m just a couple doors down, number 23, feel free to knock and I’ll help you out again, if you need it.”
“That’s really nice of you, thanks. I’m Lucy by the way,” she sticks her hand out.
“Pete,” his hand is so warm she notices and it almost swallows hers when he shakes it. He gives her another one those small, polite grins, but this one lingers for a second longer. She can feel her cheeks heat up and all she can hope is that she isn’t blushing.
“See ya around,” he glances at their hands before looking at her as he lets her hand go. Lucy smiles and nods in response before heading into her room as he walks back to his.
The room is old-fashioned as suspected. A big boxy tv sits on the four-drawer dresser. The twin beds that come with every room are covered with a grandmother type floral design that has seen better days.
It was an easy decision to head to the bar next door for a bit. The music she heard emanating was actually pretty good and she could use a drink, or two, after all that driving.
The place had a good crowd going, she managed to get herself through it to stand at the bar where one woman was tending to everyone. When she finally got the bartender’s attention, she ordered a beer and decided to stay standing against the bar as she watched the band play while several people swayed in front of them.
A natural tendency to glance around, Lucy sipped her beer as her eyes spotted a familiar face. There was Pete leaning against the other end of the bar, back to her as he also seemed to enjoy the music playing.
It felt weird to approach him, so she just smiled to herself and continued to enjoy her anonymity. At the end of the song, Pete turned towards the bar to order another beer and as he took a look around, his eyes landed on Lucy who was looking down, fingers peeling at the label on her bottle. She happens to look up, and when their eyes meet, he lifts his beer bottle in the air in a silent ‘cheers’, something she mimics, both throwing the other a sweet smile.
He glances down quick, before looking at her again, before resuming his original position of leaning his elbow against the bar to watch the band, head nodding along at parts.
There was a point when Pete went to the bathroom, and it was then that Lucy’s night became annoying.
Facing the bar, waiting for the bartender to come back her way to order another beer, a man sidled up next to her.
“Hey sweet thing, you lookin’ for another drink? Allow me,” and the guy rudely hollers for the bartender’s attention.
“No, that’s alright, thank you,” she side eyes him.
The man fully turns to her, and she can smell the bourbon on him, “No, I insist. Only right for a gentleman to buy a woman a drink before they get down to the real business,” and he leans forward more, his words quite obviously suggesting something that wasn’t actually spoken.
“Funny, I don’t see a gentleman,” she angrily bites back, annoyed that men can’t take no for an answer.
“Yeah?” the man’s face turns annoyed, “How ‘bout you feel one? Huh?” and he wraps his arm around her waist before she can even realize what’s happening and pulls her into him, her hand brushing his crotch like he wanted, “You like that, huh?”
Lucy first sees the man throw his head back with a pained groan before she realizes that Pete’s now standing with them.
The man’s arm that was pinning her, was now being held back in an unnatural position by Pete who was looking none too pleased.
“You like that, huh?” Pete growls the man’s own words back to him, “You want more of that?” and Pete yanks the man’s arm back a bit more bringing the man down almost to his knees if he wasn’t holding onto the bar for support.
“You don’t touch a woman whenever you goddamn please, you hear me?” Pete leans down to tell the man.
The man just quickly nods, breathing heavy as he pleads for Pete to let go.
Before he can, the bar’s security guard walks over and yanks the back of the drunk’s man shirt, yanking him to a standing position so Pete lets him go. Just as the security guard goes to yell at Pete, Lucy and the bartender both speak up on Pete’s behalf getting him out of being kicked out.
When the commotion is over, Pete turns to Lucy, genuine concern on his face, “You okay?”
She still can’t believe what just happened, so she nods, “Yeah, yeah I’m okay. Thank you, really.”
But he just gives a small shake of his head and a wave of his hand, clearly not wanting a thank you.
“I swear I’m not this much of a damsel in distress,” she jokes now having been helped by Pete twice in a couple hours.
He hangs his head with a soft chuckle, before looking at her, “Wouldn’t peg you as the type anyway.”
