Lost in the Woods

The events in Texas have really wrung me out this week.  I feel so bad knowing that the worst is yet to come.  I heard a stat on the news that only 80% of homeowners have flood insurance meaning they have not only lost everything but it's doubtful they'll be able to recoup.  I can't imagine their angst and thank the heavens I'm not in their shoes.    The one thing that has made me feel better is watching people helping each other.  People coming from all over to help their fellow man.  The country may be split over 45 but this devastation has brought us together as one as Sandra Bullock said there is no politics under eight feet of water, only people. Please give them a thought and prayer this week.

Many of you expressed a desire for these characters to appear again, perhaps even a book. It seemed perfect to bring them back to a Labor Day Fair because here in the good ole USA is Labor Day Weekend.,  - the unofficial last weekend of summer.

Carole couldn’t believe it.  How could she possibly be turned on by a man who belonged back in another century?  It must be a mistake something else must have triggered her body’s response. 

She drove home still thinking about the incident.  The first thing she did was undress and hop into the shower.  As the water sluiced down her body, her fingers found her sex and she pleasured herself all the while thinking about Sheriff Rance Decker.  That’s how she thought about him, not Rance Decker but Sheriff Rance Decker.  She supposed it had something to do with the uniform.  When they first met, he was just another cowboy with the standard outfit, jeans, a shirt and boots, but Sheriff Rance Decker was more than just another cowboy.  In his uniform he was six feet of delicious and as much as she hated to admit it to herself, he turned her on.

When she toweled off, she went to the computer and googled Sheriff Rance Decker.  Rance Decker was a member of the Decker family whose roots went back to the founding of Centerville.  He played football in high school and won a scholarship to the state university.  He played for two years but wrecked his knee at the beginning of his junior year.  He graduated cum laude and married his high school sweetheart.  He was 32 years old, and had two children. 

Further down she spied an obituary about Cindy Rice Decker.  There was a wedding picture of her and Rance – they looked like a wedding cake topper. There was no mistaking the look of love on Cindy’s face as she gazed at Rance. They seemed perfect together and she found herself granting him a little slack.

She found the Town of Centerville’s website and found some more information about Decker and his family and some history of the town itself.  There was a calendar of events and right at the top was notice of an annual fair on Labor Day Weekend.  ‘I think I might have to attend this fair.  It solves the problem  of how to meet up with Sherriff Rance Decker again. Yes, it’s perfect, I’ll drive up and spend the weekend.’ She found a listing for a bed and breakfast on the town’s website and made a reservation.

The closer it got to the holiday weekend she wondered if she was being silly. He probably had no interest in her but she couldn’t get him off her mind. Her vibrator had been getting a lot more use lately and she took to calling it Rance. ‘ Wouldn’t he just love to know that’,she thought to herself. 

She drove up on Friday afternoon and checked into the Bed and Breakfast.  It was picture perfect – an old Victorian style home with wide front porch filled with ‘cracker barrel’ style rocking chairs.  Hanging fern baskets were interspersed with wind chimes that tinkled in the late summer breeze.  She was greeted by a young girl, with freckles across her nose and a long blond ponytail.  She introduced herself as Lonnie Decker and welcomed Carole to Centerville and the bed and breakfast.  When Carole heard the name she couldn’t help but ask if she was related to the sheriff.

“Oh yes, he’s my uncle.  Here in Centerville, you’ll find Decker’s everywhere.” She giggled as she spoke. 

“Do you know my uncle?”

“I’ve met him before.”

“He’s a sweetheart and I just love him to pieces.  I babysit for my cousins once in a while.”

“How nice,” was the only thing she could think of to say.  Lonnie showed her to her room and told her there would be wine and cheese at 5:30 pm and breakfast starting at 6:30 the next morning and that she was welcome to attend before she went back to her duty at the front desk.

Carole admired the room.  It was clean as a whistle – the large windows sparkled in the sunshine,  the bed was dressed in a downy white comforter and lots of pillows.  She kicked off her shoes and collapsed down into its welcoming comfort.  By the time she woke, it was almost dark outside.  Obviously, she missed the wine and cheese and her tummy was telling her it was time to be fed.  Sure there would be food at the fair, she freshened herself up and went in search of the event.

It wasn’t hard to find.  The music and lights of the rides easily let her to the place.  It was like any other fair, kids squealing with delight, lights flashing, smells of unhealthy food lingering in the air, folks laughing and enjoying the last days of summer. 

