Slagtown

Note: All participants in sexual activity in this story are 18 years old or older. All characters are fictional.

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It was almost dark when I saw the sign.

I took a very deep breath, closing my eyes for a long second before opening them again, focusing on the road. Grabbing the back of my neck and squeezing with my left hand, I realized how much I was sweating. I felt myself shake, just a bit, as I drove past the faded green road sign, rusty and leaning.

SLAGTOWN

Pop. 187

The last three weeks had been a crash course in not acting nervous. Or maybe that wasn't right, exactly. I didn't like the word, didn't want to dwell on it, but the word I was looking for wasn't "nervous." It was "guilty."

Hours ago, I had squeezed my left fist into a tight ball as I kissed Ashley goodbye, hugging her with my right. She'd been stretching, preparing for another intense workout. Harper had hugged me briefly before rushing out the door to one of her endless high school activities. Mid-Sunday afternoon, late January, and I was ready to hit the road.

I drove slowly through the dying town. It seemed every third or fourth house was actually lived-in. To the left, up higher on the mountain, the remains of the old steel mill loomed. Down the road was the coal mine, still limping along. Twenty minutes drive farther was the series of old factories that I was here for. I'd be spending a decent amount of time here this year assessing them, determining if the land they sat on could be restored, what would be needed to develop them into something new.

Just past town I turned left, and drove the winding highway that led toward the other main road out of town, and the only hotel for miles. Almost there. The drive had only taken four hours or so, but it was enough time to reminisce, over and over, about the last time I was here, just three weeks ago, and wonder what was in store.

The first time I walked into the overheated hotel lobby, three weeks ago, the receptionist looked too young to be working behind the desk. She glanced up suddenly as I came in, then smiled, wide-eyed, almost surprised at the sight of me.

"Ummm....hi!"

I was a little taken aback. Was this an actual employee? The girl looked really young, and was wearing an old, peeling t-shirt, a faded orange thing that said "SLAGTOWN MUSTANGS" across the front. It looked like she was working on homework. And that sudden, too-casual greeting was unlike any I'd heard checking into a hotel. Ummm...hi. Hi, drawn out, mountain-accented.

"Hello! I'm here to check in."

"Chris, right?" It sounded like "raht." And how did she know?

"Y..yes..."

"It's just that you're like the only reservation."

A little smile, and I couldn't help but smile back. She was cute, cuter than I'd first noticed. Her pale face showed just a few brown freckles, mostly on either side of her little nose, spilling onto her chubby cheeks. She had a bottom lip that was just a bit big, making her look pouty even as she smiled. And her eyes, wide eyes in some unique shade of copper blue, they were every kind of mesmerizing. I shouldn't be thinking about her this way, I mused.

"Is that right?"

"Yeah. Like, it's just you. I got you in 103 but you can have whatever room you want."

I shouldn't be thinking about her that way, I had told myself, even as my eyes glanced down at her t-shirt, orange cotton stretched over her stomach, chubby, maybe even a little fat. On the desk, an open book and papers, Chemistry homework, loopy writing. The faint sounds of a hip-hop song drifted from the cell phone beside the book.

"103 is fine with me!"

"Ha!" A little laugh.

The girl brushed her hair from her face, dark brown, straight hair that extended just past her chin. Her hand came to rest on her pale neck, which had more brown freckles, and on which she wore one of those choker necklaces, the kind that looks like some sort of fabric tattoo - that tight woven pattern all the girls my age were wearing back in the 90s. Were they back in style? I had no idea, but realized once again I was kind of sort of checking out someone who was too young, way too young, and thought that I should probably stop.

"Well here ya go..."

Her hand brushed against mine for a long second as she handed me the key, an actual real-life key rather than a card, her pale fingers with very short, unpainted nails tucked against my palm for what seemed longer than necessary, and for the first time, I noticed my breath catch just a little.

"Thanks!"

"I'll see ya."

"Bye."

"Bye!"

"Bye, then..."

"Bye." A big laugh.

"So long."

"Laters."

I held in a laugh as I walked down the hall. Inside the room, an old but well kept space, I plopped down on one of the two double beds, the one closest to the door, and sighed. I should have known then that something was happening. I should have known, but I didn't think it was possible, even when the room phone rang and I heard her voice on the other end.

"Hello Mr. Schraeder? This is Tanner, at the front desk?"

"Hi!"

"Um...hi. I'm just checking to see if there's anything you need."