It makes her laugh, “Well, thank you, I appreciate that.”
When he goes to order another beer, and notices Lucy’s empty one, so orders another for her too, she’s quick to put the money down for both.
“No, you don’t have to do that,” he says, pushing her money back towards her.
“Please, just,” but she doesn’t finish, instead sliding the money back towards the bartender.
Pete just nods, “Alright, well, thank you,” and he holds his beer bottle up to her.
Lucy clinks the neck of her bottle against his before they both take a sip.
“You know, for a guy who drives an awfully creepy van, you’re proving to be not so bad,” she smirks as she takes another sip.
Pete looks at her, his tongue jutting out to lick his lips before laughing, “That right?”
She nods, that playful smile still on her face, “You have to admit, it’s not the best choice to be driving.”
She watches as his brows raise for a beat before he nods, taking a sip. When he looks at her, he gives her a slight squint of his eyes, something clearly indicating he’s in on this teasing, “Yeah, well, can you believe it’s the only thing the rental company had left?”
And the unexpected response makes her laugh, “What was the rental company? Doom and Gloom?”
Thumb rubbing the label of his bottle in his hand, he chuckles with her and nods, “Somethin’ like that.”
“Mhm,” she hums, a laugh still breathing out.
The conversation flows so easy for them. They don’t get too personal, well aware that they’re just two people passing in travels so there’s no point. He says he’s just passing through Michigan, she says the same though he can see in her eyes that there may be more than that, but who is he to push?
When the lyrics being sung seem to hit for one of them, there’s a pause put in their interaction that is seamlessly picked up at the song’s end.
The several beers they each have are finished with a glass of whiskey that they each nurse, trying to keep this night going as long as they can.
Pete’s in the middle of demonstrating how he did the hand thing on that drunk guy, per her request. When he touches her wrist, she feels a surge of something strong and she looks at his eyes as he watches his own hands. But she sees the second of something cross his face, like maybe he felt it too.
Slowly, and in no way causing pain, he shows her how to do the debilitating move. She likes the way his hands are rougher than hers, and how they feel smoothing along her skin, shivers being sent to her spine.
Pete lets Lucy try the move out on him, his jacket having been removed an hour ago, so his forearms exposed from the rolled-up shirt sleeves. And when she does it well, again just slowly, he holds his fist out which she bumps with her own.
They don’t leave until the band’s been long packed up and the bartender is telling them that it’s time to go.
Pete shrugs his jacket back on and Lucy thanks the bartender for the both of them before walking side by side with her new friend.
They walk so close that their shoulders constantly brush, but Pete’s hands stay in his pockets. Exchanges of shy smiles and small words carry them to her motel room door.
“Here,” and he puts his palm out for the key, “Let me check it first this time.”
Lucy drops the key into his hand and watches as he slips the key into the lock, turning the knob and jostling it to see if the door budges, which it doesn’t.
A tightened grip on the knob and Pete gives one good hard shove of his shoulder into the door, popping it open.
Lucy just shakes her head and touches his bicep, “I really do appreciate this…again.”
Pete moves his foot near the hinge of the door to keep it open as he faces her again, “Sure thing,” he replies softly.
And she feels something too, something different now that they’re about to part ways.
Her hand slides down his arm until she takes hold of the opened edge of his jacket, and she realizes that they’ve moved even closer to each other.
When she looks up at him, it wouldn’t take much for her to close that distance if she wanted to. If he wanted too.
“You think maybe, you might, um, want to come in? See if your floral comforter looks different from mine?” she throws in to not make it so deep, the corner of her mouth curling up into a playful smirk despite her words kept low and inviting.
Pete just looks at her, tilts his head just a bit, but she sees a gleam to his eyes before he licks his lips and then she spots the tiniest hint of a smile on his face, “Yeah,” he nods, “Yeah, think that might be a good idea.”
They both end up sharing a smile before she keeps hold of his jacket and leads him inside the room. Pete turns to make sure the door is closed behind them before turning his attention back to Lucy.