Her nose led her to the stand serving sausage and peppers.  It smelled wonderful and she couldn’t resist the temptation.  She ordered the sandwich, a root beer, and some french fries and went to find an empty table to enjoy her repast.  She was taking a large bite out of her sandwich when someone bumped her shoulder and her sandwich went flying out of her hand landing on the ground.

“Look what you did, you clumsy oaf,” she blurted out before she turned to see it was a boy about ten.  “I’m sorry, ma’am, but my sister pushed me and I couldn’t stop myself.”

She saw a girl of about eight, with a sheepish look on her face.  “I’m sorry, ma’am, he was teasing me and I pushed him.  I didn’t mean to cause trouble.” She began to cry and Carole was about to tell her it wasn’t a problem when a tall man stepped up.  “What’s going on here?”

Carole looked up into the face to Sheriff Rance Decker.  He was dressed as a sheriff tonight but as a cowboy.  She was wrong, he looked just as good in his jeans and boots – maybe not as authoritative but still looking like a man that could handle any situation.

“Mindy pushed me and I fell into this lady and her sandwich went flying,” the boy said. 

“I see and why did Mindy push you – were you teasing her again?”  It was the boy’s turn to look sheepish.

“I can see by the look on your face that was the case.  I think you owe this lady an apology and another sandwich.”

“Yes, sir.”

Rance started to ask what kind of sandwich when he recognized Carole.

“Hello.” He smiled.  “You always seemed to be in distress when we meet, why is that?’  He grinned.  He put his arm around the boy, “this here is my son Tanner and that beauty over there is my daughter Mindy.”  He extended his other arm around Mindy’s shoulders.

“Kids, this is Carole Maddow.  Tanner, go get Ms. Maddow another sandwich, sausage and peppers was it?”

“Yes, but that’s not necessary.”

“Yes, it is.”

“How should I pay for it, Dad?”

“Don’t you have your allowance?”

“Yes, but that’s for the fair.”

“Well, now it’s for Ms. Maddow’s sandwich and maybe it will teach you not to tease your sister.”  The boy’s face crumpled.  Carole reached for her purse but Rance put his arm on hers to stay her action.

Tanner walked away, the slump of his shoulders made Carole want to run over and grab him up in her arms to console him.

“That’s mean,” she said in a low voice not wanting Mindy to hear.

“Not really.  I’ll give him whatever he wants later but he has to learn to be nicer to his sister.”

Rance asked if she minded if he sat down.  “Not at all, you too Mindy.”

Mindy shook her head no and ran off in the direction of her brother. 

“You don’t mind them being off by themselves.”

“Carole, this is Centerville and probably more than half the people here are related to them, so they’re pretty safe.  Besides, I can still see Tanner from here.  So to change the subject, what are you doing here?  I never expected to see you again.”

Carole sputtered and spewed and she was glad it was dark so that he wouldn’t be able to see the flush on her face.

“I felt bad about the way I behaved the last time and wanted to make it up to you.  This seemed like a perfect solution.”

“It seems to me you’re always trying to make amends for bad behavior. I don’t mean to beat a dead horse but maybe you could benefit from a good spanking.” He made the last statement in a very low voice and close to her ear which only exacerbated her libido.  “I’m available if you think I’m right,” his grin reached from ear to ear.

“I’m not one of your children, Sheriff Decker.”

“I don’t spank my children.  Naughty adult women are another matter.”

“So you’ve said before.”

Perfect timing as Mindy and Tanner returned with Carole’s sandwich.  “C’mon daddy, you promised me a ride on the Ferris wheel,” Mindy begged.

“She’s right, I did and I always live up to my word.”  He wiggled his eyebrows. Will you be here again tomorrow?”

“Yes, I’m staying over at the Bed & Breakfast.  BTW, I met your niece this afternoon, she’s in love with you.”

‘Yes, I seem to have that effect on the opposite sex.” His grin was infectious and she found herself grinning back at him. "You're exasperating, you know that."

C’mon Daddy.” 

“Tanner why don’t you take your sister over there and get in line, I’ll be right there.”

When the kids ran off, Rance told Carole he’d really like to get to know her better and asked if she would like to come out to the ranch the following afternoon and then they could do the fair barbecue afterward.

She said yes.  “Do you think you could find your way, or should I draw you a map?”  He could see the look on her face. “Now don’t go getting all saucy on me, it’s a simple question.”

“I’m sure I can find it.”  He came up close to her and rubbed his arm down her back landing on her backside.  He gave her three little pats and turned away.

“See you tomorrow, saucy lady.”

Carole hoped she remembered to pack Rance because she was going to need it.

So what do you think?  Should I continue and possibly make this into a book?

See you later for more Aimless Ramblings?