"Um, no. No, I'm good."

"You sure?"

"I am sure, but thanks!"

"Cause if there's anything you need, anything at all, you just let me know. 'K?"

"OK. I will."

"Good."

"Thanks. Bye."

"Bye."

"So long."

I heard Tanner laugh into the phone, a sweet, beautiful laugh.

"Adios."

"Sayonara."

"Farewell."

"Toodle-oo."

A big giggle. "Toodle-what?!" Never mind. Hasta la Vista."

"Until then."

"Until when?"

"We'll see."

"Goodbye."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Click.

I just laid there, on that bed, and whispered her name. Tanner. I sighed. Tanner Tanner Tanner. Oh hell, what was going on? I couldn't let myself get carried away like this. I needed to call home, needed to let Ashley know I was here, and get ready for tomorrow's meeting and tour and inspection, I needed to, but I just laid there for a minute, then another, and another, and once more, out loud, said her name.

Tanner.

I remembered it all, every funny goodbye, every silly laugh, every inflection, as I drove, closer to the hotel, and the first snowflakes began to fall.

She'd still been there in the morning to serve me my complimentary breakfast of stale cereal, toast, and bad coffee, still sweet and friendly as ever. She was there when I returned from a long first day of meetings, smiling and chatty. If it hadn't been for the gruff, middle aged man who nodded to me on the way out the door the second morning, I'd have thought Tanner was the sole employee at the hotel.

I remembered Tanner leaning against my breakfast table, asking about my life back home, Tanner speaking up, keeping some kind of conversation going, every time I tried to walk back to my room. Tanner giggling with some infectious giggle, her face lighting up, my god.

She worked at the hotel, she said, to save money for college. She was gonna get out of this town. She slept in one of the rooms most nights before driving herself to school. I listened, rapt, lost in the wide crazy blue of Tanner's eyes.

I'd found myself checking my hair in the mirror before I got out of the car one evening, and castigated myself. You're married. She's in high school. These feelings were so wrong, and yet I couldn't help but almost hold my breath as I entered the lobby, saw her smile, smiled back, guiltily, realizing that sweet face looked so much younger than I'd been imagining just minutes earlier.

As the snowfall picked up I slowed, driving more carefully, continuing to reminisce. I recalled Tanner pulling up a chair beside me at breakfast that last morning, showing me pictures on her phone. Her mom, her sister, her dog. A few friends. Her birthday party, just before Christmas. She showed me a photo of her sister and herself, eating cake, big baloons floating behind them, an inflatable number eighteen.

Tanner lingered on this photo, holding the phone up to my face with a mischievous smile.

"Check it out. My birthday. See?"

I knew instantly what she was doing. This was as good as pullng out her ID. Tanner wanted me to understand that she was old enough, that she was legal, that, high school student or not, she was in the clear, fair game, ready.

I'd felt dumbstruck, sort of dizzy. Tanner couldn't expect - I mean, we were sort of flirting maybe, but we weren't like -flirting- per se, it was just super friendly maybe I like you banter, that was all. Wasn't it? I had a wife at home, after all, a wife and a daughter nearly as old as Tanner. She couldn't think - I mean, I was a dad, a husband, a forty-six year old man, and Tanner, well, she was a high school student, a teenager. How could she think anything would come of this?

"Yeah, Tanner. Happy birthday, you know, a couple weeks late. Sorry I didn't get you anything..."

Was it just me? Was I doing that guy thing where every time a girl acts even a little friendly, just like a decent human being acts toward another, he instantly thinks she's into him? That had to be it, I reckoned. This teen girl couldn't really be hinting, so obviously, that she was interested in someone like me, let's be real. What was making me think she was? I used to think I was above that kind of misunderstanding. I reminded myself to be the good guy, be friendly but professional, be real.

Later that afternoon, my trip cut unexpectedly short, my assumptions were rearranged for me. I'd stood across the check-in counter from Tanner as her face deflated.

"You're LEAVIN'?"

"I'll be back in a few weeks. I'll be here plenty of times this year. It will be nice to s..."

Turning into the hotel parking lot as the snow started to gather on the broken asphalt, I took a very big breath, reminiscing about how Tanner hadn't let me finish that sentence. Suddenly standing, she had leaned all the way over the narrow counter and pressed her sweet beautiful lips against mine, kissing me firmly, kissing for all she was worth, and I felt myself reciprocate, kissing her, kissing Tanner, my lips lingering against her amazing teenage lips, so soft, so full, so wonderful, and just briefly, softly, caressed her pale cheek, just a little, and then felt our lips part, Tanner's breath still caressing my mouth, and my god, what the hell was I doing?