He steps into her and as her hands press to his lower abdomen, he’s slowly taking his jacket off his shoulders, giving it a little toss without looking. Lucy tips her head back to meet him as he slowly, almost hesitantly, brings his face to hers. She pulls his shirt out from being tucked into his jeans just as his lips fit to hers.
Pete can’t help but bring his hands to hold her face as her hands move to sit at his hips.
She pulls back, eyes opening only after she’s pulled away, and Pete smooths his thumb over her cheekbone.
“Okay,” and she makes a little sigh, “That was better than what I was expecting,” she whispers before a sheepish laugh follows.
It makes him give a low breath of a laugh, “Yeah? For a guy with a creepy van?”
And when she laughs, he smiles and kisses her lips with a quick one.
“No,” she gives his hips a squeeze, “I expected it to be good, but that was even better,” she blushes under his gaze and her eyes fall to his neck as it’s obvious she’s embarrassed for sharing.
Pete dips his head and kisses her again.
The natural hesitancy that was there just seems to disappear. Soon enough, the kisses become more passionate and rushed. Teeth snag on lips and tongues meet.
Lucy’s down to her underwear before she sits on the edge of the bed and pulls Pete in by his belt. A sharp intake of breath as she places kisses along his skin right above it.
Pete takes a step back and unbuckles his belt as Lucy unclasps her bra. She slides it off her arms before tossing it to the side and Pete hurries his actions more, quickly undoing his jeans to push them down and off.
She pushes herself further up the bed before laying back just as he crawls over her. She notices the chain around his neck that’s holding a ring, but the wonder of it isn’t there once his lips touch her neck.
His forearm frames her head as his hand buries into the top of her hair and she cradles his face to bring his lips to hers.
Before long, his bare hips are between her thighs and their bodies move together with every one of his thrusts. She spreads her legs wider as he moves to his knees a bit more, thighs pressed against hers, slamming together as he increases his speed.
She grabs his chin to kiss him through the build up of pleasure, and when she feels herself close, she has to grip onto his shoulders, cheek pressing against his. His hips slamming into her as she feels him kiss along her jaw. She comes as her thighs quiver and a strangled moan fills the room. Pete comes after a few more thrusts, his groan pressed into her jaw. She turns her face to kiss him, swallowing part of his vocal arousal.
But they aren’t finished with one another.
Lucy sinks onto him as she rides him, Pete’s face pressed into her chest, mouthing at her soft flesh. Their hands connected as they both grip onto the headboard as her hips roll with force.
He nips at her neck gently as she grips the back of his head, his hand cupping her breast as he tastes her other one.
The encouragements from his gravely voice makes her orgasm build even faster and she can feel his body straining more now. They come at the same time.
By the time they’re finished fucking, the sun’s about to rise.
The sheet tucked under her arms, around her chest, while the other half sits at Pete’s waist, they’re both sitting up a bit against the headboard. Pete’s arm is around her shoulders as she leans into his chest a bit, his lips pressing a kiss into her hair.
She sits up and turns towards him, his arm at her shoulders turns into his hand sliding down her bare back, staying low as he rubs along her lower back continuously.
“Those are some scars you have,” she reaches out and touches the dark circle at his pectoral.
“Marine Corp.,” he answers and her eyes move from his back to the scar. He watches as she leans forward to kiss it.
Pete hugs her at that moment, having her leaning into his arm as he pulls her a bit into his lap. Lucy fits right in, curling into his hold a bit as her hand lays on his cheek. Pete kisses her, then runs the tip of his finger along a faint white line right under her jaw, “What about yours?”
“You noticed that?” and she goes to touch her own scar, but her hand stops midway. Her attitude changes a bit, seems to crumble in on itself some.
Brows furrowed at the change, he nods, “Saw a lot of you tonight. Noticed a few scars.”
He wasn’t going to ask but since she brought up the topic.
She presses her mouth to his shoulder before kissing it, before answering his question.
“It’s why I’m here,” she answers quietly.
“Running from something,” he states.
“Someone,” she looks at him.
Lucy sees the darkness take over his eyes as she says that. Her eyes sweep to his jaw where she sees the muscle clenching. And part of her wonders why he’d feel so upset on her behalf when he doesn’t really even know her, but she supposes that’s how the good ones react.
She cups his cheek and kisses the corner of his mouth, “Hey, I’m okay. I’m far away from him, it’s over.”
She looks at him and he just looks back at her, and she swears she can see the moment the anger seems to leave him and then he mumbles an “Okay,” before kissing her.
“I, um, I couldn’t help but notice this,” she touches the chain around his neck.
There’s a few seconds of silence as he looks down at it, touches it gently.
“I had a wife. And kids,” he’s hesitant to share.
Lucy feels her heart sink, “Had?”
Pete nods, “They were taken from me,” and he looks everywhere but at her.
“Oh my god,” she barely gets out, “I’m so sorry.”
Her hands rest on his shoulders, “God, Pete, I don’t even –“ and she’s not sure what to say to such a horrible thing.
Pete tenderly brings his knuckles down her jaw before he brings his hands to his lap, “…Frank.”
He finds it hurts when her hands move off of him.
Lucy looks at him questioningly, “What?”
“My name…it’s not Pete, it’s Frank.”
She moves off his lap and he goes to reach for her but stops himself from actually touching her.
Lucy tucks the sheets more under her arms, a protective body language Frank notices, and she just looks at him, her face clear with confusion.
Running a hand through her hair, she looks at his lap where she just was before looking at him, “Okay, you’re going to have to give more than that, Pe – Frank.”
He rubs his elbow and rolls his neck, “Look, I did some shit that could embarrass people, powerful people. So, I get to be Pete and they get to not be embarrassed.”
She covers her face with her hands and shakes her head before dropping them to her lap, “Please tell me you’re not a fugitive or something? Are you a criminal?”
Frank sits up more, again goes to touch her but when her eyes follow his hand, he stops.
“No. Just a guy with a new identity.”
Lucy looks at him. Her eyes move around his face and his body as he assumes, she’s somehow feeling if he’s lying to her. He doesn’t blame her.
“Does-does some of this shit explain your scars? You lie about being a Marine?” and he hears the quiet anger in that question.
Frank is quick to shake his head, “Would never lie about that. I am a former Marine. But yeah, some of these scars weren’t only from Afghanistan.”
There’s a minute of silence after that. Frank doesn’t speak, lets her lead this conversation.
“Frank,” she states. Says it slow like she’s trying it on, sees if this all makes sense somehow.
Frank just nods, rubs his forearm now.
“Everything we talked about in the bar?”
“All true,” he confirms, “Only thing different is my name, promise.”
She nods slowly, in thought, “Why tell me?” she almost whispers.
Frank holds her stare, “I want this to be honest.”
For just a split second he doubts himself for saying anything when he sees her teary eyes, but he knows he had to.
“I should throw you out, right? I mean, that’s what any normal woman would do in this situation,” but she’s talking out loud, not really looking for his answer so he stays quiet.
Then her hand reaches out and she tucks it into his, “But yet somehow I feel like I don’t need to.”
Frank looks down at their hands, threads his fingers with hers as he rubs her knuckles with his thumb.
She scoots closer to him, close like she had originally been, “Frank,” she tries it on again, this time with a soft grin on her face, “It does suit you a lot better than Pete.”
“Yeah?” he can’t help but smile, “I hope so.”
Lucy slips her hand behind his neck, he leans forward as she gently pulls him close.
Frank rubs the tip of his nose with hers, waits for her lead again.
“Gonna stay, Frank?” she sweetly asks.
“If you’ll have me,” his lips brushing over hers, a tease.
Lucy slides down onto her back, pulling Frank with her. He lifts the sheets away from their bodies to fit himself over her, leans down to kiss her throat.
She bites her lip to stop the smile on her face when he looks back down at her, and he knows it’ll be okay for now.
“Yeah?” he nods playfully, “You’ll have me?” he teases as he kisses her.
“All of you,” she answers.