I'd left so quickly. Out of breath, whispering a hurried goodbye, I'd made my retreat out the door and into my car, never stopping until the state line, terrified. Now, I had to gather my nerves before walking back in the door I'd hurried out so fast, steeling myself for whatever would happen. I waited inside the car for a long five minutes, watching the gathering snow, before I found the nerve to step out into the biting cold. Outside the door, I paused again. A deep breath, and I entered the lobby.

Behind the desk, an elderly woman greeted me. I quickly deflated, half disappointed and half relieved.

"You're Schraeder, I'm guessin'."

"That's - yeah, that's me."

"Looks like you got the place to yourself this week. Everybody else cancelled. Snowstorm's comin'."

"Snowstorm?"

"Biggun. Movin' in tonight."

"I'll have to watch the weather."

"I'd do that. I got you in 103."

I smiled to myself as I found my old room.

That night, I slept surprisingly well. After calling Ashley to check in, and tell her goodnight, I went to bed early and never woke up until I heard the alarm. I staggered into the shower, quickly brushed my teeth, shaved, and mostly dressed before my phone beeped.

"Hey Chris. All the meetings are cancelled today, obviously. Stay safe in this weather. We'll regroup tomorrow if the weather's better, but it's not looking good. Catch up later."

Weird. For the first time, I made my way to the window, pulled back the curtain, and looked outside. It was white. Everything was white, as far as the eye could see, snow still blowing and swirling, and you couldn't tell where the white snow ended and the gray sky began. I had no idea how much snow had fallen, but it wasn't something you could measure in inches. It was feet of snow.

I took a deep breath, wondering if I should call home, or the office, or just go down and see what was for breakfast. As soon as I sat down on the edge of the bed, three quick knocks came from the door.

Three more. Then, quickly, a little rhythmic pattern.

I walked to the door, suddenly aware my dress shirt was still unbuttoned, showing my chest, and I was still barefoot, and my hair was still wet, wondering, could it be her, could it be, until I reached for the doorknob, held it briefly, gathered my courage, and opened it.

Of course it was her.

Tanner stood in the doorway, just a hint of a smile on her face. A lock of very dark brown, almost black hair hung over the right side of her face, until she brushed it back. She wore the black fabricky choker tattoo thing again, tight on her pale neck. Tanner just stared, lips almost forming a word before she paused, bit her lower lip, and looked much more serious. I tried to speak, managing to half-whisper her name.

"Tanner..."

She stood on the outsides of her feet in thin white socks, rocking slightly, ready to speak, deciding if she should. Finally, she formed the words.

"You...you rushed outta here so fast..."

"I was scared."

"You didn't want me to..."

"I did want you to, I wanted to kiss you all week."

"But you ran out so quick."

"I was caught off guard. And I'm married, and I've never, you know..."

"Cheated?"

"Cheated."

I took a very big breath. Tanner looked so good, standing there cute as ever, cuter even than I'd remembered. A light blue t-shirt stretched over her upper body, ending exactly at the point her dark jeans started. Those jeans, held around her thick mid-section by a wide black belt, with 3 rows of silver-loop reinforced holes, had a rip high on her left leg, and the entirety of the right knee ripped out and frayed, showing one bare white kneecap. Tanner shifted her weight nervously on her socked feet.

"It took me all week to get up the nerve to kiss you."

"I kept thinking maybe you were hinting, but I told myself I had to be imagining it, I mean why on earth would you be interested in me, some old middle aged dude?"

"Have ya SEEN the boys my age?"

"Point taken."

"God I missed you."

"I thought about you every minute, Tanner."

She took a step into the room, a step closer to me, and let the door start to close behind her.

"Y'know we're snowed in here? Prob'ly stuck here for days."

I moved just a bit closer, and Tanner moved even closer to me, almost touching, Tanner's big blue eyes looking straight up at me. I heard the click of the door closing behind her.

"I just found out how bad the storm was."

"I'm glad I got here when I did. Middle o' the night, just in time for Doris to get home. And 'cause, well, I..."

Looking down quickly, Tanner shifted her weight from her left foot to her right. She looked back up and half-whispered.

"...'cause I couldn't wait to see you."

My hand instinctively reached out and touched Tanner's hand, just barely, just letting it linger for a tense second before her hand gripped mine, just a little, and I slid my hand further into hers, Tanner's hand, pale and small with those very short nails, and felt her hand grip mine, grip it surprisingly tight as our fingers intertwined, and in a kind of magical seeming slow motion I brushed that same lock of Tanner's dark hair, the part that just wanted to cover her beautiful face, I brushed it to the side, and let my hand linger there, gently caressing her pale, full, wonderfully freckled cheek, and slowly my lips made their way to hers.

I pressed my lips against Tanner's, kissing her, as she began kissing back, smooth and soft yet firm teenage lips, her bottom lip deliciously full, her top lip wonderfully perfect. Tanner kissed back, soft and sweet, and as our lips parted she gasped a little eyes-closed, delighted exhale of surprise.

Kissing her again, kissing this beautiful girl, I was the one who gasped. My god she was amazing. Tanner leaned closer in to me, in a standing cuddle, letting her hand rest on my bare chest between the two sides of my dress shirt, kissing me back, kissing softly, kissing sweetly, tender little closed mouth kisses, and I melted into her, into sweet beautiful Tanner, loving every second of this, never wanting it to end.

Tanner's socked foot rubbed against my bare foot, then rested on it. Letting go of her grip on my hand, she held my face in both her palms, reaching up on her tiptoes to kiss me, deeply and firmly. I ran my fingers through Tanner's beautiful soft short hair, caressed her cheek, caressed her neck, fingered the fabric tattoo thingy around it, and let my hand wander down her back, holding her in the small of her back through the t-shirt as we kissed, and kissed again, and again, and Tanner giggled, a sweet nervous giggle into my mouth, then looked down, and then back up at me, a sweet adoring look on her beautiful face. She laughed again before pressing her face toward mine.

"Hi." A giggle and a little kiss.

"Hello."

"Hey there."

"Bonjour."

"Howdy!"

"Top o' the mornin' to ya"

"Hiya!"

"Greetings."

"Ahoy."

"Hola."

"Aloha."

"Salutations, ma'am..."

Tanner lost it, collapsing against me in a cascade of giggles as I held her close to me.

"Want to get a little more comfortable?"

"Mmm Hmmm."

Holding hands, we made our way to the bed farthest from the door, the one I hadn't slept on. Somehow we ended up lying upside down on it, our faces together at the foot of the bed, our feet near the pillows. I kissed Tanner's sweet lips again, and she kissed back, harder than before.

"Oh god Chris..."

Caressing Tanner's cheek, running my hand through her hair, pressing the front of my body against hers, we kissed, lips on lips, for several long minutes. I sucked Tanner's bottom lip between my own lips, and licked along the width of it, before rolling it gently between my teeth, as Tanner gasped. Opening my mouth, I pressed my tongue against her lips, and felt her open them slightly, letting me slip my tongue inside her mouth.

Oh my god Tanner's mouth felt heavenly, sweet and soft and moist, and as soon as my tongue was inside, Tanner sucked, pulling it deeper into herself, an unexpected, but sort of oddly delightful feeling. Tanner sucked hard. The bottom of my tongue started to hurt, just a little, as she sucked it in deeper, then sucked in little spasms, hard for a few seconds then relaxing, hard for a few seconds then relaxing, so weird and wonderful. I was suddenly so erect I thought I wouldn't be able to hold on to my load. Working her head in adorable little contortions, Tanner sucked my tongue for a little while, until we separated slightly.

"Oh my god wow Tanner..." I whispered into her face. "That was...it was a surprise. Strange, but wow!"

"Ain't that how you do it? When you French kiss?"

I couldn't bear to tell her no.

"Sometimes."

"I never done it. How else..."

I pressed my lips against Tanner's, slid my tongue into her sweet mouth, and let my tongue caress hers. Slow circles around her tongue, one way, then the other way, then back. Tanner breathed deeply into my mouth, pushing herself harder against me.

Sweet heaven. Tanner felt so god damn amazing, I could do this with her forever. My hand found hers, and we slid our fingers together, holding hands, kissing, tongues swirling and dancing together, round and round, for a long minute, and another, and another. Tanner moaned out loud, into my mouth, and sounded sexier than anything ever had. My god she was amazing. For another few minutes, and another few, we kissed, until Tanner finally came up for air. She took a very big breath, then another, and another, then looked at me, mouth agape, delighted.